Lily Grace Goes To Day Camp

[Sue & Lily Grace]

Lily Grace had an evaluation yesterday for day camp.  I thought that this would be a opportunity for her to play her same species. She thinks I am a dog and she was very frustrated over the holiday when her cousins would not play with her.  

Her trainer runs the day camp and separates the dogs by the way they play so she wanted to see Lily around other dogs.  I was warned to wear old clothes and to expect Lily to get dirty.  I had no idea what dirty actually was.  When we arrived, the trainer had all the dogs in a large field with one of the other trainers.  A few of the more timid were in a smaller field.  I took Lily into the field with just one dog and they sniffed and all was well.  I was so happy, this is going to work and they will just walk around together.  Cheryl introduced a 1 1/2 year old small Wheaton Terrier to the mix and Lily was introduced to humping.  Cheryl stopped the behavior right away and said he was just trying to show he was dominant.  Hummm!  Lily hid between my and Cheryl's legs.  When she came out he started biting her ears and she just rolled on her back.  This was not exactly how I pictured her first experience.  

Cheryl then took out a poodle that was not interested in her at all.  They just sniffed.  She then took into the field a long legged mixed breed that was six months old.  Lily did not have a chance and just rolled on her back.  Cheryl introduced a boxer puppy that was Lily's age although she was much bigger.  Lily took off running, bowing, rolling.  Although my tongue was bloody from biting it, I did not pick her up and run.  I stood there trying to pretend that my 14 week old puppy was not throwing herself all over the ground in response to a much larger puppy chasing her.  Cheryl explained that Lily would have to learn to stop running and then she would not be chased.  Lily just kept throwing herself on the ground to stop the chase.  But she kept going back for more and more and more.  After 1/2 hour of this and many drinks of water that happened to be placed in a complete dirt area, my little white girl was no longer white.  If not black she was definitely a dark gray.  

I had to carry her out of the and to the car.  She did not want to leave.  I brushed her out when I got her home to get some of the sand and leaves out of her coat.  She was fed, peed and pooped.  She had a bath and crashed.  Two hours later she was up and raring to go again.  You just cannot tire her out.  This was a lot of work for me for 2 hours of rest.

Before her bath.

I am not sure that she is old enough or large enough to make this a weekly outing but she sees the vet tomorrow and I will ask her advice.  Lily will start puppy classes tonight.  It is a class of only five puppies and it will be interesting to see if she pays attention to me or will want to play as she did at camp.  

After her bath.

 

[GBK]

It's great for her to be introduced to lot's of different experiences that do happen when dogs play :)  And the great part is there is someone there to control the situation.  Good luck with the puppy classes, and I have to say, she is really just the most adorable puppy, makes me want a parti next!

[Camilla and Darwin]

She's cute! Sounds like she's figuring it out. :-)

[Pat and Traveler]

She is such a cutie!  Sounds like the park experience was partly fun and partly stressful.  Hope the class goes well tonight.

[BG and Gavin]

What a doll!  She will find her stride soon enough.  Sounds like in the end she was really enjoying herself.  Too bad she did not sleep a  bit long ;)

[Donna K & Quincy]

What an adorable little fluff ball, dirty or clean.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Sounds like a good day for Lily Grace, but some extra work for you :) She is adorable dirty or wet!

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Sounds like she had more fun than her mommy. It's hard not to worry when other dogs are chasing them. It gets better, I promise!

[Bonnie and Kona]

I'm eager to hear about Lily's puppy class tonight. Keep us updated. She is adorable!

[Sue & Lily Grace]

I will post in the Training Group. She has made great strides in so many areas. She is so sweet most of the time and a little devil at other times.

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

It sounds like a good experience for Lily, and any puppy that is that dirty must have had fun!  How exciting that she's starting class tonight.  I can't wait to hear more.  Maybe you could put something out in the Training Group about what you do and how it goes.  It might be helpful to others since I think we have lots of new "Doodle babies" right now.  I love that picture of her all clean and curled up....happy dreamland.