Sandy Smarty-pants

I have written before about the excellent training programs the Washington Humane Society has in place to ensure that their animals get all the socialization and improved adoptability benefits of beginning a positive training program. With my first foster dog from WHS, I get to see these benefits first hand. 

From the moment I got her it became apparent that Sandy knew Sit and was already wise to the ways of the clicker. Though it doesn't sound like much, this little bit of a head start has made such a difference in her integration to our household.

When I get home and let Sandy out of her crate and I have three large-ish energetic bundles of impulsive muscle swarming around me, and I say Sit, guess who's the first to comply?

When I have three loud mouths all clamoring for attention and 12 paws competing to get me muddy first, guess which mouth stops mouthing and which set of 4 paws is on the floor first?


When I went for a walk the other night with the two pitties and a passerby stopped to tell me how much she loves dogs, and Fozzie started getting into his leash frustration tug of war because he hates it when I stop on walks and then Sandy joined in too, guess who was first to disengage with her leash and be good?

Not a certain foster boy who has been working on Leave It for a year and a half, oh no!


Who is learning Wait like a champ and thrusting her paws at me in triumphant displays of High Five and giving me sweet, delighted eye contact every chance she gets? 


I think we all know the answer!

Why is Sandy so good? 


Maybe she's extra eager to please because of the novelty of training and the excitement of cheesy snacks and hot dogs. Maybe she's just hungry all the time. Or maybe she just had really good trainers at the shelter. Maybe she's not old enough to have learned that sometimes being bad is just fun.


Let's hope she doesn't learn it from any teenage pit bulls I MIGHT mention!