CGC Class, Day 6 - Louie Passed the Test!

Today was the big day.
The test for the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification was today and I was nervous. I just don't like the idea of a test. I never did well at testing. I didn't like the feeling of being put on the spot and expected to do well. I took care of this in school the easy way. I had it all figured out by the sixth grade. If they tested me, I did not try. I did not try to succeed therefore I could not fail. See, I'm a winner! So, as you probably guessed I did not finish high school. Everyone said how smart and promising I was but, such a shame, what a waste.

I didn't like tests because they have made me nervous in the past. I have had poor testing experience in my adolescence. Today felt similar. I thought about how I'd be nervous and in front of people. Everybody watching, judging, hoping for me to fail... oh, wait. That's only in my mind. Test day. It wasn't that bad at all. Actually, it was quite fun!


I may have been thinking all of that negative stuff in the back of my mind. To be very honest, negativity is my default setting. I am also a very creative thinker. That makes for extremely interesting and exciting scenarios that play out vividly in my mind when I worry. Very in depth short films. What I have learned to do to survive is this: I found  a great way of making those thoughts into funny movies instead of realistic worries. It replaces my self doubt and morbid pessimism with confidence and a bright outlook. I'm such a deep thinker. Ha.

So as my mind was imagining me falling and Louie crapping on the floor, and maybe even me falling into his crap,  I laughed at it. That is ridiculous! There is no way that is going to happen. Well, maybe I would slip, but then I would make a hilarious joke that would break the tension and make everyone laugh at me and we would be fine. The floor there is made out of old tires! I'd bounce right back up, but seriously I knew we would do great. All of theses thoughts racing through my head as I get ready to leave and I look over at Louie, leisurely licking the empty coin purse between his legs, he is fine with all of this. Louie is totally at ease and completely oblivious to my obnoxious worrying. I love him. I relax my shoulders and take a deep breath. It's good to be alive and spend time with the ones I love.

Today is my birthday.
Louie and I left for the class and arrived with a few minutes to spare. This gave bit to let Louie and I to get used to the new layout of the room. The chairs were on the apposite side of the room than they usually were for a usual class day. There was also some big orange traffic cones places around the room. It may not seem like much but this is a kinda of big deal for Louie. It's not that he's in a place he's never been before, but he's in a familiar location with the landmarks switched around. Two very different things.

Let me give you and example of Louie's mapping skills.
On the way to class we drive down the freeway at 70mph for a while, then down to 60. When we veer right and take the off ramp, we slow down and make a left. We drive 35mph for a long time then....take a right on to Irongate road and... Louie sits up, he starts to whine. Drive 25mph just a little on a bumper road and make a right... Louie starts to talk, a yawn and a rooroorrrooooo!. We take another left he's dancing on the seat as we pull to the right into a parking space. I know if Louie could talk, he could give me directions to Tails-a-Wagging from our house out in the county.

Louie has our living room mapped out and memorized, but not before having the way he gets there memorized first. He has paths in the yard he frequents so often there is a visible trail worn in the grass. If we move our furniture around he has to remap that area out as it fits with the preexisting map already around it. It's fun to watch him figure out this new puzzle.

So to familiarize ourselves with the new arrangement in the classroom, we just went around the room and back to where we came in a few times. Louie gets it quickly. He lets me know because he stops sniffing the ground and lifting his front legs high. He relaxes  and holds his head up higher.

The test was just like a class. We did the same things we'd been practicing. I forgot about the word test and remembered the word fun instead. I really enjoyed our time at Tails-a-Wagging and I don't think we could have had a more perfect instructor for our style than what we had with Michael. He really let Louie and I do our thing while still giving us guidance. He helped me remember to practice often and be consistent in the way I talk to Louie and how I ask him to do things. That is extremely important. Louie wants to do what I ask of him, but he has to understand what I'm asking of him to be able to.

We passed the test. We win. Great job.
There were ten things we needed to do and we did them all correctly. I could still see some room for improvement on a couple of things, it will be fun to keep up on it and continue working together. Louie is going to do so well if we can do this therapy dog thing.

As a treat we stopped at our local farmers co op on the way home and Louie picked out a big old bone. Okay, two. One for Snorp also, but Louie earned his today. I am really proud of him. He doesn't allow himself to be scared or defensive because he can't see. He would have a fine excuse to be. Louie loves life and I love Louie and he inspires me to be a better person. Everyday.

Louie enjoying his bone. happy!

Louie listening to Budde enjoy Louie's bone. sad.