It's been almost a month since Jarvis joined our family and he's fit right in. The kids are absolutely in love and enjoy all their time with him. He's made remote learning bearable, the perfect companion for school breaks and the perfect companion for lunchtime walks.
The puppy has learned his surroundings, gotten to know our house and is very comfortable with us all. He's growing quickly and learning new things every day.
A few weeks ago we also began dog training with Carol the Dog Trainer. She has been an amazing resource and her advice and lessons have made a huge difference in helping us train Jarvis.
In just two lessons, he's learned his name, to sit, to stay, to come and how to walk on a leash. We're working on "give" and "lie down" and teaching him things we want him to know.
Our in-person, socially distant lessons are being held in a large empty parking lot with four other puppies. We have lots of space between us (though we are still wearing masks). The lessons are fun, interesting and are really working. Carol is patient, knowledgeable and spends time getting to know our dog and gives great advice. Not only does she provide great information during class, but she follows up after class with an email with tips, links, reading materials and "homework.".
What I'm enjoying most is the Q&A session with Carol during each class. Questions that have stumped us are answered easily. Things that we struggled with during the week are quickly solved with Carol's advise and experience. Her knowledge of dogs and how to handle every scenario and situation is so helpful and has made welcoming a puppy into our home easier than I expected.
If you are getting a puppy this holiday, consider puppy classes a necessary investment. The training now will save you hassles and hardship down the line, and your puppy with appreciate it.
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