Not too bad, Puggie. Not too bad.

Jose and I signed Puggie up for a Canine Good Citizens (CGC) class at Teamworks dog training in Raleigh - we started the class two days after we adopted her. Ultimately, our goals were simple...we wanted her to learn her name, bond with us, and come when called. In the six weeks the class ran, we saw a huge, huge improvement with Puggie. HUGE. She never really agreed to sit-stay or down-stay, but she would stand-stay. She stand-stays very, very well. I wasn't sure if that was enough to pass the class, but lo and behold, it was :)

I get pretty emotional just thinking about how badly Puggie was treated for the first (2-5?) years of her life at the puppy mill. Now she has a loving home, great toys, nutritious food, routine vaccines and meds, and an AKC CGC certificate under her collar. Not too bad, Puggie. Not too bad.

Recommendations:
If you're interested in adopting a Pug...please consider a rescue. MAPR is our regional organization and they are frequently bursting at the seams with Pugs that need hugs (and homes). If you're not in the mid-Atlantic, contact MAPR and I'm sure they will direct you to a reputable Pug rescue organization near you.

If you're in the Raleigh area and looking for dog classes, check out Teamworks. I'm eternally grateful to our instructor at Teamworks and her tireless work with us and suggestions for helping Puggie. We took the 'Fearful Fido' class with Berger a few years back and that was top-notch as well.