Jackson Goes to Boot Camp -Part XVIII

As bootcamps go, Jackson had a pretty easy day. We decided to see how his socialization is progressing. So, we heeled near the barracks…going only as far as the pond around the corner. This is a lot different than practicing this dicipline in an area where there are virtually no distractions. Walking down Loco Lane, around the corner and down the street, he was presented with plenty of distractions: barking dogs, cars, people walking nearby, golf carts, etc. Jackson is a super-friendly canine and wants to be everybody’s best friend, so he is very prone to people distractions. With that in mind, I would say that he did very well. He did halt with me at street crossings and he did automatically sit –most of the time. Although I haven’t “graded” him to date, I would have to give him a B+ today.

The photo, above, has nothing to do with bootcamp. It has to do with logistics. I needed to go to the grocery store today to pick up some staples. Instead of putting Jackson in his crate, I thought it would be a good idea to just confine him and Lucy to their back yard and let them romp while I shopped. One thing I hadn’t considered -actually had no idea- is that today was lawn sprinkler day at the Dings. So, after completing my shopping, I stopped by to pick up Jackson. But instead of finding a white Yellow Lab, I found a black and not-so-white Lab. Apparently these dogs dug deep into the black muck (I don’t even want to look!) in the back yard. After we arrived back at Loco Lane, I cleaned him up as best I could but the doctored photo, above, is pretty much what he looked like. Also, before the sponge bath, he smelled a little bit like a swamp.