Congratulations Out + About Graduates!

The Out + About course graduated four dogs last night and then the dogs enjoyed a doggie sundae from Ben & Jerry’s. The five-week advanced-level course put the dogs (and the people!) to work in everyday, real-life distractions. The dogs had already learned all the necessary skills in previous courses, and the Out + About course helped perfect those skills among distractions.

Each week was different: one week we encountered about six young skateboarders who were having a great (but noisy) time; we worked the dogs around fountains of water, walked them across decorative iron grates (with water flowing beneath), asked the to stay when other dogs, joggers, and baby strollers would pass by; developed a solid “leave it” so the dogs could be called away from food treats on the ground or other dogs who were passing nearby.

The course culminated last night at Five Guys where the dogs worked on their quiet stays while we ate burgers and fries! A helpful skill, the quiet stay works wonders at the dinner table! Or when you’re out in public and get a hankering for a burger.

After the people enjoyed their dinners, Smart Dog University bought the dogs a graduation present: dessert from Ben & Jerry’s! A well deserved treat for the well behaved dogs!

There are so many dog-friendly businesses in Frederick – many of the restaurants will allow people to bring their well-behaved dogs to enjoy a night of dining on the patio. If you’d like to enroll your dog in the next Out + About course, log onto the Smart Dog University course registration page. You and your dog are eligible if you’ve completed either the Puppy Track or the Dog Track.