huge, fluffy ears. Ellie wouldn’t have been surprised if Amelia had blow-dried them for him.
“That’s nice,” Dad said.
Ellie looked horrified. “No, it isn’t! What if we do it all wrong and she tells everyone at school?”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Dad said.
Unfortunately, he was wrong. As Ellie led Rascal into the hall, he dashed forwards, dragging Ellie along behind him.
“Come back, Rascal!” Ellie muttered, going red, as everyone turned round to stare. But Rascal had never seen so many puppies in one place before, and he barked himself silly, jumping up and down, and running in circles.
“Pick him up, Ellie,” Dad hissed.
Ellie hugged Rascal tightly and tried to calm him down, but he kept yapping and trying to wriggle out of her arms.
“Don’t worry.” The instructor, Jo, came over to them, smiling. She was much younger than Ellie had imagined she’d be, with a long brown plait. “He’ll soon get used to it. This is Rascal, isn’t it? We’re just going to start with everyone introducing themselves.”
She gathered them all together, and Ellie looked round curiously at the other dogs. Rascal was definitely the smallest, but they all looked quite young. As well as Amelia and Goldie, there was a chocolate Labrador puppy called Sam, a Dalmatian called Libby, a Westie, Angus, who was almost as small as Rascal, and Josh, a Border collie pup. Jo had brought her own dog too, a beautiful golden Labradorcalled Emma, who looked like she knew everything there was to know about dog-training.
“These classes are all about you ending up with a happy, well-behaved dog,” Jo explained. “A dog who gets on well with all your family, and other dogs too. So, we’re going to start with some playtime. I think we’ll put Libby, Sam and Josh together in one group. Then Angus, Goldie and Rascal in the other, as they’re about the same size.”
Jo moved the two groups to opposite ends of the hall, and told all the owners to crouch down. “That way your puppy knows you’re nice and close if he’s scared. We’ll take their leads off and let them play with these rope toys. If one of the pups starts being too rough, just gently take them away for a minute, OK?”
Ellie undid Rascal’s lead. He looked upat her curiously, and then went to sniff the rope. But Angus wanted it too, and as he tugged it away Rascal barked loudly. Everyone in the hall turned round to look.
Goldie had been sitting watching, but now she tried to join in, and Rascal noticed her for the first time. He trotted over, and started trying to sniff her bottom!
“Stop him!” Amelia snapped. Ellie snatched him up, her face scarlet. After that, Goldie and Amelia kept giving Rascal identical disgusted looks, and Ellie felt like a worm. She was glad when Jo told everyone to put the puppies’ leads back on, so they could practise walking to heel.
“Get your treats out, everyone. Remember, we want the dogs to enjoy training, and to want to do what they’re told. So, when your dog is paying attention to you, reward him. When he’s walking, have the treat just in front of his nose, so he follows along. Off we go.” Jo got them all walking in a circle round the room.
Rascal’s tail was wagging as he followed his favourite treat, and he lookedas though he was enjoying himself. Ellie took a deep, relieved breath. Maybe he had just been getting used to this training thing!
Then Rascal bolted, pulling the lead out of her hand. Ellie squeaked and chased after him.
Rascal whizzed up the stairs to the stage, where everyone had left their bags, and Ellie gasped. She knew what he was doing. Jo ran lots of classes that evening, and she’d mentioned that she brought sandwiches to keep her going.
Delicious-looking chicken sandwiches, one of which was now hanging out of Rascal’s mouth.
Chapter Four
A Bigger Dog-Training Disaster
“That’s her, over there.” Ellie pointed across the playground.
Christy stared at the group of
“That’s nice,” Dad said.
Ellie looked horrified. “No, it isn’t! What if we do it all wrong and she tells everyone at school?”
“I’m sure it will be fine,” Dad said.
Unfortunately, he was wrong. As Ellie led Rascal into the hall, he dashed forwards, dragging Ellie along behind him.
“Come back, Rascal!” Ellie muttered, going red, as everyone turned round to stare. But Rascal had never seen so many puppies in one place before, and he barked himself silly, jumping up and down, and running in circles.
“Pick him up, Ellie,” Dad hissed.
Ellie hugged Rascal tightly and tried to calm him down, but he kept yapping and trying to wriggle out of her arms.
“Don’t worry.” The instructor, Jo, came over to them, smiling. She was much younger than Ellie had imagined she’d be, with a long brown plait. “He’ll soon get used to it. This is Rascal, isn’t it? We’re just going to start with everyone introducing themselves.”
She gathered them all together, and Ellie looked round curiously at the other dogs. Rascal was definitely the smallest, but they all looked quite young. As well as Amelia and Goldie, there was a chocolate Labrador puppy called Sam, a Dalmatian called Libby, a Westie, Angus, who was almost as small as Rascal, and Josh, a Border collie pup. Jo had brought her own dog too, a beautiful golden Labradorcalled Emma, who looked like she knew everything there was to know about dog-training.
“These classes are all about you ending up with a happy, well-behaved dog,” Jo explained. “A dog who gets on well with all your family, and other dogs too. So, we’re going to start with some playtime. I think we’ll put Libby, Sam and Josh together in one group. Then Angus, Goldie and Rascal in the other, as they’re about the same size.”
Jo moved the two groups to opposite ends of the hall, and told all the owners to crouch down. “That way your puppy knows you’re nice and close if he’s scared. We’ll take their leads off and let them play with these rope toys. If one of the pups starts being too rough, just gently take them away for a minute, OK?”
Ellie undid Rascal’s lead. He looked upat her curiously, and then went to sniff the rope. But Angus wanted it too, and as he tugged it away Rascal barked loudly. Everyone in the hall turned round to look.
Goldie had been sitting watching, but now she tried to join in, and Rascal noticed her for the first time. He trotted over, and started trying to sniff her bottom!
“Stop him!” Amelia snapped. Ellie snatched him up, her face scarlet. After that, Goldie and Amelia kept giving Rascal identical disgusted looks, and Ellie felt like a worm. She was glad when Jo told everyone to put the puppies’ leads back on, so they could practise walking to heel.
“Get your treats out, everyone. Remember, we want the dogs to enjoy training, and to want to do what they’re told. So, when your dog is paying attention to you, reward him. When he’s walking, have the treat just in front of his nose, so he follows along. Off we go.” Jo got them all walking in a circle round the room.
Rascal’s tail was wagging as he followed his favourite treat, and he lookedas though he was enjoying himself. Ellie took a deep, relieved breath. Maybe he had just been getting used to this training thing!
Then Rascal bolted, pulling the lead out of her hand. Ellie squeaked and chased after him.
Rascal whizzed up the stairs to the stage, where everyone had left their bags, and Ellie gasped. She knew what he was doing. Jo ran lots of classes that evening, and she’d mentioned that she brought sandwiches to keep her going.
Delicious-looking chicken sandwiches, one of which was now hanging out of Rascal’s mouth.
Chapter Four
A Bigger Dog-Training Disaster
“That’s her, over there.” Ellie pointed across the playground.
Christy stared at the group of
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