Barney`s looking happy. And so he should. After months of patient training mainly by his `handler,` Mrs. Snopper, Barney has managed to pass the test for the Kennel Club Good Dog Citizen Gold Award (KCGDCGA.)
He had previously taken the test only to be declared `not ready` on that occasion, due to his penchant for running around saying `Hello` to everyone instead of walking to heel and staying close to his handler. Although that tendency had been overcome, he had nevertheless developed one or two more, such as not being bothered to stop when commanded to and refusing to go to his bed when asked nicely, but a series of intensive training sessions leading up to yesterday suggested he might have got the hang of those as well .
We have known for some time that he was perfectly capable of doing all of the elements required to pass the test but, like Eric Morecambe struggling to come to terms with Greig`s Piano Concerto, Barney was playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order. Also, we were advised that taking the Gold test was a bit like taking the driving test - it depended on the examiner and how you performed on the day. As it turned out, yesterday Barney performed all of the tests in the right order and, along with his mate Ossie, kept his natural exuberance in check long enough for the examiner to be convinced.
So this morning I took him for a long walk through the Autumn woods at Oldbury Hill (see photos on Snopper`s FlickR pics) and just let him scamper around and enjoy himself without having to ask him to practice anything. In a week or so, Mrs. Snopper and Barney will be attending the ceremony for the presentation of his certificate and rosette, so he`ll have time to reflect on what he might have to say in his acceptance speech.
Also, if he thinks that`s it and he`s cracked it, it might just be that he fancies moving on to the Platinum Award, followed presumably by the Diamond and then the ultimate test - the Dilithium Crystal Award. But for now, he and his handler deserve a break from the white heat of all the pressure they have succeeded in overcoming. I couldn`t be happier for them both.
2 comments:
Top dog Barney.
Very pleased for Mrs Snopper, although I'm not surprised she succeeded. Rumour has it she's had close to 50 years of trying to get her companion of the day to respond to basic commands. She may have had limited success on the human front, but the patience and perseverance she has had to demonstrate in abundance has, finally, reaped its reward. Well done Barney, well done Mrs Snopper, and even well done to Snopper himself, for without his beligerance and outright anarchy, Mrs S wouldn't have honed her skills as she has.
Dover and out!
Many thanks for your felicitations, Slightly - I think - I will pass them on. I am able also to confirm that their success was achieved without the aid of a net or any form of tranquilising substance, which I imagine you could do with after Saturday? To be fair?
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