School!

{Pompei in our photography class}

Today was Pompei's first day attending classes with me at one of the many colleges in our area. We arrived early, so he would have time to potty, and so i would have time to walk into our class room. (We have to park way way back) Ideally I would have used that time to let him drain some of his energy, but it was raining, and he is a slloowww walker at this point, so it was just faster for me to carry him.

Once on the building part of the campus, I let him walk into the building. There are no other dogs allowed on campus so, I felt comfortable putting him on the ground. We attempted to walk up some stairs, but we only made it up two, before he put on the brakes.

OH well. More carrying up two flights of stairs, and than he was back on the floor again. As we were waiting to go into our class, I had a girl stop and talk to me; apparently a friend of hers had raised puppies for a school in the past. I don't normally meet people who actually know what it is we do, so it was a refreshing change.

I decided to sit in the back, where we'd be less disruptive if Pompster's didn't settle down right away. That turned out to be a good call, of sorts, since he DIDN't want to settle right away, and started whining about being restricted by the leash.

The instructor of this class, took pity on him and let him walk around the room, while she made sure everyone was working...and not surfing facebook or such like. :)After a couple of laps she brought him back and he slept/laid quietly for the last fifteen minutes of class.

I was surprised and please at how well he walked on leash with her, because I wasn't watching him the entire time, so I don't know if he did that the whole time, but what I saw of him, was really good.

After that we hurried outside to "Go Busy" before our next class, as we were headed down, I saw a guy yell "DOG" and I KNEW he was going to reach out to pet him as I walked by. (I was carrying him) So as I passed "Rude Dude" I quickly turned Pompei away from his reaching hand.

After a failed attempt to Busy we proceeded into our photography class. Pompei laid down, so I reached in my pocket for a couple of treats to reward him for doing that right away. Unfortunatly I forgot I was dealing with a lab stomach, and so he sits up to see if there is anything else coming his way. I saw him gearing up for it, and tried to shush him before it happen, but alas a small bark escaped him, and caused all other activity to seese.

My teacher (who forgot to check his email before class) didn't realize there was a dog in attendance and tried to reprimand me for having a dog in class.

I calmly explained to him, what he was and that there was an email waiting for him regarding this; one of the other students chimed in, that the dog was working; so the subject was quickly dropped, Pompei went to sleep and the rest of us tried to stay awake during the remaining two hours of class.

I had to leave for work soon after, so Pompei went with my sister for a bit, until she was picked up by my mother, who than took Pompei to my house.

All in all, I think the first day went pretty well! :)