Training the dog

OK. I've taken on a big task.

I've enrolled my puppy Tank (pictured) in dog obedience school at Red River Obedience Training Club. He's a Rottweiler and I know he's going to be a big dog so I want to be able to control him. He's three months old and weighs 24 pounds. Right now, all he does is sit (see photo) when I tell him, and not for very long.

Anyway, I went to the orientation class last night to find out exactly what will happen in the next four weeks. I found out that everyone starts out with 200 points and the points go away as you make mistakes. I'm just going to say I already have 0 points. And, at the end of the training, there is a graduation where Top Dog will be named. I can forget about that, too. It's not that I don't have confidence in my puppy. I do. I have confidence that he will do exactly what he does best: show out. He'll probably be the first one to poop on the floor. And he'll probably be afraid of the other dogs.

Anyway, the first class is tonight and I'm going to share my dog training experience with you in this blog. But I also would like for you to share any dog-training tips with me because I'll have to train him at home, too. That's real scary. Maybe I should start watching Dog Whisperer. At the end of the training period, I'll write a column detailing the training both at Red River and at home and I'll include any tips I get along the way.

So stick with me because I'm really going to need all the support I can get. Look for my update on tonight's training.