Training For Skippy and Ginger

Today I walked around our property three times with our poodles (Skippy and Ginger) to begin to give them a little more training. I decided to post again on this funny little blog I started for fun. Training these dogs is waaaayyy past due, but better late than never. I have a strong motivation for doing this...My husband, Cliff and I have become parents to a beautiful little girl who we will be adopting sometime before the end of the year. I need to have our dogs prepared for a two-week boarding with a friend when we travel to pick her up. They have very little training and I want to be sure our friend is not overly stressed out and challenged when we leave them with him. I need a lot of help, but they were troopers. I worked on the word, "heel" with them today. They did real well...especially Skippy. When we were done, Ginger did her business immediately upon command (something she has been refusing to do at all!!! Go figure... I am so dog-challenged it's not funny. Its very hard for me. I was a "cat" person most of my life. They just eat, purr, sleep, poop in a box and whatever they want to do. But, I will not give up. They are not the problem...it's me. I have to get a grip on this before we bring a little toddler into the home. It will be a much smoother transition for all of us if I develop a better connection to them first.