Treat, treats and more treats

I have always been relatively good in school. I like to get good grades, I enjoy seeing the A or B printed on the paper. Red pen on a paper correcting mistakes is like nails on a chalkboard to me. Let's say I don't do so well with constructive criticism, but I am working on it. We all are works in process, RIGHT! So tonight was a big deal for me - Indigo had her first night of school with 5 other dogs in one room. This is a beginner class, but since Indi is shy and not always at ease around other dogs I was worried. I could just picture it, her not listening, me getting frustrated and I would be the failure, not the dog. For once my behaviors and smarts were not being judged, but the way I handled my dog was. We walked into class and claimed a space near the back entrance, as soon as we entered the room Indi's little nub of a tail tucked under her butt and she was DONE. She looked at me with sad pathetic eyes that said, "Really, you brought me here with these crazy wild monsters on a Tuesday night." I smiled, talked baby talk to my dog and got her to wag the nub and get somewhat excited about school. Then I pulled out the high value treats. If only all of life's' problems could be solved with pea sized smelly treats.
INDIGO MY SENIOR DOG DID WONDERFUL. With my encouragement and some coaching from the instructor she obeyed all commands and wanted nothing more than to please. Once again, I was able to be at the top of the class and this time it was more rewarding than ever, because I was able to share it with someone. The someone may have been my dog, 5 strangers with their dogs and 2 instructors, but the most thrilling part was Indigo's excitement. The wag of her tail and the smile in her eyes meant more to me than sitting and staying until released or touching my hand when I said touch. Seeing her confident in herself and act like a dog, made me proud. This moment made me realize why I rescue dogs, why I take the extra time to work with Senior dogs and why I became a dog person in my mid 20's. Some people are born dog people, I became a dog person when my first true dog love Shadow was introduced to me. I must admit I believe the "right" Weimaraner can make anyone a dog person!!