Tuesdays With Tag - First Day of Camp...

Last week was pretty exciting for Tag. It was time to take him to "Camp" to learn good citizenship (and a few other useful and fun things).

Handsome and I have had a long, long relationship with the Sommers family in Wisconsin and now, in Florida. So, when it's time to call in the pros, we head to wherever the Sommers are.

We took Tag over to Mike and Joann's facility the day before Thanksgiving, and were so happy to know that we'd be spending the holiday with our friends this year.

We arrived late Wednesday, settled Tag in his "suite", and then the four of us went off to share a relaxing dinner. Tag's "evaluation" would wait until Thanksgiving morning.

Although Tag sauntered into his kennel and ate dinner without hesitation, he was a little overwhelmed by the nighttime proximity of dogs he didn't know. He's used to sleeping on the bed with me, or in his nice comfy crate at night, so having the "open air" arrangement with a leggy goldidoodle on one side and a little black lab (sharing accommodations with a little spaniel) left him barking on and off all night (even though he played with the spaniel through the wire during the day).

Mike (and later, I) both checked on him overnight, but he was less than thrilled to be in his otherwise comfortable kennel. (Don't fret. He was completely fine on Night Two, after we put him in his own crate inside the kennel. He just likes to be a little cozier when he sleeps. Once Mike figured that out, he didn't make a single peep all the second night!)

Thanksgiving morning, Handsome and I settled into lawn chairs so we could have a ring-side seat of the evaluation. Mike started out with a little obedience (heel and sit) and then wanted to check out Tag's fetching skills.  Tag was happy to show Uncle Mike how smart he is. Mom was so proud!

After about a half hour of obedience work and running, Mike took Tag for a little swim in a safe, monitored family pond.  As you can see in the distance, there's a swim platform that the family uses regularly. No alligators allowed!

Even so, I was nervous about him being in the pond and voiced that to Mike. The rest of his water work will be in their pool instead to put my mind at ease. Thanks, Mike!

Tag loved the swimming, but he wasn't ready for his water retrieving yet. (See the dummy floating in the water behind him?) By the time he's finished with Camp, he'll be jumping into the water to bring that back...and he'll do it with true Corgi flair!

Somebody pinch me. He's so stinkin' cute! Even wet!

Look at his tail nub up in the air!

He's such a confident little man.

Did I mention the mud?

Yeah. Mud.

After all. What's Camp without a little mud?

I've asked Mike to make sure that Tag sends postcards home from time to time. You may think I'm a really brave mom for letting Tag go away for seven painfully long weeks! a while. Not really. It's taking everything I have not to travel the three and a half hours across the state to kidnap him and bring him home! I have to keep telling myself that when he comes back, he will be trained and well-mannered for a lifetime of harmony with us. And he won't lose a single ounce of all the traits that make him uniquely Corgi. 

I can just imagine him lying upside down in his little crate at night (perhaps missing me), but proud of his daily accomplishments. I'm really looking forward to that first postcard!

So, 'til next time...

"More Wagging and Less Barking!"