Super Puppy!

So, I am in Massachusetts teaching a seminar and since I had to take a connecting flight to get here Mr. T gets to be the only dog on this trip :-) I think he is very happy! I hate having to leave everyone else at home but there is no way any of the dogs would volunteer to make a connection in Chicago at O'Hare and who could blame them???
SoBe gets to be on vacation at Auntie Debs house so I know she is happy!
Anyway, Torque already got to be a demo dog at the tender age of 8 weeks, at a masters level seminar. How is this possible you ask, well, I was setting up for the seminar doing what I do, letting the pup wander around and check things out, meet people, etc...
Well, I noticed that he was doing what all of my pups do, but he was doing it more obviously and with far less time invested in the "training" of this behavior.
He was visiting, exploring, etc.. and he would very blatently choose to break away from whatever or whoever to come and present himself to me, at which point I would offer him lots of praise and of course a treat.
After observing this behavior on numerous occasions I simply had to gather the group together and talk about attention and what an ordeal it is for so many to get the kind of attention we want to see on the agility course.
torque could not have been a better example of how important it is to let your pup explore and enjoy his/her surroundings and dillegently reward unsolicited attention every time they offer it.
You see, I never asked Torque to come to me, I was going about my business as he was going about his, he just very quickly figured out that no matter how rewarding everyone else can be, or, how reinforcing the environment around him is he can always count on an instant response and reward from mommy.
It is very important to me that my dogs WANT to pay attention to me and do not ever find out that they actually HAVE to pay attention to me.
All of the things that were going on this morning in the training center are just environment, I am the one to be looked to for reinforcement. I call this desensitizing the dog to it's environment. The environment will always be there, let your dog know that and learn that it is not half as rewarding as you or I am.
I am totally OK with the students petting, playing with, even giving a treat or two because no matter how nice they are to my baby i will always be better!
What a great example of a hugely necessary and integral part of the competition agility dog!
Just a little more food for thought!