It’s complicated, but my travels in Turkey didn’t quite work out the way they were planned and I ended up spending some days in Amsterdam. One of those days was a Saturday, and I went with Christina and Bags to dog class.

Bags and her sister are rescue dogs. This is Bags.

Class is in a parking lot, 10 minutes walk from the end of the tram line.

The dogs can play together before things get started.

The first exercise was a group sit.

It took a minute to get all the dogs on the same page.

But they got there.

Mostly.

Here’s Cynthia, the teacher:

She’s saying that the next exercise will be loose-leash walking.

And so they tried it. This little spaniel had a very hard time, and her owner might have done better juggling leash and treats if he’d taken off his day-pack (just my two cents).

It was a rowdy group of dogs, including one who was trying to learn not to bark (incessantly, relentlessly, and non-stop if he was within 20 feet of another dog), with loving owners and a gentle teacher. They use rewards instead of punishment, though not clickers. I liked it.

And I did get an update on Chico while I was in Amsterdam. Julie said: “Chico is accustomed to going to American K9 Country on Wednesdays, and he shows off and demos in Foundation classes.”

That’s my boy!