Scott Linden Outdoors

“Hi, my name is Flick.”

If you are not taking your pup to some sort of puppy kindergarten, you are missing out. Yes, the socialization and pack skills are essential and that’s where they learn them. But if you love new life, innocence, discovery and the joie de vivre pups exhibit, you gotta go.

Sure, most of Flick’s classmates are not hunting dogs. The motley assortment of spotted and speckled puppies, long-haired and short, goofy and mystical makes for amusing viewing, certainly. But as our instructor pointed out last night, that’s one of the payoffs: pups learn that there are dogs out there unlike their littermates and parents. Sort of canine affirmative action.

At 11 weeks old, the skills we’re teaching for the most part are basic: pay attention, follow minimal direction, focus, get along. A mixed bag of dog colors, breeds and sizes is perfect for that.

But the most fun is play time. In Flick’s classes, he is the smallest pup often by a long shot. But he is a mighty doggy force. Buzzing around, saying hello to every dog, wrestling and running with a 40-pound Newfie and a 20-pound Golden … he is indefatigable. Polite upon introducing himself, play-bowing to partners of all shapes and colors. Then, let the fun begin.

I know, I know, dogs don’t have the musculature to smile. But Flick does, throughout his puppy play time.