Second Service Dog Class

Several weeks ago we welcomed two new dogs into our *active* Service Dog training program. Jade is a Giant Schnauzer and Lexi is a Springer Spaniel. Jade is being trained as a Physical Assistant dog and Lexi is working to become an Emotional Assistant. Both are doing well for their prospective *jobs*.

Jade learns fast and is very eager to do her job. She is assisting her owner in a variety of ways already. She has learned to help her off with her clothes, open wheelchair access doors, retrieve a variety of items as instructed pick up things that her owner drops and hand them back to her, and to *go get______* when her owner needs help. She will go to that person, paw them and then lead them back to where ever her owner is at. She is in the process of learning to drop items into a basket or throw things into the trash.

Lexi has a little more trouble staying focused to her task, but she too is learning to open wheelchair access doors, *give hugs*, pick up items that have been dropped, and generally stay at her owners side, lending comfort and support when needed. She is working on bringing items back as directed (medicine bottles etc).

We have been working at various stores, Castleton Mall, and an ever changing array of eating establishments. Both Lexi and Lade are doing extremely well in the LEAVE IT department. Two weeks ago we were working at the food court in Castleton Mall where I pushed the envelope on their LEAVE IT training. To start with the owners were to go get in line (a line of their choosing), order food and or drink and pay for it. Their dogs needed to remain in a polite sit position at the owners side. When they received their orders they were to go sit down with their dogs under their tables out of the way. The dogs were not to bother any other patrons, nor disturb their owners in any way. The dogs all did really well with this so I *upped* the stakes again.

I bought a plain hot dog and had them cut it into pieces. I put them in the card board *boat* and placed it on the floor between the two tables/dogs. Neither bothered it or broke their position under the tables. Seeing this we upped it a little bit more. I took the hot dog pieces and scattered them in a line on the floor. I then had each owner/dog team practice the conscious decision leave it while walking their dogs past the food. Since they did well with this exercise we tested them further. I had the owner put their dog on a sit stay on one end of the line of food and then they moved down to the other end. We stationed helpers along the line just in case one of the dogs made a break for the food. After leaving them to sit/stay for 30 seconds or so, the owners then called their dogs to COME. Jade went first in this exercise and never bothered with the food or tried to run beyond her owner. EXCELLANT JOB JADE!

Next was Lexi's turn, she too did well though she made one try for the food with the second hot dog piece she went past. Our helper grabbed the food back from her as her owner corrected her. We then tried again, each dog/team running through this exercise several times. Each time after Lexi's first mistake was a good run for her as well. GOOD JOB LEXI!

All in all both of these teams are doing very well and have progressed nicely in their training. We have three more classes to go through before we test off for their first level. In tonight's class we will be at the local hospital working our dogs in the elevators, hallways and the lobby. I have high hopes for them both! After this class completes we will be welcoming one or two more into our program. Keep looking for us!

And please remember, the dogs are in training and are not to be petted while working! We all thank you for your co operation.

Kristi
Service Dog Trainer