Service Dog Training Day Seven

I took my first solo practice run with Red tonight on a quick trip to Walmart. With no trainer to lean on, or even John there to back me up, I realized that while I know a lot more about handling a service dog than I did a week ago, I still have a lot of confidence to gain. And that's what it takes, practice, practice, practice. The trainers at 4 Paws encourage us to practice like this out in the public as much as possible while we are here at training. They want us to do this to expose us to situations that we just don't think of in the classroom. It also helps us to get to know the personality of our dog. In class, we can thus discuss the things we encoutered in the "real world" and the trainers give pointers on how to deal with it. With this, I have a heightened appreciation for cell phones and email which keep us connected with the 4 Paws trainers long after our class!

The big truth in this little illustration about service dog handling is that when we face, and not back away from, uncomfortable or new situations we grow the most. We become stronger and more confident.

On a lighter note along this same idea, I share pictures of at least two of the resident cats at 4 Paws: Zoe (in the blue chair) and Chloe (on top of the paperwork). They have been strolling among the dogs the past few days while we've trained. They live at 4 Paws to condition the dogs that go to homes with cats in them. It's a little amusing, but notheless along that same idea. The dogs' continuous exposure to these cats has prepared them for what could be a really challenging situation in their new home. It could be a lot worse had those cats not been put in front of them.