First Public Outing!

Journal #3: June 14, 2011

Following today’s training session, I am concerned about how Leon splays out his legs when he sits. I am worried about the possibility of there being something going on with his hips –I really don’t want to go through that again with another dog. It was terrible enough to experience it with Pebbles. Leon is a lovely dog and we had a fantastic day today –he did SO well in the obstacle course (with things to load up on, go under, lay down in and a mine field of treats/people food/toys to go through), was patient while I trimmed his nails (I am slow) and did not drag me to/into the kennel today. I’m afraid to get too attached to him because if something is wrong with his hips, then I’ll lose him as a service dog like I lost Pebbles.

Also, I need to start using my scooter. My hips hurt SO bad from all the standing and walking I did today. I really pushed myself too much.

Journal #4: June 15, 2011

Today, we talked a lot about access in public with our dogs and about interactions with the public. Many funny stories were told – I had memories run through my head of hearing the same things when out with Pebbles.

We also did some retrieval exercises with dumbbells. Leon did very well –he dropped the dumbbell on the floor when I asked him to hold it and I got permission from the trainer to have him retrieve it from the floor –he did a very good hold that time and I was proud of him.

We had our first public outing today to Chili’s for a late lunch –with 20 dogs and nearly 40 people! It went really well –the dogs were fantastic (Leon napped through the whole thing) and it was nice to get to talk with and get to know the people at my table. I just wish I could hear better in such a noisy environment –it was really hard to process what people were saying. I felt bad for not talking more with the people not directly across from me –I was struggling so much to hear them.

I found out that Leon must not particularly enjoy bath time. We went into the grooming room in the kennel to do our daily grooming and to administer Frontline. I had him load up –go up the little stairs and onto the counter to the right of the bath tub. He wasn’t happy –he was tense –but he stood nicely for me to brush him, though he did try to go back down the stairs once. I will need to work with him some more on that. I gave him a treat for turning around when I asked him to so I could brush his other side.

The best part of today’s training was the lunch at Chili’s. It was so very nice to get a decent meal instead of eating beans and rice or chips and salsa (what I had for dinner the other night.) The hardest part was when I walked around the training barn during our obedience exercises with the harness handle in the wrong position. I really hurt my arm –it took me until we were almost done to even realize that was why I was in pain.