Philadelphia Zoo

Journal #13: June 24, 2011

Today we went to the Philadelphia Zoo. My team training class is 13 people (and dogs), so we were split into 2 separate groups for the zoo trip –one arrived at 10 and the other at 11. I was in the 11:00 group.

It was a long, hot and very tiring day. I got a little overwhelmed a few times because of all the noise, movement and screeching children. Leon performed his job expertly. When the lions saw the dogs and ran up to the glass to look, he just looked with calm interest. One of the pumas that we saw came up to the glass and tried to dig under it and then tried to lick our dogs through the glass.

During lunch, Leon took a nap and then retrieved items the trainers dropped for us –a ceramic plate, a bag of trash and a prong collar. Then he went back to sleep for a bit. I’m glad they didn’t drop the metal lion.

Leon and I practiced opening doors at the primate house with the door hook tool. He did very well at that and it went smoothly.

He wasn’t very interested in most of the animals at the zoo (though the monkeys enjoyed watching him.) The children’s zoo had a bunny in a pen that caught his attention and he watched it for a few minutes before we moved on.

We both fell asleep in the car on the way home and were in bed by a little after 8 pm. Then we lounged around all morning and watched a movie on my computer –he even snuggled with me for a little while on the air mattress with his head on my chest.

I seriously love this dog. He is wonderful. I am so blessed to be matched with him.

Tonight (the 25^th) is the baseball game –“Bring Your Pet” night, even. Should be interesting/crazy.