I have some time tonight so I thought that I would give an update from Sunday. A friend and I went on a walk around campus just after I posted on Sunday. They have a nice wooded area with a concrete trail that makes a large upside down U shape but more square. The dogs did very well and when we passed by the kennels where the dogs still being trained are housed Joel went right by without getting distracted. We saw a dog in the kennel's free run area and he passed by that as well. On our return stretch we got sort of lost but my friend found the doors that we were looking for. Somehow we ended up in the graduation arena area I'm not sure how.
Monday we did another route in Portland but this time we went to a Starbucks with a Clover Machine. A clover Machine is a vacuum press and they grind the coffee fresh for each cup. I bought a cup and it was fantastic. I also picked up some Vias which are instant coffee that is actual coffee beans ground so fine that they can dissolve in water. This makes a much better cup of coffee than the freeze dried style. I got some Mocha ones as well but I have yet to try them.
We did some more sidewalkless that afternoon and Joel did very well. When we got back to campus Joel and I took a nap on the beanbag in our room. I don't remember if I mentioned it before but we have a big beanbag in our room that Joel is allowed on. He really likes it and I do too. He usually tries to kick me off if I attempt to sit it on it as well but as the time has passed he now just lets me lay beside him. He will sometimes lay his head in my lap or on my arm but he is not nearly as snuggly as some of the other dogs who will crawl right into someone's lap if they sit on a beanbag. For the last couple days we have been napping before breakfast and after we get back from the day's routes. Monday night we had beef kabobs . I had mine with just beef and onions and they were amazing. The beef was like steak style meat and the onions were cooked some way and they were very crunchy and sweet. Amazing.
Monday night we went on a night route. Joel had never gone on one of these in formal training so guiding at night was a new experience for him. He did very well, not thinking shadows were obstacles or anything. The instructors warned us before the route that the dogs might try to do this and that they might bark at something that they think is there then realize that it was just reflected light or shadow. I do not believe that any of the dogs did the barking but I think some tried to guide people around shadows. Joel saw a police light on the side of a building once and he was hesitant to go by at first but he figured out what it was and was fine afterwards.
Tuesday morning we had our traffic route. This is where one of the instructors will drive a car at us while we walk in various ways. He pulled in front of us, parked in the middle of driveways at the sidewalk cutting us off, and he would drive directly at us at one point. The dogs can only respond in the following four ways to a traffic check: ignore it, stop, go faster, or back up. Joel did perfectly at all the checks except when he drove the car directly towards us and at that check Joel tried to go to the left (Seems like a fine idea to me) but he was supposed to back up so I just held him to the line of travel and he backed up as he should.
While we were waiting for our traffic route Joel and another guide both wanted the same beanbag. I guess the other dog loves beanbags as much as Joel. Since they both wanted on the other handler and myself let them sit on it together since they both try to get there first every time we enter that room.
After the traffic route we went for our vet visit. Joel got bored while waiting our turn and started wrestling with the dog next to us. Joel did great during his checkup and he is in excellent health. He weighs 66.4 pounds and when he was given to me he weighed 66.2. At first I thought that his initial weight was 62 so I was a bit concerned that he had gained four. Luckily I just misheard and he only gained .2 of a pound. He is really thin and they have told me that he will fill out considerably. He is going to be a mammoth dog. I also learned his medical history. He has been very healthy the only issues being kennel related bugs that he picked because of close proximity to tons of other dogs. He only had a couple of these issues and they were very minor and easily treated at the time.
That For lunch we had buffalo chicken sandwiches. They used franks wing sauce and they were absolutely amazing. That afternoon we went to a park like area and did a route there. It was similar to the wooded area on campus but there was only one winding trail instead of a couple like the campus woods. This allows the dogs to be assertive and push and pull us the way that we need to go since there is only one path to follow. Joel needed this somewhat since he had issues earlier with pushing me over to the right and this route helped build his confidence.
That night we had broccoli chicken sturfry and even I found it delicious. I think that was one of the few times that I wolfed down vegetables.
Today we did another Portland route and the instructor allowed me to make mistakes so that I may have the chance to problem solve. They like us to get into a bit of trouble so that they know that we will be able to think our way out of confusing or difficult situations. These are like if there is something totally across the road, making a wrong turn, large crowds of people and other safe obstacles. This way they know that we can be effective handlers in the field.
This For lunch we had pulled pork sandwiches and they, as usual, were fantastic. The pork was in big pieces which was great since usually it is almost shredded and that makes it a bit hard to keep it in the bread. This afternoon we went on another sidewalkless route and it went very well. I need to work on my footwork and I tend to move my feet a lot when figuring out what to do which can confuse Joel. I guess the body movements that I am making are to Joel what a crazy homeless person's babbling's are to us. Maybe not that crazy but probably close.
We went to a petsmart as well and Joel did very well considering. He looked at the cages of mice and fish like "What the heck are those things" and some dogs barked at him which was a bit distracting for him but compared to what I expected he did excellent.
Tonight we had pineapple roasted chicken with a pineapple apricot cupcake for dessert. The chicken was amazing and the cupcake had a cream cheese like icing with little pineapple and apricot chunks in it. It was great.(I am running out of words to describe the food here)
Tonight I played hide and seek with Joel. I would have him stay in one room and then go into my other room and call him. He would come to me very quickly but I confused him when I hid behind the recliner where he couldn't fit through and when I went into the bathroom and pulled the door to. We only have three days left the time seems to have gone by so fast.
No comments:
Post a Comment