Happy TGIF Day! Today marks the official beginning of Piper’s journey to becoming a full-fledged, certified Service animal. It’s an honor and a privilege to be asked to make this journey with her, as training a dog for service work demands commitment, dedication, and long, hard hours of work from the trainer, the owner, and the dog. I’m truly looking forward to watching both Piper and her owner, Gary, progress and grow together as a team.
The initial plan, which was mentioned in an earlier post, was changed. Tonight’s lesson will just be with Gary and Piper. The weather forecast is calling for rain and a high of only 4C today, so we’ll be working indoors, at Gary’s home. I prefer working in the client’s home anyway, as that is the most comfortable environment for the dog. It’s also where unwanted behaviors tend to occur, and that will present lots of teaching moments.
Because Piper has trust issues, we’ll be starting the journey with some trust-building exercises. She must learn to trust, first, before we can ask her to do things she isn’t familiar with doing, or deal with things she currently feels nervous about – like hands. Thankfully, she’s only 5 months old; with the right guidance, and with time, patience, and consistency, she will overcome her issues and move forward in calmness and trust.
Have a great day and a great weekend ahead, and remember to stay calm and lead on… 🙂