I know the Olympics are over but I'm planning for next year. Do they have a doggie-gone-good category? I am working so hard on my service dog training that it surely is worth a gold medal? Every Monday night my siblings and I train in Puppy II at Canine Craze with Master Clint. It is so HHHHAAAARRRRDDD!
Master Clint has a jar of peanut butter that we aren't allowed to have. I can smell it! It drives me crazy. Not quite as crazy as my sister India. She almost climbs the shelves looking for it. Truly!
We work on activities that will help us use our nose for mobility. We will learn how to operate the handicap buttons that open up doors, turn on lights and more. Right now we get treats for touching the traffic cone, hands, wands and other items. It is really easy once we figure it out but sometimes we have to guess. Our trainers don't talk to us to tell us what to do. This is because one day we may have a recipient who cannot speak. If all my training was with the human voice and then the person I will someday love didn't have a voice.... I wouldn't know what to do! We will learn hand commands but for now we are building our confidence by figuring out what our trainers want. It is a big game with lots of treats!
We are also learning to use our paws to stand on items such as stools, benches and exercise balls. I KNOW!! Isn't that funny. A puppy doing aerobics! This helps us build our confidence and learn how to heal and walk by our trainers side.
The most difficult training task for me is the "ignore your distractions". Get real. Does she really expect me to medal in that event?? I just LOVE humans and cannot help myself. I want to say hello and lick them. Best of all I like to jump on them! I will admit that I like to eat food even more so my skills are improving.
Just today I made it past David Puffet AND Tom Minger with only a small hesitation. That is worth a Gold Medal right there isn't it? Those guys know how to wrestle!
Toilets Have Water!
Who knew. All these months water was just under my nose and I was missing out. The sad part about my discovery is that Toilets also have lids. RATS! Foiled before I got started. Mr. and Mrs. Aldridge get grossed out when I drink from the toiled but I personally don't see any issues. It is very cold and they keep their toilets clean. I can't seem to convince them I'm OK with it.
In jail....
Yes. I'm a habitual offender. I am now in jail during the work day. Ahhhh. I long for the days when Mrs. Aldridge let me roam her office playing with toys and sleeping at her feet. I got "busted" too many times running out of the office to greet my office mates at IMT. Now I get to look at them from beneath the desk with my sad puppy eyes. (pssst... some of them fall for it!). Not Mrs. Aldridge. She just holds up her hand like a stop sign and gives me that look. If I am quiet and polite she gives me treats. Sometimes carrots and apples because I'm so good and she knows it is hard to be under a desk while she types on her computer. I do love it when we go for break and walk out by the pond and chase frogs. It is worth the jail experience.
I know it is for my own good. When I learn to sit quietly without the kennel I can come back out. I know it is for my own good. When I learn to sit quietly without the kennel I can come back out. I know it is for my own good. When I learn to sit quietly without the kennel I can come back out. I know it is for my own good.
Do you think if I meditate on that long enough I'll believe it? I'll get back to you on that.
I have a Man Crush
I'm not afraid to admit that I LOVE RICHARD KEITH!!! Who wouldn't? Not only is he the most fun guy around... he keeps DOG BONES in his desk. Right? Wow does it get any better than that? Well, my friend, I'm here to tell you it does.
Not only do I get the Milkbones, I get to jump into his lap and kiss him after I get them. Please, Please, Please DO NOT TELL Mrs. Aldridge OR Nicole Schumate. My gig would be up in an instant if they knew. A boy gets one bad habbit right?
Social Calendar is filling up...
I've been getting a lot of practice with the public again now that my teething shenanigans are over. It is almost like starting from square one since it has been so long. Do you remember that I told you I HATE escalators? Well I still do. They aren't very friendly with the moving parts, the weird noise and people moving without moving! It is really disconcerting to see people float up from nowhere!
On top of that the escalator at Valley West Mall has squeeling kids at the bottom. You know me, I love me my kids. But... the combination of squeels and screams when I am boarding a gray metal beast is more than I can stand. It takes a lot of love and coaxing from Mrs. Aldridge for me to trust that I will be ok.
I'd like to report that I am getting better but I cannot. I promise to keep trying. Please root for me, I know this is mission critical in my training. I must be confident and secure when I am with my recipient. I'll keep my paws crossed and work very hard.
I hope you enjoyed this update! I will see you soon!
Puppy Training Pictures
Home Sweet Home Pictures
Workin Like a Dog Pictures
Volunteer Pictures
Love and Licks,
Oscar
Remember When? Here are some examples of how much I've grown in just a few short months!
April
June
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