(VICT) Boy Howdy! I have a guide dog!
- From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2008 12:35:19 -0700
Yowser! Thane is awesome. I love and trust this guy so completely. Yesterday
was a test. A test to see if we could handle the bus beyond our small stint
in town that we had been doing.
I really wanted to get him out in the real world to test his readiness.
Testing here in town is great as far as it goes, but our level of commotion
in town is nothing compared to a big city. the stores we can access are
pretty small with one or two door openings at the front. They have been
awesome for early training, but it was time to see how well we could shine.
We walked to the bus stop we normally are getting off at. It was a nice
summer morning and I needed the walk to release the butterflies. What is it
with us people parts of the team! LOL
We had one of my favorite drivers. We settled down for the ride to Freddies
(Fred Meyers). Thane sat nicely much of the way but there was a tad of
unease at first. He settled nicely though which was really just way cool!
We got off the bus for Freddies. We had to cross a very busy street to get
there. Thane did just perfectly. It was just so cool. I felt so free. The
parking lot is huge from what I recall the one time I went there with Met.
It is set up with good sidewalks and crossings with pedestrain safety in
mind though unlike Bi-Marts giggle
At that point I decided to try and see if he could busy. I knew the
likelihood was he did not need it, but I always like to offer- especially a
young dog going into a new experience. We were not too far from the store
entrance so from there I said find the door. Thane did it in style man- I
mean it was just so perfect. Of course though we had to enter in the smelly
clothing department! Arg
Freddies is a store that can really make me sick so I don't make a habit of
shopping there. We caroused all over the store from one department to
another. I was not planning on buying things until I stumbled upon the
perfect thing for a project I am doing. Then the fun began! Man this is a
huge store! Lets see where *take me to pay* is going to take me! LOL Thane
did not act confused though. He is used to seeing people behind counters and
people in line. He took me to customer service rather than a regular
checkout- but hey he had a cash register and he stood behind the counter
Smile
He let us pay right there which was nice of him.
From there I told Thane find the door. I mean this is like the hugest store
guys. Who knows what side of the building we were gonna come out of! The
door was quite a distance from where we paid for our items too. Thane found
a door in grand style. Thankfully to me it was not in the clothing
department. When we got outside, I said find the bus. I did not really know
if he understood this concept yet as we have only been doing this a short
time and always the same stop. True to form, Thane took off like he knew
where to go. When he halted, we were at the bus stop to go home. This is a
stop he had never been to before, but he must have seen the shelter there.
The route and distance felt very close to the distance we travelled going in
so we must have come out of the store pretty close to where we went in.
He was just awesome in there. He tried to hard pull for a couple seconds and
then was just right in tune with me after that. Someone even petted him
while we talked and he did not turn all juvenile on me. I don't like to let
him be petted due to how smelly people can wind up making him for my
sensitivities but sometimes its good for a young dog to know that they can
restrain themselves Smile
On the bus ride home we had one of the most awesome drivers. I really like
her. We had to sit on the opposite side. Thane did really well with the ride
home. I had us get off one stop early so we could walk the road path home
instead of the rock path.
Gosh it was awesome-
and to have been locked off the net yesterday because my firewall program
decided it did not like me- it really gave my high a real letdown
But I know you guys will all share in the enthusiasm I feel today Smile
Karyn and Thane (Guide Dog!)
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