(VICT) Re: Our Latest Adventure: Things I am Still Learning
- From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 20 Sep 2008 11:14:37 -0700
Thanks Ann
Your support and encouragement over the years has been so wonderful. You
always have known what to say and how to say it so it gave me the
inspiration I needed to add to existing training- or even to pick up the
pieces and move on.
Sometimes when we are having our down time after such an excursion, its hard
for me to fathom that the memory is not just a dream; that we really truly
did that.
Its hard to believe how quickly he has been transformed from the dog who I
played bumper cars with to move in unison together just 10 months ago to
this awesome sidekick. It has been a remarkable journey. I have learned
lessons in my training of Thane just as I did in training Met- things I will
do differently next time around. Though I am not proud of myself I will
admit I have had a few lapses here and there were I slipped in a correction
or two before having that duh moment of course where I realized that was not
an appropriate response and it got me no where! Thane has forgiven me and we
moved on back into the right role with clicker training.
I was invited a couple months ago to join an Oregon Guide Dog list. These
folks have been great as many have information pertinent to getting around
on public transportation in my area. I was able to talk with them and Mara,
the owner of Paws to Freedom about how I might best handle things like the
Max. I was petrified of getting lost in Portland- no I was petrified of
getting lost any where or getting on Max and being in that much control of
where my stop was. The changes over the last month really have been dramatic
in me. I forgot what it was like to really take off to parts unknown and
feel this level of independence through the dog at your side. We have
travelled to a number of places I have never been before and got home in one
piece. Each adventure has given me that much more confidence to do on my
own- to be able to truly live rather than just existing in my comfort zone.
Though I have to keep tabs on my own health which sometimes means a slower
couple weeks after being busy like we have been, these experiences and
awesome memories will be a part of me forever- even when I am training
Thane's successor.
Its been exhilarating having this all come together.
Service Dog training awaits and to be honest I've dreaded trying to teach my
ball nudger to retrieve. It was hard with Met and he had a good play
retrieve, but after a wonderful post from Debi on OCAD, I am enthused about
the process that lay ahead for us. Our winter will be busy I am sure with
all the neat things to learn about being an indoor service dog. Smile
Karyn and Thane
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