(VICT) Thane and I: Progress Continues

From: "Karyn and Thane" <bcpaws4me@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Vi-clicker" <vi-clicker-trainers@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:05:42 -0800
Ohhh I can feel the muscles that have had a slumber of almost 7 months now! 
Thane and I have taken a bit of down time lately where we worked mostly on
hearing alerts and gave me time to regroup from writing the memorial. Yes it
took a toll on my heart. But now for the good stuff!
We have been practicing a bit since February 19th walking up and down our
street here with a short guide handle. We switched to Met's guide handle the
other day and now its just totally awesome length after I lengthened it a
bit with some extra hardware. Its just that feeling in your heart that you
are indeed going to be a team one day. I think anyone here partnered with a
guide dog/ horse who was without a guide for any length of time can
comprehend what I am feeling now.
Today we went to the park! I used the guide cane to get out to our street as
when we first get going, Thane is a bit of a handful especially if there are
ferals around Smile
From there, we used the guide harness and my mini-guide. Though there were
distractions I needed to stop and wait out- especially idiots that think
they have to chatter at my dog. I hadn't the faintest what they were saying
but I knew they were talking as Thane was more distracted than normally with
people which only happens when they are talking to him.
Anyway we got going again after that- he actually stopped where we normally
turn around to come back in training sessions. I told him *right* and he
turned onto the street with the sidewalk towards the park. When we got to
the driveway we use as the curbcut, he automatically stopped. I had already
told him we were going to the park so he knew where we were headed. I pulled
out the guide cane to cross just to be on the safe side. We then used the
park to train some more. Its a place where distractions can be worked on-
ahhhh all those wild birds momma- see the birds, see 'em! LOL It also let me
take a step back and focus on what his strengths are and what his weaknesses
are as we begin so that I can really assess progress better. Despite having
to stop a few times he really was cool about the harness handle. When I
first introduced it with Met, it took a long time before he was not checking
what I was doing back there LOL. For Thane he just takes it as a part of our
walk. As we were heading back towards the curb cut needed to cross the road,
I intentionally moved over so we would wind up hitting the telephone pole
there. I had the mini-guide so felt safe doing so. I just was testing what
Thane might do. He surprised me and guided us back over around the telephone
pole towards the curbcut. Awesome my lil' man! Awesome! I chose to give him
the opportunity to cross the street this time in harness (no guide cane).
Its a small quiet street generally at this time of day. I know he is good
about crossings if he is not distracted by people. He did magnificently! He
even picked up the pace for the street crossing (which I always did with
Met) and do in general with him in town. After that he slowed it back down
once up on the sidewalk. When we got to our road he stopped automatically
without me saying halt. We walked the rest of the way with just the
mini-guide and him in harness. We did stop for a moment to practice a *sit*
and give him some bites of treat for doing so well before progressing
onwards towards home. Of course being the BC he is, as soon as he was in the
door and unharnessed- he was like throw the toy man, throw it! That to him
is the reward not the dumb bites. Smile
Though I am sore and tired- gosh this is so much work! I am also proud of
him/ us too. Its like this is really going to happen! I am going to have a
sidekick at my side again and an awesome one at that...

Karyn and Thane
http://www.pawsitively-k9.com
(VICT) Thane and I: Progress Continues

Other related posts:
