The Big Day!

 

The day began on not the best note. I woke up several times in the night, for whatever reason. And both times I could not get back to sleep.

 

The first order of business was breakfast as usual. On the menu was oatmeal, sausage, toast, and a cup of fruit. I am eating very very well here. The chief is an awesome man. He even made me eggless scones.

 

We had our normal meeting at 8 to find out what the plan was for the day. After that we were free until we were pulled for leash training. Your probably asking what leash training, or leash guiding is? Its where the dog heels, and guides with no harness on, or without using the harness. I know the other schools I attended did not teach this. It is possible to teach, but this dog is familiar right off the bat with it. I find this useful like trying to get off and on of buses, outside trying to do small distances like going potty, and in public bathrooms. At least these are areas I will be using it in. These dogs are trained to stop at doorways. I have been told that the dog use to be trained to sit at doorways. But now they just stop. Another thing I think is different and really awesome is. When going in and out doors, say for example the door is on your is in front of you. The door opens from right to left, I would do a little dance, putting my back to the door, to hold it open, and then give my dog an “inside” command. This is probably used for outside doors too, or doors you go out with, but I have not experienced this yet.

 

After our leash guiding session, we all met back in the gathering room. The gathering room is the room that we will leave from when boarding the buses. We talked about how to prepare our rooms when we get our dogs and how that process would go. We were told that we needed to be sitting on our beds, acting very calmly, in a calm voice. We were told to right away treat the dogs as service animals. I know this is different from the other schools too. Here we bond with our dogs, we love them, and we pet them. But we do not get down on the ground with them. Other schools do allow you to get down and roll around, or cuddle with them. This is so that we as handler’s right off the bat are made the alpha. In a way I think this is cool too. I’ll say with GDB, when I attended back in the early 2000’s, they even had a bean bag chair that was big enough for a large male, and a large dog. I am not saying this is wrong, just that I prefer it this way.

 

Several times in the day I “tried” to work on school work. I would start but then my mind would start to wonder. I could not concentrate on school must of all. I was so nervous, anixous, and just unsure of the unknown. I am sure this won’t go away until I have the dog in my possession, and perhaps not even after that.

 

Lunch was the best meal of all thus far, and that is high considering I haven’t eaten anything here that was bad. It was a delicious salad with grilled chicken, strawberries, feta cheese, and baby spinach. After lunch we were instructed to go back to our rooms. Let me say this was the most nerve wrecking part of the day. Sitting in my room, not wanting or not being able to concentrate on school work, waiting and waiting for your dog. I am not sure where in the lineup of dogs I received mine.

 

I was in my room, and waiting . A photographer took our pictures while we were meeting the dog for the first time. My labby was so excited to see me. She is a licky sort of dog. She is dark in color. She has the typical lab tail, and when it wags, which is a lot, it sounds like “Thump, Thump”. She has a big head, that goes from the tips of my fingers to my palm where my wrist meets my hand. She has huge feet, and I think she has some growing to do. Atleast so she fits into her feet. LOL I would estimate that she weighs about 75 pounds. She is definitely thick in her girth. Once we had the dogs, then we worked up and down the halls to the different rooms. At around 4:15, we fed and “braked” the dog. Not literally, but we took them out to the potty. At GDB they say, “Do your business”. At Seeing Eye they say “Park time”. Here they say “busy busy”. It’s different. The first potty break, she did not do anything. As many of the dogs just stood there, looking at each other. It’s also typical for the dogs on the first day not to go potty.

 

Dinner was fish and chips, Yum! We all took our dogs to the dining room. The instructors said they don’t usually do that, but everyone was doing very well. We worked out dogs back to the rooms, using the leash guiding. At around 7:30pm, 4 of us that my instructor has, all went to the leather lounge room.

 

This was the first for obedience. This is basic obedience, which consists of, sits, down, sits and stays, recall, down and recall. I know I am missing something, but it’s late. But the time we were done, it was time for our last “break” time.

 

I was successful, I got#1!!!!! After this break time, again working the dogs to our rooms, and then it’s time for bed time for them. She goes on the tie-down that is next to my bed. It’s bolted into the floor, she can’t get off it. It’s not mean, or cruel. In a few days we will start to give them a little more freedom. On her tie-down, she can move, lay on her back.

 

And as I type this, she is having a doggie dream. She was barking and moving her legs. Oh my labby is dreaming. Emma did never did this much that I remember.

 

I know I am forgetting to write something. Please God let me sleep better tonight. And let my new pup sleep well too. No accidents please, and no needing to go out, please.

 

One last thing, before I close, my pup is already doing the bracing thing for my balance. I have not had to ask her for it, but when we are out at a curb, she will do it. Bracing is when she puts her front paws on the curb, I say “brace”, and I can then put my hand or use the special harness to help me balance up the stairs or curb. What a smart dog.

 

Have a good night everyone,

 

Until next time…..