Day 3!

We started day 3 with a lecture.  Yes, it's not all about the hands-on dog time, even though that is definitely the most fun!  We learned all about nutrition, safety, and how important it is that Kindle stay within 3-5 pounds of her current weight either way.  We get retested for public access in 6 months and then once a year every year after that.  If her weight is not acceptable, she will not be passed for public access.  This is VERY important for the life of the service dog.  An overweight dog will take years off of not only their working life, but possibly their own life.  We will be very diligent about this!
Then we had more fun reviewing our homework by playing Hollywood Squares.  We also learned about what a dog's body language is telling you.  That was very informative!  We learned a lot and could even read Kindle better all afternoon after that lesson.  After lunch, the dogs were brought in and the kissing commenced! Today, after some simple warm-up cues, we put her working vest on.  Well!  We learned that Kindle is very sensitive to things on her back.  She stood frozen with her head on Emma's lap and wouldn't move.  It really was funny, even though it's important that she get over it.  She wouldn't sit or go down and when she tried, it looked like she had a stiff block of wood tied to her.  The trainer worked with us and did have her doing better with it by the end.  Amazing how dogs are so different about little things, just like people.  Hmmm, the bat wing harness for Halloween may not be a great idea in hindsight!  :)  My favorite new cue today was "closer."  I have a picture of this.  It is when she turns around and backs herself into Emma and goes down and stays.  She did it every time and it was so cute!   We will use this cue often.  Technically it should be done in between her legs, but when Emma didn't do that well with keeping her little legs wide enough, Kindle adapted it to beside her legs and we loved it, so that's Kindle's new version of "closer!"   The video will show 1 of 4 shaping activities we did today.   Shaping is when you use the clicker and treats to teach a dog a new skill.  The skill was to gently touch her nose to the tip of the orange cone.  She picked it up within 2 minutes.  Smart girl!  Shaping is how we will teach her any new skills or cues throughout her life time.  It's also lots of fun for the dog and the trainer.  Training is never done.  The final picture will be us doing some final last shopping at Petsmart to bring Kindle home tomorrow!  The dog bed will actually go at the bottom of Emma's bed.  We'll soon find out if they want to sleep together.  We think they will!!!
Hi first grade!  I hope you had another great day with Mrs. McCarthy!  You started learning about maps and globes today.  You should be able to tell your parents if the Earth has more land or more water.  Tomorrow you will have another secret reader coming!  I can't tell you who!  You just have to wait and see!  Every time I earned a ticket today, I thought of you and hoped that you are doing lots of good things to earn tickets, clip up, smilies, and group points!  Have a great Thursday!  Talk to you tomorrow night, our first night with Kindle!!  Love Mrs. Wenger :))