Unfortunately I don't have pictures. Another puppy raiser, Chrystine, took many pictures none of them showed up. Sorry Chrystine. I forgot to tell you how to use my camera. So I will try to explain things the best I can.
It actually was the first time we had all gotten together since before Christmas. The dogs present were Bear, his brother Joey, Cooper (chocolate lab), Monty, and Teamo (a little yellow lab/golden retriever mix). Typically we walk for about 1/2 hour to try to get the energy out of the dogs so they can concentrate.
Well, we didn't get very far and Bear had a bout with diarrhea in front of a jewelry counter. The woman there said, "Do you want me to call maintenance?" Oh yes please! Okay. Accidents happen. Yes they are embarrassing but the only thing you can do is clean it up and continue on. That's what we did. Maintenance was very fast in getting there which was nice.
Sometimes Bear's stomach acts up on him. He can be nervous but usually he shows that with car sickness - which he did puke on the way up to the Mall of America.
We stopped at an open spot and practiced sit, down, stay, fetch, rise, take, and hold. Of course, any time you bring a dog in a public place, people gather. So we had a bit of a crowd watching us. A couple of puppy raisers noted this job is NOT for shy people - this is very true! But most of us have had small children and some have lived through teenagers. Embarrassment? What's that?
In fact, it was much more embarrassing when I took my 4 year old into a public restroom and someone passed gas. VERY LOUDLY, she exclaimed - Mommy! Someone farted! I wanted to die! So Bear's diarrhea was really nothing in comparison. I understand that at 13 years old - I'm in for a whole new definition of embarrassing antics. Great.
Anyway, we finished practicing some skills and continued on to practice walking on different surfaces and to find a handicapped door to practice with. Well, Bear had another bout with diarrhea. Again, we cleaned it up and I took him immediately outside to try to finish if he needed. He of course was done by that time. Again, I was very thankful it was on tile.
We stopped at a Holiday store that was in the mall and bought some Pepto Bismol. Our training director gave him some and it appeared it would work. We were hopeful anyway so we started out again for a walk and some elevators.
He hadn't gone in quite awhile so we ventured into an Italian restaurant. To my concern - or horror- they sat us on a very large area rug. Great. He was a little ansy trying to clean the floor but then settled down and slept for awhile. He only barked once which was good. Unlike the Fazoli's restaurant issue. Hmmmmm....both Italian restaurants. Maybe that's what he doesn't like. :)
Meanwhile, Teamo and Cooper went home. They are still pretty young and get tired fast. Joey was somewhere in the mall with Deb and eventually found his way onto a little girls lap to take a nap until their ride showed up - how cute is that! And Monty was with us doing a fine job of staring at the other patron's in the restaurant - a bit of long distance begging. BUT he was not barking and he did not have diarrhea. He was being a very good boy. Actually, Bear was being pretty good too.
Anyway, we finished our meal and were on our way out when the Diarrhea Monster reared its ugly head. We just got up - walked off the area rug (thank you!), and walked into the hallway of the restaurant when Bear squatted and started going.
I think the absolute stupidest waiters were there literally just standing there watching. There were two of them - Frick and Frak. Well, I looked up at Frick and asked him to get me a towel. Frick: "Oh. Yeah. Right." I swear he was gone FOREVER! Then he came back with a roll of paper towels. He just hands me the roll. I wanted to ask him what he was doing while he was walking back to me. Could he not have unrolled a bunch of it for me? Now there's a novel idea (multi-tasking, being of some help, doing something proactive, working to get that smelly poop up and out of the restaurant as fast as can be done - take your pick). But no, Frick and Frak just stood there - doing nothing. I grabbed the paper towels to clean things up and realized I had no where to put it. I had to ask Frak for a garbage can. Let me repeat: I HAD TO ASK FOR A GARBAGE CAN! How stupid can two human beings be?
Anyway, I started cleaning and the very nice people I was with told me to get Bear out of there and take him outside. Okay! So we went outside and he was there a long time trying to go poop. Nothing.
We went back in once he felt comfortable and was no longer squatting. We got back in and we stayed by the door - on the tile - talking. Pretty soon, guess who comes along? SECURITY!!
Oh boy, here came the third degree from "Rent-a-Cop": Why are you here? What are you doing? Did you call ahead to clear this with security? We don't allow pets in here. Wait here while I go talk to my supervisor.
So we waited. Not like we were going anywhere anyway. We provided him with all the correct knowledge he obviously needed:
1. We are here training service dogs.
2. They are not pets. They are service dogs who have rights given to them to be in places like this for training by the American With Disablities Act.
3. Here is the law on this card.
4. We did not call ahead because that is not something we've had to do in the past.
5. We are not putting on a show for anyone. We are training.
Okay. Well Officer Doogy came back and handed my ADA card back and said that we should call ahead in the future and to remember that this is private property. He then went on his merry way.
I wanted to say, "Excuse me, but don't you think you should be concerned about real problems? Like who keep pooping in the hallways around here?!!?? Obviously that person is very sick and you should be trying to find them!" LOL!!! Oh! I NEVER actually said it. Only in my mind - where it's still funny even after 4 days!
Anyway, Officer Doogy left and a very nice man, in a wheelchair, stopped to talk to us. He had a lot of great questions: How long is your waiting list? We don't have one right now. How can I get one of these dogs? All you have to do is apply. My landlord doesn't allow pets, can I still have one of these? Absolutely!! They and you are protected under both Minnesota and Federal laws.
In fact, he met Monty who is almost ready to graduate. Hopefully this man will complete the application and we can get them hooked up together. Which would be great!
The best part of the whole day was the incredibly valuable training that was provided for new puppy raisers. There was diarrhea, urine (Teamo peed on the carpet at Lego land), security staff questioning us, barking in public, elevators, fetching, people watching, and a potential client. I have been training for a long time and NEVER had I experienced these things all in the same day.
Plus, even though Bear felt like a pile of doo-doo (no pun intended), he was the only dog that day that would do the handicapped door AND he did it in front of the Training Director AND he did it well!! I think it was all that practice in AZ when we were out with my brother-in-law Ron!
Poor Bear. He has been the "butt of our jokes" all week as we have emailed back and forth various jokes related to the weekend. It really was the most embarrassing and invaluable day!!
Oh yeah. The ride home: About 1/2 hour in the van - he barfed. Then about 45 minutes later, he bolted up on the backseat, stood up, and started pooping. I've never pulled off the highway so fast! He then had diarrhea alongside the road.
Then we got home and just as I parked the van in the garage he was lurching like he was going to puke. I got him out of the van and he barfed all over the garage floor. In Minnesota that day, it was about -12 (that's 12 degrees BELOW zero). Puke freezes fast and it has since been frozen, in it's entirety, on my garage floor. I have to step over it every morning going to my car.
Guess what? That entire day was my fault. I had given him some leftover food the night before which made him very sick (obviously) plus he had apparently eaten a cat toy. All of which was evident in the puke autopsy I've performed every morning trying to get to my car. There may even be a doll sock in there - I'm not sure.
Four days later - he's back to his old self and I have learned many lessons!
Joey and Bear are brothers and were the first two puppies to be in the program with American Assistance Dogs. Joey went in for a standard certification eye exam and they found that he has a blind spot in each eye, he's far-sighted, and he has a genetic eye disease common in collies called "Collie Eye Anomaly". Joey has a grade 2 which means it will not get any worse (like blindness) but it does mean he can no longer be a service dog. Joey is a WONDERFUL dog and his puppy raiser Deb has been given the okay to adopt him and keep him in her family. He will have a wondeful home but we'll miss him terribly in the program. 
