Update

Bear and Jessica have really done well together. I have not had the opportunity to see them working together other than the first couple of days. I went to a board meeting and the transition trainer brought Bear with. It was SO great to see him! He came right to me wagging his tail. He looked so happy! That really made me feel good.

We were getting ready to leave and I dropped my car key. I asked Bear to get it and he sniffed it, looked up at me, and left the key on the floor. I wondered what that was all about. Then Deb (the transition trainer) told me that he won't work for her anymore either. I asked why and she said, "He now knows who needs him and who doesn't."

WOW! That really amazed me.

A couple of days later Jessica asked Deb to call me to tell me that she can get Bear to open doors for her every time! I started laughing. Jessica remembered me telling her that Bear hates opening the doors. I can embarass the heck out of myself by getting him really excited and then giving the door command but only about 10% of the time will he do it. Jessica says he does it for her. I told Deb to sign that woman up as a trainer because I am truly impressed!

I guess Bear really does know who needs him and who doesn't.

SO MANY CHANGES!!

Bear has a client!! He started working with a young woman named Jessica who is in a wheelchair. It has been such a benefit to me as a volunteer trainer to have met her, talked with her about her needs, and to have seen her apartment. What a wonderful opportunity for me personally. I also believe the transition for Bear will be much easier.

We started taking Bear to Jessica's in November and we've had two visits with her before Bear went to live with a transistion trainer. He has been living with Deb now since the beginning of December. Deb takes him over to Jess's house about 2-3 times a week and works with both of them on different commands, altering equipment so it works for them, and helps Jess to learn how to work with him. He is currently living with Deb at night but overnight stays with Jess are just around the corner.

I was able to have Bear here for about 2 weeks during the holidays. He just went back today. The hardest time for me was when I met Jessica and realized that this was it. It was actually going to happen. I cried all the way home. Then we met again and I had my daughter with me. Afterward, I was sad but not emotional. My daughter on the other hand cried all the way home. When I turned him over to the transistion trainer - it wasn't difficult for me because I know her, she calls me all the time to tell me how he's doing, and I know he's with a loving trainer as part of her family and not in a kennel.

He came home for the holidays with a list of commands I needed to work on with him. He needed to learn to walk on the right side (side) and not the left (heel), he needed to put his head through his collar when it's held up in front of him, and he needed to move closer to me on command. It took all but three tries of these commands and he got it! So it was a matter of practicing during vacation.

He went back to "college" today and I cannot explain the pride I have. We met at Country Kitchen in Cannon Falls MN and the people there are awesome. We've been there before and they love Bear. They came and talked to us and they said they love to tell people that we train our dogs there. :) Two customers in a table next to ours oooohh'd and awww'd over how beautiful he is and then they found out how old he is (will be 2 in Feb.) and the gasped at how well behaved and wonderfully trained he was. It really was good for a trainers pride!

Country Kitchen in Cannon Falls MN - EXCELLENT food, service, and atmosphere!

So I will see him again at his graduation (that I need to plan!) I cannot wait to see him working for Jessica. Seeing him at her side waiting for her to give him the next command. I really will cry then!! Only it will not be of saddness but of total glowing pride for the little boy I raised to do exactly what he's doing!

More training

We've just been plugging along in Bear's training this last month. We took a few trips to Target and he's come to work with me once. I did work a little on some skills I haven't worked on in awhile and he picked them back up instantly. That has been great!

We are now on a schedule. He gets once a week at my job and once a week on an outing. Our outing for this week is today and we are planning on going to our local mall to eat in the food court and then work the doors. That's his biggest hurdle - doing the skills he does at home out in public.

I really think the key to that is me - my enthusiasm. I am a very private person emotionally so it's hard for me to go crazy wild in public when he does something right. I do it at home - just not in public.

So I guess I need to step outside my comfort level and go hog wild nuts when he opens the door. :) I'll probably scare the poor boy to death. LOL

More of the same

We haven't been doing much training these last few weeks. Bear is still a pet dog from time to time. He's been playing in the yard with some dog friends and his dog sister. He's also just been a dog. We've been getting ready for school and trying to get everything done around the house before winter sets in. That's around the corner for Minnesota. Nice huh?

So Bear has been a dog these last few weeks. Maybe September will bring more training and more visits to schools.

Bear did try to sleep with me last night. That was funny. He's used to sleeping in a kennel and I've decided to try to introduce the bed. He walked all over me until I growled at him from under the covers. He was driving me nuts and wouldn't leave me alone. So I growled at him and he stopped, got on the floor, and eventually settled down for the night. Sometime around 4am - he stuck his pointy nose in my face staring at me from the floor. He's eye level with me when he's standing by my bed. I just pulled up the covers, heaved a big sigh, and he laid down on the floor and went back to sleep.

He's so funny. He doesn't have a clue what to do in a bedroom and not in a kennel. I guess we'll try again tonight. :)

Time flies!

Wow. I didn't realize how much time has gone by since my last entry. The last two weeks were pretty usual. We have had my niece staying with me so Bear taught her some commands. :) He's really great to work with for people because he responds so well.

We did try a couple of new commands. He knows how to take off socks, he's learning how to take off shoes, pants, and jackets. He got the jackets thing right away. He's struggling with the amount of tugging it takes to get the pants off but he's working at it. I also have to check with our training director for a way to get the shoes off. Bear has to grab from the bottom by my heel and then tug. I just need more direction on that one.

We took Bear to see a movie "Monster House". I have no reservations about him in public anymore. He did great! He sniffed around a little looking for popcorn and then laid down for the entire movie. The noise didn't bother him at all. I can't wait for a dog movie to come out - we are so going!

Bear's going to have a couple of visiting dogs this weekend. We are dog sitting for a friend of mine. He does so well with new dogs. He's at a great age where he can play if they want to - and for hours, or he can just sit around if they don't. It's amazing how calm this breed of dog is compared with some others I've worked with.

Bear's been out to eat a couple of times these past two weeks too. Again he does great. Now I have to work on skills with him in public.

He really has then down great at home. He looks at me with a blank stare in public. The main problem I think is my quiet reaction to him in public. I don't want to draw attention to him and so there isn't any excitement in my voice. I'll work on that. :)