HOWL O WEEN 2020
A spooky good time was had by all the handlers and their service animals as they participated in a socially distance outdoor training and howl o ween party. Working on their tasks such as ”go get’ disguised as the ‘ole bobbing for apples game- along with distraction training surrounded by gouls and skeletons and so much more. Costumes for handlers and their service dogs were impressive.
Great Road Trip to Tallulah Falls
We had been given security clearance to have fire drill practice since the school is not open due to covid 19.
Two fire drills later one with an evac through the front door the other down 4 flights of stairs went really well. I think everyone felt their dogs did better the second time.
Out in the gardens by the gazebo we practiced pressure point therapy and doga.
Then we had a convoy must have been ten cars long to Tallulah falls state park where we went to the beach. Dogs vests came off and in we went. Some dogs swam some bunny hopped and some floated. Frisbee, tennis ball and stick fetching was high on the list of activities along with one intrepid adventurer who brought a kayak. Yes her dog swam for the first time and became a seasoned kayaker.
We did have a few dog alert and assists but all was handled extremely well by our service dogs.
Wonderful day was had by all.
TRAINING DAY AT THE PUMPKIN PATCH
It was a great day of Service Dog Training at the Still Family Farm in Powder Springs, where our group of Service Dogs in Training, learned to handle all kinds of distractions like kids running around and screaming in joy, scare crows and large orange pumpkins along with haystacks and smells of all different kinds. Our teams went thru drills thru a corn field maze and on wooden slides, and anywhere their handler might want to go. These SDs listened and worked hard in learning how to handle all these fall elements so that they can help their handlers no matter where they are or what’s around them.
SUPER DOGS WATCH SUPERPOWER DOGS AT THE FERNBANK
Animals Deserve Better Inc |Paws for Life Service Dog Training took a field trip to Fernbank Museum. We wanted our handlers to see other working dogs and so we went to see the Superpower Dogs Movie at the Imax theatre. I thought it was a great idea and the dogs loved it too – service dogs and super hero dogs. The movie is fantastic, shows how dogs can find you in an avalanche, save wild animals in Africa from poachers, work with people who have disabilities, how dogs train to become part of an elite search and rescue team and also the coast guards highly trained water rescue group. Not a sound was heard during the entire movie from our 10 canines. We wondered through the museum playing pushing buttons in the Gigantic Fish exhibit and then went outside into the gardens. We found some areas on the raised walk ways to practice “paws up”, carry a dropped item of which Charlie with the Fernbank Brochure and Abi with her milkbone were impressive. Arriving at a great wooded play area we practiced walking over a rope bridge ( the rope we balanced on was about 3 or 4 inches in diameter – fantastic for core body workouts), crawling through a rope tunnel (easy for the dogs, we humans had to work at it) , climbing a metal (really tight and narrow) spiral staircase, climbing down and up through various holes cut into the play area and then out by a vertical ladder, and yes where we went we asked our dogs to go with us. Great agility and balance work was done by all. Very proud of the whole group, its events like this and the unusual things we find to do that helps us bond with our dogs, bringing trust, expertise and loyalty for both handler and canine.
All day service dog training on how to handle your service dog in crowds including long down, sit and stand stays. At the Atlanta History Center we went through all the exhibits, then visited the farm while working with the service dogs on distance from sheep, goats, turkey and chickens. Got to scent vegetables too. Worked on loose leash techniques, front, back and pull, balance up steps, elevator technique and stairs. We visited the Swan house and dogs were great staying on the path up and down stairs. It had been warm outside so we went through the buffet line ate some bar b que and drank water and tea showing off where to place your service dog in an event style seating with tables of 10. Surrounded by multiple people and hundreds of children. Some of us got to practice when our disability was unforgiving and made us remember why we have a service dog, all dogs performed in the midst of chaos with impeccable alerts. We finished with a walk in the grounds, visited the Veterans Memorial, walked over bridges touching fake horses and looking for statues of animals amidst running water. Ended the day with a great group photo taken by Stephen Shipman. . .. . see if you can spot the dogs who are driving the car. It was a great and successful day and I thank everyone for coming, training in all situations makes us and our dogs better partners.