15 February, 2011:
Home Training Day Four:
Today proved that being flexible is very important during home training.
I received a phone call from a local school that I sometimes substitute teach at requesting my services for the day. I said I would check something and call them right back. I quickly called Mike-the-trainer to see if it was a viable training option for today. He said it would be OK as long as the school did not mind him observing, I said I would check and give him a call back. The director of the school was happy to Mike-the-trainer and LD Mike there. The staff and students, for the most part, have been very receptive to a Leader Dog being in the classroom.
Here is where the flexibility comes in. Mike-the-trainer and I had planned on a short visit to the school in the morning and then a trip to the local mall that afternoon. With a full day teaching we scrubbed the trip to the mall for the day.
LD Mike was such a trouper today, he stayed calm even though we had four different groups of students. The only time LD Mike showed anxiety was when I was anxious and he was picking up on it. He did not beg for attention very much either. There was only one piece of drama during the day. There was a student that flat-out refused to enter the classroom because LD Mike was in the room. The school director escorted the student to a different classroom for the period.
During the breakfast and lunch breaks LD Mike took me up and down the corridor without being food distracted. WAY TO GO LD MIKE!! After classes were over for the day Mike-the-trainer took some pictures that were possibilities for the ID from Leader Dogs.
On the way home Mike-the-trainer and I discussed the day and both of us were very pleased with LD Mike's performance and behaviour at school. I admit that I had worried about that. With LD Patriot (ret.) we had been a working team for years before I began to substitute teach. It is a vast relief for me that LD Mike is ready to step up to the plate from the beginning of our career together.
To Be Continued...
WOW!!!! Way to go team!!!! You sound so happy and flying free again. Happy to hear LD Mike is doing such a great job! Enjoy your days ahead and happy to read about each day and your journey that you take. Julia
ReplyDeleteYou are quite welcome Julia. Thank you for reading my journal. If I sound happy, it is because I AM!! *grin*
ReplyDeleteWayne
Hi Y'all,
ReplyDeleteJust stopped by from "Dog's Eye View" to meet y'all.
Sounds like y'all are going to be wonderful pair!
Y'all come by now,
Hawk aka BrownDog
ReplyDeleteI actually enjoyed reading through this posting.Many thanks.
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