Grand Rapids

29
Mar
2019

Millie settles at a restaurant

While out shopping at Goodwill stores, we stopped for a lunch break. Future Leader Dog Millie was happy to be able to lay down and rest while also watching people walk past in the restaurant. While we ate our lunch, Millie layed nicely at my feet. During her time of settling, I would give her a treat. Her treats are nothing more than her dog food. At the beginning of our day together, I put some of her daily portion of dog food in a pouch that I wear around my waist. As she performs good behaviors that I want to reinforce, I will give her a treat. She also likes water, so I have a little tube that I carry water in that I also use to reinforce good behavior.

Be sure to click on the link and watch Millie settle at a restaurant

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in Millie's Minute, 0 comments
29
Mar
2019

Millie working on open back stairs

I like to find different adventures for Future Leader Dog Millie to participate in so when she becomes a Leader Dog she is not surprised by anything she may encounter. We went downtown Grand Rapids and did some more walking on the sidewalk. There are many different noises for her to be exposed to along with buses and cars whizzing past on the street. There are pedestrians and people on bikes. We went inside the B.O.B. in downtown Grand Rapids and found a great set of open back stairs. This kind of stair can be intimidating for a dog because they can see through them as they climb them. The opening is right at their eye level. Millie handled these stairs like a champ. We worked on going up and down these stairs quite a few times before I taped her. She still gets ahead of me by one stair so we will have to continue to work on this. As you will see in the video, there is trash on the stairs that she ignores. She does a much better job keeping stride going down than going up. This is something we will continue to work on.

Watch the video of Millie working on open back stairs

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in Millie's Minute, 0 comments
24
Mar
2019

Millie learning settle

Today, we went to downtown Grand Rapids and worked in another atmosphere for settling. There were buses, pedestrians, and many cars. It was a good atmosphere for her to be exposed to a busy downtown. We then went insidethe Amway Grand hotel and were met with a high school Michigan Leadership conference. There were high schoold students milling around everywhere we went. We walked around the lobby and walked up and down some stairs. The biggest part of our challenge was practicing settling with so much activity. People with suitcases walking around. People walking right in front of her while she had to lay still and settle. The goal is to get her to lay her head down and shift her weight on hip so she doesn’t look like she is going to spring into action at any moment. It was a good morning of practice for her, and I look forward to taking her downtown so we can practice some more.

Watch our video of Millie learning to settle

 

Posted by ddykema5@gmail.com in Millie's Minute, 0 comments