Journal Note your comments and thoughts regarding Graduate Support Class. Without naming names, what did you see some teams doing incorrectly and what impressed you?
This morning we got to come a little later than usual, 11am, but I still managed to be late. I have decided the more time I have to get ready, or get distracted, causes me to go slower. J Thank God I was not the only late one, though! We all did get remanded for tardiness, and I really hope this problem does not continue. I really am not a morning person!
Because of my lateness with McLean, trainer Maria was standing outside the closed door pretending she owned a public restaurant. I was not fully gathered, McLean slipped out of my hand, but I did have the law book. Phew! The law book saved me!
We need to be at CPL tomorrow morning at 9:30am for class. Good luck, Marie and McLean!
Once upon a time we were finally permitted to enter the training facility, where we briefly discussed last night’s baseball game and then had our journal groups. Trainer Deb explained the importance of praising my dog when he is successful at curbs, and this excitedness on my part will help prevent future curb incidents, as well as teach McLean to pause at every curb.
Lunch followed the journal readings, which seemed to be faster than usual. I guess this feeling of speediness came because of the later start, and maybe the fact that we had a late arrival. After lunch we discussed access issues in air travel, hospitals and some train and cruise travel. I importantly learned England was the hardest international place to enter with a service dog, and the process takes at least 6 months. It was now time for graduate support class (GSC).
GSC had a very high attendance that included us recipients, graduates, applicants and various support people. It was very crowded! I was a little nervous to perform with McLean with all these people watching, but I became more relaxed when I kept receiving compliments about McLean’s appearance! Needless to say, he will be getting a hair trim in the future, because he is too hairy! Back to GSC, McLean had the chance to either embarrass us or make us shine. Of course, he made us shine! He did tugging, a “go pay” reenactment, retrieval, stepsand opening doors. The command to open doors is “go touch” for our dogs, and McLean needed a few tries due to his tallness. Showbo had the opposite problem, of being too short. J I was bad, though. When we went through the door to use the bathroom, I used the “go touch” button to exit the building. No service skills on my own, without a trainer present! Oops!
Since I performed most skills without a line, I am really unaware of thecorrectness or impressions of anyone. I do; however, believe graduate support classes are a great way to practice service skills and gives us all the opportunity to ask our questions.
Ok. better be on time tomorrow, so good night.