Hi, Everyone!
Wow, Spring weather sure keeps a guy guessing! Atmospheric Rivers one minute, and daffodils the next. So, my March motto was Bring It On!! At 8 months old, I’m a flexible fellow with a can-do spirit who’s up for anything. And my PADS skills really help me meet the moment! Well, most moments. A few still get the better of me, for sure.
Thanks to the Big Rain, I logged tons of public access practice this month at some great indoor venues – St. Paul’s Hospital & VGH, Dunbar & Westbrook Community Centres, the Crepe Cafe, Tsawwassen Mills, Safeway, Home Depot, London Drugs, PetSmart. Most spots were familiar, but a few were brand new. The thing about new places is that they’re often similar to familiar places (so at least I have a clue) and the thing about familiar places is that something unexpected usually happens (so they’re as good as new to me.)
My 8-month Walk&Talk at Loughheed Mall is a perfect example. See, I think of myself as a seasoned mall patron and sure enough, I breezed smartly through, showing my best self. But, when it came to the tall 2-flight staircase, HAPPY CHANCE! A baby human puppy was toddling down at the exact same time as I was marching up. Well, meeting in the middle sparked joy on both sides, and it took some fancy management to glide past in good form. So, there it is – add one surprising element, and all things old are new again!
Cool Stuff of the Month: I met Instructor Chelsea and PADS Minnie on campus for an outdoor class. We played Pattern Games and Handler Swapping, then, had a quick romp on the patio. Also, I’ve been having a blast at the beach, lately, balancing on logs and kicking up sand. On Monday mornings, I have my weekly visit with Special PADS Person Benita! We’ve been shaping my paw target, and Benita invented a device to help me with precision. And I’ve gotten too gangly to Go-In neatly under her coffee table, so, she’s using my leash to reinforce the boundary. O and Benita thinks I look like Sherlock Holmes in my green rain cloak. Ha! Now, all I need is a deerstalker hat, calabash pipe and magnifying glass to Go Sniff in style. Coolest Thing Ever: the Kids at Queen Elizabeth Annex built another magnificent fort and left it for me to discover! I love the QE Kids.
Thanks so much for checking up on me! I hope the Big Rain is past and that Spring will really take hold. Hey! What’s up with all the fancy baskets and bunnies everywhere? Hmmm, I better don my Sherlock apparel and do some sleuthing. In the meantime, live for the Happy Chances!
Submitted by: Mikal
