My first spooky season was full of tricks and treats! I think humans call those tricks ‘cues,’ but whatever you call them, I love to learn them! My loose leash walking is coming along nicely and I’m getting the hang of the tucked sit and proper down. I also love going to my bed on cue and do so with an enthusiastic hop when the humans ask me. I’ve also learned to put on and take off my cape. Okay, I still need help with the buckle, but I can put my head in and take it out on cue! I’m told this is a nice skill for a future assistance dog to have.
Besides working on my skills, my raisers and I have been doing lots of fun stuff lately. The month started with me attending my first human birthday party at a local brewery. There were lots of people mingling and music playing, but I managed to settle and catch some zzz’s on my mat under the table. I thought I was a bit of a party pooper just sleeping the whole time, but everyone told me how well-behaved I was, so I guess I did good! My raisers and I also took a little day trip to Squamish. I slept soundly in my crate during the drive up and did my first short walk on a trail up to a waterfall. It was beautiful, and I loved all the forest smells! I also visited Granville Island on a quiet weekday. I got to walk around the market where everything smelled delicious! I then sat on a patio and waited patiently while the humans ate, watching all the birds. The humans had to remind me a couple of times not to chase them—they just looked so fun!
It was a rainy October, so my raisers bought me a snazzy yellow raincoat to help me stay dry. I don’t mind wearing it, and it’s nice to make people smile when they see me sporting it on a dreary day. The rainy weather also meant we checked out lots of indoor spots for training to practice my loose leash walking and staying focused and calm around distractions (other dogs and small humans are the most difficult for me!). This month, I also joined my raisers at the gym a couple of times. It was strange seeing people run on machines and pick up and put down heavy things. I got lots of kibbles for staying calm around people moving in different ways though, so I’m happy to go again. And finally, we closed off the month with my first PADS field trip to BC Ambulance where I got to meet some lovely and hardworking paramedics, go in an ambulance, and experience the lights and sirens up close.
Thanks for checking in with me!
Submitted by: Tanya
