A normal November, no such thing!
The first two weeks were spent in isolation while recovering from kennel cough, but the days got even quieter after PADS Gem II met and moved in with her raisers. That probably helped both to recover faster, as they were misunderstanding the βrest as much as possibleβ prescription from PADSβ medical team.
Soon after Puzzle received the all-clear to proceed with normal activity, we started a puppy swap. He spent two weeks in not one but two homes of his classmateβs co-raisers. He settled well at one home and office during the week and became part of a busy family on weekends, which included trips to the arena for hockey practice and shopping at Costco.
Puzzle reached a milestone in his mission to become an assistance dog, by participating in the Guide Dog Behavioural Response Assessment, or GDBART. He spent time in the PADS training centre with a handler whom he had not previously met and was exposed to different stimuli to gauge his reaction. He did great, maybe because he studied β a PADS community coach caught him watching a video before his turn!
Submitted by: Gwen
