It's August here, which aside from meaning that it is incredibly hot and humid, also means that it is time to begin getting Robbie back in shape for cart season. Cart season is an exciting time of year for us, full of hard work, fun walks, and lots of precision. Read on to learn more about cart season, how I help Robbie get back in gear for it, and his first day back in his rig.
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Being able to not only hold their pee/poop until it is time to go, but also to go on cue when asked are both vital training elements for any service dog to master. A service dog must never go potty inside, because doing so is grounds for being asked to leave a store or other public venue. Additionally, service dogs work long hours, sometimes visiting multiple stores in a day. Knowing commands that mean "go potty" helps the dog know when and where to relieve themselves. Pets may only ever go in the grass outside their home or at the park. Service dogs need to be able to go potty at home, the park, on a divider in a parking lot, outside a store, in an airport on fake grass, and more. Read on to learn a few quick tips for how to handle your service dog's "Go Potty" cue! What Command Should I Use?
How Should I Teach the Commands?It's easy! Every time your dog is in the process of peeing and/or pooping, say the command you want associated with the action while it is still happening. Don't say the command if they are going in the wrong place, like inside your home, though. After a week or so of saying it during, go ahead and begin using each command before you want them to go. Just make sure you wait until being outside! ***If your dog goes inside, correct them while they are in the act of going. Immediately take them outside to finish, then come inside and put them in their kennel or pen calmly. Then clean up. ***If you catch after the fact, there is nothing you can do that they will understand. Take them outside to see if there is more, then put them in their kennel or pen calmly, before cleaning it up. Using the kennel or pen is not a punishment in either case. It is a tool to keep them out of your way while you clean up the mess.
Last week when we stopped at Sonic for lunch, our attendant asked us if we would like a pup cup for Robbie. I politely declined. When she returned later with our food (we were sitting outside at a table, with Robbie under the table), she asked again, and explained that it was only a small cup of plain ice cream. She wasn't sure if we had understood the first time. I again, politely declined, stating that my dog was working. She seem confused but let it go and walked off. It got me thinking. How many times have I been offered a treat for Robbie and turned it down? How many other teams do the same as we do or do they accept? I thought it would make a good blog post, and perhaps a conversation starter. Here are my thoughts on service dogs accepting treats from the public while working. Hi there! My name is Robbie. I'm almost 6 years old (middle aged for dogs), and think myself fairly awesome. If you haven't been reading up on me, I am a fully trained mobility service dog for my disabled partner, Sally. Her nervous system is wired wrong, and she needs my assistance daily to lead the best life she can with this disorder. I have magic powers, that allow me to open doors bigger than your average dog's door, with my face. I tug on ropes, push shiny buttons, and use my paws to open the way. She seems so grateful when it happens, and sort of like she did something... which I don't quite get, it's totally all me and my magic powers. That's a small part of my life though. I help her get back up when she falls down, I prevent the falls when I sense them about to happen, I pick up things she drops (even when she drops them on my head by accident, silly girl), find people to help her, and move heavy stuff for her, like the laundry basket and the heavy blocks of chew toys they use to feed the big iron dragon that keeps me warm in the winter. How thoughtful of them, right?? That's probably one of my favorite parts... I love pulling! The absolute best part of my job, though, is helping her. She takes amazing care of me, and she needs me. I am not your average dog. It sounds like we've got this disabled life figured out, but there's a problem. Sally needs me, and if I, a dog, can tell that she needs me and can't function without me, I don't get why others don't seem to see that. I want to do my best to change that, because I think she'd be a lot happier if she felt welcomed and accepted by more of the people in her life, and often it would seem that I'm the reason she isn't accepted.
It seems so insignificant, "I want you to come over, but can Robbie stay at home?" To her, it is wrenching to be asked to leave me behind. Not because she wants my presence, but because she needs my assistance to help her manage her medical condition. I'm not an accessory, I'm not a "fur baby (seriously please don't call me that)," I'm not a pet - I'm a vital partner to her. She needs me, the way you need your legs to walk. I haven't met as many of her friends and family as I'd like to, and I'd love to change that, too. She explains to me that people don't know that I'm different from most dogs, and that they can't understand that I shatter the stereotypical notion of how dogs act, unless someone can know me. I'd like to submit a resume to her friends and family, to prove that I would always be a welcome house guest. |
My Name is Sally...I have a condition called Complex Regional Pain Syndrome. This blog is about my journey training Robbie, a dog who helped me regain independence, confidence, and achieve the impossible in the face of my disability. It continues on with the training of Austin, Robbie's successor. Check Out... - "More than a Dog" was published on a site called The Mighty Categories
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