I love farm stores. True country girl at heart. Farm stores are a great place to take your service dog in training for socialization and practice working on various skills in a new place. Read on to learn about 5 things to socialize to, 3 aisles to practice commands/tasks, and 3 aspects to be aware of when visiting your local farm store. What Do I Mean By a "Farm Store"?The store name will depend on your geographical location, but overall, a farm store is a place devoted to agriculture. Farm stores sell work clothes, horseback riding gear, livestock feed, and more. My favorite is easily Orscheln's because they typically have what I need and are very friendly. Others to check out include:
5 Things to SocializeRabbit/Chick Days
Dressing Rooms
Car Aisle (Strong Smells)
Check Out Lines
3 Aisles to Practice OnLive Rabbit/Chick Aisles - The first time your dog sees them, you may have set your goals low. Start with a sit stay for a minute, then move on. Next time, maybe a pass at heel. As your dog gets more comfortable and focuses on you easier, you can increase the difficulty to more advanced commands and tasks. This is also a great place to work on a solid "leave it" for looking and/or sniffing
Back Section - The back section is a great place to work on anything form basic commands to harder tasks because it is often the quietest part of the store. The back is reserved for tires, clearance items, and gardening gear, none of which seem to draw a big crowd. Additionally, in the back you have access to the public restrooms for work on bathroom behavior and positioning, as well as the big doors that lead to the storage section. Asking your dog to hold a cue by the big doors can be a great challenge because as soon as the doors swing open forcefully, it might startle your dog. For that reason, working near these doors can help you and your service dog practice holding cues no matter what should happen. It will also be a good test to see how quickly your dog recovers after being startled. Ideally a service dog should barely react or recover quickly. If your dog overreacts and take a long time to return to normal, that's a sign you have a lot of work to do, and may even be a sign that your dog doesn't have what it takes to be a service dog. 3 Aspects to Be Aware Of
Videos of Robbie Doing Public Access Work in a Farm Store
Good Luck!All around, I think farm stores are perfect for public access practice and for adding new challenges to your dog's training throughout their lifetime. There will always be something else to work on, and the calm atmosphere of these stores gives handlers a great place to work on things. I wish you luck in your adventures to your local farm store!
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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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