Therapy Dogs and Children

Perri has been doing monthly visits at our local library for four and a half years now. Perri is a reading therapy dog - the idea behind this is that children who are struggling to master reading are able to relax more when reading to a dog versus a person. For the same reason we all enjoy and benefit from the company of dogs - dogs do not judge.

Perri also does work with seniors. However, working with children is far more challenging for a dog. While Perri is theoretically volunteering at the library to help reading age children find their way, she is doing far more than that. She has been a comfort for an autistic child with behavioral issues, a comfort for abused children living in foster care, and she has been specifically visited by parents who are looking for a reliably gentle and balanced dog to help their child have a good experience with a dog.

I also never anticipated how much work we would be doing with our community's children on proper handling of dogs. Children are naturally rough, and not all parents are aware of the impact that this behavior can have on a dog. There is a reason that children are victims of dog bites far more often than adults are. Children are ground level and they have a feral instinct to jump on, smack, squeeze and harass dogs, not to mention grabbing at "resources" such as toys and food. I am not going to go down the rabbit hole of the subject of dog bites and children and the why. I do feel that every child and parent that Perri and I take the time to educate on how to properly treat a dog is a possible bite victim spared. Perhaps that sounds dramatic. I don't care. Our work is valuable in so many dimensions and I think that proper handling is my unexpected #1.

And so two weeks ago, for the second time in Perri's therapy dog career with children, she growled at a child.

Wow. Second time? Yes. The first time was when Perri was in rehab for medial shoulder instability. A child flopped down on her injured right shoulder. It hurt. She growled. I had a discussion with the child and his parents on how that hurt Perri and to please be gentle with her all the time. Not just because her shoulder hurt. Perri was simply growling to say, "That hurt, please do not do that again." That is what growling is, a communication.

Perri was visiting with two young girls. They were chattering on and on to me about their dance class. I was listening to them and talking with their father. I was giving them almost all of my attention. And then I noticed a toddler, in the 2-3 year old range running towards Perri. He was screeching and it was continuous. Perri's back was to this child. It all happened very very quickly. He grabbed Perri's fur and the screaming and the grab scared her. It startled me. He lost his balance as children of that age do. To Perri's credit she licked his face when he was on the ground. My dog is a very, very kind dog. And as I was about to begin a discussion about respectful dog handling, the child grabbed Perri's chest fur all the way back around to her back and began squeezing and hitting her. This was too far. Perri growled and snarled. I instinctively reached out and grabbed Perri's muzzle. The entire experience was very shocking. I did apologize to the mother but I told her that her child's behavior scared Perri and hurt her. She apologized and said that her child was "crazy". She allowed the child to approach Perri two more times that evening. One time Perri licked the child's face again, and the other time he grabbed her again and she growled softly.

Anybody can say what they would have done in my position. I let the mother know her child's behavior was not acceptable. I paid Perri in many many peanut butter biscuits.

What happened scared me. For about five minutes. And after that I was a bit angry. What happened to Perri was very unfair, and I wish that both the mother and myself had intervened before Perri had to give such a stern warning directly to the child. When we left the library we discussed what happened with the librarians. They were understanding and felt that Perri acted appropriately.

I phoned the director of children's activities, in the interest of full disclosure of what had happened. I received full support. Perri's reaction was not maligned, but understood. And that is so important. To be supported by the facility that Perri and I volunteer for. And we were apologized to. It was no fault of the library's but the gesture meant a lot. We are appreciated and we are trusted. Perri is trusted. I am so grateful that we can continue our library visits.

A therapy dog visiting with children is a team effort. Facility, parents, handler and dog. All four have to be on the same page. Sometimes the parents are inattentive and distracted. It is not my place to judge a parent. I do not have children of my own and I know that raising them is equal parts exhausting and rewarding, although the balance can many times be tipped one way or the other. I try to focus on the child and I always appreciate the parent's support. But the responsibility ultimately lies with me, to be vigilant and make sure that Perri is comfortable and happy in her work. That is my job as Perri's teammate.

St Valentine's Poodle

When your library night falls on Valentine's Day, you've gotta dress for the occasion!

100 Therapy Dog Visits!

A quick post to acknowledge that last night Perri had her 100th visit as a therapy dog!  We were at the library and all of the children that came to read to Perri were very proud to be spending time with her on such a special visit.  We had seven kids visit her last night, and that is our largest amount yet!  Perri had an actual line of children waiting to read to her, pet her and cuddle her.  And she was soaking it all up.  I switched Perri from a Comfort Flex harness onto an "Original Fleece Harness", because the ComfortFlex made her seem very stiff and uncomfortable and she was constantly shifting and moving when she would need to lay down with the children on her library visits.  Last night was the first night that she was working in the fleece harness and the difference was like night and day.  She is definitely more comfortable in this padded Y-front harness.

Tonight we did our weekly visits to the assisted living facility that we visit, as well as our house visit for a gentleman with Parkinson's.  At the assisted living facility, there is an older gentleman who had hunting dogs in his day, and tells me all about them, the exact same thing!, every week that we visit.  He grills me on Perri's training, asking if she will sit, lay down and stay if asked.  Each week I demonstrate these things for him!  We have started adding sit stays and downs stays for his entertainment.  Troubling though obedience is for Perri,stays have always been her strong area.  I put my girl in a sit-stay next to the lovebird cage (complete with tweeting noises and a few wing flaps!) and walked down the hallway of the nursing home.   My girl sat there with her ears up, glanced at the bird, and settled on watching me.  She didn't move a muscle until I returned to her.  A satisfied customer!

Library Therapy Dog

Tonight was officially a year since Perri and I started doing our therapy visits at the library!  Could not resist a photo to recognize the "occasion".

Perri THD

A few weeks ago, Perri completed the 50 therapy visits required for the AKC Therapy Dog title.  The certificate came in the mail today!

I wish I had a rousing, deeply emotional post to write about this - but I do not.  Right now we visit three places: the library - which is currently a cuddle and fan club hour for Perri.  And I am okay with that.  Kids need to love reading, in whatever way possible.

The other two places are a private home of a gentleman who is not being cared for properly by his home care provider, and a nursing home where my friend's husband's aunt is dying of cancer.   I am feeling a little bit sad about pet therapy this week.   

But it is amazing.  Perri is amazing with this work.   She greets people politely, she licks their hands, she gazes into their eyes, she leans gently against them with her whole body so they have a large surface area to pet.  She was made for this.   And while I wish that she was made for Obedience or Agility, it is therapy work that she is made for right now.  And that is okay, really.  It is.  My dog is made to love and bring happiness - how can I be disappointed in that?  I am far from disappointed, I am so proud.

Breaking in the Therapy Poodle

Perri's therapy dog life is going well!  We had our monthly library night last night - only two kids visiting her.  I blame the good weather!  We still heard stories about Bolt the Dog and Jack and the Beanstalk - and cuddles and rapid fire information about two sweet little lives in between. (Perri and I now know that the library owns the very same dinosaur puzzle as the local elementary school.  The more you know!)

And tonight we visited our Wednesday night people that we go to bi-weekly with our poodle friend Daphnee - a gentleman with Parkinson's living in his own home.  He would like a dog but is unable to care for one, so his daughter arranged for therapy dogs to visit him.  Perri likes to sit in his lap and give kisses.  He calls her his girlfriend.  

And after that we go to visit my friend's husband's 101 year old aunt.  She loves to see the poodles, pet their soft hair, fuss over them and give them treats!  I took this little video because their unified tail wags were just way too cute.  She could not get over how each dog waited her turn for a treat!

Tonight's visits makes Perri's 10th therapy visit!  I am so grateful for our work at the library, and I am grateful to Daphnee and Mary for inviting us along on their therapy "jobs" as well.  It is fun to work with a poodle team.  It is fun to learn how to do this work.  How to help children figure out words, how to make conversation with somebody three or four times my own age, or how to hold my tongue and let these aged hands stroke my dog's soft fur in peace and silence.  By the end of tonight, Perri and I were both tired - but I am very very proud of us.

Poodle Therapy!

Perri and her friend Daphnee joined poodle forces tonight!   We did a private home visit to cheer up a man with Parkinson's who cannot have a dog of his own, and we visited a nursing home.  (Perri and I were pleased to meet a 101 year old woman who was charming and praised both poodles' good manner and beauty.)

Library Night!

Perri had her second night of therapy at the library tonight!  I was very proud of her, she was bombproof.  All of the kids were gentle with her, but a few wanted to hug her and one child actually laid on her.  Perri sometimes growls at Molly when Molly lays on top of her, and I was watching Perri's reaction very closely.  I am very happy to be able to make children happy and help them, but as Perri's handler, her comfort is my number one priority.  (Because, when your dog is exposed to the public, the dog's comfort goes hand in hand with public safety.)  Perri responded by giving more kisses and pawing the children and rolling on her back.  She really seems to enjoy children so very much, and tolerates their (rude to a dog!) behavior far more than she does from Molly.  Regardless, interactions like this will be under my eagle-eye and if I see an ounce of discomfort in Perri, it will have to stop.

A little boy read a book to her, and he was genuinely learning to read and struggling with some of the words.  Perri would lick his hand and he would smile, or I would help encourage him through difficult words.  I asked him if he was a 5th grader and he smiled and told me he was in 1st grade.  His mother told me that he had been having a lot of difficulty reading and that she was very grateful to have a reading therapy dog for him to work with - I was very happy that Perri could be there for him!  Since I do not have any children and this is only my first time doing reading therapy, it is hard for me to know whether I should help the child with the word or let him work his way through it and enjoy relaxing benefit of reading to a dog instead of a human.  It seemed to me that helping out with the first letter was really beneficial, and not overwhelming.

Another mother asked what Perri actually does to provide therapy.  This caught me off guard a little bit.  I explained that Perri just lays and listens while children read to her, and that it is very beneficial in taking the stress away from children who are learning or struggling to learn how to read.  I felt like I could have done a better job of explaining just how beneficial therapy dogs can be for children in this capacity, and I aim to have a more well thought out answer for the future.  Because really, the point is that Perri does nothing.  She is a sweet dog, a soft coat to pet.  She does not judge, she does not rush, she does not laugh.  She does nothing but listen, and that is therapy enough.

Perri's Reading Therapy Debut!

Perri had her debut as the library's new reading therapy dog tonight!  She did absolutely splendid.  She was calm and polite.  She laid down and often watched the children's faces while they read books to her.  She spent at least half of her time completely at ease, belly up in the air while being petted by kids.  

Nine children read to Perri tonight (either that or "Perri" read books to the children.), and plenty more came over to pet her.  A few adults were very interested in her and complimented her beauty and good behavior.  I was very proud of how relaxed Perri was tonight.  She alarm barked a small bark one time but refocused back on me and did not do it again for the rest of the night.  One little girl brought over a book that squeaks when you press it, just like a squeaky toy!  Perri was absolutely fascinated!

We will visit the library one time per month, I look forwards to returning!  I was so nervous about tonight, about doing things right and being inviting to the children.  I shouldn't have worried.  We had a blast.  My poodle and books and children who love both of those things?  What's not to enjoy?

Library Dog

Perri had an "interview" at our local library tonight to become their new reading therapy dog!  It felt so strange to take one of my dogs into the library, since it is a place where dogs are not permitted.   I brought Perri's Canine Good Citizen certificate, her Therapy Dogs Incorporated certificate and her rabies vaccination certificate.   The library would like my criminal background check clearances (I have had these already since I work in a hospital.) and had me fill out a volunteer form.

We discussed what the prior therapy dog team did - the handler laid a blanket on the floor and spent individual time with each child, either reading a story to them, or allowing them to read to the dog.  Whether they were actually reading the book or making up a story does not matter.   (how sweet!)  The previous therapy dog team also kept a note card for each child and when the child would get five paw print stamps (for five books read), they earned a free book from a box of books that the library has on hand!  I like it.  I was also made to feel like Perri and I can add our own touch to the program, it is flexible.   They were very kind to switch the night from Monday to Tuesday.  I feel tremendously guilty about this, but Monday is Molly's agility night and I really don't want to sacrifice that.  "Paws and Pages" is only one night a month, so I would have been willing to give up one class night, but it was really not something that I wanted to do.   And if the library did not want to change the night, they would have said so, right?  Right.

Perri was very well behaved in the library.   She sat while we waited in line at the counter.  She stood patiently while I filled out my volunteer form.  She was polite to two children who petted her.  She was polite to the library employees.  She wanted to sniff everything though, especially all the chairs.  They must be Some Chairs!  We got our photo taken since they are going to make a promo poster to hang up in the library so that people know of the new night and new therapy dog.   Susan, the director of children's services, will not be there on Tuesday night and told me that the first couple times may not have as many people - since they are used to coming on a Monday night.  I felt bad again but she told me that it could be a good thing, since there is already a lot going on on Mondays at the library.  

So, Perri has her first job!  I am very excited for her!  Our first night "on the job" is January 14th, and we will do this one time per month.  I would like to line up some other therapy visits for Perri also.  I plan on visiting the rehab unit in my hospital sometime this week to see if they are still interested in having her do a weekly or bi weekly visit.  

Perri was focused on Bil Jacs and her dumbbell here, but...cute!!

Up to Not Much

I've been quiet, so have a photo of Ein from one year plus one day ago.  Such a little adventurer.

We have not been up to too much other than the normal.  Playing agility in the yard.  Playing dumbbell inside (Perri made another hard won inch of progress where that is concerned - she now turns her head towards me after she takes the dumbbell instead of simply lowering it to the floor.)

I visited the library tonight and discovered that their reading dogs have not been attending "Paws and Pages" and I left my phone number for the director of children's programs to call me - they sounded interested!  I am a bit over the moon about this because I adore my little small town library and I adore books and I would love to get Perri involved with helping kids enjoy reading.

So have a great Thanksgiving!  My doggies have helped me in the kitchen with my baking already, they are a great supervision and clean up crew.  The very best!

Official Therapy Poodle!

After nearly two months (due to my insane schedule of Too Many Classes and Trials.), Perri and I were finally able to meet with our Therapy Dogs Incorporated tester and have our final observation visit, so Perri is now an official certified therapy dog!  I am so proud of her!

Our visit lasted about a half hour.  Perri licked some hands, charmed a Harley motorcycle guy recovering from a stroke, performed her tricks, and let many people pet her curly hair.  She was more willing to approach wheelchairs this evening but was still nervous about beds, especially beds with padding underneath of them (to cushion possible patient falls.)  I actually think that therapy visits will serve as another step down the road of Confidence Building for Perri.  She loves people but can be frightened by environment.  Repeated exposure to things that make her nervous should help her overcome those anxieties.

I feel like our world is really wide open now.  Lots of opportunities.  Part of me wants to link up with a local group of people that do therapy visits together, but my schedule: Crazy!   I have a friend with a standard poodle named Daphnee who is also certified, so it is very likely that we will go on some visits together and I am looking forwards to that.   There is a long term inpatient  therapy unit at the hospital where I work and they seemed interested in getting Perri on board for some visits once she was certified.  My local library has a "Paws and Pages" program where kids can read to dogs one night a month.  They do this on a Monday (agility class night for Molly!) and already have three dogs, so my own library may be a dead end.  But I am hoping that they could point me in the direction of somewhere that would like to use Perri as a reading dog.  She is very laid back and I think that snuggling up with some kids and having a story read to her would be right up her alley.

Woe is Me! Or, Isn't This Supposed To Be Fun?

Last Wednesday, I started "Fundamentals for Open" class, and the 3 weeks before that we attended the "Intro to Retrieve" class.  Perri's progress has been good in some ways, but in others I feel a little in over our heads.  I tend to overthink everything, by the way.

Intro to Retrieve was great but I am having a terrible time in getting Perri to progress past a short hold on the dumbbell.   I recently ordered a new dumbbell for her - this one will fit her mouth much better and it will be wooden and lighter.  The current dumbbell is an inch too wide and Perri does not seem to like the feel of the plastic in her mouth.  When my instructor presented her with a wooden dumbbell, Perri would not stop latching onto it.   So, waiting for that to arrive in the mail and in the meantime I am feeling defeated by our lack of progress.  (I know, it is not a race.)   Perri has so much fun working when she is feeling confident, but when she retreats into her shell it makes me feel sad.

The drowning-feeling continued at last week's class.  We all introduced ourselves and I admitted Perri's Novice NQs and her lack of confidence.  The instructor told me that this class might be overfacing Perri and I felt a bit discouraged by that.   However, this is me reminding myself, I am not taking this class to come roaring out of it having mastered and perfected all that is being taught.  This is my dog and I learning new things at our own pace.  This is me being taught how to teach my dog.  This is picking and choosing what Perri is capable of learning right now.  I learned with Ein, confidence is built in the tiniest of increments.  Confidence grows when you don't even know that it is growing.  Perri and I are gonna keep on doing what we can do and that's just that.

All that bravado aside, we covered in class: heeling around a turn, jumping into a heel pattern.   Both things that Perri has trouble with, of course.
We laid the groundwork for the Drop on Recall.  I am to leave Perri in a stay.   Place her target on the ground (Perri is good at nose targeting.  Thank you, agility!) and have her recall to me, touch the target with her nose and down.   Here is where I really did want to run away screaming.   Perri does not have a good Down.  At all.  She has been and still is my most difficult dog to teach the Down cue to.  So that pesky little job of re-teaching Perri "Down" with a new cue?  I really really wish that I had not procrastinated that. ("Down" is oft abused by my husband and everybody else that Perri encounters.)

 We were given instructions to practice all of those things and By The Way, Bring Your Dumbbells To Next Class.    Eek!  You mean the dumbbell that Perri doesn't like or the one that hasn't arrived in the mail yet??  Of course, these are my problems that have left me feeling like once again, I have bitten off more than I can chew.  Why did I procrastinate getting a proper dumbbell??

To make matters worse, I decided to go on my mini vacation and therefore ate up 4/7 of the days available to practice our daunting list of "homework".   Ahhhhhh!  To be fair, I did make several attempts to train Perri at the vacation-cabin, but she was overwhelmed and distracted.  So much for that.  

So imagine my delight when class was cancelled tonight!  A whole extra week to work with Perri!  And truly, since we have been home from vacation-cabin Perri has been very into training.   We are working on "Platz" (our new down cue).  Slow and steady.  Eternally working on our heeling but Perri does seem to have a good step-out with me when we start on a heel pattern.   My dumbbell has still not arrived in the mail but I have every confidence in Max200 that it will arrive with a few days to spare some orientation before next class.  And next week we get to play with the Broad Jump, so that is something to look forwards too!

So, I just need to calm myself down...remember this is at our pace...and enjoy myself.  Right?  RIGHT.

I further took advantage of class being cancelled tonight to schedule Perri's second Therapy Dogs Inc observation visit!  It was a quick one.   Many residents were not interested in a dog this evening.  There were a few that were really happy to see a dog however.  Perri was worried over the elevator again.  She approached the residents with more of a waggy tail this time around, and some residents she would just stand there and allow her whole body to be petted.   One woman had very advanced dementia and did not respond when we asked her if she would like to meet Perri.   She stared off into space.  But when Perri walked over to the bed and laid her head down, the woman's hand immediately reached out and petted Perri gently all over her head and ears.  Another woman, in the hallway, exclaimed "What's that DOG doing in here?" We explained that Perri is a therapy dog and would she like to meet her?  "God, no."   Can't please 'em all!  
One more observation visit and Perri will be official!

And if that isn't enough talking for one post, I am trying my best to groom Ein for the CDSP Obedience trial in November (Perri is entered also.)  We have been concentrating on the Figure 8 heel pattern, because that is Scary.  Heeling in a strange way around Scary People?  I don't know how that will go.  I have also noticed that Ein's fronts are crooked.   In Perri's Retrieve and Open class, we are working on Front position as well.  We bring the dog to front and then reward out of right and left hands.   With Ein, I have only rewarded from the right hand.   The result is that he comes in very crooked, anticipating receiving his reward from my right hand.   So, we are working on that.   I say it's all fun and games with Ein, that I will get what I get with him.  But Ein loves working so much, why not polish his fronts off to be more reliably straight?  After all, I trained him to come into front crooked due to my own ignorance.

Bad Corgi, Good Corgi.

P.S.  Einey will also be getting a dumbbell in the mail!  I really think that Ein would downright enjoy learning a dumbbell retrieve and I am pretty excited to work on that with him.

Therapy Dogs Incorporated (Test and First Observation Visit)

At long last, Perri had a test to become a therapy dog this evening.   And I could not be more proud!  I chose Therapy Dogs Incorporated as our organization after hitting more than a few walls with Therapy Dogs International (and really - per their new testing requirements, group stays?  C'mon now.   My dog can do a group stay, but is it a valuable behavior for a therapy dog?  Probably not.)

I like the way that Therapy Dogs Incorporated does things.   We were tested on how Perri tolerated having her entire body handled - body, all feet, ears, mouth, face, belly.  She didn't flinch.   We were tested on how she handled herself around another dog.   Loose leash walking with varying paces.   Perri's reaction to a person passing close to her.  Perri's reaction to a person walking with unsteady gait.   (She was interested but not fearful or barking.)
We passed!  YAY!

What I like most about TDInc is that they require three to four observation visits.   They don't just test you and let you loose.   Perri and I had our first observation visit tonight following our test.
I did not know what to expect from Perri.   I know: that she likes people.   That she can be frightened of noises or strange situations.  That she finds other dogs to be a little overwhelming during the greeting phase (she gave our partner Mo the Lab a huge submissive grin upon meeting him this evening.)

I was pleasantly surprised.   I can't gush about how Perri walked around the nursing home with some old world magic poodle attitude and deep understanding of the need to connect with people.   Perri was normal!   She did not bark.   She did try to jump up on a few people (employees who were askin' for it!) but I stopped her.   She wanted to sniff and possibly eat some crumbs.   She did like the smell of urinals.

But she also greeted more than a few people with waggy tail and gave kisses.   She was polite and charming.   She did her sit pretty trick many times and it made the patients happy.  She was interested in the entire environment.  People were full of compliments on how beautiful she was, but they were very unsure of her breed.  Greyhound?  Great Dane?   "Rabbit Dog?"   I proudly told them that this is a poodle under all that hair!

She was also overwhelmed by it.   There was an elevator.  There were alarm bells for patients who had "escaped" their bed or chair.  There were oxygen machines.   There were patients in wheelchairs.  There were patients with wounds.  We took a lot of breaks to do her tricks and reconnect.   Our tester took a moment to love up on Perri and rebuild her confidence, and she did keep remarking on how sweet Perri was.   She said that her dog has been doing this over nine years and she has noticed that a dog can work about an hour at most and then they are mentally done.   Perri worked about that long tonight.   This is going to be another of many ways for Perri's confidence to grow and for our bond to strengthen.

I am looking forwards to our next two observation visits.   I love that this organization requires supervision for your first few visits.   Doing this is intense for me and I don't know what I am doing.   Sure, it doesn't sound that difficult in theory.   But I appreciate an experienced handler watching me and my dog and showing us how it is done and reminding us of the rules.   It is helpful and an excellent way to "get our feet wet".  

I should probably teach Perri another trick very soon!

Trick Pudelhund

Perri and I have NOT been grinding into the Obedience training.   I am giving us both some breathing room.   Perri has a test with a Therapy Dogs Incorporated tester on Tuesday and if she passes she will officially and finally be a therapy dog.   Another thing that we have started this week is trick training!

Every single thing I have taught Perri has been purpose driven towards sports - be it rally-o, obedience or agility.  I have underestimated how shy and sensitive she is.  Perri is the first of my dogs that I have really embraced clicker training with - but even then it was perch work only because I wanted her to heel for the obedience ring.  I am taking a step back, taking it down a notch and teaching Perri some tricks! (Just like Silvia Trkman suggests!)  Perri's confidence and motivation needs to be built up and we need to learn how to have fun together and communicate with one another.  We are also taking an "Introduction to Retrieve" class and I am learning how to shape a dumbbell retrieve with Perri.  She thinks that it is great fun and that it is "just another trick", so we have plenty to keep us busy!

We started with an easy one.   "Shake"!  Since Perri has been so overwhelmed by perch work and I cannot work her very long with that, I thought that this would take a while.  Not so!  She was frustrated but it was not long before she moved her paw a little bit and got a click.  Her head shot up and she gave me A Look.  It was hilarious.   It wasn't long before I got consistent paw movement and by the next day I have a cue on this and reliable performance.  Wheeee, fun!

Serious "Shake!"

Next was "Sit Pretty".  This one wasn't my idea, it was Luna's mommy's.  We had just watched a Silvia Trkman trick DVD and she just started off holding a treat in the air and getting Perri to Sit Pretty for it.  Perri did great albeit with a lot of attempts at jumping up or putting forepaws on the nearest object or human for balance.   The next night when we tackled it at home, it was like she had spent the day practicing it or thinking about it.   Perri gave a few unsteady Sit Prettys and received "jackpot" rewards.   By tonight I have her consistently sitting up and I am putting a cue on it.

Awesome poodle!

Our next project is that I want Perri to smile on cue.  This is tough!  It doesn't occur to her to just bare her teeth.  I am starting by clicking for her licking her mouth, but that happens FAST and I am not the quickest clicker.  I'm getting there though!   I chose to do the mouth licking because often Perri will bare her teeth while licking her mouth.   My hope is that once I get her consistently licking her mouth I will be able to click a grin here or there and she will get the idea.  We will see!

The coolest thing is that I am not training this for any trial.  I'm not burning towards any deadline.  We are having fun together.  I find myself laughing and enjoying my silly girl and already watching her confidence grow after just one week.   Shaping tricks and behaviors is so absolutely beneficial and brave-making for my girl, and I am finding myself more excited about that and therapy work for her than anything else right now.  I just want her to have fun.

Canine Good Citizen Test x 2!

Today was a BIG day.  Firstly, I participated in a puppy mill cast off intake and groom that began at 7am.  I have a new foster dog!

But this post is about the Canine Good Citizen testing that came later in the afternoon.  (No worries, there will be more about the darling puppy mill babies later on.)

I have mentioned before: I have dreams of doing pet therapy with Perri.  I have long waited for a dog that showed promise in this area.  I was asked many years ago if Ein could be a therapy dog for neurologically impaired people.  (a corgi was being sought.)  Since Ein does not like people, that was off.  I had high hopes for Molly.  She passed her CGC test and everything.  But she is Very Overwhelming and has only recently started calming to the point where I would consider therapy work with her.

But Perri?  She knows how to rock with Molly, but also how to bow her head on someone's chest.  She has energy, but calm in all in the right places.  I really think I have found my Therapy Dog.

But first...the Canine Good Citizen test.  The CGC test was created by the AKC, and is a 10-step test that basically evaluates how much of a, well, good citizen a dog is.

The Steps.

1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger. Perri had to sit at my side while I shook hands with the evaluator.  No issue.
2. Sitting politely for petting.  No problem here!  We practice Stand for Exam in Obedience class.
3. Allowing basic grooming procedures. Perri had to be brushed and paws and ears checked.  She stood up for that, but that is allowable.
4. Walking on a loose lead. We walked a little course laid out with rally signs.  Perri showed me some of that nice heeling that she is capable of!
5. Walking through a crowd. Same thing, good heeling, no charging towards the people.
6. Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place.  Perri sat when asked.  Downed when asked.  Flawless sit-stay.  So proud of my girl.
7. Coming when called.  And she even sat at front.
8. Reacting appropriately to another dog. Whoops, we went greeting here!  You are permitted to re-do one step if it is failed.  We re-did this after the supervised separation and she was SO happy to be reunited with me that she heeled like a boss and couldn't have cared less about that other dog.
9. Reacting appropriately to distractions. The instructor dropped a clipboard, and someone walked by on a noisy walker.  I don't even remember this part because I was sad about Perri visiting the "Test Collie".
10. Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner.   Those three minutes take forever!

So, my girl passed!  Puppy's first title - Rip Van Periwinkle CGC!
Onward to the TDI test.



And then I had the wild idea last week of, "Why not enter Ein??"
Ein failed this test before, two years ago.  Since then we have done rally-o, and I have noticed him becoming more and more confident.
Why not?

1. Accepting a Friendly Stranger. Last time we did this, he became nervous.  He sat calmly by my side today.
2. Sitting politely for petting.  Last time we did this, he cringed down and hid behind me.  Today he let the evaluator pet him on the head.
3. Allowing basic grooming procedures.  THE LINE WAS DRAWN HERE.  Ein moved laterally away from the Scary Brush.  And there will be NO paw touching.  Sheesh!
4. Walking on a Loose Lead.  Superstar!
5. Walking through a crowd.  Superstar!  He gave some glances to the people, but stayed with me.
6. Sitting and lying down on command and staying in place. Beautiful!
7. Coming when called.  Done!  And sat at front.
8. Reacting appropriately to another dog.  Ein went to greet the other dog!  I was a little surprised to be honest.  But my dog is 8 years old, so I also found it to be charming.
9. Reacting appropriately to distractions. He didn't even flinch.  Eyes on the Mommy.
10. Calmly enduring supervised separation from the owner. This was the WORST last time.  He hid under the bench, shook and drooled last time.  This time?  He sad beside the person holding him, unflinching and just waited for me.  The witness called him "The Perfect Little Dog."

Ein failed the test, but he passed MY test.  MY test was that Ein was not in white-eyed terror of anybody today.  He did not melt down while not in my presence.  He was amazing.
He is not an official Good Citizen, but he is My Good Dog.

Maybe in two more years he will finally pass this test?  Not a bit deal to me.  Ein passed the steps that I wanted him to pass today.