So much in store for us

Well, we did it! This Monday, we went to a Barnes & Noble. I strutted in there with service dog in tow and my new fire-engine red walker (hey, if I’m going to have to walk down this path, so to speak, you better believe I’m going to own it!) G was styling and profiling wearing his official PAWS vest, looking like a very proud pup. I can’t share a picture with him in his vest until we get certified, but you’ll just have to take my word for it that he was beaming with pride. Barnes & Noble was nice and quiet, a perfect store to start this phase of our training together. There were a few people milling about, and we received a few lingering curious looks, but no one bothered us. 

Connie had me walk around a bit and make sure that I could get G’s attention if he stopped to sniff something for too long. I was expecting this to be a challenge since we were in a new place, but he handled it like a champ. I do genuinely believe, however, that her presence makes him want to be on his best behavior. We walked over to the animal book section so I could get another book about dogs (of course). She had me practice having him get in a “Down” and “Stay” while I walked as far as the leash would allow. This was to get him to understand that stay means stay, even when I’m walking with the leash in hand. 

We then walked over to a table, and I used the new command, “Under,” for him to lay down under the table and out of the way. This was to get him prepped for if we were to dine in a restaurant. I had never used this command before, but G did it immediately without hesitation, proving that he was well-prepared for his work. There’s a Starbucks café area in this Barnes & Noble, so we decided to go to one of the tables and work through what the process might be like at a restaurant. We had G sit under the table, and Connie, Aidan, and I sat down for a little bit. She had me occasionally drop a few treats on the floor and command him to “Leave It,” a skill that would be especially important in a restaurant. Again, he behaved perfectly.

We then paid for our books and walked out into the mall, where there were more people and distractions. I had hoped to spend some time in the food court just for additional practice, but I was starting to feel a bit weak from the walk and didn’t want to pay the price for overtaxing my muscles later. So, we called it quits on what seemed like a pretty high note. And even though we came very well prepared, I can’t tell you how elated we were to have our first public outing be a dump-free experience! 

I mentioned to Connie how happily surprised I was that G performed so well during our outing. She replied that she had no doubts about his training and abilities and that these sessions were more about getting the client used to the experiences and feeling more confident to do these things on their own. I have to say, her statement was such an “aha” moment for me. I’ve talked with friends who have been surprised by all the training sessions we’ve had so far. They wonder why there have been so many because they thought the dog was supposed to arrive already fully trained.  

In the beginning, it was definitely about getting the dog used to my voice and me giving the commands. But a substantial part of it was also about helping me feel more confident about managing a dog and developing the trust on my part that G would help me in the way that I needed him to. And, after noting G’s behavior and following commands I had never given him before, these more recent outings were definitely about building up my comfort level with venturing out on my own. So, to the friends who have joked that the “dog is training you,” I think there’s some truth to that!

And wouldn’t you know it, after we said goodbye to Connie at the door and went our separate ways, G suddenly became distracted by various passers-by, stopping dead in his tracks while I was heading for the parking lot. It wasn’t too bad, but he did need some correction to get him moving toward the car. This really drove the point home that I am not fully in control of the situation. I have no doubt that I rely on Connie as my safety net and that my confidence dwindles when she’s not there to intervene or offer advice. And for now, I’m okay with this because I am the one who is still learning. So, while G and I remain a work in progress, we are slowly but surely getting there.