Day Four: Free Flying for the First Time
I am very happy to report that my little woman slept right through the night. She was so quiet that I woke up at one point
not entirely convinced that she was actually here. She remained perfectly quiet, even when I woke in the night and tossed
about and checked the time.
We used the gentle leaders up to breakfast, and Vrona was good, until she saw her trainer, at which point she sort of managed
to do a summersalt. We had a lecture on traffic this morning, and a talk about working the dogs in the hotel starting
tonight.
I then came back to my room, at which point, Vrona gave me her first full belly up request for loving. I was so so happy! I
have had her for less than 24 hours, and I got the belly!!!
We came into town and got a chance to groom our dogs. We are not grooming at the hotel, so we need to squeak in a chance to
groom between training routes. We did obedience outside before we went out on our walk, and the little one did very well,
even though she imitated a teapot for the entire exercise.
After a block of work today, we lost our training wheels! My instructor took off her leash, and we were free flying!!! She
did a very nice job. Her pace was a little on again off again, but considering how long we haven't known each other, I was
incredibly pleased. She ran one down curb on our last crossing back to the lounge, but she did it very well on the second
rework. She blew several of the up curbs, but she also nailed quite a few. This little one stops on a dime! This morning, at
park this morning, she did not give me a number two, because she was too worried about where her trainer was. I was expecting
her to empty on route, and she didn't let me down. She is definitely empty now. She is keeping me on my toes, and she fills
me with such joy. My instructor said she is pleased and surprised with how responsive she already is with me. I am so honored
to be entrusted with her care. We are now waiting for our trip back to the hotel. The dogs will get water and another chance
to relieve/park.
Here I sit once more at the lounge. I am waiting for my turn to go out on a route. We start one of the two routes we must
practice and solo over the next couple of weeks. I am going to be working with another student, and I think we will have a
great time together.
Our walk went pretty well. She didn't run any down curbs, but she ran most of her up curbs. I'm not terribly concerned still,
though. We had our first traffic check, which simply means that the dog stops, or checks for a moving vehicle. Seeing Eye
trainers and instructors are trained to drive for traffic checks. As we were walking, the class supervisor turned into a
driveway in front of us. Vrona did a very nice job. Shortly after, she stopped and decided to pee in the middle of the
sidewalk, which I found unpleasant, but it is no big deal. We are trying to get the dogs on a regular schedule, and that is
going to take some time. Vrona's biggest thing is that she is very very busy. I wouldn't even really say she is distracted,
she just wants to be watching everything, which means that when another dog is working behind her, she wants to be watching
said dog. Little twerp! I am very very pleased with this dog. She has just enough spunk, spirit, p and v and affection to be
Meghan's dream come true.
Tonight, the retrains who wanted to had a meeting with a counselor regarding the emotional process that is transitioning to a new dog. I can't say more than that, as it is meant to be a confidential meeting. I don't know that it did me any good, but I am glad I went.
Vrona and I just spent some time together, and I gave her her first massage, which she seemed to truly enjoy. Now she is in her kennel for the night, and she's not making a peep. She was even quiet at park time tonight and worked right past her trainer. She has been doing a fantastic job working in the hotel, and I know she will only get better.