Spencer’s First Day at School
October 27, 2021
Goodnight, Sweet Knight
April 19, 2022
When Sir Thomas and Brycen were working out and about, people often commented that they were so well behaved. They usually followed that with, “unlike my dog.” I remember smiling, and thinking to myself, that’s because they’ve been through years of training.
If service dog training can be compared to people-schooling, it might look like this:
Puppy classes - Kindergarten
Obedience Lessons - Elementary school
Canine Good Citizen - High school graduate
Specialized training - College
Specialized, personalized training to service a disabled person - Graduate school
If service dog training can be compared to people-schooling, it might look like this:
Puppy classes - Kindergarten
Obedience Lessons - Elementary school
Canine Good Citizen - High school graduate
Specialized training - College
Specialized, personalized training to service a disabled person - Graduate school
The training starts in early puppyhood, and one of the most important commands is “Place.” It means: lie down here, chill out, and stay here until you are called. This command is needed everywhere: in airplanes, in restaurants, any time you are just standing around, anywhere where his job to to wait until further notice. The highest complement people would give Sir Thomas was "I didn't know there was a dog there". Sir Thomas was in his place, and he was excellent at achieving boredom - when he just hung out, not really paying attention to anyone or anything, but ready to be called upon.
We are starting to work on place with Spencer. He is getting good at lying in his spot for a while. He has yet to achieve bordom - he is not fond of big trucks going by, and he is way to interested in what is going on around him. But he sure is cute doing it. Here is Spencer waiting for Renee to be done. Not bored, but staying right where he belongs.
