N'awww

What I tried to write yesterday:

One of the tests was of the bond between each client and their dog. We had been in an "umbilical cord" procedure, where we were literally tethered together at all times, to facilitate bonding, and we were supposed to be the only one interacting with the dog.

The test itself was this: the training room was set up with a solid round barrier of tables tipped on their sides in a circle with blankets draped over them to cover the gaps. The students, including all the trainers, and the clients with their dogs, sat in chairs around the edges of the room.

One at a time, each client came into the ring of empty space between the tables and the people; took off the vest and leash, and gave those things to a designated holder; and walked in a slow steady circle around the barrier.

No commands. No verbal cues. No motions. No eye contact. No interaction of any sort. Just walk.

The point became clear: the strength of the bond would show in what the dog did. Unbonded, the dog would just wander. The stronger the bond, the more the dog would follow, or chase if separated.

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I had several worries. Yahtzee is a slow bonder anyway; seated people are less dominant than standing people; and I didn't have the option of not having people around me.

I tried not to be too nervous.

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I go up and have the holder person take Yahtzee's vest and leash, and I start moving. I can't see what he does.

Apparently, he was with me the whole way.

Apparently, when we got around to his trainer -- someone that for the first few days had to be out of the room for me to have any chance of attracting the dog's attention at all -- Yahtzee looked at the trainer, looked at me, and came with me.

Apparently, a bunch of the students started tearing up :)

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Yahtzee is a good boy, he is.