First field trip!

[ysobel]

We are at a coffee place at a mall, with dogs. Yahtzee is still awesome. The "service dog in training" vest is a very nice shade of purple.

I had dreams about dog stuff. And about improvising magic spells grounded in the "sicut locutus est" fugue from the Magnificat, idek.

Wish I were home, even though I know the next week of training is important.

Comments

[disastrously]

Yaaaay for field trips! :D

And Yahtzee sounds absolutely wonderful. But I've a question of pure curiosity.

I know what service dogs do for blind people, and for people with anxiety and depression, but what does Yahtzee do for you? And what shade of purple?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions but I'm straight-out curious. And I think the fact you got a service dog is amazing. I know it's not quite the same situation, but we've always wanted a guide dog, so I can understand the anticipation part at least.

[bentleywg]

I'm guessing here, but some dogs are trained to fetch (I don't mean "Fetch, boy!" but pick up things and hand them over), open doors, etc.

Quoting from Dogs for the Disabled: "For the adults with physical disabilities we help, each dog can offer practical support with tasks that many of us take for granted, for example, opening and closing doors, helping people undress, and even emptying the washing machine."

Here's an article about the basic training (before they're assigned to specific people training): "Avon learnt to retrieve to hand any article presented to him including remote controls, keys and purses, to pull open doors and drawers, and pull zips, gloves and socks. He especially loved pushing buttons including pedestrian crossings and door buttons at the bank! Vicky also worked on Avon’s heel work and handler awareness, recall, and got him used to walking alongside a wheelchair."

There's a book for disabled people who want to do some of their own training: Teamwork II: A Dog Training Manual for People with Disabilities: "This edition of TEAMWORK II which as been revised and expanded, teaches the service exercises, such as retrieving dropped objects, turning on lights, pulling a wheelchair, etc."

(Sorry, I guess I went on a bit longer than I meant to.)

[disastrously]

Oh! Thank you! These links are very, very helpful. :)

And don't worry about going on longer than you meant to. I enjoy learning new things very much, and you were a huge help in that. Thanks a million. :)

[ysobel]

You alreadу got links but - basically, yeah. Retrieving objects - which is why goldens and labs are used - opening doors, pushing buttons, giving something to another person (eg credit card to a cashier), pulling a manual chair, bracing for someone to lean on, pulling socks off, etc. also general companionship, but. Yeah.

The vest is a dark blue-violet sort of purple. Sadly we do not get to keep it...

<3

[disastrously]

Oooooh the vests are awesome!

And I am so so so glad you got him. I think he willl be a giant help for you. :D

And he sounds like a beautiful dog.

[sara]

I had missed some of these and have been having a bad week and then saw this go past on network and went back and read and went OH DOG YAY. COFFEE WITH DOG YAY.

[ysobel]

YAY AWESOME DOG DOGGY DOG

[jesse_the_k]

In six months you will look back on this with a wise fondness — oh yes, way back then!

In the meantime, enjoy it and sleep when you can!

[azurelunatic]

Yay dog! Yay purple vest! Do service dogs get to wear knitted accessories?

[ephemera]

coffee, with DOGS!

(I am so excited for you, and wishing so hard that this next week of training - and then the future in general - go well for you as a team.)