Day 12: Lookin' Good, Dog

This was a mixed bag day.  Actually, it was kind of a shopping bag day.  I picked up a couple items for Chase.

Today’s training took us to the El Cerrito BART station, where Chase learned that fare gates can be your friend.  With Angie’s guidance, I did some clicker training with Chase at the wide fare gate for the disabled. 

We clicked and fed meaty treats right in front of the gate.  Then we clicked and fed whenever he stuck his nose into the gate opening.  We backed up a few feet and repeated the click/feed inducement whenever he took me to the gate.  We took a few steps farther back and he began to pull me toward the gate, looking for his reward.  Finally, we went through the gate, and I click/fed on the other side.  I think he gets the idea that good things happen when he goes through the BART fare gate.

I then worked him over to a shopping area across the street from the BART station and stopped into Petco.  I bought him a big tug toy and he’s been in heaven playing with it.  (See the video below.)

When we came back to Guide Dogs’ campus in San Rafael, I went over to the gift shop and picked up some items I ordered online.  One was a rain coat for Chase.  

In the afternoon, we took a walk on a bike/walking trail and worked on some of the simple obedience commands such as heel, sit and down.  I’m nowhere near being a dog trainer, but I can get him to heel, sit and lie down.

I remarked tonight at dinner to some fellow students that I feel as if I’ve been here forever, while at the same time it feels as if it’s gone by very quickly.  Our graduation is Saturday at 2 p.m.   It’s open to the public.  However, it’s also Fun Day for puppy raisers (an event not open to the public).  There will be 1,600 people and 450 guide dog puppies here.

Puppy raisers are a key part of Guide Dogs’ program.  After the pups are born here in San Rafael, they are eventually put in the care of puppy raisers as far away as Texas, who have them for about a year, socializing the dogs and teaching them some of the basics.  Our puppy raisers will actually do the formal presentation of our dogs to us on Saturday.  I am told it can be a very emotional ceremony.  Bring your hanky.