Obedience and Working Doggies

Last Monday was the first time Joy and I had been to Puppy Obedience in a while (since, before our trip)! We were definitely due for some training. Instead of our usual meeting place (the mall parking lot), we had class in a beautiful place called Bird Island Park.

Waiting to begin...

It was also a special class because Jen from Southeastern came to do a special training session with us!

She taught us some great things about scavenging, not that we would know anything about that, right Joy? *cough cough*

Anyway, we have been practicing what Jen has taught us. Joy's improving...for the most part...

Hey, look! It's Gordon!



Ms. Joy needs to take a lesson from her brother about
ignoring what's on the ground in front of you...

Retrieving yet another object from Joy's mouth

Group Picture!

Today, we had a small outing but it turned out to be a great experience. We were hanging out for a while in the mall in Daytona (waiting for the car to finish up in the shop). All of a sudden Joy just stops and gives me a pathetic look. She has started doing this recently and it's her way of saying she has to go out.

"We're kind of far away from the entrance," I said.

"We can't risk any accidents- pick her up and run!" says my mother.

"She's like 50 pounds!"

"I'll take your stuff, just go!"

So, what do I do? I pick up my 47 pound dog (Hooray for dancer muscles) and I speed walk toward the entrance. This may seem unnecessary but Joy gives you two "stop and stares" before she just GOES. It's like she operates on a three-strikes-you're-out basis. Only it's like: I'll-give-you-two-warnings-and-if-you-don't-get-me-to-some-grass-then-I-WILL-POOP.

You think I'm joking but, sadly, I'm not.

So, as I'm speed walking, I'm trying to also avoid the staring and snickering faces. Turns out that wasn't so difficult because Joy was BITING MY FACE. Seriously? I'm trying to get you to some grass and you're going to start teething? On my face? Now?!?!

I had just about had it, when we turned the corner to the food court and what do I see?

A dog.

Well, that was it. I promptly execute a right-a-bout (my vocabulary is becoming limited to training commands) and tell my mom, "There is a dog. I am putting her down!"

As we drew closer to the doors, and the dog, I notice something. It's not a dog. It's two dogs. A beautiful Golden Retriever and an adorable Black Lab. Interesting, I thought. But I had more important things on my mind than why there were two dogs in the mall. Because right then, I had to get my dog out of the mall.

The funniest part was when I was almost at the table, the people and dogs saw us and there was an overall chorus of "Leave it. Leave it! Leave it!!!" from all dog handlers.

Lo and behold, she evacuated her bowels swiftly and neatly (There's an inside joke there involving Cascada's Evacuate the Dance Floor. Please don't ask about it.) once we reached the grass and we were able to return to the food court and eat lunch.

Joy and I sat at a table on the end closer to the dogs and as we ate, more and more dogs arrived! Soon, there were seven or eight! When Joy noticed them, she was stone still. I think this was the first time she had seen actual, working Guide Dogs. She was staying in a good down under underneath my chair but I did hear her let out a small whimper. 

Some of the people with the dogs noticed Joy and started smiling. Then a man who was obviously a trainer came over and asked about her. She was thrilled that FINALLY someone was paying attention to her. We asked about their organization (New Horizons) and he said they were having a group outing and these dogs had just been matched.

Joy did get to have a controlled greet with one of the dogs, which was  really nice because I'm pretty sure if she didn't, she would have exploded.

Joy meets Piper, an 8 year old Service Dog

Today was a great experience for her to see how to act when there are other working dogs around and I think she learned a little from the "grown up" doggies!

Peace, Love, Joy :)