Team Training ~ Day 6

I am going to start this post by answering the question I know you have on your mind. How did everyone do on their first night? The answer? Great :) Though there were some minor issues, overall everyone did very well on their first day and the issues faced were to be expected and easily corrected.

 

So now that I have relieved your curiosity I will continue on with today's synopsis....


 

 Today was a day full of field trips. It is important that teams get plenty of experience working dogs out in public so they can become more readily aware of problems they might face in the real world.

Some of these things included, fitting through narrow isles, knowing how to respond to petting requests, and how to fit in a bathroom stall (without squishing their dog).

Our CAST photographer squeezing in some "lap" time in the
middle of the Grange Co-op. Now that's dedication :)

First up was a trip to the Grange Co-op. Here teams were educated about different products and tools they will need before they go home with a dog, as well as the problems some products could pose.

 

 

Next was a lunch outing where everyone had to fit their dog under the table both non-conspicuously and safely.

 

Lastly, teams faced the challenges of the movie theater. These included not letting the dogs eat popcorn off the floor (more challenging then it might sound), keeping the isles clear for safety reasons, and keeping the dogs settled down as to not disturb others.

Today's winning "Countdown to Graduation" Raffle ticket: 502

Thank you to the anonymous donor who paid for a large portion of our lunch today that The Vine. So very kind of you. Hope you see this blog post and know just how much you are appreciated.

Team Training ~ Day 5

It is now day five and things are finally starting to pick up. The teams went on their first outing to Gates Furniture today. Both the dogs and the people had to learn how to maneuver themselves through the store (preferably without damaging any property) while still paying attention to the world around them. 














Also, each family got to work every dog consecutively, each time running it through the obstacle course (to which both "tug" and the teeter-totter were added).



 

















Lastly, everyone (both dogs and people) went out to the play yard to have an hour of good old fashion fun. To wrap up the day, everyone got to play the "find 'em" with a dog and take them home (to the hotel room) for a test drive.

Tune it tomorrow to  hear everyone's 'first night' stories :)

Thank you to Fred & Marilyn Secco for a delicious lasagne lunch.

The winning "Countdown to Graduation" Raffle # was: 079

Jazz on her way to her first Team Training outing

Team Training ~ Day 4

As we reach further into the end of the first week, everyone is gaining a sense of belonging. Everyday, little changes can be seen, all adding up to becoming skillful dog handlers and pack leaders.

First up today was a video on dog psychology. Then everyone got a chance to work a variety of different dogs through the obstacle course before another element was added: agility equipment. Everyone seemed to do well with this new configuration and after lunch, it was time for a lesson on general dog heath (including flea and tick safety).

Finally, to conclude the day, teams played the "find 'em" game. In this game two people split up and go to opposite sides of the room and the dog must go one person and find the other. Once the dog has found the other team member they must hide again and start over. It is essentially doggie hide-and-go-seek. This can be a valuable tool at home if the child is unable to get to their parent and needs help, or a fun game to send notes to one another.

Overall it was a great day, but there will be more hard work tomorrow :)

Thank you
Gates Furniture for breakfast & Wild River Pizza for lunch today!

Winning "Countdown to Graduation" Raffle # 483 

Dog Tired :)

Team Training ~ Day 3

It is now day three and I can honestly say that I am very impressed with the progress the kids and their parents are making. The transformation is amazing. 

 









These are people who on the first day were apprehensive to take the leash, and now are taking on the obstacle course with confidence. 

 













At one point Cortney, who is often very quiet said, "Just calm down mom, I got this." (evidenced by the fact that mom is not the pictures) 

This is just one example of the incredible changes that have been in these past three days and believe me, there is a lot more to come. Everyone is doing very well, so keep up the good work!

 

As for the synopsis of the day, it was more of the same, but with a twist: This time the obstacle course was riddled with distractions. In between the obstacles was food that the participants had to keep the dog they were working away from while still getting them to do commands.

In the end it was a fantastic day and I'm so exited to see where it goes from here.

- Hope and Denali

Thanks to Casablanca for providing today's lunch at team training. :)

Just a little side note...today while they were outside observing dog behavior, the sky opened up and poured rain on people and dogs alike. So everyone got a chance to experience for themselves that special 'wet dog' smell!

Team Training ~ Day 2

Today was another very exciting day for all. It contained more learning about how to handle the dogs and building confidence in themselves, as well as more natural pack behavior.

More commands were practiced, and games were played. In one game, participants were paired up and asked to "train" their partner (human partner) to do a task such as dancing on a table or getting into a dog crate. 


 

One of them was sent out of the room while the other told the group what behavior they were training their partner to do. Then they were brought back into the room and were 'trained' to do the behavior.

As you can see, we had some fun with this game and it was a valuable tool to give participants an idea of what it's like to 'clicker train' a dog from both their own perspective as well as the dog's.

  

Later in the afternoon, participants were challenged by working the dogs through a course attempting commands like jump, wait, speak and shake. In the end, today was all about learning and growing and great strides were made.

Everyone is picking out their favorite dog(s) and are very anxious to know which one will be their FURever friend. 

 







Thank you to Bridget & Ben at The Pita Pit for donating lunch today!



Don't forget, tomorrow is the first of 10 days of the 'Countdown to Graduation' Raffle. If you haven't already, go to www.canine-angels/raffle to get your tickets online.

Team Training ~ Day 1

 


Today was a day I'm sure a lot of people, the kids in particular, have been looking forward to for a long time; their first step on their journey to find a new best friend (and perhaps even partner in crime).





 







As today was mostly introductions, the focus was to get to know each other and this years group of dogs. Also, they learned about what it takes to get a dog to work for you. Some of the activities included trying to get the dog they were working to wag it's tail, perform basic commands (much harder than expected) and watching a DVD on pack leader behavior.

 
An hour long outdoor demonstration allowed everyone the opportunity to see how dogs behave in a pack.

Over all it was an exciting day, but only the beginning. 
 

Thank you to Subway for providing today's delicious lunch.