Grizzley Meets Cookie

Here is Grizzley meeting our kitten "Cookie" (short for Cookie Monster). Within one week the two of them chase each other periodically. Cookie has caught on to the run and chase game. While Grizzley is busy doing something like chewing on a bone, Cookie jumps from something high and lands in front of him. Then she takes off at full speed across the room jumping back onto something high. Grizzley gets so flustered when this happens. He jumps up and tears off after her every time. When she jumps up to safety, she looks down at him with a laughing glance. It's a different version of the Charlie Brown and Lucy football game. NOW what Grizzley needs to learn is the "leave it" command. Being introduced to other animals is a part of this training because we don't know if the new client will have other pets. These dogs need to be able to behave themselves - at least with cats because they are the most common.

Thunder Storms and Rain

This is one of those training experiences you just have to wait for and take advantage of it when it comes. Grizzley got to experience a VERY loud thunder storm. He would listen to the thunder but didn't react at all. When the rain died down to a sprinkle we went outside. He went to the bathroom in the rain (this can be a huge problem) and then he played with the other two dogs. He doesn't have a problem being in rain at all. These are pictures of him after coming in.

Public Visits so far

CHILDREN: Grizzley went to the daycare to pick up my child. They were all playing outside which was good. Some of the kids came over to see him but most of them didn't even know he was there. At this age, he's very unpredictable with children.

NON-WORKING WALKS: He's been on a few walks outside. We usually take him down to the corner and back (about 4 houses away).

LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE: I took him one time to church while my kids were in choir practice. He did really well heeling next to me. I was amazed that he knew to do that. I would say "heel" and he would slow down and get right next to me. We also practiced retrieving in an empty side hallway. Grizzley does fantastic with retrieving. So far, he has always brought the object back to me. Then the kids got out of choir and the hallways filled up so I picked him up. What a people magnet! We spent the next 20 minutes talking about him to different people and answering their questions. He LOVED every minute of it. He licked the faces of the teenage girls as they petted him. They of course thought he was so cute!

VARIOUS FLOORING SURFACES: Yesterday, I took him to a hotel. We walked on asphalt, then sidewalk, then marble, then a rug, then marble, then carpet. He did great until we went to leave. He had a hard time walking on the rug by the door. I remembered from being at work with him that if I waited he would all of a sudden decide to cross it. It's pretty funny. He did great with the kids that were there swimming and all the water noise.

CAR RIDES: He's wonderful in the car. He wanders around while I'm driving and then he finds a place to lay down. He doesn't whine or get car sick. YES!

First Public Visit

One of the first places he went was my work. He had to cross a vent in the middle of the floor and he put his brakes on. He would NOT cross it. One training piece is to take them over as many different floor surfaces as possible. It's surprising when you have a dog that will not go onto a certain type of surface. We start this young so they get used to different flooring.

Here's another close shot. He is very hard to get a picture of because he runs constantly. 

Here is a very close up picture of Grizzley. His eyes are so sweet.  

Here are all three dogs of the house. Kiya (on the left), Bear (center), and Grizzley (on the right). 

Here is Grizzley getting acquainted with Bear (another service dog in training with American Assistance Dogs). If you look closely, both dogs are in the air. 

Meet Grizzley

Meet Grizzley. He was 13 weeks at the time of this picture. He traveled to Minnesota by plane in the cargo section of Northwest from Georgia. He is a red and white Mini-Aussie.