Last week of classes has begun!

Photo: "SSD Dogs" showing how they are NOT distracted from the "STAY" command, even when enticed to do so by having treats and toys tossed on to the floor in front of them! L to R: Pesto, Zeke, Fredy, Lilo and Perfect Pina.

Small disaster after break this morning! I had just finished doing my own personal "relief" (ah, the power of the euphemism!), and about to check in with Tracy/Paulette to say that I needed to take Pina to the "busy-busy" area before we reconvened, when I cut the corner on the doorway just a little too closely when exiting the washroom,trying all the while to keep Pina in a "Behind" command, and managed to dislodge the basket off the front of my scooter, sending the contents (including the small clip-on bag full of doggie treats!) flying and spreading all over the floor of my room!Because our dogs are not allowed to eat from the floor, I had to put Filey (yikes, I mean Pina!) in a "Stay" position while I picked up and reassembled everything. She did stay, and then held off doing her "busy-busy" until we were in the appropriate place, but we were late for class!
Classes today consisted firstly of a "Health" talk - from choosing a vet, to dental care, to nail-clipping, to flea prevention, to weight-management, etc.; then we reviewed "Take-Give", "Go-Get", "Tugs-Close", "Up/Push-Close" and "Paw-Close". I actually no longer remember what skills we are reviewing and which ones are new, and I'm starting to lose the correct terminology - at one point I just wanted to yell "Slam! Dunk!" to see what Pina might do! Our class went for a neighbourhood stroll in the afternoon (it felt so good to get out in the fresh air!), ending with a practice call for help (the dogs did the practice!). Our homework tonight was to have the dogs do two sequences of "Tugs" (to open) "Fetch" (an item) "Give" the item and then "Up/Push-Close" at the refrigerator and at the dryer. I am still eagerly waiting for the go-ahead to use the "Tugs-Close" on our room doors - maybe tomorrow (big help -read "sarcasm", since we leave on Friday morning!)Goodnight blog readers - I'll need every ounce of energy for our trip to the mall tomorrow!