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 RMCD Service Dogs active in their field. -

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Fennario's Half Step, AKA "PRINCE" August West x Toodles was placed in October 2020. Now working full time in Texas, "Prince" continues to amaze us with what he can teach us.   He has proven alerts, tasks, mobility assistance and stability in Public Access situations.

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Delilah Jones is a medical detection and alert Service Dog for

Glut1 Deficiency Syndrome. She is able to detect falling ketone levels in the body chemistry and alert her person and caregivers to possible impending seizures as a result. Delilah will provide stability, mobility and grounding work in response to the symptoms of low ketone levels.

 RMCD Therapy Dogs active in their field. -

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Bonnie Lee - Colorado Mountain Dog Bonnie excels at her job - whether it be helping third graders read or providing comfort to non verbal patients.  Bonnie Lee is entering her third year as a certified Therapy Dog volunteering with Pet Partners and as a professional Therapy Dog, assisting education professionals as well as private counselling sessions.   Please CONTACT US if you are interested in having Bonnie Lee provide AAIT Therapy for your facilty.

Prince's Training  Journal

Key:

WRITTEN TO FORMULA:

DATE/(age)/TASK,SOCIALIZATION, OUTING or EVENT/TIME, invested,worked/NOTES

PA=Public Access: Training/Conditioning intended to make the Service Dog behave in a predictable appropriate manner in Public Areas. (Defined as ANY location outside of home facilty and property).  Training and conditioning to allow to service dog to perform task-trained behavior in a appropriate and predictable manner.

 

 

 

 

10/18/20 8 weeks old- first leash/collar experience/(approx. 15 min) / - DEER - scared him - end of leash. Screamed flailed. Reeled him in - crying the whole time. Slacked leash and held him very close beside me soothing and comforting him. Did not recover on site of incident. Had to pick him up and end session - returned him to littermates Eye Rah and Stella.

10/25/19 Socializing at ritzy Rover /3 hours total /car ride in kennel/ (15 min. inside building/ - Car ride was good. Settled down after about fifteen minutes. Whined occasionally. Threw up twice.  Good exit - allowed himself to be lowered physically to the ground.  Inside Ritzy Rover Pet Salon he was in "Freeze" mode, with one small attempt to bolt when the blow dryer stated in the room next to us. The taught leash was uncomfortable for him, perhaps more uncomfortable than the noise he was enduring

11/1/19 - Outing, leash work, Car ride crate practice/various places-outdoors/5 min x 4/ - Crated in car, drove for 10 min approximately between stops. Practiced at coming out of kennel on his own, was lifted down.  Followed me with leash on, never extending the leash to taught. Going back into kennel was challenging the first and fourth time. He would put his feet down in front of the kennel and not lift them into the kennel. Stiff (partial freezing?)

11/14/19-Outing, car ride/Soggy Dog/1 hr outdoors, 15 min inside/One at a time pups inside lobby area, standing, didn't ask or employ commands.

11/29/19 Outing, car ride, stairs, people/2 hrs. Went to the rec center, walked out front, used the outdoor staircase, used SIT and STAND commands, practiced at taking vest on and off. Practiced at getting in and out of car. Threw up two times.

11/30/19 - Car ride, LAP therapy in the back seat - 1/2 hour, - intended to help with car sickness and acclimation to long car rides. Back seat positioning.

11/30/19 - PRESENT - "TASK - TAKE" take object from hands, hold in mouth for as long as asked to.

TASK TRAINING USING A CLICKER - begin by clicking with every slight manipulation of the mouth onto object -

OBJECT: block of wood

12/1/19 - Outing/Leash work/ 10 min intervals 4 hr span. Wandered around the yard and road in front of our house. Got a couple of corrections for going to the end of the leash (verbal, snap on collar).  Practice at going through doors - did really well, stayed right beside me smooth progression through the thresh hold.

12/7/19 - TASK "Touch" - 2-3 min intervals - from date to approx. May 2020.   /Asked to "bop" nose precisicely on black dot drawn on an index card.  Progressed to card being placed in various locations, heights and depths.

1/4/20 - Harness/SD vest acclimation/3 min intervals-2 days/ Practiced taking harness of and on without sitting or standing or bucking out of harness when brough over his head for removal.

1/5/20 - TASK Hearing sound detection - clicker trained, with my phone, set an alarm four times a day for several days. Changed distance from myself, locations and heights. Solid after three days, will respond immediately to the alarm sound.Very confident that with clicker training, any "alarm" s can be generalized and transferred

1/7/20 - Public Access/8:30 am to 2:30 pm - stayed at my station at the groom shop. I groomed four dogs while he was directed to lay still and not interact with the dogs. He was not permitted to establish eye contact with any dog on my table. Had to leave the room several times.

1/15/20 - Visit to Walmart. Worked out side with carts and approached doors but did not enter.

1/27/20 - Public Access with TASKS - alarm, touch, down, stay, Take, walking with SD vest. Worked on refining these, lightly, as I believe he is entering his "Shy Stage", so we will limit Public Access, and work with tasks at home.

FEBRUARY - Covid restrictions, Limits Access to Public.  - Worked with all above mentioned tasks. Began off leash access to the yard.  Crate training almost over - will use bell to ask to go out.

3/1/20-TASK - "Touch" transferred to various objects including a different colored dot on larger paper. 

3/8/20 - Mobility - Using Brace and balance during turns, different sloped terrain. Bracing when losing balance, especially down hill. He is currently having difficulty working NOT on the left. He gets very nervous when he is placed on the right.  Will use two commands to help him discern working on the right, vs the left "BY ME" - right "GET IN" - left

3/12/20 - Using "BY ME" with harness only. Routine established, clicking primarily for right sided reactions to commands.

3/15/20 - TASK "Touch" - /3 sessions fifteen min. each./(NOTE response fades after 7 minutes. He still wants to perform, but gets sloppier and sloppier. At 15 min he was not performing any longer. Was he full? Too many treats?) placing his old index card with black dot into a container, and only clicking when he pushes the tupperware container backwards. This should mock the pressure needed to push a button into activation.

3/27/20 - Outing - Obedience/Mobility/45 minutes in unpopulated public park.  Interacted with life-like statues, different terrain and stairs, building features. Practiced at turning into pathways and around artwork. Used "By Me" only briefly - he started well, but fell apart after a few steps.

4/10/20 - Public Access/Soggy Dog/8 am to 4 pm/min. 3x's each exercise/ Laydown, wait for me. Ignore commotion. Stay in place during packing of belongings. Lead out door. Load up into car.

4/18/20 - EXACTLY the same as 4/10/20.

4/20/20 - Visitors in the home - Barked. Was not willing to be petted.  Stayed in the general area - watched and observed, but did not offer to approach any of the visitors or workmen.

4/27/20 - TASK - UNDER - 3x's 15 min. intervals/Luring clicker/shaping remaining under the table while attaining a "Lay down" position.

4/28/20 TASK - UNDER - same - using plastic chair, I desire his entire head under the chair and remaining there. This made him uncomfortable and he did not want to do it.

5/4/20 - Public Access - 1/2 hour/Public Park - well laid visible trails, benches, TASK Under, By Me, Laydown, stay - recall.

6/2/20 - TASK - By Me - Get In  switching between the two as needed for stability in the driveway, yard - paths, road and in and out of car.

6/ 18/20 - TASK - HELPING - Stand still and solid between myself and the counter for dishes, stability and extra security in Public buildings, at the check out line, and at home, doing household chores such as dishes or office work.

6/20/20 - Outing/Obedience and Mobility/ walked down hill (approx. 1/2 mile) to bus stop. Waited, expecting him to stand in place for 10 min. He was hesitant to be on the road so close to passing cars. Did better once we were off the road side.  Dave came to pick us up and he jumped into the car as directed, without taking his vest off. He layed down in the back seat, adjusting his weight and position to compensate.

7/17/20 - Outing - Practice getting in and out of car. Exposure to electric doors in retail stores. Big R, Safeway, King Soopers. Got out, approached doors, remained within 20 feet until doors opened and closed fully. Various people passed by - everyone is wearing masks now. Doesn't seem to bother him.  Turned around, got back into car, immediately drove to the next location

8/5/20 Car ride - /Evergreen Lake/ outing with the "dads"/1 hr. /walked around the lake (approx. 1 mile) No vest, used leash in "suitcase" style for control when passers by - put him into "HELPING" position.

8/7/20 TASK - UNDER & Down/stay/ & TAKE - too excitable after the first success -  he couldn't focus. Chaining went well, he leaves himself open for more commands

8/9-10-11-12/2020 - TASK/same as above 10 min intervals. Still very excitable after the "Take" - focus is better. Must use clicker more

8/28/20 through 9/2/20 Full time /Visit with McCurdy's - went well, no potty accidents, followed directions. They expressed he was home sick after three days, but did not have separation anxiety. Jumped into their vehicle without aid when it came time to leave their home.

9/5 - 2020 TASK - Begin TAKE & HOLD, hard plastic glasses case. Using clicker

9/9 - TASK - TAKE goes well, he isn't holding

9/12 - TASK - HELPING & TAKE - solid, but won't hold still

9/14 TASK - HOLD - must use clicker at extended intervals. He will hold then

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Remaining notes on site. Available upon request

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