Today is the day!

Last night I was so intrigued with my assigned reading that I couldn't stop (reading) and was up past midnight-I just love a good book! I was reading about the change and growth that took place when Bonnie and her staff at Bergin U. were first learning how to successfully match a service dog with their partner. The story of that growth curve and metamorphosis is really fascinating. The end product-how to match personalities of the dog and handler-is what we'll be discussing today because today, we get assigned our dogs! Yahoo!! I'm dying to get my hands on a dog and start training! Let me give you a little more info about the program. This first two weeks we are in two roles: one as a student, one as a client (so we can learn their client training process). Because of this, we are being matched with dogs as if we were the person with a disability coming for a dog. After we are matched with a dog (which is this morning) we will be "umbilical corded" to that dog for the next week and a half. That means that we are attached to the dog (by way of the leash) at ALL times, no matter where we go, no matter what we do. The purpose is to facilitate the bonding process between handler and dog so that we can become a working team. This is a process that Kyria and Heidi led me through last summer with WYATT. Let me tell you, after being attached together, practically at the hip, you and that dog are REALLY able to bond! So, I'm looking forward to umbilical cording again. Not to mention the fact that I miss my dogs, I miss our p4p program dogs and...well...I need a dog!!


Another cool bit of information-yesterday for lunch students were divided into groups of two or three to eat with a staff member so we could get to know each other better (and to help facilitate dog matching process). I had lunch with Dr. Glenn Martyn who is the Dog Training Director for Bergin U. Not only is he on staff here, but he is the director of the Hearning Dog Program, an organization that trains hearning dogs. Glenn has traveled and lectured in many countries about training, service dogs, hearning dogs, puppy raising and selection (and other topics). He has been able to take his kids with him on his trips since they were young. WOW! How incredible is it to travel all over the world, getting paid to talk about dogs and having the ability to bring your family/kids with you!?!! This has officially been added to my list of life goals!





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