Not All Work

The basic daily framework stays the same. Today, we worked a bit longer route. Instead of going up one side of the street and down the other, we did a rectangular pattern with one long leg being on a busier street with businesses along it and increased traffic. They increase the challenges each day. Today, along the route, we had three cones setting up a barricade for the dogs to work around. A training supervisor did a traffic check with each dog. For Trinity and me, he turned into a driveway we were approaching and we had to stop for him as he blocked our path. There were two instructor assistants stationed along the route with dogs on leashes and bells on their collar so that we could hear them as we approached. Trinity did well with all these challenges. She started to take interest in the first dog, but needed only a verbal command to get her attention back on her work. She was great with the cones and the traffic check except that she wanted to take the opportunity to relieve herself on the grass this afternoon. Her plan was thwarted.

Our afternoon walk was shortened by two blocks due to the heat. The thermometer read 90 degrees. Some of the other dogs wore the boots given yesterday, but our trainer felt it was not too hot yet. Most of our work was in the shade. Our trainer took the two of us who had worked doubles again to the basement of the lounge following our afternoon walk. There was a wading pool set up there for the dogs in various stages of training to enjoy after a work out during hot weather. Our guides liked splashing in the few inches of water. This helped to cool them down, but there wasn’t enough to wet their tummies. The trainer explained that there is space for more than twenty vans to park in the basement of the lounge with each one having space for 10 dogs. Here the dogs rest in air-conditioning while waiting for their turn to go out with the trainers. These are the dogs that are not yet class ready. With all those dogs down there, we heard no barking.

When we got up stairs, we learned that the teams that went out after us got caught in a down pour. We had not heard the thunder that went with that. On the way back to the campus, though, the driver said the streets had steam rising from them due to the heat and the rain.

Besides the fun of splashing in the pool today, each of the dogs was given a cong this evening. Trinity really likes it. She was bouncing it all around in our room after the last park. She still is on leash all the time when not on tie down in the room, so her play is somewhat restricted for now.

It is nice to be able to work the dogs in the dorm. It makes getting around much easier than healing them. The trainers did not have to walk with us tonight. They station themselves along the hall to see that all goes well and there are no traffic jams.