WAITING--WAITING--WAITING

We were able to sleep in until 7:00 this morning. I had not slept well and was up at 6:00. There are intercoms in each room and they use them to play music to wake us up before coming around to each of us to be sure it was successful.

8:00 Breakfast
8:50 Gather to load into the vans for the new training lounge down town.

Each of the five trainers is responsible for four students. We ride together in separate vans and it is like five small classes within the larger class of twenty when we all gather for lectures and meetings.

Once we were established in the lounge, I was first to go out with my trainer and was back in the lounge by 9:30. New since my last training is the rectangle used to act as the Juno harness. The trainer holds one end and the student the other. The trainer can stand erect and walk judging pace and pull of each of us. He knows his string of dogs and is calculating our needs. He also checks to see how we each judge traffic to cross streets. It was very hot and humid already when I went out. Once I was back at the lounge, I visited with others there until my trainer had taken each of us for the prescribed walk. Streets were quiet this morning. Once all were back, we then returned to the vans and back to the campus.

There was a talk about seeing this experience from the perspective of the dog. Although we are waiting with eager anticipation, the dogs have no thought of changing their allegiance. Not only are we different, we are less adept at giving commands and following their body language. We are more apt to step on feet and tails.

We were each given an MP3 player with many interesting audio files, articles about the History of dogs used as guides, research being done in genetics and behavior, and much more. I have only scratched the surface of this information. The player is slightly larger than a thumb drive and fits easily into a pocket for easy reference in down times. It is for our use while in class and available for purchase at a very reasonable price.

We went to lunch at 1:00 today and at 2:00 we gathered in various places with our small groups. The trainers brought sample dogs for us to practice having them lie quietly at our feet. They were glad to be out of their kennels and more willing to play than to stay. We had turns with a German shepherd, a yellow lab, and a large golden. This activity took much of the afternoon. It also included instructions in proper fit of the Gentle Leader, a head halter for the dog.

Then there was free time until dinner. I took the opportunity to begin listening to some of the mp3 files.

Dinner was at 5:15 and the lecture this evening was at 7:30. We were given an overview of the schedule for the next few days and general instructions in feeding, watering, and parking our new charges. We were given additional items including a mutt mat for the dog to lie on and a large Nylabone. These also came with instructions for proper introduction and use with the dogs. Next there was an optional social time to help us get better acquainted.

There is a gradual build up to the big event tomorrow. After another Juno walk in the morning, and some additional lecture time before lunch, we will gather in our rooms in the afternoon to wait to be called out one by one to meat our new partners and to return to our room to begin the bonding process. No phone calls! Once the dogs are given to each of us, we are taken out on the leisure path one on one here on campus for our initial working experience with our new guides. This is a quiet place to begin.

They tell us that we can sleep in again tomorrow morning, this time they will wake us at 6:00.