Day Five: The First Week Comes To A Close

Yes, I have been remiss in not posting more, but not without remorse! Today was the fifth day of Team Training and the end of our first week. The special event of the day was the class field trip to Home Depot, marking students' first off-campus outing with canine accompaniment - most assuredly, under the supervision and with the guidance and encouragement of the instructors. 

The first field trip and the ones that follow it are exciting and meaningful events. For a number of students, this trip marks the first time that they are out in public with an assistance dog by their side. Suddenly, the highly anticipated and once-abstract concept of oneself "plus" one's Hearing Dog is embodied, felt, and known in the most visible way and in a most visible place - e.g. in a shopping mall, a restaurant, a grocery store. I'm intrigued by the internal processes that run through students' minds during these times. As a Team Training student in 2007 with Hearing Dog Maya, I was acutely aware of and curious about the public's reactions while we were out and about on these field trips. Thoughts and inquiries flitted through my mind while making my way up and down the aisles with sweet Maya. 

This time around, I noticed, I felt more present, less pensive. My palm quietly traced the span of my dog's head, enjoyed the silkiness of an ear, and playfully patted my dog's side at the completion of complex tasks. I enjoyed observing my classmates with their dogs, enjoyed watching the reactions, behaviors, and expressions of dogs and people alike. The instructors watched as well, at times sharing feedback and offering suggestions and at others hanging back as students used their own judgment with their dogs.

After returning from our field trip, we practiced commands in the Great Room of Gittinger Hall and were again treated to a wonderful lunch by the Voluncheers (thank you, Voluncheers!). After lunch, we commenced soundwork practice with a focus on the third sound introduced by the instructors, that of a doorknock. Again I loved the instructors' emphasis on the importance of enjoying the training process, which should be enjoyable for both person and dog. After a number of soundwork rounds and repetitions, class was "Released" (dismissed) for the weekend.