Oct - Dec. 2002
This month Milo is learning a new skill - to go lay on his rug when someone comes to the door.
We are also doing much more work with the Flexi/extendi-leash so he can get used to doing his cues and behaviors this way. The feeling is different than a "regular" leash - such as retrieving, doing a "stay," or performing a "get the door."
In class we've been given assignments to meet even more varieties of people and dogs. Milo has met so many over the past few years, but the more diversity (people, animals, places) we can introduce him to, the more at ease he is in new situations.
- Milo did a demonstration for a fourth grade class. He just adores kids, so when he walked into the classroom his tail just started going!
-We've been doing our usual, ongoing work on practicing retrieving various types of items in a variety of places, including lots of real-life situations, such as picking up items we drop at home or carrying an object around the house.
- Milo goes everywhere - to work with Sara every day (where he has many coworker friends!), stores and hotels and restaurants....you name it.
- We've been doing some work on ignoring food on the floor in restaurants.
- Milo loves people, so he's been working on remaining in a good sit/stay while we or other people talk to him, especially in high pitched voices,, walk right up to him, or even touch him.
- Currently we're working on a self-evaluation (Helping Paws homework) to assess Milo's skills.
Milo just gets better and better as things really start to "click" with him. He's just so sweet and devoted, and it's becoming even more obvious that he truly enjoys going new plaes and helping and doing his job.
For fun, we took Milo with us for a weekend away to a cabin in Wisconsin. We went snowshoeing and exploring in the woods - Milo was in absolute heaven!
Here are some pictures from Milo's "slumber party" with two other Helping Paws dogs who came to stay for a weekend.
The exciting news for March is... Milo has met his new partner!
(Please see the October update below.)
This month we've been focusing on "get the wheelchair" (pull and bring the wheelchair to you) and "get the wheel" (pick up and bring a wheelchair wheel), skills for Milo that Kathy will be using. He's getting good at both! He's so cute - he really tries hard to drag the wheel over, even if he steps on it, or do get the wheelchair to me, even when I put the wheelchair in a challenging location where he has to pull it over a bump, for example.
Milo is also participating in the 7.5k Helping Paws Run-n-Romp fundraising walk on April 23.
Currently, Milo's placement is temporarily delayed. He is ready to go, though, and is eagerly waiting to be someone's helper. We will keep you posted on his graduation.