Training day 13

5:06 Pm

Wow, I don't think I've ever started a blog entry this late. It's been getting really hard to wake up in time to do pretty much anything in the mornings now, but I've kept close track of what goes on in my head, at least.

This morning, we went into San Anselmo to do what has been lovingly deemed the "right clearance route". It involves a relatively short walk through a quiet part of town, the main issues for the dog being really narrow sidewalks, and poles and other signs and such on the right hand side. Although Arden is fairly good and quite cautious with his clearances, I have noticed that occasionally, my right shoulder won't quite make it past a clearance. after confirming that his trainer wasn't, like, anorexic or something that would warrant or explain that, I asked my instructor if we could do a route that involved a lot of clearances. He did relatively well this morning, though he is certainly a bit bold when it comes to estimating whether or not we'll make it through a small space. So we had to rework a few of them, but after being shown, he picked it up really quickly. We also encountered a few dog distractions, and Arden received his first actually effective time out.

"see?" my instructor said, "It does work!"

"Haha! I've been here two full weeks now, and this was the first time it's ever worked!"

When we had walked past the dog that had been distracting Arden, the people behind us remarked "Did you just see that? She just stopped and stood there, and her dog just calmed down and kept going." I was like yeah, that's my boy.

So I've asked my instructor if we could do that route again. One of the most awesome feelings in the world is when your dog swerves you around something, and I want us to be amazing at it.

After that, we had enough time to head to the paddocks again to do some recall. This time, both Arden and Melissa's dog got to play together. We thought they would go completely nuts, and although they played a bit, it was actually quite tame. I think Arden kept chiding Melissa's dog, provoking him to play, but he didn't end up being very interested. I also thought Arden's recall would go out the window in the presence of other dogs, and I was really impressed at how good it actually was! Often, he'd play for a while, and then just go lay down in front of my chair, even if I wasn't in it! how cute is that!

When we got back to the hotel, my instructor and I chatted in my room for a while. I showed her how well Arden knows the "go to bed" command, and she was impressed. It just involves my telling the dog to "go to bed" and him making a beeline for his carpet. This comes in really handy, say, if someone is coming to the door. You don't always want your dog underfoot when pizza is being delivered, that type of thing. We also played around and tried to teach Arden how to walk into the harness all by himself! The first few times, he just poked his yellow head around the side of it and got the treat anyway, but after a few tries, and a few well-timed clicks, he was putting his head right through the loop. Eventually, we'll make it an art form!

After lunch, I headed off to the pool with two of my classmates and we soaked up some sun. Although we're not allowed to bring the dogs to the pool area, it was great to just relax and lie around, because heaven knows we don't do enough of that around here!

After dinner, those of us who have IPhones are going to get together in my bedroom and chat all about apps--suggesting the ones we like and playing with each other's phones. It should be fun!

6:49 Pm

Ok, so I was sitting here a little while ago, playing on my computer, Arden resting quietly beside my chair. Suddenly, he sprang up, and began an insane sniffing spree around the stuffed chair by my bedroom door. I told him to lie down again, and he did, only to spring back and aim his nose back in the direction of the stuffed chair. I paused my typing for a second and to my utter horror, heard, like, beating wings or tiny footsteps or whatever on god's green earth that thing was doing.

I quickly put the dog on tie-down and beat a path to the nurse's office that would make you think I'm an Olympic runner.

"There's something in my room." I blurted out as soon as she opened the door. "It's alive, and it's not me or my dog. Do you have a gun?"

"I'm going to get security! Was it big? I don't know if I'm the right person for this!"

Thankfully, security was ambling down the breezeway. We both turned to her.

"There's something in her room!" the nurse told her.

"Can you please come and bring your gun?" I asked importantly.

The three of us walked over, and I screamed as soon as she opened the door.

"Ha, nothing's even happened yet!" the security guard told me. I imagine that I'd already lost any and all credibility by this point, but I swear I heard something. They scoured the room, and turned up nothing.

"Even if it's still in here," the security guard said, "it's probably just a lizard."

"Oh, well that makes it all better then." I said dryly.

"They're so cute though! They don't bite or anything!"

"It doesn't matter!" I nearly shrieked, and we all laughed. I had like three other sighted people come into my room to make sure Arden and I were the only breathing creatures in it, and so far so good.

Goodnight!