Saturday, October 29, 2011

Beat Up and Bruised-Training, Day 5

I swear you need a pair of steel toed boots and a hard hat to be around kids with special needs!

Here is the short list from today-Cole kicked me with his cast. A teenage boy was playing with a wheelchair they use for training and ran over my feet, splitting the toenail on my big toe in half (this is on the other foot. The left one was split by a kid in Cole's class crunching it). I have a gigantic burn on my hand from Slugger pulling so hard across it with a leather leash that it took off the skin. My legs are sore after being dragged around by a dog that weighs just about as much as I do. After a week of being on the road, eating bad food, being on antibiotics for a tooth infection and attending training, is it any wonder that I have a massive headache that is threatening to become a migraine? :)

Brian actually got to work with Slugger a little today, after being out yesterday.Cole was always one step behind...or beside, or in front of.

Basically, he was in every one's space...including the already over-crowded cubby under the stairs!We worked on heeling with shopping carts, going up and down stairs and more place.After some class work we went on two tracks. This time, just one parent went with Cole...no trainer. Slugger did okay on his first track without the trainer there. It definitely was not as fast as usual, but we're talking about Slugger here! :) He still packs a punch and bolts really quick. I actually was holding the flexi leash, so sorry...no video. I was holding on for dear life with both hands! The head trainer who was running with me, just kept telling me to act just like I was water skiing. Bend my knees, lean back and put tension on the leash. Um, I was! At least on skis, you can dig you heels into something solid. I am thrilled that I did not face plant! This dog gets SO excited about tracking. He whines and cries, just wanting to play the game. So when he gets a chance, he's off like lightning! I had both hands on the flexi, with them pulled into my stomach, my knees bent and leaning back...and he still was taking me everywhere :) I'm sure it was comical to watch me being flung around. Brian did the next track while I hid with Cole. He came in winded, but said, "That was awesome!" Such a guy. The trainer that was running with him, came in totally breathless a few minutes later. She said that she wished she had longer legs so she could keep up! I reminded Brian that his legs and arms are longer and he weighs more than me (just by a little though). He had an easier time. All in all, Slugger did awesome. King of Tracking!

We went to a restaurant for lunch after and it was night and day with the gentle leader! He hates it, but I think I'm in love! We went back to the center and talked about things like grooming, vet care and appropriate foods and toys. Slugger was quite bored with it all after tracking.A little boy in our class asked me if he could trade dogs. He wants Slugger now :)He was loving the attention from two dogs at once.

We went to the grocery store after class. Once again, the gentle leader had transformed Slugger. He was an angel dog! Here is a closer look at it It's not a muzzle, just a head collar, similar to a horse's halter. It just gives the handler a little bit better control. You actually can barely see it, unless you are really looking for it, because it just blends in with his fur.

We are eating in tonight and hoping for an early bedtime. Brian has to go to the store and try to get my phone resurrected. It has decided to give up, and I have only had it for two weeks! I can't even make a call on it. I'm actually glad that we are not home, it snowed today. Being at camp with our Dravet friends would be awesome, but this is a life-changing experience. Just tiring. We'll send Daddy on errands. Slugger, Cole and I will hang out here and watch Maters Tall Tales for the umpteenth million time :)

No comments:

Post a Comment

 
Photos by Capture Me Candid

BLOG DESIGN BY DESIGNER BLOGS