Busy!!

It's been a little while since I've posted because it has been very busy here! We have gone to two shopping malls and practiced escalators, elevators, stairs, and moving walkways. We also went to Detroit and rode the People Mover (like a train around the city) and did some downtown crossings. We've done more distracted obedience, which Sandy is improving on. She did however manage to get a piece of pizza that was thrown an inch from her nose...(no i don't blame her either!!) It's been great so far. Tomorrow is our last day of training for the week. Looking forward to Andy and Kara visiting Sunday!!

Indoor Morning

We had distracted obedience this morning...It's much to cold to be out all day! Negative wind chills...brrrrrrr! We did sit stays and down stays with these distractions: stuffed animals being thrown on the floor, food offered to the dog, food being eaten around them, a loose dog around the room, a dog on a leash walking around, and a dog running circles around them. Sandy struggled some, but did a nice job overall.
Then we practiced how to ride in vehicles safely with the dog. She can sit in the front with me, sitting on the floor facing me. In the back, she can sit or lay on the floor with her leash hooked around the front seat. She can also lay in the far back of an SUV in a travelers crate or on tie down. Going to Detroit this afternoon for city training!

Week 3!

Ready for week 3! Off to North Hill, a subdivision. Then downtown Rochester after lunch. Feeding and more in lecture tonight. Only two weeks to go!

Happy Saturday :-D

We are headed downtown Rochester this morning for obstacle training. Sandy is trained to guide me around partial obstacles. For obstacles that cover the entire sidewalk, she is trained to guide me safely into the street and back to the sidewalk to clear them.
Then this afternoon, we are going to Stony Creek. There's a bike path that we will walk on, full of distractions for Sandy...people, dogs, water, children....all kinds of stuff.
Then we have some free time tonight after our pizza party :-)

Country Roads

Sandy did so well this morning!! We did country road travel and it was awesome! We're ready to walk anywhere in Stevensville :-D

Picture Day!!

We get to meet with Sandy's vet this afternoon to go over all the things we need to do for her. Then we get our pictures taken for our I.D. tags :-)
Not sure what we're doing this morning....probably a new route. We will write all about our adventures this evening!

Great day!

Sandy (aka the wonder dog) and I had a great day! First, we went downtown Rochester and did the 7up Route...7 blocks up, one over, 7 blocks back. Then this afternoon, we did a route in a subdivision area. We also had a Q & A session about our GPSs that we just received. Looking forward to our lecture tonight. It's being given by the vet!

All Better! :-D

Sandy is feeling better today!!! Yay! Ready for a full day of training :-)

Sick Today :(

Sandy is sick :( She has an upset tummy :(

Relaxation...FINALLY!!

Sandy and I are enjoying a day off from training! Happy Sunday :-) Mom and Dad (or to Sandy...Grandma and Grandpa) are coming up this afternoon for lunch! Can't wait to show off this little ball of fluff and love!! Have a great day everyone.

Last Training of the Week!

Going downtown for both the morning and afternoon sessions today. In the morning, we will do a route with our trainers, crossing streets and such. In the afternoon, we will do the same route independently. Should be a great learning experience! :-)

Oh My Gosh!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sandy is amaaaaaaazing! Oh my goodness! She was great today during Traffic Checking. There was someone from Leader Dogs driving a jeep who would pull out in front of us periodically on our walk. She stopped so well! She's gonna save my life :-)

Our First Walk!

Sandy and I just went for our first walk alone! There were trainers waiting at some checkpoints. It was wonderful! Especially with this heat wave we're having...yep it's actually in the high 30's! That's high for Michigan now. Looking forward to "Traffic Checking" later. Someone from leader Dogs will be driving a car in front of us to show the dog's reaction. Then we will be tested at a later date when we are walking, not knowing when the car is coming. We are just using a regular car today. But next time it will be with a silent car. Good training!! Traffic lecture tonight. I ♥ Sandy!

Great Morning Training!

Great morning of training Downtown Rochester! Sandy and I crossed streets very well. Going back later. We have Puppy Push-ups to practice going from a sit to a down to a sit to a down and so on. We also have to practice down and stay. Yay for obedience training! We are going to learn how to massage our dogs this afternoon too. Real treat! Then obedience, feeding, and grooming lectures this evening. And oh, Sandy loved American Idol last night. She did have a funny look on her face during some of the strange singers! lol She loves music though...good thing!! :-D

Sandy

Sandy was born on July 30, 2008 and weighs 59 pounds. She is a beautiful yellow lab! I love her already!!!! ;-D Se her picture as my profile picture.

The Big Day Has Arrived!!!!!!

I get my girl today!!!! Will post pictures asap! :-D

Day 2 Completed!

Day #2 complete! I have learned so much in the past couple days! My goodness! I sure am glad I have all the lectures on MP3 to take home. I know how to take my dog out to do her "jobs" and how to feed/water her. I know the directional and correctional commands for both leash and harness. The leash is when the dog is not working, such as just walking to lunch in the training center or going to the bathroom. The harness is for anytime we are "working." Tomorrow morning will be perhaps the most exciting day of my life. At least one of them, I am sure. I will meet my girl for the first time around 9AM! Off to bed. It's going to be a huge day! I will start training with her from 11AM till 8PM. Thanks for reading!

Day 2 Caring, Bad Juno, and Feelings

Day of Training #2 Begins: Today, we are learning to care for our dogs. We will be taken out one-on-one to learn how to "park" our dog (take them out to go to the bathroom) and feeding/watering our dogs. We will also do some more Juno training, either outside if the practice course is plowed or in the hallways of the training center. After lunch we will go downtown again for one-on-one Juno...but it's Bad Juno day! We will learn correctional commands. Tonight's lecture is on the dog's point of view so that we can form a strong relationship with our dogs, knowing how they feel. I get my girl tomorrow!

Busy but Great first day!!!!

Day one of training is complete! We had our welcome lecture to go over all the details of training. After lunch we went to the downtown training center for one-on-one training with our instructors. Anna, my instructor, started Juno Training with me. Basically, it's walking outside...crossing streets and walking on sidewalks...with an imaginary dog. I got used to the commands and holding the harness/leash today. Then we had a lecture on more commands such as arounds, heeling, and different types of turns as well as street crossing. If i say the dogs name and then "find the counter" it will take me to the counter, like a receptionist desk at an office etc. I can say "find the chair" and she will guide me to an empty seat. So cool! Can't wait for tomorrow, and of course Wednesday when I get my girl!!!

It's a girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just walked a dog!!! I got to practice with Mya, a 15 month old black lab puppy! She is still in training, so she won't be the dog I receive. We practiced walking, sitting, and the tie down chain. One more thing.....ITS A GIRL! I found out two clues about the dog I will be receiving. SHE is very AFFECTIONATE. So she likes being loved and petted. This is gonna be great! Looking forward to Juno Training tonight :-)

Let the Training Begin!

Day 1 of Training has just begun. We just had our assigned seats at breakfast, with the trainers at our tables. I have Anna and Jenny who are awesome! It's so cool to have other legally blind but not totally blind students in the class too! Today, we will have our welcome lecture. Then after lunch, we will start Juno. This is where we practice our commands to our dogs....except the trainers will be on the ground acting as the dogs. The will evaluate our mobility skills and needs to find the dog that suits us the best. I will be sure to write more after this very full day of training. Have a wonderful day everyone! Thanks for your support :-)

Wednesday will change my life forever.

I can't wait for Wednesday! Here's how it works. Sometime either just after breakfast or lunch, I will be sent to my dorm room. The instructor will come in to tell me my dog's name. Then they will go get the dog. They will open the door and have me call the dog. The dog will run into the room! Then we'll have an hour or so in the room for dog bonding before I walk my dog in the hallway for the first time!! SO EXCITING!!!!

Goodbye White Cane!

Interesting. I brought and have been using my white cane today at Leader Dogs. Listening to the first lecture on MP3, I learned that we are to not use our canes after Tuesday to get ready for working with our dog. Glad it's an easy place to get around!

WE'RE HERE!!!!

My parents just dropped me off at Leader Dogs! I'm unpacking. Looking forward to dinner with all my classmates tonight and a tour of the grounds!!!! :-D

One more day!

I'm packing and getting all ready for tomorrow! We leave in the morning. It is going to be so wonderful!!! Saying a few last goodbyes today, since I won't be home between Leader Dogs and going back to Calvin. I'm having lunch with my Grandma Betty and then family dinner out with all my mom's relatives. It will be wonderful! I'll write more once I'm at the training center!

Thanks for reading :-D

3 Days Baby!!

I cannot believe that I leave for Leader Dogs in 3 days! It's going to be so incredible. As one of my friends put it, I'll be getting another best friend in 3 days! My goodness. I have so much to do in preparation for this. I lost my digital camera, so I'm going shopping for one. I cannot wait to post pictures for everyone of my dog.

I wonder what he or she will be like. I am personally hoping for a golden retriever, though I will take whatever they give me!

I'll be sure to post every day at Leader Dogs. Talk to you soon! Thanks for listening :)