2nd Advanced Training Report

Last week I was surprised to receive Dante's second Advanced Training report.  Canine Companions' training schedule goes by semesters.  Each semester lasts three months; between each matriculation/graduation.  Normally, dogs are in training for two semesters, but sometimes three if they do not make a match during Team Training.  This past weekend was Graduation, so that means that Dante has officially made it through his first semester!

Dante has started learning to work alongside a wheelchair now.  He is working on "get" -- to retrieve something off the floor, "hold" -- to hold something in his mouth, and "push" -- to push drawers closed/buttons, etc.  They are also doing sound work with him, so that means Hearing Dog training could still be in the picture.  

Dante was a tough puppy to raise.  He is very independent, energetic, and off the charts smart.  He knows how to challenge, and will take advantage of you if the slightest chance presents itself.  I have hoped and prayed he would mature and these issues would fade in a new place, with many new things to learn, and under the guidance and experience of professional trainers.  Unfortunately, these issues are coming up again.  The only thing that surprised me was that they said he is showing some slight signs of stress while training as well.  The comments in his report also said that they are keeping close attention on him, but are concerned about these issues.  
 

Odina & Dante right before their first flight to Orlando for Turn In.

In all honesty, it was disheartening but not surprising to read his report.  I know that CCI and his trainers are giving him every chance they can.  I know that they want him to succeed as much as I do, and are doing their very best to steer him in the right direction.  I also know that each Canine Companions dog chooses their own path, and whatever Dante chooses to do will be the very best place for him.

Advanced Training Report!

Last week I finally received Dante's first full training report.  I have been relatively calm about it for the last few weeks, but the day and morning before it popped up in my inbox, I was a little crazy.  I was road-tripping the day it came, which potentially meant 14 hours in a car with little to do but obsessively check email.  I'm happy to say it came by noon, and I exercised enough self control to only check twice before it came.  Ha!

 Dante has been assigned to his trainer, and has been working on the "hold" command (to hold something in his mouth).  He is still working all commands ambulatory, so has not been introduced to working with a wheelchair yet.  There are two sets of behavior charts: one good behavior, and one bad.  All the boxes in the good (eg: attentiveness, loose leash walking, etc.) were checked except "calm" and "interacts appropriately with other dogs."  The not-so-good chart had anxiety, assertiveness/dominant, barking, growling, hackling, and rough play with other dogs checked off.

They noted that Dante's distractibility and fearfulness are both low, and a moderate amount of energy was marked (which I was surprised that it wasn't marked as high).

The comments made by his trainer were: 

Dante has finished his initial medical and temperament testing and begun training.  He showed prey/chase drive on the temperament test, and we will continue to monitor him for this concern.  He is responsive to correction and easy to motivate with praise.  He barks and growls while displaying large hackles during play with other dogs.  We are using a long leash when playing to be able to make corrections for any inappropriate behaviors.  He is hard to manage when brushing his teeth, and we are working on this in training.  He cradles well and is good for nail trimming during our grooming routine.

 While Dante's report could have been better, a lot of the time things that have never been an issue while with puppy raisers will pop up during advanced training, so just the fact that his report did not surprise me is good in my books!  The only thing that I did not expect was struggling with brushing his teeth.  Dante has always been high-energy, and hard to keep under control while playing, but I suspect being in a new place and probably slightly stressed has played into that.  He looks like he is doing well interacting with people, and is eager and easy to train.

The areas of concern with Dante are definitely legitimate, but I know his trainers are working and striving toward his success as hard as I'm sitting here hoping.  I may have had my doubts, and this is still far from graduation, but Baby Boy!  You've made it through your first report!  Know that your raiser is still cheering you on, and again wondering if I can make it two more months till your next report!

Update!

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to get my first update on how Dante is doing in Advanced Training.  I will not receive his first training report for another month, so while this was just a generic email sent to all puppy raisers who recently turned in pups, it was still nice to get something.  

In the last three weeks, Dante has made it through his preliminary temperament testing, a thorough health exam to clear him to continuing in training, as well as a field trip.  He has been assigned to a trainer (I will not know who until his first report), and has been working on proofing the 30 commands he learned with me.  

While it is so, so, so hard to not get minute by minute updates on Dante; right now no new is good news.  Dogs in Advanced Training (or the puppy program for that matter) can get released at any time, so no phone call from CCI today means he is doing well enough that they want to keep him tomorrow.

I miss that little Firecracker like crazy, but am also very excited for him.  Now to start counting down to his first real training report, and not die of impatience before it comes!

Our "last hurrah" of an outing -- SeaWorld Orlando, the day before Turn In.