Hannah's Service Dog Training

by Viki
(Florida)

For those of you following the fun times that Hannah and I are having with the service dog training there were a couple of milestone moments in the past month.

First we purchased a bark collar which screeches a loud noise when Hannah barks. So now instead of just barking we hear: WOOF SCREECH WOOf SCREECH WOof SCREECH Woof SCREECH and then lots of low grumbles. It IS slowly getting through to her brain that barking isn't a pleasent-God- given right for her if she wants to continue to go into public. Most of the time she is now limiting her barking to the house and yard, although that has dropped off also. Our neighbors are happy (although they are the ones with 15 Beagles on one side and 5 Jack Russels, a weiner dog and an American Bulldog on the other that seem to NEVER quit barking!)

Now we need to find a "grumble" collar...if anyone knows where to get one. HA!!

Second, after months of practicing pulling a manual chair up and down our driveway, we decided to give the mall a try. Hannah did AWESOME in Sears, carefully pulling me and the chair between racks of clothes and display cases. Then we hit the opening to the mall. Hannah looked back at me and I SWEAR to you that she said, "Hang on!" or some such thing...then took to pulling like the lead dog in the Iditirod! I am glad that I am not the type to have to stop and look in each store because that would have taken the fun out of making it all the way through the mall in record time. If there was ever (and you know there has been!) a doubt about her being willing to pull me and a chair then it was put aside that day. She had a LOT of fun and yet still listened when I slowed her down before she plowed into slow shoppers.

And just today Hannah went (the go command) and picked up the exact item I wanted (my comb) and actually BROUGHT it to me. Did we EVER party!! Of course that was followed by her stealing the comb and running circles through the house in a type of victory lap. Still it gave me hope that I may have the only two Great Pyrenees (well, would that actually be one and 1/2 Great Pyrs?) in the world that will retrieve. Funny thing is -- it took me about a year and a half to get Patches to retrieve anything and that is about the length of time it has taken Hannah...although for a good 6 months Hannah has known what "go" and "that's it" and "get it" have meant...it is just that she wouldn't "get it" but would only touch the item with her nose and then walk off. Did I mention how independant Great Pyrs are? Like training a CAT!!

So my little girl is growing up and learning to behave -- THANK YOU, LORD! All you puppy raisers out there go ahead and laugh. You deserve it! My puppy raising days are quickly coming to an end...and hopefully Hannah will make it. Otherwise I will have to look for a program dog -- and hopefully a program where I can hear about puppy antics. That is what makes doggy ownership the most fun, right? Believe me -- if it turns out I need a program dog, I will forever be thankful to the raiser and trainers! It hasn't been easy but I STILL would cut my trip to North Carolina short and rush home to pick out the big white ball of fur that came to be known as Hannah Rose Pearl Flingingslime!