Week 10

This week with Power Paws was more or less consistent with previous weeks. I sat in on a morning class and observed the dogs train in object retrieval and their ability to hold an item in their mouth for longer periods of time. Later that day, however, I observed a re-certification test with a papillon who is currently a diabetic alert dog. So far I mainly observed dogs in training in preparation for this test but this time around I got to witness the test in action. Main components of this test included loading and unloading from the car as well as leash walking, response to sudden noises and the leash being held by a stranger, and settling in a restaurant/table like setting. By going to witness this sort of test I was able to see an already placed service dog in action and the kind of difference it made in its handler’s life. A truly heartwarming sight.

This week with the FSDS was bittersweet. Since this was my last week with all the wonderful people I have met on this journey, this past week involved a lot of wrapping up. Both classes followed the usual schedule and involved review on a lot of the same tasks as in previous week including, but not limited to, it’s your choice, go get help, and leave it. The trainer also discussed with the class the concept of the illusion of a behavior. In other words, ensuring that dogs understand the behavior they are asked to perform, rather than just performing it correctly because of aid from the trainer. For example, when asking a dog to retrieve an item, one should not have to point to an item to ensure the success of the dog. The dog should understand what it is asked to perform and follow through with the action without additional cues.

This past week, final project presentations were given and I am sad to say that this experience is over. I can, however, say with complete confidence that Power Paws has not seen the last of me. J I spoke with my adviser and I will continue going back to help out with training and around the office. The senior project may be over, but my time with helping out with service dogs is not. The experiences at these internships will be ones that I will hold close to my heart in many years to come. Not only did I spend time with my favorite dog breeds of all time, I also got to lend a helping hand to raising a man's best friend...and helper. 

Week 9

Hey all!

                As I went to Power Paws on a different day this week there wasn’t any training class. I did, however, get to meet yet another litter of golden retriever puppies. This time they happened to be just 2 weeks old and definitely bigger than the two week old puppies I’m used to. These puppies are being raised to become service dogs for Power Paws. As a result, the puppies are exposed to a variety to sights and sensations. This week they were brushed with a toothbrush and had their gums massaged, slowly getting them used to a touch other than that of their mom. When they get older and able to see, they will be exposed to different clothing garments ranging from big sunglasses and hats to ensure they are comfortable to all weird articles of clothing when they go out into the world as service dogs. These puppies will also be a part of Power Paws’ puppy petting program in which they will be able to interact with individuals of all ages, ethnicities, voices, and appearance. With exposure to a variety of these factors at such a young age, these puppies will mature into thoroughly trained and prepared service dogs.

                This week at FSDS was slightly different than usual. Class did not take place in the traditional classroom setting but rather at a Target. Dogs in both classes had practice with their service skills in a public environment, adding to the generalization process which I had the chance to observe during the trip to a volunteer’s station course. For the morning puppy class, this was the first time the dogs were in a public area other than a pet store. The puppies got the chance to practice a variety of tasks ranging from “leave it” down the shoe aisles, frozen food sections, and around dropped human food; long sits and stays; and their three service tasks. The afternoon class also practiced the same “leave it” exercises, dropped leash walking, and their three service skills. Across the two classes there was also a lot of opportunities to see how recipients and trainers alike had the chance to educate the public about service dog etiquette. These situations particularly caught my attention since my project is focusing on how well informed the younger generations are about service dog etiquette. What was amazing to see was the handful of parents that explained to their children how the service dogs were “special dogs” or “working dogs” and as a result could not be bothered. Explanations as such are the conversations that will help these children grow into respectful individuals towards service dogs and their handlers.

                About a week ago, I used the results from the surveys I gave out to the 5^th to 8^th graders at BASIS Peoria. The results from the survey were a bit frustrating at times, to say the least. Although most of the Agree vs. Disagree answers were correct, there was still a handful of kids that said that individuals with service dogs were “mentally disabled,” or that it was okay to pet a service dog in public. Every question that was on the survey still had a great amount of wrong answers and that’s why I decided to create a powerpoint presentation addressing every question on the survey to provide these kids with the most well-rounded knowledge about service dogs as I possibly could. In addition, I used the information that I gathered from the surveys to create a service dog “Do’s and Don’ts” brochure for Power Paws. Since Power Paws does a lot of presentations and public events for service dogs, I wanted to further my raising awareness efforts for service dogs by providing the training facility with something they could hand out during their outings. The powerpoint and the brochure were created with an effort to raise awareness for service dog etiquette to promote a friendlier and safer environment for service dogs and their handlers.

                One more week and then we are officially done!

Week 8

Week 8

                I can honestly say that I can’t believe it’s been eight weeks already. It feels like just yesterday I was walking into Power Paws and playing with a litter of eight golden retriever puppies. Yet here I am, a lot more informed about the service dog world and soon beginning the last phase of this project. It’s so strange to think that initially this project was going to be about how service dogs are trained differently for different purposes and now it’s research about the most common misconceptions about service dogs. I was initially going to compile a list of which dogs should be assigned to specific needs, but now I will be conducting a survey about mistaken beliefs about service dogs and using that to inform younger generations. In a way, this end product will have more of an impact out in the real world. An aftermath I can walk away truly proud of.

                Anyway. Going back to the internships.

                This week at Power Paws was more on the calmer side. Bootcamp continued outside the training facility to help the new recipients practice with their dogs outside a classroom. However, there was a lot of help needed around the office so I stayed behind to help out, so I didn’t go to observe the outing. I did, however, help train a dog in the morning class. We once again practiced turning a light switch on and off and releasing a dog from a “sit,stay.” The release cue is an essential one because it helps practice and prolong the amount of time a service dog will stay in one position or spot while its handler goes to do something else and do not want the dog to wander or cause any distractions. Towards the end of class I also got to do my first shaping exercise. In order to more accurately describe what shaping is, I’m going to explain it in terms of the exercise I took part in. So for this particular lesson, I helped shape a dog picking up its bowl. This was a cue that the dog I was working with did not know quite yet. Shaping, as a result, helps build up a certain action to teach a dog a new cue. Since the dog did not know yet know that I wanted it to pick up the bowl from the floor, I started out with simply clicking the clicker and later rewarding each time the dog interacted with the bowl. The interactions start out with me simply looking at the bowl until the dog looks at the bowl. Click and treat. Then it moves up to the dog nudging the bowl. Click and treat. Then, when I cease to reward nudging, the dog attempts to bite or mouth the bowl. Click and treat. Next thing you know the dog is picking up the bowl and you take it from their mouth before they drop it. Click and treat. By doing so, I showed the dog that I wanted the bowl in my hand and that that was the reason they received the reward. Once the dog does this a few times successfully, I begin to say “pick up the bowl” every time it goes to pick it up. This part of the process is simply associating the cue with the action, and thus teaching the dog a new cue. This being my first time trying a shaping exercise, I was very happy (not to mention relieved) that it worked and that I was able to teach the dog something new.

                At the FSDS, both classes essentially had the same game plan. The dogs and their handlers/recipients worked through several stations perch work, handing off the leash to a stranger, a rally walk, long leash sit/down stays, and “place” without attention. For the certification test, a lot of these skills are necessary to pass. One of the items on the test, is giving the dog to a stranger and walking away. During this time, the dog has to behave in order to consider the exercise successful. The rally walk essentially was just a station at which the handler/recipient walked with the dog with specific instructions on how where to turn, stop, cue to sit, or speed up. The dog must be attentive to whoever it is walking with and ensure it behaves accordingly to consider the exercise a success. The long leash sits and downs were down outside and simply helped with the generalization of the task outside the classroom. During “place” without attention, the dogs were told to go to their blanket and stay there while their handler walked off to give feedback to another team at a different station. The dog was expected to stay in its position without getting up until it was instructed to do so. By walking away to do something else, the handler is able to change their body posture and ensure that the dog doesn’t consider the exercise a “training” moment. As a result, the behavior is being moved more towards application, rather than simply a training session. In the afternoon class, the dogs also practiced the 3 service skills that their recipients will need them to know upon graduation. For example, one recipient wants the dog to distract them away from an anxiety/high stress episode by picking up on their nervous behaviors. During these moments they tend to pick at their nails or exhibit other similar behaviors. In order to train the dog to nudge the handler away from this sort of situation, the recipient starts clicking their nails to get the dog’s attention to their hands and eventually builds up to the nudging and intervention of any nervous hand gestures. The purpose of the dog doing this is to prevent an episode before it happens, allowing the individual to continue with their day to day activities. This dog, however, is not an emotional support dog because it’s actions are not simply for the comfort of the handler, but to prevent an episode as caused by the individual’s PTSD. An emotional support dog is not the same as a service dog, and would not be allowed in public places as a service dog is. This behavior, nevertheless, is yet another example of the shaping process and an even better example of how these dogs are well on their way to becoming not only empowering but loving members to a family in need of this sort of help. Being able to observe this progress thus far has truly been the experience of a lifetime.

Week 7

Week 7

                This week at Power Paws was a little more relaxed than others. This week and the next, Power Paws is going through their Client Bootcamp which essentially solidifies the matching of a service dog to its new handler which it will spend the rest of its working life with. During this bootcamp, the new handlers learn how to deliver the cues they will need the dog to follow through with at home. The new handlers essentially learn how to properly work with their service dog so that both of them are successful in their new life together. One of the main topics discussed during the bootcamp “lesson” was stress. If the dog is too stressed or rushed, it will refuse to move or react to cues, putting a halt to the handler’s day. In this situation, the new handlers were told to simply slow down what they are doing and allow the dog to calm down so it feels more confident and secure in their environment, let alone the situation. In addition, if a dog begins to get increasingly stressed or reactive to a certain distraction, the handler should acknowledge the trigger in order to assure the dog that there is nothing to worry about and that their “human” is aware of the situation. Since these dogs are highly “thinking” dogs, they realize that they are there to help their handler in their everyday life, thus if they see something they don’t recognize or feel uncomfortable with, they will be inclined to notify their human partner. By reacting to the dog’s response, the handler provides the dog with a sense of security that all is well in their environment.

Here Melissa has just followed the "Go under" cue. This cue is often used in restaurants or offices to ensure the dog is out of everyone's way but still close to the handler. 

Melissa practicing turning a light switch on and off.

Here is Karsen avoiding a distraction, an essential behavior for being a diabetic alert dog. She has to be paying attention to her handler to ensure she does not miss an alert. 

                This week the FSDS returned to the usual classroom setting. In the morning class, the puppies once again practiced polite petting while the handlers had the opportunity to answer questions that they might encounter when out in public with their dogs. On the second round of petting, the petters were told to ask rude questions that the uneducated public might ask a handler out in public. These questions ranged from “Do you have a disability?” to “What do you need your dog for?”. Next, the dogs reviewed “Back up,”  which was essentially done by holding a treat to a dog’s chest, causing them to back up.  The following exercise was very similar to the ladder steps that were at the field trip the previous two weeks. Three rows of cones were set up with rods. Treats were dropped after every rod to guide the dog to look down as it steps over the rod. As a result, they begin to become more aware of their paw placement, teaching them to be conscious of their walking. The last exercise was perch work. Here, the dogs, through shaping, were guided to placing their front two paws on a paper plate. Eventually, this exercise will be used to teach the dogs how to effectively pivot with their partners when in public. In other words, it causes more awareness for their hind leg movement allowing more effective maneuverability when in public and tighter spaces, such as an aisle in a grocery store.

                The afternoon class followed a slightly different course. Once again, the dogs practiced walking past each other without getting distracted. The next exercise was intended to improve their “leave it” response. Each dog was offered food from someone other than their handler and instructed to “leave it.” By the end of the exercise, all of the dogs were more successful. Later in the class, the dogs were taken outside and put on a long leash where they practiced stays from a distance with a distraction other than the usual traffic noise. The class ended with another round of polite petting and practicing walking skills. When walking the dogs are required to be attentive to their handler’s turns and stops and this exercise allowed them to brush up on any trouble the dogs may have had.

                With reference to the survey, I will have a finalized survey around the 8^th of April. One of the student handlers at the FSDS often takes her dog to a church which has a large younger population.  During the next class, I will have the opportunity to find out what kind of information these age groups often lack with reference to service dogs. With this knowledge I will be able to add or alter some of the questions on the survey and begin the process of giving it out to the different age groups at BASIS Peoria. 

Week 6

This week was as per usual exciting with all the cute puppies/dogs.

                Power Paws has officially ended its Spring Break Camp and is now preparing for a Boot Camp, which will essentially help teach future puppy raisers/recipients. But more on that next week. When I went in this week I helped train a beautiful golden retriever during the morning class. During this time we worked on cues such as turn, go under, come here, and loose leash walking. All of these tasks are ones that will help a future recipient when they go out in public; whether they need to the dog to change the direction they’re facing or if they need to go under a table at a restaurant while the recipient eats. If the dog is cued that they can use the restroom or go say hi to a stranger, a cue like come here can help regain the dog’s attention to the recipient and resume its work.

As promised, here are a few pictures from the previous week from the training class.

This is Ross. A beautiful Labrador Retriever. 

                

This is Whitney, another Labrador Retriever. Here one of the Spring Break camp participants is training her to turn a light switch on and off. 

This is Quartet, or Quart for short. 

Here she is training "visit" with one of the Spring Break participants. 

Ross being a great sport during "yoga."

               This week at the FSDS was slightly different than last. Class was once again taking a field trip to the same place. The morning puppy class and the afternoon adult dog class were combined due to the ever so hot Arizona weather. One thing I definitely observed this week was that the dogs were definitely more focused and successful at all the stations than the week before. They were already exposed to the environment and had greater confidence maneuvering the stations. In addition, some new stations were added to replace ones that weren’t very popular last week. One new major station was what the volunteer called the “chenga” walk. Essentially wooden beams were laid out in a square, with lower and higher levels. This helped the dogs train their balance and their turns, meanwhile adjusting their height levels. At one point during the class, one of the handlers was becoming tired and beginning to have some difficulty working with her dog. My advisor suggested that I go and help to gain some on-hands experience with training, so that’s what I did. For the rest of the class, I followed the handler around to each of the stations and helped her work with her dog. We tried the chenga walk, worked through the weaves, and some balance practice with the teeter totters and a new station designed to help dogs walk on a platform with different levels.

            The class as a whole this week seemed more focused and more successful in the training. And maybe that was because both the handlers and dogs were more familiar with the environment and the stations this week. Maybe because both of the classes were combined the spirits of both the dogs and the handlers were lightened. Nevertheless, the field trip proved to be a major (and very much successful) step towards generalizing major tasks that the dogs will have to perform in public with their recipient when they graduate. 

            Last but not least, the survey. When at Power Paws this week, I had the chance to speak with a staff member about the questions and I decided that I would (finally) share some of those with you today. These particular questions will be “Agree vs. Disagree” styled questions.

                        1. It is okay to pet a service dog when you see it out in public.

                        2. It is acceptable to ask a handler why they have the service dog.

                        3. You should complement a handler on how well-behaved their dog is.

                        4. Only big dogs can be service dogs.

            Questions as such will allow me to gain an insight into what our younger generations really know about these remarkable creatures and their duties within the service realm. Based on the results, I can then put together a presentation on all the major points from the survey, and highlighting what appear to be the most lacking ideas. By doing so, I hope to educate these younger kiddos about what service dogs truly do and what they should or shouldn’t do around them in order to allow them to do the job that they trained for around two years.

‘Till next week! Cheers!!

Week 5

Hello all!

So this week at both internships was a bit different.

            Power Paws had a Spring Break camp for younger children this passing week, so I got to assist with their activities. The dog training portion of the camp consisted of training simple tasks such as visit, turning light switches on and off, stair walking and walking through doorways. Although the class was less intensive than other weeks, it went to show how great these dogs are at adapting and working with new individuals, especially of a younger age. These children, after working with these dogs for a week, learned how to properly work with service dogs and by Friday one could really see how the dogs came to realize that the kids weren’t just someone who will pet them, but someone they could potentially be working with. This kind of exposure to service dog training will not only help more younger children understand proper service dog etiquette but will also help these dogs get familiar with working with several different age groups. The camp may just seem like “simple fun” to the kids, but the ultimate outcome of these activities will come out in public when these dogs, or service dogs in general, are working.

            This week at the FSDS, we got to shake things up a bit, for both the dogs and their handlers. Instead of having class in the traditional classroom setting, class took a field trip to one of the volunteer’s home. There, on a beautiful grassy lot, several training stations were set up for both the morning and the afternoon classes. These stations included teeter totters, boats, jumps course, elevation walking, cone walking, and weaving. The teeter totters and the elevation walking functioned primarily to train the dogs in body and paw awareness. With these activities the dogs begin to see that they won’t always be walking on flat surfaces and that they have to be aware where and how they place their feet and how to adjust their balance accordingly. For the boats section, small rescue boats were set up in the grass with a dock. Here, the dogs got to practice their balance as well as maneuverability with unfamiliar and large surfaces. In addition, they got to practice their “stay” while their handlers walked on the dock and “loaded” up the boat. Weaving also allowed the dogs to train in their body awareness skills by weaving in between poles lined up in a line. Cone walking was simply a practice for loose leash walking with distractions. The cones had toys and dog food scattered between them to allow the dogs to train in ignoring unnecessary factors/smells when walking with a handler. This exercise will not only help train the dog to keep its attention on its handler at all times but also to ignore unnecessary smells. This factor is most important with medical alert dogs who need to be able to smell any changes in their handler’s system to alert them for their particular condition. Every dog’s favorite by far was the jumps course. The minute the dogs were let go to run through, they were jumping over all the poles with great excitement, some dogs ran back to the other side to go through again. Aside from training stations, there was a “cool-off” station where the dogs could get into a small tub full of water to splash around and maybe even fish out some toys. Naturally, the dogs loved this as well. Overall, the purpose of this field trip was to help dogs generalize their commands out in the real world and not just the classroom and their home. When they go out in public with their handler, they need to know that “sit” means “sit” and that “stay” means “stay.” They have to be able to obey cues in and out of their immediate everyday environment. This field trip was the first step towards ensuring these future service dogs would be able to obey their handlers whenever and wherever.

            Last but not least, since this week was a bit different at my internships, I did not have the chance to run my prospective survey questions by my advisors. Therefore, those sample questions I was referring to last week will most likely be posted next week. This past week I did, however, begin Until Tuesday. The book follows the personal story of a veteran suffering from PTSD as he lives his life with his loving service dog in New York. This book gives more of an in-depth look at how a service dog can truly change someone’s life around. The general ideas were the same as that of the article describing the pairing of an autistic girl with her service dog, as I briefly spoke about a few weeks back. The book also provided more insight into how training facilities continue to work with their clients even after they are paired with a dog. Even after placement, the veteran and the dog still visit the training facility to ensure that the dog is performing well and that the handler feels comfortable with his service dog.

            In light of exciting news, I am also currently in the process of photographing Power Paws classes and their dogs. After editing and having the photos approved they will be given over to the facility so that they can post the pictures on their social media and so that I can share with you all a greater look at what my internship truly looks like. Once the dogs graduate, these photos might also be used in their graduation photos to show their growth. More news to come!

Week 4

Yet another week has passed, and all the dogs I see every week have made huge progress.

                This week at Power Paws, I was in for a treat. One of the golden retriever puppies I met my first week with the facility was adopted as a Power Paws puppy. He is now on his way to puppy kindergarten and will begin training to become a service dog. In addition, this week instead of training a dog in the morning training class, I observed another trainer work with a younger Labrador puppy. This was the puppy’s first day of puppy kindergarten. Both the puppy and the handler have a lot to learn about clicker training and methodology. When you use the clicker, you click the clicker the instant the dog performs the desired action and then reach for a treat to reward them. The trainer also explained the concept of negative punishment, which is removing your attention from your dog to decrease the likelihood of your dog jumping on you. The puppy was very vocal but by the end of the class, the trainer taught the handler how to properly address the issue and how to begin training the dog out of its barking tendency. Essentially, if the dog is consistently treated when quiet, the dog will come to associate calm behavior with positive reinforcement. With the aid of the trainer, the handler learned these valuable ways to train her dog to learn to control its vocalness as well as how to begin training its basic tasks such as “sit” or “down.” And since my posts are always extremely long, I will leave it at that for this week.

                Last week with the FSDS was full of seeing the growth in the dogs’ abilities. In the morning puppy class, the puppies reviewed polite puppy petting, except this time with a child present. The dogs were exposed to yet another age of an individual and a different set of circumstances, preparing them for what awaits them when they begin their work with their handlers. In addition, this week, the puppies also practiced long sits and stays, but for a longer period of time. This week most of the puppies in the class managed to hold 2 minutes for both sits and stays; each of them making a clear improvement from last week. The following exercise functioned to not only teach control but focus as well. The dogs practiced walking by each other while on a leash without getting distracted by one another’s presence. When out and about with their handlers once they finish training, any slight diversion from their path or attention could result in running into an obstacle or mishearing a cue from the handler; this could ultimately put the handler and the dog at risk if in a crowded public area. Lastly, the puppies practiced long distance stays in sit and down positions. Once the puppy was put into either the sit or down, the trainer walked back a certain distance before returning to the puppy to reward it for its good work. The walking distances increased with each success.

            In the following afternoon class, the dogs also practiced walking past each other without getting distracted. I observed that in both classes, all of the dogs did pretty well and quickly improved on their focus on their handler. After all the dogs got to practice in this exercise, the trainers dispersed to work on the primary 3 tasks the future handlers would need for the dogs to know how to perform. This time period went to show, how closely the trainers and the FSDS work together with their clients to assess their individual needs in order to provide them with the best possible service dog that they can. Next, the dogs practiced turning light switches on and off. But the next exercise was by far my favorite from the entire day. Each of the dogs practiced “recall.” The handler put the dog into a sit across the room before calling them to run to them through a doorway. This exercise essentially teaches the dog the excitement of responding to being called by their handler. By portraying this task as exciting and something that the dog should race to do builds the dog’s motivation to respond to being called over by their handler. Loving these dogs as much as I do, seeing them run across a room with their fluffy tails and excited faces was absolutely to die for. Before leaving for the day, the dogs practiced impulse control. This was done by having a few of the dogs playing with their trainers around the room for a fast sit and fast down exercise while other dogs were put into a “sit and stay.” By watching other dogs happily play around the room while being told to sit patiently next to a trainer, the dogs were taught to control their excitement and obey their partners. Overall, both classes from that day once again proved how quickly these dogs learn and how hard the trainers work to get their dogs to the point they are at each week.

                This week with the FSDS was very similar to last week. In both the morning and afternoon classes there was a lot of review of the tasks that were practiced last week. In the morning, long sits and long stays were practiced once again the same manner as last week, but outside. The purpose being to introduce the dogs to a new environment when performing learned behaviors that they only practiced in familiar environments. This way, when going out into new environments, the dogs already have exposure to performing tasks in new places and are more likely to obey. Afterwards, the dogs also practiced polite petting and obedient walking past other dogs just as last week.

                In the afternoon class, the student trainers worked with their dogs and recipients on the three main tasks that the recipients would like their dogs to know when they graduate. This tasks included: getting help, bracing, blocking, and item retrieval. The dogs also practiced walking by other dogs politely while the handlers stopped and shook hands in between. The dogs got to practice the same task with recipients. As a whole, the class was largely review from last week, but nevertheless it was amazing to see how far the dogs came in one week once again. With each coming week, I see how these dogs are truly transforming into their future service dogs selves.

                Aside from my internships, I spent the week finalizing my ideas with reference to my changing question. Because the training classes I attend train their dogs fairly similarly to one another, I adjusted my research question. I am now focusing on how training facilities provide support to their clients aside from providing them with a trained service dog. In addition, I will be a compiling a survey on common misconceptions about service dogs which will then be taken by the younger grades at BASIS Peoria. With the results of this survey and the information I gather from my internships about service dog facts/etiquette, I will compile a presentation intended to inform the younger generations about service dog purposes and the proper behavior that should be exhibited around them in public. I began compiling this survey the past week and will continue to do so this week. I will post a couple of sample questions this week. In addition to the survey questions, I will work through a couple more service dogs articles and Until Tuesday. 

More info to come next week!!