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.