We've Got Work to Do...

Overall, I'd say Tucker has had a pretty good week.  He's done well in all my classes so far, and he was very patient with me on Friday, though it was a long day.  Normally on Fridays we have class at 10 and 1, but this Friday, I was also sitting in on an 11 o'clock class and going to a prayer service at 12.  A student very near and dear to many people here at Gardner-Webb passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, and the University held a campus-wide prayer service both to pray for her friends and family and the other issues here on campus.  Tucker did well during the service though he was a little tired of sitting at that point.  He wasn't exactly sure what to make of the gospel choir at first, but he eventually settled down.  When we left, he also wasn't sure about the gym floor, but he did okay (we'll need to practice with that again).  Because he had been so good for those three hours, I let him stay in his crate for my 1 o'clock and play with his toys.  We went out to eat last night in Gaffney, and he did a great job there as well.  I absolutely love watching people's faces when they realize they've been sitting right next to a puppy and didn't even know it. :)

Today, however, was something entirely different.  I read an article in the Shelby Star last semester about a girl who was raising a puppy for Southeastern Guide Dogs and taking him to the community college here, and today we decided to meet up at the mall to let our puppies practice working together.  Her puppy, also a male yellow lab but about 4 months old, Brandon, did a good job.  Tucker, not so much.  He has NEVER behaved as poorly in public as he did at the mall today.  I mean, I feel like I need to go back and issue a public apology to anyone who happened to be in the mall at the time.  He made more noise in there today than I think he has made in his entire life.  Apparently, it was just too much for him to handle to see another puppy working across the hallway from him.  He whined, barked, moaned, and just about any other noise you can think of.  It was so embarrassing.  You'd have thought that was his first public outing ever. 

I tried everything I could think of, but the corrections and attempts at distracting him with obedience commands only seemed to make things worse.  Puppy push-ups only made the moaning get louder and leash corrections only brought on more jumping and pulling.  HE ACTED POSSESSED.  Finally, after about an hour of walking, stopping, walking, stopping, we put them about ten feet apart in down-stays so we could talk.  I was very relieved to discover that Allison had encountered similar issues with her past puppies, and thankfully she didn't seem to think I was a horrible raiser (though I certainly felt like one).  Tucker was also royally ticked because Brandon was getting attention and he wasn't.  I don't let people pet him when he isn't being obedient, so Brandon, who was nice and calm, got all the attention. 

Once they seemed to have accepted the fact that they would be working and not playing, we decided to attempt lunch at Chick-fil-a.  Much to my relief and surprise, they both did wonderfully.  They pretty much stayed in their down-stays beneath our chairs, almost nose to nose at some points.  After a nice long lunch comparing notes and sharing stories, we took them outside the mall and let them play for a few minutes on leash.  They LOVED that.  Tucker was kind enough to let Brandon win most of their wrestling matches (all on leash, of course), but that also meant he got nice and wet rolling around on the pavement.  But hey, at least it was just water and not mud.

So, the lesson learned today is that we desperately need to work around more dogs.  He had been getting better with dogs outside, but I think it totally threw him off that Brandon was inside with him.  Because I'm an independent raiser and I have a crazy schedule, it makes it difficult to find places/times to train Tucker around other dogs.  I now, more than ever, think the dog guide schools would be wise to encourage their raisers (especially independents or those far from their puppy groups) to interact with raisers from other schools, even if for no other reason than to teach their dogs how to work together in public.

Now, with Tucker sacked out at my feet, I think I'll ice my shoulder and try to get some homework done.

Here's the picture proving that Tucker did have at least a few moments of sanity at the mall earlier.

Allison Stumbo and Brandon (Southeastern Guide Dogs) with me and Tucker in Chick-fil-a.

Home for the Holidays....sort of.

Tucker and I somehow survived the end of the semester and made it home for Christmas break.  Sadly, just a few days after we got home, I ended up with a bad cold and Tucker came down with some sort of stomach virus.  Regardless, all medications in hand, we loaded up and drove down to Lyons, GA to see my dad's side of the family. 

Tucker did well in the new environment though he was mad that I wouldn't let him have free reign of the lodge... I was worried about the fate of the Christmas tree.  We ventured into downtown Lyons and Vidalia one day (yes, the place that grows those awesome onions) and I was really impressed with how well Tucker was accepted.  Small towns have a tendency to question his validity - they don't see these dogs as often - but Lyons and Vidalia businesses rarely even wanted to see his ID.  There was only one place that wasn't thrilled about it - a small restaurant - but they let him in anyway. 

My cousins hosted a tacky Christmas Eve party and Tucker participated for a few minutes, sporting a precious tacky Christmas sweater covered in reindeer. :)  He wasn't a big fan of the long sleeves though, so I didn't make him keep it on for long.  He did a great job and played well with the kids, especially the younger ones.  I told the kids to ask him to sit before they gave him his toys and he did very well listening to them. 

One thing that will never cease to amaze me is how many people are afraid of Tucker - even when he's wearing his jacket.  On the way back from GA, we walked into a Burger King and the poor woman behind the counter screamed and jumped back from the register.  She settled down, but as luck would have it, a few minutes later Tucker decided to bark out of the blue.  I don't know what got into him - he's never done anything like that in a restaurant before.  The manager got a kick out of it, but the workers weren't so thrilled. 

We got back home the day after Christmas and left the next day for Durham to see my grandparents.  Tucker did well though he did seem somewhat frustrated that he didn't get to stay home with Kalli for very long.  We took him out to the mall a few times and he did a great job.  He has perfected his "I need to park" warning system, so no accidents!  When he needs to go, I also ask him to find the door, so he's slowly learning that as well. 

One of my cousins came to visit one day and brought her daughter who has Angelman Syndrome.  She has pretty jerky movements and the last time she and Tucker met she may have accidentally pulled a tail reaching for me... ;)  At any rate, they did very well this time, and I think Tucker was old enough to understand that she was a little different.  Although she's got a vice grip, he let her play with his ears and then his dog tags.  He was very good, though he had to be reminded on occasion that her toys were not for him to play with. 

When we got home from Durham on Friday afternoon, I packed up again and Tucker and I drove to Tennessee to see my mentors from my senior exit project (the people who introduced me to Leader Dog).  Saturday Roy wanted to take Tucker to a gun show to see how he would work in public and I tagged along to watch.  I stayed behind them observing.  Tucker did a great job!  Roy was really impressed with him, and only had to correct him once or twice.  Tucker didn't seem to mind working with Roy at all and he stayed on a nice loose leash. 

The next day, Suzie and I took him down to the Greenway to work on around and come.  She was really impressed with how well he walked on a loose leash, and she said he really wasn't as bad with around and come as I thought he was, that he just needed more practice. 

We attempted to leave for home Sunday night, but as I started down the road, my car started having issues.  So, we stayed another night and took Tucker and Apache for another walk at the Greenway the next morning while my car was in the shop.  I worked with Tucker that day, and he was good, but he definitely found it harder to focus working around Apache.  It was good practice for him!

Since we've been home, he's had a harder time behaving.  Honestly, I think he just needs to get back into the hustle and bustle of college life - I think he's bored.  We took him shopping yesterday, and that seemed to help, but he still just seems frustrated with the break.  Even though he's always seemed pretty laid back, I think he's really a working dog at heart and these breaks are hard for him. 

Alien dog in GA

Lyons Welcome Center

Tacky Christmas Eve Party

Visitor Parking... hehe

Unwrapping present just knocked him out. ;)

More Christmas Party pics

Playing with Grace

Helping me check my email.

Waiting for me to finish trying on clothes in the mall.

Conquering the 'scary' stairs in the mall.  After he made it up once, it was no big deal. :)

Letting Grace play with his face. :)

Jealous puppy :)  Grace was snuggling with me so Tucker wanted to, too.