How Good!

Just how good can a good dog get? Having never been on a leash and collar, Tag dressed up in his Sunday best and went out for an afternoon on the town. It was time that he take the leap out of familiar home territory and training facilities. He donned his Service Puppy vest, a leash and a collar and pranced his way into the car.  He picked up on the working part of working right away. We got out of the car and headed for the the front door of the restaurant and Tag assumed his position. He pulled in tight to Nicole's stride and heeled in and around the establishment. Palmer's is cafeteria style with concrete floors and all at top volume. Clanking and banging of the pots and pans, those crazy scrapes of chairs being pushed back into place. 

Oh, the stares and rumblings that he got when he made his appearance. All heads turned, all conversations turned, and all smiled at the cute little service puppy. He performed dutifully. We all got the trays and headed to the tables. Not one jerk on the leash did he attempt to make, not a whisp of noise did he make, not at all was he any more then a very good dog. He took a position by our sides as we set down. Interestingly enough he was good enough not to beg, he simply laid down out our sides and fell asleep. What more do we need to know about a Service Puppy that is growing into his own?   He really is a good dog.

TAG sees his first Broadway Show

He didn't get any special accommodations when he asked to see Spamalot. We got tickets for the show on Christmas night. This was Tag's third trip into public during this crazy holiday week. His personality and attention to only us is all we could have asked for. He will be one special service dog. 

The show had lots of noises and sounds of roaring thunder as King Arthur clapped his coconuts together through the forest. He did scoot himself back into the seats a bit, but overall he did a marvelous job.

Sessions have wrapped up for a winter break.

We finally got our programs in line and on track with astounding results.  Thinking back and realizing that the agility program had no structure or true direction and now ... it is going full force and making the biggest impact on those who participate. Nicole created a training for therapists that wanted to know more about the handling skills that it takes to run a dog agility course. Three cheers to everyone that participated  in the day long training. As a handler in one of the sessions I can see that the therapists better understand the applications and are creating a more effective program. 

2nd Annual Winter Classic.

Did I say that correctly? Yes, indeed I did. We will be celebrating our first full year of NADAC trails in the Des Moines area and I do not hesitate to say that it is our 2nd Annual event! Let see if we can beat our record of -6º at the start of the weekend. We will have some extra heaters and the concession will be offering up warm cinnamon rolls and hot drinks. Hey listen, there is really nothing else to do but have some fun and run some agility! Can't wait to see you there.

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January Fun Run - Birthday Bash

Its that time of year and we are getting ready for the cold chill that sets into Iowa. We are going to crank up the temperature a bit and have a Birthday Bash Fun Run on January 3, 2009. Yep, thats right, 2009! Its here already. The premium has been posted and I venture to guess that it will be a good day on the course. Hope to see everyone at the party.

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Animal Assisted Crisis Response Workshop

We didn't know what to expect when we volunteered to host the Animal Assisted Crisis Response Workshop in Des Moines. Cindy Ehlers came into town with her crew of evaluators and instructors with a blaze of glory. AACR teams have responded to numerous crisis locations including Huricane Katrina, Northern Illinios University, 9/11, Virginia Tech shootings, Parkersburg, Iowa to rattle off a few of the places they have made an enormous impact on the victims of these tragedies. The workshop was more then we could have anticipated. Every section of information, roll-play exercises and in-field opportunities provided a solid foundation for what you might experience. We have individuals travel from Kentucky, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas to be a part of this training session. There were a few key take aways that surfaced to make the second workshop even better then this first. 

 

'Tis the season. Right?

Whether you celebrate Saint Lucia, Christmas or Chanakuh these pictures would make great gifts for this holiday season.

I just found this link to the images taken for the September Agility Trial. There are some really great shots. So, you need to get a gift for that special someone? These images are for sale. Per the photographer the images that are posted have enough resolution to make a nice 4x6 image. He does have larger images and we will need to contact him for those. Jerry Ranch was the photographer for the day. 

Check them out for yourself.

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