hospital visit last night

The organization that we went through is group or individual. They would like us to do a few group visits before going out on our own and I have no problem with that. I recently received the June schedule and although you don't have to be at every session there is something going on every day of the month so I can pick and choose what facilities we want to work with.

On the 14th they are having a demonstration at a library because they are looking to have therapy dogs visit so that will be an additional place to go to. If I have not received the paperwork for Lola by that time I may attend just by myself.

Before Lola did the walk by food on the floor test I was telling the evaluator how I trained Lola to not get treats from the floor until I giver her the go ahead and to only pick up the one I tell her to at a time. After we walked by the food and I picked it up on the return trip she said now you can give it to Lola so I told her now you will see exactly what I was talking about before.

I dropped it on the floor and Lola looked up at me waiting for me to point to it so she could take it. I waited about 15 seconds before pointing to it and said this one. She then ate it. The evaluator said although your not supposed to feed your dog treats on visits it would be good to show the people when on a visit when there are no other dogs around.

I have shown people at the dog park that same trick and the one where I have her sit and wait, walk about 50' away from her and then call her to me. They are always amazed after I show them. I started doing that with her at home and I stepped it up a bit by doing it in a dog park with other dogs around. I wanted to see how she would be able to focus on me with such a huge distraction and the reason for teaching her to wait for her treats was because in case a pill happens to drop on a floor she leaves it automatically.

She is at the point to where if I am eating and something drops on the floor she will sit nearby and be looking at me letting her know if I want her to get it or not. Just yesterday a piece of home fried potato dropped on the floor during my breakfast and she sat about 4 feet away looking at me for me to let her have it or not. I left it there for about 5 minutes before picking it up and throwing it away. So she does not get everything that drops on the floor. Mostly I do not let her have it but occasionally I will.