Busy Day!

(The title's another layered link)

So just how fast does Prada walk? Well, this morning we took a leisurely 20-minute mile (normally we can knock that out in 12-15 minutes, without hurrying) walk out in the country to do one of our last country routes and she performed beautifully. With barely a raised heart rate we drove back to TSE and Bryan brought a regular car around instead of the big van we usually use. Time for front-seat training! Bear in mind the dogs have done all of this before, it's mostly the human's training that we do here, as well as reminding the dog how to do things and convincing them that their new handler should receive the same work that the instructors did.

How do you fit a sixty-pound shepherd into the front seat of a car? Very carefully!  For real, though…  Work the dog up to the open car door, then drop the handle. Slide into the front seat but leave your right leg out (we're assuming that you're in the US and the right side of the front seat isn't the driver's side.)  Heel the dog in and have Juno sit between your feet on the floor, then draw your right leg in to surround the dog and do a tail-check to make sure that supremely important part of doggy anatomy isn't caught in the door. Close and buckle, and hit the road!

Prada apparently REALLY likes car rides. She wanted to get in first, then she wanted to sit on the seat, then jump to the back seat, and lastly tried for the driver's seat!  None of this, of course, was permitted and once we got rolling she settled down a bit.  Next stop--airline seating! 

(She is still fanatical about car rides.  When approaching a vehicle we’re going to get into I have to work very hard to restrain her frantic dash for the door.  Currently I’m making her sit at the curb and wait for me to open the door before letting her approach the vehicle but it’s a fight.  She can’t stand the thought that she might get left behind, even though it rarely happens.)

Downstairs in the Tech Center (TSE main campus, “the house”) there are two rows of airline seats, three chairs in each row.

Airline Seating

1.      Bulkhead seating, no bar: if there is no metal bar under your bulkhead seat, have the dog sit facing the bulkhead in front of you, harness off. Then slide the dog under the seat so eventually you end up with a head and two forepaws between your feet. The dog should sleep through the entire flight.

2.      Bulkhead seating, metal bar: The dog really doesn't have any other option than to lie down parallel to the bulkhead, head and paws facing the aisle.  (You must keep that nose and stretching forepaws out of the aisle, though.  FAA regulations prohibit anything but flight attendants from hanging out in the aisle )

3.      Non bulkhead seating:  sit down, back the dog in with you.  Have Juno sit facing you, then slide the dog tail-first underneath the seat in front of you.  Protect the dog's head and forepaws by placing your feet on either side of aforesaid appendages.

Prada didn't protest a bit and even found enough room to curl up underneath the seat a bit, I was quite impressed.  You have no idea how small these guys can make themselves if they want to, it really is amazing. Can't wait to try it for real. I may go down and practice on those seats a couple of times before I fly home to help prevent any trouble on our first real flight.

(The second most FAQ about dog guides I get is where she goes on flights.  In my footspace L  But we make do.  The above-described procedures tend to be more like guidelines than actual rules because of the differences in each airplane and row-mates’ baggage, but the important things to remember are 1)  keep the dog out of the aisle, 2) keep your carry-ons stowed properly despite how uncomfortable it may be for you, and 3) the dog can fit, regardless of how much Juno protests.  Prada is a great flier, very experienced, and we frequently surprise and impress other passengers with her exemplary behavior.  She’s quite the hit in gate areas, too.  My little queen bee gathers a fanbase wherever she goes.  We even know some of the attendants at the Huntsville airport by name now!)

NOTES:
1.  Window seating makes it easier to keep doggy noses and paws out of aisles.
2.  You are NOT required to take bulkhead seating, but I find that it is often more comfortable than other seating options.
3.  You ARE prohibited from sitting in emergency exit rows if you have a service dog.  This is for the safety of other passengers, so don't get yourself in a discrimination tizzy.  it's not all about you.