Puppy Quirks

Whoever named instant oatmeal obviously didn't know what they were talking about. While I heat water in the microwave for this almost-healthy breakfast I have time to throw the kong toy 4 times and retrieve it from under the couch at least once! Prada and I found ourselves exceptionally exuberant in our playtime as the weather finally cooled off a bit. As soon as we could we headed out with Mom to the Oregon Gardens for a long walk while it was still somewhat cool. We find ourselves at the Gardens quite frequently since it's good mental exercise for Prada--lots of turns and obstacles and overhanging avoidances--as well as physical exercise.

On one of our recent trips to the Gardens we brought a friend along, so we decided to take the little tour train around to see the whole thing before exploring. Prada apparently enjoyed the ride as this morning she made a point of showing me the train. "Are we going for a ride?!?" Nope, sorry Prada. Gotta use your own four paws this morning!

I have fallen into some bad 'sighted' habits again, such as slowing Prada down before steps or curbs. Time to make my own occlusion glasses! It's amazing how difficult it is to not pay attention. I rarely, if ever, used my cane as a guide, reserving more for identification purposes so I never really learned to trust another object or being as a guide. This, I think, is yet another major disadvantage to being a “high partial.' Oh well, another challenge for God to help me get through!
This continues to challenge me, and I begin to understand why some dog guide schools reject partially sighted applicants.  It’s very easy to fall back into “partial” habits, and that untrains the dog.  I catch myself every few months, and make a “midyear resolution” to do better.  It’s really a lesson in mindfulness; a word I thought had no meaning outside of Jedi training until I learned that we tend to lose our presence of mind during simple actions like walking down the street!

Although she still seems to have a "grandma fixation," Prada daily shows signs of transferring small pieces of loyalty to me. I am confident that we're doing the right things to develop the relationships properly and that first week at school before my roommates move in again will be exceptionally helpful to this end. 20 days before takeoff!