By Jennifer Reed
Has it really been a year? On January 15, Drake will celebrate her first birthday and our “little girl” will not be so little anymore!
It’s been a very busy six months here at The Drake Center and Good Dog! Autism Companions, hence our tardiness on these blog posts. In the business of training therapy dogs, there are bound to be some hiccups and over the last several months, Drake has experienced some setbacks in her training.
Despite a few delays, we are thrilled to report that all is well and Drake is on her way to becoming a great facility dog!
Unlike service dogs, most facility dogs are not placed until the two-year mark. Because of this, the Good Dog! board has decided to wait until Drake has matured a bit more before placing her in a classroom. We hope to have her officially placed by the start of the next school year.
In the meantime, Drake’s recent visit to a local school was a very exciting and encouraging step for everyone. According to her trainer, Drake is very attracted to the kids and seems to be an ideal companion for children with special needs.
When meeting a boy in a wheelchair, a piece of equipment she had not yet been exposed to, Drake remained completely focused on the child (can you say that about most people?). Loud noises did not seem to bother her, either. She was perfectly content to sit in the front of the room and let the kids take turns petting her.
So far, Drake has mastered the following commands:
- “Sit”
- “Down”
- “Look (look at me)”
- “Leave it”
- “Out”
- “Stay”
- “Wait”
- “Easy”
- “Go to bed”
- “Off”
- “Come”
- “With me (heel)”
- “Gentle”
- “Settle”
She is currently working on “head down” (placing her head in a child’s lap), “back,” “go visit,” “go to” and “greet.”
Once she has mastered these, Drake’s trainer will work with her on custom commands for the classroom.
Drake will be considered fully trained once she can perform all her commands with at least 90 percent accuracy on the first ask.
We’re so proud of our girl. She’s come a long way.