day two

I woke up at 3:00 am, not because of Quito, but because I just woke up. And what's better than to start your training journal at that time of day?

Highlight 1: When I reached out for Quito, she quietly wagged her tail. I found that she was lying with her head under the bed. When she thought it was time to get up, she came up, stood by the bed and licked my hand as soon as she could reach it. What she does not like is when I close the bathroom door, but we are working on it.

Highlight 2: We went for the morning walk, and Quito's energy kicked alive, as she started to run, using me as the center of action. That surely was fun to see.

After breakfast we drove to the coaches parents' place, where I had the chance to look at a Lab and a GSD briefly, before we went to the nearby city to start our morning walk.

Some commands are different from Hapoo's, and the way I use the harness handle and I apply corrections is also different. But we are learning, and at least I already notice it when I make a mistake. It is not easy to snap out of old habits that have been in place for eight years. The coach is patient and very calm, which really helps a lot. And the dog doesn't freak out too much when I do something wrong.

We then picked up a GSD to take her back to her breeder, because she had not qualified as a guide dog. The breeders were wonderful people and took us to see their youngsters. When they came to look at Quito, who was left in the car, Quito growled, as I opened the trunk to let her out. I reached and picked her up anyway, but it looks like she does not like to be stared at by people.

It is great that things occure while I am in training, so I can get advice and even try things to correct them while the coach is there. We are going to watch this closely to see what can be done.

Back at the parents' place we met a really tiny Malinois that had been rescued from Spain. A very shy little dog named Quinta, who is a marvelous runner and had great fun running and even being knocked over in play by Quito. The mother had made a really delicious cake for us, and afterwards Quinta even allowed me to pet her, which is quite an achievement. We left, stopped at a grocery store to pick up some water, and when Quito had been released for the final time, I was so tired, you wouldn't believe it. Her breeder tried to contact me, but I was so sleepy, and up here at the hotel room there is practically no network availability, so I just kept on sleeping. At least I am awake now and ready for new adventures.