# Really great dog but...



## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Okay. Maddie is exemplary. I'm told so over and over. We go into the library (where Maddie works) off leash and she heels perfectly. She's put on a downstay and waits for people to come over to her. At the vets she doesn't need to have a vet tech. She's told to stand or stay and she does. If I toss cookies on the ground she won't touch them until I say it's okay. Same with her dinner, she sits until she is released. 

So...why am I writing?

I took her to the local high school (one anxiety-prone student requested a therapy dog, and got it [Maddie] for when she had to give an oral presentation). Lunch was just over. Maddie dragged me to every unloved dirt-encrusted french fry, every half potato chip, every snippet of lunch bread on the ground as we walked across the campus (and there were a bunch). 

Once we got to the classroom, Maddie was stellar, just as I expected. I put her on a downstay next to the student and I sat crosslegged between some student chairs so I wouldn't be so visible. Of course, once it was over and I released her. She wanted to say Hi to as many students as she could, which is our usual pattern. 

But about the food issue. Any thoughts? We're also doing nose work, not that she's gotten particularly worse since then, but maybe. She's alway been icky on leash and amazing off leash.


----------



## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

Practice the leave it command out on a sidewalk and/or parking lot until she will walk right past those things when she sees them. Then practice in another public place, like the school campus. 

Dogs don't generalize. Leave it at home doesn't mean leave it somewhere else until you teach them it does.


----------



## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Thanks! I have to get back to regular practicing with Maddie. I'm so caught up with nose work, I forget to go back to basics.


----------



## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

Gwen_Dandridge said:


> I took her to the local high school (one anxiety-prone student requested a therapy dog, and got it [Maddie] for when she had to give an oral presentation).


Your local high school can request a therapy dog for students? That is super cool! How did you get Maddie involved in being an on-call therapy dog? I'm fascinated at the idea. Maddie must be amazing if she can step in and assist anyone at a moment's notice.

I don't spend tons of time training Chumlee, but I agree that we have to constantly work on "Leave It" and just when I think he gets it, we go to an unfamiliar location and it's like he's never heard those words before.

Bravo to you and lovely Maddie for all the great work you do.

But loving school lunch food? Oh dear, Maddie! :yuck:


----------



## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

brianne said:


> Your local high school can request a therapy dog for students? That is super cool! How did you get Maddie involved in being an on-call therapy dog? I'm fascinated at the idea. Maddie must be amazing if she can step in and assist anyone at a moment's notice.
> 
> 
> But loving school lunch food? Oh dear, Maddie! :yuck:


We belong to Love on a Leash and to Channel City Kennel Club (which only does Paws to Read and Canine Ambassadors). The student request came to me from quite the bevy of people. Love on a Leash sent out the emergency request after I had told the student I would to it an hour or so before. The student got permission from the High School. I did send an email to LOAL to let them know I'd been asked. Our emails passed in the night!

As you can see here, Maddie was bored. She did get to say "Hi" to students after the presentation was over and that pleased her. Bottom line, she did her job as requested. She's on a downstay and frustrated as there are all those students with hands for petting!


----------



## Gwen_Dandridge (Jul 14, 2012)

Ugh. I tried to post a Facebook video of Maddie but don't know how.


----------



## brianne (Feb 18, 2012)

She's so beautiful! I can imagine that all the students find her irresistible. I'll look up Love on a Leash. Wondering if it is nation-wide or a local group? What a great idea for people to be able to request a therapy dog for stressful situations!


----------



## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Gwen_Dandridge said:


> Ugh. I tried to post a Facebook video of Maddie but don't know how.



If you originally uploaded the video on Youtube, you can "Go Advance" when making a post, select the "Youtube" Icon in the gray area above the white area where you type your comment, insert the URL info after the "=" and it will post to the forum. You can preview it before hitting submit.


----------

