Real life still happens while you’re training!

The last 48 hours has been a steep learning curve, it’s definitely been about getting to know each (sometimes getting it wrong) and dealing with real life during training.

As you know from previous posts Fable has some interesting attention seeking behaviour: one of which is whining at the door to make me think she needs the toilet only for me to realise that she just wanted a little sniff around ! So when this started on Saturday night I did what was I had been told initially and ignored it, but it didn’t stop; I assumed we were in the biggest battle of wills yet. However, it didn’t stop, so in the end I waited for a quiet few seconds and took her out – the poor thing needed a poo!! I Felt like such a bad mum 😥

She seemed to forgive me though, and having spoken to my Guide Dog Mobility Instructor this morning I now have a better way of dealing with this, its just like being in a new relationship; sometimes we don’t communicate in the best way and misunderstand each other.

Yesterday we had our second visitors; mum and dad. Fable was brilliant again and got lots of cuddles once she had settled.

Unfortunately my dad was admitted to A &E during the night, a got a call early this morning and it was a bit stressful but my brother was an absolute star; reassuring me dad was ok and I didn’t need to go in. It’s at times like that when i am so grateful for the support of my friends and family. Thankfully it doesn’t seem to be anything too serious. My GDMI was fab; she offered to look after fable if I needed to go and visit dad and we were able to talk about what I might do if I needed to go out in an emergency. My GDMI also suggested that I could try leaving fable for a short time at this point with her smoked bone.

Today was day 4 of training; we went out for a walk on harness, the first time with out duel control (Our GDMI has a lead too). There were a lot of things en route to deal with including; wheels bins on my right side which is called right shoulder work, busy road crossings, dog and sea gull distraction, finding crossings and crossing buttons. Despite the fact that I was obviously feeing a bit worried about my dad (which she could Definitely sense this morning), and the fact that she hadn’t been out for a decent walk all weekend, she did really well . We were out for over an hour and once again we have a very tired fable.

I’ve just got back from the local shop, leaving her with her bone in the kitchen for half an hour and I’m pleased to  report that’s another successful first achieved!

Theres nothimg like adding a bit of real life to make training a bit more exciting, although I think we could all do without too much of that kind of excitement.