An article was published in a magazine about Southeastern Guide Dogs school.
It gives another perspective on the process the school undertakes to accomplish their mission of providing world-class Guide Dogs, free of charge to visually impaired individuals, Service Dogs to veterans and Canine Companions to children facing a future with impaired vision.
One of the aspects in the article is the new condition training program implemented by the school.
Featured giving a demonstration is none other than the ever beautiful and ever sweet Watson!
An excerpt, which is the most important part of the article (not that I am biased), reads as follows:
"Training really begins after quarantine, when the dogs are taught over 40 commands, from “forward” to “find my phone,” and assessed on qualities like attentiveness and tolerance. The most promising prospects work with Southeastern’s accredited trainers and apprentices like Stephanie Spence to learn guide and service dogs skills, and complete a conditioning regimen prescribed by head veterinarian Kevin Conrad and Lauren Hugus, a canine conditioning and rehabilitation coach. Twice a week, dogs are brought individually to a room filled with Swiss exercise balls, balance boards and treadmills. There, Hugus uses healthy, green treats to encourage them through canine calisthenics that engage both their body and mind.
Training begins in earnest after quarantine, when the dogs are taught over 40 commands, from “forward” to “find my phone,” and assessed on qualities like attentiveness and tolerance. Photo by Dyllan Furness
What a thrill to see her picture while training!
To read the full article you can click on this link.
https://abeautifulperspective.com/2018/11/how-raise-guide-dog/?fbclid=IwAR0q_BnmWvx_YAvvfrrX8DiR7MjYr5M37YHF3lxCQ1hUV_aLmR8qElA7ntA
It gives another perspective on the process the school undertakes to accomplish their mission of providing world-class Guide Dogs, free of charge to visually impaired individuals, Service Dogs to veterans and Canine Companions to children facing a future with impaired vision.
One of the aspects in the article is the new condition training program implemented by the school.
Featured giving a demonstration is none other than the ever beautiful and ever sweet Watson!
An excerpt, which is the most important part of the article (not that I am biased), reads as follows:
"Training really begins after quarantine, when the dogs are taught over 40 commands, from “forward” to “find my phone,” and assessed on qualities like attentiveness and tolerance. The most promising prospects work with Southeastern’s accredited trainers and apprentices like Stephanie Spence to learn guide and service dogs skills, and complete a conditioning regimen prescribed by head veterinarian Kevin Conrad and Lauren Hugus, a canine conditioning and rehabilitation coach. Twice a week, dogs are brought individually to a room filled with Swiss exercise balls, balance boards and treadmills. There, Hugus uses healthy, green treats to encourage them through canine calisthenics that engage both their body and mind.
“I’m a believer that our dogs are athletes. All of the equipment serves a purpose,” Conrad says, pointing to a gorgeous Golden named Watson who’s just climbed onto a balance board with encouragement from Hugus. “This bidirectional board here wobbles on both sides, so Watson has to decide, Can I handle motion or does that scare me? Can I handle sound, because it makes sound? We can then separate these dogs into those that are sound-sensitive, motion-sensitive, body-sensitive, and then work with their weaknesses and focus on strengthening that.”
What a thrill to see her picture while training!
To read the full article you can click on this link.
https://abeautifulperspective.com/2018/11/how-raise-guide-dog/?fbclid=IwAR0q_BnmWvx_YAvvfrrX8DiR7MjYr5M37YHF3lxCQ1hUV_aLmR8qElA7ntA
Yay for Watson!
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