Post by thewisefarmer on Dec 10, 2017 10:51:56 GMT
TAKE IT; LEAVE IT
Our hearing ear dog, my daughter and I were invited to a very special Christmas party.
This was the holiday party for a group that trains dogs to serve the disabled.
We arrived to a home filled with kind joyful people and dogs that were in various ages of puppy hood. There was a table of gifts wrapped in paper of Santa Paws and Fleas Navidad. We added our gift to the pile.
The party started with opening of gifts and then after they were opened we began trading them. A question was asked and the winner picked a gift they wanted to trade. Diane was a golden retriever that was almost done with her training. When her trainer won the trade, Diane was given the command of "take it", Diane would rise, ignoring all the other gifts, she walked to the box of dog biscuits and gladly obeyed. She took it.
When others won and went to take her box, the dog expressed extreme displeasure. Then another winning question for her to have the "take it" command. She responded with great joy. She would prance back to her place with the dog biscuit box in her mouth. The group found great holiday humor in Diane making sure that she would take home the gift of her choice.
and laughter followed the game and the holiday was enjoyed by all. As the cups of coffee were nearing empty, the low set coffee table was still full of plates that contained crumbs. This was a real learning time for the pups. Conversation was constantly interrupted by a firm command "leave it!" For these dogs, this was not just edict, but was a very important lesson to their future work. These dogs would be expected to care for the new masters without regard to their own instincts. morsels within reach of the pups had to be left.It almost seemed cruel to have temptation so overwhelmingly present to the puppies. "Leave it" was not as easy of a command for even Diane to obey as was the one to "take it". I often think of those pups, as even in my own life learning to "leave it" seems an impossible task. Patient training was preparing these dogs to a life of great service, one they still did not understand when looking at the
on the table.When the party ended, I said goodbye to Diane. This would be her last party in training. She had learned well when to leave it and when to take it, as well as the many other tasks she needed to know. There would soon be many Christmas celebrations for her as certified service dog for a disabled person.
"Good Girl. Serve well!"
Diane trotted out to the car with her dog biscuit box in her mouth. All her training was rewarded by a simple gift. She would now become a special gift herself.
