What Would You Do? Puppy first; Service-Dog-in-Training

Amber-Service Dog-in-Training turned 12 weeks old yesterday. My son and I are grateful that she is in our life at this stage, even if the her sharp puppy teeth and even with her half labrador need to chew. In two years we are optimistic she will pass her testing to be a full fledge service dog..

I could brag at how well she sits; how attentive she is and what a beautiful dog she is…of course that is all true, but, I need your opinion on something for now.

Can you tell me WHY in the world is it ever OK to encourage your tots to get into anyone’s puppy’s face? Can you soothe my nerves over people with bad manners?

Amber service-dog-in-training. I know, she is so adorable you jus twant to get in her face to love on her.. but don’t She’sa puppy with sharp teeth. -see post sooth nanna nerves

Amber is so cute how she seems to gather and hoard her toys; bones and blankets. In the iamge below she had gathered all her new toys and old one..the ones that had not rolled under furntiture, any way. Amer-Service-Dog-in-Training is still rolly-polly and playful when she is not in training or pooped out taking a puppy nap.

Currently I, the No Non-cents Nanna, spend about 2 hours in training that includes walking on lease and ignoring the squirels or crows; dropped chicken nuggets or spilled food on the ground. Stting and watching the squirels and birds is fasinating and enjoyable for us both.

We still have to work on her impulisve playful nipping. She is labrador puppy-labs need to chew. All puppies nip and bite. Some puppies more than others. Some “bite” harder than others.Their teeth are sharp. Get into any dogs ‘space” without warning, the dog will protect its space instinctlvely.

Amber Service-dog-in-Training takes time out from training to play..WOW does she play! the vest was a hand-me-down until she fit her sservice dog in training vest..which she is not required to wear. Nor does a vest really certify she is a legit dog in training.

Puppys use their mouths to explores..and they have sharp teeth in htos cute little mouths!

Just when I think we have over come her impulsive nip, she gets me when I am most vulnerable, on the floor, doing my job. I won’t show the scabs on my arms from little accidents..not a pretty site! I am on blood thinners and my aging skin is thin. I bleed easily. We got her sharp toe nails clipped. I expect to have a few more scratches..this is not our first rodeo with puppies.

Sit puppy!

Amber gets excited to see family members. i get excited, too. She forgets and starts jump up. Family has to set limits every time they come over. With appopriate consistency Amber will learn to sit automatically when family comes. We all have to watch our cues or mis-cues to help the canine learn what to do.

People behaving badly

Ah.. but there is the rub..our neighbors get into our space when we go in and out the apartment buidling. I have no choices of exits nor entrances. They EXPECT a puppy to jump up. They encourage non-mannerly behavior with out asking permission…I am now a big ole sour puss for setting limits on “idiot people.”  mis-behaviing neighbors.

Should I carry lolli-pops to give neighobrs when they behave like grown adults?

Service dog in training is still a puppy.

It is not that I am not working on training Amber to get through this normal puppy stage…I AM! and I have advice from our service dog trainer…but there is no guarantee that Amber won’t playfullly nip at a child when he/she runs up to us while Amber is doing her duty on the dog walking area. I can not control other people poor choices of behavior.. I CAN train the puppy to ignor them. but, it takes time. I never expected to be so frustrated with so many people aorunda orun us who interfer with training.

The longer a not desire behavior is allowed the longer it will take to re-train for the proper behavior. AS the handler of this puppy, I am the BOSS of her, not strangers who are passing by.

I have even had a neighbor from down the hall set her very active toddler down in front of Amber. Mom was very animated, “Puppy. Puppy! Ryan See the puppy!” It scared the crap out of me for that impulisve child. Amber had complied with my command to sit But when the mother so quickly jumped twards the puppy perhaps assuming my command for the pup to sit was an invitation to come and play I had already set limits with the mother before.

Even adults get over excited throwing food at the puppy to lure her away from me.

Thes look of disappointment on No Non-cents Nanna’s face when the puppy makes a piddle mistakes. or people try to lure puppy

WHAT the HECK are these PEOPLE THINKING?!!! 

I love children. But I would NEVER run up to strange kids from accross a parking lot to hug and kiss them. So why is is OK for people to go nutz over a cute puppy a dinterfere with the owner/ handler teaching the puppy good maners?

It is NOT OK! I know that! for fact!

But, why do parents of small children have no common sense about puppies? For us, people interfere with training of a service-dog. They only see the puppy, not a a big sign I wear. Nor do they heed my “NO STOP! Don’t touch!”

Last week I tried to get out Amber ut of the door to go potty. By the WAy, that door is more than the legal 5 pounds of pressuare for disabled folks to get opened and closed. (That door is very heavy and ahrd to open.) But upstairs neighbor kids or kids of gusts were dropping food down that stairs. One thing they dropped was a bouncing jaw breaker.. of course Amber jumped on it. It got stuck. I had to pop it out of the 10-11 week old puppy’s throat. It happened THAT fast. Kids though it was funny.

Management apparently does not care. They informed me to have her vest on…and we knew feel how with that statement? Apartmetn mangemnt can’t order us to that. We have all paper work in our files that is required. Bsides. We got amber at 7 pouhds a month ago. Now She over 20 pounds. How many cute little vests should we buy? Her service-dog-in-training vest is in the mail. She should be able to wear that one about 4 months. Update: Amber is now 8 months old at 67 pounds. I am about to order her 3rd vest.

But setting limits on these people draws defensiveness and irrate responses. I am not in the mood to deal with any more bad manners from neighbors, to say the least. My son and I are fixin’ to move when we can find a suitable wheelchair accessible home. Limited mobility is why my son needs to have a new service dog.

Amber service dog in training learns to lie down by the sheelchair and wait. Over the next 2 years she iwll learn to igonore everyone adn everthing except her owner’s needs andcommands

What do you do when you see a puppy? Have you had experience socializing a pet when neighobrs got obnoxious about calling your dog away from you with what your dog percieves as a treat?

Or does it bother you with people descend on your dogs or even your children?

Am I just crabby and need to get over it? ( Be careful with your answer. I’m sleep deprived from neighbors playing loud music all night and loud domestic issues in the hall ways… my lit goes on and on…that is why we are trying move…)

The ASPCA has a page on their website about Dog Bite Prevention I wish folks with small kids would read this. Would you please clik on that link then share it for every one who thinks it is a fun thing to allow their kids to run up to strangers puppies without invitation?

Safety Tips for Children

Be aware of the fact that any dog can bite. From the smallest to the largest, even the most friendly, cute and easygoing dogs might bite if provoked. The vast majority of dog bites are from a dog known to the person—his or her own pet, a neighbor’s or a friend’s. You can help protect your child from dog bites by discussing with him the appropriate way to behave around dogs. We offer the following tips:..https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/dog-care/dog-bite-prevention

Any advice or feeling Let talk!

Amber is now 8 months old: We moved solving the nieghbohood issues.

Before You Buy the Take Your Dog Anywhere Card Read this First

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