COMMITTED CANINE

Here’s a short video of Riff’s first trip to a department store for Public Access training, including while working next to a wheelchair. The Farm Store we visited permits pet dogs, which mostly are tethered to handlers who are quite out of control of their dogs. I’m not sure if Riff’s initial reaction was due to seeing dogs where he wasn’t expecting them, or if he didn’t understand why they would be pulling their owner in a way he’s learned is not acceptable! I’m going with the latter. Still, I took the opportunity to communicate that he is required to ignore other dogs, regardless of what behavior they may be presenting.

At the end of the video you’ll see Riff working on two different tasks. Pressing an automatic door open device requires that he uses his paw, as these devices can be too difficult to operate by touching it with his nose. He must learn to put his paw as close to the center of the button as possible. Riff seemed to be trying to impress the fact that he is willing to use both is right and left paw to accomplish the mission.

The second tasks that I added to this video asks Riff to touch a device with his nose. In this case, it’s an electronic doorbell button, which when depressed, will ring a sound that can be secured in a remote location (this one comes with quite a good, long range.)