Socialization and Enrichment
We are keeping busy as we wait for our paperwork to go through Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Izzy has two friends that she plays with now: Juno and Maya but socialization is so much more than play. She has a pack walk once a week with Maeve and Elisha and we usually get another walk in with Maeve. They learn so much on these walks. For Izzy, she learns that we don't always play with other dogs and while she can interact from a distance, it's not a time for physical interaction. When she is working as a therapy dog, she must keep at least 2 feet away from other dogs). She also gets to practice being calm in all kinds of situations: passing other dogs (who are often pulling towards her), seeing deer, birds and rabbits, passing closely to trucks and polite meetings with people (with permission) as well as ignoring people we walk by. We also practice loose leash walking. Izzy has made so much progress since we started these walks (as have Elisha and Maeve).
We are also taking a Tricks class. I have two goals for this class. One is to strengthen our communication and bond. Whether it be scent work, obedience or tricks, activities with your dog really do strengthen your working relationship. I am getting to know Izzy better and she is getting to know me better. My second goal is to have some cute tricks we can demonstrate on visits. We have been introduced to Luring, Shaping, and Targeting. These are the foundation for almost anything you want to work on with your dog like Agility or Canine Freestyle. The first thing we are working on is "bow".
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