Waiting for the Woof

My Woof will need to do a lot of tugging! Why? you say, Why?

Tugging is basic to a huge list of tasks for any service dog! Paals trains their pups to tug properly early on in their training.

A PAALS pup learns proper
tugging techniques*

OK — tugging is important. What is it that tugging is important for?? IAADP (the International Association of Assistance Dog Programs) lists a whole bunch of tasks that are based on tugging – things like tugging socks off without biting down on foot. Remember my blog post a while earlier when I was bemoaning having to have the Ol’ Curmudgeon help me dress and undress? Well, tugging my socks off surely would help!!

How about tugging my slacks, sweater, or coat off? Many times I struggle to get a jacket or sweater off. Or on. Trying to get that other side around to where I can get my hand and arm into the armhole is so hard sometimes – and painful!

Tugging doors that open outward so I can go through them – especially at some of the office buildings I have to go to. We’ll have to develop a device, or set of devices to attach to the door handles and levers that the Woof can hang onto to tug. But we’ll get it right! This is a major task. I have problems getting in and out of the office buildings with their big, heavy doors that always seem designed to keep the disabled out.

How about tugging items out of the dryer and into the laundry basket, then tugging / pulling the laundry basket down the hall into the bedroom for me on bad days? And tugging that same laundry basket down the hall to the washer full of dirty clothes? That will be a biggie!

Drag a heavy coat to the closet. Can’t hang it up for me, but getting it to the closet will be a huge help!

Close or drapes by tugging the cord. Well, we don’t have many drapes to pull the cord on, and we don’t open and close them much, so this particular tugging task won’t be needed at this time. But wrestling objects from the van into the house, now that’s a tugging task I do need!!

Opening cupboard doors, opening drawers, opening the refrigerator door – all can be accomplished by tugging on a strap attached to the door or drawer. This is very helpful to retrieving things from the cupboard or drawer or refrigerator. Even opening the front door for me when the doorbell rings!

Or . . . Hmmmmm! How about tugging the covers off of the Ol’ Curmudgeon to help him wake up in the mornings {very sly, smile}!!

While there are other tasks that tugging is intrinsic for, these are the ones that are going to be most helpful here at the moment.

We’ll get into retrieving, nose-nudging, pawing, carrying, bracing, and some other, specialty, tasks, later.

Woof, I’m thinking of many things for you to do!! I’m waiting for you, honey! And I’m preparing, but I’m sooooo impatient!! So eager!! I can hardly wait to see you and to hug you and to feel your soft ears. There is nothing like the soft ears of a Lab! Hurry and come home, Woof! We are waiting!!

*This beautiful PAALS pup will NOT be my Woof, but is demonstrating just one of the many tasks taught the dogs before they are partnered.  Notice that it is time for her to move to a larger harness! Pups go through 5 or more harnesses as they grow!