Did you make it to Lollypop Farms Barktoberfest on the 26th!?  What a fantastic day for everyone who attended, and especially for Mr. Cooper and Freeport.  There was a Pet Assisted Therapy table with lots of PAT teams and we were so thankful to Joette for allowing us to bring Mr. Cooper along as a training exercise for him.  The weather was perfect and both Freeport and Mr. Cooper had the opportunity to socialize with a variety people and pets.





We even ran into Paxton - does anyone remember Paxton from Kodak Building 205 and his blogs?  He was in training to be a Guide dog and is now a Pet Assisted Therapy dog! 





We also ran into Lucy - remember the "I love Lucy" Berner from the Kodak Town Meeting slide show!?  



Kristin from Doodiepack was there and she had some Doodiepacks for Freeport and Mr. Cooper to model for the day.  With Niles there as well, another Berner, it was good advertisement for Kristin to say that they make sizes to fit any dog! (Notice little Ally in the background with the pink pack!)



Cooper and Freeport were also part of a photo shoot for our special friend from the READ program who gave us a pleasant surprise by coming to visit.



You may be wondering why I am so excited about these 3 situations -
It's just a festival-
It's just a pack-
It's just some people dressed as animals-
What's so exciting about that? 

Well, glad you asked, BECAUSE, if you've been following my blogs you'll remember that socialization is critical for therapy dogs - Interacting with strangers, experiencing different stimulus (like the pack and the characters), and being around new places - all play a major part in training. 

Not to mention all of the people taking pictures of the two of them!  I received links to Kodak Gallery albums from people who where there that knew us.  What a fantastic way to stay connected, yes?

By the end of the morning, though, Mr. Cooper was just downright pooped!



Speaking of which - anyone from Fairport, NY reading this?  Freeport & Mr. Cooper's photo is supposed to be in the Fairport Messenger with them 'kissing' in the "Kissing Booth"!



Besides Barktoberfest, we attended the Niagara Celtic Festival too!  Another great day.  Mr. Cooper met his second person "in costume", and never even gave it a second thought. 



He also came across his very first piece of equipment that is used for mobility - a motorized scooter!  This was so FUNDAMENTAL in his training since he'll be around wheel chairs, walkers, canes and other devices - Tell, me, do you think he was in the least bit nervous around the scooter?



So, anyone notice that fall was in there air!?  The leaves are starting to come down and both dogs are enjoying the cooler weather.  We did one final walk at Hamlin Beach State Park to swim just before going home to get a bath!



Then it was time to romp in the leaves!





I captured this picture where I think Freeport is telling Mr. Cooper that he loves him, but don't let mama or papa know!



Speaking of love - yes, I really do love them unconditionally, more than words could ever describe - the love from a child is so revealing, to capture it in a picture is priceless:



Have you captured that love in a photo recently?  Keep it; Share it; Treasure it forever!
And remember, it's time to SMILE!

Now to a more serious topic - no, really!  In level 2 obedience class at Ebb Tide Kennels, Joan - owner and trainer - emphasizes the importance of training in different locations.  If a dog only trains at the training building, or at home, they may not do as well in other environments.  In the dogs mind they may be thinking that they don't have to obey the commands other than those places.  If they are trained in new locations, they will realize that they need to pay attention WHEREVER they are.  Distractions are a plus - keeps them focused and thinking.  We did some sit, stand, and pay attention commands during the Celtic Festival's parade.  It was challenging, but well worth the effort.



On a side note -  Agility Training has a lot of advantages, both for the health of your dog and you and as a good way to stay communicated with them. It is also another tool that you can use to train your dog for Pet Therapy.  How, you ask?  Again, new environments, different obstacles, better control on commands - it all works together to help that bond and communication with your dog.  We've given Mr. Cooper some pre-trial experience with agility obstacles -  take a look:



OK - that's enough serious stuff - now, to round out this blog, I have to tell you that Bernese Mountain Dogs think they are lap dogs!  I know, I know - but I'm not kidding!

Mr. Cooper has become quite the affectionate little one and has taken to leaping into our laps for his daily hugs!  Fortunately, he is only 55 lbs now, so we'll have to curtail this soon, but until then, I'M LOVING IT!

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