Charlie Bear here. I’ve never been on a bus. Have you? Mom Peep’s friend Kimi Yokota is a puppy raiser for CCI Canine Companions for Independence. Thanks, Kimi, for letting me share one of your outings.
The OCTA Service Animal Training is held once a year on the first Saturday of October and offers service animals the opportunity to ride the OCTA Orange County Transportation Authority bus. Kimi’s service dog in training, Bowen, got to experience riding a kneeling bus (with a ramp), hear the sounds the bus made, learned how to ride and walk on slick floors, and how to enter and exit the bus calmly. His biggest issues were trying not to slide around and tucking his long body under the bus seats so his paws or tail didn’t get stepped on.
The buses stopped periodically so the dogs could practice getting on and off. Some dogs are startled by the smell, sounds, movement, or floors on the bus. Puppy raisers watch their dog’s reactions so they can help them if they need it. If Bowen had reacted to anything, then Kimi would know what types of things to work on so he’d be confident in Professional Training.
After about a 20 minute ride they finally stopped at their destination, Knott’s Berry Farm!
Knott’s Amusement Park has partnered with OCTA for the past few years, and graciously allows the raisers and their dogs entry into the park for free for even more training around lots of people, costumed characters, and excited children. And don’t forget those important pictures with Snoopy or Woodstock.
If you are a puppy raiser and live in the Southern California area, look into attending OCTA service animal training next year.
Woofs and Wiggles to All Service Dogs in Training!
More power to you guys (and next time, invite me along so I can get a picture with Woodstock).
Charlie Bear
For more on Bowen and Kimi’s adventures: www.bowensdogblog.wordpress.com
Diseases that cause hormonel imbalances and improper habitat temperatures also increase the risk of MBD.
If the room is not warm enough to keep the tank nicely heated, you can use a lamp and a ceramic light bulb.
Since salamanders are amphibians, they would rather choose moist and damp areas to live.
Great write up on the OCTA Service Animal Training. We love this event and we’ve attended it with our guide dog pups every year for the past 5 years.
I love the picture with Woodstock. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a picture with any of the Peanuts characters this year. 🙁
Colby,
Awesome that you attend with your guide dog pups! And hats off to you for raising those furry, feisty, bundles of love.
Wiggles and Woofs,
Charlie Bear and B.J.
Oh, sweet Bowen! So thankful for dogs like him–and Charlie Bear.
Julie,
Woof! I’m thankful for service dogs, too. They do an honorable job helping people who need it: sometimes kids, sometimes military, sometimes moms or dads. It’s really cool, and Mom Peep said she saw a graduation ceremony where dogs were placed with their people and it made her cry tears of joy. How awesome!
Woofs to you and Clyde,
Charlie Bear
Aren’t service dogs great, Charlie Bear? My mom works in a place where they make Braille books, tapes and other aids for the blind and visually impaired. They have quite a few guide dogs that work there with their masters and provide a valued service. All the people there love and respect the work the guide dogs do. Why, when one is retired, they even recognize the dog just like they do when the employees retire! One of their dogs was even featured in a show on Animal Planet along with his owner a few years ago. Their dogs learn to ride buses, planes, cross with the traffic lights, help their owners up and down stairs, and wait patiently for hours at a time while their masters are working. They attend meetings and conferences and give their masters freedom to go places and do things that would be much more difficult without them. They are some pretty smart pups!!
Kenzie sends puppy woofs to you and your mom peep.
Your pal,
Jake
Jake,
Service dogs are awesome. How cool that your mom works among the industry that helps them!
Woofs and wiggles to Kenzie the pup and to you, Jake (the big guy of the house).
Charlie Bear