Practice makes perfect 2

Today Hestia and I met up with Tammy and Phoebe and we went to TJ Maxx to practice for our upcoming Public Access Test, to Dick’s, to McAllister’s, and to Pet Supermarket! We were practicing our public access skills a ton—which is a lot from little Hestia!

We met up outside TJ Maxx, and I had made things more of a challenge for Hestia by putting her in her service coat instead of a vest. She doesn’t really remember that the coat means working since it doesn’t feel like her vests and she’s only worn it like 5 or 6 times.

Hestia was excited to see Phoebe, but mostly managed to stay in control of herself. I had to walk her away a couple of times so she could collect herself, but then she was better. After talking outside for a bit, we headed inside.

We found the cutest Easter display with these pastel gnome stuffed animals! We had to get a picture of the pups with them! Then we went to the back corner of the store to work on things on the PAT. We practiced greeting friendly strangers, we got video of the dogs practicing ignoring treats on the ground, and we did some obedience.

We walked all around the food section, and the dogs were great! We went to the dog aisle, and that was pretty challenging. They had toys and treats and beds all over the place—an invitation for fun! But the dogs did a very good job. They would sometimes get a little distracted, but returned focus back to us very quickly.

Then we did a challenge where I hid a treat in an aisle and had Tammy and Phoebe walk up and down that aisle without them knowing where the treat was hidden. Phoebe had no problem with that, she is a champ at leaving treats! They did the same for me, and Hestia did a good job, too.

After TJ Maxx, we headed to Dick’s where Hestia was not quite so good. She was very distracted and pulling 🙁 I was pretty frustrated, but when we got outside she pooped right away, so I guess she needed to poop while in the store and that was why she was misbehaving. I had no idea she needed to poop since she had just done so on a walk before we left!

Next we headed to McAllister’s where the pups were GREAT while Tammy and I ate. We had a really good time talking and the time flew by!

Finally, we headed to Pet Supermarket because I needed to get more treats. Hestia wouldn’t take treats in the store! I think she was just too excited. She wasn’t worried or upset, she was just like she lost her brain she was so happy to be in the pet store with her pal and be off duty! So I let her wander and sniff so long as she didn’t pull.

Hestia got four bags of freeze dried treats (we had a coupon for $10 off of a purchase of $30 or more)! Phoebe got some treats, too, and she got a huge dried fish skin which Hestia was coveting while we were in the store. While I was checking out, Tammy asked for some scissors and unbeknownst to me, cut off a small bit for Miss Hestia! I gave it to her when we got in the car to go home and she LOVED it!

I can’t wait to train some more, it is so good for Hestia and Phoebe, and fun for Tammy and me, too!

Pictures and a video are below. I am a woman with long curly brown hair wearing purple paw print leggings and a purple shirt. Hestia is a small white and black Japanese Chin with googley eyes wearing a purple service dog raincoat. Tammy is a woman with long brown hair wearing a black shirt and grey vest. Phoebe is a black Standard Poodle wearing a pink and black vest.