At Dartmouth, We Work Hard, Play Hard

I love doing Down-Stay: it's the perfect time to take a well-needed nap! (and check out my new In Training bandana!)

As you saw in my “A Chai Latte with Skim, Please!” post, Mom started taking me out into public this past Tuesday to start getting me to understand the difference between Work and Play and to get as much exposure as possible to different scenarios I might encounter as a PSD.

Actually, I wore my ESA vest for the first time on Monday, when I went to the gym briefly with Mom on a quick errand. I want to take a moment here just to note that both my vests are the same style and weight, so they feel the same to me, which is why I consider being “vested” the same, no matter which vest I’m wearing—so, Monday counts as my first public appearance or SDiT training session because I was wearing one of my vests, even if it was only my ESA vest.

The vest was a little intimidating at first.  I had never worn anything on my body before—that’s such a human concept—so it was tricky figuring out how to function with it on.  I didn’t even know how to go down stairs with it at first!  Luckily, I am now used to it and realize that it doesn’t change anything about my ability to move or perform actions (thank goodness!).

On Duty at CVS!

So how does a dog like myself learn the difference between my “vested” personality and my “free” personality, between Work and Play?  It’s an abstract concept, and it should really be in Tier II with the more abstract commands, except that it is so crucial to a working dog’s life that Mom didn’t want to wait until Tier II for me to start learning the difference.  I’m lucky in that I’ve managed to pick up on the difference between Work and Play very quickly—I can even go into Work mode in Mom’s dorm room!  I’ve started ignoring people who want attention and am even learning to stick by Mom’s side when I’m “vested,” even though I don’t know Heel yet (Mom says I’m probably ready to start learning that soon).  Apart from being a sponge of knowledge thanks to my Border Collie lineage, there are a few things that have helped me distinguish between Work and Play.

Some of the commands that Mom uses have really helped me learn the difference between Work and Play.  When Mom first puts on one of my vests, she tells me to Dress, which means that I stand quietly and patiently until she’s finished buckling me in.  To do this is simple: she simply puts a treat on the other side of my harness, and I get it as I slide my nose through.  This is just the first step in switching me to Work mode.  After Mom and I are both ready, she tells me that I am “On Duty,” at which point, I have learned that I need to focus on my work.  When I need to transition back to being “normal” dog, Mom tells me to Undress, and then she lets me know that it’s “Playtime” in a very happy tone, which breaks my focused trance.

Playtime in the woods!

Mom’s actions and attitude also help me distinguish between Work and Play.  When I’m in Play mode, she is much more lively and lets me off leash—she lets me sniff, chase squirrels, and say hi to other people if they’re okay with dogs.  However, when I’m wearing my vest, she insists that I stay close, and she constantly tells me to Leave it or to Watch her.  She becomes very focused, too, which helps me remain focused—her many commands make me keep my attention on her.

I can’t wait to do my next PSDiT training session with my vest!  I really like the challenge of learning the difference between Work and Play—it makes me feel like such a smart, good girl!

All my tail wags,

Kelsie Iris