One of the most valuable lessons for a guide dog puppy is patience. The focus is on their ability to safely get from point A to point B. However, once at point B the guide dog will spend hours waiting (quietly) for the next opportunity to perform. This is an especially difficult activity for our people loving puppy, Monte.
We had the unfortunate opportunity to spend a day at the Platteville hospital visiting Lisa's mom who is recovering from a recent mishap. The hospital setting offered quite a challenge for Monte. He was required to behave, be quiet, and stay anchored for ten hours.
Seeing a puppy, many stopped to say "Hello". Monte is visually and aurally aware; movements and sounds draw his attention. His patience and obedience were thoroughly tested by a seemingly endless flow of nurses and visitors in the room and down the hallway. Strange beeps and buzzes were plentiful in the room and were augmented by the carts and equipment which were wheeled past.
With the exception of a few whines when he desired freedom, the young pup was quiet and relatively calm, until greeted by "wild" humans. Monte definitely needs more practice and we need to do a better job of training of the humans.
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