Bitter Sweet

So we have now entered our 5th week of training with the dogs. For some odd reason, in EVERY class we teach, in week five, our dogs don't want to work. It's kind of like hitting that platoe (sp?) when you're dieting. Tuesday was rough! But today was a great day! Today the dogs and kids looked like pros! You'd think they've been training for months. We have a very large area to work in and all the kids spread out at times. At one point today Berry ( security/direct care staff worker) and I just sat down and looked around at the kids and just couldn't believe our eyes. Each kids was working and their dog was responding and it's only week five. It was truly a beautiful site to see! :)


It was one of those bitter-sweet days. K is going home tomorrow. He's been there a really long time and is done serving his time. He's a great kid and there is no doubt in my mind he has learned his lesson and will not be back. At the beginning of our program K was quiet, didn't like to ask/answer questions, and seemed hesitant about training his dog Tucker. Today he was a pro! Tucker now knows sit, stay, lay down, shake, dance, and his dance is perfect, and he's really good on a leash! Tucker will stay in the program and work with A until we swap the dogs out but he really could be adopted out now if we had too. And to think that Tucker was considered un-adoptable just five weeks ago!

At the end of class today I asked K if he is proud of himself. He looked at me with this big beautiful smile and said "Yes, I am proud of myself.". I could see it in his face and smile, it had all just sunk in. He realized he had accomplished something to be proud of and not only we're other people proud of him but he was proud of himself. He now has the courage he needs to go home tomorrow.



I wish you the best K and will pray for your future to be as bright as that smile I saw today. (tear)

A, Tucker, and K taking a walk (A's red shirt means she has a ways to go, K's gold shirt means he's almost there!)