Rate this:

Today’s the day Maxine really showed off her intelligence. At this point in the training students basically request certain trips they’d like to practice with their dogs, and since I enjoy hiking I requested that we test Maxine on a hiking trail. So there we were, Maxine, instructor, and I gliding along an uneven dirt path beneath a leafy canopy. Maxine followed the trail easily, which impressed both the instructor and I because Maxine had never guided on a trail before. How much more relaxing it is to just hold the harness handle while strolling along a trail compared to hiking with a cane that gets stuck in every little crevice. Near the beginning Maxine would lead me into piles of stones and logs without even stopping, causing me to trip and catch myself (I never fall!) Each time I stumble over something she gets distressed, and by the middle of the trail she’d figured out to lead us around the big rocks, holes, and even puddles! She learned how to guide on a trail so quickly; I’m very pleased with her.

Advertisement