I just have to brag about Alice’s training outing yesterday! She was AWESOME!!!!
We went to Michael’s with Skyler and Korra, and Scarlet. Before Skyler and Korra even got there, Alice was wanting to go inside the store. She walked confidently through the doors with no coaxing!
Normally when we go to stores with other dogs, Alice likes the other dog to walk first, and that encourages her to walk along at a more normal speed instead of stopping to observe so much. But this time we went first and Alice had no problem walking along like a champ!
She pretty much stayed in heel position the whole time, even though I haven’t specifically trained for that. It’s just where she feels comfortable.
I clicked and treated for eye contact, and also did several touches throughout the store to reposition her when she was in someone’s way or drifting.
We had an interesting situation when we were walking down a narrow aisle with Brad’s wheelchair in front, then Alice and me, Skyler and Korra, and Scarlet. With the wheelchairs and the dogs, we took up the whole aisle. The thing is that it was a really wide aisle with occasional displays going down the middle. So we were walking next to one of the displays (making it a narrow aisle) when this woman carrying a large frame tried to walk down our aisle! Of course she couldn’t fit, but that didn’t stop her from pressing through! So we all had to back up and let her past. Some people!
Alice liked to check in with Korra, and Brad got a really cute pic of Alice looking over her shoulder to check in on Korra behind us.
Alice got to meet several people, including some kids, and she did great!
We stopped near the front of the store, and Alice shook off, which Brad got a picture of and added embellishments to. The picture right after looks like Alice is still, but her ears are still sticking up from flying around so much, they are so cute!
We did let Korra and Alice greet each other by sniffing noses. This was their first time getting so close, and they did a great job! Alice has never met such a big dog, and Korra hasn’t met such a small one. Actually Korra ended up being a little weirded out by how small Alice was LOL!
We took another loop around the store, and someone had left a basket in one of the narrower aisles, which Alice was a little afraid of passing. With some encouragement and treats, she made it, though!
Then we stopped in the fake flower section and got some good photos of us together.
I didn’t want to push it after two loops around the store, so we headed out after that. I was SO proud of Alice! She really didn’t do much stopping to observe at all in the store, and walked around the store like a normal well-behaved dog! She’s doing so so great, I am so proud of her!
In the pictures I have my hair in a ponytail with a teal ribbon and am wearing a turquoise dress and a teal mask. Alice is a tiny sable and white Chin puppy wearing a pink plaid harness. Scarlet is in a wheelchair and wearing black leggings and a colorful crochet crop top. Skyler is wearing black leggings and a grey shirt with a black mask. Korra is a sable Standard Poodle with a black head collar on. And Brad is wearing turquoise pants, a white blazer, and a black mask with turquoise flowers.
