Today I had to pick up some things, so Felix and I went out to lunch to make it a training outing. We went to Firehouse Subs. This restaurant is not well laid out for wheelchair users, with only three tables really having enough room for a wheelchair and a big enough aisle to get to them. Two of those tables were taken, so we ended up sitting right next to the door.
I had Felix on my right because of the poor table setup (normally he’s on my left), so it was a bit of an unusual situation. He was out of the line of traffic between the door and the counter, but next to it so that everyone who entered and left the restaurant had to walk about 2 feet away from him.
Felix was SO GOOD!!!! He just lay there as alllll these people walked in and out of the restaurant. I ate my food, and he only got up twice! Both times I was quickly able to redirect him back into his down on his mat. I ate my whole (free!) sub and drank my whole drink.
After I was done eating, I put him on my lap (because the one aisle that’s wide enough for a wheelchair isn’t wide enough for a wheelchair and a service dog!) and we went back over to refill my drink. As I was doing that, an employee came over and dumped a big cooler of ice into the machine. She asked first if it would be OK, and I told her it’d be a good training opportunity!
Felix was a bit startled at first by the noise, but quickly recovered and was totally chill.
Next we headed to Starbucks to pick up some ground coffee and a reusable cup for PSDP’s convention raffle. I decided to have Felix walk the whole time next to my wheelchair, even though I knew I’d have to carry a bag. Again he did so well!
He went through the door like a pro, and heeled across the restaurant. The only slip-up we had was that when we got to the counter, there was a straw wrapper on the floor and he wanted to bat at it like a cat LOL. So we just moved back a little bit and away from the wrapper.
I got the items in a Starbucks bag and held the bag in my left hand with the leash. I drove with my right hand. We made it out the door and to the car with him in a very good heel (except when he told me he needed to pee, then he did pull to a bush, but that’s OK). I was impressed how he managed it with a big old bag hanging over his head!
Finally we had to stop by Walmart and pick up our groceries. He was very quiet just chilling in the back seat as the employee loaded up our groceries in the trunk.
Overall it was a very good outing! I’m getting more and more confident that Felix might pass his Public Access Test in April!!!!
Below is a picture of Felix in his galaxy harness lying on a rainbow blanket at Firehouse Subs.
