Painful Day

Today was a painful day in more ways than one.  Physically as I was not feeling great in both the oxygen and pain department.  Emotionally as we had a heartbreaking lecture.  And, then, just exhausted from all the moving and training.  All the non-stop action is getting to me!  It's getting to Cleo, too. 

       We started off the day with stations again… a retrieval station, a "go pay" station, a "pulling" open cabinets and refrigerator station, and another turning on/off light switch station.  We went through the stations doing fairly well.  Cleo did excellent on retrieval and opening cabinets!  After lunch we practiced walking with our dogs and different positions. 

       After all the training exceed uses we had a heartbreaking lecture on retirement and loss of a service dog.  I had also already read the chapters in our text book, so I went in with an arsenal of prior knowledge.  The retirement is heartbreaking because we are saying goodbye to all the great supportive work.  The loss is just a down right heartbreaking tear jerker.  It's a double wamy!  We were all in tears just listening!

        Then Cleo got some doggie playtime.  She loved it and came back tired and thirsty. 

       If something happens to me I would want Cleo to go to those closest to me or to help someone else with her amazing skills.  Hopefully nothing will happen to either of us for a long time!