Task Trained

With the warmer Minnesota weather, we've been able to get outside more often which has given Charlie and Sunny time to work together as a team and practice some of the tasks Sunny hasn't used on a regular basis during the pandemic. 

Charlie has been wanting to handle Sunny independently lately, which we're thrilled about.  Typically myself or Tyler are the handlers while in public, but this is a great way for Charlie to start taking over as lead handler eventually.  Either Tyler or myself are never far away to help or intervene if need be.  I mean, Sunny still out-weighs Charlie by a good 50lbs. 

When we go on family walks Sunny rarely has her working vest on. She is free to relax and enjoy her walk as a regular dog. But lately we've witnessed how much she responds to Charlie. Even without her vest, she is seen in this picture doing a solid "block" with Charlie. Block is when she securely stands in front of Charlie to block him from going further, typically at a road or intersections. 

Charlie knows going in the road is not safe, but often he is distracted or not paying attention and will forget to look for cars.

One task that Charlie uses with Sunny every day is "lap" or "full on" where Sunny will lay on Charlie.  This gives Charlie deep pressure from Sunny which is known as deep pressure therapy.  Deep pressure helps Charlie to calm down, feel more regulated and gain more control over his body.  This is probably the number 1 task Sunny does for Charlie.  They use it at home, the park, the grocery store, the dentist....wherever we are!  This is one reason Sunny sleeps with Charlie each night as well.  

There are numerous tasks Sunny is trained to help Charlie with, which, being trained to do tasks specifically for Charlie is what makes her a true service dog.  Different tasks serve different purposes, such as keeping Charlie safe, helping him to regulate his body within his surroundings, or just being able to navigate life with varying abilities each day.