September 16, 2014

Riley's Vest is Ready


 Riley's vest is finally complete! I had our tailor sew on the velcro backing for her "Service Dog" and "Training" patches because the vest was too thick for my needle. If you start in the upper left corner and go clockwise her patches are : "Do Not Pet [STOP] Do Not Distract, CGC, AKC Star Puppy, "Training", and "Service Dog". The red heart tag in the middle is her rabies vaccine ID.

I picked this layout because she always heels on my left side. This is the side people will typically be approaching, so I wanted them to very clearly see the "Do Not Pet" and "Service Dog" patches.

September 12, 2014

Service Patches


Riley's patches have arrived! I ordered them from The Mutiny Shop down in LA and I'm really pleased with the quality. These patches attach using velcro, so I'm having a tailor sew velcro to the vest. When her training is completed, I can remove the "TRAINING" patch and replace it with another "SERVICE DOG" patch. The tailor says her vest will be ready by Tuesday. I'll post a few pictures with her vest once it's completed!

*Update - Since posting this, I have received a second set of custom patches from Bull Shoals Embroidery on Etsy. I decided to go with those patches instead because they match the style of the vest better. I may still use these patches in future on another vest.

September 10, 2014

Public Access and Zoom Room Job!




Now that Riley's passed her CGC exam (woohoo!) I've started working on public access training. I'm starting out very slowly to make sure she masters it completely and isn't overwhelmed or stressed. Our first outings have been to "The Habit Burger Grill" by our house. They have a nice outdoor patio with heaters, so we can sit outside at night and enjoy a nice dinner while Riley learns to chill in a down stay. My husband and I have taken her twice and each time she's been better at laying still and ignoring people coming in and out of the restaurant.