Introducing Isaac!

Here he is!

He is so friendly!  And he was very well behaved.  We walked around in Walmart for a while, then sat down in Subway and had a drink, then walked around outside, then went back into Walmart and walked around some more.  I think it was kind of long for him, though.  He is still in training and I'm not sure how much public access training he's had so far.  This was not his first time in a store and he did really well, but by the time we went back into Walmart, he was getting distracted pretty easily and seemed a bit stressed.  To be honest, I was getting tired and stressed myself.

It was kind of like being in a store with a very well behaved three year old.  You know how you still have to watch them really closely because they will forget they have to stay right beside you or start to touch something they aren't supposed to touch and you'll have to remind them?  It was a lot like that.  Twice he wanted to sniff another customer that walked close to us, but all I had to do was tell him "leave it" and he stopped.  A couple times he wanted to stop and sniff the floor.  I didn't see anything on the floor but he apparently smelled something interesting there.  And when we were walking through the craft section there was a big pine cone on the floor and I think he was going to pick that up, not just sniff it, because he was going for it with his mouth open.  Each time, as soon as I said "leave it," he did.  It just required me to pay close attention.  After he gets more public access training, I will not have to watch him that closely and it will be easier.

He also started getting bored when we were sitting at Subway.  He was in a down stay under the table and he was fine for probably 15 minutes, then started getting restless.  He would start to get up and when he was told to stay down, he would flop back down, but then get up again just a couple minutes later.  But he will learn to do that longer with practice, too.

I also had to focus pretty hard to make sure I was doing everything I was supposed to do the way I was supposed to do it.  I discovered very quickly that I have a tendency to praise him a bit too much or to seem too happy or excited when I praise him, which causes him to get overly excited.  He responds very well to praise but I don't want to get him too excited or playful in a store or restaurant.  Also, I have a tendency to hold the leash too tight for some reason, so I had to keep reminding myself to relax my arm and hold the leash more loosely.  Maybe that was because I was kind of nervous.

I am absolutely exhausted now, but it was fun and I love Isaac.  I can't wait to spend more time with him.  And the trainer confirmed that I should be able to have him with me by Christmas.

Here's another picture of the two of use together.