Following on from our last entry, Hector has been very busy as always
(between training and meeting people!). The big news is that Hector will be
going on to advanced training as a potential Assistance Dog for a children with
autism.
We made the decision to progress Hector on the ASSISTANCE DOG
PROGRAMME based on Hector qualities. So why did we make this decision?
Hector has been working very well for me and he is a very bright dog. Hector has been learning his training tasks very quickly. He is relaxed and is exceptionally
good with children. This makes him an ideal candidate for the Assistance Dog Programme.
(between training and meeting people!). The big news is that Hector will be
going on to advanced training as a potential Assistance Dog for a children with
autism.
We made the decision to progress Hector on the ASSISTANCE DOG
PROGRAMME based on Hector qualities. So why did we make this decision?
Hector has been working very well for me and he is a very bright dog. Hector has been learning his training tasks very quickly. He is relaxed and is exceptionally
good with children. This makes him an ideal candidate for the Assistance Dog Programme.
I am delighted that Hector is moving up in the world and I am sure that he will do very well with his new Assitance Dog Instructor.
I have been working with Hector on developing his training tasks such as stopping at any kerbs that we come across, walking in a straight line, his commands 'left' for turning left and 'right' for turning right. This is initially taught, where possible, at kerbs as we want to encourage straight crossings, so that we spend the minimum time in the road.
I have been working with Hector on developing his training tasks such as stopping at any kerbs that we come across, walking in a straight line, his commands 'left' for turning left and 'right' for turning right. This is initially taught, where possible, at kerbs as we want to encourage straight crossings, so that we spend the minimum time in the road.
As his training develops, his concentration improves for the training tasks that he is learning, and so his distraction levels come down and the less support the handler gives him. Before he goes on to advanced training, I want him to be able to do all the tasks with as little input from the handler. This makes him an easy dog for someone with less experience to handle. I have also been working on Hector's social behaviour in coffee shops / resturants, as it is important that the dog lies down beside the handler or under the table and does not look for food.
Hector and SHADES
We launched SHADES, our annual fundraising campaign earlier this month and Hector travelled to Dublin to attend. Our 10th annual SHADES fundraising campaign got off to a great start with the help of long standing supporter Roy Keane, and we got a shot of Hector & Roy at the launch.
At the launch Roy praised our work saying, “It’s amazing to see the incredible difference a guide or assistance dog makes to an individual or family. I’m a great admirer of their work and the effort put in by their volunteers and staff in making a difference to others". It was lovely to hear this from Roy and meant a lot to
all the team. We met with Hector Ó hEochagáin and he was delighted to see him and he coudnt believe how much he had grown and also how calm and mature he had become.
In the next blog we will introduce Hectors new instructor....
We launched SHADES, our annual fundraising campaign earlier this month and Hector travelled to Dublin to attend. Our 10th annual SHADES fundraising campaign got off to a great start with the help of long standing supporter Roy Keane, and we got a shot of Hector & Roy at the launch.
At the launch Roy praised our work saying, “It’s amazing to see the incredible difference a guide or assistance dog makes to an individual or family. I’m a great admirer of their work and the effort put in by their volunteers and staff in making a difference to others". It was lovely to hear this from Roy and meant a lot to
all the team. We met with Hector Ó hEochagáin and he was delighted to see him and he coudnt believe how much he had grown and also how calm and mature he had become.
In the next blog we will introduce Hectors new instructor....
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