May is all about Graduating!

May proved a celebratory month with a series of dog related graduations. In chronological order is my own dog graduation of sorts. After a year of study and performance I was awarded dog Training Certification from the esteemed Animal Behavior College of Santa Rosa, California. Book study, 35 essays, and 80 non give away multiple choice questions were the components of my final exam. In my years at Smith College I do not recall any such vigor in exams. Graduating with an A average in the some 11 tests I completed along with an externship program in which I volunteered at the Santa Fe Animal Shelter, observed, partook in, and taught six week "obedience" classes, I felt more than prepared for the rigours of real life training!

The second graduation in May came a day later, my first six week private obedience class client, Bodhi graduated! Bodhi is an enchanting black Black Chow and German Shepherd just shy of five months. Bodhi, can watch me, sit, come, down, wait, stay, jump in and out of a car, go to his bed, walk and heel and be gentle when directed to do so as he laps up his treats. Bodhi was recently adopted by and Ann Filemyr and Onde Chymes featured in the photo and she and Bodhi have attained an impressive bond. During his education, Onde was immersed in a tree house design and construction project, which given Bodhi's name (Buddha sat under a Bodhi Tree), I feel he will mature into a serene dog despite his exuberant puppy personality.

The last in my May series of Canine related graduations came by way of Santa Fe's very special Fifteenth Annual Assistance Dogs of the West Graduation. Held in the brand spanking New Convention Center, I found the ballroom by following the trail of women and men connected to sporty black and white spiraled leashes attached to vest wearing golden retrievers/labs/labradoodles and a few other breeds into the large ballroom where on the stage the ceremony began.

The ever effervescent Executive Director Carolyn Beedle took the stage as master of ceremonies introducing Founder Jill Felice and a series of videos outlining the Assistance Dog of the West programs narrated by the distinctive vocals of Ali McGraw. There were other videos as well outlining the lives of specific dogs graduating. We learned about the students who had helped to train the dogs as well as meeting the recipients of the graduating dogs. The story I found most compelling was that of a young autistic girl, who slept through the night for the first time in in her entire life the night her puppy was presented to her. Reportedly that night the two slumbered side by side in her bed.

The players in my spring semester with Assistance Dogs played out on stage and in the audience as I saw my instructors (Sue Barns and Jody Backensto), Assistant Kyle Lephart, Puppy Trainer Classmates Kimberley and Peggy McDowell who have all made my puppy raising experience a positive one. Seeing all of the volunteers, students, teachers seated in this enormous ballroom made it clear that it truly takes a village............to graduate a golden! (or a lab or whatever breed you wish).

As spring slips into summer, I hope my dog education continues to mature and deepen. This spring has been a gradual progression into all types of canine graduations!