Dog Community

we went to the parade!!

Posted : 11/18/2006 11:06:06 AM

Bugsy gets so excited around people and kids especially - we try to work on it but we don't have a lot of traffic through so I decided to take him to the Raleigh Christmas Parade.
We were there for nearly 2 hours and he was awesome! We walked some which was more difficult because of the crowds and Bugsy's height and size. He tries to lick everyone so I had to try and keep him completely out of licking range. I also made him just stand there (near a hotdog stand to boot!) and watch it all go by. People either wanted to pet him or looked in terror. I would think that over 50 people pet him and many children too. One teenager fed him a piece of hotdog.
And I am so proud because he was just awesome. I told everyone who wanted to pet him that he would lick them so they were warned.

He is completely crashed out now, but he didn't want to leave [

]

I am so incredibly proud of how calm he was after the initial "what in the world is going on" Otherwise he listened to my commands ( I had some TO serengeti ckn with me [sm=biggrin.gif] ) Never made a peep. Perhaps my hopes of training him as a therapy dog will work!!!!!!!!!!!!

olinda

Posted : 11/18/2006 1:09:22 PM

Good boy Bugsy! I want to go to a parade too..

I am in Houston, is such a pretty day today; however I am at working doing overtime, so Romeo can have all his gifts, but I am so tempted to leave and take him to the park, the bad thing though is my asthma is kicking my you know what, but I just may do it.

Congratulations it seems like your training is paying off.

kpwlee

Posted : 11/18/2006 2:02:43 PM

thanks I really am stunned by how good he was - he is normally SO high energy around people/dogs, good energy but HIGH
I wasn't really sure it would be a good idea but it wound up very good - needed to share (no one else is home) so posted here

sorry to hear of your asthma - I developed it after moving to NC and with the mild weather and/or my range of allergens it is a permanent factor

smilee1079

Posted : 11/18/2006 2:19:16 PM

We were just in Baltimore's Thanksgiving parade this morning with the pet therapy group we belong to. I was shocked to only see about 2 dogs in the audience. At the parade we were in last week, there were many more.

kpwlee

Posted : 11/18/2006 2:36:55 PM

not too many that I saw today - 1 pup and may be 4 others. 1 of those was no where near the parade it was near where we parked.
tell me about the pet therapy group?

olinda

Posted : 11/18/2006 8:39:46 PM

thanks, I am in Houston and with the humidity it has become a natural thing for me.

I am moving to New Mexico or Arizona. [

]

smilee1079

Posted : 11/18/2006 11:02:19 PM

ORIGINAL: kpwlee

not too many that I saw today - 1 pup and may be 4 others. 1 of those was no where near the parade it was near where we parked.
tell me about the pet therapy group?

[/quote

The group I am part of is called Pets On Wheels. They do not require too much to qualify (no CGC or similar). Basically, they made sure Zoe was ok with petting anywhere and sorta rough petting, and that she didn't freak out with loud sounds (say someone falling etc. and something crashing down). We can go to area nursing homes, assisted livings, hospitals, etc. I want to find somewhere closeby to take her with sick kids but so far I did an adult day care. I will go there again but am going to contact an assisted living where I can go evenings or weekend. I have only gone once so far but everyone pet Zoe, she did some tricks, and asked about her. They want me to have her do a fashion show next time since she is such a well dressed pup .