Ramona's thoughts

Favorite Links:

• Pet Edge ~ Great link for toys and grooming tools
• Ruff Wear ~ Quality made packs, life jackets and leashes
• sitstay.com ~ Videos, training tools, etc

Tips: One thing that having a dog like Pearl has taught me is that they really do like a challenge.  They really do like to train if you make it fun.  Vary locations for training the same behaviors.  Its amazing how much of a difference this makes.   And most of all.....learn to listen.  When Pearl first started to alert me to drops in my blood sugar, I dismissed her behavior as her wanting attention for me, for the sake of getting petted or wanting to go outside.  It took several incidents of her trying to get my attention, followed by a rapid drop in my blood sugar that I was finally able to put two and two together. 

Favorite training place: My workplace.  I can close my door when we want quiet time or play time.  There are lots of hallways, a lunch room, lots of delivery people, miscellaneous visitors (including family members of employees) and best of all, lots of supportive people that volunteer to help with some of our training. 

What does your Partner mean to you? Having Pearl come into my life and being part of the Paws to Freedom program have been life changing for me.  Learning (and even unlearning of some) training techniques, being a part of a program that teaches us what it means to be a team, to rejoice in our accomplishments and to feel a bond that is beyond words.  Working with the Mara and the volunteers at PTF, I'm learning ways to not teach Pearl a command, but to get her to think, to understand what I'm asking her to do and to watch her "think" and see the joy that she has when she "gets it".    Having Paws to Freedom working with us toward our goal, providing training guidance, emotional support and positive methods to help us along with way has been the key.  I couldn't imagine traveling this path without Mara and the wonderful volunteers.