The Puppy Project: A Morning with Gunny
- May 6
- 4 min read
Walking into the Champ Assistance Dog offices on a Saturday morning in May, I am greeted by Christina Rustenhaven, the Champ Assistance dog trainer, Sue, a puppy raiser, and Gunny who is full of energy and one of the sweetest puppies I’ve ever met.
Sweetness and energy aside, this is a working session and Christina and Sue are already hard at work discussing what Sue would like to work on in this training session. As an observer I can tell that Gunny has good energy and is a happy puppy. He is also a good learner.
Christina is her patient, kind self as she listens and assesses the situation, now with me in the room, too. Because I’m quite the distraction for Gunny.
However, when he is in service, he will need to know how to handle and manage distractions, so I feel I’m adding benefit to this training session. Or at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
Sue is explaining that she would like to work on leash learning for Gunny especially in the mornings as well as walking through doorways. Christina asks clarifying questions.
I can see her understand where this is going.
She gently takes Gunny’s lead and directs him to sit beside her while she listens. He does. Gunny watches her for his cue.
Christina stands and cues Gunny to walk beside her on this lead. She explains how she uses positive reinforcement when Gunny gives her eye contact. She stops and he stops, watching to learn his next command. She has his lead in one finger as she walks and directs him.
Christina walks and stops so that she can show him what she wants. He is watching her with love in his eyes and seems to understand that she is relaying information he needs to do his work. All at eight months!
He waits patiently as she explains to Sue and me what she’s doing and why. The theory behind the behavior.
Knowingly, Christina understands that Gunny needs free time, so she unleashes him and brings out toys for him. He’s even happier. He flops from one toy to another and brings it to me and then Christina. Luckily, he’s too quick for me and Christina explains that she wants Gunny to drop the toy on his own. She doesn’t want us to take the toy out of his mouth because when he’s a service dog, he will need to drop whatever his human needs and realize it’s not a game of tug-of-war.
Ahhhhhh (yoga pose?!)
Seriously, it’s an education for me every time I have the opportunity to attend a puppy raiser training.
She then works with Gunny sitting on the floor with kibble in both hands. she wants him to patiently wait until given the signal that he can enjoy the treat. I’m watching as Gunny watches Christina his eyes never leaving hers except to look at her hands. She waits until she has eye contact again. They repeat this a few times so that Gunny knows what this activity involves and what is expected of him.
She then puts the lead on him by allowing him to push his nose through it on his own, holding a treat. He knows this one and shows us how he does it.
Christina demonstrates once more walking with Gunny on his leash, stopping, starting, waiting for eye contact. She is practiced, comfortable, confident and most of all kind and tuned into Gunny.
Now it’s time for Sue to practice walking with Gunny. Christina observes and offers suggestions quietly as Sue walks with Gunny, drops her left hand so Gunny knows there is no kibble, continues walking giving Gunny instruction on what she needs him to do.
He complies working hard. She continues working with him slowly and gently asking for eye contact and rewarding him with a “good boy!” when he looks at her. It’s hard work but Sue and Gunny are working together as a team. This has to be the hardest part, implementing all of the learning.
As Sue and Gunny finish, they come to sit down again and Sue releases Gunny to me-puppy time! -while she and Christina finish up discussing what Sue and Gunny will work on this coming week. Gunny also comes into training spending the day at Champ twice a week.
Another successful puppy raiser training finishes up and I’m more impressed than ever with Gunny, Sue, and Christina. This is hard work and they all concentrate and work hard together. I can feel the energy and once more, I am beyond impressed with the work of Champ Assistance Dogs.
Special thanks to Christina Rustenhaven who always has a smile and answers all of my questions with respect. She is a joy to observe.
Thanks to Sue, the puppy raiser and Gunny. Especially for all of his sweetness on a day I really needed it.
For more information: https://www.champdogs.org/
Expect Good. Defy Gravity. Sparkle ON! More puppies please!
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