Benny

thanks to @LCPSLegacy for having me and @go1denhokie this morning to talk all things @EllaTheEngineer and #futureservicepups - we had the BEST time! #STEMeducation #STEMkids

mastering commands is an advanced #skill… mastering commands in a busy area (like a race track…) is next level 🐶 here I respond to “come” on command - focused on @go1denhokie with no diversions along the way - stopping right in front of her… #trainingtuesday

congratulations to @thetoddfatherpup – the second, full time #puppywithapurpose for @go1denhokie – who officially completed his training this past weekend and is off to conquer the world (moving to Hawaii!) with his #foreverperson 🐶 congratulations to Todd! #trainingtuesday

look mom – no vest… had the opportunity to get into the water with @go1denhokie – getting more comfortable and confident in new situations. Facing my fears and excitement – swimming in the river – leaning into the fun of this socialization #skill 🐾 #trainingtuesday #riverdogs

big #milestone moment on my first flight over the holiday weekend ✈️ I walked through the airport and on the plane with confidence… settling in for the ride - tucked under the seat in front of @go1denhokie… Proud to say - ready to earn my miles and my wings… #trainingtuesday

a quick #pupdate on escalator training… as we familiarize ourselves more with this obstacle, we become increasingly comfortable walking up staying right by @go1denhokie side – maintaining eye contact – never retreating or recoiling… #foreverperson...  #trainingtuesday #skills

service dogs learn to walk SAFELY in all environments – paying attn to boundaries and traffic! Here, I walk along the edge of the road, maintaining eye contact w/ @go1denhokie - mastering this #skill for my journey ahead, wherever it may lead… #trainingtuesday #futureservicedog

train hard, treat hard… summer season in DC means (my first) #puppuccino after a long day of skill work ☀️#trainingtuesday #puptreats🐶

bringing back the childhood favorites, this time it’s ring around the... BENNY! We upped the ante with more advanced #distractiondrills (so many puppies) - practicing “stay” (in “stand” position - the most challenging!) focused on @go1denhokie from a distance…#trainingtuesday

time to take training to the next level… a colder #MemorialDayWeekend meant we couldn’t make it to the beach, so @go1denhokie took me to the next best thing… @OTPetResorts to learn to swim - pretty good for the first time in the water! #trainingtuesday #servicedogintraining

we remember #always 🇺🇸

duck, duck, GOOSE…the distractions keep coming as we continue with #training - working alongside other puppies and now - birds…even though interest is peaked, staying focused and walking with @go1denhokie is critical… #success #trainingtuesday #futureservicedog #duckduckgoose

This challenge pushed these 🐶 - requiring them to avoid distractions (mall-goers, other 🐶, noises, smells) around & below while maintaining #focus & staying loose on the leash. @bennyservicepup kept his 👀 on the prize (treats &… @go1denhokie) the whole time… #trainingtuesday

this weekend, all the pups walked around the upper level of the mall, specifically against the glass wall looking down into the floor below - remaining unphased by this optical illusion.

can you say #puppyparade?! #puppytraining class allows the trainers to expose the pups to a number of obstacles simultaneously, slowly building over time…

✅ Loose leash walks ✅ New friends ✅ His first official training test Check out @bennyservicepup’s May pupdate to see what our #PuppyWithAPurpose is working on during his #PTSDServiceDog training! #VetDogs deloi.tt/3yawMnA

how lucky are these pups (and humans too!) to have local friends to learn and play with?! After all - that’s what it’s all about - being #strongertogether through this thing called life... #trainingtuesday #workhardplayhard

after a long walk, we just want to take off our vests (vests signify to pups that they’re on the job) & play w/ our friends! This #pod of 🐶 are going through #servicedog #training together - hitting milestones, celebrating wins, & learning along the way...

thanks to everyone who came out and walked, ran, skipped, and jumped this weekend in support of @GuideDogFdn #virtualwalk... it was wonderful to have so many supporting this organization - which changes the lives of those who receive the #gift of a service or #guidedog...

In the first video, 🐶 not only masters going down stairs, but he pauses, makes eye contact when prompted 👀, & picks up where he left off. It’s incredible to see how far he’s come, & how what was once scary is now just second nature... #trainingtuesday #progress #babysteps

How it’s going vs how it started! Practice really does make a difference, and here’s the proof! Now at 5 months old, we are going up and down stairs every day - at home, on walks, and in training - and the newfound comfort really shows!