Teddy's off for a week of summer camp. He'll have a fun week in completely different surroundings - new people, new house, new dogs. Service dogs not only need to be very well-behaved, they also need to be pretty darn flexible. It's important that Teddy learns that change isn't something to fear, in fact change can be fun!
To that end, since Teddy came to live with us he's spent one night a week back at the service dog agency. There are some kids, some dogs, and some cats. And most importantly, different surroundings. Different noises. Different surfaces. Different schedules. Different toys. All fun and all different. He's done really well with his one-night stays, so now it's time to give him a little more time away and visiting others.
Introducing a young pup to change is helpful even if a career in service work isn't in his future. All pups benefit from spending a night somewhere else, with someone different.
Pups that are exposed to different circumstances when they're young usually adapt readily to their environment, no matter where they are. It's nice to have a dog who feels at home no matter where you take him. Adaptable dogs are a pleasure to travel and live with, as they're comfortable no matter their surroundings.
So while Teddy's off galavanting around from house to house this week, our three permanent dogs will enjoy their break from the exuberance and puppy-ness that drips from that precocious puppy!
