[Dailydrool] Elsinore and her fourth (yes, fourth) pet therapy test

[Elizabeth Lindsey]

I hate suspense, so I won't keep anyone in it. Our Elsinore had a  
fourth try at the pet therapy test on Saturday and passed it. I'm  
exceedingly relieved.

I found out about this chance to have another go at passing this  
thing about a week before it was held. When I learned we could be  
worked into the evaluation schedule, I decided to follow the  
suggestions some of the Droolers had made and not do any further  
training with Elsinore. This was hard for me. I was one of those  
students who started studying for tests weeks in advance. While  
restraining myself from practicing with Elsinore, I kept reminding  
myself that it'd only been a few weeks since our last evaluation, and  
there's no way Elsinore would forget everything in that time. Not our  
Elsinore.

The day before the test I visited Elsinore's dance teacher. Brigitte  
poured me cups of tea while her snuggliest miniature poodle sat on my  
lap, and I told her of all my travails with a hound who's persisted  
in being either overly enthusiastic or not interested at all during a  
test that determines whether or not she can continue with the pet  
therapy job she loves and excels at. Brigitte sympathized with me but  
also expressed concern that Elsinore, who's pretty sensitive and  
wants very much to be my heart dog, might be picking up on my  
unhappiness every time we fail the evaluation. If Elsinore, who's  
also pretty smart, started making a negative association between the  
evaluation and me being unhappy with her every time it's over, then  
she'd be anxious every time we go to one and she might decide not to  
cooperate.

Brigitte suggested I not wear the same tired old blue blazer and  
skirt I've been wearing for every training session and evaluation.  
That would help prevent some of the negative associations from being  
made (and widen my clothing options considerably). To reduce  
Elsinore's anxiety, I should also not talk about the upcoming  
evaluation or tell her where we're going. Finally, Brigitte made me  
swear that I'd give Elsinore whatever it was I promised her as a post- 
test reward, whether she passed it or not. If I told Elsinore we'd  
get a McDonald's hamburger after the test, then that's what I must  
stop and do on the way home, regardless of her performance.

So on Saturday I put on a different outfit and then put Elsinore in  
her pet therapy collar and leash, so she'd think she was going to the  
hospice, which she loves. The evaluation's venue further helped me in  
my deception. It was held in a hospital 45 minutes away, which  
smelled a bit like the hospice (if you're a dog). So it wasn't really  
until we were in the actual testing environment that she knew for  
certain what was going on. So, if my thinking is right, she got  
enough mixed cues to keep her from getting worked up about another  
test, just in case she was in danger of feeling anxious or making  
negative associations. She *was* anxious about being in the new place  
and sitting in a waiting room with other people and dogs, but that's  
a different kind of anxious than being anxious about another test.

The room we were evaluated in is also used for eating, but we were  
the last team to be evaluated and all the other dogs before us seemed  
to have cleaned up the carpet thoroughly enough to keep Elsinore from  
being too nasally distracted. It may also have helped that she'd  
never seen the evaluator or the assistants before, so she didn't  
greet them like old friends she's delighted to be reunited with. But  
our Elsinore has never met a stranger, and it was clear she wanted to  
know the evaluator and her assistants better so they could quickly  
become old friends. Elsinore was very happy when we reached the part  
of the test that I'm convinced she thinks is called "Love on the Dog"  
instead of "Pet Partners Aptitude Test." I was highly amused to see  
her face actually fall when the "being patted by a crowd of people"  
part of the evaluation was over and everyone suddenly got up and left  
her.

Elsinore and I were able to maintain more control over her  
enthusiasm, which was good because the night before I threw my back  
out and couldn't bend over easily on evaluation day. It's kind of  
hard to give guidance to a very short dog when you can't lean over it  
without fear of getting stuck in that position. At least if my back  
went out during the test, I kept thinking, I'd be in the right place  
to get help with it. The long drive to the evaluation site was  
difficult. On the way there, my legs and feet tingled. On the way  
home, my lower back burned, and I had to keep shifting around in my  
seat. I've seen the chiropractor twice this week and I'm still not  
comfortable. When I turned 40 I was told my eyesight would take a  
nosedive, but instead it's my back that's deteriorated. This week,  
wearing glasses doesn't seem like a bad thing at all.

Anyway, the evaluator's overall comment for us was "very nice team,"  
which felt just wonderful to read. After the test we stopped at  
McDonald's for that hamburger I'd promised Elsinore, pass or fail.  
The line, however, was out the door, so I told Elsinore we'd go to  
Arby's instead and pick up a McDonald's hamburger on our way home  
from the hospice. She seemed fine with that arrangement.

I'm convinced that Elsinore has a terrier trapped inside her  
somewhere, she has so much energy and such an intense personality.  
Because of that, I knew that, even though she'd just been through a  
long obedience and aptitude test, she'd still be able to do well at  
her pet therapy job afterwards. Plus, piggy-backing her monthly  
hospice job onto the end of the evaluation would make one bath do for  
two events, and I do like efficiency. Especially on days when I can't  
bend over. Among other good work accomplished at her job, Elsinore  
schmoozed with some nurses, entertained someone in a wheelchair (this  
person was enchanted by her ears, and she was so patient with all the  
handling they got), and leaned up against someone else who was crying  
in the hallway until that person felt more collected and ready to  
leave. I was quite proud of my hound.

On Tuesday she went to the vet for her physical. He said that, other  
than some tartar on her teeth, she's in great health, which was so  
good to hear. We've been working under the assumption that Elsinore  
is 8 or 9, but the vet said he'd definitely go with 9 because of her  
teeth and the cataracts she's developing. By the time our late Jane  
Basset was Elsinore's age, she'd already lost an ear to a horrible  
undetected infection and TECA surgery, and she'd had her first of  
three ruptured disks and two back surgeries. That Elsinore has  
managed to avoid the major medical issues our Jane wasn't able to  
dodge is terrific.

I think Elsinore knows she's done well this time, and I'm very happy  
not to have to worry about another pet therapy evaluation for another  
year and a half.

Elizabeth
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