Friday, September 5, 2025
Whew, welcome to Friday! Can you believe that we are at the end of our second full week of training already? Like, wow, where did the time go?
Porta Potty Graveyard
Erm, what in the world is a Porta Potty Graveyard? Yep, you read that correctly, a porta potty graveyard. I’m not joking.
Well, whatever it is, we never found it’s location. But clearly it is located in the park area that we did our route in today. We had great fun joking around with that one. Especially with Judy and Ghost. we figured if anyone should find the graveyard, Ghost should, lol. Sadly, no luck there. It’s a mystery still needing to be solved another day.
Where’s Stephanie?
So for this route the GDMI’s were spread across the park to make sure we didn’t wander off someplace, like to find that graveyard and assist if it was needed. This was another chance to just go on a route to learn to follow our dogs and learn to read them and them to get comfortable with us. No street crossings to worry about or curbs to stop at. However, there were forks in the path where we could go off into the wild blue yonder. This is where the instructors came in if needed for sure.
When it was our turn Phil let me know that the next person I should come across would be stephanie.
Eep, oh no, this should be interesting then since she’d be in front of us for Monte to see and not hiding in a bush, erm, or trying too, lol. Monte is really good at spotting her. Ah well, off we went for our trip adventure.
Monte and I have been walking for at least 5 minutes and a few twist and turns when I started to get worried that I was going the wrong way. I said to Monte, erm, I hope we’re going the right way. Don’t you think we should have seen your pal Stephanie by now? Of course he just wags his tail and continues on our way.
The time I got worried was when Monte stopped us at some grass. Oh crap, um, is this where one of the forks are? Crap crap crap! Ah well, I pointed us to the right and off we went some more while I’m trying not to panic. Monte isn’t worried, why should I?
Finally, I hear a radio. Whew, an instructor. I’m going the right way and found Stephanie.
Ha, nope, it wasn’t Stephanie, but Linda. Wait, Linda, how in the world did I get to Linda?
Me to Linda, erm, Linda, where’s Stephanie?
Linda, ah she’s back there somewhere.
Me, erm, ok, I thought i was lost there for a while because I never past her and Monte sure didn’t do anything.
Linda just laughs and lets me know we’re doing good and who the next person should be that I come across.
Besides being followed by the annoying lawn mower the rest of the trip we did find everyone else we were suppose to pass. I could relax that we actually didn’t get lost.
Too bad, didn’t find that graveyard either.
So what happened to Stephanie? Well, turns out that Monte and I did pass her. In fact, one time when I stopped to give him a treat and verbal praise for being a good boy we actually were stopped right in front of her. she was sitting on a bench. Monte didn’t do a thing. He didn’t look at her, his tail didn’t go a mile a second, nothing. Stephanie let me know that after we continued on she threw her hands in the air and said, yes
Yay Monte, what a huge step! I thought the football route was great when he didn’t acknowledge her except at the end was a good step, But oh, no no o, this was so so much better and made me so proud that I finally won his attention. Monte was now my boy!
See you next time. Have an awesome day and don’t forget to look for those Porta Potty Graveyards!