A step above

As an assistance dog in training, Novel is generally held to higher expectations than your average mutt.
Most dogs know how to sit. Novel has to sit the first time I say it...and hold it even if I don't ask him to "wait."
Most dogs are house trained. Novel has to use the bathroom on command...on any surface.
Many trained dogs can walk on a loose leash. Novel has to be able to walk on a loose leash and stay focused on me even on strange surfaces, and with crowds of people around him...even with food on the ground.

The things mentioned above are things I am expected to teach Novel as a puppy raiser for CCI. We are by no means 100% there, but I like to think that largely through hard work on our part, Novel has a pretty good handle on them. However, I also know that Novel's own great personality plays a big part in our success in training.

Which brings up a well deserved comment on CCI's excellent and extremely high quality breeding program.
These dogs are literally born to be amazing - they are born to be a step above "your average mutt."

Because I work at an animal hospital, I feel at least somewhat qualified to make some observations about the "average mutt:" 1) Most are intensely attached to their owners. 2) Most are overweight. 3) Many suffer from some sort of fear or anxiety. In fact, I'd say it's the number one behavior problem that we encounter. Separation anxiety, traveling anxiety, fear of the vet, fear of other dogs, fear of men, fear of loud noises....fear of storms. That last one's a big one. My own dog Abbi suffers from some of these, and while we've learned to cope through training, I've accepted the fact that she will always be very timid. Novel is very different.

The day he came home, as I walked him around our property to stretch his legs and potty, our neighbors over the hill decided to do some target practice. The first time the gun went off, Novel lifted his head and looked around with intense curiosity, but absolutely no fear. I honestly think he was looking for the source of the sound as a possible playmate.

Novel's natural absolute fearlessness has been one of my favorite parts of his personality. It has made so much of our training so much easier. New sounds, sights, smells, or surfaces almost never stress him. I can count the number of times I have seen Novel worried, stressed, or afraid on one hand. This has made public outings, and life at home a million times easier.

Last week, coming home from training class, we drove through a terrible storm. I'm not kidding, it was bad. Cars were driving 35 mph on a 70 mph interstate. It was pouring down rain, and the wind slammed it into the side of my car so hard I thought I was going to have dents from it. Huge claps of thunder and lightning went off every few seconds, although admittedly the thunder was almost drowned out by the pounding of the wind and rain, and the lightening actually made it easier to drive because it lit up the road.

I was a little worried about how Novel was taking it all, because I knew that Abbi would be laying in a pool of her own saliva, shaking and hyperventilating and in real danger of dying from a heart attack. I glanced over at him, and I really wish I could post a picture of what I saw. He had pulled his big stuffed puppy dog off the front seat, and was curled up around it in the most adorable, cozy, and comfortable ball you've ever seen. He was fast asleep and in complete peace in the midst of the storm.

Please excuse my pathetic "paint" skills...but I had to try. It was too adorable.