Therapy dog training

[Georgia]

We had an awesome experience yesterday. As part of Sam's training as a Caring Angels therapy dog, we got to ride on the Washington DC metro. Sam did really well on the escalators, which are quite long, and boarded the train like a pro. The bouncing around on the train made him restless at first, but he settled down fairly quickly. The trains were slow on a Saturday so we had a chance to talk and visit with quite a few people. There was a family from Israel we talked to who had a yellow lab at home. Their teenage daughter sat on the floor with Sam and loved on him until they got to their stop. She said she really missed her dog. It was very sweet. We rode the train to the mall and walked to the Capitol. We visited with different people along the way. I heard quite a few stories about people's labs. And a few folks had tears in their eyes as they told me about labs they had in the past that were now gone. Labs seem to hold a very special place in a lot of people's hearts! When we were getting back to the Metro station a couple hours later, this woman was walking by and asked how Sam was doing. We answered her and she loved on him for a couple minutes while the rest of the group waited for us. Someone commented that it was funny I saw a friend. I laughed because I never met this woman before our ride on Metro. Apparently Sam made quite the impression!

[barry581]

Aww Sam you are such a good boy!!!

[Maxx&Emma]

That is so sweet, good boy Sam! It is awesome how much a Lab brings out the happy in others. I wonder if owners of other breeds hear the stories of beloved dogs of the same breed while out and about.

[kimbersmom]

Great story! I've heard lots of "I had a lab" stories from strangers. It is a great icebreaker.

[Mudlark]

Can I be cheeky and ask what ever that thing is in the pic of the two boys together - is it a lighthouse?

[Snowshoe]

Sam is a good breed ambassador.

[Jollymolly]

Good boy Sam.

[Georgia]

I wonder if owners of other breeds hear the stories of beloved dogs of the same breed while out and about.

I really don't think they do. I think everyone has a soft spot for a lab!

Can I be cheeky and ask what ever that thing is in the pic of the two boys together - is it a lighthouse?

That is the Cape Hatteras lighthouse on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

[K10]

That is so sweet, good boy Sam! It is awesome how much a Lab brings out the happy in others. I wonder if owners of other breeds hear the stories of beloved dogs of the same breed while out and about.

With experience, I can say yes. My second dog is not a lab, and she elicits tons more conversations with others who've had the same type of dog than I've had with other lab owners. Also, we've fostered a few different breeds, and always meet people with a soft spot for a dog of similar breed or who looked similar or acted similar. It's definitely not just labs