Telephone Call Received!

Well, we had an opportunity to talk with Gwen, Ansel's "new" trainer today. She reported that she hasn't yet had much opportunity to get to know Ansel. He appears to be on the mend in terms of his "condition" but he currently has a papillomas on his paw which is being treated. This does cause him to limp so he has missed a training field trip and has shortened training sessions. The papillomas usually resolve in a week or so at least to the point where they are not painful (think planter's wart for dogs).

She has worked with him some and enjoys his willingness and the skill level he demonstrates. She did say that something catastrophic would have to happen--either medically or with his training--for him to be released at this point. They preferred to keep Ansel for another semester to ensure that his medical condition is resolved before sending him home with a new graduate.

Although they saw some distractability during Team Training, it did not rise to the level where they had a concern. They just know that he has a bit of insecurity and they think that he uses sniffing and distraction as something to do when in new situations and unsure of expectations. Gwen implied that these behaviors could be well-managed with a strong handler and again reassured us that they are not anticipating that they would release Ansel at this point.

SO! Onward Ansel!

Graduation is this way-------->