We all like to do fun, special things, and we know life happens even when we don’t want it to. For some dogs, dog shows are a weekly event. For others they never happen. Trips to places like Disney, Knott’s Berry Farm, an air show, or even the county fair or local zoo are infrequent to one time only events.
Nick, a blue Standard Poodle, wearing a green cooling vest, sitting in front of a sign reading “Blue Angels Parking Only” with two F/A 18 Super Hornets painted in Blue Angels paint scheme in the background. This last weekend, Nick accompanied me to the Reno Air Show at Reno Stead Airport. Last year, we went to the final running of the Reno Air Races, so Nick had been around loud radial engine aircraft flying at high speed. This year was different. The Canadian Royal AirForce sent their aerobatic demonstration team, the Snow Birds, and the United States Navy sent their aerobatic demonstration team, the Blue Angels. Even though Nick routinely works in a crowd, this was different. It was MUCH louder!
My big concern while preparing for this trip was Nick’s comfort. For hearing protection, he wore ear plugs designed for horses that had been cut in half to fit his ear canals with a Rex Specs Ear Pro over top. (I had on a similar set up, foamies and ear phones for hearing protection.) This helped tremendously for both of us. Unless the ground was shaking, Nick was content to rest.
A second, yet important, consideration was keeping Nick cool. The weather was sunny and 80°F all the days we were there. Nick is a black dog, so heat is definitely a concern. To address this issue, I had a bowl of water available at all times for Nick. He also wore a cooling vest. His is a Swamp Cooler from Ruffwear. I really like this vest because it is light (mostly white) in color, reflecting more heat than a dark color. It’s also designed to cool using evaporation. Nick wore that Saturday and Sunday.
Wearing shoes is a routine thing in crowds. You never know what will be on the ground, the tarmac on the flight line was hot, and protecting paws is easy.
Nick, a blue Standard Poodle wearing a flight cap, and orange scarf from Section 3, waiting for the air show to start. I took a settle mat with me so Nick had something softer than tarmac to lay on. For trips like this, with long settles, I use a high pile microfiber bath mat. This also kept Nick a bit cleaner than if he’d been laying dirt.
Preparing Nick mentally is an entirely different matter. Since we have regular free events in town, like Farmer’s Markets, local festivals, fairs and shopping malls, we attend those as time and weather permits. This keeps Nick used to crowds and how to behave, that they are “normal” events for him. We use public transportation and his crate routinely. Nick rides in a crate when we travel and I use it for down time if needed. At home, Nick eats dinner in his crate nightly and stays in it when I need to leave him home or if I have workers over,
During big events, I’ve found it helpful to engage Nick in activities that he enjoys. generally, we’ll engage in calm low level ‘training’ games so Nick knows this is a routine day.
https://youtube.com/shorts/8zP9j7wdRGE?si=3CjGPsIcqv5U_Nnd
Nick practicing Stand for Examination with Staff Sargent Al Patting.
I’m okay allowing the general public to interact with Nick, on our terms. My rules are the person must be polite and ask me before interacting with Nick, I have to have enough spoons and Nick must consent. Fortunately, he really enjoys other people, most of the time. This can work in my favor. section, a group that likes to have fun at the air races, and has been around for forty years, took a liking to Nick and gave us Section Three swag this year, in the form of G strings. I was able to get the Canadian Snow Birds to sign them.
After a big event, especially if it includes travel, I intentionally give Nick time off. I will ask for tasks during this time, just not as many as usual, and I generally take a week off training. On the trip, I make sure Nick has access to appropriate stress relief. I offer sniff breaks during the event, play before or after (sometimes during, if appropriate) and provide chews during down time.
With a little preparation and good foundation skills, even events that could easily overwhelm humans can be successfully navigated with a service dog without creating issues for human or dog
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