Post by Khris Carrie on Oct 13, 2008 12:15:27 GMT -5
"Good morning, Echo!" Khris exclaimed as she walked out towards the pool. She had just changed into her wet suit, and she was ready to start her session with Echo. She brought the formula, and the stomach tube first and foremost, and brought it into the water and over to the floating dock. The dock was low enough in the water that Echo could slide himself onto it, but high enough that he would stay there to recieve his formula.
When he was on the dock, Khris gently slid the tube down his throat and poured the formula in, nice and slow. When it was finished, she slid him off the dock and he sped off to race himself around the pool, squealing as he went, as if to say, "Moooom! Look at me, mom! LOOK AT ME!" Khris laughed and walked through the shallow water and over to the edge and next to a blue bucket. She lifted the bucket up, placed it down loudly and opened it to get Echo's attention.
Seeing Khris with the blue bucket, the six-month-old raced over and swam in front of her, back and forth. Today, they would be working on stationing. Khris put her whistle in her mouth, ready to bridge for correct behavior. She extended her arm forward, her forefinger pointing up at a 60 degree angle, asking him to come over and touch her hand.
Echo swam over and put himself in front of her. As soon as he did, Khris blew the whistle and gave Echo a small fish, praising him. He had come over and in front of her, that was a start. By the end of his training, when he saw her hand signal, he would swim over and "sit" in front of her. He would have his head up, tail down, giving his full attention to Khris. But for now, merely coming over in front of her was enough.
When he was on the dock, Khris gently slid the tube down his throat and poured the formula in, nice and slow. When it was finished, she slid him off the dock and he sped off to race himself around the pool, squealing as he went, as if to say, "Moooom! Look at me, mom! LOOK AT ME!" Khris laughed and walked through the shallow water and over to the edge and next to a blue bucket. She lifted the bucket up, placed it down loudly and opened it to get Echo's attention.
Seeing Khris with the blue bucket, the six-month-old raced over and swam in front of her, back and forth. Today, they would be working on stationing. Khris put her whistle in her mouth, ready to bridge for correct behavior. She extended her arm forward, her forefinger pointing up at a 60 degree angle, asking him to come over and touch her hand.
Echo swam over and put himself in front of her. As soon as he did, Khris blew the whistle and gave Echo a small fish, praising him. He had come over and in front of her, that was a start. By the end of his training, when he saw her hand signal, he would swim over and "sit" in front of her. He would have his head up, tail down, giving his full attention to Khris. But for now, merely coming over in front of her was enough.