Friday Fun Days!

Tomorrow's Friday! That means I get to go play with my friends Buddy and Rudder! I wonder what we're going to do tomorrow!!!

Usually Buddy and Rudder and I have class together with our moms and Miss Lindsey on Saturday mornings, but sometimes we get to just play and run and go for walks. Last time we had a Friday Funday we went to Miss Lindsey's house and then we walked down to the creek at her house and played in the water. I guess Miss Lindsey didn't know I don't like to swim. (I still have to tell you about when they tried to drown me in the swimming pool!) She kept throwing the balls out into the water. I tried to go get one, but that water got really deep! See?. . . 
Lucky for me and Buddy, Rudder likes to swim. We played a fun game! The people would throw a ball out in the water. Rudder would swim out to get it and bring it back. Then Buddy and I would chase him back and forth trying to get the ball away from him. Our people thought we should let him return the ball so they could throw it again. We liked our game better! All they were going to do was throw it back in the deep water again.





If you want to see how much fun we had, you can watch our movie.   
After playing in the creek, we all went back to Miss Lindsey's and got baths. :-( I sure hope we don't have to take a bath tomorrow. Mom just gave me a bath this afternoon! (I tried to hide behind James, and behind the sofa, and in my crate, but she kept finding me. After all that, I was really good and got in the tub ALL BY MYSELF!)
I'll tell you what we do tomorrow. And after Funday, we're going to Grandpa's and I'll get to play with Jessica and Uncle Glenn is going to bring Daisy to play with me!!! This is going to be a great weekend!

SHE LEFT ME!!!

I don't understand, and I don't like it!!! I'm her partner! Why does Mom keep leaving me at home? How can I keep her safe if she doesn't take me with her?!?
Last week, we were at the dog park and she got a phone call, and the next thing I knew we were back home and Mom was walking out the door without me. She didn't get home until WAY after bedtime, and made lots of noise that I didn't understand, after I'd already been dealing with the super loud storm. That time she brought Dinky home for a visit.

Today she tricked me into going into my crate, and then had Miriam come lay down in her bed. Like she thought that was going to make things better. Mom and I are PARTNERS! We're supposed to be TOGETHER! What doesn't she understand about this? Is the concept so difficult to understand? I am HER dog! She is MY person! She takes me interesting places. I keep her safe. Nowhere in that contract does it say anything about leaving me home, in my crate or out of it! Next time I'm going with her! I CAN help her at the doctor's! I did it before! She told me I was wonderful last week! Why didn't she take me today? I CAN lay still and quiet wherever I need to! I'll prove it to her next week in class! (I hope there aren't any hissing cats in that classroom!)

Monsters at the Dentist Office

Yesterday I took Mom to the dentist's office to get her teeth cleaned. If she'd just eat crunchy kibble like I do, she wouldn't have to have them stick all those things in her mouth. We brush my teeth with yummy toothpaste stuff. Maybe that would work better for her than the yucky mint stuff she uses?
Anyway, I was telling you about our trip to her dentist. . . They have a really shiny elevator. I'm getting really good at riding in elevators! Do you remember when I used to be scared of the big elevator at Target? That was a long time ago, like May, I think Mom called it. I'm so good at elevators now! I even showed my friend Buddy how to ride in the elevator with the glass wall! He wasn't scared at all because I was there with him. (So was his partner Jamie, that helped too.)
I didn't sniff in the elevator or the hallways or even when we got back to the little room with the big chair. I really wanted to inspect that room and make sure it was safe for Mom. There were all sorts of funny smells in there. I wasn't sure about all that, but Mom told me to lie down by the window. I tried to tell her I needed to inspect things, but she insisted so I lay down.
She climbed on that big chair, and then the stranger lady wrapped something strange on Mom's arm. Mom wouldn't let me check it out for her and told me to lay back down. Then I heard a MONSTER! I TOLD HER I NEEDED TO MAKE SURE SHE WAS SAFE!!! I jumped up to find that monster, but Mom didn't follow me, so I stopped right beside her chair. Only the chair was higher than it had been. Mom took me back to my spot and then climbed back on that chair. I couldn't see her until she hung her feet over the sides of the chair. I was much happier with that. I was really good the whole time that strange lady kept sticking things in her mouth and making scratching sounds and then the sucking machine made noise and more scratching and whirring and sometimes the lady turned the chair, right over my head. It was hard to stay still for that, but I was good and did what Mom told me to do.
I could lay still when the chair turned, but how's a dog supposed to lay still when there's a MONSTER growling between him and his mom? Mom got back up and told me everything was okay. Finally I understood what she was saying about the chair making that noise, and when the dentist man made the chair move, I stayed down and just looked at Mom. She told me it was okay. I guess I believe her about this, too.
I sure hope we don't have to go to the dentist very often!

Dinky came to visit!!!

I don't know quite what's going on here, but my friend and dog-cousin Dinky came to spend the night! Or actually four nights! I've had someone to play with EVERY day! Dinky LIKES to wrestle and run, so we've had lots of fun! I shared my toys, because Mom thinks I would eat his tiny little toys. I wouldn't, but that's okay. I have socks and Tug and a rope to share.

I do NOT like sharing my food, but Dinky learned that my Kong is MINE and he can eat out of his bowl. I did share my treats when we were both practicing our manners. I like racing Dinky to Sit, but he has an unfair advantage on the Downs- he's already most of the way there! 
Dinky barks alot! I guess it's like when I got here and everything was new and I didn't want to miss something I was supposed to alert Mom to, so I let her know whenever something new happened. It's hard for Dinky sometimes. . . his pack is gone and then my Liza was taking care of him, but she had to go to the hospital, so Mom brought him here in the middle of the night. I would have been confused also.
He was lucky to have me here to play with him in the morning, so he was distracted from missing A and E. I would be missing them also. They are fun people, and E is the Treat Master! He ALWAYS has something yummy in his pocket to share with me! Mom says they will bring us another friend when they come home. Her name is Mindy, and she's a service doodle just like me- only smaller!

Note from Kit T. Kat: Snuffie left the computer so it's my turn! I don't know what's going on here, but I've had enough! I spend months getting the big orange beast whipped into shape. I start to relax, turn my back, and the next thing I know, there's ANOTHER DOG in MY house! I'm packing my bags! Who wants to host a wonderful, intelligent, feline princess? No need to apply if your house is infested with dogs!

100 Places-or more!

Mom just counted all the places I've taken care of her. . . and it's 102! And I've only been here 93 days- we've been busy! I've kept her safe in three hospitals and at Granny's house (an assisted living facility with LOTS of ladies who wanted to pet me!), three parks, three forest trails, four cars, eleven restaurants, lots of friends' houses and stores, all over her university and Miriam's college, and through lots of other adventures. (Gee, that's lots of "lots"!)
I really like to go places with Mom! I know we're going for an adventure when Mom holds my vest and helps me get dressed. I used to get distracted very easily, and be so excited to see everything and meet all the new people who were looking at me. Once (or maybe twice?) I even pulled Mom over when she was talking to a clerk. That was NOT a good thing.
I'm learning. Now I Walk Close to Mom, so she can reach the handle on my harness if her legs feel funny, and I Lean when she stops. I remember that I'm only supposed to sniff things when we're out playing, not when I'm wearing my vest (at least most of the time). It's easier to stay focused on Mom in places we've been before, but Mom says I'm doing better all the time, even in new places. She smiles really big when she tells me I'm wonderful!

This is me, wearing my vest and seatbelt. (I got an extra trip to the park! Mom made me get dressed so we could take the picture. I figured that if I had to wake up from my nap and get in the car, I got to go someplace fun.)

67 Pounds!

Mary here- Snuffie came with me to Kit T. Kat's vet appointment and got on the scale. 67 pounds! Almost two pounds in basically three weeks- a bit fast, maybe? He looks good. His vet is pleased. We're aiming for 70, and then reviewing his status at that point.
For those of you who've joined us after the first post, I summarize. Snuffie had been on the streets alone for an unknown period of time when he was rescued. His long hair was matted and he was quite a bit underweight. His initial vet appointment here had him at 63 pounds, but then he got a haircut and had a bit of digestive upset and his baseline weight was considered to be about 60 pounds, with a goal of putting ten pounds of muscle onto his very bony frame.
I'm sure Snuffie would be willing to eat more, but I'm working to keep his weight healthy- with a good balance of muscle and fat. We try to keep service dogs on the lean side because extra fat adds to the strain on their joints. I'm thrilled at the definition of his developing muscles in his legs and back!

I LOVE HIKING!

I found my new favorite thing. . . HIKING!
Liza went hiking every morning we were at Grandpa's house. Thursday she picked an easy hike so I could take Mom with her and Jessica and Aunt Melissa could come with us. We went to see Mill Creek Falls, but we never found the waterfall. It was wonderful! We drove way back into the mountains, and I walked with Mom so well that she thought I could walk without the leash. (I've been practicing on the really long leash and in the dog park and in Maverick's yard. I'm really good about coming to check on her when she calls me!) That was wonderful!!! I could run and sniff and jump and not worry about pulling Mom over. I was SOOO happy! The bridge wasn't too bad even though I could see the stream under us. That made me nervous, but I was there to help Mom, so I was brave.

Then we got to a dam- someone built a wall across the stream! Silly people!

But I could run on the wall and get a drink and splash a little bit, but I didn't like it when my foot missed the wall and my leg got wet. 

I followed Liza down the rocks to the stream below the wall- but I didn't go in the water- at least not too much. Feet don't count, do they?

Then we went further up the trail and climbed over some more rocks. I had a hard time keeping track of my pack. Liza walks really fast. Mom and Jessica and Aunt Melissa walk very slowly. I have to be really tired to want to walk that slowly. But I had fun running up to check on Liza and then running back to get love (and sometimes cheese!) from Mom. I could run really really really fast on that trail. I had to slow down because I scared Jessica when I ran so fast. Sometimes I forgot to slow down :-( I'm glad Jessica loves me anyway. I try to be good! (Photo credits for the first four photos: Eliza Hokanson)

We took pictures all together, but Melissa says Mother Nature (whoever that is- I want to meet her too! Do you think she'll love me?) was warning us. (Photo credit: Melissa Kniskern) She made lots of thunder while we were picking up the cans from someone else's party and taking our pictures. It was really fun! because it started raining when we were walking back to the car so all my pack started squealing and running and jumping and being happy and I got to run and jump with them! I was in the front when I saw a little dog in his yard on the way to the car. I wanted to stop and play, but Mom told me to Find the Car. Silly Mom- it was right there. She could see it. But I couldn't stop and play when I was finding the car for her. Everyone was laughing and dripping wet when we got in the car. It was fun! (Mom took this one.)

Family times are fun

We (me and Mom and James and Liza and Miriam) went to visit Grandpa again. There was a holiday with lots of good food and Uncle Glenn brought Daisy and we got to play and Uncle Kirk and Aunt Melissa and Jessica brought CC and Casey and, and. . .
Aaaahhh. . . okay, let me start over. We drove all the way to Grandpa's house on Monday. That's a very long ride, and I had to ride in the back of the station wagon because Liza and Miriam were on my seat. It's okay. Mom put my Mat and Towel in the back and buckled me to the hook on the back of the seat so I was safe. We stopped for Mexican food, and the lady tried to say I couldn't come in because Mom can see. I think Mom was hungry because she wasn't very happy when she explained to the lady that there are lots of kinds of service dogs. After that dinner was very calm. I lay right down next to the big horse statue and stayed quiet all the time they were eating. I like making Mom happy like that. She tells me I'm a wonderful dog and gives me lots of love.

Tuesday morning Uncle Kirk and Jessica came over to visit with us. Jessica played Pull my squeaky sock with me and Uncle Kirk played puppy with me and everybody loved on me. I LOVE going to Grandpa's house. (I'm sorry these pictures are so blurry. Mom was laughing too hard to keep the camera still.)
And then it was even more exciting- I got to go visit the Granny person and her friends. One lady didn't have legs that I could see, but her chair rolled around just fine. The ladies who were playing checkers told me I'm so cute. (Of course I am, but it's nice of you to say that.) Then Granny came out of the crowded room and we went down to the chairs so we could all visit. I smelled a cat, but I couldn't find him to see if he would play with me. Granny kept saying I'm beautiful and told me I'm a "Good Girl." Actually, Granny, I'm a boy, but that's okay. I guess she can't smell the difference. Mom says Granny used to have lots of girl dogs. I guess she doesn't remember I'm a boy and just says what she said to them. That's okay with me.

Granny said she was so happy to meet me. Uncle Kirk and Jessica have been telling her about me and she was hoping I'd come for a visit. I'm glad I made her happy too. She grabbed my ears and squashed me some, but Mom changed the game and had me do tricks for treats when I looked at her with my sad eyes. I'm glad I can count on her to take care of me. That makes it easier for me to be patient. And there's something special about Granny that she needs to be taken care of. I can help with that by making her so happy. She also liked playing Pull with my Rope. I'm good at sharing my toys. I think we'll go back again the next time we go visit Grandpa. I like making people smile.
When Aunt Melissa finished work she brought CC & Casey to play. That's the dogs I smelled when I got there last time, but I didn't get to meet them. They're really old and didn't want to play with me. I tried to be calm, but I'm a big, happy boy and they thought I was scary unless I was laying still. I couldn't do that for hours. I was too excited.
Wednesday was even more fun. Mom and James and Jessica and I went for a walk. I got to smell lots of different plants and even some new animals. They're big like the horses at my foster home, but they smell different. Mom says they're called cows. We went to the part so Jessica could play on the swings. I got to play on the bridge with her. It was kinda scary. . . There weren't any backs on the steps, and I could see through them. I thought it was metal for some reason, but it felt like plastic when I touched it, so I followed Mom up the stairs. There was a little square place and then something Mom called a "bridge." That was really scary! I could see through it, and it wobbled when I walked across it. I'm such a brave boy (at least when I can follow Mom and she remembers I don't like metal) so I followed her both ways across the bridge- TWICE!
When we got back Uncle Glenn was there. He brought Daisy! I met Daisy last time we were at Grandpa's, but Uncle Glenn made her stay outside by the tree and she barked lots so we didn't get to play. This time Mom said we needed to get along so Daisy could come inside away from the heat. It was REALLY hot. I shared my treats with her, and then I lay down on the grass so she could sniff me. I'm learning to lay down whenever I meet little dogs or little people. I don't think I'm THAT big, and Mom says I'm very lovable, so I can't figure out why people and little dogs are scared when I just want to play, but sometimes they are. I want to be friends, so I'm learning how to meet them quietly.
It worked! I like Daisy and she likes me and she knows how to play and we got to play in the house and everyone laughed!

Can you see how happy I was?

Later, when Daisy was too tired to keep up with me, I got to run around in the backyard, and smelled rabbits and deer and other critters, and played with my squeaky sock. When I ignored the little yappy dog in the yard next to Mr. Bob's Mom even let me run around without my leash on. We had to go in when the smells in the bushes got more interesting than my sock, but it was really funny when Mom threw my sock and it landed in the apple tree! I even found a yummy apple in the tree, but my tummy didn't like it, and everyone got excited when I threw up on the carpet. Grandpa took me outside and told me it was okay, he still loves me and it's easy to clean up. 

Uncle Glenn took Daisy home after dinner. Aunt Melissa took Uncle Kirk home- I hope his mouth feels better soon!- and took all the girls to see something called fireworks. Mom and James and I stayed home to keep Grandpa company. I'm glad, because there were lots of loud booms out there. I wish my girls had been home safe, but Mom said it was okay so I went to sleep.

I'm a good citizen!

I know I haven't written anything in such a long time, but I have really good news to share! Today we got in the car and drove to a dog fair- lots of dogs and yummy smells and LOUD noises. (Mom and I didn't like that!)
The Canine Good Citizen testing was supposed to start at 12, but Miss Joy said we could start whenever I was ready. I was ready when we got there, but Mom wasn't. Silly Mom. She thought I needed to walk around some first. I sat still while Mom and Miss Joy did the paperwork. James didn't start the video in time to see me being so very good, but I'll add the video to this post when Mom gets it onto youtube. You can see me walking close to Mom, but she was nervous and held my leash too tightly. I lay very still while Mom walked back to Miss Joy and then I ran right over to her! We practiced that LOTS while we were hiking, but that's another story! The only thing Miss Joy says we have to work on is my not pulling- but what's a dog supposed to do when his Mom walks away and leaves him in a strange place with lots of loud noises? I still passed! (I'm so glad I did, because it made Mom happy and she rubs on me lots when she's happy!)
After my testing this funny human with wings and a beak came up and took pictures with us. He smelled like a human but looked REALLY WEIRD! What do you think he was doing? They said his name is Poe.

My first recital!!!

I have lots of stories to tell, because Mom hasn't let me on the computer in AGES. First I want to tell you about my adventure last weekend. Mom and Dad (That's James, but Uncle Kirk and Uncle Glen said he's my dad!) tried to sleep in on Saturday, but I remembered something exciting was going on. They packed their suitcase and a big bag of my food, so I knew we were ready for an adventure. We drove ALL day (it felt like FOREVER!) to get to Grandpa's house.
I was really confused, because I could smell dogs in the house, but I couldn't find them. I did find a purple bottle! Mom put my treats inside it. It's a puzzle, and I'm still trying to figure it out, but sometimes my treats come out. I wish I could figure out how to make it work so I could get them whenever I want them! Food forever would be AWESOME!

Then came the best part of the day. . . we got in the car (again- UGH!) and went to a big building kinda like when we go to Mom's school, and there was a big room with LOTS of people, and lots of kids who wanted to play with me. I was in my vest, so I was really good and didn't go play with them, but I wanted to! Mom told them she would take my vest off so we could play after the show was over. Uncle Kirk and Aunt Melissa had saved us seats in the fourth row, so we were really close to the dancers. I was nervous at first. I've never been around so many people and the seats were really close together and Mom wouldn't let me smell all the neighbors, but I found a place beside her seat where I could stretch out. Mom said something about it being an aisle (whatever that is) and kept making me move closer to her. But I stretched out to protect our space and keep her safe. I really needed to do that. Strangers kept walking past us! Then the lights went out and music started and I could hear lots of little kids moving but I couldn't see them. It was scary but then the wall moved and I found them! They were cute and I wanted to go play with them, but Mom needed me close to her and I'm a good helper, so I didn't go play. It was really loud when the music stopped, but the people made that noise every time the music stopped so I stopped jumping pretty soon. After a while I decided it was time for a nap, except it was hard sleeping when the girls were dancing with their loud shoes on. It was really fun when ALL the lights were turned off and Jessica and her friends were dancing in the dark with glowing snakes on their heads!
Jessica told Mom the girls saw me in the hallway and kept asking her if she had seen that really big dog. She told them it was probably her Aunt Mary's dog- and that's me!

Grooming a 65-lb beast

One challenge with having a service dog is keeping him clean enough to go out in public. That generally means daily brushing, weekly baths and haircuts to keep the poodle-type coat neat and make the first two pieces easier. If you have to pay for that, the prices add up quickly! Weekly baths at the self-service bath place were over $20 (times 50+ per year, and five to ten years of service. . . yipes!). Special shampoo so we don't dry out his skin and a hose & nozzle for the shower were paid for with the second or third bath at home- AND I get a cleaner bathroom out of the deal. Snuffie makes sure the walls and floors are cleaned every week after his bath. (Yes, even clipped short, that poodle hair holds LOTS of water for him to shake on me and the walls!)

We reached a landmark yesterday. In the past, I've had to lift my big dog into the tub. Yesterday he stepped in by himself! That was MUCH easier and safer. I told him I was delighted with this new behavior, so I'm hoping we'll see it again next week.
Day by day, it's hard to see progress, but things come up that remind me of how far we've come. One of those was giving him a haircut this week. When Snuffie first arrived, he'd let me pet him all over his body, but didn't like having his feet held or tail combed, and I couldn't get all the mats brushed out over his hind quarters. If I turned on the clippers (electric shears), Snuffie ran from the room. Last week Miriam helped me keep him close for nail clipping, and Thursday he stood still- on the floor, without being restrained in any manner- for me to give him a full body clip. The only issues were with his feet (minor- still not fond of having his feet held and manipulated to clip between his toes- and they look a bit rough at the moment) and his face. I'm satisfied. By the time he needs another haircut, we'll have made even more progress with trust and desensitization to holding his feet. And I'll be experienced. ;-)
It was a two-day project, as I had to decide if I liked the cuffs around his ankles. I do. What do you think?

 I'm away from home, and will try to get better pictures when I get home.

Tuesday Training report-feeding a rescued dog for healthy weight gain

This is Mary, jumping in with a review of our training and adventures from the human perspective. For those of you who read for the "stories" because you love us, you may want to skip this one. I'm also using this blog for others, like myself, who explore service dog blogs in the process of deciding whether or not to bring a dog into their own lives.

Last week's successes were very important to my morale. . . the week before I'd had a couple of remarks that felt like criticism of Snuffie's behavior and my training (or how long it was taking my precious pup to learn). That's part of the ups and downs, particularly with owner-training.

Snuffie has been with me for six and a half weeks at this point. I found a 63 pound shaggy pup who played ball, liked men, women and children, rode well in a car, got along with dogs, cats and horses, and was sensitive enough that a three-year-old could walk him on a leash without being pulled over. He passed a temperament test with flying colors so I had his hips x-rayed to make sure he could handle the balance work I need when my legs are acting up, and had him neutered (required by GA law before a rescue pet can be released) at the same time to avoid having him under anesthesia twice in a week. I was actually glad that he was still intact until the growth plates in his bones closed. From what I've read, that helps with healthy joints.

Snuffie's first vet visit (Tuesday after arrival) he weighed in at 63 pounds with all his shaggy glory. Three weeks ago I had him in because he had a bad case of diarrhea- probably grass or some weed he ate, but I was in the process of switching him from a basic kibble to a grain-free one. (He was also scratching at his ears quite a bit- probably seasonal allergies, but possibly related to diet.) At that visit, Snuffie weighed 59 pounds- a bit dehydrated? He'd definitely lost a bit of weight when we shaved off most of his hair the week after he arrived. (You've seen those pictures already.) That was still the wrong direction to be heading! I increased his food, and cut down on our walks a bit.

I took him by the vet's office today- just to get a weight: 66.4 pounds! Our goal-from his vet- is 70 pounds and then we re-evaluate. When Snuffie got here, he was thin even with all the hair. Shaved, his hip bones protruded enough that I could rest my hand in the depression between them and still be below level! Now my handsome boy has muscles there- you can see the bones, but he doesn't look like he's all bone, and he's got very nice muscle structure on his legs. I'll keep him lean for joint health, but for now we're still on the weight-gain program.

Snuffie's diet: 4 1/2 cups of kibble (Earthborn Holistics) every day -split into two meals (except for what he gets as training treats during the day) plus other training treats such as cheese, chicken and meatballs chopped into small bites- mostly just enough for him to taste and enjoy- combined with a mile or two of walking and at least half an hour of play time every day. I add a tablespoon or so of live culture yogurt to his kibble once a day to provide good intestinal flora. Too much and his stools get soft, but he does seem to do better with a spoonful every day or so. Once he reaches target weight, I'll probably cut his kibble back a bit so he can still have his special treats without getting too many calories.
Snuffie LOVES strawberries, but those have to be limited or he gets diarrhea again. Rice seems to do him well, so I mix that in with his kibble when we have it. I am experimenting with other fruits and vegetables, but had to slow down with that to figure out what works in his system. The stuffed pocket sandwich (whole wheat crust with broccoli and vegan ham and cheese alternatives) he snitched from the counter (ooops!) didn't seem to bother him, but he still doesn't get those regularly, much as he'd like to help me eat mine.

I NEVER feed him directly from the table, that's "begging" for begging behaviors and absolutely unacceptable for a service dog! Most of the time Snuffie eats his meals from Kongs. They slow him down so he's not scarfing his food. Sometimes I fill and freeze them the night before, so it takes him 15-20 minutes to eat 3/4 cup of food. Most of the time I measure out his two cups for that meal and keep refilling the Kong while I work at my computer. Snuffie has learned to sit quietly and watch me while I fill the Kong, then go to his mat and lay down until I give it to him. (Eventually I want to teach him to bring the empty Kong back to me for refills and to the sink to be washed when the meal is over, but for now I'm happy with a polite request for a refill.)
In the morning, the cat gets her breakfast while Snuffie and I go out for our morning walk. Snuffie eats when we get back, even if I'm not hungry yet. In the evening he has to wait until the family has finished dinner before he gets his. I'm not terribly worried about "dominance" behaviors from feeding him before we eat, but I need him to be able to settle and stay quiet while we eat so he's got that down for restaurant meals. I did try feeding him before we went in for our restaurant dinners this weekend, but he wasn't ready. Guess the routine is set that we eat first. :-)

In many ways, I feel like I have a toddler again- proofing the house for safety, watching the bowel movements for food allergies, keeping his two-year-old brain active in constructive ways to keep him out of trouble, comparing things with other "parents," and laughing at his antics. Not to mention carrying a "diaper" bag and needing twice as long to do everything, and having to plan our outings meticulously. It is SO very worth it to have Snuffie in my life.

(Thanks to my sister-in-law, Lisa Moss, for today's photos!)

Haircuts and scary things

This is a picture of me, before Miss Bonnie gave me a haircut. Mom thinks I got my name because I look like Mr. Snuffleupagus, Big Bird's friend- especially when my hair was long. Eliza and Samuel think I look like someone named ALF. I don't care. Mom loves me and I love my new home. 

This is what I look like now. I was supervising Mom and James picking strawberries this morning.

I am much cooler with my new haircut, and it's MUCH easier for Mom to give me a bath. (Besides that, I got tired of having her trying to untangle my curls all the time.)

I'm really looking forward to not having to wear a leash all the time. Do you see that bottle on the sidewalk? It got tangled in my leash and tried to eat me! That's not as bad as Saturday morning! I was just trying to help Mom and Chris set up our pavilion when Mom's little table jumped on me and then chased me and pulled on my leash when I tried to run away. It was really scary and I ran really fast to get away from it. I didn't know where I was or who all those people were. I got away from the table by running out onto the open field. I was so glad to hear Mom call my name! She gave me lots of loves when I came running back to her. She made the table sit back by the fence and stay away from me after I got to sniff it. (I like to sniff things to make sure they're not really dangerous. I think I would've been fine without this darn leash. What do I have to do to get rid of it? I love to run in the Colonel's yard and to play in Tommy and Andrew's yard with them. I don't have to wear my leash inside their fences.)

Restaurants!

Of all the places I've gone with Mom, she kept me away from the best ones! But this weekend I finally got to go to TWO restaurants!
Friday night we had dinner on the patio of a Mexican restaurant. It was my first restaurant. I was REALLY good! I had lots of room to stretch out in our corner, but it took me a few minutes to figure out where my place was. We had been riding in the car FOREVER so I wasn't hungry before we went in, and all those good food smells made me hungry, but I stayed in my place-even when one of the waitresses came up to pet me! James stopped her, but she kept talking to me. It was hard, but I stayed still and watched Mom. She gave me lots of pets and told me I was wonderful (of course I am!) when that girl left. I think everyone who worked there came out to make sure Mom and James were taken care of- or just to admire me. I heard Mom tell James I was less disruptive than that little girl who was squealing while her grownups ate. I'm learning!
Saturday was even better! I got stay INSIDE a STEAKHOUSE! Mom says that doesn't happen very often, because my family doesn't eat meat (silly people!). Saturday night we went out for dinner with our friends Ernie and Chris, and they DO eat meat. It can be hard to fit under a table when you're as big as I am, and I had to shift around to find a way to curl up without laying on the lumpy table legs, but I did it! It was scary when people moved around or walked up and I couldn't see what was going on, but I got used to it. It was really hard to smell all that good food and not get to eat any of it, but Ernie saved me some of his steak and Mom gave it to me as a treat. (He also knows just how a dog loves to have his ears rubbed, and made sure I got plenty of water with ice in it when we were outside during that hot day.) I love Ernie! Chris says she wants to dognap me- but that wouldn't be nice. And besides, I'm always with Mom. If I didn't already have a furever home, I could live with them.

These are pictures of me, practicing being small, so Mom will take me back to the steakhouse! (I have to do something while she's typing on the computer.)

Super Snuffie goes to Court

Mom says I had a wonderful week last week. I know we were very busy.
Thursday we went to a big building called "Court." I told Mom before we went in that I needed to go potty, and she found me a great spot. I stood very still while she cleaned up my mess, and then we found a trash can for the yucky bag. We walked around outside and then went through big doors. I did very well walking right beside Mom, and held still when the little kid came running down the hall and got scared because I am as big as he is. Then I stood still again when Mom gave the men my backpack AND MY TREATS- they gave them back after we walked around the tunnel. We got an escort all the way downstairs. Did they think I don't know how to behave? Or maybe they wanted to make sure that German Shepherd didn't come running to play with me?
I was very good while we waited to go into our room. I did puppy push-ups in lots of places. I made a new friend, Elizabeth. She is six, and was very impressed with my push-ups. She is the only one Mom let pet me, even though lots of people watched me walking around. I am very handsome. I think people are not used to seeing golden dogs like me. Maybe it is my impressive red vest? Or the way I hold my head and tail when I'm prancing?

I'm getting very good at riding on elevators. They used to scare me, but now I just stand very still and wait for the ride to be over. I can even move over to make room for other people when the elevator gets crowded.
When we got called into our room, Mom had to juggle my backpack and get my towel so I would know where to lay down, but I was VERY good. (Sometimes I wiggle and she gives me more treats to help me remember what I'm doing. I've got her very well trained, haven't I?) All the people stood up when the man came into the room and sat in the big chair. I stayed still for that. We waited by the benches for another case to be heard, and then that man went down the hall. While he was gone we got to go sit at the big desks in the front. Mom got to sit beside the desk so I would have plenty of room to lay down. I was very quiet crunching my treats. She says I won't get treats most of the time, but I'm still practicing my down-stays so I get treats to help me remember to stay still. (Didn't I tell you I've got her trained?)
I lay very quietly the whole time they were talking to the man in the big chair, but when the lady said "All rise" again, I figured it was time for me to stand up, too. The man behind the big chair stopped! "I didn't know there was a dog in the room!" Ms. Pam told Mom I was wonderful. Mom was really happy, too. I was so excited I went to follow Ms. Wanda out of the room. Oops. . . I wasn't supposed to leave without Mom. Oh, well. That's why I'm still in training.
Ms. Pam was really impressed at how well I'm doing, and it hadn't even been six weeks yet! Even better, Ms. Pam told Mom about a gym where I can go play "Agility" and make new friends. I can't wait!

Welcome!

Hello! James says we need a gathering spot for my (Snuffie's) ever increasing fan club, so this is it. This will be a place to discuss service dog selection and training, to laugh about the challenges of life with a service animal (much like having a toddler in tow!), to celebrate accomplishments, brainstorm solutions, and highlight other animals who make a difference to the lives of others around them.


Mom had been having health issues since August of 2011 (or earlier- depending on how you define it) and decided to get a service dog to help her. It takes a special kind of dog and lots of training to be a service dog! It was a bit more complicated than it could have been because James and Aunt Lisa are allergic to most dogs, so she needed a dog that wouldn't make them sick. We want to go play with Aria and Evan-and their dogs- lots. (Did you know Evan wrote a book about service dogs when he was only 7? He did! My Seizure Dog- you can get it here! That's how he raised the money to get his own special partner.) There is a great organization nearby that trains service dogs, but they couldn't promise Mom any specific breed. Another organization only trains poodles but that was going to require driving several hours each way for lots of trips for training before the dog could come home with Mom. While checking out the training organizations, Mom was also watching for a rescue dog that could be trained to be her service partner.

I, Snuffie, am a two-year-old (or so) doodle (poodle mix) of unknown origin. Early in 2012 I was found wandering the streets of western GA. The little girl who found me thought I looked like Mr. Snuffleupagus, Big Bird's friend, so I got my new name. Her parents spent a couple of weeks trying to find my old family, and then turned me over to Miss Gail at Posey Shelter Pet Promoters. Miss Gail listed me on Petfinders, Miss Susan saw that and posted it on Oodles of Doodles, and Mom sent Miss Gail an email as soon as she saw it. Miss Gail thought I was such a special gentleman and needed a special job to do. Mom's trainer friend, Miss Terry, sent Miss Gail a temperament test to give me. I passed with flying colors. (Why did she pop open the umbrella when it wasn't raining?) Then I went to the vet for x-rays. (I think they did something else while I was asleep. It hurt "down there" when I woke up.) Then I got to take a long ride in a truck with lots of other dogs and the folks at PETS LLC took great care of me. I was so happy to meet Mom, but not so happy to have to get in the car for more driving.

I'm glad to be here. We eat and take long walks and eat and play ball and eat and learn things and eat and go for rides and mostly I sleep while Mom works on the computer.