Greenville Public Library

Often times Puppy Raiser's are asked to bring their dogs to community events to help educate the public about service dogs.  These pictures were taken by my friend Linda at the Greenville Library.

In the top photo Becca and her dog Rozlynn, Helper and me are seated with attendees for the Children's Story Hour.  Both Rozlynn and Helper were very well behaved!  

In this picture two children are petting Helper.  Helper stayed "down" and allowed the children to play with her.

In this picture to the right, I am demonstrating the "lap" command to a Mom and her young daughter.

Fellow Puppy Raiser Becca organized our participation in this event.  Thanks Becca!

Helper becomes a regular at Baylor Physical Therapy

Since I was required to complete physical therapy for my knees, I took Helper to many sessions so she could experience the PT environment.  Helper fit right in.  She would greet the receptionist Christy and then my PT Marina.  They loved having Helper visit as did many of the other patients!  In this pic Helper is visiting one of the regular patients.

Helper was comfortable around the equipment and learned to settle in and wait for me until I was done with my session.  I am thankful that Marina and Christy let Helper come to the center because of the invaluable experience this provided to her.

Woodland Park Pet Resort

All female puppies in the SW Region of Canine Companions for Independence are considered "potential breeders" until they are turned in for advance training at approximately 18 months of age.  At that point they are evaluated and a decision is made.  If they are not going into the breeding program CCI has them spayed.  Consequently, while the female dogs are growing up with their Puppy Raisers they will go into heat at least one time.  When it happens CCI requires that the Puppy Raiser board the dog for three weeks.

The facility we use for boarding in North Dallas is Woodland Park Pet Resort.  This picture shows one of the play fields in front of the compound.  All dogs have several playtimes each day.  They have a pond too for dogs that like to swim...Helper is a swimmer!  It is a very nice facility!

Helper went into heat the Tuesday after Memorial Day.  She had a three week vacation from training while enjoying Woodland Park's amenities!

Friends Visit

In May my friends Marcia and Marguerite came for a visit from California.  Helper loved spending time with them!  We even had the chance to visit their friend Ron at his lake house.  We all went for a ride on Ron's new boat.   Helper was calm on the boat and showed no fear!  This was another great experience for her.

During their visit Marguerite took many great pictures of Helper.  Here are just a couple of the pics taken in the back yard at my house.  

I love this picture because both of us look very happy!

Blue Bonnets

Texas in the springtime means Blue Bonnets in the fields.  This pic was taken at a park in Plano by my friend Randi while I held the other end of the lease.  CCI dogs are never supposed to be off lease unless they are in an enclosed area.

Helper Stays with other Puppy Raisers for 8 Weeks!

Because of my knee replacements I had to make arrangements for Helper to stay with other Puppy Raisers for eight weeks.  I was feeling fine after a couple of weeks.  However, my surgeon did not want me to chance an injury while working with Helper too soon.  So I put the word out to the Puppy Raisers in North Dallas and had a wonderful group of ladies (Marsha, Becca & Linda, Virginia, Terri and Teresa) volunteer to help.  Everyone took a week and then Helper rotated back to most people again for a second week.  This provided a great opportunity for Helper to get used to living in different households and taking direction from various people.  This type of experience helps the dog gain confidence for the ultimate transition...leaving their Puppy Raiser and going to advance training in California when they are approximately 18 months old.

The pictures below were taken by fellow puppy raiser Virginia.  She and her husband Allan took Helper into their home even though they already had a full house...four other dogs!  This is another great experience for Helper because she had to learn to get along with more senior dogs while living in their domain.  Allan is a doctor and after he spends a full day with patients he comes home and gives the dogs treats.  In this pic they all lined up in the kitchen ready to catch a peanut....what a great picture!

In the pic below, Helper is sleeping next to her suitcase.  Her theme song for 8 weeks was "On The Road Again"!  It takes a lot of supplies to provide for a growing puppy for eight weeks!

In this wonderful picture below, Allan is cuddling with Helper.  Even though it is against CCI rules to allow the dogs up on the furniture, I was thrilled to see this picture!  After all, Helper was going from house to house each week for eight weeks.  She needed someone to cuddle with!  Thank you Allan!!!

Helper Visits Me in the Hospital

On February 6th I had both of my knees replaced!  While I was in the hospital Helper stayed with her friend Nessie at Aunt Marsha's house.  On February 7th Marsha brought Helper to the hospital to visit me!  I found out how comforting it is to have a wonderful puppy cheer you up when you are in the hospital.  Look how cute she is with her head on the bed.  :-)

The two pictures below were taken on February 8th.  Both Nessie and Helper visited me in the hospital!!!   The hospital staff loved it!!!  They were both very well behaved.  Helper was so calm that she took a nap...under Nessie's head!

These hospital visits were great experiences for Helper and Nessie.  Service dogs often times must go to medical appointments with their partners.  Having had the chance to visit the hospital gives them both exposure to the sights, sounds and smells of this unique environment.

Play date with Greta and Nessie

One of my jobs as Helper's Puppy Raiser is to socialize her with various dogs.  This is important because a service dog must be calm at all times around other dogs.  My good friend and fellow Puppy Raiser Marsha brought Nessie (on the right) and Greta (the Golden Doodle on the left) over to have a play date with Helper.  In this picture Marsha has given the command for all of the dogs to go "down" and they are intently watching for her next command.

Helper attends a function at the Dallas Country Club!

My good friend Jackie invited Helper and I to go to a charity event at the Highland Park Country Club.  It was a great chance for Helper to mingle with hundreds of people that were very interested in learning about her journey.  There were several people in costume and below is a picture of Helper meeting "Elvis".  It is amazing to me that she is never timid around people in strange outfits...she is a confident puppy!  On the right is a picture of Helper meeting Jackie's friend Ellen (red cardigan) and me (white jacket).  Helper met lots of people during this outing.  She was very well behaved and held her "down" position under the table during the luncheon and speaker portion of the program.  A big thanks goes to Jackie for giving Helper an opportunity to experience this very large and unique function!  

Helper Takes a Ride on the Polar Express...

As a special holiday treat my sister took her daughter, grand daughter, me and Helper to a train station outside of Utica, New York for a magical ride on The Polar Express!  As you can imagine, there were hundreds of excited children, dozens of Santa's elves and many people in costume to match the chacters in the book and movie.  Any of these things would have made your average dog nervous.  Not Helper...she was loving all the activity!  At one point as we were standing on the train platform waiting  to board the Polar Express,  a trained roared by on the adjacent tracks and blew its whistle.  We humans jumped!  When I looked down at Helper she was just calmly standing there happily wagging her tail.

In this photo Helper is meeting Santa Claus for the first time.  I was pleased that the constant motion of the moving train did not make her timid or nervous.  She did great!

Snow, Snow and More Snow!!!!

One of the wonderful things about spending the holiday with family in upstate New York is the chance to have a "White Christmas".  It sure is pretty to look at!   However, I was not sure how my Texas puppy was going to like getting out in the snow and freezing temperatures when she had to relieve herself 4-5 times per day.  My questions were answered when we got the first of several snowstorms.  Luckily my sister lives in a cute little town because each time we would go outside we had to walk in the street.   Most sidewalks were not shoveled due to the multiple snow storms that hit during the week before and after Christmas.  Helper did not care...she was one very happy puppy playing in the snow!  We would start out walking in the street and then she would charge over the snow banks created by the street plows so that she could put her face into the fresh snow.  Thankfully, I brought a long retractable lease with me so she could enjoy her time in the snow.  It was so fun to watch!  Here are a few pics of Helper at my sisters house after the first snowfall.  With her nice red jacket who would guess that she was a Texan?

 

A Visit to my Home town...Plattsburgh, New York

Holly and I drove to our hometown (Plattsburgh, New York) for the weekend to visit family and friends prior to Christmas.  This allowed Helper to gain three more new experiences that will serve her well as a service dog.  First, the road trip took four hours each way.  Helper was great in the car and during rest stops on the way north.  It was very cold, rainy/muddy and windy but Helper did not hesitate to go outside when necessary.  Secondly, we stayed in a hotel for a couple of nights and she had to sleep in a portable kennel.  This new environment was not a problem for Helper and she settled into the new routine immediately.  The third new experience for Helper was being outside in the cold  winter weather!  We were invited over to our friends Sue and Don for a puppy play date and it started to snow!  This picture is of Helper and Kerry (beautiful Golden puppy on the right).  Kerry's big sister Hannah is out of the pic because she wanted nothing to do with the "kids"!  It was wonderful to watch them play as the snow began to fall.

Helper's First Plane Trip Inside of the Cabin!!!

An airport can be a very stressful situation for a puppy because of the crowds, booming announcements over the public address system, luggage being dragged by strangers, people in wheelchairs, motorized carts, smells from all of the foodservice operators etc.  Because of these reasons CCI requires that you get their permission before you fly anywhere with your puppy.  It is very important that they have a good experience so that they are confident traveling as a graduate dog assisting their partner.  To help prepare Helper for the atmosphere inside an airport terminal, I took her to the airport a couple of times in November to walk her around the ticket counter, baggage claim and the security check points.  She did well and loved the attention she got from all of the workers and travelers!

The last time Helper flew on a plane she was 8 weeks old.  At that time she was put in a kennel and transported in the cargo section of the plane.  That was in March when she was sent to DFW Airport where my friend Virginia and I picked her up.  It seems like a long time ago!  

Today's trip was very different for Helper.  She is almost one year old and has the skill to accompany me in the cabin of the plane for my trip home (upstate New York) for the Christmas holiday!  The picture above was taken (by a fellow passenger seated across the aisle from us) on our first flight as Helper slept on the floor beside me.  Everyone was very nice!  On this leg of our journey (first of two flights) as we were exiting the plane, the co pilot actually tried to get Helper to sit in his seat for a great photo opportunity!   She was not cooperating so we settled for the pic below of Helper sitting in the cockpit next to the pilot.  The United Airlines crew was terrific!

We changed planes in Cleveland, Ohio and had enough time to go for a potty break outside of the airport terminal which meant that Helper had to go thru security again.  Just like in Dallas where we started our day, she navigated the check point like a pro!  I was very proud of her as I commanded her to "stay" on the other side of the security checkpoint as I walked thru the electronic detector and then called "here" for her to walk thru the detector by herself.  Everyone was impressed with Miss Helper!

The second flight went as well as the first one and when we arrived in Syracuse, New York we were met at the airport by my sister Holly.  It was a long day but Helper gained valuable experiences that will serve her well as a service dog.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Helper had company for the Thanksgiving weekend.  Her friend Nessie (on the left) came to stay with us.  As you can see with all the toys, Helper and Nessie had lots to be thankful for this Thanksgiving!

Nessie is just five months old and her Puppy Raiser (Marsha) is already providing her the opportunity to "sleep over" at other Puppy Raiser's homes.  This is a great experience for a CCI puppy  because they get used to different living situations, different styles of handlers and being away from their Puppy Raiser.  This experience helps them to be confident in new environments and ultimately transition better when they go on to "Puppy College" for advance training when they are approximately 18 months old.

Paint Horse Show

Yesterday we went to Fort Worth to attend the Paint Horse Show.  Helper is amazing around horses...she loves them!  I think maybe they seem like big dogs to her!  LOL  This picture was taken as Helper performed the lap command (the puppy puts their front legs across your lap and their back legs remain on the floor).  As you can see she is totally watching the Paint Horse action in the arena!

VA Outpatient Clinic

This week Marsha took Helper to the VA Hospital in Fort Worth for their Outpatient Clinic.  CCI had a booth there to get the word out about our wonderful Service Dogs.  The picture below was taken as (left to right) Simba, Helper and Zeta relaxed during a slow period of the day.

After the event Helper went back home with Marsha to have a play date with Nessie.  As you can see from the picture below, Nessie patiently waited for her friend Helper to rest from her busy day at the VA Hospital so they could play later...so cute!

Why be a Volunteer Puppy Raiser?

When I am out with Helper I meet lots of people.  During these interactions I tell folks a little bit about Canine Companions for Independence and explain my role as a Volunteer Puppy Raiser.  Then Helper dazzles her new fans by executing a few of my commands!  During these interactions one of the most common comments I hear is "How do you give her up after having her all that time...I could never do that".  I tell people that it will be very hard but that I know how important Helper will be to someone with a disability.  Next I tell them about the person who brought me into the CCI organization.  His name is Jason Morgan and he is a retired Air Force Staff Sergeant ... he was a Combat Meteorologist in Special Operations.  Jason was injured in the line of duty in South America in 1999.  A couple of years ago he got his first service dog...Napal.  Napal is a handsome Black Labrador that is always at Jason's side.  Jason says that Napal has positively changed his life!  Together they make appearances at special events to help get the word out for CCI and Wounded Warriors.  Jason is a true inspiration!  He is the reason I can look beyond the sadness I will experience when Helper leaves me.  CCI dogs make a positive difference in the lifes of many people!

The picture below of Helper and Jason was taken a couple of months ago by the Editor of Plano Profile Magazine when they were doing a story on Jason.  Helper loves Jason!

Happy Halloween!!!!!

Here is a picture of Helper at the Pumpkin Patch.  Happy Halloween everyone!

P.S.  I took Helper to Lazy Paw Animal Hospital today for her monthly weight check.  She weighs 49.8 pounds!  Since she is already 10 months old she will most likely max out at 60 pounds...a petite girl!

Helper's Friend Rozlynn

This beautiful Black Lab/Golden cross is Helpers' friend Rozlynn.  This pic was taken after play time in my back yard.  She is one month older than Helper. Both girls will go on to advance training together next August in Oceanside, California.   Rozlynn stayed with us for a few days this month while her PR (Becca) was out of town.  CCI encourages us to take each others dogs now and then so they get used to working with various people.  When they have positive experiences in different environments it helps to make them confident dogs.  Hopefully this also reduces the possibility of any separation anxiety when they go to advance training.

Trip to Kroger Pharmacy

I went to the Kroger Pharmacy today to get a vaccination and brought Helper with me.  While we were waiting for the Pharmacist, Helper got a chance to practice the "under" command in the waiting area.  She is getting to be a big dog now and weighs 47.4 pounds.  Yet she was able to get into position under a small end table.  Helper held this position for almost 30 minutes with many distractions...good dog!  This is an important command for a service dog because when they are out in public with their partner they often have to go under a table at a restaurant or under at a desk at work etc.

After we left the pharmacy we walked around the grocery store.  Helper never pulled to get closer to the food shelves and kept her attention on me.  She was perfect!    

Cottonwood Art Festival

This past weekend Marsha (Nessie's PR) invited Helper and I to the Cottonwood Arts Festival so we could practice commands in a very distracting environment.  Marsha was puppy sitting for another CCI dog named Tulah.  Since Helper is just one month younger than Tulah it was a great chance for her to spend time interacting with a similar size dog.  The picture above is of Helper (on the left) and Tulah (on the right) posing in front of another type of animal...iron sculptures of a moose, a Texas Longhorn and a giraff!.

Marsha took the photo above to show the view from Tulah and Helpers perspective.  There were hundreds of people and almost as many dogs attending this festival.  Our puppies attracted a lot of attention because of their beautiful looks and wonderful manners!  They were both fantastic representatives for CCI!  Many thanks to Marsha for including Helper and I in this great learning experience.

Allergic Reaction...Very Scary!

This morning after Helper had her breakfast we went outside so she could "hurry".  We were only outside a few minutes and as usual Helper was sniffing the ground as she looked for a spot for her bathroom break.  Nothing in her behavior was unusual.  However, when we came back into the house I noticed that Helper had swelling around her eyes and it quickly got worse and spread to her muzzle.  I was pretty scared but Helper was normal and she even wanted to play!  Even though it was Sunday I sent a text to my Vet before heading out to a 24 hour Animal ER.  Luckily Dr. Hunter called me immediately and told me to give Helper 75mg of Benedryl.  Since Helper was not in distress we decided to wait an hour to give the Benedryl a chance to work.  When the hour passed Dr. Hunter called and I told her Helper was not much better.  She was wonderful and told me to meet her at the office (Lazy Paw Animal Hospital).  Once there she gave Helper a steroid shot.  Within a couple of hours Helper was back to normal.  The only thing I could think of that caused this episode was that Helper probably made contact with Fire Ants or some other type of insect when she was nosing around the yard.  I am so grateful to Dr. Hunter/Lazy Paws for her wonderful response to my emergency!

This is a picture of my sweet puppy...she looks like an alien!

Puppy Outing at RISE

One of the responsibilities of a Puppy Raiser is to take your puppy to some of the events where CCI has a booth or presence.  By attending these events the puppy benefits by being in a new environment and gets to interact with lots of people and other dogs.  One of these events occurred this weekend.  RISE is an organization that modifies sport equipment so that people with disabilities can partake in the activities they love.  Because CCI had a booth at this event we were able to educate potential clients on  the great benefits of having a CCI dog.  The picture below shows five of the puppies that came to this outing with their PR.  Helper is on the far left hand side of the photo.

Helper and Nessie

September has been a very busy month for both Helper and me!  I was on vacation in Alaska during the first two weeks of the month so Helper went to another Puppy Raiser's (Marsha) house while I was gone.  It was a great experience for Helper because Marsha G. is a very experienced PR and she has a 13 week old puppy that she is raising named Nessie.  Because Helper is the only dog in my household, she gets very distracted when she sees dogs at various events...all she wants to do is play with them!  This is a bad trait for a dog that is training to assist someone with a disability.  My goal is to have her interact more frequently with other dogs so that it becomes routine and she does not lose focus when we are working/training.  Helper's time with Nessie was a great start to more dog to dog interactions.  This first picture is a great photo that Marsha took of "the girls" practicing their door manners at Marsha's back patio door.  They are beautiful!!!!

While staying with Nessie, Marsha took great care to expose Helper to new situations.  One day they all went to visit another Puppy Raiser (Terri) that has a horse in a nearby stable.  Terri introduced them to horses and mules!  Helper was very interested in making these new friends...she is not afraid of anything!  Take a look at the picture below.  That is Terri in the left corner holding Helper's lease as she lets the mules sniff her and makes her way to the ponies on the right.  Nessie let Helper go first!

I owe a big thank you to Marsha for taking such great care of Helper while I was gone!  

Puppy Class

One of the important requirements for a CCI Puppy Raiser is to go to class with your puppy twice per month to learn basic commands.  We are lucky in our area to have a great trainer!  Jeanie has been a trainer and owner of her own dog care/training business for many years.  She has attended sessions at CCI's regional offices in Southern California so she knows what it takes to prepare our puppies for advance training and ultimately graduation.  This picture featuring Jeanie with two puppies was taken after our class today.  When you are looking at the picture, the dog to the left is Hala and the dog to the right is Helper.  They are sisters from the "H" litter raised until they were 8 weeks old by the Poole family!  Tomorrow they will be 8 months old.  Happy Birthday to Hala and Helper!!!  It was fun to see them together at training today.