I's Been A Busy, Busy Girl!

Hello! Welcome back to my blog! How've ya been? I's been a busy, busy girl!
Let's see.... this Sunday we went to the farm, and I got to see my bunny friends (oh, they's so cute!), play with my doggie friends, and ran around until I was so tired I just couldn't run anymore!
On our way home, Mommy stopped at WaWa...hers said she needed a nice cup of coffee for the long drive home. So we went inside, and guess what?! I heard a squeeky! That's right! I couldn't figure out where it was comin from, though, cause Mommy didn't have MY squeeky with her. It got closer, and closer and soon I saw where it was comin from----a little kid's feet!
At first, I thought that kid was a giant squeeky! Mommy told me that the squeeky was comin from his shoes... I couldn't believe it! I sooo wanted to go check out the squeekies close up, but Mommy said I couldn't cause the kid's family didn't look like they liked dogs very much, and the fact that I was lookin at the kid like he was a giant sqeeky toy probably didn't help matters, and I should just be good and not try to go "investigate"
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On Monday, Mom took me and the kid to the mall so that I could have a trainin session again. I'm gettin ready to take one of my certification tests really soon, and since I had that little "woof" incident a few weeks ago, Mom's working really hard to correct it...
So back to the mall and food court; where Mom got the kid a smoothie to enjoy while I practiced lying under the table while all sorts of people wandered by...I was a perfect lady---thank you very much!
Guess what?! After the food court, wes got to go to Build A Bear! And guess what?! They had a little stuffed doggie dressed in an assistance dog cape---just like I wear! The funny thing was that the doggie they used as a demo was the exact one that the kid has.... so you know we just HAD to get a cape for "Balto"! Kid thought that was great! We had such a good time goin through all the outfits and stuff; thinkin about how cute our little Gracie would look in a string bikini and sunglasses
Before we left, Mommy took my picture in front of the wall of build a bears, and lots of people gathered to see me with my new "friends"

So then it was time to leave, cause Mommy's brain started actin up and hers couldn't take the noises in the mall anymore. She told the kid that we was going to have dinner at her favorite restaurant...Bob's Heaven
Well,, if you remember from my previous posts, that the last time I was there, I "woofed" at the hostess when she startled me (cause I was takin a snoozie). Since then, Mommy has been working very, very hard trying to correct my behavior...and guess what?! My Mommy's so smart! Hers knew that having strangers come up to our table where my kid and Mommy was made me nervous---after all, it IS my job to keep them safe, right!? (oh, sorry Mom I forgot...) Mom reminded me that I'm only supposed to protect her when she says so...not on my own...I keep forgetting dat!
So anyway.... we're in the restaurant, and Mommy taught me how to behave when people walk up to our table. I used to think dat peoples comin up to us was a bad thing, so Mommy wanted to show me that it was a GOOD thing. So Mommy slipped me a yummy treat every time that someone came up to our table (YUM!). By the time we left, I realized that strangers meant good things! My Mommy loves me so much, and hers wants me to do good, and figures out ways to help me "win" all my games.... I really love bein her service dog!
Guess what? I got through the entire meal and didn't even think about woofin at nobody! Guess what else!? I got my squeeky thrown to me when we got back outside!! Oh, I just LOVE my squeeky!
Today was my "off" day. Mommy wanted to get some cleanin done. Well, me and Dawson decided to "help" too! Dawson would pick up something and hand it to Mommy and well, I didn't want to be outdone, so I got hers somethin else and brought it to her, then Dawson did, then I did; and pretty soon, Mommy was laughin so hard that hers was cryin! At first we thought wes did somethin bad, but then we realized that hers was cryin cause hers thought wes was funny.
Well, it's about time for me to get off the 'puter cause Mommy has to help Dawson with his upcomin book. Check back in with me soon; I'll have more stories to tell ya!
---Nadja

www.canineandabled.com

Happy Birfday, America!

Hiya! Welcome back to my blog...so nice to "see" you again ;-)

Guess what?! Today's America's birfday! Happy Birfday, America!!!

I got to have a GREAT training day today! I even got to wear my pretty red, white and blue scarf to celebrate the holiday... I liked dat!

Mom wanted to take me to the mall today, cause hers thought there would be lots of people there; and that would be a great challenge for me. Guess what!? Hers was right...and I had such a good time!

We went to the mall to have lunch at the food court. Boy was there some good smells in there! Mom and the kid got some pizza, (I wasn't allowed to have any, though ;-( But that was okay, cause I've been trained not to eat at the people table; and besides, I got lots of yummy treats afterwards! I liked dat!

While we was at the lunch table, Mommy tested my "leave it" command... hers dropped a piece of food right by my nose, and guess what? I wasn't supposed to touch it... that was okay, though, cause I had learned this at home, and I knew this task! I did real good, and some people that was sittin nearby couldn't believe I was bein so good! I knew that if I didn't touch the food on the food that Mommy would give me the yummy treats she saves for us just for training...and guess what?! I was right! I got my yummy treats for ignoring the people food on the floor ;-)

(Mommy tested my "leave it" command... and I did real good! I know I'm not allowed to eat food that drops on the floor!)

Mommy thought hers could trick me (that silly Mommy!) by having the kid walk over to me while eatin her pizza. Anytime the kid has food, it's always right at my face level; but I know not to take anything from hers...or any other kid; that would be just rude! Mommy had the kid try to tempt me, though; but guess what?! It didn't work! I knew that if I ignored the food in the kid's hands, that I would get the yummy treats again---and I was right! Boy was they good!

Right before we left, Mommy's paper plate fell on the floor. Her hands were full with the try and drink cups, so I picked it up for her, carried it to the trash can, then put it in, just like I was taught. I was so surprized when some passerbys saw what I did and clapped for me! I liked dat! ;-) I wagged my tail and "smiled" at them while we passed by...they smiled back and told me what a pretty and well-behaved doggie I was; thems was so nice!

We left the food court and Mommy had me carry my water bottle through the mall. Lots of people stopped to look... I thought they was makin fun of me, but Mommy told me that they was lookin cause I looked really cute...that made me feel better, and I wasn't scared to do my task in front of people no more.

We stopped in the middle of the mall, and Mommy took me through some more tasks like putting the bottle of water across the aisle of the mall, telling me to wait until the way was clear of people, then "sending" me to go retrieve it. I liked dat!

Then, Mommy "dropped" her keys, and I had to pick them up, carry them back to Mommy's bag on the back of the kid's stroller and drop the keys into Mommy's back to "put them away". Hers backed up farther and farther until hers had to "send" me nearly fifteen feet away to go "put her keys away" all by myself... I liked dat! I had so much fun that I didn't even realize that a whole crowd had gathered to watch me. This time I wasn't shy anymore, and I didn't pay no mind to the people watchin me; I just listened to Mommy real good--- and guess what?! I got a squeeky! Mommy had to take it back pretty quick, though...Did you know that squeekies echo really loud in malls!? They DO! Who knew!?

After the mall, we stopped at Petsmart to see if I could get any other doggies to practice workin around... there was NO other doggies there, though... so Mommy let the kid pick out a couple of new fishies for her tank, and we left. Hers got some pretty fishies! The store clerk let me say hello to them right before she put them into the travel bag ... they was so cute and swam right up to me to say hello...I liked dat!

After dat, it was time to come home. Boy, was I tired! I had such a nice day! Mommy said I did really, really good and didn't get distracted even once! I got lots of yummy treats and was very proud of myself ;-)

I LOVE bein a service dog!

Well, the 4th of July parade is on TV, and I don't want to miss the fireworks! Mommy took the kid to go see them in our hometown last night, but hers said the loud bangs might hurt my sensitive ear drums, so hers left me, Gracie and Dawson home... she said we all could watch 'em on TV tonight, though, cause they aren't loud enough to hurt our ear drums.... I can't wait! I hope you get to see them too!

Mommy, Dawson, Gracie, Kid and I want to wish you all a very happy and safe 4th of July!
I got my formal obedience class tomorrow, so I'll let you know how that goes! If the weather's nice, Mommy said I can go swimmin afterwards; Oh, you know how I love to swim! I'll tell you all about it later!

---Nadja
http://www.canineandabled.com/

Demo Day ;-) Celebrating a Ten Year Milestone...

Hello! Welcome back to my blog!

Guess what?! We all had a Canine and Abled demo today... and guess what?! Mommy said I did a really good job and that hers is very proud of me ;-)

We went to a nearby school and got to meet all kinds of nice kids. They was scared of me at first; Mommy said it was cause I'm so big.... I dunno why they was scared; I wouldn't eat em or anything.... but they got used to me and when they realized that I wasn't gonna eat em, they liked me... and I liked them!

I used ta get scared when I had to do tasks while people was lookin... but today I wasn't scared! I did all my tasks and after each one, the kids clapped for me ---I liked dat!

The kid even helped in our demo today! Hers showed the other kids how she can control us doggies in the event of an e-m-e-r-g-e-n-c-y; and how we've all been trained to listen real good to her. That kid is so cute! Hers did such a good job, and I listened real good cause I wanted us both to do good!

After my tasks were done, Mommy put me back into the van in my nice, cool crate and let me relax while Dawson did his demo, and then Gracie did hers. Mom says we all did a really good job; and we got lots of yummy treats; and guess what?! I got lots of squeeky throws, too! Oh, you know how I love my squeekies!

Today was an extra special demo day cause it is the anniversary of Mommy's accident. It was ten years ago today that hers life was changed forever. It seemed fitting to do something so positive on such a monumental day ;-)

When we got home, it was time for lunch, and a nice snoozie. We all snuggled up close to Mommy cause hers was feelin sick after the busy morning. Mommy loves tellin people all about service dogs, but it sure does take a whole lot of of her. She knows she's going to get sick after each presentation, but hers says she wouldn't change a thing; cause she loves doin Canine and Abled events!

We all laid on top of Mommy while hers was fallin asleep, and hers scratched us behind our ears and on our tummies while wes was fallin asleep; I liked dat! We had such a nice snoozie together!
Mommy felt so much better after takin some medicine and havin a snoozie, and hers wanted to catch up on some cleanin. Hers was still havin trouble bending, though, so hers asked me to help her. I picked up all the stuff off the floor that she needed to have picked up, and even helped with the laundry... I liked dat! I think it's lots of fun to help Mom; and hers is so grateful for my help---we make a really good team, huh?!

Well, it's time for me to sign off for now. I think we're supposed to go to the grocery for a training session tomorrow; so I'll let you know how that goes. Till I "see" you again, stay cool!

--Nadja

http://www.canineandabled.com/