The Right Fit

A partnership won't work well if the fit isn't right. Sure, there are always ups and downs in any relationship...but overall, a good relationship has two willing partners that work well together. The relationship between a dog and his/her human partner is no different...especially if that dog is an Assistance Dog.

There is a big difference between a person that uses a dog for help, and those people who have pets. Mom uses our talents as Service Dogs at home, but she doesn't have to (she's lazy). She's not relying on us to go about her day. If she drops something, or is clumsy getting a door open, it's not a big deal. If John does the same thing, it's a big deal in his day. Many things in his life cause him to struggle...and that's why I'm here to help. If I can save him time throughout the day, to make his life easier...I'm doing my job. But as I said, that fit has to be right for it to work.



Mom knows people who are waiting for dogs...dogs that can help them...dogs that can make their life easier. Some are waiting for program-trained dogs, some are searching for a dog that they will train themselves, and some are training dogs that they already have. It's a long-road, no matter which way you chose. John was matched with Charlie (his first SD) for 10 years...it was good fit. They worked as a seamless team for all of those years. In between Charlie and me was another dog...who was not a good fit for various reasons. I came along, and it was a good fit from day one. What made me a good fit for John? I'm an active dog...and I like to move fast when I'm out. John likes to put his scooter in rabbit mode (as opposed to "turtle mode") and zip along. At the same time, I also like to snuggle and have no problem with down time. John has a lot of down time...when he parks his butt on the couch...he stays for a while. I'm okay with that too. I'm adaptable...so I can go anywhere, anytime and not worry about anything. I'm smart...and learn quickly...which is good because John doesn't get too committed to training. I pick things up after a few repetitions and some click/treating. So John doesn't have to spend a long time teaching me a new behavior. Also, I make great leaps in my training...and don't have to be shown step-by-step...so it makes training easier for John. Teach me to pull the drawer open? I'm go a couple of steps further and do a paws up, tug out your pants and bring them to you.

That's teamwork!

We know a lot of Assistance Dog teams...and we love to see a good pairing. That's part of the fun of working with dogs like me, according to mom. Finding that good match. A slower person that shuffles along...does not need a fast, active dog. That person that zips along in a scooter does not want a dog that pokes along. The person that has trouble getting up off the floor can't be helped by a small dog. A dog that LOVES to retrieve hopefully will go do a person who drops a lot of items... So on and so on.

The right fit is important with any dog...no matter if they are working or not. Makes me think of those AKC commercials they played on TV for a while...don't get a basset hound if you like to jog, for instance. :) Don't underestimate the importance of the right fit.

~SDS

Happy St. Patty's Day!

Did everyone get their corned beef and cabbage tonight?

Mom made us dog treats made with corned beef lunch meat and mashed potatoes...yum! She and John went to the local volunteer Fire Department for a St. Patty's Day dinner...corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, ham, green beans, carrots and dessert! It looked delicious, but they didn't give me any!

I was a good boy though...and laid under the table quietly...with people coming and going all around me. John answered lots of questions about me...but he's used to that. ;) More often than "What does he do for you", he gets "What breed of dog is that?" lol More and more, we run across people that know what Service Dogs do...a woman tonight told us that she'd just watched a TV show all about raising Assistance Dogs. That's good to hear!

We've been busy lately...a couple of flyball tournaments in a row...come up and see us in Gettysburg, PA this weekend if you're in the area!

Mom is getting her new Fidos Service Dog in Training next week...so you'll be meeting "Denver" soon!

~SDS

PS...yes, I wore green to dinner...no pinches for me!

Finally some good weather...

John doesn't go out much when it's cold outside...so I've been a bit bored lately. With the deep snow, it makes things worse...so we haven't done anything. Nothing much to write about. I don't even like to go out with the other dogs and Mom if John doesn't go. I did play with Mom in the snow a little bit this past week...I was desparate!


I bounced right out of the frame!

Finally now we have some good weather...and I hope it sticks around. Mom said something about raiding the piggy bank and going to a movie this afternoon...that'd be cool. She said Watchmen...whatever that is. I can sleep through any movie...action or otherwise.




Catching snowballs!

Maybe John will go outside and through my Orbee ball today! Paws crossed!




See ya!
~SDS

They grow up so fast...

For those of you that don't know...Mom is the Puppy Coordinator for Fidos For Freedom. That means that she's in charge of all things Puppy at Fidos. Arranging to bring in new puppies (sometimes testing them herself), teaching Puppy Class for the Puppy Raisers, talking to new Puppy Raisers, taking in new pups until a Puppy Raiser is available, and so on.

So she sees a lot of puppies. We (the dogs @ home) see a lot of puppies.

The puppies that Mom has worked with along the way are now getting matched with clients...and starting off on their new working career. Mom does feel proud to have had a hand in all of these matches, despite not being "officially" part of the new team. It makes her tear up a bit to see those hand-picked puppies and dogs going about their new life...and helping someone. Each puppy touches our lives...sometimes in a big way, sometimes in a small way that not many people realize.





A big goofy golden retriever boy, Jacob, just started his one year probation with his partner at Fidos. What part in this did my Mom play? Jacob was in the first Puppy Classes that Mom helped teach (she was the Assistant Puppy Coordinator at the time). She remembers back when he was just a little fella. She helped teach his Puppy Raisers...advised them, sympathized with them, and laughed with them. She's not on the "list" of people who helped raise and train Jacob...but she is part of his new partnership nevertheless. And she's proud of him.

~SDS

Handicapped Parking Fraud.org

Someone sent this website to Mom, and we want to pass it along to everyone. We love this idea. Basically, it's a website that you can report Handicapped Parking fraud on...idiots who don't need the spot that park in them anyway. From the site:

HandicappedFraud.org was launched as a place for community based reporting of handicapped placard abuse and fraud. Unfortunately, there is wide spread abuse of the blue placards issued to the handicapped, and there simply aren't enough police officers to issue the tickets.

Handicapped Parking Fraud

The site also has a lots of other resources for disabled individuals. :) We love this site, and we're going to be reporting abuse here from now on...and trust me, we see a LOT of abuse of handicapped parking spaces. Even cars that have placards or tags, but park into the hash marks...grrrr. Some of us need those hash marks for wheelchair lifts! Mom always says that people must think that the hash marks are there so they don't have to park straight.

~SDS

Thank you Premier and Laurie Luck!

This past Saturday, Laurie Luck, a trainer in the area...and a Premier rep came to give Fidos For Freedom a demo on Gentle Leaders and Easy Walk harnesses. She brought equipment for everyone, and we all learned how to fit them properly.

It was great...all of the loose, ill-fitting equipment got tightened up and fixed. My Easy Walk was a bit loose, because I'd lost some weight over the winter (I don't do as much in the winter...so Mom dropped my food intake down...guess she dropped it toooo much). Mom was happy, as the equipment that she fit was given the okay. *Click!*

The demo was extremely helpful...as Mom learned some great ways to simplify the explanations on how to put the equipment on...so she can help others better. I think everyone was pleased. I myself showed off...Laurie fit my EW on me in front of the group...and I stood there like a good boy, and even gave her a little kiss. Such a ladies man!

Then we went to lunch next door at the deli with some of the other Service and Hearing dogs and their humans. The humans had a nice time talking about training and Fidos, while all of us dogs took a much needed nap under the tables. It's always fun to see all of us crowded under a table like peas in a pod.

All in all, it was a great demo...thanks again to Laurie and Premier!
~SDS...snazzy in his purple Easy Walk

New Title!

Hooray for me!

We went flyballin' this past weekend...and I was able to earn my newest title. I am now a Flyball Master Champion (FMCh-15,000 points). Whoohoo!

I ran really well over the weekend, and even gave up some runs to a teammate. Since I have bad knees, Mom doesn't really mind letting me run a little less than normal. :)

No pics this time, the building was dark...maybe Mom will snap some pics of me with my new ribbon soon though.

See ya
~SDS