nov 30 2018

LETS FACE FACTS... I HAVE A HIGH REGARD FOR DOGS AND DONKEYS .. 

SO HERE I SIT WITH A LONG LIST OF TOPICS I MUST NOT DISCUSS-

 DAILY THAT LIST GETS LONGER AND LONGER..

LEAVING ME THE ONLY SAFE TOPIC  OF HOW KENNEL COUGH CAN PRODUCE PUPPIES.  TURNS OUT......

THAT MAC WAS DUE TO BE nEUTERED, BUT SINCE WE HAD A CASE OF POSSIBLE KENNEL COUGH ON THE PROPERTY, HIS SURGERY GOT CANCELED.--  THE CANCEL;ATION OF HIS NEUTERING NEVER MADE IT TO THE RIHT WHITEE BOARD.... ...  AND WHO LOOKS AT THE FACTS WITH ALL THESE BLACK DOGS- WITHOUT EXTENSIVE INVESTIGATION  YOU CAN NOT TELL AT A GLANCE IF THE LITTLE MARBLES AR GONE FROM  THE SACK --- 

SOOOOOOOOO----- LILLY AND MAC GOT PUT OUT TOGETHER-- HE IS VERY YOUNG- AND WITH  THE SUN GOING DOWN SO EARLY , IT IS HARD TO SEE ON THE CAMERA EXACTLY WHAT WENT WHERE. BUT I AM TOLD  THERE MAY HAVE BEEN A  MOONLIGHT TRYST.   MAC AND LILLY- ASIDE FROM BOTH BEING BLACK THEY COULD NOT BE BETTER BRED.  MAC IS WATSON AND REESE  AND LILLY IS WALTER AND LAINE-- MAKING TEH PUPS 1/8TH AMERICAN BRED- AND THAT 1/8 IS BENTLEY- THERE Are american breeders who woulld be bragging about the bloodlines of these pups...( if there are to be  any) 

strikes me that  GOLDIE is working overtime to get lilly prego'd.

most cp's treated teh fact with the proper wooowowoooo comments... but there is alwasy one...to personally criticize me for not being able to keep them straight.  well... i can't... we will deal.

*****

there is a donkey deliery schedued to happen today at 7am... apparently janine-- who is in florida-- had a truck enroute- so she needs to have them delivered here... she says they  have been in quarentine - and they have halters on... i know nothing more.  and it is 6:30

plan is to unloand them enmasse right into the alleyway- and maybe mo's stall..  then wait for enough people to walk them out  thru the arean to the tanner shed-- give them a bale of hay, tub of water and wait for janine to get back from florida.

***

NOV 29 2018

I WILL BE THE FIRST TO ADMIT  MY LANGUAGE  IS ON OCCASION ENOUGH TO MAKE A SAILOR BLUSH.  THE START OF YESTERDAYS PROBLEM WAS THAT --  EVEN THO WE HAVE BEEN AWARDED THE TOP RATING OF A  CHARITY- AND WE HAVE OVER 100 FIVE STARS,  WE DO HAVE 3 YELPERS WHO WERE FURIOUS THAT I COULD  NOT  GIVE THEM A DOG- THEY YELPED COMMENTS OF HOW  RUDE,  AND  INEPT,   I WAS TO TELL THEM THEY COULD NOT HAVE ONE OF OUR DOGS ..  I HAVE KNOWN ABOUT THEM FOR YEARS  NEVER THINKING SOME ONE OF MY ASSOCIATES  WOULD PULL THEM OUT AND EXPOUND ON THAT THEORY--AT GREAT LEGNTH- AND SENDING IT TO MY PARTIAL MAILING LIST.  IT WAS A TOUGH DAY.

MOVING ON--- 

 HAVE A REQUEST FROM A  YOUNG PERSON IN THE HOSPITAL RECOVERING FROM A REACTON TO MEDS WHO MIGHT BE HELPED WITH A DOG- BUT IN THE MEANTIME SHE CERTAINLY CAN WATCH THE CAMERAS...

TO CHEER ME UP AND GET ME BACK ON TRACK, I HAVE GONE THRU THE APPLICATION FILES AND TODAY I PERSONALLY WANT TO GO THRU THE KENNELS AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT DOGS ARE COMING ALONG. 

******

I ALSO FOUND ENLIGHTENING....THE ENGINEERING DISASTERS ON TV..

THERE ARE SOME SPECTACULAR ONES-

UNDERESTIMATING A PROBLEM WITH SOFT UNDERPINNING...--- SOMEWHERE IN BRAZIL TEH ENTIRE CITY-- OF SKYSCRAPERS IS ON A BIGGER TILT THAN THE TOWER OF PIZA-- THEY SHOWED VOLLEY BALLS ROLLING AROUND APPARTMENT FLOORS.---- ON THE 14TH FLOOR!

THEN  THE SINK HOLES- ALL OVER TEH COUNTRY--- WHY THEY HAPPEN --ALOT IN FLORIDA- MOSTLY HOW TO TELL IF YOU MAY BE N LINE TO HAVE YOUR HOUSE SWALLOWED UP BY ONE.. BE SUSPECT IF DOORS DON'T OPEN AND CONCRETE BLOCKS CRACK...MOSTLY DUE TO UNDERMINING WITH WATER SOURCE.

THEN THE WALKING BRIDGE IN  LONDON WHERE THE VERY SLIGHT MOVEMENT IN THE BRIDGE  CAUSED ALL THE WALKERS TO GET IN STEP.. WHICH ALMOST BOUGHT THE LOVELY BRIDGE DOWN.

SAVED AT THE LAST MINUTE BY EMPLOYING SHOCK ABSORBERS.

****

LUCKILY I HAD A FEW  SHOCK ABSORBING EMAILS TODAY.  I MUST CONCENTRATE ON TH E ONES I GOT... 

so many things to be annoyed about 

 one of the old timers from adi was heere yesterday  and has never believed you could train a dog under 18 months .

and started the arguement "you  must be putting out untrained dogs for the owners to train..."  so i wrote the following 

i was shocked to hear you say i put out my dogs untrained for the recipient to train.  actually i was/am  darn annoyed.

Because you have never dealt with a dane as i have suggested,  you then end up with a comical idiot and blame the dog. 

when we let george go home with bella-- at about  9 months-- bella could not walk unassissisted -- and he had passed every part ot the adi public access test... furthermore bella was ? 10 years old... hardly a master trainer at that age.

she spent july and august taking him with her wherever she needed to go-- his behavior was perfect.

then she started school.. the problems we had were with  her principal who thought george was a regular dog and could be stuck in the nurses room while bella had lunch.  george knew he was to be with bella which made him an unreasonable 150 pound flying object. this is where you would have punished the dog and tried to "control him"

all that was needed was to just open the door and let him run to bella and lie at her feet - thus proving  to the principal he was serious about his job and would not eat off the counter, table or her tray. nor would he pay the slightest attention to any other kid.  perfect behavior- an educated dane.

 30 days for bella's surgery  in the hospital- on or near her bed... airline trips calif for tv show or   florida for disney

all of this before he was 2 years old.≥..  perfect behavior and attention to detail.

i am attaching the video of george and bella-- the dog you said i must have had bella train.  bella is at the top of the stairs --- the  18 inch leash  is swinging  from his collar.- she is talking to her sister paying no attention to george..., but the minute she moves a foot, he notices and matches her stride-- even when bella hesitates at the bottom of the stairs, george holds his foot up to match hers.

can we replicate that ? certainly !  finnegan ---  even to the same blonde ponytail on a 10 year old kid... 

 that is eve who spent the summer with finnegan running her own lemonaide stand earning $3000 donation for sdp... i wish i could include the photo of eve in leotards at dance school ??- with finnegan right beside her in like attire.-- or asher-- in hat and tie accompanying  erica to the barresters ball at law school. 

or elvis-- needed all of 4 minutes training to learn to pull a wheelchair because his partner was all of a sudden back in that saddle again...

or all the vets who "use" their dogs as service dogs--plus  pay it forward by allowing them to be therapy dogs.

 not a problem ---the dogs understand-   they are educated.

i/we are very proud of all the  things our danes can do for people the day they take them out of here. so please do not tell the world they are untrained. .

lu has been a good friend to sdp- she was th e one to introduce us to adi-- and to the tower of hope-- whihc has been one of our main donors... but to say that  even in jest-- to a bunch of people who already do not know how to train a dane-- and read only what they find in the comic strip "marmeduke"  --is detrimental to danes in general≥

 if you do not get into the habit of talking things over with your dane and just let them run wild-- you will have your hands full of a180 pound "flying object".

***

  dane as a flying object---

 we gave a dane to a veteran who at our suggestion took the dog to his veterinarian - just to introduce teh vet to the dog in case of an emergency...

this veternarian was afraid of danes- and  insisted on putting a muzzle on  this ... probably 15 month old dane-- who had never had anything like that happen to him in his life with us...  the dog wanted that thing off knocking everyone and everything in th office  to smitherines.     that dvm   with all his medical degrees was impressiove and told the guy "this is no service dog ... you have been ripped off.  etc etc etc"

this terrified the veteran who was nearly in tears when he called and said the veternarian told him to tak the dog back before someone got hurt.. and arrived at my door--w ith a perfectly behaved dog.;

and--- a letter from the veternarian telling me what a terrible person i was to push off this piece of junk on the poor vet how i didn't know what a serv dog was.. blah blah  blah" 

so we quick took the dog to george to have him examine him-- which he did with no problem-- you move slowly, talk to the person  and the dog.  do it otherwise.. and yes-- you will get bitten-- that was a class in veternarian school the other guy must have slept thru.

*****

fran to airport..

NOV 26 2018

I AM NOW 2 NIGHTS WITH NO SLEEP SO I AM JUST NOT CAPABLE OF ANY  DAILY DOGGIE.

THE ONLY GOOD THING  IS I DID MAKE 18 MONKEY FISTS OVER THE 2 NIGHTS- AT SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 6 AND 10 MINUTES EACH..

NOVEMBER 25, 2018

TODAY IS "HAPPY ANNI" VERSARY DAY. IT HAS BEEN FOUR YEARS SINCE MY ANEURYSM RUPTURED YET IT SEEMS LIKE YESTERDAY. THIS DAY IS VERY EMOTIONAL FOR ME BECAUSE WE TOOK BROOKE BACK TO THE AIRPORT AT 4 AM AFTER A WONDERFUL EVENING OUT IN PITTSBURGH LAST NIGHT. REFLECTING ON THE PAST FOUR YEARS, YES, I AM SO GRATEFUL TO BE ALIVE BUT I NEVER IMAGINED HOW DIFFICULT IT WOULD BE TO LIVE. I AM HERE BECAUSE OF BROOKE AND BRADEN AND I KNOW THAT BUT LIFE HAS NOT BEEN EASY. LIVING WITH A BRAIN INJURY IS DIFFICULT. MOST PEOPLE LOOK AT ME BELIEVE I AM NORMAL BUT CAN'T SEE THE STRUGGLES. IN THESE FOUR YEARS I FOUND OUT WHO MY TRUE FRIENDS AND FAMILY ARE AND WHO HAVE STUCK BY MY SIDE DESPITE MY FLAWS, BECAUSE A BRAIN INJURY DOES NOT HEAL. MANY DAYS I PLASTER ON A SMILE FOR THE BENEFIT OF OTHERS BUT INSIDE IT IS HARD. I AM NOT SAD BECAUSE THESE FOUR YEARS HAVE BEEN FILLED WITH SO MUCH JOY. MY GOAL FOR 2019 IS NO SURGERY OR PROBLEMS WITH MY HEALTH BECAUSE MY ANEURYSM. KRINGLE, BRAD, BROOKE, SHAUNA AND BRADEN WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE LIFE. I CAN'T THANK MY HUSBAND ENOUGH FOR ACCEPTING ME AND LOVING DESPITE MY MANY FLAWS. MY KIDS HAVE BEEN ANGELS THROGHOUT THIS BUMPY ROAD. KRINGLE IS MY SAVIOR TO SHINE LIGHT IN ME AGAIN. THANK YOU SERVICE DOG PROJECT FOR GIVING ME KRINGLE. MAY 2019 BRING HEALTH AND HAPPINESS TO ALL! "HAPPY ANNI" VERSARY!

nov 25 2018

w/r/t  the unusual activity yesterdeaywith teh 2 black dogs.... one male and one female.....how to describe george's comments without censor problems.  basically he said there was no way lilly could be expecting anything in 63 days.  perhaps if his surgery had been with in a week there might be a good chance, however-- he was neutered about a month ago... so this acton  had to do with  the  willing finding a way.

****

i remember........... to say  i have traveled in italy, is entirely misleading.... i was in college, had a back pack, a youth hostel card, and a ticket to Pisa-- it was during that time i heard a story about the medici family  being the start of teh pawn shop business by way of getting around the pope not allowing  anyone to charge interest on loaned money...... so they set up a system of buying objects then selling them back at a higher price-------  they chose for their signage 

the  three gold bezants(round balls)  because of an unusual anomaly of the male members of teh medici family. 

i had forgotten about that til now... and i must admit i never saw anything of that sort in print...  but i did hear it.

******

my bargain fish box apparently was a hit at  the framily dinner last night-- i was told teh group would be back  from boston at 4pm for cocktails and dinner... so i picked up my $100 box of leftovers from t he fish delli/restaurant  and delivered it to janine's.

plans had changed they were not due back til 7--knowing teh family....   i didn't wait and came back for mail call and bed-- i got a text at 10:30 pm that they had a wonderful dinner with eht fish box...  good thing i didn't wait 

it has been fun... but i am exhausted.

****

day has started-- people arriving

no emails to forward.....  darn

NOV 24 2018

 "get out and get under" --- there used to be some  ?song? about  the unreliability of cars----- we may need that posted around the kennels....gerta from the netherlands sent me a video of 2 black dogs who certainly look like they might be proud parents in 63 days as of nov 23.....  easily an 8 minute "tie"   -- 2 black dogs.... i don't have a clue and itis too dark now to go and try and figure out who MIGHT STILL HAVE 2 OF THE THINGS THAT ARE USUALLY REMOVED.....

couple things--  it is highly unlikely that they are both spayed and neutered...  i am told  that statement is not 100% but i never saw an 8 min tie with neutered dogs...

 there is one other remote possibility  even a neutered male is said to have one " last hurrah"   as there might have been one last shot in the gun when the source was removed...

i did not hear of a dog in heat-- which is usually very obvious the first 9 days  before they become "ripe" -

 FYI-----  that has to do with ---  when the RED turns to SALMON color they become attractive and will stand for any nonsense...  if she is prego- it means  "we" as a group did not notice the red spots on the floor for 9 days????

that too is highly unlikely....

so we have a mystery...

the only other accidental breeding we have had was thumper scaling 2 fences 6' tall an d  digging thru the roof  to breed his daughter lindsay-- that union produced bumpy who was a great dog-   we have good dogs... so hopefully they are not related??????  my choice would not have been black to black-- because the likely hood of  white marked puppies we can tell apart is unlikely.

so that is the excitement of the day-- ? A GOLDIE MOMENT?  CERTAINLY GOES ALONG WITH   "EVERY TIME WE DELIVER PUPS, WE SHOULD BREED ANOTHER FEMALE- TO GIVE US 6 LITTERRS A YEAR...

I WAS GOING TO SKIP THIS TIME BECAUSE OF THE 11 PUPS IN THIS LITTER....   

******

other than that.... the family went FOR A LATTE MORNING BREAKFAST AT TH E LOCAL PUB....  THEN on a janine organized fresh air donkey walk... where the whole family including attiltie carrying the baby went to winthrops  to walk thru theeir beautiful woods LEADING a rag tag bunch of donkeys-- it was wonderful-- including the one donkey which got left behind and managed to get loose and runn all  over til he spotted his friends and ran to be part of the group...  donkeys aRE WONDERFUL... IF THAT HAD BEEN A HORSE, WE WOULD STILL BE LOOKING FOR HIM.

FRAN AND I FOLLOWED IN MY ( WARM) CAR.

**

NOW TO GO OUT AND GET UNDER AND  COUNT "BUMPS" 

NOV 23 2018

 COLD....???   YUP !!!  DOG REPORT?  THE TEMP I THE BARN IS DOWN TO 50 DEGREES-- BUT IF THAT IS AS FAR AS IT GOES, WE CAN DEAL...   THE PUPS IN #10 ON CAMERA ARE NOT HUDDLED TOGETHER LIKE THEY ARE COLD... AND IF IT WAS 50 DEGREES OUTSIDE  THEY WOULD BE THRILLED.-- TTHERE IS NOT ALOT I CAN DO ABOUT IT ANYWAY-- IF THE HEAT FAILS ENTIRELY ALL THOSE DOG S WOULD HAVE TO BE STUFFED IN HEATED PLACES... I.E.  THE ICE HOUSE OR BACK ROOM IN THIS HOUSE..

WE DO HADE 2 AUTO GENERATORS AND ONE MORE ON ORDER FOR THE CIRCUT THAT INVOLVES TEH CAMERAS... AND WIFI...'

*****

WE MADE IT THRU----  THE DINNER PART -- AT LEAST- SOMEWONE ADDED STEMWARE  WINE  AND CANDLES WHICH MADE THE TABLE ALMOST RESPECTABLE 

THERE WERE MANY FUNNY FAMILY STORIES---- 2 INVOLVED GREG AS A TEENAGER--- -- NOW ?55?  WAS TOLD TO LIE ON TEH HOOD OF A CAR WITH A FLASHLIGHT WHILE HIS MOTHER HELD ONE ANKLE OUT THE PASSENGER WINDOW--  I WAS INVOLVED IN ONE OF THOSE... IN TEH FOG TRYING TO CROSS TEH BEAR MOUNTAIN BRIDGE IN NEW YORK.  -- HE  WAS ALSO THE ONE  I HAD PUT INT THE TRUNK OF  THE CAR TO HOLD ON TO A 2 wheeled cart i saw in some garage sale   while i drove 10 miles home.---  

then his sister debby  HAD MANY..... SHE  decided to take a skinney dip in some river in north carolina not realizing the current- she  got hauled out by some first responders down stream... you could almost mention any topic- and someone would have an off beat  story associated with it. 

all  my  nieces and nephews had at one time or another  post college and before real life.... worked for animal episodes in the film production- MY  success WITH  aNIMAL EPISODE DEPENDED ON A SUPPLY OF VERY  INTELLIGENT AND VERY BROKE KIDS WHO  COULD PULL OFF TEH IMPOSSIBLE LIKE CHASING 6 PIGS DOWN  THE  STREET IN BOSTON, SHAMPOOING A COW AT 5AM-   OR  DRIVING THE 8 DONKEYS INTO  4TH FLOOR HOTEL BALLROOMS WITH INEBRIATED SANTAS. 

  MISHAPS WITH FREIGHT ELEVATORS WAS ANOTHER BIGGIE---    18 WHITE GEESE GETTING LOOSE  IN AN OFFICE BECAUSE SOMEONE PUSHED THE WRONG BUTTON AND THAT 2ND FLOOR WAS NOT EQUIP]T TO DEAL....  PUTTING A HORSE ON AN ELEVATOR SO WE COUDL SCARE THE ELEVATOR OPERATOR TO STAy off while we used it  to disassemble production equipment---  running the 8 donkeys loose down the street and onto the elevator to quickly be released into the bar at the top of the Pru tower...

  OSHA WOULD NEVER HAVE APPROVED !!!  but we mADE IT./

I DON;'T KNOW WHAT TEH  DEAL IS TODAQY WITH TEH DONKEY "EPISODE"   BUT AT 10 DEGREES, I WILL FILL UP MY GAS TANK AND FOLLOW IF THEYA RE INSANE ENOUGH TO GO THRU WITH IT.

FRAN AND I WILL FOLLOW IN THE  WARM CAR.

i am not the only one in this faMILY WITH THE  ATTITUDE "OK, IT IS MORNING.... LET'S HAVE AT IT AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS"

NOV 22 2018

T'DAY  AND PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO AWAKE FROM THE 5 TRAILERS AND LOOKING FOR COFFEE..

 WE WILL BE AROUND ALL DAY

I just wanted to give you a heads up. After more than 6 years watching the SDP cams I'm finally making the pilgrimage to Crazy Acers to volunteer. I've already confirmed dates with Pam, I'll be arriving on Dec 20 and staying until Dec 28. I'm coming prepared to do any work that is needed, but I thought I'd give you a heads up that an experienced "builder/engineer" was coming in case you have some outstanding maintenance you would like me to work on, so you can have Pam place that on her work schedule for me. Can't wait to meet you all in person, I know the cameras give us CPs the feeling that we know you all, but until we actually visit we are strangers. I hope after being there a week that will not be the case. My mother has always said if I get to CA, and Carleen finds out the extent of my knowledge and skills, she might not let you leave. Well I guess we will find out in 4 weeks. Looking forward to experiencing the magic of SDP and CA in person.

Shawna MEd.,BSc.,DEng., CP2012

nov 21 2018

SHORT DOGGIE

FAMILY BEGINNING TO ARRIVE--  I AM TOLD WE EVEN HAVE ENOUGH CHAIRS!!

STRIKES ME... MAYBE WITH THE COLD TEMP  THAT SKIPPING ROPE OR STILT WALKING  IN THE YARD MAY NOT BE THE  ENTERTAINMENT OF THE DAY...MAYBE MAKING MONKEY FISTS AROUND THE TABLE MIGHT BE MORE TO TH E POINT OF EVERYONE IN THE SAME ROOM DISCUSSING  HOW MANY ANGELS FIT ON THE HEAD OF A PIN..

ENTERTAINMENT WITHOUT BEING TOO ENTERTAINING...

GET FIRES GOING AND HEAT IN THE TRAILERS--

 THE ONLY BIT  of INFO I Hve to pass on about the trailers is they don't draw much electicity-- only to recharge the batteries.. everything in them is 12 volt..  so all my worries about overload  was unnecessary. as was my purchase of a few heavy extension cords...

i don't believe janine will be riding in the t'day hunt too darn cold...20 degrees forcast -- on a nice day it is fun to watch teh 50 or so riders all dressed in black with polished horses- take off over the fields of the appleton and winthrop estates.

there is a DD  topic,,, horse shoes---

she had arrainged to have lincoln get his "ice shoes" on today-- just in case- but 20 degrees????

 what's ice shoes??  it is  the normal shoe with 4  little ?1/4 inch spikes welded or screwed on.. in my world they were borium which also kept the  shoes from wearing out. ( yes iron horse shoes do wear out -- janine's pony needed new shoes in less than 8 weeks as she was into trail riding, and went miles)

thank heavens she is into donkeys now-- much tougher feet  don't need shoes.

the only shoe on a donkey i know of was for the donkey basketball games  when the donks were shod with mens ?neolite" heels  to keep them from =scratching the gym floors.

i don't have too many horse shoe  stories..

 there is no such thing as an old, tall blacksmith--  tall men's backs give out bending over the horse shoeing business--- a lot of young men jump into the  horse shoe business, but before very long  they have a young "assistant"..

i have told of the kriz family from conn-- they  shoe teh budweisers-- grandpa, father and 2 sons- all  just over 5' tall.

all of that may boil down to teh amish saying  "in a good work animal the leg is half the height"  which is the shape of dogs we try and breed... 

i suppose it could apply to men too.... 

i dunno....

nov 20 2018

we may have kennel cough going around.... and when it goes around... it goes around...big time..  it is annoying

and on ocassion could be serious otherwise...

 THEY SAY Symptoms can include a harsh, dry cough, retching, sneezing, snorting, gagging or vomiting-

OH GREAT--- I CAN HARDLY WAIT---   APPARENTLY THE CONES HAVE IT IN THE VOMIT STAGE...  I HEARD SIZZLE COUGH ONCE- WHICH COUDL HAVE BEEN AN INHALED COOKIE...  BUT BEING SENSATIVE TO THE SOUND, I HEARDD IT.

 COUPLE THINGS ---- THERE IS A VACINE-- AND WE HAD JUST RECIEVED A PACKET OF 25 DOSES  WHICH WE THEN GAVE TO ALL THE  "UPPER DOGS" --HOUSE/ DEAGLE/ NUTT AND I ORDERED 75 DOSES OVERNIGHTED FROM  THAT DRS FOSTER SMITH CATAlogue-

he vacine is widly used... but also has teh reputation - at least that i hear- is not totally effective .. but we  will give it anyway...  the fact that i haD SOME IN THE FRIDGE MEANS I MUS HVE GIVEN IT OUT WITHINT HE PAST YEAR-- I ONLY HOPE MISCHA GOT SOME AND PUT SOME ANTIBODIES OUT IN HER COLOSTRUIM TEH FIRST 24 HOURS...  SHE MIGHT HAVE EVEN HAD A CASE -)

IT IS around-- and i think it is airborne--  it is a group illness  

like kids in kindergarden-- one runney nose and they all get it... 

similar to one of those unrelated  things like we watch in the equines... "strangles"-- messy, annoying,,, but usually not a huge problem -- but a group thing.

****

GOOD AFTERNOON CARLENE,

LAST NIGHT I WATCHED A NETFLIX ORIGINAL SHOW CALLED "DOGS".  THE FIRST EPISODE WAS ABOUT SERVICE DOGS.  AFTER 6 YEARS OF WATCHING YOUR CAMERAS AND ATTENDING ALL DOGFESTS, I'VE FORMED SOME OPINIONS. 

I FOUND I WAS HAVING STRONG FEELINGS ABOUT THEIR USE OF GENTLE LEADERS AND LEATHER LEASHES WITH HAND LOOPS, AMONG OTHER THINGS.  THE DOGS WERE ALL BEING PAIRED WITH CHILDREN. WHEN ONE LITTLE GIRL PUT HER HAND THROUGH THAT LOOP ALL I COULD THINK WAS, "THAT DOGS GOING TO DRAG HER AROUND THE ROOM".   WITH DIFFICULTY I HAD TO SHIFT MY THINKING AND BE APPRECIATIVE OF ALL THIS ORGANIZATION WAS DOING TO HELP CHILDREN.  IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD I COULD HEAR YOU SAYING "IF YOU CAN DO IT BETTER, DO IT".  SINCE I WASN'T DOING THIS WORK I REALLY HAD NO RIGHT TO BE SO CRITICAL.  ALTHOUGH I CAN'T SAY WATCHING THE SHOW WAS ENJOYABLE IT WAS INTERESTING TO SEE A DIFFERENT APPROACH.

IN THE LONG RUN IT MADE ME APPRECIATE EVEN MORE THE WORK THAT GETS DONE AT SDP.  THAT THE PROCESS IS THOUGHT THROUGH FROM BEGINNING TO END.  THE BONDING PROCESS IN PARTICULAR AND THAT GREAT CARE IS GIVEN TO WHAT IS BEST FOR THE DOGS, NOT JUST HOW TO END UP WITH A TRAINED DOG.  

I AM IMPACTED MOST BY THE STORIES OF A DOG PICKING THEIR PERSON, AS IN THE CASE OF BELLE/GEORGE, SCOTT/DASH AND SO MANY OTHERS.  IT'S A WONDERFUL THING TO FEEL A PART OF SOMETHING SO SPECIAL.

JUST HAD TO SHARE MY 2 CENTS ON THIS SHOW. 

THANK YOU FOR DOING WHAT YOU DO

MEL STOFFEL, CNY

****

so i got all involved with the email below and now i have to make a few leashes and send to them....

*****

so i wrote.....

hi- 

   ---several of our volunteers  saw a video about your kids and what a wonderful job you are doing-  there is a huge need...

they know how  strict we are about kids and ropes and leashes-- and were worried that you allowed the "typical" 6' leash with a child... who then wrapped it around their hand... there have been too many accidents with kids dragged by even a medium size dog.    the leash we use with our danes is about 24 inches long--

have a look at the  attached photo of  our  bella and george- from  ABC news ( you may google the video)  .  george is 32 inches tall and the leash does not reach the floor.

i have a background in horses-- and  wrapping any rope around any part of you is severely frowned upon...

plus any service dog is supposed to be within 24 inches of your knee anyway.. 

i make these very cheaply and will send you some-- i put a tiny ring  in the end in case someone wants to use one of those expander leashes  for potty break---and then snap  that to the harness when not in use.

congratulations on your work... !!  ( also try danes--- they are born trained for this work) 

***

i will now make some short leashes to send to the

nov 19 2018

THE FYI OF TEH DAY.... trial of .new item...PDZ.---  --- the pee report... we have... in the arena ...perahps the biggest  60' X 80'  "litterbox"  for dogs. problem being   it does not rain in there.. for every good intention there is often a  result that needs attention.. in this case- the smell of amonia???? historically iT was a POWDERED LIME USER FROM MY HORSE DAYS... BUT PER AN ASTUTE CP,  I WAS TOLD PDZ IS THE WAY TO GO... SO WE HAVE TRIED IT... YESTERDAY SPREADING 300 PUNDS OF IT IN THE ARENA...  

 YOU MUST HAVE NOTICED  THE FACT THAT OUR DANES ARE DIVIDED INTO 2 GROUPS... "SETTERS " AND "POINTERS" WHEN IT COMES TO URINE DISTRIBUTION...  AND I GOT THIS SUGGESTION

KEAGEN great job of spreading  ! I have one suggestion - I watched 2 of the dogs lift their legs and pee on the corner posts of that narrow walk-though structure. Perhaps put some in the ground at the base of all the posts so that when the urine runs down it gets treated.

Lets see if anyone notices a difference in the morning!

Cheers,

Judi

****

now there is a thinker !!!  it never occurred to me......... i watch bentley every morning.. my golf cart tire, corner of the house, and then delores's dress before he even makes it to  what was called  "the  outdoor sand ring"    --( also  60 x 80  for horse riding/training) 

delores's dress really needs changing-- i know she has a "business suit" somewhere

***

for you new commers-----  delores is teh manequin that stands beside the drivway leaning on the fence...  aside from causing double takes, she does have a purpose....  in dog language,  the way alot of dog fights staRT IS FOR THE 2 DOGS TO STAnd shock still before they jump into battle... so in the mall- first problemn is teh rocking horse that moms put quartters into  and let kids ride...  that is teh size of our danes, and as pups we must get them used to it... hence the rocking horse in the arena for casual training-- same with delores-- in the mall, store windows are full of manequins that scare dogs until they get accostumed to them...  for teh same reason... we used to have a cardboard cutout of john kerry but  his cardboard finally gave out---- we gave him a decent burial....

***

the twins ( relatives)  will be here for thanksgiving-- some of you may remember a classic mail call of  2 teenage boys running around the house during mail call with legs  and arms to attach to the female body which became delores. she had arrived in 2 cartons.... it was a perfectly normal crazy acres job to be done.  . 

***

nov 18 2018

DOG FOOD IS A RELIGION TO SOME.....   LOGIC PROBLEM OF THE DAY....

I HAVE FED PURINA FOOD  LONG BEFORE THEY STARTED DONATING IT-  AND I COULD PROVE IT TO THE PURINA "BRASS" ON  THE PHONE IN ONE SENTANCE--- " I AM GIVING AWAY BOSE RADIOS" HISTORICALLY IF YOU  WERE A KENNEL AND SIGNED UP , YOU COULD COLLECT THE WEIGHT CIRCLES AND AFTER 14,000 POUNDS, THEY WOULD SEND YOU A BOSE RADIO...   I HAD AT LEAST 5- SOME STILL IN ORIGIONAL WRAPPING.--   I CAN EASILY SAY OUR DOGS HAVE BEEN ON PURINA AND NOT MUCH ELSE  FOR 20- 25 YEARS.- I DON'T  THINK OUR DOGS COULD LOOK BETTER... "OUR DOGS"  BEING ABOUT 400 DANES IN THE 20 YEARS.

DURING THOSE YEARS WE HAVE HAD 2 ON GOING ISSUES  - YOU DO NOT let your DANE  drink out of the pond... or  FEED A them  A HAM SANDWICH  AND WALTZ AROUND TEH MALL... THEY DO HAVE A DELICATE GUT WHICH THEY NEED TO EMPTY WITHOUT WARNING.... -- WHICH CAN BE DUE TO ALOT OF THINGS-- USUALLY CURED BY 3 pills and some yogurt -

the second issue- maybe once in a while- particularly  "bailey" who was white-- would get a skin "thing" which looked like ringworm-- could also be those tiny no see em' flys- i dunno---  by the time i got around to asking george what they were, they would go away..

 in neither case did i change their food.... in spite of teh fact that neaRLY EVERYONE GAVE ME THE "FOOD ALERGY"  LECTURE...WORST CASE... IN MY OPINION.. WAS THAT FRIEND IN NEW YORK WHO FED ( AND SOLD) A SANDY GROUND UP  FOUL SMELLING MIXTURE OF FISH AND SEAWEED  PRODUCED BY A GUY IN POUGHKEEPSIE NEW YORK.  SHE WOULD GUARENTEE NO HIP DYSPLASIA IN HER DANE pupS IF YOU FED ONLY  THIS STUFF  AND NEVER ANYTHING ELSE.. AND SHE USED TO SHIP 50 POUND BAGS ALL OVER THE  STATES . 

 THEN THERE IS TEH  "RAW CHICKEN NECK" BUNCH. I HAVE STOOD AND LISTENED TO A VERY INTELLIGENT PERSON  EXPLAIN HOW BAD I AM THAT I DON'T FEED TEH NATURAL RAW CHICKEN NECKS..   OR THE "IT IS THE CORN THAT IS POISON TO  MY DOG... OR THE WHEAT... OR  HEAVEN FORBID  BEET PULP--- BECAUSE BEET PULP WILL CAUSE HEART DISEASE... AND THRU IT ALL  I KEEP FEEDING PURINA-- WITH ... IF YOUNG OR PREGNANT...  A NORMAL ONCE A DAY VITAMIN.  SO WHEN SOMEONE TELLS ME THAt the  one of our danes cost them $300 a month in special food because of a food allergy, i have a problem with that.  but thie belief is so strong that it seems opointless to  present my opinion..

which in many ways is just as strong....  which you can not say is based on finances... because i used to buy the stuff -- and get free bose radios...

 I HAVE 399 RELATED DOGS AND TEH PROBABILITY OF ONE WITH A FOOD ALLERGY IS NOT TOO HIGH--  ALLERGY MAYBE YES=-- RUG SHAMPOO, FLOOR CLEANER, BUG KILLER, GRASS GROWER, ICE MELTER, FABRICK SOFTNER, AIR CLEANER.... BUT ONE FOOD  allergy WITH 399  STILL CHOMPING AWAY AT THE SAME STUFF????

 point of the day... whether it is raw chicken necks or politics-  i think we need  to ask  "who says so"  more often.

specially where  the $$ are involved.

*****

fran ( sister) arrives today-- 

every family has a well dressed , well behaved person.. in our family it is frannie.

****

another long one from erica and asher

WITH MY SUMMER 2019 POSITION OFFICIALLY LOCKED IN, I'M SO EXCITED TO SHARE THAT, FOLLOWING OUR INTERVIEW AT THE EQUAL JUSTICE WORKS CAREER FAIR LAST MONTH, I WAS ONE OF TWO STUDENTS FROM AROUND THE COUNTRY SELECTED TO INTERN FOR A MIDSIZED PUBLIC INTEREST LAW FIRM IN MANHATTAN, IN THEIR DISABILITY JUSTICE PROGRAM!

THAT WEEKEND OF INTERVIEWS DIDN'T COME WITHOUT SOME SERIOUS PREPARATION, AND I WOULDN'T HAVE HAD SUCH A SUCCESSFUL COUPLE OF DAYS WITHOUT ALL THE RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO ME AT SCHOOL: I PRACTICALLY LIVED IN OUR CAREER SERVICES OFFICE, DRAFTING AND REDRAFTING COVER LETTERS AND TAKING ADVANTAGE OF MOCK INTERVIEWS. ASHER AND I ALSO MET REGULARLY WITH THE FEINSTEIN CENTER FOR PRO BONO & EXPERIENTIAL EDUCATION STAFF WHO CHEERED FOR US EVERY STEP OF THE WAY. BUT I WAS STILL BLOWN AWAY WITH THE OUTCOME FOLLOWING THE CAREER FAIR - BY THE TUESDAY AFTERNOON FOLLOWING OUR TRIP, I HAD OFFERS FROM MY TOP TWO CHOICES AMONG OTHERS AND IT WAS UP TO ME TO CHOOSE. THE ORGANIZATION I'LL BE INTERNING WITH DOES BOTH IMPACT LITIGATION AND DIRECT REPRESENTATION OF LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES, AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK ON ISSUES LIKE DISCRIMINATION, ACCESSIBILITY, AND EDUCATION - ISSUES THAT I DEAL WITH MYSELF EVERY DAY - WHILE GETTING TO KNOW CLIENTS ON A PERSONAL LEVEL FROM ONE OF THE BIGGEST CITIES IN THE US.

SPEAKING OF SPENDING THE SUMMER IN NYC, I REALLY WANT YOU ALL TO UNDERSTAND THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MY DECISION TO INTERN IN THE CITY I'VE REALLY COME TO LOVE, AND ASHER'S INVOLVEMENT IN IT. NEW YORK HAS ALWAYS BEEN SOMEWHERE I WANTED TO LIKE; I'M A HUGE BROADWAY FAN AND I HAVE SUCH AN APPRECIATION FOR THE LOCAL FOOD SCENE, IN LARGE PART DUE TO MY CULINARY BACKGROUND. BUT EVEN IN COLLEGE WHEN WE'D TAKE DAY TRIPS TO VISIT ALL THE FAMOUS MANHATTAN BAKERIES AND I WANTED TO LOVE THE ENERGY AND DIVERSITY AROUND ME, NAVIGATING THE CITY WAS OVERWHELMING AND JUST NOT ENJOYABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WOULD RETURN TO CAMPUS THAT NIGHT IN SO MUCH PAIN FROM WALKING ALL DAY. LOTS OF PASTRY SCHOOL GRADUATES LIKE MYSELF WANTED TO SCORE THAT BIG JOB IN SOME WELL-KNOWN NYC PASTRY SHOP, BUT IT JUST WASN'T PRACTICAL FOR ME. A COUPLE YEARS LATER, WHEN I WAS ACCEPTED INTO BROOKLYN LAW SCHOOL, I WAS READY TO TRY IT AGAIN. MY SUPERVISING ATTORNEYS AT MY PROVIDENCE LAW FIRM INSISTED THAT WE TAKE A FEW DAYS TO SEE BROOKLYN AND THE SCHOOL, SO WE PACKED OURSELVES UP FOR A ROAD TRIP. IT WAS A BLAST, AND I ENJOYED WALKING THROUGH THE STREETS OF BROOKLYN AND MANHATTAN WITH THE TWO OF THEM CLOSE BY. BROOKLYN LAW IS HUGE AND BEAUTIFUL, WITH ITS TALL COLUMNS AND EXPANSIVE LAW LIBRARY. I HAD TOLD MYSELF AND MY PARENTS THAT IF I WAS WOWED ENOUGH, I WAS OKAY WITH THE HIGHER TUITION TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE VARIETY OF CLASSES AND CLINICS THAT BLS OFFERED. AND I WAS CERTAINLY WOWED AND READY TO PUT IN MY SEAT DEPOSIT. BUT I STILL KNEW THAT I WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO NAVIGATE ALONE, AND I STRUGGLED WITH MAKING THE DECISION THAT WAS BEST FOR ME, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T WHAT I WANTED AT THE TIME. THOUGH I'M INCREDIBLY HAPPY WITH MY CHOICE OF LAW SCHOOLS NOW, AND LOVE THE SMALL AND INTIMATE ATMOSPHERE WHERE MOST STAFF AND ALL OF MY PROFESSORS KNOW ME (AND ASHER!) BY NAME, I WAS INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED THEN THAT I JUST DIDN'T HAVE THE ABILITY OR THE CONFIDENCE TO LIVE IN SUCH A BUSTLING CITY, EVEN THOUGH I SO BADLY WANTED TO. 

BUT THEN ASHER ENTERED THE PICTURE, AND SO DID MANY FRIENDS THROUGH SERVICE DOG PROJECT. ASHER AND I HAVE BOTH LOVED THE OPPORTUNITIES WE'VE HAD TO GET TO KNOW AMY AND SEAGRAM SEVEN THIS YEAR, WHO SPEND SOME TIME IN THE CITY OCCASIONALLY. WE'VE ENJOYED PLAY TIME IN CENTRAL PARK, BROADWAY SHOWS, AND EXPLORING MANHATTAN. AND THIS YEAR, WITH ASHER NEXT TO ME, I'VE LOVED STROLLING THROUGH THE CITY, NAVIGATING THROUGH THE CROWDS AND FEEDING OFF THE HUSTLE AND BUSTLE (EXCEPT FOR TIMES SQUARE. THAT'S A SCARY PLACE WITH WAY TOO MANY PEOPLE IN A SMALL AREA. ) AT EVERY CORNER. I NO LONGER FELT LIKE I WOULD BE SWALLOWED UP BY THE MASSES OF PEOPLE WHEN WALKING ALONE, BECAUSE I HAVE ASHER TO HELP GET US TO WHERE WE NEED TO GO. IT WAS AFTER THOSE VISITS THAT I KNEW I WANTED TO SPEND SOME MORE TIME IN THE BIG APPLE, AND THAT I WAS READY TO MAKE IT WORK. ADD IN THE FACT THAT I ENDED UP WITH MY CHOICE OF THE TWO NYC DISABILITY RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS I LONGED TO WORK FOR BUT THOUGHT WOULD SKIP RIGHT OVER ME FOR STUDENTS AT BIGGER SCHOOLS, AND I THINK I'M FINALLY RIGHT WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO BE.

I KNOW THAT WITHOUT ASHER, I WOULD PROBABLY STILL BE DEALING WITH MAJOR SELF CONFIDENCE ISSUES AND PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE ANY DESIRE TO LEAVE THE COMFORT OF MY TINY STATE OF RHODE ISLAND. BUT THANKS TO HIM, I HAVE A WHOLE HOST OF NEW ADVENTURES TO LOOK FORWARD TO WITH PLENTY OF NEW PLACES TO EXPLORE. THIS IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ILLUSTRATION I HAVE TO DATE OF HOW A GIFT OF SUCH A WONDERFUL SDP DANE DOES MORE THAN HELP WITH MOBILITY AND BALANCE - HE GIVES ME THE CONFIDENCE TO GO OUT AND LIVE THE LIFE I NEVER IMAGINED FOR MYSELF, EVEN JUST A FEW SHORT YEARS AGO.

WHILE WE STILL HAVE ABOUT SEVEN MONTHS OF SCHOOL TO TRUDGE THROUGH BEFORE WE GET TO TAKE ON MANHATTAN FULL TIME, I'M HOPING THAT THIS HUGE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL WILL GIVE US (...ME) THE MOTIVATION TO FLY THROUGH SPRING SEMESTER!

***

p.s.  doctor connie thibeault ( aged dvm) used to say-- there was nothing wrong with a  dog's gut that could  not be cured with green beans and buttermilk..   he cured a lot of dogs !!!

nov 17 2018

NOTHING LIKE A NEW ENGLAND SNOWSTORM TO PROVE   THAT volunteering  HERE IS NOTLIKE VISITING A   SPA WHERE  PEOPLE LIE ABOUT SIPPING MARTINI'S IN TEH SUN... ADD HAVING A DOG GET INJURED  AND IT CAN BE DOWNRIGHT  DEPRESSING.   WE ARE DEALING WITH more  snow than was forecast and  A SMALL "_?TINY"  FRACTURE OF A HIND LEG--  still trying to figure out what to do about it... i hVE TEH XRAYS--- SENT EMAIL-- NOT BY THE BIG SLIPPERY FLIMS OF YEARS GONE BY...

i am waiting to hear from george-- and a friendly md i know... 

*****

I SPENT  AN HOUR ON THE PHONE TO THE GUY FROM AUSTRALIA WHO IS STUDYING PUPPY RAISING. WE ARE DIFFERENT-- AND I HAD TROUBLE ANSWERING HIS QUESTIONS BECAUSE THEY DID NOT APPLY.   CERTAINLY WE LET PEOPLE TAKE PUPS ON OVERNIGHTS-- BUT NOT THE SAME VOLUNTEER AND PUP TOO MANY TIMES TOGETHER...  I DON'T WAQNT THE PUP TO GET BONDED TO THE WRONG PERSON..  A VOLUNTEER COULD TAKE A DIFFERENT PUP HOME EVERY NIGHT FOR 2 MONTHS AND WE WOULD NOT RUN OUT OF PUPS...

SHOCKING TO HIM  WAS   TEH SPOON FEEDING, minimal iuse of a leash,,  NOT USING OUR MUSCLES TO CONTROL THE PUP --,.... OR DOG AT ANY AGE... MY BELIEF YOU CAN'T TRAIN  TRAINERS... YOU FIND THEM.... AT ANY AGE...  AND SOME OF THEM \YOU WISH WOULD FAil out of high school....

**** 

i did get a email from a puppy raiser for a blind program.  

MAY I PUT THAT IN  THE DD TOMORROW???

O..

****

Yes please share. :))

Good MORNING CARLENE.

I SO LOVE YOUR DAILY DOGGY!

I HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR PHONE CALL TODAY, SHOULD BE INFORMATIONAL AND FUN FOR ALL.

I THINK AT LEADER DOG WE HAD THE MENTALITY OF DOGS MOVING UP IN CLASS, JUST LIKE FROM JUNIOR HIGH TO HIGH SCHOOL (FOR EXAMPLE) OTHERWISE, IT WOULD BE DEVASTATING AS YOU SAY TO BREAK A BOND! IT WAS MORE OF A GRADUATING/SCHOOL TYPE CLASS/THOUGHT. THE

PASSING ON OF A DOG WITH LOVE, TO THEIR NEXT TEACHer

I AGREE THAT YOUR TRAINING STYLE WORKS WONDERFUL FOR YOUR GREAT DANES, ESPECIALLY REGARDING MOBILITY ISSUES.

AS A PUPPY RAISER MYSELF, I HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND HOWEVER, THE LEADER DOG FOR THE BLIND PROGRAM DOES WORK FOR THEM ALSO. IT IS NOT PERFECT, BUT IT DOES WORK VERY WELL,

AND IN A VERY *LOVING* WAY...

I WAS ALLOWED TO PASS MY TRAINED DOG CARLY, TO HER NEXT MASTER AT HER GRADUATION. IT WAS TEARFUL FOR ME, BUT NOT FOR MY DOG.

CARLY BONDED VERY QUICKLY WITH HER BLIND MASTER AFTER ONE WEEK AT THE SCHOOL TOGETHER. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT CARLY WANTED TO START WORKING RIGHT AWAY. MY LIFE WOULD HAVE BEEN BORING FOR HER, I'M SURE. ALTHOUGH I NEVER SAW CARLY AGAIN PHYSICALLY, WE STAYED IN TOUCH BY PHOTOS AND EMAIL FOR 12 YEARS.

NEEDLESS TO SAY, I AM SO PROUD TO HAVE HELPED A MAN GET HIS FREEDOM BACK AS AN ADMINISTRATOR AT A BUSY SEATTLE HOSPITAL. CARLY WAS LOVED BY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE,

IF NOT MORE, AND ENJOYED HER LIFE IMMENSELY.

Thanks FOR READING

BARBARA M IN MICHIGAN

me/Bam.

you are wonderful to have done that... and maybe labs can shift around better... maYBE WE COUDL LEARN TO SHIFT  OURS BETTER TOo.  except what ain't broke don't fix... 

and figuring out what could be "easier"  is usually  detrimental to  training   

******

actually that bears repeating  

,figuring out what could be "easier"  is usually  detrimental to  training..

  if you are looking for something easier - don't get involved with animals at all..... or children... 

i miss feeding the dogs at the tables--  that is a good exercise for them-- and when the interns left..... :( 

******

6 MONTHS WITH MY BEST FRIEND, MY OTHER HALF, MY BUDDY AND THE ONE WHO KNOWS ME INSIDE OUT. ELVIS HAS BEEN A BLESSING SINCE DAY 1, IT HASN'T ALWAYS BEEN EASY, I PUT THIS DOG THROUGH SO MANY CHALLENGES BUT EVERY DAY WE HAVE GROWN STRONGER AND STRONGER. WE LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES AND MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY DAY. ELVIS HAS CELEBRATED WITH ME IN MY HAPPIEST MOMENTS BUT ALSO HELD ME IN MY WORST MOMENTS, HE HAS THE BIGGEST PERSONALITY AND LETS EVERYONE KNOW THAT HE IS INDEED... THE KING!

JUST OVER 2 MONTHS AFTER BEING MATCHED I HAD SURGERY ON MY ANKLE AND ELVIS IS THE REASON I WAS ABLE TO GET OUT OF BED TO TAKE A FEW STEPS SO SOON AFTER SURGERY, HE THEN SPENT THE NEXT 4 MONTHS PULLING MY WHEELCHAIR WHEREVER I ASKED, HE REMINDED ME ON THE DAYS I STARTED FEELING DEFEATED THAT THERE WAS A REASON TO KEEP PUSHING THROUGH. ELVIS HAS BEEN WITH ME THROUGH NUMEROUS HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS, PROCEDURES, MANY ER VISITS AND MORE HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS THEN I CAN COUNT. HE TOOK ON COLLEGE LIFE LIKE A CHAMP, EXCELLING IN ALL CLASSES (ALTHOUGH HE IS NOT A FAN OF CHEMISTRY LAB!), HE GETS ME AROUND CAMPUS, AROUND THE HOSPITAL, AROUND BOSTON AND ANYWHERE I WANT TO GO. HE LETS ME KNOW WHEN I AM NOT FEELING WELL BEFORE I REALIZE AND MAKES SURE I LISTEN TO HIM. HE BRINGS A SMILE TO MY FACE BUT ALSO EVERYONE AROUND US!

ELVIS DEFINITELY PLAYS A HUGE ROLE IN HELPING ME AROUND THE HOSPITAL BUT HE ALSO PLAYS A BIGGER ROLE IN LETTING ME LIVE MY BEST LIFE, A LIFE LIVED TO THE FULLEST. WE HAVE FLOWN TO NORTH CAROLINA, WE HAVE GONE ON NATURE WALKS ON UNEVEN GROUND, WE HAVE GONE MINI-GOLFING, HE HAS PULLED ME AROUND BOSTON COMMON, WE HAVE GONE APPLE/PEACH/BLUEBERRY PICKING, TO RED SOX GAMES, QUINCY MARKET, THE SCIENCE MUSEUM, THE AQUARIUM, BOAT RIDES DOWN THE CHARLES RIVER, POLO GAMES, AND MORE. HONESTLY WE JUST TAKE ON EVERY ADVENTURE THROWN OUR WAY, WITH ELVIS I AM NOT AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS KNOWING I ALWAYS HAVE MY BUDDY WITH ME!

I AM SO LUCKY TO HAVE FAMILY/FRIENDS WHO LOVE AND LOOK AFTER ELVIS, I COULDN'T DO THIS ALONE AND I CERTAINLY DON'T. I AM ALSO SO GRATEFUL AND AMAZED AT THE SDP FAMILY THAT CAME ALONG WITH ELVIS. I FEEL LIKE WE HAVE THE BEST TEAM OF SUPPORTERS ALL THE TIME, THE MESSAGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, THE CARDS THAT HAVE BEEN SENT, THE COMMENTS PEOPLE MAKE TO US MEANS THE WORLD TO US. ELVIS AND I HAVE ALSO MET THE MOST INCREDIBLE SERVICE DOG TEAMS ON THIS JOURNEY WHO HAVE BECOME SOME OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS!

       WE ARE EXCITED ABOUT THANKSGIVING BEFORE THE CHAOS OF FINALS THAT WILL FOLLOW. DECEMBER IS FULL OF FINALS, HOSPITAL APPOINTMENTS, PROCEDURES BUT ALSO CHRISTMAS AND MY BIRTHDAY (DESPITE THE FACT WE HAVE TO BE IN THE HOSPITAL THAT DAY!) I AM ALSO HOPING I GET INTO A TREATMENT PLAN AT THE HOSPITAL WHICH WILL HOPEFULLY GREATLY IMPROVE MY QUALITY OF LIFE. IT WILL BE 4 MONTHS BEING IN THE HOSPITAL AN EXTRA 2X A WEEK BUT I TRULY BELIEVE IT IS OUR BEST NEXT OPTION AND I KNOW I WILL HAVE ELVIS EVERY STEP OF THE WAY SO HOPEFULLY I WILL BE CLEARED TO START THIS.

I AM EXCITED TO SEE WHAT ADVENTURES OUR JOURNEY WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE US ON. ELVIS HAS CHANGED MY LIFE AS WELL AS EVERYONE AROUND US. 

THANK YOU ELVIS FOR MAKING THESE PAST 6 MONTHS WITH A SERVICE DOG SOME OF THE BEST MONTHS NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCES ❤️

NOV 16 2018

Ah-- the invention du jour----necessity is the mother of invention-  so is accident- and a few other means...

having 2 dozen pillowcases for 20 pillows, if my math is correct gave me 4 extras.. couple that with an itchy back, i figured out  that cutting/ripping a strip about 4 inches wide gave me  nearly a 6 foot "moisture application device" by putting a glob of  moisturing  stuff  in th e middle 2 inches  --on both sides i could apply the appropriate amt over my entire back.

maybe the rest of the world already knew this  and i am foolish to suggest it.. however.. it certainly worked-

***

puppies---

there is a UNIVERSITY IN AUSTRALIA THAT IS FUNDING THE TRAINING OF PUPPIES AS SERVICE DOGS-  BEING A MEMBER OF Adi  i got the questionaire and filled it out..- mostly with16 "no's " ---  7  "we don't do that" and one "about a year"  so i thought i would never hear from them again..  except the president of adi-- Richard Lord   is from austraila-- we have met at conferences--  he is a live wire... and has seen our dogs.

i have a feeling he is connected with the project  because the first thing i got after filling all that out was " you don't fit our study"  very quickly followed by   " maybe yours is the case we shojuld be studying" -- which i M SURE HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH RICHARD AND PROBABLY BELLA AND GEORGE TOO.

AT ANY RATE---  I AM TO DO A  CAll/discussion with him aT NOON TODAY  EAST COAST TIME-- HEAVEN KNOWS WHAT TIME IN AUSTRALIA-- AND DISCUSS MY THOUGHTS ON PUPPY RAISING...

MY BIG PITCH IS..... I DO NOT APPROVE OF TEH PUPPY RAISING CONCEPT...  THE YOUNG PUP GETS PLACED WITH THE APPROVED AND  "TRAINED"  PUPPY RAISING FAMILY  TO  "SOCIALIZE" THE PUP. -- THAT CAN- DEPENDING ON TH E TALENT OF THE FAmily--- produce either a great -- or an idiot -- pup  but worse than that- teh pup learns to bond to the family-- then you take it away at 18 months to the facility for training... then place it with a recipient... it is my conviction  that pup spends the rest of therir life looking for the family that started it...

i saw this with one of ours  way back...i gave pistol to a friend in lynnfield to raise as probably a breeding dog. things happened and the family could not keep her so she came  back to me for about a month as a normal farm dog---  darn nice dog.. but no special trainign...  then  one of our recipients  wanted despaRATELY TO WALK UP AND GET HER DIPLOMA- SO WITH 2 DAYS "FORMAL TRAINING"   WE STUCK THEM ON A PLANE FOR ? NORHT CAROLNA??? AND SHE DID IT.. THE VIDEO OF IT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN BETTER..  SHE TRIPPED TWICE GOING UP THE RAMP AND PISTOL CAUGHT HER NICELY..  HUGE SUCCESS...

FOR WHATEVER ODDITY, I GOT PISTOL BACK AGAIN -- 

GOLDIE WAS WITH US THEN TOO... BECAUSE WITHIN A DAY OR TWO -- THE WOMAN WHO HAD RAISED PISTOL  APPEARED AT MY DOOR ONE NIGHT IN DESPARATE NEED OF A DOG TO HUG.

THE REUNION OF  PISTOL WITH THAT WOMAN WAS SOMETHING I CAN  NOT FORGET.  NOR CAN I IGNORE IT...  THAT WAS  "HER OWNER"   AND SHE WAS JUST FILLING IN TIME WITH THE REST OF US.

COUPLE THAT WITH....NEXT CONCEPT--- WHEN I NEEDED TO BORROW A DOG FOR A COMMERCIAL PHOTO SHOOT... I WOULD PICK THEM UP AT 5AM OR WHATEVER....  I NOTICED HOW THE DOGS WOULD LISTEN TO ME AND ALMOST FOLLOW ME AROUND.... I THOUGHT I WAS A WONDERFUL DOG HANDLER... AND--- I GOT LAZY.. AND HIRED A SECOND PERSON TO GO WITH ME.. I HAD THE OTHER PERSON PICK UP THE DOG FROM THERI HOME AND I WOULD MEET AT THE SHOOT.--- WHEN WE DID THAT... THE DOG WOULD LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW THE PERSON WHO HAD TAKEN THEM FROM THEIR HOME.

NEXT CONCEPT---- PICKING UP DOGS FROM TEH AIRPORT... SAME SEEMS TRUE--  THE PERSON WHO GETS THEM OUT OF THEIR CRATE  AT THE AIRIPORT IS THE ONE THE PUP WILL ATTACH TO.

WITH ALL THOSE THINGS IN MIND... I THINK THE BONDING IS  AS... OR MORE  IMPORTANT THAN THE TRAINING FOR A  SERVICE DOG.

SO... WE DO LET OUR TRAINIERS TAKE DOGS FOR OVERNIGHTS  BUT NOT THE SAME DOG AND TRAINER PAIR TOO MANY TIMES-- SO THA WHEN WE LET THE DOG STAY 24 HOURS WITH THE ONE [PERSON,  THE DOG'S FOCUS BECOMES THAT PERSON.  MAKING FOR BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS FOR THE DOG.

NOW ABOUT THE WORD "SOCIALIZING"  IT IS A WORD EVERY DOG OWNER HAS HEARD AND USES FAR TOO OFTEN..  THA TIS ANOTHER DAY

nov 15 2018

AS  WAS SAID TO A TRUCK DRIVER AT TEH BOTTOM OF OUR DRIVEWAY... " if you can't turn thaT TRUCK AROUND IN THERE, THERE IS AN 80 YEAR OLD WOMAN IN FRONT OF A TEEPEE THAT WILL DO IT FOR YOU" - I LOVED TEH IMAGE OF   THAT ONE...- WE HAD A TEEPEE AT THE TIME AND IT WAS MY   "OUTDOOR OFFICE"  IT WAS POSSIBLE TO KEEP WARM IN IT-- WITH THE FIRE GOING..

YESTERDAY----

TRUCK #1   7pallerts of purina proplan adult  1 pallet purina puppy 

TRUCK #2 1 pallet wet ( separaTE TRUCK    SO THAT THE TRUCK CAN LOWER THAT HEAVY PALLET... )  BOTH TRACTOR AND FORK LIFT CAN LIFT/ UNLOAD THE DRY..  BUT THE WET IS  H++E+++A+++V+++Y  -THE FORK COULD LIFT IT BUT COULDN'T GET IT ANY CLOSER TO WHERE I NEEDS TO GO  BECAUSE OF TRACTION...

TRUCK #3 TEH PROVISIONS FOR THANKSGIVING CROWD--  25 RELATIVES and unknown  number pf  "dog family"-  i am ready for 50 turkey dinner s,,, but it occurs to me that is also 50 breakfasts  lunches,snacks and  general "grazing"  AND COFFEE DRINKING..

****

 THE PART THAT DESERVES CONSIDERATION IS ---- ALL THAT 192 BAGS OF DRY FOOD WILL GET GROUND UP AND MIXED WITH Water- then placed in the dumpsgter and carted away..

***

gotta hand it to finn's family life's struggle can be fun !!

****

Hi Carlene!!

Just wanted to drop you a note….

We just sent  (via PayPal) the proceeds from the last Lemonade stand we did. This time we set up at the Fall Ribfest. The weather was crummy so we also sold hot chocolate, but most people came, picked up their ribs & took them to go - not to mention the Rib stand was selling beverages too so this event wasn’t quite as profitable. I just totaled all of the donations we sent  since May were $3106!! Not to counting the $$ The High School Cheerleaders raised for SDP as well! ( I think they sent just over $600 as well) Wow who would have thought a 10 year old, a dog,  a couple of friends & a lemonade stand would do that  in just a handful of days! I’m so grateful that our home community gets to see, through Finn, all that you do for all of the recipients & that they supported them!  I mean I’m sure you have many larger donations but since the initial goal was tripled in the end they are pretty excited about it! 

Next year the girls say they want to do it again!! But I think we will look for another venue & a different group of people. There certainly are easier (less work) ways to fundraise but I really like that Eve has to put in a lot of the work & also that we are drawing funds from a different community of people rather than asking more of the CPs. 

I know it doesn’t repay all you, your staff  & the volunteers put into providing Finn to Eve but no matter what we raise it can’t even come close to the value he has brought into Eve’s life! She has had some down time but is back on the upswing & starting to be more mobile in the community again with Finn by her side! We brag about how amazing SDP is & all Finn does for Eve EVERY CHANCE WE GET!! 

EVE AND FINN