Love Like Charlie

I am excited to announce that Charlie has inspired my pastor at Worship Center to do a 7 weeks series called, “Love Like Charlie.”  It starts the weekend of October 5 & 6.  It’s about Charlie’s devotion to me and how we can apply that to our lives and relationship with God.  In addition to the weekend services, they are having small groups that meet once a month and watch a DVD that Charlie and I are in!  I am actually hosting a group at my house Wednesdays at 7:30pm.  If you’d like to join (anyone can sign up- even if you don’t attend Worship Center) go to this link.

At a recent trip to Lancaster Central Market (we go for coffee & water every Tuesday and Friday- one of the perks of working in the city) I heard someone yell my name, but as I looked around I didn’t see anyone who had called me, so I kept cruisin’ through the market.  The next thing I know, Carter, from United Way Lancaster, stopped me and invited me to the balcony upstairs (where she was calling me from) to do a quick interview for the 2013 United Way Campaign video.  So, here is the link to the video that has Charlie & me in it! 

I’ve officially switched Charlie’s food to Blue Buffalo (the other one seemed to be bothering his skin and he was having a lot of ear troubles).  It’s very pricey, but I figure that it’s a much better food and will keep us away from the vet!  Plus, he has lost 12 lbs since he’s been on it and now looks very lean and fit!  We’ve also been tracking steps with a pedometer and using an app called RunKeeper to track how far and fast we go.  During lunch hour we do almost 2 miles- and this weather is great because we don’t have to worry about heat stroke or burning his pads on the ground!

This month we have been offered an opportunity to go speak to 4 and 5 year olds at a day care nearby in the city and I am very excited to be talking to them about Charlie and how he enhances my life!  If you would like us to come talk to a group or something similar please contact me (angelinapiazza@gmail.com) because I love sharing about Charlie and allowing other to be more comfortable with people that have disabilities- it’s all about breaking down those barriers!

We’ve been keeping busy- lots of backyard action (and I just bought a riding mower so now I won’t get stuck in the jungle grass!), doctor appointments (he got to lay up on the examining table with me), lots of long meetings for work (it’s budget season!), we went to the Living Well expo and saw lots of other service dogs, went swimming in a lake (and got to jump off the dock), went to garden club, had a 3 hour road trip to Maryland where we went to a vineyard and then a friend’s house, had a birthday outing to Terrain, went out to eat at several different restaurants, and went to the Dream Ride event!  We are looking forward to more adventures, including a trip up to Massachusetts, a yard sale, Hershey Bears game, and who knows what else is in store!

Hope you're enjoying the fall!

where did the time go?

Okay, okay... I realize it's been MONTHS since our last written update- but I think of writing often, so does that count for something??

We’ve been enjoying our brand-new fence- even in the rain!  As of May the posts were concreted, pickets attached, and gates installed.  What a great job the CCS Building Group did with the installation.  They spent hours after working all day to put that fence up- volunteering their time and evenings to bless Charlie and me.  I am grateful and will think of the outstanding group of men that came out every time we are out there.  Charlie even gets to romp around with his friends!  I love being able to share my yard and fence with others (so if you ever want to bring your dog over let me know).  We’ve got plenty of beautiful weather ahead of us to be out there and enjoying it while letting the dogs tire themselves out.

In other news, Charlie has been doing MUCH better on the bus rides to and from work... despite the fact that we are on it an extra 20-30 minutes in the afternoon because of the crazy bridge work going on and detours and traffic jams out of the city!  Plus, the people are grumpier because of that and he still manages to keep his cool.  One afternoon, a guy rang the bell to get off (way before the stop so the driver forgot about it) and freaked out when the driver didn’t stop and yelled at the driver.  So, naturally, the driver slammed the breaks to let this guy off as soon as possible which sent Charlie into a lunge to brace himself from sliding.  As he was bracing, this guy starts toward the front of the bus (more like falling because we were stopping so hard).  He didn’t wait until the bus stopped and Charlie could sit closer to me, instead, this guy climbed ON the seats to get around.  Talk about impatient.  As I replay the scenario in my head all I can do is chuckle about it.  We also had a slightly discriminating situation with the bus that got resolved, although I have no clue how because of union rules.   Anyway, the bus is our only mode of transport to/from work, so let me just suck it up and move on... easier said than done.

What else!? Lots of ice cubes, baby pool fill ups, and slower walks have been the name of our game.  It's hard to believe that we've known each other for 8 months!  

In less exciting news, we've switched our dog food to Blue Buffalo brand and cut most treats out because of allergies- those dang ear issues!  Luckily, a squeaky little ball is just as motivating.  Any one have any good recipes for treats?

I've decided to create a page on Facebook solely devoted to Charlie since he is so famous and needs his own outlet.  Check it out and like it to get pictures and other updates.  We will soon be in a sermon series at our church, Worship Center, so stay tuned for that, too!

www.facebook.com/charlietheservicedog

 

whirlwinds

Despite the lack of posts, Charlie and I have definitely NOT had a lack of things to do and people to see and places to go!  It's been way too long since I've updated, but after reading this, you'll (hopefully) understand.  Well, here it goes...

I bought a house and moved into said house.  This wasn't too big of an adjustment as it's only a few blocks from my parents' house (1/2 a mile, to be exact) and we were back and forth and becoming familiar with it before we actually moved in.  Charlie seems to enjoy the house as much as me!  I was blessed with an amazing decorator who turned it into a home (pictures will come eventually).  So, if you ever need a talented decorator just ask- I would gladly refer you to her.  The best part about the new house for Charlie would be that I bought a bigger bed so he now sleeps with me, he has a 1/2 of an acre to run around on, and he's got the biggest doggy bed in the living room to chill out on (you should see my chihuahua on it).  Currently, our yard is being fenced in (courtesy of CCS Building Group) and we will soon be able to romp and play freely!  I am so excited for this because we can then have his doggy friends over as well!  Thankfully, the fencing was obtained at a deeply discounted price by Lezzer Lumber; however, as a new homeowner and service dog owner, I still have sticker shock!

Charlie and his new fence going up!

To help pay for this (and Charlie's future needs- food, vet bills, etc.) I've decided to offer some of my services at a discounted price.  I would love to do a 1/2 hour photo shoot (subject matter of your choice- pets, kids, family, etc.).  This package would include a cd of 5 high resolution images that are edited in  post production.  Please contact me directly (angelinapiazza@gmail.com) to set up a time!

Okay, back to our happenings.  In order to get the house ready Charlie and I were shopping ALL over the place trying to find stuff- from the Roots Flea Market to Harry's Used Furniture and Costco to Home Depot and HomeGoods- you name it, we might've been there.  Now, if you know me at all, you know how much I despise shopping.  I find it painful.  BUT I must say, with Charlie there to keep me entertained, it was much more bearable.  Well, for me at least, don't ask those that I was shopping with because they might have a different story.

Charlie and I had several speaking engagements over the past few weeks as well!  He is famous, after all.  We were able to go to the General Sutter's inn and talk to the Lititz AMBUCS.  They had invited us after Brian Donmoyer (the president of the club) approached us at the UDS table at a Hershey Bears game that Charlie and I were helping out with.  We had a delicious meal and then were given the opportunity to share about how Charlie has changed my life.  I was even able to demonstrate how I can command Charlie to bark at strange men.  WATCH OUT.  Another event we went to was the UDS Gala at the Lancaster Country Club.  What a fun evening that was.  I spoke to the guests about how Charlie helps me but the best part was that I was able to introduce Suzy and Dan Keller of the Keller Bros. dealerships.  This awesome couple had donated funds so that the Service Dog Program at UDS could purchase a new vehicle to transport all the volunteers and the dogs around to our different outings.  It was very cool.  Finally, just this weekend, we had an opportunity to share with a group of elderly folks that get together, a group called PrimeTime.  It was a blessing to see their faces light up as Charlie went around to greet them.  We hope to continue to do things like this because I love sharing Charlie and let others know about us!

What else!?  Every day is something new.  During my lunch break we go outside (loving the warmer weather) and run all over the city.  Our newest route involves Musser Park on Lime Street.  It's a great park to go to because it has smooth paths and we can go full speed in my power chair.  We do a few laps there and continue on to other blocks and then finish by getting coffee over at Cross Keys!

One day, we were going back into work (the Government Offices on Queen Street that surrounds Binn's Park- the one with the fountain) and a little white dog was off leash and followed us right into the building!  Thankfully, we have the Deputies there that screen people as they go in and they stopped the dog from going any further.  I have a feeling strange things like that will happen more often now that the weather is getting nicer!

Stay tuned for more updates and stories!    

here and there

Charlie and I have been pretty busy since we've passed our Public Access Test.  We had a big celebration the following Monday evening at the UDS Service Dog Training- 4 dogs had a birthday (one of which was Charlie) and 2 dogs passed the Public Access Test (one of which was also Charlie).  He was given tons of treats and some great toys (one of which was a worm that he loves to squeak and snuggle with).  He also received a ball which I didn't even let him see since we have to wait until we move into our new house and have the fence put up!  Last week we also had a few meetings at work, once of which included the Commissioners... they didn't even notice him til he yawned noisily!  We went to a meeting at church that was for young-adults (there were at least 200 people there) and he did awesomely with the noise and crowd.  We thought it would be difficult to escape because usually people don't see me down in my wheelchair, but with Charlie it was a piece of cake- he made the way for me and parted the seas.
We've been to Central Market many times (where he usually gets some nice goodies) and we finally got to the Bulls Head Pub... a good friend of mine was in town from Albuquerque and we had a sister date there.  He did great, fit right in!  I guess you could call me a Lititz townie, and now Charlie can join me!  We went to Tomato Pie Cafe and he took a nice nap right under the table.  He does really well in restaurants- you wouldn't even know he was there.  Saturday was my niece's 3rd birthday so we took her to the beauty salon for a haircut and her first manicure (which she wanted off by that evening) and Charlie came along and watched...I don't think he was a big fan of the salon- typical male. We also went to the Hershey Bears game (the UDS Service Dog Program has a table set up at each home game) with his brothers (not by blood)-  Pax (3 months old) and Brogan (2 years old), as well as Holly!  We had a blast, as usual!
Friday is supposed to be closing on our new house... can't believe it is almost here!  We are just waiting on the underwriter to finish the mortgage application/approval up- the wait makes me want to poke my eyes out.  We have the floors being refinished this weekend and our fence people came out earlier this week to measure and such!  Some other things that have to get done are the bathroom (not accessible for me as is so we have to fix the tub and vanity), fix the sump pump, replace the attic fan, dig window wells, install a radon mitigation system, and build a ramp off the back deck.  My awesome Uncle is coming in from California to build the ramp with my dad.  I am getting a mini shed to store/charge my power chair.  My mom is accepting volunteers to paint (we are doing the whole house) for next week.  SO, if you know anyone or have recommendations for workers for any of the above, please send them my way!

Happy Birthday, Charlie!

Today is Charlie's 3rd birthday (or as one kid kept telling me over and over- he's 21)!  Unfortunately, we lost an hour, but we definitely made up for it.  We went to church to take pictures of the WC Kids, sat outside and soaked up some sun, went on a nice long walk to our soon-to-be house, and to top it all off Charlie chowed down on an awesome sweet potato bone thing (which was gone in less than 3 minutes).  He's currently taking a well-deserved nap!

However, the best gift was last night... we went over to Park City and took our Public Access Certification Test (and PASSED).  This is a test that simply demonstrates that the dog and the handler are safe in public together.  We had to accomplish a list of tasks such as walking through the mall with Charlie not soliciting attention from others, I had to drop the leash and he had to stay by my side and then recover the leash for me, and he had to not get distracted by a loud noise (Lorrie, our trainer, dropped her clipboard on the ground).  We had to navigate tight quarters (we simply went into a store), eat a restaurant and be unobtrusive, and I had to hand him off to Kristy (our other trainer) and disappear from his sight.  We also had to be approached by others- we had an adult step over him while laying down and then pet him and then had a child pet him.  He also had to do a controlled entrance and exit to the mall (and vehicle).  While eating, Lorrie dropped some french fries right in front of him and he had to leave them alone (he just looked at me because he knew not to touch them!).  So, tomorrow night at training we will get our ID card that shows we are certified and Charlie gets a brand new vest that no longer has the In-Training patches on!

It's been a while

Whoops, I lost track of time and have been hibernating.  But Spring is soon here, yay!

I have some exciting fundraising updates for you... according to the gogetfunding.com site, I have $2,470 raised!  But better news is that I’ve received donations from people who prefer not to give online and that brings the total to $4,175!!  And the best news is that over $400 came in from the fundraiser that was held at Folklore Coffee Company a few Sundays ago!  That is 60% of my goal (and 83.5% of the required $5K to give back to UDS)- sorry, that was the Budget Analyst in me. 

 

We have been going all over the place lately- CVS, Ciro’s (the Sicilian old lady mama chef even came out to see him), Central Market, Mommalicious, Garden Spot Furniture, Café Chocolate, Tomato Pie Café, the bank (where he already knows that they give me a treat for him!) and church...I am probably missing a few, but there are too many places we go! 

While at work Charlie sleeps under my desk on a big bath mat/carpet thing (and occasionally snores and barks in his sleep).  We go on bathroom breaks and then I run him on the sidewalk around Binn’s Park in the city (I work in the building that sits around the park).  During lunch we go around quite a few blocks at full wheelchair speed- almost 5 mph!  People bounce right out of our way if we go fast and it’s less opportunity for them to reach out and touch him!

Charlie is turning 3 in 11 days!  And in 23 days I am closing on my first house... surreal!  I can’t wait to get in there and put a fence up for Charlie and his friends to play in.  There a a few things to be done before I move in- one of them is building a ramp and walkway so I can get in the house in my power chair (or building a shed to store it in at night)... so if you know anyone, shoot me an email with their info so I can start getting some bids!

1/29-2/5 Update

We made it through the week!  We had some tough moments, too.  Monday’s snow early in the morning was not a fun time- we ended up waiting for the bus for an hour in that snow.  I tried holding my umbrella over Charlie and me but it was nearly impossible and he ended up soaking wet.   Once we got on the bus he dried off a bit, but the floor was all wet from everyone else bringing in the snow.  Thankfully, we arrived to work in one piece (despite the hour long ride) and Charlie curled right up on his mat under my desk where he fell asleep soundly.  He likes it under there because I catch him snoring and dreaming (legs twitching, quiet noises- as if he were chasing a squirrel or something)! 

The rest of Monday was nice and warm until we had to go back outside.  We left work early because I had a meeting at TABOR- about 4 long blocks from where I work in the old Armstrong building on Queen St.  Unfortunately, halfway through block one it started to rain- freezing rain (which then made the sidewalks extremely slippery).  Charlie was slipping and my wheelchair was sliding!  Not fun at all.  Then, when we got to the building we had to wait for someone to let us in the handicap accessible entrance, but I went to the wrong one so we ended up waiting 15 minutes outside this building in the freezing rain.

The rest of the week was uneventful (thankfully) minus Tuesday's crazy rain storm... I was able to get home a bit early and avoid the downpour.  We stayed low for the rest of the week as we are still adjusting and therefore exhausted by the time we get home each night.  We did work on a few commands and Charlie was able to "tug" off my boots as well as "hold" and "carry" a plastic bag with various things in it to weigh it down (I am working on getting him to be able to carry my lunch bag for me).  

Saturday we took a trip into Philly to pick up a beautiful leather chair at West Elm.  Charlie did so well in the van, slept the whole way there and back!  It was difficult once we parked and had to walk to the store because there were so many smells and sounds.  We are working on no pulling while walking and that morning was surely a challenge.  Later that evening we joined a few from the UDS gang and went to the Hershey Bears Game to man the table where we sell dog treats and calendars and people come to visit the dogs.  It's always a fun time to see Charlie's fan club!  

Sunday we went to church and there was absolutely no whining during the service!  That was awesome.  After that we headed to Cafe Chocolate in Lititz because I had to take some photos for a class and Charlie did a great job just laying there and watching me as I did my thing.  

Monday night we went to UDS training and got to see everyone.  Charlie had a rough time going into the room because he was so anxious.  But, once we were in he settled nicely and worked hard the rest of the time.  It was one of the dog's birthday, so to celebrate each dog received a nice treat- frozen yogurt... Charlie was literally drooling over that thing!

Charlie is popular at work already- all the Deputies love seeing him as we go in and out.  Today we had our first meeting together with all the staff in my department.  He slept the majority of it!  Lucky.

Our First Weekend

The weekend went well... we spent our Saturday morning sleeping in until 9am and then off we went to shop for some furniture.  We checked out the Ephrata Re-Uzit Store (a whole lot of nada- minus some nice light which made for a great picture of Charlie).  After that we went to Garden Spot Furniture (which is always successful).  I had Charlie do a "down, wait" and I rolled across to the other side of the building (he wanted to smell every piece of furniture so I thought he'd be better off laying there).  But, I wanted him with me so I called him and he came running at me as fast as he could...it was so awesome.  So he laid right at my feet the rest of the time.

After that we loaded back into the van where he decided to make a heart with his paws.  He has been doing excellent getting in and out of the van.  Somehow he can manage to get his big body in the crack between the two seats and lay there comfortably on his blanket.  He is not whining as much when we stop to get out of the car and will sit there patiently until I release him to get out.  It's funny how whenever we go through the drive thru (oh how I love coffee) he will sit up and stick his head between the seats as if to say, I'd like something too, please!

After lunch Charlie and I took a walk around the block a few times to get him used to my power chair more and to work on his pulling.  Once I whipped out his little squeaky cupcake he kept his eyes on me the whole time!  Then, we headed out to Worship Center where I teach 1st-4th graders once a month for the three services.  I was excited for the kids to meet him and see how they'd react.  I came out on stage with him and it was completely silent.  With 80 kids in one place that is highly unusual.  I explained to them that he's my service dog and what he does for me and showed them a few things.  The lesson was on determination and I used him to demonstrate an example... I first showed them how he got his leash for me.  Then, I put the metal clip on it that attaches the leash to my wheelchair (this is much harder for him to pick up) to show them how it was harder for him to get but he kept trying until he did it.  Great work, Charlie!  I also let anyone with a birthday in January come up to pet him... I think they really liked that better than a balloon!

We did two more services on Sunday and boy, did it wear him out!  When we got home late Sunday afternoon he passed out!  The rest of the day we just vegged (played scrabble and ate pancakes) and went to bed early so I could get up at 5:30am!

Work and workin' it

On the bus.

It was an early one for us- I was up at 5:30am to get ready for our first day of back to work with Charlie.  All went smoothly getting ready...Charlie hung out in his crate quietly until I was finished.  After that he went out to go to the bathroom and then ate his breakfast in less than 2 minutes.  We were at the bus stop along 501 by 7am and waited for 15 minutes in the freezing cold.  Charlie didn't like it any more than me... I had to just keep him moving and doing things (sit, stand, down, etc.).  Lorrie met us at the stop to help me one last time getting on the bus and situated.  It went smoothly and he laid right at my feet (and occasionally sitting up) looking up frequently to check on me. 

Once we arrived to the station we hopped off the bus and headed right in to work.  He opened both of the doors to enter the building and went through the metal detector with no reaction to the noise of it.  We took the elevator up to the third floor and went down the long corridor the back door of my office.  He opened that door for me as well and did a nice "go through" the door, "turn" and "back" to get into the room.  He gladly accepted my command to "go to bed" on his comfy mat and laid "down" without any hesitation.  I gave him a bone but he had no interest in it.  The rest of the morning he snoozed and I worked.  We took a few breaks to go to the bathroom and walk around outside a bit.

During lunch we went to Central Market.  There was a new tea stand I wanted to check out and I also wanted to go to a stand that has pet stuff because I forgot to bring him a toy to play with and I figured I could check there is they had anything.  They didn't but the guy that worked there gave Charlie some sweet potato treats and a pig ear (which he won't be eating)...everybody loves Charlie (and that was not the first time he received free treats while we were out).  I even had the famous Statue of Liberty dude that stands out on the corner of Queen & King St take out picture.

Due to the snow, my boss kindly let me catch an earlier bus home.  We did the whole bus thing by ourselves without any problems!  He slept at my feet the whole time and was much more relaxed than the morning ride.  We got off to about 2 inches of snow and we sped home to avoid getting too wet from the snow.  I quickly unvested him and we laid low the rest of the night...playing with puzzles over and over and over because Gia, my niece, insisted.

No Trainer Today!

Charlie dressed and waiting to head out.

This morning Charlie arrived while I was still in my pajamas.  He was finally here to stay!  We went over a few last things with Lorrie and then she left with a tissue in hand.  Charlie settled right in.  He joined me for my morning coffee and seemed a-okay to be here.  Every day he is to spend some time in his crate (so that he feels safe and familiar in it in case I would need to go away or be in the hospital for a period of time) so while I showered he was in there...I kept asking my mom if he was whining and the answer was always no.  A very good sign.  After that he got dressed (put on his vest and gentle leader) and off we went on our errands.  He did awesome in the van- when I said "car" he jumped right in and laid down between the seats. 

We stopped at the carpet place to pick up some carpets (can you believe it!?), went through the Dunkin drive through where he poked his head through as if to say he'd like some coffee, and then stopped at the Stock Shop in Mountville to look at some furniture for my new house. 
My mom was nervous to have him in there because of all the glass and lamps and such in the area of his tail.  BUT he didn't break a single thing.  I had him in a down stay in the room we were in just to avoid that possibility.  The mall was next.  I had to get my hair trimmed and in the salon I did another down stay with him in the waiting area (but where he could still see me) and he didn't get up once.  After that we went around the mall to pick up a few things and we practiced "carry" (his water bowl for work), "take it" "up" "drop it" (a slobbery tissue I had him throw away), lots of down stays in different stores, an attempt to "carry" a plastic bag, and a test of dropping food right in front of his face and him leaving it.  We had lunch with another consumer and her beautiful lab and the trainers of UDS (Kristy & Lorrie).  Once we were done at the mall we headed home to un-vest and relax.  Tonight will be his first night here and then we are off to work bright and early to catch the 7am bus, keep us in your prayers!! 

Fundraiser Update

Thank you to all that have contributed so far... we are 22% funded ($1,565 has been given) so far!!!  Please continue to spread the word with everyone you know.  I am very blessed and am glad to have such supportive people in my life.  If you (or someone you know) would like to give, follow this link.

Training...Day 7

Post bath wipe down!

It was bath day for Charlie!  Lorrie wanted him to be fresh and clean for me because tomorrow night he will be staying with me for good!!  At UDS Headquarters they have a nice little doggie bath where he was able to climb up a ramp, load into a tub, and get safely secured so he didn't go anywhere.  Lorrie used a spray bottle that had watered-down soap in it.  She could spray it on a wet Charlie so that the soap wouldn't go on in globs and therefore be hard to spread around and then wash off.  She could just spray and rub the specific areas.  After she got him all nice and clean he enjoyed a towel rubdown.  Next, his least favorite part, was the blow dryer (which looked like a giant vacuum).  We were able to get him dried with that thing in no time!  After being nice and cleaned up he got his new collar put on and a chance to rest while we went over a lecture.

Charlie waiting patiently on stage.

Next on the agenda was taking Charlie to my church.  I spend a great deal of time there (once a month I teach grades 1-4 three services in a row) and even have one of my power chairs there.  We thought it would be great to have more practice in my power chair as well as getting Charlie familiar with the church.  We got there and had lunch first.  Charlie got to meet Pastor Sam and show off his skills- he once again paid for my lunch all by himself (took my credit card from me, put his front paws on the counter, and gave it to the cashier).  After lunch we did a lot of exploring and maneuvering throughout the building... we did some weaving, backwards walking, ups, circles, going through doors, etc.  I brought him through the classrooms to let him check things out and become familiar with the smells.  We also went into the kids' auditorium (where I teach) and did some retrieval skills (he sat and waited on stage while I went to the back of the room and then called for him to come to me) as well as some "find me" where he sat in a spot where he couldn't see me and then I would hide and call him and he would run out and find me.  After that we went back into the hallway where I would make him stay while I would zoom off and go far distances and then make him find me.  I love his enthusiasm- every time he'd come running for me as fast as he could and then slide to a stop right in front of me!

We ended the day with a final lecture on public safety and such.  Tomorrow morning Charlie will be dropped off at my house and stay with me all by himself... can't wait!!!

Training...Day 6

Can we say FREEZING?!  It was way too cold out to do much, so we decided to stick to the things we absolutely needed to accomplish today- going into my office and testing out the bus with Charlie.  Lorrie picked me up in the accessible van so we could use my power chair and we decided not to go to Central Market and Cross Keys Coffee.  We loaded into the van and headed to the Queen Street Bus Station.  There weren't many buses waiting there so we had to pick one and do it fast because it had to leave within five minutes.  The only problem was that it was a type of bus that I rarely ride (once or twice within the past year)- the extra long and tall bus (Lititz doesn't have very many riders so we always get the smaller bus that has only a ramp that flips out).  This bus actually has stairs so the ramp slid out and then raised up.  We decided to try it and I made Charlie sit in front of me.  He got a bit of grease on his paw from it going down a crack, but other than that he sat still and had no problem as we were elevated up together.  We did a u-turn on the bus and then went back down on the ramp.  Not too bad, thankfully the driver was gracious enough to give us the time to try it out. 

We scurried across the street to my office and Charlie easily pressed all the buttons to get through the door ways despite all the possible distractions around us.  He followed me nicely through the doors and metal detectors.  The noise of the metal detector that I caused (it was set off by the metal in my chair) made him jump but the other times it went off he just twitched his ears.  We continued up in the elevator where he sat calmly in the corner and rode to the third floor.  We went into the back door of my office (where we later attached a tug for him to open the door for me- which we tried and he did AWESOME at opening it) and then went to my cubicle for him to check out.  We put a padded carpet down for him to be comfy during the day.  We also visited a few people, including my bosses and even the Commissioners!  We tested Charlie to see what he would do if I rode away toward the kitchen and had him "stay"- the first time he did whine and got up and we put him back, but the second time we tried he stayed and only whined a tiny bit.  But that was great for being in an unfamiliar place with his girl zooming off in her wheelchair!

We ended up going back to the bus station to find a bus that is like the one I ride daily and had to wait about 30 minutes for one to come through.  Of course a bunch of strange people (we were at the bus station where they love to congregate) kept bombarding us with questions and comments-I will have to get used to that!  We were able to test the bus out and get settled as I would if I were riding in or out of town.  It's a tight fit but we will have to make it work... just praying that the bus drivers and other riders will have patience with me and Charlie. 

After all that hard work we stopped at Coffee Co for some great food, coffee, and conversation.  Charlie loved it cause he was able to take a nice little snooze!

We ended our day at my house with a run through of coming in the garage and he did an amazing job of pulling the door shut for me.  We worked on some clicker training as well for him to pull my boots off by the heels.  Another day together under our belts!

Training...Day 5

It's Monday, January 21st...sorry for the confusing post dates- I had them as drafts and then published them all at the same time and now it's all out of sorts, whoopsies!!  Today was the longest time we've been out of Charlie's usual surroundings.  We met up at my soon-to-be home and together experienced my first house inspection (which was really my dad going around with the inspector and reporting back to me).  While there Charlie was allowed to explore the place and sniff it out.  I was able to un-vest him and take off his leash.  We left it in the bedroom and then proceeded to the living room.  After some time I told him to get his vest and off he went to retrieve it in the other room and he brought it back to me!  Then, I told him to do the same thing with his leash and he went and got it and managed to bring that back as well.  We had some time to do a photo op as we were waiting for them to finish inspecting the basement... he is very photogenic! 

After the house inspection I walked Charlie back home (three blocks) to my parents' house.  We had some major excitement and a few barks at strangers, but we made it back.  The next thing to happen was something I've been anxious about since the beginning- the meeting of Charlie and Manu (my chihuahua that is deaf and has seizures).  I put Manu downstairs with a bone to keep him occupied while Charlie came in to get used to the smells and settle.  After only a few minutes I let Manu in and he went right up to Charlie with a wagging tail and sniffed and spun and checked out his new best friend!  There were no problems (minus the fact that they wanted to play with each other which would be a bad idea since Charlie weighs about 89 pounds more!).  It was a good feeling to know that my two doggies could hang.

After the meeting we did some training in my room with picking up my socks and placing them in my drawer or laundry basket.  Charlie mastered the opening and shutting of my closet door as well and practiced removing a shoe and sock.

It was past lunchtime so we decided to take a walk down to Tomato Pie Cafe here in Lititz.  This walk went WAY better- he had no pent up energy and a different leash attached to my chair which made things much easier since I could use my chair as a tool to correct him.  He opened the door for me to get in and laid quietly by my feet the whole time.  Our trainer, Lorrie, has been so patient through this whole process and is such a rock for us as we navigate our new routine and life together.  She is a major blessing.

We ended the afternoon with a run-through of how I enter the house in my power chair (into the garage, through the pantry, and then up the stairs in my stair lift into the kitchen).  After doing that a couple of times we said our see-you-laters and off they went to the UDS headquarters.  I joined them later for a volunteer training hour (for those that have dog that are in the being stages of training) and worked with Charlie in a group setting.  There were about 8-10 dogs together and we learned about things like practicing the retrieval sequence in bits (look, get it, that's it, hold, bring it, give it).  I was able to share my vest & leash retrieval story which was great because they could then see how what they were doing now really benefits the end consumer.  A long and eventful day comes to an end, but tomorrow we try out the city!!

Training...Day 2

Today was the second full day of the team training at the United Disability Services headquarters.  And it was a great one... we worked hard and played hard.  The morning started out with a great time of bonding- I got to un-vest and un-leash Charlie and off we went into a big training room to chase balls and hang out.  When he doesn't have those two things on it's letting him know he isn't working.  It was the first time we did that together!  Once he was tuckered out from playing with a stuffed animal and tennis ball he gladly "got dressed" (any "" will indicate commands he knows) and went back to work.  Before we went back to the office he was challenged to "wait" as I left the room, crossed the hallway, and entered into the office.  He did as he was told and right when I said "come" he came bounding in and stopped promptly before me (can we say gentle giant?).

As he rested at my feet, I read some material on grooming and vet care.  After that we practiced "hold" and "carry" with an empty basket (with the intent of him getting my lunch bag or other things and doing the same).  It was rough getting him to "hold" because he just wanted to "give it" to me.  We practiced it and had a few successes!  I realized that he was able to "get it" and "carry" it much more easily and so we did that so that he could build confidence that he was doing what I wanted.  After that, we worked on the door- opening and closing it by "tug" and "harder" to unlatch and then "back" to really pull the door open. 

That was a lot of repetitive and challenging stuff for us, so we took a break and Lorrie (our trainer) gave me a great lecture on motivation- what I can do to get my dog to do what I want and need him to do.  I have to figure out (based on the situation and the request) how and what to use so he will accomplish the task.  Things like words, body language, treats, play, etc.

After lunch we had a socialization with a few other dogs where they were all un-vested and able to play.  Charlie was chasing balls and running around the room like a mad man!  Then, the dogs each had their turn to get a mini mani (aka nail trimming).  After everyone left, Lorrie went to get a drink and I decided to work with Char on our challenge command.  Right now he can bark on command in two ways: saying "speak" or a hand signal.  My challenge was to add in a third option where I would click my tongue and he would back.  So, I started by doing all three at once a few times, next I dropped "speak" and just did the hand signal and click, then after I felt confident in that, I just clicked... by the time Lorrie got back HE WAS DOING IT WITH JUST A CLICK!!!  I was so excited for him and me that we did that.  I can't wait to go back tomorrow morning and test him.

To finish off our day Lorrie and I went over the Public Access Test.  This is what I have to pass with Charlie so he is no longer in training and then he will be able to go with me in public (without a trainer).  It'll be done at the mall most likely and we will be graded on a bunch of criteria and series of tests (like how well he follows my commands and handles distractions).  The point is the determine whether or not we are safe as a team in public.

Great day, awesome dog, and patient trainer makes for a happy heart.

Training...Day 3

And we are off to another productive day.  It involved lectures on resistance and innate behaviors, going through another set of commands, a visit to the vet, out to eat at a restaurant, practicing commands, and ending the day with some play time.  Gia, my almost 3 years old niece, joined in on the play time and loved being able to throw a ball and have Charlie retrieve it (our old chihuahua, Manu, is petrified of ball or any toy so it was a whole new experience for Gia to play with a dog).  I love seeing how much fun Charlie can have and still maintain control of his size- never a rough moment or fear of him toppling me (or Gia) over.  He is truly a sweet soul.  I love how he watches me- this is his way of checking in to make sure I am okay and that he is doing what he is told.

There were quite a few challenges today as well and I am learning how to deal with them and assert myself as the pack leader (despite my size).  There are many tactics and think-ology that I need to practice and utilize so that he trusts me to be that dominant figure.  It's a huge learning curve, but I am surrounded by some great teachers and lots of support to turn to.  This whole process is teaching me a lot and although I am on overload, I still feel rested and have a peace that passes all understanding.  What a great feeling!!!

Training...Day 4

First week of training is complete! I go back to work tomorrow.  BUT I have off Monday-Thursday for more training (and this time outside of the UDS Headquarters).

Today we did a recap of all that was learned and worked on the command list hands on.  You should see Charlie do his "over"- a graceful jumping over an object that is unbelievable for his size.  He continued to perform his "speak" with a simple click of my tongue.  We also traveled all over the UDS Headquarters to practice pushing the door opening buttons, visiting people in a calm way, and traveling at different speeds (I am pretty sure Lorrie was running and pushing me at the same time at one point!).

After a long day of hands on training and a lecture squeezed in Charlie and I were able to let loose.  I un-vested him and took off his halter and leash and we played with a few toys that he found complete pleasure in (slobbery tennis ball and some sort of once-stuffed animal).  After he grew tired of that I was able to rub his belly a bit and let him relax after all his hard work.

We were able to end the day with an incredible gift- the Williams family (they raised Charlie from a puppy to 18 months) came in and had a ginormous care package waiting for us!! It had everything I would need to get started with Charlie, including a crate, bed, leash, collar, treats, toys, a 40-lb bag of food, and so much more!  They were even so thoughtful as to load me up with hand sanitizer and an Etown Alumni shirt (go Blue Jays!).  I can't even begin to thank them enough for bringing Charlie this far and being so considerate of me and my needs now that Charlie will be a major part of my life.  It's such a sacrifice that they given to do what they do and I am forever grateful (love you guys!!)