You know, being a Service Dog is turning out to be hard work!!

I have just realized that my 'job' in life is maybe to be Pa's PET... but for Dad, I need to be able to do other things.

I know he used to have a dog who did all kinds of things for him, whose name was Axel- and I know Dad was a lot sicker then too, so sometimes he couldn't even get out of bed, hardly, without help! So my job should be easier, in some ways, than Axel's was. (He died... it made Dad very sad... I'm glad that he let Pa choose me to bring home, because I love them both very much!)

Up untill recently, I didn't really know that I needed to be concerned for Dad. I mean, he's a pack leader right? I know all pack dogs have their own jobs, but you know, I lived in a garage for a long long time... so I didn't really have a CLUE about what humans might /need/... they know what *I* need though! (Food food food food toys food food water food food food outside food food....) What do humans need? Especially that *I* could do?

I am learning what Dad calls 'tasks'... things that I should do, because he can't always do them himself- or they're difficult for him. Some of them, I have already learned! ...some... well, some are harder.

Like today, I learned one of these harder tasks 100% (finally!) -They don't consider a task really learned untill you perform it correctly and promptly at least 80% of the time... and I finally got it everytime Dad asks- it's an easy one, now that I know it! It works like this:

If there is an Emergency, Dad might need the phone! He might not be able to reach it, or if there is an intruder he might be too scared to reach it... or if he is VERY sick, he might not be able to even dial it very well!!

So Dad tells me, "911!" and I jump up- REALLY fast! I RUN to where the right phone is- and I grab it, and I RACE it back to him!! It's important to be QUICK with this task, and it's extra important to do it right!

To make it harder to learn at first, Dad puts the phone in all different places. But really, it has a place that it normally is- he just wants me to always go FIND it, even if someone moved it, or forgot to put it back, or it got knocked off or over or something!

So now, when he gives me the command, I run run run to find the phone! quick! hurry! YAY!!!!! I did it!!!!

Dad is only just starting to really train me for what is called 'public access' because he needs some equipment first- it will cost about 60 bucks. (He can't use Axel's, because it is a different color, and has patches saying he IS a trained service dog, and I need a green cape that says I am in-training. The laws are different for in-training dogs, and people would see the color and patches, and see that I am still learning, and forgive me any mistakes.) I have my Service-Dog ID card and Insurence and EVERYTHING else... but Dad is working on saving for my new cape and patches, so that I can start learning how to go inside businesses with him!

Right now, I have many tasks that are smaller. I'm a slow girl to learn- it takes time for my brain to realize WHAT Dad wants from me... but I have learned to Pick things up for him (when they are dropped or fall off someplace) and how to bring him something on request. I know how to take something from him, to Pa, or from Pa to Dad...

...and I have a special knack for hearning the phone ring when Dad is in the bathroom- and woofing softly to him. I don't know if he realizes that I am SAYING "uhm... someone get that- I don't have thumbs..." but he surely does appreciate that I do that... he needs a phone in the bathroom, *I* say!

If he is sick, and in the bathroom too much, I go lay by the door... just in case. You never know, after all... he might be TOO sick, and need me!

I also bark for him, very soft, if someone knocks on the door- and then I come stand near him when he answers it, in case it is someone scary! (and in hope it is the pizza-delivery man or the chinese food guy!!) If he acts scared, I come stand right by his leg, and I sniff the person, to make sure they are not the ones scaring him.

I have recently realized that I COULD go with him /everywhere/ he goes... and when he has to go out, and gets out of the car, he says to me, "be good... you can't go in here YET..." and I know that YET means, eventually I will be able to go inside there!! That would make me SO very happy! I'm looking forward to the day when I can go with him to places like the library, or the grochery store, or the movie theatre, or a restraunt! Places he goes, where I could lay down by him, and if anything bad happened, I would be right there! I would even be able to carry a little container of his medicines with me, and information about the things wrong with him, since they are not so easy for an emergency person to SEE on his outside!

I have a long way to go before I can do everything he would like... and Dad has his worries, about what he wants me to learn or not... how much he feels he NEEDS me to do anymore... since he isn't AS sick as he was in some ways, he worries that he doesn't need a 'Service Dog'... but he still needs me for some things at home, so he wants me to earn all my 'certifications' ... whatever those are!! I guess I am pretty close to it, too!

Now that I have updated everyone who was curious about my training!

I want to be able to go with him every single time he leaves the house... and that is motivating me more and more to learn things! I hope that in the next few months, I will be able to write about all KINDS of new experiences!! As soon as that part of my training starts!

Big Bertha