Day 539:

WOW... my life just gets better and better!!

You all know about my work, but did you realize how FUN being a Service-Dog can be???

Dad has decided that I am SO good at paying attention now, that he is going to buy new patches for my working vest- he will take off the "Please do not pet me, I'm working" patches off, and replace them with "Please ask to pet me, I'm friendly!" patches-- because now, when people pet me, I STILL pay attention to Dad's commands first, and yet I just LOVE all the attention, and all the NEW FRIENDS I meet!! I am having such a GOOD time working! wowsers, my life feels like it couldn't GET any better!

Do you want to know what a super-awesome day is like, in my life? This is what happened today:

Dad was not feeling well this morning. I slept in my crate while he was in bed, after Pa left for work. (I get my breakfast and morning walk with Pa in the mornings before he leaves!) ...then Dad came out of the bedroom, and he smelled kind of sick. He laid down on the couch, and I sat down next to him and SNUGGLED his cheek. I licked his eyes a little to clean them (and I can taste he was dehydrated!) so I poked him untill he got up. I cavorted a bit to make him happy, and when he got his medicines and drank something, he laid down again- I got to lay RIGHT beside him. I scrunched my whole body up in a tiny space by his feet and side on the futon! ha ha! (Tiki Jack laid by his head... I was kind of jealous. hrmf.)

Later, Dad got up, feeling much better (I told him to turn on the air conditioner! silly Dad! see? much cooler=much better!) and he played The Sims 2... a whole LOT! I laid at his feet, and I was very good. I boofed softly when someone knocked, but it was the wrong apartment- they were looking for someone else. Dad didn't HEAR them knock, but because I boofed and went to the door, he knew there was someone there. They were knocking very softly!

Later STILL, Dad hadn't eaten anything, and was feeling yucky, so he took more medicine, and then he called Pa at work to see what we were going to do tonight. Some discussions of movies were held, but they decided to go see a SCARY one this weekend instead. (I was bummed. the more movies the better- I LOVE watching them, but I love the popcorn bestest of all!) Dad put on my working vest and gentle leader, and I knew it was time to go out to WORK!! yaaaaaaaayyyyyy!!

We got to Ballard too early, so Dad took me into a different store- a Walgreens drugstore! We practiced all those 'store commands' like right, left, down, (the aisle) and foreward, back, wait, sit, those things... I saw some blankies like mine at home, and I was VERY good. I sat by them and gave Dad my bestest big-brown-eyes look, but he said they weren't cheap enough yet... to wait, and when they're 3 for 10 bucks, he will buy me NEW ones! yay!!

We walked around, and saw all KINDS of stuff, and I met some neato people! One person was just thinking about getting a Rottie, but didn't know a whole lot about them- so Dad and her talked and talked- and I looooooooved on her so MUCH! I really really REALLY liked her! She got the card to the rescue I came from, and I hope she goes and gets a forever dog like me! (You can see other dogs they have right now by clicking on the picture of a rottie at the bottom of this page!) I an crossing my 'fingers'!

Dad took me to Pa's work, where I laid at his feet... and as SOON as they locked the door, closing the store, I had to make my rounds of snuggling everyone who likes me! I wanted LOTS of Snuggles!!! ...One of the wonderful ladies I wuv the most there, gave me not one, but TWO mints!! YAAAAAY!!! I love mints!! *crunch crunch*

Then, Pa said we could go anywhere Dad wanted, for dinner! (Dinner!! yay!!) and Dad said he had an errend to run, and then we could go to Ivars- I LOVE Ivars!! *drool*

We went to a NEAT little pet store called "all the best" in the north end. They're so GREAT... they sell all kinds of yummy things, including toys to chomp and squish and squeak... but Dad went to buy fresh new collars for the kitties! They each one got their own color, a nice velvet one, with little sparkly stones. (I am still waiting for my spiked leather coller in bright pink- hrmf. no one listens to me... I want it. hrmf. my neck is BIG though... so... it's hard to FIND one!) I got to sniff the whole store, and get petted a lot, and play with a little pug who was there! I liked him a lot. It was a pet store, so I'm allowed some 'doggie behavior' you know.

As soon as we got to Ivar's though- it was ALL business. I got right under the table, and waited while they ate.

...and waited... and drooled...

Afterwards, I got the LEFTOVERS, right outside the restraunt!!! That's the BEST part of eating out. If I am very good, and I lay still, and be quiet... then I get leftover bites when we leave the restraunt!! I love Ivar's, because they give me a little fish and some greasy fries after they eat. I especially love it if Dad pours his leftover shrimp cocktail sauce on it... mmmmm SPICY. I love Spicy food.

So then we stopped by the ice cream shop for some take-home, and then we went HOME!!!

Now, I'm typing this-- Er... DAD is typing this for me. (heh heh) and RESTING... because I am SO tired out, from my Day out, doing errends. I did so many helpful things- from meeting people, to picking things up for dad, to just plain being a good rottie ambassador to people who did not know we could be SUCH good dogs! I am proud, every day I get to wear my vest, that I have a JOB! Rotties need jobs, I tellya... and once we have one? We are SO happy.

Just like me.

*GLOW*

You just wait... I'll talk them into taking me WITH them to Disneyland, eventually... maybe not this trip... but next one! I bet!! I would have SO much fun!

*sigh of happiness*

Just think... I have the bestest life ever. I get to be with Dad 24 hours a day, 7 days a week... and I get treats, and I get GOOD food... and I get all KINDS of LOOOOOooooove. Even from total strangers! Yay!

Life is good for a dawg-in-service!

Big Bertha