I am now a Registered Service Dog

I know it's been a while since I last posted but I have been one busy pup. Mom took me on a bike ride - no I didn't ride in a basket; I have to run along beside her and I know now that I am really out of shape. I don't get the exercise I should when I am playing around with my friend Tess who happens to be a Yorkie or Yorkshire Terrier. It's funny how both of our breeds have those little nicknames; like mine is Sheltie for Shetland Sheepdog. Well Tess has this little habit of kissing me right inside the mouth. Not on my butt but right inside my mouth. Tess's mom is bummed that she has to stop her little girl from doing such a disgusting habit because it could cause germs to spread; but my mom and dad kiss like that I think all the time? Why can't we?

Well Mom finally got all the paperwork completed last week and we just got the cards, patches, and certificate in the mail from RegisteredServiceDogs.com. It's not absolutely necessary to get all of this done but it does help quite a bit from naive business owners who do not know the law. If mom ever needs to travel; she should not have a problem taking me with her at all. In fact if want to go the mall, the movies, or even restaurants; we can with out a problem.

I got to go to Costco with her and to the mall and no one ever questions her. I am so happy that she got me this comfortable vest that she ordered when she was at a Pet Convention in San Mateo CA in September of last year. We hope to go again. We met a wonderful lady who specially made the vest for me. It took many months to finally receive that vest; but was it worth the weight. It's so much better than the vests they sell at ActiveDogs.com. You can get great patches at ActiveDogs.com, but for vests; I recommend one made like this one with velcro that attaches across my tummy and across my chest. It is so comfy and I hate when mommy has to take it off = I love wearing it! Here's to more fun in my new Service Vest!

Taking care of mom....

Well Mom hasn't had a very easy week at all. I was so scared for her exactly one week ago today. She was crying and screaming in pain and my dad had to call all those people with flashing lights to come and get her. I know the drill so well and I stayed in my corner until dad told me it was OK to move. I wanted so bad to go give mom a kiss good bye before she left. I felt so horrible all night and all day the following day worrying about my mom. My brother Tonto was also worried and he cried and cried until it got on my nerves. I didn't go and chase him to make him stop because I too felt the same.

My dad took me the following day which was a week ago tomorrow to go visit Mom. She was so happy to see me and I was so happy that I got to go visit her several days in a row in the hospital last week. She shared a room with a very nice lady for which I got to provide my special pet therapy to and of course spread lots of smiles everywhere I went. The nurses loved me and so did the doctors. I just jumped up on that bed with my pretty smile and it seemed to make all the pains go away for both my mom and her new friend in the hospital.

Well mom finally got released from the hospital on Monday and it's been a few days and she's slowly getting stronger and stronger each day. She isn't eating the way she used to and hasn't for quite a while. I don't beg for anything she eats these days because it just doesn't smell all that appetizing. I keep hearing her gag as she eats but she is eating (I think it's baby food) what she needs to eat to get stronger. I can tell she is much smaller than most tall people or that she is skinny. She also has to carry this heavy pack around for most of the morning and evening hours that also feeds her through her veins somehow. What a fighter my mom is.

She took me out this morning to play some ball just a little bit and because she is so weak; we have been limited on my walks. I don't mind all that much and I completely understand; I just want her to feel better and I'm so glad to have her back at home keeping me company.

Mom came home for 1 day...

Well my mom came home from the hospital for just 1 day and spent one night at home. I was so happy she was back but she wasn't feeling herself. She seemed to be in lots of pain and I tried to get close to her so that she could pet me and get out some of her frustrations from the pain on me. My fur is just like medicine but this time it was different. She was crying and making lots of noises that scared me but I knew that I needed to be right by her side no matter what.

My brother Tonto took care of her while I was gone on a walk with dad as you can see right her. We mostly worked as a team trying to make her as comfortable as possible. On Thursday she mostly lied down on the couch sleeping off the pain but I could tell something was seriously wrong with her. I slept right down below her on the floor just in case she needed me.

Later that night (Thursday night), Dad did the drill of locking me and Tonto out on the patio as all these men came inside and took her away on this rolling bed thing. I watched carefully and saddened that my mom was going to go away again and would not be at home with us. I've been worried about her and hoping she is going to be OK.

I did get to go see her last night in the hospital and she appeared to be in much better shape last night and I even got to see and meet her room mate in the hospital who very nice and loved having the doggie therapy that I offered. I tried my best not to give out my French Kisses but sometimes I let myself get the best of me and I think I learned how to do those from Mom and Dad but my neighbor who is only 14 years old taught me even more how to do that but letting me lick the inside of her mouth for long periods of time. Mom and Dad don't like when I do that but I try my best not too but sometimes I can't help but give some very intimate kisses!

We had fun together and then I got to go home and will be visiting again with her soon! Till then let's hope my mommy gets better and can come home soon!

Getting your Dog Certified for Therapy and/or Service Work..

My mom relayed this information to me and I thought it might be of importance to any you interested in becoming a therapy dog.

To get things completely clear; I'm technically not the whole 9 yards a therapy dog but do a job that helps my mother and she is still able to go inside public establishments with her. I have the legal vests and patches that authorities never question nor are they allowed to.. Should she have a panic attack I am there to help her get through it and it usually takes just a few seconds. I will tap her leg to let her know that she needs to get down to my level and that's where the therapy begins. I lick her and hug her as she therapeutically pets my never ending soft fur. It makes all the difference to her since she doesn't have any children; why can't I come along? She's gone through enough in life for some greedy angry person to question why my mother needs a service dog. Yes there are those few people who feel inadequate in their lives that they have to complain about someone who is disabled and we hope to change those people's minds and give them heart and soul.

This should help all you doggies who interested in getting to work. It's not required at all by law that you have any card or paperwork to be a service dog. A Canine Good Citizen will help you doggies who may have manners that your owners are concerned about and you will have all the requirements of being out in public. A doctor can recommend a service dog for your person as in my case. Now do remember that it's not absolutely required but you can register with this website as I just did. What happens is that they will mail you some forms for your parent to fill out and get signed by a doctor. It's very easy to do.

I promise to provide you all with updates as to what happens next after I register. Here is the information this website requires so it's not a totally difficult site for your parents to fill out. Please do check out the whole site if you can.

http://www.registeredservicedogs.com/

OK I fill this out they will send me a form in the mail for which my mom will fill out some more and then she takes the rest of the form to either her oncologist or psychologist. I know either of those doctors will be more than willing to fill out the form. Then she has to mail in that form in the address provided in the form and send a check or credit card payment. That's a little sketchy but we will research with the Better Business Bureau to make sure that they are a legitimate business model and they are not just taking money for nothing.

They also support Federal Law which makes it quite clear for service animals like myself. Again feel free to print this out when your person takes you out in public.

http://www.ada.gov/svcanimb.htm

This website makes it easy for your to get your dog certified. I am now a Service Dog and my mom's Psychiatrist is 110% behind signing these forms once they arrive in the mail. I'm not sure how much it costs but I bet you could have your parents check out the whole site for you. I for one want my own Service Dog ID even though I am allowed inside most restaurant and shopping malls.

The only thing wrong with me me is that I just have the cute factor in that my beautiful smile makes everyone around me want to pet me and just love on me so I provide the general public with free dog therapy. I don't see anything wrong with that; it makes the world a much more peaceful place to live. I'm so soft and irresistible I know! No one can keep their hands off my shiny white and blue fur!) Since I am not guiding my mom as a guide dog does, my mom does see anything wrong with sharing me with a world that needs me. I'm too darn cute for my own good so that's why I am choosing to work in Therapy. I want others to feel good!

Mom's getting out of the Hospital Tomorrow...

I'm so excited that my mom will be out of the hospital tomorrow and she will be at home with me and the rest of the family. Since she just had a major surgery last week so I plan to sleep right at her feet so that I can be there if she needs me. I always enjoy watching over my mommy very carefully and will be up in an instant should she need me. I have to admit sometimes I get a little jeolous of my brother at times and will some herd him away from my mommy. She doesn't need him at the moment; She had me. Why would she need a cat too; especially if there happen to be any snack involved.

Sometimes my parents will get into an argument; I always tend to side with mom and sometimes I will hide behind mommy. I don't like it all when they yell at each other; that's why I always feel safe right behind her. She almost tripped over me a few times but I can't help myself feeling so safe next to her. I do love it so much when my daddy will apologize and they make up; it's so beautiful and sweet and I love to be in the middle of it all. They hug each other and I get excited and then Tonto will start hugging me everytime. I'm kinda glad he doesn't have a tail like some cats but he's an OK cat.

I've been getting really close with my dad lately since my mom hasn't been sleeping at our home in over 2 and half weeks (close to 3 weeks). I sure do miss her and at nighttime it's so sad and depressing for my dad so I make extra sure to take care of him. I snuggle on the bed with him and he really likes it when I roll over onto my tummy for him to rub it. It always makes him laugh and I love the way dad laughs. He has the best laugh ever!

I provide him with lots of therapy; because he gets pretty stressed because my mom is so sick and he worries himself sick because he is afraid of her loosing her life to this cancer. I'm there to cheer him up. My soft fur always provides him soft warmth and support through these tough times. Sometimes him seeing my tail wag at him or me yawning and doing my little squeak bear sound will usually bring about a smile or a laugh.

If it weren't for me; my parents might both need to be on medication for Depression but because of me; being the therapy dog that I am; they do not. I make them both plenty happy despite all they are going through. I don't how my mom gets through what she does but I gotta feeling it must be me. They just need my beautiful Sheltie presence; the way that I carry myself makes them smile and my ears go back to show them my beautiful smile and of course my soft little kisses. Life really is too short to not have a dog in your life.

Imagine coming home to a dog like me if you've had a rough day at work or where ever; you've had a rough day of people being selfish and mean to you or lots of accidents that weren't so pleasant all kinds of thing that maybe make a day horrible; I'm always there to walk gently up to you wagging my beautiful fluffy tail and smiling at you, wiggling my cute fluffy body and so very happy to see you that all that bad stuff that happened doesn't make any difference at all at this very moment. So dig in!

Mom, I can't wait for you to get home. I won't care if you have lost all of your hair and I understand that you will be starting chemo next week and that will not make you feel so good. I will be there for you no matter what. I'm a dog that is non-judgmental and therefore I will never judge you and will be there for you no matter what. Everyday is a new day and I live in the right now. Right now I can't wait for you to come home; I miss you so much and it will be a new day just you and me!