Save the Date!

One more thing! Everyone mark your calendars for the morning of July 14. Dr. Bergin and several of the ADI staff and dogs are going to be in NYC and live on the Today Show; talk about successful PR! We don't know a definite time yet but apparently the show airs from 7-9am EST. I'll keep you posted as I hear more.
~Sarah

Happy Belated 4th from the Russian River!

Thought you'd all enjoy seeing a little off-duty service dog revelry. Several classmates and I decided to head to the river for a little sunshine, some serious swimming, and lots of tennis ball tossing. Hey, just because these guys can handle 90+ commands doesn't mean they don't need a holiday every now and then! I have to tell you, of all the vigorous retrieving, dirt rolling, and general good natured hell raising, you'll never guess who was leading the way...Prissy Miss Kate! It was a fantastic surprise; her beautiful white coat was completely black and suddenly (call me capricious), I wasn't so saddened to not have her going home with me...Good times here in CA.
~Sarah

Finally an Introduction!

Aha, just as you were all beginning to lose faith in me, a post appears! I do apologize for my absence these past few days but things have truly hit warp speed with school and I am scrambling to keep up! I would, however, like for you all to meet my wonderful new little guy, Vladimir! Vladdie is a beautiful eight month old goldie and is my first true opportunity to learn the training process. In retrospect, I am now beginning to understand that my time with Kate was a training session for ME; this time around, we are in the driver's seat and let me tell you just how different it truly is! Though the program here begins training at two weeks, Vladdie is still 100% puppy. He has the basics covered: sits, stays, downs, shakes, and speaks; however, he needs much more fine tuning on the more calculated tasks like retrieving, tugging, lights, and alerts. The hardest part at this age is identifying the limits of (and not exceeding) his attention span. It is an extremly fine line and so very crucial to his development as a service dog; overdoing a task past that limit can take months of recovery. We are working slowly and carefully, using lots of treats and oodles of praise. I am really impressed with the documentation that Dr. Bergin has provided in our training manuals and I know that you all will be as well. It will certainly be our program bible!
Other than intensive training sessions with the pups, this week was really focused on lectures. Dr. Anne Stark, the ADI in-house veterinarian led us through the basics of canine health, breeding, breed specific health issues, and most importantly developing a successful relationship between our clients, their placed service dogs, and a local vet. She was inundated with questions by the class and I cannot tell you as I sat there and listened how fortunate I was feeling to know that our program has Dr. Amanda!
This week also covered a lot of the business side of starting our programs. We had individual sessions on successful PR campaigns, effective marketing strategy, and most importantly FUNDRAISING, led directly by Dr. Bergin. I have a wealth of new information that I can't wait to share. Though I am loving the program, dogs, and humans, I am ready to get home and get started! But, first things first. This upcoming week will continue with various program related lecture topics, more puppy training, and ultimately preparation for client-dog placement which will begin the following week. Did I mention we have kennel cleaning duties before school as well? There is simply no rest for the weary around these parts. You all will have to remind me of this as we hire our trainer next year; we will certainly need someone who believes in the power of caffeine!
Hope that you all are having a happy holiday weekend.
~Sarah

Ahh the Suspense!

Good Morning Everyone! I apologize for not getting around to the update last night. Due to battery issues with my camera, I cannot yet offer a proper introduction to my new little companion. I'll just leave you all with this: think young and think Russian!
More to come after class today. Happy July!
~Sarah

Our Last Hoorah: Kate Gets Loud and Proud

Well less than two weeks after the same sex marriage ban was lifted in California, Kate and I found ourselves hot in the mix (pun certainly intended!) of drag queens, kids, politicos, the shirtless and shirted, and many more during San Fransisco's 38th annual Pride Celebration. Talk about a spectacle! I simply could not stop thinking of old melancholy Jaques from Shakespeare's As You Like It; all the world truly IS a stage sometimes. And wow, what a show!
We met up with my friend John who was in town visiting from Seoul. As his hotel was in the heart of Chinatown, our adventure started there. I won't bore you all with meticulous details from our day other than to say that Kate did splendidly well. She rode four separate bus routes, a trolley, and in a taxi, as well as dining al fresco in North Beach for breakfast and later at a Moroccan joint in Haight Ashbury; now that was an experience as we ALL ate on the floor! After a long successful day (and a little catnap in Golden Gate Park) we were headed back north and preparing for a sad goodbye.
This morning was certainly difficult for the entire class. We each had to say goodbye to our beloved little umbilical cord partners, leaving them in assigned offices throughout the school. Yes, there were tears and I must say that I found myself up in arms with the sheer lunacy of the program; however, as my wise and wonderful husband reminded me last night, I have only known this little girl for two weeks; my true love of 8 years is waiting for me at home in TN! (That's my goldie, not him for any of you who may be confused hah!)
Kate will now be working with one of the New Zealanders and I will try wholeheartedly not to stare at her from across the room--may be easier said than done. But alas, for now, times moves forward and I have new little ones to tell you all about! Stay tuned; someone who you will meet very soon is nudging my knee for a walk so I will take a brief respite and try to catch you up later tonight. Hope that all is well!
~Sarah

Don't Forget that "Dance" Command!

Clearly, the Santa Rosa Market differs a bit from the downtown Chattanooga Market! When our instructors warned of potential distractions, I was preparing for strollers, children carelessly holding ice cream cones at doggy level, and perhaps a bit of noise from some subdued prototypical Eagles type cover band. To my surprise (and utter delight) the night was truly an amalgamation of food, music, street dancing, amazing art, and of course, our usual mini-brigade of wheelchairs and goldies.
Our day started with the eagerly anticipated bus ride. The city transit mall was in full swing when we arrived so Kate and I quickly dug up enough change for the $1.10 fare and waited patiently for the # 14. She boarded with no problems, never hesitating to go with the bus driver as I wheeled up the ramp. After a half hour ride through Santa Rosa's medical district, (guess we took the hospital tour) we were back at the terminal and ready to hit the theater. Unfortunately I missed the beginning of Get Smart so we instead opted for Kung Fu Panda as it was the only available option that fit the day's itinerary. Now for those of you who have never had the pleasure of bringing a canine date to the theater, just imagine all of the floor level temptations! I'm sure that I must have given at least 75 "leave it" commands. Kate did well for the most part yet as we all know, the theater is dark and sometimes the wafting smell of hot buttered popcorn is simply too much for those with even the best of intentions. Let's just say that if she managed to sneak a few under the seat, it wouldn't be tragic...
After the movie we hit the Market, first practicing drills and commands at the fountain then moving through the booths and taking it all in. I was really impressed with her diligence; she even managed to resist a big turkey leg that was left behind on a nearby bench, neither pulling toward it nor acknowledging that it was there. We watched the bongo show for awhile, right in the heat of things actually. She was nervous initially but settled in nicely which is really quite a feat for such an unpredictable, and to her, obviously foreign situation. I'm glad to have put her in the mix as I caught one of the trainers quietly observing her from the crowd. Her calm demeanor surely must have solidified her status for a July graduation! We'll see.
So the bad news is in that we will be switching dogs on Monday. I'm heartbroken but relieved. Another week of this and ADI might have found themselves with a missing handler/dog team en route to Tennessee! I think that the idea is to have an experience with a true service animal and then with one who will not make the cut. I need the experience to know the difference but I will certainly miss my little princess. Yesterday we finally severed the umbilical cord after seven full days and you know what? We are still side by side at breakfast, in the bathtub, in the bed at night, and even right now at my desk. I may have to give her back on Monday but the bond we've created needs no tether, just a little wink and a knowing smile as we pass one another; sometimes that's just all that it takes.
Stay tuned for more excitement to come and thanks so much to all who have left comments; it pleases me to no end to know that you are following along on this journey!
~Sarah

Kate and Mulder Sittin' In a Tree

Well as you can see, after a long day of practice at Santa Rosa Plaza, Kate and her boyfriend Mulder were absolutely worn out on the backseat car ride en route to school. The morning started with drills and command practice at ADI. Santa Rosa City Transit proved to be exceptionally supportive of ADI (no doubt thanks to Dr. Bergin) and kindly sent an out of service city bus over allowing us to practice loading and unloading using the ramp without the pressure of actual passengers. I cannot begin to tell you all just how eye opening this experience has been for me as a non-disabled person. From boarding buses to ordering from lunch counters and attempting to enter and exit through non-functional "handicapped accessible doors," the experience has been something that will forever change me and certainly make me appreciate the seemingly simple ability to walk upright with balance and direction.
The afternoon session landed us back at a mall, this time an even bigger and more modern structure. The escalators proved to be a real challenge for some of the younger dogs. Kate, old faithful, had no problems other than nagging me for a treat in celebration of a job well done. At lunchtime the group dispersed to eat individually in the food court and I must say that it was challenging. The distractions for Kate were tough: screaming babies, nuggets of dropped food all over the floor, loud music, and worst of all a picky, indecisive, vegetarian handler who does not do well with fast food! It was not our best experience to date but we certainly persevered!
We wrapped up the day with elevator practice and prep work for a big day to come.
Tomorrow we are meeting downtown for individual bus rides on the city bus, then it will be back to the mall for lunch (we'll be packing our own in the morning this go round) and then we're off to the theater for a viewing of Get Smart; we've got a hot double date with Anna (Santa Fe artist) and her dog Timber! Finally, we will finish the night with a trip to the downtown Farmer's Market, a Santa Rosa Wednesday night Summer tradition including live music, local produce, funky trinket booths, and of course, 11 beautiful goldies and their wheelchair bound handlers. As I have said so many times before, THIS SHOULD BE INTERESTING!
Good Night on the East Coast.
~Sarah