Kruizer the Magnificant

Last night Kruizer's boy was having a hard time. A really hard time. He was very distraught and seemingly inconsolable.

For over an hour he lay on the floor crying. And for that entire time Kruizer stayed with him, providing a huge calming influence to an otherwise chaotic situation. As my son cried, he would lay on Kruizer, stroking his fur, petting his ears.

It was very loud and tense, but not once did Kruizer leave his side. He never showed any signs of distress or agitation. He seemed determined to see his boy through -- and that's exactly what he did.

The screams became less frequent, the crying softer until finally his boy was calm. Even after the episode was over, Kruizer stuck by his boy's side the rest of the evening, as if to guard him from further trouble.

The whole scene was pretty amazing. We actually had our therapist over at the time and she was utterly amazed. She was thoroughly impressed with his demeanor, his calm, his love.

And we love him. He's become a pet and is part of our family. But last night we remembered what makes him so special. He did exactly what he was raised to do - and he did it incredibly well.

Today we're proud of our dog. We also have great appreciation for those who raised and trained him. You done good. Very good.

Running In the Rain

Yesterday, Kruizer went for his first official run. Actually, its was more like a run, walk, run, then walk again, so no harm done to his young bones.

The funny thing was that he really didn't know what to do at first. Couped up over the last few days because of bad weather, he was full of vim and vigor. So when I started running, he'd bound in front of me, flipping and jumping, ready for a game of catch or some other fun. When he fully assessed the situation, I swear I saw a look of disappointment on his face -- especially when I would slow to a snail's pace to try desperately to catch my breath (yes, its been a very long time since I last ran too.)

He finally got used to the new routine and both runner and dog had a nice outing. The light drizzle and cool weather made it even more relaxing. Hopefully we'll make a habit of this in the near future.

That Doggie in the Window

Poor Kruizer. Over the last two weeks, the flu has been spreading through our house like wildfire. That has left us a little on the lethargic, if not scattered, side. So admittedly, Kruizer has not gotten the exercise he's grown accustomed to around here.

We also haven't taken him out much because, well, we haven't gone out much. This is so unsettling for him. He's gotten used to our busy schedule and used to lots of work. So this dry spell has led to one very, very stir crazy pup.

Its gotten so bad that as soon as he sees me get my keys, he not-so-patiently waits by the front door. The look on his face is too much for me. So in the car he comes, even if its just up to the store and back.

This morning was exceptionally crazy, everyone in the house in an official tizzy. And that's why I didn't have time to bring Kruizer with us on our daily trip to school.

As I pulled out of my driveway I looked up and saw the most pathetic, sad doggie in the world looking back at me from our living room picture window. My heart broke.

So today, I'm making a special effort to play ball, go on a walk and get out of the house for a little while. This guy has brought us so much happiness, its the least I can do to return the favor.

Our Holy Canine

I am very embarrassed to admit that, due to all the excitement in our household, our attendance at Church has been less than stellar. Come Sunday, we've either been sick or tired or both and can't seem to get ourselves out the door.

Feeling the void, I decided to buck the trend and once again make it a priority. So this Sunday we went to Church.

Now, usually Kruizer's boy has a very difficult time here. The noise, the close proximity to so many others and the sermons he doesn't understand, make the experience less than enlightening for him. He usually acts out and becomes aggressive even at the thought of going.

Not this week. That's because instead of going it alone, this time he had his faithful companion by his side. Kruizer was wonderful -- except for the occasional snore that could be heard from our pew. And his boy responded in kind. He was calm, settled and relaxed.

I was so happy. This is an important part of my life and I was glad to see my son finally able to share in it. We'll be back next week and hopefully Kruizer can work another miracle or two -- hopefully minus the snores.

Kruizer Gets Suspended

As a parent, whenever you get an unexpected call from school, your heart skips a beat. Is everything OK? Did someone get hurt? Or, what did they get themselves into this time? I'm happy to report, I've never gotten a call saying one of my children was in some sort of trouble...that is until today.

Who thought that child would be about 2 1/2 ft. tall, have a soft blonde coat, the most impressive puppy-dog eyes and floppy ears. Yes, today, I got a call from school asking me when I could pick up "the dog." Turns out today at recess, while he was in a down-stay, Kruizer decided to do a little socializing with a dog he spotted across the school grounds. He slipped out of his collar and ran off to greet his new friend. And if that weren't enough, he then caught sight of a tennis ball. Being his favorite thing in the whole wide world, and already feeling his oats, he decided he would just join in on a game of catch. Whoops.

As my son described the situation later, I had to chuckle. Too bad the teachers and principal didn't see the humor as I did. I guess the whole scene caused quite a commotion on the playground, leading to our furry friend's stint in the Principal's Office.

As a result, I have agreed to keep Kruizer home for now -- at least until we can step up efforts on training (yes we will be at all the Sunday trainings from now on!) and working with distractions. Service doggy boot camp, here we come.

Kruizer Goes To School

Kruizer's boy started school on Monday. A new school, new teacher and new classmates is usually a recipe for disaster. But not this year. That's because Kruizer has been going with him.

Of course, he was an instant hit, with the kids lining up to throw a ball or play with him at recess. This ended up being a little bit too much, so I ended up in class this morning, going over some ground rules so that dog and boy alike don't get too overwhelmed. All went well and I had a class of 30 kids quiet and behaved for a half an hour. That's the kind of affect that Kruizer has on all those around him. Its pretty amazing.

I'm not sure if Kruizer will be spending all his days at school, but its really coming in handy right now.

Part of the Family

I realize its been a while since I've posted last, but things have again (or still) been crazy around here. Kruizer's boy is in the hospital and that is no fun for anyone -- especially Kruizer.

He looks downright depressed. There's a sadness in his eyes that is visibly noticeable. After two months he and his boy have a strong bond and nothing is the same without him around. The good news is that Kruizer visits the hospital almost every day and when he does, they both light up. Also, Kruizer's boy is doing better and may be able to come home in the next week.

In his master's absence, we took Kruizer to a training session. Here he not only got a visit with his puppy raisers and dog-pal Pat, but he met many of his younger siblings. It was quite a sight to see so many adorable Lab puppies with tiny vests on. As similar as they lookit was amazing to me how each one has their very own, very distinct personality.

It was also wonderful to see all the different families there. What made us feel particularly good was that three of the families were there because of either seeing Kruizer at work, or hearing about him. I'm very happy to spread the joy and share in the fun.

We're looking forward to the next gathering -- and hopefully Kruizer's boy will be on hand to show him off.

Ripples in a Pond

Just read our puppy raisers' blog entry about their new charge Kaboose. In it they mentioned that someone decided to get an autism dog for their son after witnessing Kruizer's calming affect on our guy.

Ahh yes, I remember the day well. Kruizer's boy had to go to a group that was brand new(which he hates) and they ended up sitting at a table talking about feelings (which he hates even more). As long as he held onto Kruizer's leash he was OK. But as soon as he was told to let go of the leash, he fell apart. When he was allowed to hold Kruizer again, the change back to calm was almost immediate. It was like a light switch going on and off.

Thinking back over the last couple of months, I can recall several instances where Kruizer has given our son this emotional buffer. There was the time he was upset and started screaming when he had to get into the car. As soon as we put Kruizer in with him, he settled down and was fine the rest of the trip. Or the time our son curled under the table with Kruizer when a restaurant trip became too overwhelming for him.

Then there were the many blood draws he has had to endure over the last month or so. Once very anxiety producing, these are now no problem as long as his dog is by his side.

Kruizer comes with us to pick up his boy from his day treatment program almost every day. Its amazing how they both light up after a day apart. The bond is beautiful.

I'm not sure if Kruizer will spend every day at school come fall, but he will certainly be available to help his boy transition to his new environment.

I know I must sound like a broken record, but this dog is changing not only our son's quality of life, but that of our whole family. Some days the change is very subtle, but it is there all the same. I'm so glad to hear that another family will get to experience this firsthand. If your puppy is anything like Kruizer (which I'm pretty sure it is), you're one lucky family.

Our Energizer Doggy

The last few days have been unusually rainy and cold for a Colorado summer. Unfortunately, this has made us remiss in our Kruizer exercise duties. So after three days of no outside play, he was pretty much bouncing off the walls.

Even tonight during our evening fetch time, he was literally pouncing in the field as he tried to find the ball. He'd sniff, take a hop, turn, then take another hop, until finally he found his prey. This continued for at least a half hour. It took an additional half hour for him to finally slow down enough to rest.

Tonight I'm a little nervous for winter. I guess we're all going to have to brave the elements so Kruizer stays happy and calm. The exercise will do us all (me especially!) good.

In the meantime he's at my feet dropping the ball yet again. He keeps going and going and going.................

A Shining Example to All

The other day we ran into another service dog at the hospital. We gave Kruizer a quick "Ignore" command and he did brilliantly.

Not so for the other dog. He was definitely aggitated and kept barking at us. The sound echoed in the large lobby and lots of people turned to see what was going on.

We had to pass him again on the way out, but this time went on the other side of the lobby so we didn't create a scene. Unfortunately we still got the dog's attention and the barking started all over again.

As we were ready to leave one of the security guards called us over. You see, we're pretty much regulars there and they all know Kruizer. The guard was concerned about the other dog and even questioned if it was truly a service dog (I guess they've had a problem with people trying to bring family pets in under the guise of being in service).

"After all, a service dog shouldn't bark, should it?" he asked. "Your dog never does that."

The kids and I got a good chuckle over this little exchange. Looks like Kruizer has set the Gold Standard for dog behavior at Children's Hopsital. Too bad I can't take any of the credit for this. But Deborah, Meridee and Ed, you should be very proud of your puppy!

Everybody Loves Kruizer

Today while we were visiting the hospital, I noticed so many people pointing and smiling as we walked by with Kruizer. Come to think of it, this happens almost every time we go out with him.

I realized how special this is. Not many people can bring so much joy simply by walking by. Yet Kruizer repeatedly makes people Oh and Aww and Smile. He just oozes a sense of calm and sweetness. I feel very lucky to have him in our lives.

Kruizer Goes Camping

This weekend we introduced Kruizer to a family tradition. We packed up kids and dogs alike and went camping at Lake McConaughy in Nebraska.

At first Kruizer was a little unsure of where we were taking him and what he was supposed to do in this mini home-away-from-home. But he soon rebounded and got into the fun.

He had an exceptionally fun time playing catch at the swim beach. We kept thinking we had worn him out, but time and time again, he'd come back for more. Both he and old Beau-Dog were swimming up a storm and having a grand time. Same for the humans. We were truly sad to leave come Sunday.

Beau enjoying the water.

Kruizer showing off his stroke!

Kruizer and Beau crashed out after a day of fun at the beach.

Happy Birthday Grandma

Today is Grandma's birthday. We all went out for brunch at a local restaurant and, of course, Kruizer came with us. He did great. He sat under the table quietly for over an hour, wasn't tempted by any food or passersby -- even his heel was good!

He also helped his Boy during the event. Usually outings to restaurants can be stressful and boring for him. But today, he was noticeably more relaxed. At one point when it became too much for him, he just went under the table and sat with Kruizer. That helped him get through the event without any major anxiety or meltdowns. A good time was had by all.

Earlier today I also went on a long walk with Kruizer and his Boy. We worked on Kruizer's heel and automatic sits. He's doing much better, but sometimes I think if he wasn't a service dog, he'd have a career as a sled dog because he loves to pull so much. He was also in a social mood, trying to visit with a couple of dogs passing by, but quickly went back to a heel with a couple of prompts.

That's it for now. Its time to go back to celebrating Grandma's 81st.

Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!

In hindsight, I should have started off our blog with this post, but as usual we do things a bit backwards here.

It was quite a journey having Kruizer come to live with us. We had investigated getting a service dog for a long while, but cost and timing were big barriers. Then, as if destined to be, we found out that Klassi Kritters owner Deborah Larson was looking for a match for one of her specially trained autism service dogs. Unlike many organizations out there, she had no waiting list and there was no "donation" requirement (in some cases to the tune of $5000-$10,000).

After meeting with both Deborah and puppy raisers, Meridee and Ed, it seemed this was a match made in heaven. When we saw Kruizer it was love at first sight and all was perfect. There was just on catch. In order to bring him into our home, we had to build a bigger fence. Not so hard, right?

That's what we thought until we started pricing out how much materials cost. We simply couldn't afford it. I was heartbroken, because after a pretty rough year for our family, I hated to deliver another disappointing blow to the kids.

During one conversation with friend, Tami, I told her our situation. Her answer simple. "No way will we let you not get this dog. We can raise the money, I know it." In no time she had made tons of phone calls and got the ball rolling on a small miracle.

The response was amazing! Between Tami, Meridee and Ed, and Deborah, we not only had the money we needed, but an awesome crew volunteers to help us put the fence up.

So, with more gratitude and awe then I can express, I would like to acknowledge all the hard work and money that so many so generously gave. Special thanks goes to master coordinator Tami Johnson, the talented and generous Klassi Kritters owner, Deborah Larson, and puppy raisers and fence builders extraordinaires, Meridee and Ed Cecil -- along with all the others who made it possible for Kruizer to join his boy.

This is Way Too Much Fun!

Yes, Kruizer is a highly competent service dog. He's also a whole lot of fun! Everyone in the family has gotten into the habit of playing fetch with the Chuck-It after dinner. I think I'm finally getting the hang of the thing. Even throwing-challenged beings like me can send the ball flying -- at least far enough to give him a decent work out.

There's usually a fight among the humans as to who gets to throw the ball. Ahh, the competition's good for us. If we're too busy or the weather's bad, watch out! No stuffed animal in the house is safe as he goes around scooping up anything and everything in hopes we'll play. If not, I swear he sulks.

This morning we started working on Kruizer's "wake" command. His boy was having an exceptionally difficult time getting up, so I got some leftover chicken from last night's dinner, put it near his ear and let Kruizer go for it. Fun was had by all as Kruizer jumped up on the bed and licked his boy's head furiously in search of the treat. Five minutes and many laughs later, both boy and dog were up and all was well.

You may not think this is a big deal, but the scene would not be the same if I were to go and try to get DS up. He'd grump and growl and basically be in a horrific mood. This would set the stage for the whole day and things would go downhill fast. Instead, Kruizer's boy woke up happy, the smile lasting well into the day.

We'll continue working on this one everyday. Hopefully Kruizer will get to the point where he's just as enthusiastic without the treats. Either that or I'd better stock up on more chicken.

Boy, Do We Have Work to Do

Today, Kruizer's boy came home. He was in the hospital for a week and a half. Before my son was admitted, the bond between him and Kruizer was very strong. In his absence, Kruizer didn't know where to go, so he slept in our room and was following me around everywhere (he hates to be alone). Now that my son is home, I see we have to reintroduce him as Kruizer's handler and reinforce this bond again.

I've also been noticing some basic training areas of need. His heel is very sloppy. He tends to pull a bunch. He also tries to dart through doors. And I'm noticing a little stubborn streak at times. Now that my son is home, things will (hopefully) settle down and we'll start daily training sessions to work on these things.

Having a service dog is different than I thought. I know its silly, but for some reason I expected that Kruizer would be pretty much good to go when he got here. I think its because his puppy raisers were so awesome and trained him so well. But the training is a continual process and in some respects we have to start from scratch now that he's in our home. There is so much that can't be done until the bond between handler and dog is really established.

I'm anxious to get him to a place where he can help my son more with his meltdowns and other mood stabilizing tasks. This will just take time...and that's OK with us. He's so much fun to have around and a great addition to our household...so we're in it for the long haul and look forward to many years of training.

We're All A Little Lost

This week, Kruizer's boy went into the hospital. He's doing OK, but Kruizer looks a bit out of sorts since DS has been gone. As a matter of fact, we're all a little sad.

While Kruizer continues to make himself at home here, this has definitely set us back in the bonding process, and without his handler, training is now on hold. Hopefully DS will be home with us again soon, so all can get back to normal again.

Kruizer Wakes Up!

For the first week we had Kruizer, we didn't know if he could bark. He was so very quiet. We also thought he was the most calm, reserved dog we had ever met. Until yesterday that is.

I had to go somewhere without him so he went in his crate. I was only gone an hour, but when I came back a totally different dog popped out of the crate. This one was excited, running laps through the house, jumping, licking and bringing me his toys every chance he got.

This new burst of energy is continuing today. When he's on the job, he's still incredibly calm, but at home he is much more playful. Its great to see -- I think he's finally feeling more comfortable in our crazy and noisy house. With his new-found goofiness, he fits right in with the rest of us and is now officially part of the family!

Introducing our New Arrival...

Meet Kruizer -- the new addition to our family. He's on his way to becoming a certified Service Dog and was specially trained to help those with autism.

Autism dogs are amazing creatures. Their mere presence can help an affected child be more calm and less anxious. Specially bred, they have incredibly calm temperaments. And they can do specific tasks that are hard for the child, like help with task initiation or calming them during a meltdown. Most importantly, they offer lots of practice with positive social interactions.

Kruizer came to us to help our son who has Asperger's Syndrome. But in the short time he's been here, turns out he's helping us all. He's sweet, well-trained and full of unconditional love. We still have a lot of work ahead of us, training and getting him used to our busy household, but we are really enjoying him and look forward to recording our journey.