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.