Good Times

Hey Everyone,
Sorry that it's been awhile since I've posted... I've been very busy :D

Mark, Hobart, and I

I recently had the pleasure of hanging out with our wonderful friend Mark, Carver and Ansel's puppy raiser, from Kansas. It was an absolutely wonderful time. I hope that we can get together again soon... and also Congrats to Mark and Deb on the graduation of their wonderful puppy Ansel.

I was thinking recently... It's two days until Hobart turns 11 months old and six days until I celebrate two years of puppy raising. Those are some fairly large marks...
It amazes me how fast time goes... It doesn't seem like I have much time left with my second wonderful puppy! So much to do... so much to work on...

Also... I'll get some new pics up soon.

~Elijah & Hobart II

Hobart's 5th (I think) weekend in public

Hobart and I attended our 3rd speech and debate tournament this year! The best part about this one is that I competed in two speech events with Hobart at my side :D Lots of people asked me what I'd do with him when I had to speak and I just said 'I'll bring him up there with me'. So I did!

Hobart is not perfect at commands but he does great in settings with lots of busy people and little kids. He doesn't get stressed out when he has lots of people gathered around petting him or when he is sleeping under a table or chair for a round! He's pretty relaxed and good natured in public. He just hangs out! he's good with commands overall, as well!

in between rounds

before one of my brother's debates

sleeping during a round

lunch break!

before speaking!

Hobart had an enormous fan club of little kids following him everywhere he went!

I'm so proud of that puppy ;D
~Elijah & Hobart II

9 for 9

OOOOps! Forgot that it was Hobart's 9 month day on Saturday, because it was also my little brother's birthday!!!

1. Hobart is awesome! He has something about him that you can't help but love him
2. Hobart is so smart! He picks up on commands quickly, though he doesn't always choose to maintain his speed on commands after he has learned them. He is still quite brilliant!
3. Hobart is handsome! you can't help but love his face! He is so cute for being 9 months old!
4. Hobart is comforting! He is always there by your side when you're upset or in need of a friend! He'll lean up and against you and wag his tail when you look at him, which is so cute!
5. Hobart is good in public! He is! Every time he goes out, he continues to show me how mature he is!
6. Hobart is energetic! Sometimes that's bad and sometimes it's good! He can get out of control and begin zooming around the house or yard, or he can just be springy and ready to go! 
7. Hobart is quirky! That's negative and positive. He loves anything of comfort (a sleeping bag, a blanket, a bed, or a rug). He also likes to test how much he can get away with, without being corrected out right! 
8. Hobart is such a fun puppy! I get frustrated with Hobart at least once a day, since he's slightly pushy and a little bit troublesome from time to time, but he's still such an amazing pup. He has lots of personality and makes my life interesting!
9. Hobart is AMAZING! That's kind of cliche and doesn't necessarily mean much ,but it does to me! He's so outgoing and loves life! I'm not sure that I'd like to be raising any other puppy!

sleepy pup :D

 ~Elijah & Hobart II

Guy Puppy Raiser (Fact & Fiction)

Okay first I'll say one thing! I do know quite a few guy puppy raisers. Maybe 8 or 9, but there is one teenage guy puppy raiser in my class at CCI!

Most of you probably think of puppy raisers as being female! Actually that's the way I thought for a long time! Sure I think you guys are probably more drawn to cute, cuddly puppies and honestly most of you probably care more about making a difference than a lot of guys! When I applied to be a PR for CCI I felt weird and wondered if I was going to be the only guy puppy raiser in class. Now puppy raising is part of me.

I think that guys do like dogs and a lot of them enjoy dog training as well. I know quite a few guys like that. But somehow I think that girls make up their minds more easily and just say "I want to raise a puppy." I know plenty of other teenage guys who love dogs, love Dembre, and think that it's really cool that I'm raising a service dog. I've had quite a few guys ask to pet Dembre in public, but I've only had girls say things like "Oh, maybe I should do that!" or "That would be really fun!"

I was at puppy class the other night and I saw something beautiful. It was a new puppy raising family with their cute 8 or 9 week old puppy. The whole family was there- husband, wife,  young son, and young daughter. The kids were probably only 3 and 5, but they all took turns helping with the puppy and seemed to all know what they needed to do. The dad worked the pup for most of class, but then he traded off with his wife. I can imagine the wife was the one who suggested puppy raising, but her husband was right there learning with everybody else. Perfection! I think with guys a lot of times they don't really want to learn, they just want to know! I have made it a goal to ask questions, learn new things, absorb as much as I can, and read as much as I can. I want to be able to do the best job with my dog so he has the best chance of passing!

I can think of one other hindrance. Emotions can get in the way. Some guys want to be rock hard and stoic. They don't want people to see that they have emotions. I can't say I'm that way. I don't care who sees, I know that I'm going to be crying when I give up Dembre and I know that I'll be crying if he graduates. There are ups and downs of puppy raising!  I think it's funny. When you hear that a man is a professional dog trainer that doesn't seem weird at all, but when you hear a guy is a puppy raiser it gives you a different impression.

 Someday I hope to see other guys like me taking a step up to serve others and be part of changing lives. I hope that I see it soon!

~Elijah & Dembre

100th Blog Post!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow this is the our 100th post!!!
Before I started raising for CCI I read many of your blogs and was inspired by your stories of puppy raising. Then I started Miraculous Journey!  Puppy raising is a journey and blogging is my way of sharing my passion for people and dogs alike. I enjoy the fact that I can read about the adventures of other puppy raisers and share my adventures with all of you. Even though I've never met most of you, you have answered questions from first hand experience and I've learned a lot from just reading about the training you have done. 


Thank You all for keeping up with our blog!!!
I hope to raise many more miracles for CCI and I hope to do hundreds more posts for Miraculous Journey!

A picture I posted in my very first blog post

A picture of Dembre included in our 99th blog post

~Elijah & Dembre

Upcoming Graduation

I am excited to be planning on attending the CCI North Central team training graduation ceremony! This will be the largest graduation ever held by CCI North Central.
For anybody who lives near Columbus: the graduation will be on February 11th at 2:00 PM. The graduation for North Central will be held at Abbey Theatre @ the Dublin Recreational Center.
I am looking forward to meeting out of town puppy raisers and meeting the new graduates along with other graduate teams attending. It will be a good opportunity for Dembre to be around other dogs in public. This will actually be my first CCI graduation!!! The last two graduations I have been out of town and the May graduation was on my brother's birthday!

Dembre at sunset last night

"My paws are COLD!"

Dembre enjoyed a bath and then dried off in the crate

~Elijah & Dembre

My Outlook (long post)

I recently realized that my outlook on a lot of things has changed since I became a puppy raiser! I discovered that I feel more comfortable in public with a dog by my side. I also realized that my true passion for dogs has been discovered through a passion for people. For a long time a fostered rescue dogs and made my mission saving dogs who might have otherwise been euthanized. I love dogs and want them to live and I will always support rescues and their mission to save animals and find them new homes. But I discovered that my love for dogs could be fulfilled more through puppy raising, because of my passion for people! I want to make an eternal difference in the life of human beings, who were made in God's image and are His highest priority. If I can draw someone close to my Savior by raising a puppy then that is my mission. Don't get me wrong I do not want God's valuable creation being abused or abandoned and I have a passion for strays. If I were to chose a pet dog, my first choice would be a rescue dog. I love mixed breed dogs and I love dogs who are grateful to me for saving them. Adopting a CCI release would probably be my second choice. But REMEMBER: I AM NOT SAYING THAT CCI DOG'S ARE PREFERABLE TO RESCUE DOGS!!! I do think it is necessary for CCI to have a specific breeding program and I don't feel like that is irresponsible or adding to the problem of euthanasia. CCI breeds it's own dogs and every dog will go to a god permanent handler. We might not be helping save dogs, but we're not adding to the number that need to be saved!

~Elijah & Dembre

How To Say Goodbye- a song for puppy raisers

Here are the lyrics to the song "How to Say Goodbye" by Michael W. Smith! Though it's not written directly for puppy raisers it sure seems to be! I cry every time I hear this song! I also attached the actual song from ilike!
"How To Say Goodbye" song from ilike

How To Say Goodbye
Michael W. Smith

Tell me when the time we had slipped away
Tomorrow turned to yesterday
And I don't know how
Tell me what can stop this river of tears
It's been building up for years
For this moment now

Here I stand
Arms open wide
I've held ya close
Kept ya safe
Till you could fly

Tell me where the road ahead is gonna bend
And how to harness up the wind
And how to say goodbye

Tell me why
Why does following your dreams
Take you far away from me
And I knew that it would

Tell me how to fill the space you left behind
And how to laugh instead of cry
And how to say goodbye

Here I stand
Arms open wide
I've held ya close
Kept ya safe
Till you could fly

Tell me where the road ahead is gonna bend
And how to harness up the wind
And how to say goodbye.

Looking Back-Looking Forward (please read)

As far as I know I could be half way through my time with Dembre. Seven months in, seven months to go! Sure some people might say that I have a long time left, but I don't.... and I'm not scared to face it. When I took on Dembre at the end of last May, I knew that he'd be part of my life for the next year and a half. I knew that a whatever I did with him could make a difference between passing and failing. I knew that I would grow to love that little black puppy so much that giving him up would rip me apart. Yet somehow on that day in May I held a warm bundle of fur in my arms. That bundle of fur has been my mission; my dream; part of who I am! I think God placed Dembre in my life to teach me what it is to be selfless and what it is to change a life!
Looking forward, I'm excited about all the adventures that Dembre and I will still have over the next 7-10 months! There's going to be turn-in and I'm going to face it! Sure I'm going to cry my eyes out ( yes guys do that too)! I'm going to be SO proud of Dembre and I'm going to remember everything that I've taught him and everything that he's taught me. That bond will be broken, but we will never forget each other. I hope to hold in my arms another adorable puppy; another assignment that will change somebody's life. Even in that day of pain and change I want to keep going and do what I have just finished over again. I hope to do it over and over and change the lives of as many people as I possibly can.

This is the puppy who has taught me to love...

This is the puppy who has taught me to be patient...

This is the puppy who has taught me what it is to be selfless...

This is the puppy who has been with me through laughter and tears; through thick and thin...

This is the puppy that has taught what it is to have vision...

THIS IS THE PUPPY I LOVE!!!! THIS IS MY MIRACULOUS JOURNEY!!!!

Still Recovering/Dembre Update

Last time I posted I said that I was recovering from sickness. Well, I'm still recovering! I've regained about 1/2 of my usual strength and can hold out long enough to do some chores around the farm. Unfortunately I have picked up a cough and some congestion. I continue to do all I can to have a full recovery to health. Since I am feeling well enough to do some work I can also give Dembre more attention. He has gotten a lot of play time and I've thrown a ball for him to fetch inside. He got a long grooming session today and have tried to show Dembre I care every chance I get. I still don't feel like I can do a whole lot in the cold outdoors, except for short walks and bathroom breaks. Dembre would really like to play more in the snow though. Before I was sick he got to play quite a bit in the snow, but now that I'm not feeling well he's missing the play outside.

Dembre sitting by fire at our house

Beautiful! (Of course I'm not out there jogging with Dembre)

Sun through the icy trees!

Unexpected Problems

I am currently recovering from sickness so I haven't posted and haven't done a whole lot.  I missed three days of school and slept away most of every day. As a result Dembre has had less attention that he would like and has spent more time in his crate than he usually does. He has gotten to play with my keeper dog, Pepin, some, but has spent a lot of his time restricted to being calm. My wonderful family has helped with him, but he is still somewhat deprived of exercise and attention. Yes, you needed to know that before I could tell you the following:

Yesterday Dembre had an accident!!! And today Dembre had an accident!!! Yesterday I don't know what happened, but today I literally took Dembre out 7 minutes before he had the accident. I am surprised that Dembre would do such a thing! HE'S NINE MONTHS OLD!!! When we got Dembre he seemed pretty easy to house break, but later on struggled with it. At 6 months he had an accident and at 8 months he had an accident. So am I supposed to conclude that my well trained, mostly obedient puppy-in-training cannot be considered housebroken?!?

I'm still trying to figure out what to think!
~Elijah & Dembre

2010 in Review (long post)

WOW It's 2011! Each year goes by more quickly than the one before.

"Spring to Summer, Summer to Fall, Fall to Winter. In such a way progress the seasons of life." -me

January- I fostered my last two dogs, Winnie and Tenor, for "A New Leash On Life LLC". Began extreme puppy raising research and finished my work on a short guide to puppy raising gathered from every source I could find. 

February - Worked on school, thought more about puppy raising, kept on volunteering at "A New Leash on Life", and prayed about puppy raising.

March- I continued working with dogs at "A New Leash On Life". Read more about CCI and researched CCI. I also enjoyed my birthday. 

April- Stopped work with "A New Leash on Life" though kept in contact with the rescue. Near the end of the month I discussed puppy raising with my parents and got a "Yes".

May- Put in an application at CCI. After a couple of weeks I had my phone interview, was accepted into the puppy raising program, and was told that I could get Dembre! I raced to prepare for the arrival of the new puppy. I received and read the entire puppy raiser manual and tried to get sleep as I awaited the day I would pick up Dembre. And then the day was there. Friday, May 28th 2010 at 3:30 I walked in the door of Canine Companions for Independence, North Central. My Mom and I had our puppy raiser orientation and then got the grand tour of CCI. I had been on a tour before  but this time it was different I was walking through the training center as part of the volunteer group not just a random person. I thought we were finishing our tour when we walked up to Dembre's kennel. There stood the most adorable, fluffy little guy I had ever seen. I picked him up and cradled him and he just lay there calmly. We went out to the board room and signed the contract and before I knew I was driving home with a future service dog at my side. 

June- Dembre met my friends and I met other puppy raisers. I got to know a few better than others and started to feel like I belonged. Dembre learned new things every day and grew bigger and bigger. We learned and grew and I realized that I WAS a puppy raiser. I WAS living my dream! And most of all I was raising a miracle for somebody other than myself. 


July- Independence Day came! That day represented much more than just the freedom of America; it celebrated exactly 35 years of Independence for people with disabilities. Isn't that fitting? CCI began it's mission to provide independence 35 years ago on Independence Day!!! Dembre continued to grow up. He learned more and so did I! 

 August- I enjoyed a middle-of-nowhere backpacking trip with friends and family. Dembre went off to the puppy sitter as my family and I went on a fun packed vacation to Williamsburg, Virginia for a week. After that week my family dropped my older brother and I off at a Retirement home in Williamsburg to join some 30 other adults and teens from our church for an amazing missions trip. Over that week we helped various people with different home makeover projects. I got the privilege of tearing out an unsafe kitchen floor for and older man and then putting in a new and beautiful one. I also got to sit and scrape glue off of a floor for an hour or two with some friends while singing. During that week I had some amazing prayer times with close friends and drew closer to God. When I returned from my trip I met an almost 5 month old puppy that I hardly recognized- Dembre. He had grown huge and was becoming quite a handsome dog. 

September- Dembre turned five months and got his official cape. He began to go to the library, grocery stores, and made his first visit to church. I enjoyed getting to know my friends at CCI even better and was very thankful for the puppy raising friends who helped me with all of the things that I needed help with. I also enjoyed the most awesome Christian Camp ever over Labor Day Weekend. Thought Dembre didn't attend the camp, I somehow knew that during that camp God was telling me that I was more than following my dreams, I was doing his will in puppy raising. I was being a light unto the world.

October- Dembre turned six months old and began to go with me to almost everywhere I went. He could be seen in restaurants, movie theaters, stores, our local library, and even got to visit an outlet mall. I was very proud of my little puppy who wasn't quite as little anymore. I realized that I belong at CCI  and was amazed with how God had allowed me to follow my dreams as a puppy raiser. I hoped and prayed that that very special black puppy would become a service dog that would change the life of somebody else very special. 

November- I missed the CCI graduation on November 12th, but on that very day I was at a museum with Dembre in Akron, Ohio, some two hours away from CCI, when I met a family who asked about Dembre. I told them about him and CCI. Then the mother said that she was friends with one of the graduates who was coming home with her Service Dog that night. Wow! God has an amazing way of working things out. Who would have thought that we would meet a friend of a graduate on the day of the graduation? Coincidence? I think not! We Also enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving.

 December- The Christmas rush began and we were busy, busy, busy! Early in the month our Senior Pastor passed away and Dembre was by my side through the calling hours and funeral. Dembre got to visit the statehouse where he met his first State Trooper and got to visit both the senate chamber and the the meeting room for the House of Representatives. Christmas came and it was an amazing time. On the 28th my Dad and I went to see the Trans Siberian Orchestra in concert, which was AMAZING. Sadly Dembre did not go. I enjoyed Christmas break and on New Year's Eve our family hosted a large party/game night. We turned on the TV to watch the ball drop and right about midnight we lost our signal. Happy 2011! 

Overall, my year was great! Before I know it it will be 2012! I haven't found out whether Dembre will turn-in in August or November, though I was supposed to know by the end of December. It makes me kind of sad to think that if he returns to CCI in August, our training is half way done. Seven months down, seven months to go. I thought it would go fast, but not this fast. I hope to get another puppy as soon as Dembre turns-in. My Mom said that she'd like me to get sponsors before I raise another puppy so I get our community involved and spread the word about CCI. I don't like relying on other people's generosity, but I also want to keep on puppy raising. My vision from the start was not to raise one puppy for "the experience" but to raise many puppies to make a difference. 

Dembre at 9 weeks.

 

9 for 9

Dembre in a down last night at our New Year's Eve party!

Happy New Year! Dembre turned 9 months yesterday! Here are 9 things for 9 months!

1. Dembre has grown up so much! In training sessions I have noticed that he thinks much differently than a little puppy! He has doesn't need food to learn new things and is thinks more for himself! He's not a puppy any more!
2. Dembre has hit yet another rough stage. He gets up out of commands without being released from them. He doesn't do commands quite as quickly as usual and tries to see what he can get away with.
3. Dembre is still doing well in public! He is very calm accept when we sit in one place for a very long time. Then he can't figure out if he's allowed to sleep or not :)
4. On the down side, Dembre is still having problems with licking and started to try jumping. His greetings are decent in public, but he need lots of work for greetings off leash at home
5. Dembre learns more all the time. He is good at picking up commands and pretty smart! Two days ago I was working on 'Up', which means that he has to put his two front feet on a wall, bench, table, etc.. Before now he wouldn't do it on a wall, but after some work he'll do it nicely. He's not proficient in all of the more advanced commands, but he's getting there. 
6. He just loves to play- with other dogs, by himself, any play at all. He adores his new squeaky toy and loves tennis balls, but most of all he loves picking up sticks when we go on walks.
7. Dembre has been in training with me for 7 months! 
8. Dembre is starting to realize that more is being expected of him. I hope soon that this hard stage ends and he can be easier to work with!
9. So much time has passed! I can't believe that in August or November that he'll be gone. I'm sure he's going to do great in training, but boy it's going to be hard to turn him back in. When on got him last May somewhere deep down inside I knew that the time would fly, but I never knew how fast. Even when I first picked up my fluffy, black puppy I was tearing up thinking about giving him up, but then it seemed so distant, like we had an eternity to go before we would go our separate ways. Now it seems so near. I'm not scared. I'm not trying to forget that he's not my dog. I just realize that, WOW, it could be only 7 months before he's gone, but then there's an upside! That little fluff ball that I got when he was eight weeks old might someday be a miracle for someone. I want the dog, someone else needs him!

Happy New Year!!!

Happy New Year, Everyone!!!!!!! Welcome, 2011! I missed the ball drop, but it's still a new year!
Enjoy,
~Elijah & Dembre
P.S. Dembre is 9 months today! I'll try to post his 9 for 9 post tomorrow!!!!!
P.P.S I just got a Macbook Pro!!!