6 for 6

It's Christmas Eve and it's also Hobart's 6 month day. I  seriously can't believe that I've had him for more than four months. This is where I pretty much start taking him everywhere with me, which I'm really looking forward to :D

1. Hobart is such a smart dog! I'm not kidding when I say that. He may be a little stubborn, but he's definitely a super smart cookie.
2. Confidence comes naturally for Hobart! Sometimes that's bad and sometimes it's good. He does well out in public, because he's not scared.
3. Hobart is also sensitive. Now sometimes at home he gets wound up and goes a little crazy, but he's pretty good at being calm when I want him to be calm and playful when it's time to play.
4. I love Hobart's personality!!! There are moments where I wish he had a little less personality, but I also really love his personality,too. Sometimes he's serious, and others he's goofy. Sometimes he's independent and sometimes he's right there with you. 
5. Hobart enjoys life! He does. Every once in a while he could be a little bit more serious, but he's just happy and affectionate, which is a great service dog trait!
6. Finally, I am enjoying raising Hobart, a lot! There have been some obvious ups and downs and sometimes he's not the easiest dog to work with, but most of the time he's a wonderful blessing in my life. I'm really excited about taking him out in public full swing!!!! It's been weird these last four months not having random people stop and talk to me, because of the dog who's with me. I'm VERY excited!!!

 Merry Christmas!!!!!
 ~Elijah & Hobart II

Christmas Caroling and Photo Shoot

On Sunday Hobart and I went caroling with a large group of friends. We went to a retirement home and went from room caroling. Quite a few people were thrilled to see a dog and didn't want him to leave. Hobart, being the good dog that he is, was very sweet and calm and didn't get excited. I was happy, since that was his first "real" outing, though he's been to a lot more stressful places.

Hobart sleeping at the retirement home

I also did a final photo shoot before the snow comes. I'll get pics then too, but until then here they are.

What?

So adorable

He LOOKED at the camera :D

Picture perfect

Mr. Handsome

He was GOOD for all of these pics

Puppy Blur

 

 

Merry Almost Christmas, Everyone!

~Elijah & Hobart II

Mission Complete (First full weekend out in public)

Good dog!

Dembre sitting in a skywalk in downtown Akron

Dembre did GREAT for our conference this last weekend! He didn't have any accidents (which was exciting, because at home he was showing signs of a UTI). Dembre listened well, maneuvered well, and sat patiently while he got attention from many, many people! It's hard to be bored when you have a dog at your side! I could hardly walk from one side of the convention center to the other without someone asking to pet Dembre. He was good and didn't have a big licking problem. He acted pretty comfortable and relaxed most of the time. I met a former PR, who had raised for Pilot Dogs Inc.. It's always fun talking to fellow service/guide dog raisers! We stayed with my grandparents, who live in a house overlooking a very nice river! Dembre had lots of fun swimming in the river and playing on the rocks. I can tell he's happy to be home, though.

~Elijah & Dembre

Let's do this! (then and now)

so cute! two months after I got Dembre

So handsome! Two months before turn-in

 In a few minutes we'll be leaving for the conference we're attending the weekend! I really hope Dembre does fine! It will put him to the test and I will hopefully have some opportunities to talk about Canine Companions.

~Elijah & Dembre

Dembre Training :)

Do I have to be under the table?

On Friday Dembre attended his second wedding. He was really good! I think that he's close to ready for AT! He's a really good boy!
This week he'll be spending his first full three straight days in public, which I'm happy about, because that's a good evaluation of how he might react in a full time work situation. I'm hoping all goes well, but I'm a little nervous. I really want to be confident that he'll be perfect, but you never know.
Another thing that I'm really NOT happy about is that the other day I gave Dembre a bath and then put him in our mudroom to dry off. I didn't think about the fact that he was also with a dog we were dogsitting. I really wish I would have been watching, because they got into a dog fight. It wasn't serious... serious, but that is not allowed. When I came out and corrected them both Dembre was flat on his back, but he was involved and that's enough. I never thought he'd be a fighter and I hope it doesn't happen again, but if it does I think he'll have to be released :(

~Elijah & Dembre
P.s. TWO MONTHS UNTIL TURN-IN TODAY!!!

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!

Christmas Time

It's a beautiful, snowy Ohio. Wreaths hang on most doors and people bustle about doing Christmas shopping. I love Christmas. It's a beautiful holiday and a good way to celebrate the birth of our Savior. Yesterday Dembre and I went caroling at a nursing home with friends. Dembre added a wonderful touch to the experience. Multiple people opened up and talked about the dogs they had owned in the past and their love for animals. All went well and Dembre worked just like a Therapy dog... until the end! I knew I needed to take Dembre out to "hurry", but I didn't realize that the door was locked from the inside and you needed a code to get out. An alarm went off and Dembre started to go just before we made it outside. Darn it!!! The nursing home workers were very kind and didn't freak out. I got Dembre outside quickly and Dembre finished going. We cleaned it up quickly up the mess and left. I felt so sorry for the people at the nursing home having to deal with that, but can only blame myself for the accident. I should have gotten Dembre out sooner since I knew he needed to go. I feel terrible for Dembre since he is a "housbroken" dog he obviously didn't want to go inside he was trying to hold it until we got out, but mistakes happen. Our puppy program manager said that at about eight months CCI pups usually give a have a bit of regress, especially in public. :( Well hope that doesn't happen again :D

Crazy Weekend (long post)

Last week the pastor of our church passed away after a long battle with cancer. We our happy by the fact that he has gone to be with the Father, but many people around the globe will miss his leadership and friendship.
People from all over the world came in for the funeral so right now a pastor from the Philippines is staying with me and my family. On Friday my Dad wanted to show the pastor around Columbus so our whole family including Dembre went out to lunch and then to the Ohio Statehouse. Dembre sat quietly at lunch and was a perfect pup. I can now say that my CCI pup has been in the Senate meeting room and house of representatives for Ohio. Dembre got a warm welcome from the state troopers working at the state house and there were no problems as to access.
After our statehouse visit we went straight to the calling hours for our pastor. So Dembre rested for that time, though still in public, I allowed him to lie down and sleep. Everybody was hungry after the calling hours so we went to Chipotle to get some dinner. I wasn't sure how it would go taking Dembre to Chipotle, because last time we took him to a mexican grill he got kicked out, but we had no problems.
On Saturday morning we went straight to the funeral for our pastor. Dembre was very serious and quiet for the service and from watching how he reacted to the moods of people and how he's always looking for ways to be of use I think he'd make a great Service dog. After the funeral we went to a friends house for lunch and then on to a graduation party at our church. Dembre was able to sleep a little bit at the party and then on the way home, but when we reached my house I took his cape and gentle leader off and he curled up in a ball and went to sleep. I seriously think he slept for four hours without moving a muscle!
You might be thinking that and 8 month old puppy shouldn't do that much in one weekend and usually I would agree. Both days that we went out it would have been too long to crate him and Dembre's just different. He takes everything in stride and stays calm. The only thing that I have seen a problem with in public is greetings, which he did very well over the weekend, and a little bit of stress when trying to rest in a public place. I think he feels like he needs to work not relax so he gets a little funny.

Dembre in the snow on Friday morning

Dembre in the main rotunda at the statehouse

A blurry picture of Dembre  in the main rotunda at the statehouse

Dembre in the house of representatives (the meeting room for Ohio)

Dembre visiting the house of representatives meeting room

Dembre in the senate room

Dembre in the senate room

Dembre and I sitting on the floor map of all the Ohio counties

 God bless and merry Christmas,
~Elijah & Dembre

My Weekend (& why I wasn't at the graduation)

To celebrate my Mom's birthday we went to our Grandparents for the weekend. Of course Dembre came along. On Friday we went to the "Akron Fossils and Science Center", a small museum in Akron, Ohio. Dembre was very calm for the tour and was really quite impressive.

It was really cool because, even though I couldn't be at the graduation, I met somebody who was friends with the graduate who was receiving CCI dog Dreamer. Of course Friday afternoon was graduation day so it seems pretty amazing that we would meet a friend of a graduate hours away from CCI. And of course if Dembre wouldn't have been along we would never have talked to the people about Dreamer.

Our Grandpa is a pro photographer so we went to "Cayahauga National Park" to get family pictures done. Dembre was once again good and calm and did pretty well for pictures. He got to visit his first water fall and didn't act like it was anything new.

On Sunday we went to Mass with our Grandma. Dembre had never been to a Catholic Church, only our Church. Once again he did well and he did a "quiet" down for the hour long service.

Dembre & Pepin outside of the museum

Though really hard to see, Dembre is next to that Dinosaur

Dembre outside the museum

Dembre by the Rocky River

Dembre by the rocky river

Dembre at my grandparent's house

Dembre in the woods at my grandparent's house

Dembre at Buttermilk Falls

Dembre near Buttermilk Falls

Outlet Mall and Movie

Yesterday Dembre and I got to go to lunch and walk around for a couple of hours at the "Lodi Outlet Mall". At lunch Dembre did a perfect "Under" and was pretty good with not eating food off of the floor. Dembre got to see mannequins for the first time. He seemed pretty puzzled when they didn't move.         Happily trotting around at my side, Dembre also sat quietly to be petted by strangers and didn't try to lick. He got to visit a shoe outlet a "Toys'R'us". They even have a train ride there, so he got to hear train sounds and I let him watch it go by. I forgot my camera, which was really disappointing. I could have gotten some really cute pictures.

Tonight we are going to dinner and then we're going see Toy Story 3 in the theater. Of course Dembre is coming along. That should be a good first movie. I hope to go see "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" when in comes out in December.

I'll probably post some pictures tomorrow,

~Elijah & Dembre

Sunday Outing

Yesterday Dembre got attend Church, go to North Market for lunch, and Goodale Park afterward to take a walk. He did a perfect "Under" for the whole church service. At North Market he didn't try to eat any food while under the table and responded calmly to people who asked to pet him. At the park he did great ignoring other dogs. He did pull towards one chattering squirrel, but after getting promptly corrected he didn't attempt it again. After being out for most of the day he was really exhausted and when we got back to the car and fell asleep and didn't wake up until we arrived home.

My friend also brought her CCI pupy, Neo to Church, but after that Dembre was the only working dog in the same place at the same time. It still feels weird to have people stare and then whisper as we pass by. Oh well, I guess I'll get used to it :-)

Six for Six

Dembre turned 6 months yesterday! Wow, It's hard to believe he's already a half a year old. Sorry I haven't blogged in awhile. I've been really busy with school. Here are the six things:

1) Dembre can now officially go anywhere. For this last month I've tried to make his outings short and non-stressful. Now he can go to bigger, busier places.

2) Dembre will get neutered in a couple of weeks.

3) Dembre is coming along with his "up's", "jump's", and "under's".

4) I will continue to teach Dembre a variety of new skill's

5) I think it is time for Dembre to graduate his large blue Airline Crate for our giant breed wire crate.

6) I can't believe how fast he's growing up. Last fall I started thinking about the possibility
of raising a service dog puppy. I researched and thought and researched and thought. And then in April I asked my parents. They agreed and we put in an application at CCI. Before then I had considered raising a dog for Pilot Dogs Inc. or another organization, but my mind always went back to CCI. The Puppy Program Manager looked over our application and we set up a date for a phone interview. We had our interview on May 21st and at the end of that interview the Puppy Program Manager told us she'd love to have us as puppy raisers. We were shocked that she had just said "Yes" and then I heard the best part. "We have a puppy named Dembre, who is supposed to come in on the 28th are you up to getting a puppy that soon?" Our answer "YES" . And that's how it all began.

Update

Since I last posted Dembre: went to Church, visited Velvet Ice Cream factory, Went to Meijer, Attended puppy class, went and hung out at the playground. Accept for an accident in Meijer (my fault) Dembre acts totally natural in public. His Pano is not really getting better or worse, and the Vet thinks he'll probably get over it pretty easily. I'll put some pictures up soon!

~Elijah and Dembre

First REAL Public Outing!

Before puppy class today, I headed to the library for a nice quiet first outing. Our public Library is medium sized and wasn't very busy today. Dembre trotted quietly at my side and did his commands well. One of the librarians came over and visited and his greeting was more excited then I wanted. (note to self: work on greetings). I don't think Dembre really knew he was anywhere unusual. He's staying with a CCI friend , because I'm going to be out of town for Labor Day weekend. Here are some pics from his first outing!

New Cape

Today Dembre received his official CCI vest. He still has a couple of days before he's 5 months, but CCI wants me to practice for the next week and a half so he's really ready to into non-pet areas. After puppy class this evening we got to go to the grocery store parking lot to practice commands. He did great! Here are some pictures of Dembre and his new cape.

Dembre's Cape and CCI ID card

Dembre and Pepin

Dembre in his new cape