At work!

Here is a YouTube video that Imelda made to show how well Dembre works! He's not perfect in this video (he doesn't listen to the off command, and takes awhile to pick up the bowl) but it's still awesome to see the pup I raised at work in the world! 

~Elijah & Hobart II (so proud)



 

Thoughts on Dembre's Graduation

Most of you probably saw my last post about Dembre graduating! I thought I'd come back and touch more on the emotional end of the graduation experience.

Until the moment I met Imelda the fact that Dembre was a service dog was hard to get a handle on. I had imagined that day for so long. The day that I picked up that cute little ball of fur (May 28th, 2010) I told him that I was going to try to make him graduate. I did and I guess it payed off. It's so amazing to be surrounded by your supportive friends and be holding the leash of the puppy that you spent the last 15 months loving and caring for and then getting to say, "Dembre is yours!"

I am so proud and thankful that I get to be part of such and amazing program as CCI

The thing that I love most about puppy raising from the eyes of someone who has had a puppy graduate is that instead of spending time and energy to better the lives of hundreds or thousands of people I get to put my life into raising one puppy who will drastically change the life of one person. I didn't get to watch Dembre do much for Imelda, but from what she's told me he provides a lot of independence. I love that I get to impact the world one team at a time. A lot of people are concerned about the numbers reached. For a puppy raiser the best possible feeling you could ever get is getting to watch the one puppy you raised become the "best friend" of one person.

It's amazing, especially watching Dembre, to watch the emotion in dogs that so many people cannot see

You might believe that now that I've seen puppy number one graduate and am only ten months away from saying goodbye to number two that I'm done, because I've gotten to see one life changed. I don't only want to change one life, but I want to change one life at a time. It's a personal thing (thankfully CCI sees it that way) and CCI allows us to become part of our puppy's partner's life.

I have helped people in other ways, but there is none that seems more amazing than this. I am now officially "addicted to puppy raising" or as I've heard it said, "Puppy raising is like eating potato chips. You can never just have one." 

Now more than ever I look forward to turning in Hobart and picking up pup #3, raising puppy #3 and then picking up puppy #4. It's a beautiful thing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

~Elijah & Hobart II (so many dreams fulfilled)

DEMBRE'S GRADUATION (THE OFFICIAL POST)

Dembre graduated! It has been one of the best days of my life. First we got to the rec center where they hold the graduations and got to take Dembre out and get a bunch of pics (which you'll see below). Then we handed Dembre back to his trainer and went to lunch with his new partner, Imelda. She is one of the sweetest ladies I have ever met and she makes the most perfect match with Dembre. She loves him and he returns that emotion quite clearly. It was so amazing to hear her stories about him and all the things that he does for her and then getting to share photos and stories from my time with Dembre. Imelda lives a quiet life of prayer, which is great because we have our faith in common. Before hand I was scared that there wouldn't be enough to say, but that wasn't the case. Our hour long lunch flew by and was gone before I knew it!

So proud of that boy!!!!!!!

Then came the ceremony! I got Dembre back and walked him around to meet more of my friends and say "hi." Both of my grand mothers came as well as three families that are friends of ours. Then I got to walk up and hook Dembre's leash on to Imelda's wheelchair and give her a hug. I got to watch some of my wonderful friends turn-in their dogs and hand over their dogs at graduation! It was SO SO SO amazing!

You cannot describe the feeling of utter fulfillment and happiness when you get to hand over that leash and say, "here's your puppy." The moment I saw Dembre I knew he wasn't mine. He looked and looked for Imelda when I had him, because she's his new leader. It's great!

one more "lap"

Handsome as ever

The other amazing thing about graduation was all the support that I received. I can't recall how many of my wonderful CCI puppy raising friends came up to me and gave me a hug and said that they were so very proud of Dembre and I. All of my CCI mentors were there cheering me on and it was so encouraging. I even got quite a few CCI staff members saying that they were so excited for me. It's indescribable. Watching all these people I respect so much tell me how much the care!!!! I want to thank all of you readers for all your support via comments and sharing. Many of you have watched Dembre grow up from the time he was 2 months old and I thank you for your ongoing support and encouragement.

Reunited once more

Me and my boys!!!

Those eyes

handing over the leash!

Imelda, Dembre, and I!!!

Thanks again for everything!!!!!!

with so much joy
~Elijah & Hobart II (saying goodbye to Dembre)

Dembre (Advanced Training Day 2) Hobart (update)

It's Thursday. That means that Dembre is beginning day two of AT today! Tomorrow we'll know if he makes a match! I'm praying and hoping that he does. I'm very, very nervous/ excited. He's so close. It's only 8 days until he should be graduating. *heart pounding*. Wow! I never thought it would sneak up on me like this! I'm just imagining the people he's working with and the stuff that he's doing! It's simply amazing that I might be handing the puppy that I raised over to his new handler in a matter of a week.

August 17th, 2011

Hobart has been sick! Poor guy! He's been feeling really bad. Thankfully he is getting back to normal and is now eating again. I was scared that something was really wrong, but he seems to be returning to his healthy state of being.

Sooooooo Tired

~Elijah & Hobart II (with Dembre in our prayers)

Exciting News for Dembre!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yesterday we got a call from CCI! No, it wasn't a release call. It was Dembre's final AT report via phone!

His trainer said that he's a really good dog and that he was very strong on his commands coming in to AT and that she really appreciated our effort. We were informed that this team training group consists of 6 facility dogs and 6 successor service dogs! "Successor teams" are SD teams with a handler (or human partner) who has had a CCI dog in the past. Most of them have a CCI service dog that is either retired or has passed away! 

Dembre's trainer told us that Dembre is currently (with nothing official) slotted for a service dog match!!!! It also sounded like his back up match was also as a service dog! She said that he could go either way, though. It's amazing to think that they already have a good idea of who he might go to!!!!

I'll say that I'm so excited that the first puppy that I raised is doing so well! I'm SO PROUD of him! I'm extremely happy that he's so close to graduation (unless he gets held over until may)!

I'm really excited to meet his new partner (hopefully in a few weeks)!!!!!!!!

I don't know if I really thought that Dembre would go this far when I put his cape on for the first time

~Elijah & Hobart II (with Dembre in our prayers)

Dembre - 2nd Semester!!!!!!!

 Today was the CCI November graduation ceremony. I was unable to attend, because church thing. That officially makes Dembre a 2nd semester dog!!! I can't believe it's already been three months since I returned him to CCI for AT! So far all reports have been good. The most exciting part of him making this far is that in most cases, but not all, the trainers think that the dogs are good enough to graduate. There are dogs that get released after this point, but not close to as many. I am so proud to say that this is the halfway marker!!! If he graduates he will most likely graduate in February. I can't believe that in three more months I might be handing him over to his new master!!!!!!!!! Can't say how proud I am!!!!!!

Picking up Dembre

Turning in Dembre

~Elijah & Hobart II (With Dembre in our prayers)

And the name is.....

Well, some of you might have noticed that I already posted the new puppy on the sidebar, but those of you who don't glance at the new items that appear on the blog will still be surprised. The name is........

Hobart

Like it? I think it's cool! And guess what he's YELLOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For that I'm super excited! I can't wait to pick him up on Wednesday!!! Once again thanks for the support over the time I raised Dembre and thanks for your encouraging comments over the last several posts!

and since I don't have pics of the pup yet (my own pics) I'll post a cute pic of my AMAZING Dembre boy!!!!!

And just as a reminder to myself I AM NO LONGER A FIRST TIME PR!!!!!!!!!! That's really hard for me to get my head around! I must say that I always thought that when turn-in came it would be our GOODBYE and that then afterward Dembre was GONE! Now I think of it as more of a necessary transition to his next position as a release or service dog!!!! And even if I didn't get all emotional like I thought I would. I still miss him tremendously and can't wait for my first report on him!

~Elijah, Hobart, and Dembre

I'm keeping that name until I actually get Hobart!