He Just Knows

Yesterday, my son's service provider was coming to take him out to do some personal shopping. I had put together a list, with the help of my son, of the items he needed to buy, the brands and scents he uses and prefers.

Before she arrived, I handed him the list to put in his waist-pack, but he put his money and the list on the couch cushion instead.

When his 'Habilitation Aide' arrived, she sat on the loveseat across the room from where I and my son were sitting. When my son got up to collect the rest of the things he needed from his room, Kodiak stood and went to the couch, where he carefully picked up the list and walked across the room to my son's 'Hab Aide' and handed it to her.

She thanked him and sat there with her mouth hanging open, in awe of him, as no one asked him to do that, no one told him what to get or to whom he should take it. When she looked at me puzzled, he used his nose to push it at her, as if to say 'you're supposed to read it.'

The only thing she could say was "He's amazing. You're such an amazing dog." She puzzled over how he knew what to do. I told her I stopped trying to figure it out a long time ago. He just seems to know.

Typically, he brings things to me that he retrieves off the floor, as I've trained him to be my service dog and pick things up for me. Occasionally, I'll ask him to get something from someone else or take something to someone else, but in this instance, he knew the list was for the 'Hab Aide', how he knew that is a mystery.

He is such an incredible dog, his intelligence and intuitiveness are sometimes unbelievable. Other people who don't know him as well are stunned by the things he does, but I'm at a point where nothing surprises me about Kodiak anymore.

"I'm right here, are you okay?"

Recently, I've started experiencing a great deal of pain in my left hip and groin. I've found that I have to be careful how I sit, that my hips are aligned and I can't allow my left leg to 'turn out' because when I try to draw it back to center or to stand up, it feels like my hip joint is slightly dislocated. I can hardly put any weight on it at all.

Earlier this week, when I was getting up from my chair, so I could use the bathroom, the pain was so intense, I actually made some noise, groaned, as I stood. It nearly brought tears to my eyes.

My husband was sitting three feet from me, but didn't offer to assist me, as I couldn't put weight on my leg. When I cried out, Kodiak got down off the loveseat and ran across the room to me, his ears up, eyes alert, ready, if I needed him, as if to say, "I'm right here, are you okay?"

My husband said, "She's alright buddy, it's okay." Kodiak stayed by my side, watching, keenly aware that I was not okay.

My feelings were a little hurt, that my husband wasn't as concerned as Kodiak was. I said to him, "I could use a little help. It's pretty bad that Kodiak recognizes that, but you don't." He shot back with, "I don't see what I could help with." To which I replied, "You could give me your arm for support so I don't have to try to put so much weight on my bad leg."

He did get out of his chair and let me lean on him, so I could make it to the bathroom. He told me he didn't know what to do, that I like to try to do things myself, so he never knows whether to offer or not, so he waits to be asked. I guess I can see where he's coming from, sort of a lose/lose situation for him... if he offers to help he risks offending me (causing me to feel as if he thinks I can't do for myself) and if he doesn't offer to help he risks hurting my feelings and appearing to be oblivious to my pain and struggles.

Kodiak led the way to the bathroom, where he curled up on the floor outside the bathroom doorway, keeping his eyes fixed on me, until I was ready to leave the bathroom, then he escorted me to the bed, where I changed clothes and he then took me back out to my recliner, where he waited for me to sit down, then he pressed against me and curled up at my feet.

We are so 'in-tune' it sometimes boggles my mind... he knows me, knows when I'm feeling good and knows when I'm in pain and his moods change as mine do. He is an incredible companion.

Appreciation

Recently, while in the grocery store, a woman I'd never seen before came up behind me, put her hand on my shoulder and said, "You're that little lady that walks the Husky, aren't you?" I said yes, that I was. She went on, "I walk over near the park and I've seen you out together a lot. I just mentioned to my daughter the other day that it was obvious how much you love him, how much he means to you, since you're clearly out there in the cold for his benefit."

I wasn't sure what to say. I told her he needed a lot of exercise and he's truly 'saved' me, given me a reason to be outside, get fresh air. She said, "He loves you, anyone can see that, the way he walks along beside you. It's an inspiration to see." She patted my shoulder and walked away.

Earlier this week as Kodiak and I were walking, a car pulled up next to us and an older woman rolled down the window and called out, "Excuse me, Ma'am?" I thought she was going to ask for directions. She said, "I just wanted to tell you that your dog and you are just wonderful. It's wonderful seeing you out walking together." I thanked her, not knowing what else to say and we all went on our way.

I realized that other people 'get it'. They understand what he does for me, the companion he is to me, how he's liberated me, gotten me out and about and that I probably wouldn't be out if not for him.

People are always stopping me to tell me how beautiful he is, rolling down their car windows to yell that he's gorgeous, etc. If we haven't been out for a few days because of rain or cold weather, people will ask us if we're alright. It's comforting for me to know that people keep their eye out for us, that they know when they see us and notice when we're not out and about.

I really appreciate that people are watchful, that they feel 'protective' of us.

Filling Out

During our last annual physical the Vet informed me that Kodiak was a little under weight. I was a little shocked by her assessment, as her husband and partner told me previously that Kodiak was a 'lean husky', that some are more stout and some more lean, there was nothing to worry about, he didn't see a reason to change anything.

When the Vet told me she rated him at a 2 out of 5, 3 being healthy weight, 2 being significantly under weight, I was stunned.

The breed standard for a male Siberian Husky is between 55-65 lbs. by most accounts. Kodiak weighed 54.6 lbs. She had recommended that I find some sort of food to supplement his diet, whether it be canned cat food if he was wiling to eat that, peanut butter or unseasoned roasted chicken breast, anything that would inspire him to eat a little more, more regularly.

I'd asked if we could go back on the liquid vitamins Kodiak was on when he was a puppy, but each time I've asked, they said we could but they don't really think we need to.

Kodiak was eating sporadically, pigging out one day and not eating for 2 or 3 days, though he is high energy and exercises a great deal. The Vet said she thought his metabolism was exceptionally high, so he's burning off everything he is eating.

I tried canned cat food, but he would eat it one time and turn his nose up at it the next. I tried peanut butter, but that wasn't palatable when mixed with lamb and rice kibble. I started roasting chicken breast, shredding it and putting a handful in his dish with his kibble and that did the trick. He began eating twice a day.

I'm pleased to report that Kodiak now weighs 58.6 lbs.

Recently, when we went back into the bank for the first time in months, the tellers all commented about how he'd 'filled out' and how well behaved he was. We're playing outside 4 times a day, usually once after walking, then three other times throughout the day.

He's become a 'big boy'.

I Love My Dog More Than Most People I Know

I truly love my dog, Kodiak, more than most people I know.

I've not been feeling very well. I'm trying to keep up appearances and keep moving every day. Some days that's easier than others. I've been feeling dizzy, weak, dropping things, just experiencing a general sense of 'disconnect'.

Because it's been so hot and humid this Summer and I've spent more than a month and a half without my power chair while it's been in the 'shop', we've not been taking walks, not been spending a great deal of time outside. Kodiak simply doesn't want to.

As a result of our lack of 'outdoor time', I've been trying to exercise him in the house by getting down on the floor (that's the easy part, falling off the chair onto the floor. LOL) and playing tug-o-war or bouncing his ball for him.

When Kodiak was a puppy my husband played rough with him, wrestling with him, letting him chew on his hands, etc. (something I didn't want him to do), so when Kodiak is bored, has a lot of stored up energy, playing can quickly become wrestling.

We were wrestling on the floor, when he stopped and went to get a drink, so I decided rather than trying to struggle to my feet, I would just lay down on one side and watch television from the floor. Not the most comfortable way to do it, but certainly more comfortable than what I would experience trying to get up off the floor.

When Kodiak came back into the living room, he came to me, sat down against me and began to lick my face, my glasses, my neck and nibble on my nose. He got up momentarily to chase a cat away from his food bowl and when he came back, I was feeling a bit dizzy. I had my eyes closed and was taking some deep slow breaths.

He sat against me, placed his front paws over the arm I was leaning on and lay down, holding me down, as he licked my face. He lay there for quite a while. Before he let me get up, he licked my face one more time and sat up as I did. He followed me over to my chair, as I sat back down he curled up between my feet.

I've been laying down and taking a nap during the day, whenever our schedules permit and sure enough Kodiak is right there, on the bed with me, the whole time, curled up against me, so I can feel him. He makes soft noises, crawling up the bed so he can lick my face, cuddle with me. We often 'spoon' for a few minutes before getting up and getting back to our day.

When we go outside so he can 'go potty', he stops and waits for me to catch up to him, cognizant of the fact that I move slower, that he is my protector and companion. Once I've caught up, he will move further toward the ramp. If we are coming up the ramp with my husband, he will let my husband get ahead of us, but wait for me, turning and looking back over his shoulder until I'm coming, looking back as we move up the ramp to be certain I'm there and following closely.

I can think of no human, except my husband and son, who demonstrate the level of caring, compassion and love for me that Kodiak does.

Attacked Again!

Yes, it happened again. Kodi and I were out walking, in an area we chose to walk in because we were avoiding another area where we had been attacked several times.

There is a stretch of road with no sidewalk, behind a ball field. Only the backs of houses face the ball field, so there isn't much activity on the street and portions of the road are shaded by old tree growth, so it makes for a quiet and serene place to walk.

We have noticed that one back yard is fenced in with a short decorative fence consisting mainly of a decorative lattice and a frame. There is a small boxer mix that has been in that yard on occasion, though she has barked at us, she's never attempted to jump the fence.

She jumped the fence! We were walking by, following (at a safe distance) a Samoyed and his owner who often walk the same route. As we were passing her back yard, she had her paws and elbows on the top of the fence, barking at us. We ignored her and kept moving.

We had just passed her property line, on the other side of the street, closer to the ball field, when suddenly I was startled by growling and barking, two snapping dogs. Kodi had spun around, pulled the Halti off his face and was defending himself.

I didn't have my pepper spray in reach (of course), so I swiped at her with my hand screaming "No! No!" and "Get away from us!"

She ran toward her yard as the man walking the Samoyed came back. He said she liked his dog and he would get her in her yard again.

A woman was sitting on the monument at the corner of the ball field who had witnessed the attack. She and the man, who had returned with his dog, asked if we were okay. I was getting the Halti back on Kodi's face and proceeded to run my hands over the length of his body. There was saliva on his back/shoulder, but there didn't appear to be any breaks in his skin.

I have to say I was shaken up. Kodi was too. Once we had moved on and were a good distance away from where the incident took place, he kept looking up at me and slowing down. I stopped my chair and spoke to him, as he put his paws up on my forearm and licked my face, rubbing the top of his head and nose under my chin, across my chest.

Clearly, he needed reassurance, as did I. We stayed there on the sidewalk, and took care of one another for 2 or 3 minutes, just letting cars pass us by.

When he was comfortable enough to put his feet back down, we continued on our walk.

I don't understand what it is that gets us attacked so often. I've had people suggest that perhaps it is the power chair, that some dogs are frightened or threatened by the moving chair, something beyond their realm of understanding or experience. I've also had people tell me that one dog can be prone to attacks depending on the way they 'carry' themselves. I don't know... I wish I knew what was prompting these attacks. This would make no less than 7 in about 2 years.

We are never going to overcome Kodi's insecurity if this sort of thing keeps happening. Short of constructing some sort of bubble around us to protect us, I am clueless as to how to avoid future attacks.

Our area in which we can safely walk has shrunken considerably, as I avoid places where previous attacks have occurred. We are becoming seriously limited as to how much exercise Kodi can get by walking.

I wish there were more I could do to protect us.

"Pick it up" in Public

Took Kodi for a walk Saturday morning. He was such a good boy. We had a great opportunity to see if he could perform a simple task with his Halti and gear on.

You might remember that we had a problem in the past with him performing a simple 'pick it up' task when he was wearing his walking gear. We had worked and worked on it, following the directions of a Service Dog training organization, but it didn't go well at all.

Saturday, while walking we passed by an empty coffee cup, laying the middle of the road. It had a plastic lid on it and was a pretty large cup.

I decided to stop and ask him if he could pick it up. I asked him twice, as he nosed it, rolled it around a bit, seeming to assess how heavy it was. He tried to put his mouth around it, but it was pretty wide and smooth, so he had some trouble picking it up that way, so after mouthing it and figuring out the best way to pick it up, he gently took the edge of the cup lid in his mouth and picked up the cup.

He offered it to me, high enough so I could reach it. I took it from him and praised him over and over. What a good boy he was, picking up something that wasn't mine, that I hadn't dropped, something awkward, and with full gear on, handing it to me, rather than picking it up and dropping it again, which is something he sometimes does.

We have progressed in steps, as he's refused to pick something up at all for me, picked things up and dropped them again refusing to pick them up a second time and now he's picked up an item and handed it to me, while out in a public setting. I'm so proud of him!!!

We had walked to an outdoor flea market near home and mingled with people between the tables and displays. He had done okay, but was pretty skittish, not sure about all the people moving so close to me and the chair. Overall he had done well in an exercise meant to socialize him a bit.

As long as we are able to make a little progress, I'm happy. We do have some setbacks from time to time when I'm not so sure we'll ever be able to 'proof' in a public setting, but then he'll make a bit of progress and my confidence is renewed.

Kodiak Keeps Me Sane

“The vital function that pets fulfill in this world hasn’t been fully recognized. They keep millions of people sane” – Eckhart Tolle in Guardian of Being.

This is a quote provided as inspiration to pet owners willing to accept a writing challenge. The This good-That bad (TGTB) creative writing contest asks entrants to complete a sentiment in 125 characters or less by explaining how their pets keep them sane.

I had every intention of posting an entry, in fact, I started writing something several times, but I know myself, I was unable to write what I wanted to say in such a limited frame. So here I am.

I have been blessed by the pets I've had throughout the years, whether they were cats or dogs, made no difference.

For the past two years, Kodiak has been the savior of my sanity. When I lost Echo, a huge void was left in my heart, a piece of me died with her, depression came to visit and stayed.

I hadn't realized how much of my day was invested in caring for Echo, as she had arthritis and 'disabling' diseases similar to those I live with. She required a lot of care and a lot of trips outside. After I lost her, I was only leaving the house to get groceries, once a week and if I could find a way to avoid doing that, I would.

Kodiak's arrival in my family forced me to establish a daily routine, to go outside again, to focus my time and energy on house training my new puppy. I began spending time outside in the backyard playing with him and training him when we were inside.

When I was able to begin leash training him, I was able to take my power chair out and go for walks, enjoy the sunshine and seasonal changes. Watching him communing with and watching nature, getting joy from the breezes, sunshine on his face, marveling at a butterfly, gave me pause, to consider that while I was hiding in the dark, quiet of the house, wallowing in my grief and loneliness, I was missing the beauty life has to offer.

As he grew up, our bond grew stronger. I began training him to perform service dog tasks. Quickly he began to respond to my needs without commands. He helps me to complete my housekeeping chores, do laundry, pick up the trash and load the dishwasher. He's really made my life less complicated.

He's sensitive to my moods and feelings. He lays on the floor between my feet so we're touching. He follows me from room to room and even lays on the bed watching me while I use the bathroom, following me back to the living room when I've finished. He naps with me, licks my tears and when I'm having trouble breathing, he's held me in my chair so I couldn't get up or put his head under my chin and lifted my face so I could catch my breath.

When I lay down with a migraine, he slides his face and shoulder against my upper body and shoulder, down across my chest and "spoons" with me, cuddling against me, looking back over his shoulder, kissing me softly. He will lay with me while my 'meds' take effect.

He sleeps with us at night, laying between us, with his back against my whole right side, usually with his chin resting on my ankle. He allows me to rest my hand and forearm on his hip, or to hold his tail, while I'm falling asleep.

I've had a lot of trouble sleeping at night when my pain level is high, there have been times I've lay in bed crying because I can't get comfortable. When I'm able to touch or feel Kodi by me, not only does it offer me emotional comfort, but the warmth of his body provides some relief to the pain in my hip, the stiffness of my joints. I've become somewhat spoiled, in that I have trouble sleeping without Kodi.

He wakes me with soft kisses and helps me with dressing and undressing every day.

He keeps me sane. He keeps me from succumbing to the depression that lives in the dark corners of my mind. He helps me to 'de-stress' and slow down.

He gave me my life back when I was throwing in the towel. He's helped me to regain some of my independence and to appreciate every day.

Skills Are Locked In

I determined previously that Kodi had become comfortable with learning certain skills in a specific environment and had some trouble translating those skills to new environments. An example being that we learned 'pick it up' in the house, without his vest or lead on and he had trouble performing the same skill outdoors.

Recently he's begun to respond to those same cues outdoors and at times performing those skills without a command. Just the other day he went into the yard and picked up the outdoor spigot cover from the grass and handed it to me.

Kodi has been helping me get ready for bed for many months now, probably a year. When I come into the bedroom at night and approach my side of the bed he gets down on the floor beside me, waiting for me to get undressed. When I sit on the edge of the bed, he takes my socks off and hands them to me, if I kick my shoes off he'll pick them up and hand them to me. He waits for me to get my legs into bed, then comes up and lays down beside me.

He would only get up on the bed, on my side of the bed and would only wait on my side for me.

We changed our furniture around in the bedroom yesterday which put my side of the bed on the other side of the room, near the dresser, creating a narrow pathway for me to navigate. I was concerned as to whether he would be uncomfortable completing his tasks in that small tight space.

He was very helpful while we were moving furniture. He picked the 'moving men' up off the floor and brought them to me, picked up anything that fell while I was going through things and tossing things out. He was such an incredible help throughout the whole process.

Last night he came to my side of the room, sat on the floor and waited for me to get myself ready for bed. He took my socks off and handed them to me, he picked up my sneakers and handed them to me. He waited, as he always does, for me to get into bed and jumped up on my side of the bed, just like always.

He wasn't phased by the change, he was able to complete his skills regardless of the surrounding layout. He wasn't distracted by the tight space. He made the adjustment to the changes. I couldn't have been more proud of him.

He's been listening so well lately that I've been able to take him out on the deck and down the ramp without a lead on. He goes into the yard to potty and comes right back. He responds when I tell him to 'wait', if he has gotten ahead of me. He stops, turns and waits for me to reach him before starting toward the yard. At the end of the ramp he stops and sits, waiting for me to reach him.

What a great feeling to know that we have made so much progress, that some of our skills are locked in. Now I can feel comfortable about adding some new skills to his repertoire.

Service Dog Teams ~ Not All the Same

Perhaps some people don't know that a service dog and the person accompanied by the service dog are a team.

They develop a bond, become in-tune with one another, as a service dog is asked to be constantly aware of the needs of their human companion, they must be able to respond in any environment, regardless of the many distractions around them.

They must be constantly aware of their partner's mobility apparatus, (if they utilize such) whether it be a power chair, manual wheel chair, walker, cane, etc., so they don't get hurt or cause injury to their partner.

A good rule of thumb I share with others is, if you see a vest, bandanna, or any markings on the lead that indicate you're approaching a service dog, don't approach, talk to or attempt to pet the dog.

Every team is different. One person might allow you to pet their dog if you ask, others may prefer no contact. Some may use specific commands when allowing contact, others may not.

Kodiak and I were confronted tonight by a lady holding a baby in her arms. She asked if they could 'visit' the doggy. I smiled and said, "I'm sorry, when he has his vest on he's working." She sort of sighed and said, "We have a neighbor with a service dog and when he wears his vest he gives him the 'go visit' command and lets us pet him."

I found myself explaining that my dog is in training and I don't allow contact. I shouldn't have had to explain anything, my answer should have been sufficient, not challenged.

I'm always glad to encounter people who understand what the vest means, who know to be respectful of the service dog team, but it's always important to remember that service dogs, service dog teams, breeds used as service dogs and disabilities that may require the assistance of a service dog are NOT 'cookie cutter' by any means. There are many variations in skills, commands, and certainly preferences of people with disabilities.

We did well, Kodiak ignored the woman and child, lying down on the ground by my chair as I spoke with her.

I Didn't Need to Ask

I recently visited my doctor and returned with some new medications. I've been having some trouble adjusting to the side effects of these new 'meds', feeling severe fatigue, over heating and heavy sweats, some upset stomach and severe muscle cramps.

As is my typical experience, the side effects of the medications are nearly as debilitating as the disabilities.

I was readying to go to sleep the other night, sitting on the edge of the bed, pulling my night gown out from under the pillows, when Kodiak decided to help me with my hair. I had my 'pinch clip' in, rather than my scrunchie, but he bit down on it and tugged it, pulling it gently to the side of my head. He wasn't able to get it out, but he certainly gave it a try.

As I pushed my pants down Kodiak jumped down off the bed and took my pants in his mouth. As I let them fall below my knees he picked them up and handed them to me.

As I put the pants on the night stand next to the bed he placed his paw on the top of my foot, sliding it down over my sock. I lifted my foot slightly as he pulled my sock off my heal, then took the top of the sock in his mouth and pulled it off my foot. He shook it out and handed it to me. As soon as I took it he went to work repeating the same procedure on the other foot, pulling the sock off and shaking it out, handing it to me.

He sat down and waited for me to undress and get into bed. After I was in bed with the covers pulled up he came up on the bed, being careful not to step on my legs, as I'm having a lot of pain in my calves.

He stood between my husband and I, turned around and lay down, draping his chin over my calf, pressing his back and hip against the length of my right leg and hip. The warmth from his body seems to help the muscles relax.

He's been staying with me, at my feet when I'm sitting in the living room, laying against my body when I'm in bed, following me to the bathroom where he either lays on the floor at my feet or on the bed, as in the picture, looking at me, keeping an eye on me.

He's been staying with me when I sleep-in this past week, coming up softly on the bed and gently kissing my face to wake me. He stays with me until I'm dressed and I'm able to make it into the living room.

We are so connected it scares me sometimes. He knows when I'm not quite feeling right, when I'm a little wobbly.

I find that I often have to ask other humans around me for help, even though they can see or hear me struggling, yet Kodiak doesn't wait nor does he need to be asked. Is there any doubt as to why I love him so?

A Healthy Environment

I am a bit obsessed with Kodiak's environment being safe, clean and healthy. Whether it be indoors or out, I try to make sure that there's nothing within reach that could cause him harm. I was meticulous about 'puppy proofing' the house before bringing him home as a puppy and I made sure there was nothing in the yard that could pose a threat to his health.

I'm fanatical about keeping the solid waste out of the yard. I am on my fifth 'pooper scooper' as a result of how often I use them, I've worn them out, their hinges have broken or they've simply fallen apart.

When I walk Kodiak in the community, when we go out to run errands and I use my chair, I have a 'pooper scooper' strapped to my chair so I can clean up after him.

I was cleaning up in the yard, a while back, when a neighbor yelled, "if I 'went' in your yard would you pick mine up too?" I was appalled! He often made fun of the way I immediately took up the 'pooper scooper' and went into the yard once Kodiak had finished toileting.

I don't see the entertainment value in being a responsible pet owner and caring about the health of my dog, perhaps I'm missing something?

I know I'm very protective of Kodiak, as I never tie him out and leave him alone in the yard. When he's outside, I'm outside with him, interacting, throwing a toy, watching him, praising him for 'taking care of business', as he was nearly stolen once when he was less than a year old, while I was outside with him.

I realize other pet owners aren't as vigilant as I am, they are of the mind that their pet is 'street smart', 'can fend for themselves', etc.

I've had occasion lately, to observe Kodiak's friend "Molly", the puppy who lives next door on the other side of the fence. While she lives in a large fenced in yard and does go inside, she's often left outside for hours, sometimes all day and evening, without a water bowl, with no supervision or interaction. The only toy she has in the yard is the one Kodiak gave her.

Her yard is littered with piles and piles of waste, as she shares the home with another dog, as well as a kitty who goes out into the yard. We hear her crying and whining for hours on end, wanting to go inside, but has been relegated to the outdoors because the family isn't home to work on housebreaking.

Lately, she's discovered the garbage can, emptying it into the yard, where she plays with plastic milk jugs, tin cans, bottles, etc.

She spends hours chewing on tin cans, trying to dig out from under the fence, tossing garbage around the yard, chewing on fallen limbs and sticks. I'm terribly concerned that she'll injure her teeth, gums or tongue, especially since she's a puppy and losing her teeth.

I may be overly protective, but I think having a dog (or any pet) is a serious commitment, a serious responsibility that we shouldn't undertake if we're not prepared to do what needs to be done to care for our pets.

My elderly neighbor called me to complain that she's been threatened with a fine by the city for the dog feces in her yard. The water meter reader complained about the mess. The problem is, she doesn't have a dog, her son who lives next door does and the waste in her yard is his dog's. The meter reader counted 56 piles of mess in the small area between the two houses.

People don't realize that waste that isn't removed from the yard can cause infections and disease in your own dog. It draws insects to the yard which can become a serious problem for the home owner and the smell of waste attracts stray dogs, cats and wild animals to your yard where they deposit their own waste which can contain disease and parasites.

It goes without saying that people who don't practice waste control in their own yards also don't pick up after their dogs when walking in the neighborhood. Sometimes our walks are more like navigating a mine field.

Some food for thought, while you can take off your shoes, if you 'step in something', when you go inside, I can't exactly take off the wheels of my power chair, so whatever I roll through, ends up in the house, so cleanliness and waste control is of great importance to me.

A healthy environment is important to all of us. Keeping Kodiak healthy and happy is key to my own health and happiness.

Unexpected Breakthrough

As I shared in previous blogs, Kodiak has been a quick learner when it comes to performing assistance tasks for me inside the home. He picks up dropped items, things I can't reach, brings me my shoes, takes off my shoes and socks, takes the hair tie-back out of my hair, retrieves the phone, remote control, etc. His skills have helped me complete my weekly household chores and vastly reduced the stress I was experiencing doing things that had become challenging.

Kodiak has accompanied me into the local bank and pharmacy. Though he'd had a bit of trouble in the bank, a tight space with many people, he's done remarkably well, considering how much time we've actually been able to dedicate to attending in public.

Kodiak has had trouble translating what we learned indoors to the outdoors. I realized we trained inside, often without his vest, lead, etc. (as we began training before we had those items). He has been easily distracted when outside. He would often respond to 'pick it up' as if he'd never heard the command before, seeming confused.

I've been unable to take my power chair outside since early December, when the first snow and ice collected on the sidewalks and at the curb cuts. There have been few opportunities to practice.

Yesterday, when we went down the ramp to go out and potty, someone's Styrofoam plate had blown from their garbage can and was in our driveway. Kodiak took notice of it and sniffed it. I thought I would give it a shot, so I gave him the command, "pick it up" in a light, encouraging voice.

He tried to pick it up, but it scooted away from him, so he put his foot on it and pinched it, folding it in half, lifting it up and handing it to me. He had his leash on and there were distractions around us, but he did it!! As he handed it to me, I leaned down to praise him and he offered a kiss.

I put him on his airline cable and he ran out into the yard, enjoying the sunshine.

I had taken the advice of a service dog training organization previously, trying to force him to follow the command outside and it was horrible, for both of us. He just seemed so confused. It wasn't until I realized they didn't understand how we had trained prior to that, so though their advice was well-meaning, it was a bit misdirected.

I decided I would continue working with Kodiak by being loving and patient, rather than trying to force something, knowing that he's incredibly intelligent and intuitive, willing to please and was not just being difficult.

Being patient and allowing him to initiate the act, then praising him for doing the task, certainly had a bigger impact than forcing him to submit to me when he clearly didn't understand and was confused.

We've also had another breakthrough recently.

I've tried in the past to take Kodiak out in the yard off leash, as I was able to do with Echo, but he's bolted three times and run into a neighbor's yard. I know that huskies are, by nature, roamers and it is highly recommended that you don't take them out off leash because they can get hurt, particularly if their prey drive is strong and they encounter a cat, small dog, squirrel, etc.

I've taken him out to potty several times recently and allowed him to be off leash. He obeyed me and stayed in his yard, even going to visit Molly at the neighbor's fence and retrieving a thrown toy. When I told him "come" he's come running to and past me, right up the ramp to the deck.

I'm working on showing him that I trust him outdoors, so that he will trust me outdoors, not to ask anything of him that would hurt him or be unsafe. I don't want him to hesitate when we're outside.

We are a work in progress. As long as we are making progress, I'm happy.

I've had people ask me how long he's been training and express that they think we should be further along than we are, but I believe every dog is different and every team is different. I'm satisfied with the progress we're making and as long as Kodiak is comfortable with the methods we're using, that's what matters to me.

The "Rules" Don't Apply to Friends?

Kodi and I have been working really hard on diminishing the 'puppy' behavior we still struggle with, rushing to greet people at the door, putting his feet up on people in an effort to try to kiss them, barking inside the door, etc.

He's been doing wonderfully. We've established 'Kodi's spot', which, when escorted to his spot, he's able to stay there until released to 'greet' company. He learns so quickly, when we are consistent.

My husband's Uncle has been visiting for Sunday dinners every other weekend, which gives us a great opportunity to practice our manners.

I have a friend who comes to visit about once every week or so. She is of the mind that the 'rules' don't apply to her. In fact, she's said as much. She allows/encourages him to put his feet up on her, to kiss her, to hold her down on the sofa and put his face in her cup, his nose near her food, etc. When I correct him, she always says, "It's okay, he knows I don't mind."

We don't allow him to do those things with us, or anyone else. We correct him, even though she's telling him it's okay. She doesn't understand that she's undermining his training and our efforts to have a well mannered dog.

She seems to think that it should be okay depending on the individual person's preference and somehow Kodi should know which people are 'okay' with being mauled by him and which people aren't.

When we encounter her in public, he gets excited. She coaxes him to put his paws up on her chest, to give kisses, etc. When I correct him she says, "You better not, you have your vest on, you're getting in trouble."

It's hard to expect strangers, who may or may not know better, to respect the vest when friends who do know better don't/can't/won't.

A New Level of Understanding

Kodi has been helping me with my nightly routine before bed for over a year now. He helps me take my pants off, takes my socks off and hands them to me, so I can place them on the night stand where I can reach them easily in the morning.

One evening earlier this week, I was getting ready for bed and because my feet had swollen during the day I was having trouble rolling my socks off my heels, as I usually do before asking Kodi to pull them off my toes.

He sat on the floor by my feet watching, but wasn't going to allow me to struggle so, as he began to use a paw, gently 'grasping' at my sock and pulling toward the floor.

He actually helped me to get my sock off my heel, then gently took the toe between his front teeth and pulled strongly, until he'd pulled the sock off and handed it to me. He repeated the process with the other sock.

I am constantly surprised by how intuitive he is, how he problem solves for me. He knew he needed to help me and that pulling with his teeth was going to be awkward, so using his foot and toenails gently was the 'smart' thing to do.

I trust Kodi completely. I know he would never hurt me, he only wishes to help me, he loves me.

We are constantly experiencing new levels of understanding between us, strengthening our bond and the deep connection we've developed.

Kodi is far more attentive than most humans I know. Even my own husband will sit and watch me struggle until I ask for his help, even if I'm to the point of tears, but not Kodi, he's right there, trying to help, to alleviate my struggles.

I am so blessed to have this truly wise and caring husky in my life.

Hands Off!

Throughout the time Kodiak has been in my life, I have struggled with others who want to discipline him or take control of him from me. It's bothered me emmensely since the very first time someone tried to assume authority of him.

My neighbor had a habit of coming into our yard, when Kodi was very small. He would walk between the houses, across the yard from where I was located supervising Kodi in the yard. Kodi would run to him and, of course, in true puppy fashion, jump up against him enthusiastically.

My neighbor would grab him by the collar and try to force him down onto the ground. Whether I was giving Kodi a command or not, he would insist on pushing him down to the ground telling him "down".

Another neighbor saw me walking Kodi down the street where she had her motorcycle parked. As we approached the motorcycle, she came to the sidewalk and took hold of the leash. She said, "Let me take him." and snatched the leash from me, walking him on the sidewalk around the cycle, rather than allowing me to walk him past the cycle in the street. To say I was appalled would be an understatement.

Even in my home, as I'm trying to correct Kodi, neighbors and friends will give him commands, as I am doing so. Why they don't understand that it is confusing to him to have two people giving different commands is beyond me, but that's what they do.

I believe in a positive reinforcement method of training. I don't believe in being physical with my pets, but rather rewarding them when they obey a command. I've also chosen to use different commands than some others might, as I've also encorporated specific commands for Assistance training.

I use the commands 'paws up' and 'paws off' asking Kodi to put his feet up on my lap when picking an item up off the floor for me and to take his paws off my lap once I've retrieved the item from him. I only use the command 'down' when I ask him to 'lay down'. "Off" is the command for putting his feet on the floor, getting down off the furniture, etc.

Others come into my home and want to command Kodi, without understanding what commands we use. They take him by his collar and tell him 'down', trying to make him sit.

These folks seem to believe that Kodi's training is lacking. I acknowledge that he requires a lot of repetitive reinforcement, as he's true to his breed's characteristic of being stubborn and willful.

He consistently listens to me, I believe because I am the one person who works with him routinely and we have a bond. I am patient with his progress, as long as we aren't regressing and continue moving forward, because as he's aging and maturing he's also calming down and being more consistent.

I fear that people believe since I'm using a power chair that I'm not capable of controlling such an energetic dog, that they have to do so for me, without knowing me or my relationship with Kodi.

I wish folks would respect not only me, my home and Kodi, but our relationship.

Going for an Autumn Walk

This evening my husband and I were talking about taking Kodi for a walk before it got dark.

I stepped into the bathroom before getting my coat and power chair ready to go, as my husband got his shoes.

Kodi came into the bedroom and looked into the bathroom at me. I told him I was almost ready, then we could go for a walk. He looked at me, whimpered, looked at my sneakers on the floor by my night stand, then picked them up, one by one and brought them to me in the bathroom, putting them at my feet.

After he dropped my sneakers he went back into the bedroom and picked up one of my socks, which he took out to my husband. This makes sense, because he often helps me get my socks on when we are going out.

This evening he found a video cassette tape case on our bed where my husband left it when he brought some holiday cartoons out to watch. Kodi picked up the case and took it out to my husband, handing it to him.

While I was sitting in my recliner tonight, I finished looking through some catalogs that came in the mail today. I asked my husband if he wanted to look at them, to which he replied, "later, not right now."

Kodi took the catalogs, one at a time, off the arm of my recliner and walked them across the room to my husband, where he handed them to him.

Sometimes I think he's more human than some people I know.

Training Snag ~ Temporary Set Back

Kodi and I have run into a bit of a Service Dog training snag.

Kodi has experienced a number of stressful occurrences since we've started walking in the community. He's been charged at or attacked by other dogs four times, he's had children grab his tail when we're out walking and had groups of people surround him trying to pet and reach at him, people barking at him, etc.

Kodi has also been very sensitive to loud noises. He's not too bad with thunder, but fireworks going off right over the house terrify him. He's sensitive to backfires as well.

His training has been great inside the house. He's able to do most tasks without being given a command and we're always working on new commands, such as "hold", "release", "drop it" and "tug door".

He's getting much better about not vocalizing at the bank, sitting or laying down next to my chair when I stop to chat with someone and not jumping up on people who come into the house. He's very affectionate and wants to give kisses, so we are always working on deterring him from 'molesting' visitors and he's improving.

I recently consulted a service dog training organization for some helpful hints and tips as to how I can overcome some of Kodi's fears. They were very helpful in giving me some training ideas.

Because Kodi is stressed in certain public situations, I have a lot of trouble getting him to even 'pick up' dropped items when we are away from the house. They suggested working on it outside when I knew I would have the time to 'out wait' Kodi. I was to give him the command and if he refused, simply give the command again, remain calm and assertive, and just keep giving the command until he did as he was asked.

Yesterday, when our walk started it was cool, overcast and breezy. So, when we came home I decided to try this suggestion. I went to the door and got my keys out of my bag. I dropped the keys and asked him to pick them up. I used the verbal command and hand signal we've been incorporating, over and over, giving him time in between commands to respond.

Kodi sat there, looking at the birds flying over, the people walking by, me, the porch, the keys, the door, etc. He whimpered and shifted around, trying to lay down, sitting up, going closer to the door, but he would not pick up the keys.

We sat there for between an hour and a half and two hours. I offered him a cold drink twice, which he accepted. Finally he was crying, fidgeting and I was hot and sweaty, so we came inside.

Once inside, I dropped the keys to see if he would pick them up. He refused. I took off his vest and leash, put his things away and when I came back into the living room, he picked up the keys and put them on my lap, he picked up the throw pillow that had fallen and handed it to me.

I realized that I trained him inside, with nothing but his collar on. I don't think he's ever completed a task with his vest on and certainly only once maybe, with his leash on.

I felt horrible for putting him and myself through that on the porch.

I decided we will start with his vest on, and relearn these skills, then add his leash when we see how well he does with the vest on. Once we have done so, THEN we will move our training outside.

Kodi is extremely intelligent and intuitive, but in this case, he seems to have learned the skills in one environment, with certain circumstances in place and associates the skills with those circumstances.

He's 21 months old this month. We, as a team, are a work in progress... so we keep working. There is always improvement in some area with Kodi, so there is no reason for feeling badly or as if we've failed. I'm incredibly proud of what we've accomplished as a team.

New Lead ~ Said Goodbye to the "Halti"

Being a husky and true to his 'husky' nature, Kodi found it difficult to walk using a 'harness' or to even walk with his leash attached to his collar. As soon as he felt the least resistance against his chest or neck he would lean into it, digging in and pulling against the restraint, making it terribly difficult for us to walk him, especially me, sitting in a chair with a low center of gravity and not much leverage.

More than once, I was tugged so hard my shoulder popped. So we had to research, talk to our Veterinarian and we settled on a training device known as a "Halti" head harness, shown on Kodi in the picture.

It was not a muzzle, it slid around his nose and attached behind his head with a small lead under his chin that attached for security to his regular collar. The leash attached to the same ring under his chin that the tiny lead attached to, so when walking him, we were 'leading' him by his nose, rather than restraining him at his neck.

He could still drink, eat, play ball, pant, bark and yes, bite, if necessary, but if he pulled against the Halti it would tighten around his mouth, making it difficult for him to defend himself should he be attacked by another dog (which has happened 4 times when we were out).

To control the Halti I wrapped the leash around my wrist, which meant both hands were occupied when we were out, one hand holding his leash, the other controlling the chair's joystick. This was problematic if I had to get Kodi a drink, use the pooper scooper, or go into the bank and try to handle a check or cash, if Kodi was moving around beside me, pulling my hand away.

I went on a service dog supply site and found a leather leash with brass hardware, used in police, Schutzhund and Service Dog work.

It's 6 ft. long and has a series of rings over its length with a hook on each end. It can be adjusted to 4 different lengths, attached to a wheel chair, used as a temporary tie out. It's very sturdy, being two layers of leather with both stitching and rivets.

I bought one and attached it to the frame of my power chair. Hooking it to Kodi's Halti was problematic, as it was heavy and pulled his head down, putting unnecessary pressure on his nasal passages along the top of his nose. So, I took a chance that he had learned the lesson meant to be taught with the Halti and I hooked the leash to his collar.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kodi stayed right next to my chair, he didn't pull hard and actually allowed slack in the leash between us. He had an easier time drinking out of his travel water dish and was more eager to put his gear on to go for walks. He certainly experienced a sense of 'freedom' he hadn't been feeling.

My husband can put the leash around his waist and hook it to itself, keeping his hands free and using his body weight to prevent Kodi from pulling him as aggressively as he did when he held the leash in his hand. (He has always seeminly had an understanding that we are a team and he must cooperate with me, therefore responding differently than he does with someone walking upright.)

We have used the new lead when going into the bank. Kodi follows behind me and I'm able to use my hand to control the doors, rather than being tethered to Kodi by my wrist. It actually keeps him closer to me. It provides me with a sense of security as well as freedom.

I'm also secure in the knowledge that with this lead, I could affix it to the seat's support frame, if the chair should ever quit running, and Kodi could pull me home. I would not have to be concerned with being stranded.

We are always learning and progressing as a team.

Adding More Skills

Kodi and I are always working on learning new things and re-enforcing skills we’ve already learned.

Recently, we created a ‘tug’ tool that we affixed to our bedroom door, for training purposes, so Kodi can start working on “Tug Door”.

Thus far, he’s doing great, as we reward his efforts, even if all he does is take the tug tool into his mouth. When he holds it in his mouth and pulls, even the least little bit, we reward with lots of praise and a treat.

He’s tugged hard enough to pull the door nearly closed. We work on this skill a couple of times a week, while practicing skills that have been acheived.

One evening, while readying for bed I asked Kodi to take off my pants, after he was on the floor. I asked him to “tug pants” and he took a pants leg in his mouth and pulled on it until he pulled it off. He did this twice and then offered me the pants.

When he got back up on the bed, I asked him to “tug blanket”. I lifted the edge of the quilt and he took it in his mouth, stepping back, as he pulled the quilt and sheet back at an angle.

We practiced “tug blanket” several nights in a row and each time Kodi was able to turn back the bed, pulling the covers at an angle, revealing the sheet enough for me to get into bed without sitting on the quilt.

I’ve been walking Kodi, from time to time, without his Halti, affixing the leash to the heavy ring on the back of his vest. He’s done wonderfully with this change, but I continue to go back to the Halti as a means of re-enforcing ‘not pulling’.

The next skill I plan to introduce, once we have some consistency with “tug door”, will be “Hold”. There are times when Kodi picks up an object for me, but before I can reach for it, he drops it. We need him to hold the item until I can take it from him.

I’m always looking forward to working on new skills with Kodi, he’s so intelligent and quick to respond.