Bond Unbroken

Since the weather has cooled considerably, Kodiak and I have been spending a great deal of time sitting on the deck, usually in the early morning after our walk and in the evening after a bit of play in the backyard.

Two nights ago, we were in the backyard, playing with his giant tennis ball when the sound of breaking glass startled both of us. A new neighbor bought the house two doors down from us and has been cleaning out the home, throwing things into an industrial dumpster in their driveway, so I knew that's where the sound came from, but because a line of old Pine trees obscures our view of that house, Kodiak was scared, unable to locate the cause of the noise. He wanted to go up on the deck, so I unhooked him and we went up to the front of the deck.

I brought my folding chair out on the deck and sat down, as he curled up between my feet. We sit out on the deck and watch, photograph, the sparrows that visit our bird feeder, so we enjoy many hours of relaxing time together in the fresh air.

Suddenly, there it was again... the sound of metal and breaking glass. Kodiak rose and went to the storm door, he wanted inside in the worst kind of way. He whined and grunted at me until I went to the door and let him go inside.

Once he was inside, he sat down and looked back out at me with quite the inquisitive look on his face, as if to ask, "Aren't you coming too?" I reassured him I would be right there, he could still see and hear me through the screen and I sat back down.

I hadn't been seated for more than a minute or so, before I heard him whining, grunting at me, like he does when you're not paying enough attention to him. He was standing at the door, his face against the screen, his tail wagging, so I went to the door and opened it, telling him to come back outside.

He bounced out the door and as I let it close behind him, he stood up on his hind feet, wrapping his front paws around my arm and pushed me down into my chair, where he rested on my lap with his elbows. He licked my face and glasses until I couldn't see clearly... I gave him a big hug.

When he put his feet down on the deck again, he immediately went back to the storm door, turned and sat down, so handsome and alert, looked at me and started to whine again. When I made eye contact with him he looked at the storm door, then back at me again.

My son was now standing in the doorway. He looked at me and said, "He wants you to come inside." I told him I knew that, but I wasn't ready yet. He continued, "He wants to be where you are, but he wants you to be inside, you should come inside. He doesn't think it's safe out there."

I knew he was right. Kodiak is very protective, wants to be with me all the time, doesn't want so much as a screen to be between us, or he cries. He'd detected a threat, the loud sounds he couldn't locate and wanted to be inside, but wanted to be with me, wanted me to go inside where he felt we would be safe.

So, I packed up my chair and camera (which I always have with me these days) and we went inside. Once I had put my things away, Kodiak led the way to my recliner, waited for me to sit down, then put his paws up on my belly and licked my face, before settling at my feet, where he let out a big sigh, before putting his chin on the floor and closing his eyes.

All was right in our world again.

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.

Protector

Since Kodiak was a young puppy, he's demonstrated an ability to sense whether someone is a 'threat' or not. If he doesn't trust someone, he barks, won't get close to them, won't let them get close to me. He makes quite a production until the individual is out of the house.

I've seen him do this in the past with three individuals. The first was a 'technician' for the provider who was to service my power chair. The man couldn't come into the house without Kodiak just losing his mind, barking, snapping at the man, being keen to stay between the man and I. He even barked and howled when the man touched my power chair. He simply didn't trust him.

The second individual was the owner of the business that was to be servicing my power chair. He had come into our home several times and made threatening statements, issued ultimatums and was really very verbally abusive. Kodiak really had no tolerance for this man whatsoever.

My niece's husband is another individual that Kodiak does not react well to. He tries to nip him and in fact, did bite the back of his jeans (though he didn't get a hold of any skin), as he chases him when he's walking away from Kodiak.

Kodiak seems to be able to sense when people aren't being genuine.

Tuesday night, an old friend of ours came to visit for a little bit. Kodiak greeted him as he does all strangers, barking and howling, snorting and trying to scare him. We told him to come in and sit down and ignore Kodiak, that he would stop making noise in short order, as soon as he no longer detected a 'threat'.

Our friend sat down, we all had some pizza. Our friend offered Kodiak some pizza, which he hesitantly accepted. He seemed to be more comfortable, the longer he was in the house sitting on the couch.

When our friend stood and approached me, to show me something on his laptop, Kodiak got up and hurried to get between us. He stood between us until our friend took a step back, at which time Kodiak lay down on and between my feet. He stayed in that position until I handed the laptop to my husband and our friend was again sitting on the couch.

He behaved himself, staying ever alert, but quiet, until our friend got up to leave, then he walked him to the door.

My husband said he was comforted to know that when he's not here, Kodiak would protect me, get between me and an intruder or someone untrustworthy.

I'm learning to follow his lead and trust his instincts more and more. His judgments about different people's character have been justified.

Kodiak Lesson: De-Stressing 101

My pets have, over the years, taught me invaluable lessons about life, happiness, joy and love, but Kodiak has taught me the value of de-stressing and how to do it.

Step # 1:

Be good to yourself, if you’re tired, not sleeping well, feeling exhausted, treat yourself to a well deserved nap. Even a short nap can help you feel better.

Step # 2:

If you’re able to, get outside, spend some time in the sunshine. Close your eyes and just soak up the vitamins, feel the warmth on your face. Take a deep breath and just ‘be’.

Step # 3:

Get some exercise. Getting up and getting moving is a great way to release pent up energy, release frustration.

Step # 4:

Find a distraction, something quiet, listen to some music, take a moment to enjoy something creative, take notice of birds, kids, people outside your window.

Step # 5:

Talk to or spend time with a friend. Have a cup of tea, go for a walk, go shopping, or just spend quiet time together.

Step # 6:

Sing or scream at the top of your lungs! Just belt one out! You’ll be surprised by how good it’ll make you feel!

Step # 7:

If all else fails, treat yourself to something special, a roll in the grass, a hot bubble bath, a special dessert.

"Just Checking"

Yesterday, I had to make a trip to the Emergency Room. I've been coughing, feverish and achy for days, but over the weekend things took a turn for the worst.

Many years ago, when I was in first grade, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. I spent two weeks in the hospital, the first in an oxygen tent.

This past weekend, I thought that I was going to repeat that experience.

The coughing was so bad, my throat so raw that drinking or eating was painful. I coughed so hard that I vomited. I was having trouble breathing, having to sit up at night, if I got four hours of sleep a night that would be a generous estimate.

I called my family physician yesterday and asked if there was any way they could fit me in. They told me there were three other people on the list ahead of me, waiting for a cancellation, so they could get in to see the doctor. They told me to go to the Emergency Room seeing as how they could hear me wheezing and were afraid my asthma was effected.

I spent 4 hours out of the house yesterday as I sat in the ER waiting room, then finally getting to see a Nurse Practitioner. I received a breathing treatment by a Respiratory Therapist and was sent home with a handful of prescriptions.

When I got home I was excitedly greeted by Kodi. I knew he would have to go potty, so I didn't take my coat off, I put his collar on to take him outside.

As we walked around the corner of the porch he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me. I told him I was okay and he could go ahead. He took a few steps and stopped again, looking back over his shoulder at me. I reassured him again and we started toward the ramp. This went on several more times, until he stopped and looked back over his shoulder at me, turned to face me and without taking his eyes away from mine, came back to me.

I asked him what was wrong and bent down as he stretched up. He sniffed all over my face, he licked my nose and chin. When I kissed him back and told him I was okay, he then waited for me to straighten back up and turned toward the ramp, bouncing down to the bottom where he went into the yard and went 'potty'.

It was very clear to me that Kodi knew I was in trouble earlier in the day, that he missed me while I was gone, as he always does when I leave the house and that he was concerned as to whether I was okay or not as I was breathing heavily as we rounded the corner toward the ramp. Once he was secure in the knowledge that I was okay, he was willing to go about his business.

He was "Just Checking" on me to make sure I was okay.

I LOVE this incredible, adorable creature so much more than words can express.

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.

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.

Big Changes

For a little while now, Kodi and I haven't been seeing eye to eye. He's been crabby, growling, moody.

I consulted someone who trains dogs and they suggested that my female problems, the menopause, the changes in my body, emotions, etc. can be sensed by Kodiak. She said, "you probably seem like a whole different person to him."

She also suggested that since I clip his toenails and trim the hair on his feet while on the bed, and the bed seemed to be the place where we were most at odds, perhaps he felt threatened by me on the bed. She thought maybe he was claiming the bed as his.

Since then, some of my female issues are more under control. Kodiak got pretty aggressive on the bed this past week, growling and nipping at me. I'd had it. I snapped and gently swatted him on the side of his muzzle telling him "No!"

He lay there, still, then I told him to get down off the bed. He did. He walked around the bed and came back up on the bed, his head down, snuggled up against me and licked my face.

Since that day, he's been amazing. There's been no more odd behavior on the bed, no more grumpiness, no more growling, he's not jumping off the bed as soon as I come close to it. We're playing multiple times a day on the living room floor, because it's still too hot and humid to be outside playing.

I would never advocate hitting a dog, I felt terrible about having swatted him, it was a knee-jerk reaction out of frustration, but it appears he was claiming the bed as his and threatened in some way by me being on the bed. I claimed the bed, dominated him on the bed and the issue is gone.

I've had a couple people also suggest that for whatever reason he was viewing me as weak, inferior, because of my illnesses and health problems, that he thought he could dominate me.

Again, I feel terrible about swatting him, I didn't use any force, just made contact, but it was enough for him to understand the severity of his mistake and make corrections.

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.

The Battle to Groom is WON!

Anyone familiar with Huskies knows that they are big 'shedders'! They shed all year round and experience two times a year when they 'blow their coat', Spring and Fall.

They have double coats, a fluffy under coat and a smoother outer coat. Having two coats provides them with insulation against cold climates where they've been bred to work. When they shed, the under coat can come out by the handfuls. It ends up EVERYWHERE!

When Kodi was a little puppy, he seemed to enjoy grooming. He would let me brush him a little every day. He cooperated with the clipping of his toenails, cleaning of his ears, bathing and brushing of his teeth.

While he still enjoys having his teeth brushed (peanut butter flavored tooth paste) and allows his ears to be cleaned, he's not so cooperative about the rest of the process.

As he's gotten older, undergone surgery to have his dew claws removed, been neutered, etc. he's become less comfortable with 'handling', especially around his hind quarters.

When we groom, it's a 'team effort'. My husband sits on the floor with me where he pets and massages Kodi while I brush. It's a long process because everyone is moving and wiggling and not necessarily on the same page.

Tonight, I sat on the floor with Kodi's slicker brush and shedding comb. He came right over to me and sat down between my legs. I hugged him, he leaned into me. I told him I needed him to lie down. He did, without resisting.

I started slowly brushing him, smoothing his fur with my other hand as I brushed. He lay still, allowing me to brush him without the distraction my husband usually provides. When I got to his hip he lifted his head up and looked at me, but I stroked his head and face and spoke to him until he put his head down and sighed heavily.

I finished one side of his body and allowed him to get up and take a break. As a reward for being such a good boy, we played for about ten minutes, tugging and playing catch with a ball. When he came back to me I told him I needed him to face the other direction and guided him with his collar. He turned and sat between my legs. Again, I hugged him and he gave me a kiss. I asked him to lay down and he did so immediately.

I was able to brush his whole other side from head to tail with his full cooperation. I was even able to take the shedding comb over the base of his tail and down its length.

When we were finished, he looked wonderful, though I know his Spring shed, blowing his coat, isn't over yet, in fact, it's just begun. That picture at the top of the blog is from a previous shed and only about a third of what we got off his coat tonight.

He has shown a great deal of maturity lately, being obedient, even in distracting situations. He's overcoming some of his fears and insecurities. We continue to work on obedience as well as assistance skills.

I couldn't be more proud of him!

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.

Leave My Dog Alone!

I've been working with Kodi when we're outside, allowing him to be off leash in the yard for brief periods, proofing him on "come". He's been doing fabulously!

Today, I took him out on his 30' leash and my neighbor was out in his yard, with both his dogs (Maggie and Molly) and his oldest daughter.

When Kodi saw Molly in the yard and she was bouncing back and forth along the fence, he wanted to go visit her.

I called out to the neighbor, saying "She's really getting big! She's almost as tall as Kodi!" He called back, "She's 14 weeks old and weighs 34 lbs."

Kodi was really intent on Molly and clearly wanted to go visit her, so I asked him, do you want to go say hi? as I was contemplating whether or not I wanted to take the leash off or drop it behind him. Suddenly, my neighbor called out, "Kodi! Come here Kodi!" and he's off like a shot! I had to drop the leash as there was no opportunity to take it off him.

He bounced up and down the fence with Molly, then my neighbor called him to him and reached over the fence, as Kodi stood up momentarily. He grabbed his leash and as I'm standing there, in shock, he's pulling the leash up in the air, trying to get Kodi to stand up against the fence. I can see his chain collar (which is the one he wears inside - as opposed to his nylon collar with tags when he's outside) pulling up above his head, more and more of it showing!

This guy is pulling Kodi up against the fence by pulling his collar tight!!!!

I called Kodi back, he dropped the leash as Kodi looked back at me and ran toward the corner of the fence, as Molly and Maggie were excited and the little girl was calling to him. I called again, repeatedly. He stopped and looked at me, but was so excited and distracted he didn't respond.

I started up the ramp calling him, but my neighbor was still talking to him. Finally, as I came back down the ramp calling out, "Kodi, you've been doing so good, don't spoil it now, Kodi come!" he finally took hold of Molly and his daughter, moving away from the fence.

Kodi saw me again and as I called, "Kodi come!" and started up the ramp he came running across the yard and up the ramp.

This man has no idea how to show the least little bit of respect to me, Kodi or my relationship with him.

Once again, I can't imagine taking a hold of another person's dog (pet) and interfering when they are giving commands. This man does this every single time he's able to have contact with Kodi. He takes him by his collar, pushes him down to the ground, gives him commands, etc., regardless of what I'm saying to Kodi, regardless that I'm there.

I always find that I'm so taken aback, that I draw a blank as to what to say. I know that my husband and he are friendly, so I try not to do anything that will have an impact on their relationship and peace in the neighborhood. I almost feel held hostage.

I was so upset, that I felt tears welling up, seeing someone manhandle Kodi like that, knowing that his collar was tightening around his neck and throat as this man tried to force interaction with him. He was so far away from me that I couldn't have walked that far quickly enough and without endangering myself, to help Kodi.

I've asked my husband to speak to him about handling Kodi. I could just scream!!

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.

Migraine Treatment ~ Kodiak Cuddles

I’ve been living with severe, chronic migraine headaches for some 19 years. Along the way I have also been diagnosed with sinusitis and sinus headaches, as well as tension, cluster and ‘rebound’ headaches.

An Ultrasound of my face uncovered a previous skull fracture and bone fragments from a broken eye socket that were floating in my sinus. A CT scan and later an MRI confirmed the ultrasound results.

After years of treatment by a neurologist who prescribed a variety of medications that included home injections and being released from treatment after all his options were exhausted and he was at a loss as to what to do to help me, I was left to my own devices, dealing with the pain by laying down in a dark, cool and quiet room, putting moist heat on my head, trying to sleep them off.

Some days this strategy works, other days not so much. Sometimes my migraines cycle from one side of my head to the other for five or six days consecutively. On several occasions a single migraine has lasted for three weeks.

Today I had a particularly bad headache. I put heat on it, took some over-the-counter pain killers and went into my darkened bedroom to lie down. As soon as I was lying down with my pillow scrunched up under my neck Kodi came into the bedroom and jumped up on the bed.

He licked my face and nibbled my nose as he made soft sounds, much like a cat purring. He leaned his cheek against my cheek, slid down against me, leaning his shoulder into mine as he slipped onto his side with his back against my belly.

He looked back over his shoulder and licked my face before resting his head on the pillow next to mine. I put my hand on his shoulder and closed my eyes.

We rested there for a while. It was nice to keep warm with him, relax and de-stress.

A Neurologist couldn’t provide me with relief… because he wasn’t able to prescribe Kodiak Cuddles.

Sharing Your Bed or Four on the Floor?

I recently read an article about whether you should let your dog sleep in bed with you or whether four should always be on the floor.

It discussed how dogs are pack animals who sleep in 'dens' and how their sleeping arrangments can dictate their place within their 'pack'.

The article talked about how some dogs can interpret sleeping on the bed as being higher in the 'pack heirarchy' than they actually are, which can bring about some behavior issues and such 'characters' should probably sleep on the floor or in their own pet bed so the 'pack leaders' or 'alpha' members are clearly defined.

The article also talked about how sleeping on the bed can strengthen the bond between human and canine, as they can offer body heat and a sense of security to one another.

Kodi sleeps in bed with us, between us to be exact. He stretches out with his head always at the foot end of the bed, his hind quarters near our waists. He always starts the night with his shoulder on my hip, sliding down so his chin can rest over my calf or ankle. His body stretched out the length of my own with his back against my leg.

I've found that I can't go to sleep without him next to me, keeping me warm, supporting me so I lay in a comfortable position and allowing me to rest my hand on his hip or to wrap my fingers around his fluffy tail. He's become a soothing and comforting presence for me.

Because of my disability and pain level it is always difficult for me to get to sleep. I find that my body, my muscles, have difficulty relaxing. I sometimes have to consciously think about relaxing parts of my body. Petting or touching Kodi relaxes me, my breathing deepens and slows, I feel peaceful.

He also offers a sense of security, knowing he's there, that if he were to hear anything out of ordinary within the house, he would be alerted and because of our close proximity in bed, we would be alerted by his movements.

Though we are 'cozy' with the three of us in bed together, I don't think I could sleep at this point without him in bed. There's an emotional bond now, that I've become somewhat dependent upon.