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On our way home from Xenia DJ was eating his Cheetos.  Now you saw DJ, large boy for 5.  He does not share his food...food is serious to him.  And I hear munch, munch, munch and I snapped my head back to correct Hannah for stealing...but it wasn't her...DJ was eating one, giving her one, eating one, giving her one.  I just sat with tears because he was sharing! DJ does not share...and he certainly does not share his food...but then it gets better....I told him it was nice to share but he couldn't share with Hannah. (doubt he understood...but it made me feel better to at least try to explain and then I pushed his hand away when he tried to do it again) okay so anyhow I asked him if he wanted some water and he said yes and I handed him his straw bottle and he took it and put it in Hannah's face right by her mouth, he offered her a sip first.  So then I lost it!  Not only did he share his Cheetos, but he offered her a sip of water! OMG that is when I knew Hannah was going to be a very special dog in our family! Anyone who can get Dj to share is special but anyone who gets him to share food has him under their spell LOL! I have to wrestle him for a Cheeto and I usually end up loosing LOL

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Last night DJ gave Hannah a bath.  She already had her "bath" but DJ was in the tub and Hannah was sitting next to the tub like she does every night because DJ HATES baths and cries so she is at his side...anyway he took his wash cloth and said Hannah bath.  Hannah was hair. So he did just that. Used the washrag and washed Hannah's fur. She left one time and DJ said NOOO Hannah back for your bath.  She came right back LOL.  It's amazing to see them interact on this level now (it's been like this them being VERY close) since the divorce. Really other than me and DJ's dad Hannah is the one constant that is with him. She goes to Dougs house when DJ visits there and she is with me when he is at our house.  So that is his constant.  When the house finally sold and Doug got his new place I didn't let Hannah go a few times.  I was waiting for him to get a dog run (which he has now)   That was a huge mistake on my part though.  DJ w as hysterical and Hannah was depressed.  I think that's when I realized how close they really were.  She has always been his service dog and companion but most of the time at home he seems to act like he could take or leave having her in his room (mainly because she hogs his bed and insists on laying right up on his pillow which infuriates him!)  If Dj and Doug are going to go out for an extended time (IE three or four hours) Hannah comes back by me.  Anyway the situation is working out for everyone and Hannah has been our constant through all of this.

HAILEY and BUDDY

STREET CERTIFIED COMPANION DOG MARCH 2005

Today we took Buddy to the hospital for four hours of Neuro/Psych testing + three hours in the car each way.  We talked to the Dr.'s doing the testing the other day and told them about Buddy and how he helped Hailey.  They specifically asked us to bring him with us...because Hailey would have to be away from me and that isn't an easy thing.  But they did GREAT!!!.  The Dr. said Hailey knew just what to say to him and then he just hung out and waited till she was done.  When they were done they came out with Big smiles on their faces...well, Hailey and the Dr....Buddy just came lumbering out like it was old hat to him... Just seeing Hailey so confident with him by her side...I just can't begin to tell you how I felt... I know what a difference he has made for her at home...but this is the first time we have really gotten to see what he will do for her in public.  She would normally have clung to me and not let me out of her sight...she would have run to me as soon as they turned her loose.   But she was so relaxed.  THANK YOU Karen....THank you for listening to me and blessing our little girl with such a wonderful friend...Buddy has really proven himself to be a real member of the family.  I wish you could see how Buddy sits on the car seat next to Hailey now and just settles down with his head on her car seat.  Of course when he first got in he sat down on her lap....I guess that would have been a good picture too.

LYNN AND HUGS

IN HOME COMPANION DOG

Lynn is a cancer survivor, one year post surgery and her husband had open heart surgery earlier this year. They needed a little furry angel to bring some joy and love into their lives and help them get back into the swing of life with daily walks. Little Hugs was the perfect dog for the job!

April 28, 2006, marks one year since we brought Reagan Chase, our black Labrador retriever autism assistance dog, home.  He has had daily opportunities to demonstrate and develop his skills in grocery, discount, and department stores; therapists', doctors', and dentist's offices; a day surgery center; restaurants, movie theaters, museums, and malls; church; the Milwaukee County Zoo (even on the train and carousel!); walks through the neighborhood and to school; trips to the park; support group and school meetings (to show off); hotels, airports and planes; and a trip to the beach!  We did use Reagan to track Noelle when she escaped from a vacation home last July. We saw Noelle slip out the side door, but didn't know where she ended up. Reagan came running at our call and within about 15 seconds of  saying, “Find her!”, Reagan had tracked Noelle to the backyard of our home. What a relief!   Reagan continues to bond with Justus and Noelle, as he bonded really closely to me during the last six days of training, after Pete and the kids headed home. He pays close attention to "his kids" in the backyard, jogging over from one to the other to make sure they're okay. And he loves to snuggle with Justus at bedtime. We're still working on the behavior disruption aspects of his training.  He knows how to “play the game” with us, but has a difficult time reading cues from the kids.   Still, since we've been focusing on transferring his “primary” from me to Justus, Reagan’s been demonstrating that he knows Justus is his boy.  If Justus and his therapist leave without him, Reagan stands in the window and cries while he watches them walk away. He doesn’t leave his post until he sees his boy returning, then whines with anticipation at their reunion. Reagan now takes commands from Justus, namely “come” and “lap”.  “Snuggle” and “kisses” are emerging nicely. We are hopeful that Justus and Reagan will be able to attend public school as a team one day – perhaps as early as next fall. And when Noelle needed surgery to correct the position of her eyes in June, Reagan was an expert caretaker and companion.  He was Noelle’s cuddle buddy right up until she had to be rolled away for the procedure.  And when she disappeared behind the pre-op doors, Reagan stared, turning his head to try to hear his girl.  When he realized she wasn't coming back, he began to cry.  When she returned from surgery, he wouldn't rest until she did.  Then he did a thorough sniff search of the room to make sure his girl was safe there.  Once he was satisfied, he curled up on the floor at her feet.  Our family has gained quite a bit of notoriety since we've been home. Reagan was the feature of an article in our local daily paper in May ‘05 and was mentioned in the July ‘05 issue of our area’s monthly parenting magazine in an autism article. He even made an appearance in a North Carolina newspaper. But Reagan seeks no fame -- just love, petting, treats, and someone to throw his toys in the backyard. And the occasional doggy play date is always greeted with much enthusiasm.