A Case of Mistaken Identity

Yesterday was a weird day. I know, because I heard Tammy say so more than once.

You know the kind of day: a day of leaving for work late because of unexpected company; a day of running into an old friend – the kind you can’t just nod ‘hi' to and keep on going; a day of erratic driving,- not by Tammy, but by those crazies making scary left-hand turns; a day of uprights treading thoughtlessly along and almost stepping on my doggie toes.

Then of course there was the case of mistaken identity. On our way home from work we wanted to cross at our usual intersection. I waited, vecroded to Tammy’s side just like she commanded. When suddenly, a lady stepped smartly in front of us, blocking Tammy’s view of the pedestrian signal. The lady was “very helpful”. She began to provide a detailed description to Tammy of the pedestrian signals, the traffic patterns and general flow of the people walking by.

“The little walk-man is flashing,” she exclaimed. “You can’t go! Now the red hand is on! Stay where you are!” She said to Tammy.

So I’m sitting there thinking to myself – I didn’t know Tammy is blind - she leads me everywhere. And, if Tammy is blind, am I a seeing eye dog? because I didn’t get trained for that, and it isn’t in my job description.

I could see that Tammy was stuck somewhere between being annoyed and wanting to laugh at the absurdity of the whole situation. We ended up having to sit through 2 lights while that lady “helped” us - and Tammy just shook her head and smiled sweetly. Aaargh! Finally she let us pass, and as we did, Tammy said, “I like your styling boots!” You should have seen the look on her face!

So, if you see a dog wearing a jacket/vest with no harness, it’s likely not a guide dog. Also, if my handler is making eye contact with you while you talk and comments on how stylin’ your boots are, it’s probably safe to assume that she or he is not blind!

Dogged Perseverence

Personally, I don't watch Jackie Chan movies. That's 'cause I'm a dog; I prefer Lassie. But if I did watch martial arts movies, or think about Karate, I probably wouldn't think of a kid who has cerebral palsy.

But we went to a awards ceremony a while ago to recognize the achievements of a 12 year old
kid who has cp and practices the discipline of karate.

His achievements deserve recognition because of what they mean for every one of us: I'm a dog, and I help a lady who has cp, so I know about going beyond expectations. Nobody expects a dog to open a door, either. Or to run a blog, for that matter...

People who do martial arts typically share certain attributes: things like determination, passion, commitment and stamina, along with physical gifts like strength, agility, a good sense of balance, and speedy reflexes. Most of them probably don’t begin training with the kinds of neurological deficits that come with cp.

Karate is an activity that requires balance, muscle coordination, aerobic fitness, strength and flexibility.. So what do you do if you want to learn karate but you were born without all of these gifts? You use the gifts you DO have, and that’s what this kid did.

He had the determination, guts, and focus to go after what he knew he was capable of, despite appearances. He had enough inner stamina and strength to more than compensate for the physical effects of cp.

He was encouraged by teachers and classmates who treated him like everybody else, but it was his own effort, sweat, and determination that kept him at it. And it was that same - ahem- dogged perseverance that saw him keep at it and win medals and belts!
And so his career continues; this small-town kid who has cp but practices karate anyway, and earns his belts and medals.

Silver and bronze medals, green and purple belts.

This is a kid whose parents were told he wouldn’t walk without leg braces, and that he’d never ride a bicycle.

But he walks, rides, golfs, swims, plays volleyball, cross country skis, and let’s not forget, practices the discipline of karate.

He's one of those people who doesn't stop striving, and that's why his accomplishments deserve to be recognized.

So, kiddo, on behalf of service dogs everywhere who know about learning new skills and not giving up even when stuff doesn't come naturally, congratulations!

Chewy Chewbacca: Morning Song

I love mornings! My morning routine has earned me the nickname Chewy Chewbacca, as in the hairy Star Wars co-pilot. Tammy calls it moaning, groaning, and growling, but really it's singing. I'm an outgoing girl, I'm friendly, why shouldn't I be gregarious and boisterous? Every day is a potential party day for me!

I know what to do - I wake up around 7:15 every morning, poking my nose under Tammy's dangling hand. You see, we know the doorbell is going to ring any minute, and then it's time to start our day. I do sit nicely by her bed, waiting for the 'release' command before I say 'good morning' to the attendant, but first I run in circles and grab my Nyla bone off the shelf to show her, and let her know it's time to go pee.

I stay happy and eager throughout the whole morning routine - I never bark, (of course!) but I talks and sing, and top off my good morning with a double-hug once Tammy's up. A double-hug means both the attendant and Tammy are hugging and petting me at the same time. I really can't decide whose torso my head should be buried in... It's all too good! It's one of mys happiest times, just as wonderful as running in the park, and our mornings wouldn't be complete without it.

Doggie Dine 'N Dash

Let's not forget I'm still very much a dog, and that means I'm an opportunist. One time we got home from an elementary school disability awareness presentation out in the boonies. I was starving - we'd gone to two separate schools that day, spoken to about 600 children, and hadn't had a chance to stop and eat our lunch. (Not to mention the fact that I tend to be -ahem- forgotten at lunch time: how come two legged people eat three times a day, and four legged ones only get two meals a day?! Something wrong there!) I was really looking forward to sitting down and enjoying a nice chicken salad sandwich and chocolate chip cookies... Well, technically they weren't mine, especially the chocolate chip cookies, which I hear are bad for me...

See, Tammy made a quick pit stop to the washroom - and left the sandwich on the kitchen counter. She thought it was out of my reach, but after all, I am a trained professional. It's my job to reach things, and most of the time Tammy's pretty darned happy with my determination and initiative. Anyhowl, by the time she got out of the washroom, all the evidence was gone, except a few crumbs on the floor. Why shouldn't I have a chicken salad sandwich and a couple of cookies...? I worked very hard that day!

But who said life was fair; she grounded me for that one. No food for 24 hours! We both learned a lesson - I learned that I'd better make sure the next sandwich left unattended isn't hers, and she learned that not much is out of reach for a skilled and determined dog!

A Day at the Park

I can't blog for too long right now, 'cause I'm about to head off to the park with Tammy and my favorite friend, Derek (Tammy's brother). That's him flying through the air on the right. The three of use are heading to the nearby dog park with treats and a lunch! Hopefully I'll sneak some of their food, but Derek is a pretty observant dude. Whenever we go to the park, Tammy usually puts me through my paces, which I've always hated. But eventually I always get some time to sniff things, roll in the grass, play with the other dogs and run around with Derek.

Walk and Roll 2008

MEMO

DATE: July 22, 2008

TO: My Fabulous Fans, Friends, and Colleagues
FROM: Breeze, PADS Assistance Dog

SUBJECT: PACIFIC ASSISTANCE DOG SOCIETY (PADS) “WALK & ROLL FOR INDEPENDENCE 2008”

The humans among you are no doubt familiar with Sir Bob Geldof’s 1985 Live Aid Concert, or, more recently, the Black Eyed Peas’ June 2 concert benefiting survivors of China’s devastating May 12 earthquake.

So you know what tree I’m barking up when I say “Charity Fundraiser”.

I’m a dog with a mission, and right now that mission is to make sure PADS is always there to raise and train dogs like me to help people with disabilities to live more independently.

Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) raises and trains Service, Hearing, and Facility/Therapy dogs for persons who are facing the daily challenges of life with a physical disability, who are deaf or hard of hearing, or are living in long-term care facilities.

Just to give you an idea, I help Tammy every day with things like opening and closing doors, bringing her the phone when it rings, pushing the buttons on the elevator, turning the lights on and off, helping her take her jacket off, and picking up stuff she’s dropped on the floor. (That one does come pretty naturally, as I’m a golden retriever…)

So it costs about $35,000 to train each PADS dog. My personal goal is to raise $500 at this year’s ‘Walk & Roll For Independence’ August 24th in Burnaby’s Central Park. 100% of contributions go to meeting PADS fundraising budget goal of $591,000 for 2008.

PADS is proud to be Canada’s only fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI).

PADS does a good job so that dogs like me can do a good job. Please sponsor me and Tammy.

You can check out PADS website at http://www.pads.ca/ or contact me through my email, breeze@pads.ca for more information.

Thanks!
PADS Service Dog Breeze

Woof! Woof!

Wall-E

I went to the movies with Tammy last week. We saw Wall-E. Wall-E is a robot - he was cute, but no fur... And he runs on solar cells.

I run on treats and affection!



There was popcorn on the floor, but not as much as I'd have liked. I only managed to get one piece before Tammy caught me. Too bad popcorn is so noisy! It was dark enough that I could've sneaked a lot more, but it's so darn crunchy and loud!



Me and Wall-E actually have quite a bit in common; he doesn't talk much, either. We're both skilled at non-verbal communication. He uses his eyebrows a lot, just like me - Tammy calls me Miss Shifty Eyes. I talk with my growly growls and pouty mouth, doggie smile, and bouncy step, too.



Wall-E has cold metal hands, though, and my paws are soft and warm and furry. I'd rather be hugged by me than Wall-E any time.



Tammy says Wall-E is the best animated movie she's seen, and she's recommending it to everybody she knows.



That Wall-E sure is cute, but he doesn't out-cute me, and he can't out-perform me, either!