Hi Friends –

I know I haven’t posted in awhile. Things just seem to be moving at a speed that’s even hard for me to keep up with, and you know how fast a Dane is right? I’m sure you’ve heard that we are getting ready to drive to Oklahoma. I’m tail-wag happy that I get to meet Mom’s family. She is an amazing woman so I have no doubt those that raised her are as well. Mom says I’m going to get to meet a lot of people and some new animal friends. Dad and I can’t wait to see what lies between New England and Oklahoma. I am so excited that I’ll get to share this with all of you. I know it’s going to be bark-tastic, but that’s looking ahead and you want to know what this secret service Dane has been up to, so let’s get to that.  

The past week has been filled with mostly boring routines.  Dad and I have been in the office all this week so I’ve been napping most of the time.  I’m sure I told you that we’ve been working on my stairs; that is going well and I’m getting much better at not taking several stairs at a time. This is good because when I first saw a full flight of stairs I wanted to take two or three at a time going up. (At home I can take 4 at a time when I race upstairs with the human puppies!) The down was more of a controlled fall according to Dad, and trust me he knows a controlled crash when he sees one. Dad says when he was a puppy his physical therapists specifically taught the art of crashing into the floor and how to do it with crutches and other items either on you or near you without breaking body parts. He must be a black-belt because he has never broken anything; unless you count his head, that’s been stitched several times, and may explain a few things for those of you who have met him in person.  (Don’t worry we can joke since we’re a team.)  We’ve been doing better on our walks. Dad is less anxious about me doing or not doing things and I’m figuring out that other dogs don’t always want to meet me, easpecially not when I pull and bark. I still pay attention but I’m quicker to get back to task these days. I’m even doing better with the fuzzy basement monsters, well at least when they are behind the cat gate. I’ve met them nose to nose and stayed calm for longer than I used to. Mom and Dad say good-boy. It can be hard not to lean over the gate and try to fit one in my mouth, though. One day soon I may even try not chasing after them when they are out and about the house, but it’s hard when they run. One day…one day. 

Dad has been telling Mom how well I’m doing at the gym too. I’m getting used to all the strange movements but I really don’t like the partner assisted stretch, it looks like Miss Jessica is going to hurt him so I always get in the middle. Dad always tells me calmly that he’s okay so I’m starting to believe him and trying to stay in my down-stay.

Last night our friend Claire came over for a visit. She’s going to look in on the basement monsters while we go on vacation. I was so glad to see her again. She was impressed with how calm I was at home. The first time we met, you may remember, was at her house after my Vet visit. That day I was super excited because she has a cute furry bunny in a cage that I wanted to play with. I was glad to show her a new side.

I need to run off and get back to looking after Dad, so please keep your tails wagging and your barks friendly until we meet next.

Tagged: balance and stability, basement monsters, big dog, cerebral palsy, controlled fall, dane, disability, disability awareness, dog, dog walks, family, first roadtrip, great dane, gym, home, human puppies, mobility, mobility dogs, Oklahoma, physical therapy, physical trainer, puppy, sdp, service animals, service dane, service dog, service dog at work, service dog project, service dog training, updates