Hi Friends,

I like to keep with tradition, and in doing so, it has been a long time since I’ve added to my own blog. It’s time to post. I honestly can’t remember how much I’ve told you so if I’m over sharing at any point raise a paw. I’ll keep going no matter what, I just want to see how many paws are in the air by the time I get done. Oh, and this will not be in any kind of order, since Dad has refused to take notes on his phone. Mom has suggested it, but it’s like barking at the wind. Sooner (not an Oklahoma reference, relax.) or later, I think he’ll start using all those gadgets for good.

Okay, now I can’t get the Sooner reference out of my skull. Stuff like that hurts my smart bump! How many of you know why Oklahoma is the “Sooner State”, without using the inter-webs? I thought Connecticut being called the “Nutmeg State” was dumb (face paw).

Editor’s Note: Because during the Land Run there were people who jumped the gun (literally, took off before they shot the starting gun) to claim their land. They were nicknamed “Sooners” and became part of Oklahoma legend. That is also why the OU Sooners mascot is a covered wagon. Many of the land runners had everything they owned in a wagon for the race. Oh, and by the way, Casper….DUH 😉

I took a quick look at the blog because I love reading all of your comments here and on Facebook. I just wanted to extend my Happy Birthday to Lucy. For barking out loud, 19 years?! Congratulations you grouchy ole lady. Dad always says he plans on living over a hundred human years, and she is getting close (in kitty years). I now have a new goal to meet. I think it’s a good goal because Dad always gets sad when he thinks about the Rainbow Bridge for any of us.

I may have mentioned that we’ve made friends with Spirit Ranch in Tulsa to make sure Dad and I are up to muster in the way we work together. One of the items we are highlighting right now is my natural tendency to be anxious. We have been working A LOT on this. One of the recommendations was to be in environments where I’m not working, at least not the entire time. (Places where I could have my work clothes off and we can relax.) This way Dad doesn’t need to give work cues because he is safe. He learned that when I get anxious I look for him to talk to or touch. We have been making trips as often as we can to social places where I can just dog, as opposed to service-dog, and I’m still not totally chill, but I feel like I am improving.

We made another friend in a parking lot recently when we went to our local Atwoods (to replace a pooper scooper that turned in it’s resignation). We pulled in next to a pick-up that had a business decal set for K-9 training. In the past, we may have parked away from the truck on the chance there was a meeting and I decided to not remember my service-dog manners. This time we threw caution to the wind and unloaded. Right on cue the man comes out to his truck as we leashed. We chatted for a bit, and exchanged business cards. Oh yeah, all of this happened with his driver side door open and his dog looking right at me! I didn’t bark and neither did the other dog. He and Dad commented on my body language, but beyond that, dad says I did rally well. He and Dad are Facebook friends and hope to get together soon. I’m sure that means more work for me, but practice is fun when I can show everyone how smart I am.

Oh! Speaking of Dane smarts. Not that we were, but I brought it up, so we are now…

Last week we went to get the oil changed in my Pilot, and since that’s usually quick we were “waiters” so Momma didn’t have to load us into her CRV. As we sat in the waiting area I met several people who thought I was cool. (They’re right, of course!) One gentlemen Dad spoke to said his family raised several Danes and he was shocked that I was a Service Dog. Dad must’ve looked at him sideways because he corrected quickly to say HIS Danes would never have made the cut, so as not to imply I was not doing well. He was simply happy to see me working. Dad told him a bit about what we do, and how I help.

Soon we met another wonderful lady who has a teenage son with a developmental disability. He lives in a group home and is thriving. His parents had hoped that he’d be a fit for a dog like me someday but so far, it would not be helpful. Dad chatted with her for over an hour, sharing stories of life with disability. We probably shared a half dozen “Casper Cards” and maybe one day we will meet again. You never know, we live in the same town, and maybe I can be of service in a wonderfully unexpected way.

…Oh we ended up being there for so long because the service went from an oil change, to a tire rotation, then to a full 60,000 mile service and on top of that a full brake job on all four corners. (Wow, Right?)

Do I have any other stories?…Oh wait! Yes! I have BUNNIES!

No Mom didn’t buy bunnies. (Editor’s Note: Mom would LOVE to have pet bunnies, but knows our limits.)  We have a family of wild bunnies that come into my yard almost every night. That makes them mine, right? Of course it does. It is really fun watching Momma with her baby.

I think that baby might have a bit of Dane, it’s growing so fast! I haven’t tried to chase it, mostly because I know Momma would not be happy if I caught one. Majick, our black kitty, thinks it would be fun to try. She keeps sneaking out when I go out and takes off to the end of the patio. She is not an outside kitty, though, so she doesn’t get much past the patio before she freezes, thank goodness. I have a feeling she wants to get a taste of the bunny and Mom and Dad would be really upset about that.

Thanks for stopping in. I’m sure I have more stories, but it’s time for zoomies in the back yard.