Sunday, March 15, 2015

Hiking is Hard Work!

As part of my medical treatment plan, I have been instructed to start exercising more often. As much fun as just exercising at home really is, I decided that this spring/summer/fall, Waldo and I would take up hiking! I took advantage of the first real non-winter day and loaded the car up for a trip to the Middle Creek Wildlife Preserve for a day of hiking.

There is an actual welcome center when you get to the site. Inside, there is an area for children and an observation area in addition to the museum. Waldo and I first went hiking on the conservation trail. Waldo was very distracted by the wildlife, but we did spend a lot of time focusing on loose-leash walking and leave it. Luckily, I did not end up falling, but he did pull me a down a couple hills...

After going on the trail, we then proceeded to the observation area next to the lake. There were a lot of interesting people and dogs. We tried to get a glimpse of the waterfowls, but they were a bit too far for us to see. I'm including some photos of our trip.














There weren't that many waterfowl left, but it was interesting to see how many people were interested in watching these birds. We might go back when it is warmer, but for the distance, I think that Waldo and I have a lot of interesting options closer or the same distance that we still need to hike! We will definitely return, but for now, we will be trying out a few more trails in the mean time.

Thursday, March 12, 2015

Everyone Loves a Puppy: Taking a Puppy Into Public




When I first started taking Waldo into public, I was worried about how he would react to new situations and sounds, but now, it's the people around me that bother me more. I have found that most people are curious and supportive of him and even though he always draws attention to us, that doesn't really bother me. (I had a bright red pixie cut for a while. People stared at me more then.) For me, I try to take Waldo out on most of my errands, but there are many problems that can happen even when you legally can bring a dog with you... Or some interesting situations. 

1. People can't keep their hands off of him!
I might be walking or standing still in a store and people will B-line to him. Or even worse, they will call to him. If you ask, he can say hello, but stop grabbing him. I assume the harness makes people feel at ease, but it's inappropriate and is sometimes painful for the person with the leash! 

2. Everyone talks about you
It doesn't matter where you are, every person is talking about you. I try to imagine that they are discussing the importance of service animals or something similar, but it's usually about how cute he is or how big his feet are... I get it. He's going to be huge. 

3. You will hear about every lab they've ever known. 
Labs are great. Can I buy my milk?

4. People Will Look at You as an Imposter
I've felt offended in two different situations. The first was in Panera when this manager had to deal with a customer who complained. She asked and I explained and she was fine with it. The couple, who were sitting near me, complained and made her take out her manual. The second time was at a Perkins. The very moment I walked into the door, the manager demanded paperwork. He then continued to glare at me. It was unprofessional and awkward. I had my friend pay and I took waldo outside after we ate. 

5. Children Love Puppies and You'll Hear All About It
And they will beg to play with him. And scream.

6. Stereotypical Tough Men Also Love Puppies and They Will Want to Pet Your Puppy
And they melt over them. It's endearing.

7. People Will Remember You
This is similar to when I had red hair. People just remember you wherever you go. And they also comment on how big he has gotten. He's going to be a big dog. I get it. 

8. If A Person Knows Anyone With a Service/Guide Dog, They Will Tell You About It. 
And they all know someone. Time I will never get back. "Sir, I have somewhere to go and I don't know you or your half-sister's father-in-law's best friend's step-son nor do I want to know his life story."

9. Do you get paid for this? Everyone seems to need know this and are shocked by the answer. 
I get paid in slobbery puppy kisses. 

10. How Are You Going to Be Able to Give Him Up? I Wouldn't Be Able To...
Good thing you aren't going to...

And finally, 

THROW YOUR CIGARETTE BUTTS IN THE GARBAGE SO I DO NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT WALDO EATING THEM. 

But It Tasted So Good: Socks are For Feet Not For Eating







































The weekend after Thornwald got back from his puppy sitter, he started acting lethargic and uninterested. At first, I thought he was just tired, but he started to walk with his head down, and by Tuesday, he started vomiting. This morning, I brought him to the vet and they did a x-ray and saw a sock (or a sock-like object) in his colon.

 

He is currently staying at the vet while they try to remove the sock. Hopefully, they will not have to resort to surgery. If he starts to feel better by the weekend, I have a few activities planned (light of course) for him. I just hope he starts to feel better soon!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Tracking Purchases/Mileage for Susquehanna Service Dogs

While raising Waldo, it is important to track the money that I spend and the miles that I drive towards his training. This year, I started with an envelope that I kept all my receipts, but I soon realized that come next March, I'd be kicking myself for it. I needed a better solution.

I realized that every receipt needed to be easily found, but a monthly report would be best when actually preparing taxes. I decided that I would enter each receipt into an excel spreadsheet. I would include the date, amount, store, items purchased, and file number. For each receipt, I assigned a file number so that I would be able to easily find any receipt if I need to reference it at a later time. This way I wouldn't have to worry about finding the dates and keeping the receipts in order. If you've ever combed through receipts, you probably realize how different each receipt is concerning date and amount. An uniform number at the top right of every receipt allows a clean, easy organization system. I will organize these receipts by uniform packs of receipts that are labeled with their contents. This way, the small papers won't fall around. I haven't quite decided where I am storing the receipts, but I will most likely use a small shoe box organizer on my bookshelf.

This system will be great when doing my taxes next year for receipts, but what about mileage?

I will be tracking my mileage in another page of the same workbook in excel.  I'm going to state the date, the purpose, and the miles. This will keep all the information together in one file!

I hope my ideas help you and I will update this post with pictures once I take them!

Sunday, March 8, 2015

The Small Dog with a Big Heart: Our Car Accident



On Friday morning, I was driving from downtown Lancaster and slid into the back of another vehicle. This last storm had ended over 24 hours prior, and I was in second gear, going 15 mph, and was over a car's distance from the car in front of me. There was a red light so I started to slow down and my car kept going. The rest is quite obvious. This post is not about my misfortune, but about how Waldo handled the situation. 

My dear Thornwald (Waldo) did not react to the accident. I hurried to get him out of the back of the vehicle. He reacted the way that I thought he would... by exploring the area and trying to meet anyone that stopped to see if we were okay. He was very well behaved and stayed close to me. I was worried being so close to the road, but Waldo stuck very close to me the whole time. I have a panic disorder and I have had severe panic attacks in less severe situations. After I had dealt with the phone calls and tow truck, Waldo and I climbed into the tow truck and he calmly placed his head on my lap. He is usually more energetic when in new situations, but he just sat there calmly. He looked up at me with the sweetest look. He calmed me down and prevented me from having a panic attack. I could not believe how he understood his role so quickly. 


The next few months are going to be very difficult for me, but I know with Waldo by my side, I will be able to get through them. If you would like to help me support Waldo during the next few months, I have setup a GoFundMe page where you can donate. Any amount is helpful, but do not worry if you cannot. Your thoughts and prayers are enough.

Thank you for your support, Waldo and I both appreciate it. 




Esther and Waldo



Monday, March 2, 2015

2015-The Year of Giving Back

Waldo and I have a lot of fun together, but sometimes, we need to give back a little. I've decided to dedicate my life to giving back to the community this year so we are going to focus on shelters-both human and animal. Right now, we are couponing free items to donate and I hope to make some toys for the animals of the shelters. Hopefully, we can do a lot this year!