Bath Dog, Wet Dog- Sweet and Silly

Chimi and I have officially been an assistance dog team for two months now. This has been a difficult week for me. I developed an infection that required a round of depressing antibiotics. I slept or read a book most of the time so Chimi had some pretty dull days. To make up for that I took him to the MCH playground three days this week. The play ground is fenced in and the youth I visit enjoy being able to interact with Chimi out of harness. Needless to say Chimi needed a bath and it was time for one anyway. One night this week I fell coming back from the bathroom. Chimi came quickly to help without being commanded. He has never done that at night before. I think that means our bond is stronger. He even seems more interested in playing fetch with me.
He also made me laugh. Since I was not feeling well and was not following the routine schedule. I had some sort of play time every day for activity. I was throwing his cuzz ball in the bedroom. (Anything breakable was broken long before Chimi came along by me or the cats) The Cuzz Ball bounced off one of those springy door stops. It spung into action and Chimi playfully attacked it! The door stop is now a spring with no stopper.
I completed Chimi's second monthly report and shared some of the obstacles Chimi and I are facing even as our bond grows stronger. The other KSDS graduates encouraged me and reminded me to stick to the basics of training. Chimi and I will get back into the routine this week. We will be teaching 5th and 6th grade Sunday School the month of July!

Strange Bed fellows

I have not felt well today. I have been in and out of the bed and the bathroom. This picture perfect moment made me feel better though. Chimi and the cats are fleeing more and more at home with one another. Chimi had his first hair trim in Louisiana yesterda.y Thanks to the kindness of one of the techs at Chimi vet. I got a little road rash because Chimi was so happy to visit the vet. He was out of harness and I fell in the parking lot. When he is in harness he wants to take one slow step at a time with me. When he is out of harness, He is in hurry like me. The next trip to the vet we will wear the harness into the office until time to take it off.

New Harness

Chimi's new assistance dog harness from ldsleather.com arrived today! My friends Judy and Sarbeth helped get all the new patches and his tags attached. I took this picture with my cell phone I hope to take a better looking one with me Chimi and his new harness and stuff all together. We will both be all dressed up. This harness requires more fine motor skill from me to fasten on but it stays in place better than the velcro and I like the taller sturdier handle much better. Hopefully Chimi will not have to work so hard to balance me with this one The change will be another adjustment for Chimi. We were just learning to manage and move together with the old one. Will practice walking together with the new one at CCC tomorrow I need to groom Chimi

2 months of Team Work

As of today Chimi and I have been training/ bonding together for two months. Chimi sleeps on the bed with me now in Bubby's old spot! (Redia you won the bet!) Buddy sleeps on me now! Buddy comes to bed after Chimi gets comfortable and still. Buddy gets up when Chimi repositions himself but then Buddy jumps up and lays down next to me and goes right back to sleep. Chimi and the cats seem to take turns sharing me with each other. Buddy likes to play in Chimi's kennel. (It looks and sounds like a cat playing in a dry bathtub!) The other night the cats knocked all the supplies off the top. I am use to cat nighttime play . However, I now lock the kennel even if Chimi does not sleep in it, to cut down on the noise.

Chimi has also began to associate me with "Mama."

Chimi went for his monthly weigh in at the vet yesterday. I took him out of harness because he also got a lime disease vaccine. He had great fun greeting the staff. The clinic has high counters like at a bank. Chimi loves to stand on his hind legs and lean over to say hello!
Chimi goes back to have his nails done and his hair trimmed this Wednesday. Lisa, one of the vet tech raises and shows golden retrievers and has volunteered her skills and experience.

Chimi has gained 12 ounces. We have started walking to MCH 4 days a week to read with one of my former students and He has play time every afternoon. But it looks like he may need even more activity to keep his weight good.

Chimi attended a retirement party with me and visited TBC library with me this week I hope tp add a few pictures to the blog soon.
Please pray for the people suffering storm damage up north in Kansas and Iowa. Knowing people in the area now makes me more aware.

Family and Friends and Food

It is been awhile since I posted because I have been busy the last week or so visiting family and friends. My sister Tammy and my nieces Channon and Hannah visited me and Chimi last week. They are the first in my family to meet him. Channon spent the week and Hannah slept over Thursday night. Their presence lived up Chimi's play time! He even went to the MCH play ground for the first time Friday. Chimi and Channon hit it off fast. Channon said she is glad she does not live close enough to Chimi to see him regularly because it is hard to ignore him. I saw first hand, how quickly Chimi could connect with someone else even just during out of harness time. I will have to be stricter with the rules during Channon's next extended visit, even when Chimi is out of harness. I also saw how strong an animals bond becomes with their person by watching both Chimi and the cats interact with me and Channon. Someday, Chimi will have as strong a bond to me as Sissy and Buddy do.
Chimi also went to his first Vacation Bible School. This past Wednesday I was the guest story teller for the story in Luke 5 of the Healing of the Paralytic. It was a great way to introduce the CCC kids to Chimi. The second graders got a demonstration of how I "dress" and "undress" Chimi. The fifth and six grader's asked great questions about Chimi.
Chimi and Channon and I also went for a snow cone ride with my friend Lucy and he boys Lucas, Jonah, and Eric. Jonah is 3yrs old and is afraid of dogs so Chimi scrunched in the floor at my feet. Chimi did well and Jonah did not panic.
This past Saturday Chimi went to his first formal luncheon. He was very well behaved and more relaxed than me. I used the wrong spoon!
Today Chimi meet my friend Stacey from Alexandria and he went to Chilli's for the first time.
Yesterday, Chimi and I had playtime in the rain! Today I even saw a rainbow! It has been very hot and dry lately.
Channon and I took Chimi pictures during her visit. I hope these pictures develop well. The flash on the roll I took at KSDS did not work right so the pictures are too dark to see.