Domino Service Dogs

Every year my family celebrates Independence Day in Keenesburg, Colorado. On the third of July, we packed up a cooler loaded up all of our service dogs and went to watch the Fireworks show.  When we got there we met up with my friend Jacob, his family and friends for a barbecue.

First I spent some time playing and working with Talia. We went for a walk, played some fetch, worked on a few commands and snuggled up in a chair.

A little later Katie, Jacob’s mom, grilled hamburgers, hot dogs and corn on the cob. Katie is a great cook and all the food was really good. After we finished eating Jacob, his little sister Chloe, and I went for a walk at the fair grounds. We took Badger with us and left Talia with my mom.

When the sun finally went down the fireworks show started. Badger was shaking because she hates loud noises. Talia just settled right down and watched the show with me. In the end it was a perfect day.

On May 23, 2010 we loaded up the truck and left our house around 10am with Badger, Jasper and Talia. We made it to the airport by 11:30am. When I got out of the truck it was so windy I cold hardly stand up without blowing away! It was a good thing I had my wheelchair because I don’t think I could have walked all the way to the hanger with the wind blowing that hard. When we went into the hanger to register for my flight the lady at the desk told me that she had seen three other people with service dogs that day. She also said it was way too windy to fly the airplanes but we could go for a ride in a helicopter today and fly another day when the weather was better. Then she gave me a cool t-shirt that had a picture of an airplane and said Challenge Air on it.

After I received my boarding pass we all went over to the food booth to get some lunch. All the food had been generously donated by The Lions Club. The volunteers from The Lions Club were serving hamburgers, sub sandwiches, chips and soda. The food was really great and it sure was nice of them to provide such a great lunch for us.

As soon as we finished eating it was time to go outside and board the helicopter. My mom had planned to take care of the dogs while Justin, Allison and I went for a helicopter ride but several of the volunteers offered to stay with the dogs so that she could go with us. I honestly think my mom was looking forward to staying with the dogs since she doesn’t like to be up in the air. She doesn’t even like to climb a ladder or walk over a bridge because it make her feel really dizzy. My mom was a good sport though and decided to go with us anyway. The helicopter ride was an amazing experience! Even my mom enjoyed the helicopter ride!

A few weeks later Challenge Air contacted my mom to let her know that they had rescheduled my flight. On the day of my flight Badger and my mom weren’t feeling very well so they stayed home to take care of each other. My dad got to go with me instead which was great because I was hoping he would be able to go. My dad thinks planes are awesome and I knew he would really enjoy watching me fly.

As soon as we arrived at the airport it was time for us to board our plane. Justin and Allison sat in the back seats and I got to sit in the co-pilot seat. There were so many planes that day that we had to wait on the runway for 15 minutes before we could finally take off. As soon as we got up in the air the pilot let me fly the plane. It was a very exciting experience! When we were flying over this huge lake the pilot told me to turn the plane. He had me continue turning the plane until the plane was on its side. My brother and sister were so scared! I could hear my big brother Justin from the back seat saying, “Oh my god! We are going to die!” I have to admit I was a little scared too! When the pilot landed the plane it was very bumpy and while I had a great time I can honestly say that it felt really good to be back on the ground. I sure do hope Challenge Air puts this event on again next year because I can’t wait to do it again!

Our weekend adventure began at 3:30 pm on a Friday afternoon. My Mom and Dad picked my sister and I up at school and our family was off for a much deserved weekend of fun and relaxation. We arrived at The Cheyenne Mountain Resort in Colorado springs at 6:00 pm. Our room was located on the bottom floor. We had a wonderful view of the lake from the deck. Badger settled in and made herself at home right away.

Our entire family was starving so we decided to head over to the main lodge for dinner. Everybody loved Badger! Especially the doorman! After we finished our dinner we decided to go on a tour of the resort. While we were looking around we saw two metal bear statues and a giant outdoor swimming pool. We finished off the evening by returning to our rooms and watching a movie together. 

We awoke the next morning to a beautiful sunny day. After breakfast we headed out to visit the Anasazi Cliff Dwellings. It was really cool! You could crawl into the cave like structures and see what the inside of their homes looked like. Before we left we stopped by the gift shop where my Dad bought me a wolf t-shirt and hat. Next we tried to go on a tour at the Cave of the Winds but it is a long, long walk and there was no way I could take my wheelchair. I offered to stay behind with my Mom so that Allison, Justin and my Dad could go but they would not hear of it. We had come to have a family vacation and a family vacation included all of us. So we headed off  to see the Dinosaur Museum instead. The tour guide told us all about the different dinosaurs. I learned that Veloci Raptors had excellent vision and worked together as a team. That is what made them such excellent hunters. We finished our day with a stop at Red Robin for dinner and then headed back to the resort where we all fell asleep.

On Sunday we awoke to find that it was snowing. After we ate breakfast we loaded up the truck and went to see the Garden of the Gods. We were able to see most of the park from the comfort of our car. Then we saw a giant rock that Justin, Allison and I wanted to climb. My Mom was a little worried about it, but she said that it would be okay a long as I took Badger with me. Do you know what happened? Badger didn’t even hesitate she just pulled me right up to the top of that rock. Badger is an amazing service dog. Before we left we stopped at the gift shop where I got a Garden of the Gods blanket to share with Badger. All the activity made us hungry so we found a local Italian Restaurant and ordered a couple pizzas. When our stomachs were full we headed back to the resort where we went for a swim and played a few games of pool.

On Monday morning is was time to pack up our suitcases and head home. On the way, we stopped at a Village Inn and had some lunch. As we finished eating our waitress said “your dogs are so well behaved! It’s obvious that they are real Service Dogs.” My mom asked her what she meant by that statement and she proceeded to tell us a story. Apparently a few weeks earlier a lady had brought her Service Dog in during lunch time. When the food arrived she let the dog sit on the seat next to her and eat from the table. Several of the customers began complaining and the waitress did not know what to do about it. I sure am glad that the staff at the Village Inn did not assume that our dogs would behave poorly because of their prior experience with another Service Dog.

All though our trip was so much fun, it felt really good to finally be back home. Badger was happy to be home too. I know because as soon as we got there she started rolling around on her back all over the grass and I thought to myself I know exactly how you feel Badgy Bear.

Badger and I have been working very hard for 2 1/2 years to graduate from the Guild Assistance Dog Program.  Badger had acquired all the skills she needed but we still didn’t have all the hours we needed. The Guild Assistance Dog Program requires a minimum of 136 hours of dog training class in order to graduate from their service dog program. 136 hours may not seem like a lot but I can tell you that it takes a very long time to spend that much time in dog class. When I passed my public access test I learned that Badger and I were ready to graduate. We finally had all the hours we needed. As soon as I got home I ripped all the “in training” patches off of Badger’s vest.

A few weeks earlier I had told my mom that the only thing I wanted for Christmas was for Badger and I to graduate from GAP Dogs. I couldn’t believe that my dream was about to come true! Badger was finally going to be a certified assistance dog.

On December 20, 2009 my whole family came to Molholm Elementary School to watch as Badger and I participated in the graduation ceremony. My best friends Jacob and Chloe where there too.  The event was also attended by three of the teachers from my school Mrs. Cole,  Mrs. Vroom and Mrs. Kester. Mr. Ewing, the principal of my school even came. I am so lucky to have so much support.

Eight teams graduated that day and I was very glad that my turn was last. When I went up to receive my dog I was so happy that I wanted to give Mike and Robin a big hug.

After the ceremony we all gathered in the cafeteria to enjoy some deserts. When I walked into the cafeteria I saw the biggest cake in the whole world! It said “Congratulations Caitlin and Badger”.

As I sat there eating a big piece of cake I thought about all the hard work it took for Badger and I to get to this day. I thought to myself  that today was the best day ever. There was one more surprise though, my sister Allison brought me a small gift. When I opened the box and saw what was inside I started to cry. It was a beautiful locket and the back was engraved with the date and Badger’s name.

A wise man once said that after graduation the hard work that brings you to this day isn’t over. In fact it is just the beginning of the rest of your life together. That wise man was Mike, one of my dog class teachers.

On October 24, 2009 Badger and I went on a field trip to the Southwest Plaza Mall. We were running a little late so when we arrived my Mom quickly unloaded and set up my wheelchair. I attached Badger to my chair and she pulled me into the mall.

We met up with the other people in class and we were off to ride the elevator up to the second floor. I started thinking it was a little strange that Robin was following us around. She even asked me to give Badger commands at different times, which wasn’t all that unusual, except for the fact that she wasn’t asking anyone else to give their dogs commands. She also had several strangers come up to Badger and pet her.

Then we were off to the food court where all the dogs had to walk over some french fries that someone had spilled on the floor. Service dogs are not allowed to sniff spilled food in public places. Badger did great! We all sat down drank a soda and then we were on our way back to the car.

Robin followed us the whole way. After I loaded Badger into the car Robin told me that she had been giving Badger her public access test and she had passed. From now on Badger is a certified service dog and I could now remove all the “in training” patches from her vest.

This was an incredible day! Badger and I had been working toward this goal for 2 1/2 years. We spent over 136 hours in dog class, went on many field trips and passed several tests. We did it! I still can hardly believe it!

There are 40 parts to a public access test. In order to pass a service dog team must score at least 80%. Badger and I scored 100%. We sure are a great team! Sometimes dreams really do come true!

On Friday August 7th my Mom took us to the carnival at the Adams County Fair. We arrived at the carnival around 3 o’clock in the afternoon. We stopped by my friend Jacob’s camper to pick him up. When we arrived at the camper Jake was camping in we realized that his step sister was there too. So we took them both with us and went off to enjoy the rides.

I love to go to carnivals. I love to ride the rides. I love the way they make you afraid and happy all at the same time. I like to close my eyes and  hold on tightly to the bar when I go on the roller coaster. I like to ride the ferris wheel because it goes so high in the air that you can see the whole park all at the same time. The other thing that I really like about carnivals is the cotton candy.

On this particular day I rode the Ferris Wheel twice. The second time I got on the Ferris Wheel it broke down way up in the air. I must admit I was a little bit nervous. After all I wondered if they didn’t get it working again how would they get me down? I also rode the Pheonix, Twister and the Dragon. Of course, Badger didn’t ride on any of the rides. They were all way too scary for Badger.

Instead Badger would lay down next to my wheelchair and wait for me. When I got off the ride she would pull me to the next ride and the process would start all over again. At the end of the day Badger and I were really tired. I think Badger was also really hungry. One of the vendors at the carnival saw all the hard work Badger had done. So before we went home he gave me two hot dogs to feed to her. The nice man didn’t even charge me for them.

On August 3rd, 2009 Badger and I were off to participate in the Adams County Fair. It was an all day event. I had a great time showing my vegetables and my interview with the judge went great! I learned a lot about vegetables too. When it was all over my project board took the reserve champion award for my age group. To make it an even better day grand champion went to my good friend Jacob and my sister Allison took grand champion in her age group.

The best part of my day was when the competition was all over and I got to spend some quality time with one of my fellow competitors. We had a lot in common such as our wheelchairs. We wheeled all over the fairgrounds together checking out all the cool exhibits. He was amazing the way he knew how to do wheelies. He could maneuver his wheelchair over any obstacle. I learned a lot about getting around in my wheelchair that day and I hope he learned a lot about service dogs. Maybe someday we’ll run into each other and get the opportunity to hang out again. I sure do hope so!

Today I got up early took a shower and got dressed. I got Badger dressed in her usual red vest and put her in the truck. I decided I needed to go back into the house and get some mints. When I got back Jasper had jumped into the truck through the door I had left open. Jasper climbed into the back seat and laid down on the floor as if to say don’t forget I’m supposed to go too. So we had to take him with us. My mom is just sure I planned the whole thing but I swear that I didn’t.

After we arrived the first order of business was to get Badger to walk across the long metal floor. Badger doesn’t like to walk on anything shiny or that looks like a vent. The floor we have to cross to get to physical therapy is both shiny and looks like a vent. I think Badger is afraid we might fall through it. The first time we went to physical therapy it took about 5 minutes to get her to step on the floor. When she finally did she quickly cut across the corner where there was a different kind of tile. Today Badger didn’t even hesitate as you can see in the picture she just walked right across the floor. I guess the extra time we spent the first day sure paid off!

When I got into therapy I had a lot of work to do. I had to push my legs against a wall in order for my back to move away from the wall. After I got done with that exercise I had to lunge forward and throw a ball to my mom. Then I had to kneel down and do the same thing. After my exercises I had to ice my knee for 15 minutes. I hate going to physical therapy because it makes me sore. My mom says it will make me stronger and when I get stronger my leg won’t hurt so much. I sure do hope she’s right.

When we left Physical therapy my mom took me out for lunch at Wendy’s. I like going to Wendy’s because everyone there is always nice and they don’t make a big deal about my service dog. Badger was perfect like always. That was pretty much mine and Badger’s day.

Today I turned 11 years old. In honor of the big event my mom and I went to the hair salon and out for lunch. We decided to get our hair cut at Cost Cutters since it was close to our lunch destination. The minute we walked in the door I saw the look come across the ladies faces. If you have any experience with service dogs you know the one I’m talking about. It’s the look that says you are not welcome here. Fortunately my mom has become extremely good at dealing with the usual discussion that follows that look. A short conversation later and we were both seated. Phew! That was a close one!

Before my haircut began I put Badger in a down stay near the chair and she stayed there the entire time. She didn’t move a muscle. Not even when the lady turned on the blow dryer. Badger didn’t even itch and believe me when I tell you that Badger is an itchy dog. I am so proud of her.

And do you know what? It turned out that the ladies that cut our hair were actually really nice. They just needed to understand the access rights of persons with disabilities. My mom always says it’s amazing what a little education can do.

I was a little bit worried but today turned out to be a great day after all!

Every year our little town called Keenesburg puts together an awesome fireworks show. This year we went with several of our neighbors. We all ate hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and ice cream. It was really tasty.

When we were done eating I took Badger down the slide a few times. Badger doesn’t really like the slide but she goes down it for me. She is such a good dog. My mom also took Jasper down the slide too. Jasper loves to go down the slide.

When it stared to get dark I began to worry about Badger. I love fireworks but Badger usually gets really scared and starts to shake. This year Badger did awesome! She was a little afraid at first but then she laid down and let me use her for a pillow.

Today was a great day at the park with family and friends!

On June 27, 2009 I went to Lakeside Amusement Park for dog class with my best friend Jacob. I was so exited! Lakeside is one of my favorite places because I love to go on rides. The white roller coaster is my favorite. I also love to take Badger on the train.

When we got there my big brother Justin got my wheelchair out of the truck for me so I could set it up for badger to pull me around. As soon as I was ready we went to the ticket booth and bought wrist bands to ride all the rides.

Our class assignment was to see if the dogs would be scared of the rides. Of course Badger wasn’t afraid of anything. At 12:45 we all met up to ride the scenic train around the lake. They wouldn’t let the service dogs get on the train. I couldn’t believe it! We all rode the train last year. In fact, Badger and I rode the train twice last year.

Since my family won’t support a place that discriminates against people with disabilities, we had to get refunds for our wristbands. We had a picnic at the park instead. Still it was a real bummer.

All in all today was a very disappointing day!