Many times when people think about the job of a service dog, their focus is, understandably, on the needs of the person with disability. What many folks don’t consider, initially, is what it’s like for a dog to be a…
Do You Train Service Dogs?
Every so often I’ll receive an inquiry from a person about whether or not Maplewood Dog will help them train their service dog. To begin, let’s start with a few clarifying definitions: Service Animal: In the USA, a service animal…
8 Years
When I think back to how much life has changed in 8 years, I think ‘where has time gone?!’ I’ve been lucky and privileged enough to share the past 8 years with Tom. And hopefully will get to share may…
New Year, New Coat: DIY Dog Rain Coat
2018 is forecast to head out the door with a lot of rain. so Tom is ringing in 2019 with a new coat. It’s been raining a lot here these past couple of months. While I don’t much care about…
He’s in My Spot
By Tom Doesn’t he know he’s in my spot? The guy human who lives with us. Doesn’t he know? Why is he still home!? And still in my spot?! I tried to shove him out. I tried to sit on…
Capacity to Normalize
If you haven’t seen it already, Pick of the Litter is a cute, educational film. A documentary that follows from birth through formal training at matching a litter of future guide dog puppies from Guide Dogs for the Blind out…
Not Being Terrible Cookies
The past couple of weeks have been busy and chaotic. Between a brief VT vacation around labor day, workshops to teach, a steady stream of extra dogs, starting a new volunteer gig (that is Amazing!!), agility trials and oh Tom…
Strong Opinions
Tom can be a very opinionated fellow. Makes what he wants very well known. Amazing how one so silent, can be so clear. Take for example today’s walk. There is a small couple block neighborhood about a mile up the…
Summer vacation
Sometimes I forget how nice (and needed) it is to get away from the house until we go. One of my best friends was graduating from Canine Companions for Independence with her very first service dog and invited us to…