Posts Tagged: service dog

It’s My Birthday!

Posted April 24, 2023 | Aiden the Service Dog

As a diabetic alert dog, time is something I don’t understand. But apparently, I have walked through another human year and turn eight years old.

I love birthdays.

I know the sound of the song well. In fact, when I am in the company of someone who is having a birthday and the song is sung, my ears perk up.

I look around for the treats I am about to eat, but only get a regular kibble from Mom. Oh, well. I’m never disappointed when I get something from the treat bag.

Everyone says I’m getting old because I have some grey whiskers showing up on my chin. But most people think my brindle coloring is me turning grey.

Mom politely tells people it’s a rare genetic defect that gives me the look of muddy or grey paws and face.

Mom has a genetic defect too. But she quickly tells them it’s to her benefit since I’m extremely handsome because of it.

The thing about birthdays is, I get something called presents. Mom doesn’t wrap them up like she would for humans because I am not a destructive dog. I could never tear up paper or even de-stuff a toy, for that matter.

I live with an older small dog who would, and he will steal my new toys, but that’s for another story.

Until then, I’m going to enjoy this birthday thing and hope it lasts a long time.

A Little Rubber Disc and Ducks

Posted February 6, 2023 | Aiden the Service Dog

Recently I traveled to California, where Aunt Cindy took us to a hockey game.

I recognized the smells from the last time I visited.

From where we sat, I could barely see the rubber toy the players flung about on the ice below.

They were celebrating Chinese New Year with a party for the fans outside, where I sneaked in a kiss or two on some sweet cheerleaders.

In-between playtime periods, Mom introduced me to some over-the-top fans. One smelled suspiciously like my Uncle Rex, aka, Towel Man, complete with blinking lights.

Besides lots of people at this huge place, there were also ducks at this game, but I didn’t smell any feathers.

So Many Santas (A Service Dog’s Perspective on Christmas)

Posted December 26, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

I really enjoyed my Christmas season, exploring new places and meeting new friends and people everywhere I went with Christy.

My nose has been working overtime, smelling the scents of the season. Everywhere we have gone, I’ve met Santa Claus. The first place was at the mall.

Santa is a very nice man that I sniffed very closely and found to smell like cologne and candy canes.

Christy and I explored downtown Morristown and its variety of specialty shops and local businesses. Outside one of the shops, I met Santa again.

He smelled different from when I met him in the mall. His face was younger looking, and his beard smelled of synthetic fibers and aftershave.

Mom and I walked across the street to a bookstore. In the window I found the real reason for Christmas.

It is no wonder the Santas I met smelled differently. They were actors, portraying a mythical man. But as I sat in front of the bookstore window’s display, Mom gave me a treat and said, “This is why we celebrate Christmas.”

I wagged my tail as my doggy heart agreed.

Knead These Donuts

Posted November 28, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

It’s the time of year for sweet treats and I’m looking forward to having a few myself. Of course, they are the kind of treats a dog can eat. No people treats for me.

One day Mom and I visited a donut shop near us that has been voted the best one in our area for a few years, according to a poll taken by the local newspaper. It’s called Knead Donuts.

A sign on the door displays the shop’s hours from opening until they run out.

From what I hear, they are on high demand and sell out quickly.

I’m on a strict diet to stay in shape and there are rules a service dog must follow like ‘no table scraps.’ That’s okay, though. I get plenty of awesome duck jerky when I correctly alert my mom to a low blood sugar.

But today, Knead Donuts gave me a doggy donut.

I’m certain we’ll return to this dog-friendly shop for more tasty treats.

What’s With This Strange Little Cube?

Posted November 14, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

I love parties, especially the birthday kind.

My ears perk up and I get excited to hear the birthday song because I remember when it was first sung to me, and I know special treats are involved.

But this time, I didn’t get treats because it was not my birthday. It was Michael’s and he loves something called a Rubik’s Cube.

Mom brought her mixed up 25-year-old cube to Michael and he solved it within seconds. She called him a genius. I had to sniff out one of these cubes for myself.

I’m not sure what the draw is for this weird-looking toy. My paws can’t do anything with it. Since it doesn’t dispense treats or squeak and would be hard on my teeth if I chewed on it, I’m going to leave the solving of this cube to humans.

Can You Smell Fall?

Posted November 7, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

There aren’t many colors a dog can see, but I can certainly smell them.

Mom says it’s autumn and that’s why the trees are losing their leaves and I am trampling them under my paws. We have some very tall and old trees at our house and a blanket of leaves covers our front yard.

Outside it smells of decaying leaves, fresh rain, and squishy black mud. Mom dries me off after I’ve done my business in the rain. I leave muddy paw prints on the doormat.

The mornings are colder and Mom lets me up on the bed to snuggle before she gets up to start her day. I can tell the season is changing.

We took another road trip to Cumberland Gap where Mom left me in another state!

Another day we drove to North Carolina, and I saw elk for the first time.

Elk are really big creatures that we kept our distance from because the male had antlers you wouldn’t want to tangle with. He also was trying to get a girlfriend and made a long, loud noise like a dying squeaky toy.

Wherever you are, I hope you are enjoying the smells and sounds of fall as much as I am.

Mom Takes Me Everywhere

Posted September 26, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

As a dog, I love adventures. As summer comes to an end, my doggy heart fondly considers some of the fun things I encountered in our travels.

I was nearly swallowed by a fish hotel.

We also encountered a giant Swedish horse (or Dala, as they call it).

Mom has a few small ones of these in her kitchen as she says they represent her heritage.

There was this blue ox named Babe and her master, Paul Bunyan, that I met in Bemidji, Minnesota. I just wish they had a dog for me to play with.

There is a famous factory in Mom’s hometown, and I got to take a tour of it. They make cats of some kind, but I didn’t see any and the ones they make don’t have fur.

We explored Gatlinburg, Tennessee, where the biggest breakfast in town is served.

Then one day while Mom shopped for a new bed, I took a nap in a giant’s recliner.

I enjoy adventures, but sometimes, all I want to do is hang out at home. Mom says I’m becoming a true Southern dog, enjoying our front porch.

Water-Logged Dog

Posted September 5, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

Those of you who know me know how much I hate water.

When I first came to live with Christy, she had to smear peanut butter on the shower wall in order for me to get in the tub. Recently, we went on a long road trip where I encountered some water.

Christy’s BFF Janell took us and my furry friends, Cody and Frankie, to a place called Lake Superior. I stood, paws at the edge of the water and looked it over.

This lake thing reminded me of the ocean except there were no waves crashing and roaring.

I was having so much fun running in the sand, chasing my friends, when…

…I suddenly found myself in the water up to my knees! Mom was surprised. I was too.

A couple of days later, Mom insisted on taking me to the Mississippi River Headwaters at Itasca State Park in Minnesota.

She told me I could walk in the water to cross the Mighty Mississippi. That didn’t mean anything to me. All I heard was “water” and she wasn’t talking about getting a drink.

When I saw the log bridge, I knew walking across the trickling water would be easy, but then we went down a trail and I spied a row of rocks sticking out of the water. Uh-oh, I think my paws are going to get wet. What if I slip?

Mom told me she slipped the last time she was here, but she made sure the rocks weren’t slippery this time. She stepped in the water, tennis shoes and all, and I followed willingly.

At every rock, Mom gave me a treat.

I was in water again and my paws were soaked, but I was walking in the water to cross the great Mississippi River.

Having conquered two water attractions on this vacation and enjoyed them, I can call myself a true Minnesota tourist.

A Service Dog’s Travel Log

Posted June 20, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

Exploring is fun and filled with new smells. My nose goes on overload, but no matter how many different scents I smell, I keep focused on the main scent to keep my Mom’s blood sugars from dropping dangerously low.

I joined Christy on a ladies weekend trip to the Atlantic Ocean, a place called Myrtle Beach, where I met a pirate.

Running on the beach was a lot of fun.

Mom’s friend Tammy took us to a beautiful place called Brookgreen Gardens. I was on sensory smell overload for the greenery and fountains we encountered. The garden is known for its statues and artwork.

Many of them were of dogs. Christy pet one like it was real since it reminded her of Faith, a Great Dane mix she had when I first came to live with her. I gave her a big slurp to lick away her tears.

My favorite statue was the mama and baby bear.

Nearby was a sitting bench that Christy insisted I sit on. I’m not sure why, but she said she couldn’t resist making me look cute. Does this bench make me look cute?

I’m told we were staying in touristy town. I’m not sure what that means, but Christy took lots of pictures of me, including this one that reminded her I’m a lifesaver, no matter where we might find ourselves.

Even if we were swallowed by a shark – but that won’t happen because I do not like water!

Bigfoot is Alive and Well and Thriving in Tennessee

Posted June 13, 2022 | Aiden the Service Dog

I am finding that in Tennessee, the people celebrate everything. A dog could walk around a different festival every weekend and fill his nose with all kinds of good scents.

Recently Mom took me to a street fair in our new hometown of Morristown. While minding my own business and doing my job, my nose led me to a very large furry creature.

At first, Mom thought he might be a famous Star Wars character, but upon closer investigation, we found out Bigfoot was advertising another festival celebrating the big furry creature himself. And I thought he was supposed to be elusive.

On yet another day trip, Dad took Mom and me to a huge store called Bass Pro where I got close to some huge fish. In a giant aquarium.

The place was so big that I got a lot of exercise and took a rest on this crazy fish bench.

I could tell you I caught this huge fish using only my jaws and paws, but that would be what humans call a ‘fish story.’

Besides, if you know me by now, I’d never hurt a living creature. Also, I only eat dog food.