He likes to shop!

My dog loves to shop! a little too much. he can be in the backseat after a long day of errands and then you can ask him if he'd like to go to the store and he perks right up. But I'm getting off track What I meant to write about was our visit to value village today. And how SOMEBODY (cough INDY cough)crawled under the door of the changing room when I was trying something on and scared the heck out of me. So he may usually sound all innocent and sweet but there is a ball crazy trouble maker under that work vest just waiting to get out. silly silly boy.

We also have to be careful with blow bubbles I like to blow bubbles but HE loves to EAT them! I was a little worried when we first found out but now it's one of his little quirks and is he quirky. He also licks anything and everything the floor my jeans my toes me in general.

well that's it for tonight folks

Chloe and Indy

Mister Overprotective.

So we were at dog school tonight when a very energetic dog decided to approach Indy and me. What does my wonderful well socialised dog do a sorta snarl slash growl at this innocent golden retriever. I was so confused. Then the trainer explained, he's being protective of me. He doesn't want the other dog to hurt me or knock me over. he's being a little bit overprotective to my mind. But now I understand other things he's done like move around me sometimes to get between me and others. Just another aspect of life with my furry genius. though I wonder how he'll handle visiting my brother and his exuberant border collie

Chloe and Indy

I feel good!

What a day! First Indy and I had our first trip on the Handi-Bus. I was nervous about how he would handle it. But he handled it like a champ, he stood up once but other then that was fine, especially considering how different it is to his usual mode of transport, buckled into the van next to me. The bus took us to the library for our first semi solo trip, we were being shadowed by my aide who only has one week left with me before she leaves for college in the states. Turned out okay hopefully he'll listen better after we clean his ears out tomorrow. He's still at odds with the cat.

In the afternoon we went to have our picture taken with one of the members of the organization that paid for him. And I was very happy and proud to be able to take my semi heavy tin bank filled with what I had been saving to help pay for Indy to make a donation. I don't remember exactly how much was in it around fifty dollars I think. all I know is it felt really good to give back to them and hope that I could help them help someone else. Our family has chosen that as our favorite charity and hope to help with fundraising in the future as they help families with kids who fall between the cracks. They've helped another family get an autism service dog and how ironic we shared an aide this summer. It was amazing to go and tell them all Indy has helped me do in the short time he's been here.(Three weeks tomorrow!)and about things I hope to do with him like attend a sleep away summer camp next summer something I never thought I could do. with Indy I could eventually maybe even hold down a job. that would be a miracle.

Chloe and Indy

Our First.

Well yesterday we had to go into M&Ms to get some chicken. Now M&Ms is run by a family my family knows so when Miss Am said hi dog has to stay out said I was able to tell her calmly. Indy's a service dog and can go anywhere I go except operating rooms and restaurant kitchens. And then I showed her the card our trainer gave us with the provincial law on it. so we handled our first Access Challenge with out tears a panic attack or a meltdown. I was so proud of myself! and of him.

Yesterday we also had our first day of doggy school which we are doing to socialise him and give me confidence and we lasted the whole hour. He wasn't sure about the other dogs but that might have been because I was so nervous. but on the whole we did well.

Chloe and Indy

Did you know?

Did you know that many people assume that a person with a service dog is blind?

Did you know it takes tremendous willpower not to say somthing sarcastic to prove them wrong? Even when the person saying that is a child?

Did you know that it can be tiring to be asked about your dog all the time?

Did you know that after you get a service dog you become paranoid about their health? or aleast I do.

Did you know that even though I and many others like me are called disabled we are not broken and don't need fixing? (well unless you want to wave a magic wand and give me a new pair of knees.)

Did you know that I enjoy seeing through my aspergers coloured glasses sometimes.

Did you know that I see my developmental disability as God giving me a license to be me to not have to be like my peers and watch House or C.S.I but Winnie the Pooh, Roy Rogers and all that good stuff. He gave me a reason to not have to play keep up with the Jones's.

Chloe and Indy

Two weeks today! He really wants to work!

It's been two weeks today hard to believe that it's only been two weeks but it's also hard to believe that is already been two weeks. In these two weeks I've gone to the library a bunch of times. Learned a bunch about myself and my dog. Realized that I can tell someone not to pet my dog because he's working.

I've said it before and I'll probably say it again because it's true, but Indy really loves to work! This morning Indy just came up to me with his vest in his mouth. So I took it from him asked him if he wanted to go to work and put it on him. He was so happy. He truly is happiest when he's working or helping out.

Chloe and Indy

Can a dog hold a grudge?

It's been a rather long day here. We were out and about all afternoon. First to the lab for blood work then to the diagnostic imaging center for x-rays, followed by an appointment then a trip to mom's work to meet her colleagues and then to pick dad up from work.

Indy got mad and stopped wanting to work by the third stop, A) because he thought I was going to leave him with mom in a waiting room again, B) he knew I was done.
It's amazing how in tune with me he can be. He also got mad at me and stopped listening to me yesterday because I didn't officially put him to work so after dinner Dad ended up taking us to the library unexpectedly.

So now I've decided that any day that we aren't going anywhere that I'm going to put his vest on for an hour or so and get him to help me around the house and see if that works. He REALLY needs to be needed.

Chloe and Indy

Things I haven't done in years! and Blessed

Having Indy has given me the opportunity to do things I haven't been able to do in years. Things like eat in at a restaurant during near peak hours, or go to the horse races, and new things like go into the library by myself.

I couldn't have done these things before him because of sensory reasons and anxiety reasons. but now with him I'm trying new things.

It isn't always easy though. Like when we went into the library just the two of us to make a quick pick up because I had something on hold. We were waiting in line and a young gentleman comes up and just starts petting him. I'm not exactly proud of the way I handled it I say that right now although my folks say I did alright. I asked him to stop distracting my dog because he was working. And then I told him that distracting someones service dog could put them at jeopardy. Although it isn't an excuse in my defense it had been a very long day.

That same day though I ate in at McDonald's for the first time in YEARS.

On the weekend we went to the local racetrack to be at a fundraiser for the therapeutic stable I ride at. I hadn't been to the race's in years and to think when I was ten I'd had dad tripling my allowance. I couldn't handle the races they were too loud but I stayed at the booth and lasted the whole fundraiser. Indy did wonderful! He barked once when he saw the horses but we told him he couldn't do that and he completely ignored the untrained dog who wanted to play with him.

He has done so much for me and it's just been over a week. Not only is he a wonderful service dog but he makes a great pillow and foot rest. using him for a foot rest is a great way to stay grounded instead of going into that little world of my own that autism spectrum disorders are so famous for. I am so thankful for him. Thankful to and for his trainer. Thankful to the organization that paid the 7 500 for him and Paid for the fence and is paying for the trainer to come and make a follow up visit in a few months. I'm blessed.

Chloe and Indy

Hello world

Well figuring out what to say is difficult. I'm doing this so I can have a record of how much Indy and I grow together. So that in a few weeks, few months, or a year I can look back and see how far we've come. And I guess this way there is something for people getting a service dog to see, That doesn't just tell the good parts because not everything can be wonderful.
I guess the best way to start is by introducing my self and Indy. I'm Chloe I'm the youngest of three by 15 and 14 years and I'm also the only one of my siblings with a disability or should I say a couple disabilities.

I have Aspergers syndrome, General Anxiety and Panic Disorder, Severe Social Phobia, Asthma and Mild Cerebral Palsy.

I started looking into a service dog because it was suggested to me. We looked into a few places before we found Helping Paws Canada. They totally got it and understood what I needed seven months later here I am, with a new best friend who follows me everywhere. They taught him his basic obedience and to stand behind me when in line so I don't get crowded, to crawl on my lap for deep pressure and to interrupt when I stimm, as well as to alert to loud sounds, and pick up my cane.

Indypendence Orville (Indy) came home August 1st and boy was I surprised to see his trainers vehicle coming up the road I wasn't expecting him for another thirty days! I must of been the happiest girl in the world in that moment.

There has been alot of adjusting to do though on all parts. My cat doesn't like him at all and has moved out of my room and hisses when ever she sees him. It's alot to get used going out with Indy as well. People will sometimes whisper about the dog in the store or the library or wherever you are, or they try to pet him with out asking which really bothers me. But with Indy's help I've done things that havn't happend in years like eating in at mcdonalds or going on a walk by myself.

And he isn't always working he loves to play fetch would do it all the time if you'd let him and sqeaky balls anything that squeaks he is in love with.

Well that's it for now.

Chloe and Indy