Questions....

Biscuit's Notes:  The question I hear the most is "Can I pet him?"  and I don't really understand it but sometimes the answer is "Yes, if he is sitting." and sometimes it is "No, I'm sorry."  I LOVE to be pet!  I love the attention, but there is this small growing part of me that knows that I need to focus on my human and do the work she is asking me to do no matter what. I have a GREAT life.  I get to run around and be a normal puppy at home, playing, chasing, fetching, getting into trouble BUT I am also extra special because I get to go places and do things that other dogs do not when I put on my cape.

Lia's Notes: I have so many questions!  Why did we get another puppy?  Why do puppies have to get so big?  Why does he always want to take my stuff?  Why does he get so many treats for doing such easy tricks?  When is he leaving?  Why does he always get to go with MY human on adventures and leave me behind?  When will he leave? Will I miss him when he leaves?  

Susan's Notes:  There are a lot of questions involved in raising a foster puppy, and I hope that this post will help you to learn some answers. Here are some of my FAQ:

Q: Is there anything I can do to help?

A:  Yes, as you read below you will learn that Biscuit's organization, Paws with a Cause (PAWS), is very special in that it does not charge clients (people who NEED a service dog) for the dog itself.  This can only continue to happen through the generous donations from people like you and me.  Please visit my PAWS to Raise Independence page and click on Support Me!  Biscuit and I and the entire PAWS organization, current and future clients thank you for any little (or big) bit you can do to help!

Q: Can I pet him?

A: It never hurts to ask, but be prepared to be told no.  Assistance dogs, even puppies in training, need to focus on their human/client/partner.  As a puppy, if Biscuit learns to associate fun, attention and the reward of being pet by strangers too much he may start to focus on this rather than his job.  However, he is a puppy and we want to socialize him so sometimes the answer is yes.  I always say he has to be sitting though and in control, otherwise he loses his reward.  I also like him to try to focus on me and not you..........because lets be honest, I am going to be the one feeding him and you are walking away.....which one deserves loyalty?   :-)

Q: What kind of assistance dog will he be?

A:  I don't know.  Just like every kid grows up to have different talents, skills and aptitudes; puppies are very similar and the organization he works with (Paws with a Cause) will work very hard to find him the right job.  Their focus is to train Hearing Dogs, Service Dogs, Seizure Response Dogs and Service Dogs for Children with Autism.  However, 
PAWS tries to find another working career for them whenever possible. Some dogs career changed from PAWS’ program have become working dogs for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, police departments, Detection Dogs, Leader Dogs for the Blind and Crisis Response Dogs.  To learn more about what PAWS does check out this link and at the top choose from the "What we Do" menu.

Q: What if he fails?

A: He will become one of the best trained, most friendly, wonderful PETS in the world.  

Q: What are you training him to do?

A:  Right now, he is a puppy and we are still working on the basics.  As you can see from his blog we are both learning a lot.  At 7 months old, he has graduated from puppy class, gone on to a novice class and is still working on sit, down, stay, under, stand, heal and other basic important skills that need to be taught early and often.  Later he will go on to "puppy college"  where he will learn more advanced tricks, skills and ultimately be placed with a client and learn personalized things to help them.

Q: Will you have to give him up?

A: Yes, when he is about 18 months old he will go on to "puppy college" and then find his career.  I know that this will be hard, and not everyone could do it, but I am glad that this is something that I CAN do and I know that he is going on to a rewarding and well cared for life.

Q:  What about the cost?

A: Anyone who has ever had a dog, knows that they are not cheap.  Volunteer foster parents shoulder the costs for their care as puppies but with this organization, Paws with a Cause, clients do not pay to apply for or to receive their Assistance Dogs.  The sponsorship to breed or rescue, raise, train, place an Assistance Dog and provide ongoing team support exceeds $30,000. There is no insurance or government funding available to sponsor Assistance Dogs. PAWS funding comes from individual donations nationwide.  PAWS’ fundraising and management costs are at or below 13 percent, allowing 87 percent of donor dollars to be used for program services.  

Q: Is there anything I can do to help?

A:  Yes, as you read above PAWS is very special in that it does not charge clients (people who NEED a service dog) for the dog itself.  This can only continue to happen through the generous donations from people like you and me.  Please visit my PAWS to Raise Independence page and click on Support Me!  Biscuit and I and the entire PAWS organization, current and future clients thank you for any little (or big) bit you can do to help!

Note: Please understand that these are my Q and A based on my knowledge and experience and are not official answers for PAWS.  To view official PAWS FAQ visit their site.  If you have more questions about PAWS visit their contact page to get in touch.  If you have additional questions for me, please feel free to leave a comment and I will do my best to answer it.

7 Months Old

 

Biscuit's Notes:  I don't wanna grow up!  I love to chase my tail and chase balls, and chase the big dog and I REALLY want to chase the running kids.  My human keeps using words like sit, down, stay.  I want to make her happy so I do what she wants, but......I look at everyone else having fun and I want to play too.  My favorite word?  Free!  Then I know it is time to play.  I was in the puppy class at school and I was the STAR!  I loved those other puppies, I loved going to class and playing.  Now, the classes have changed.  The dogs are older.  They are more serious.  I have to pay attention, until it is time to be FREE!  Then I can chase my tail, and balls, and the other dogs.......but I am never allowed to chase the kids.  I know that.  I am a good dog.

Lia's Notes:  I am the most patient dog in the world.  I am the good dog here.  Every time the puppy is told to do something, I do it FASTER!  Then I get his treat,  then he watches me, does it and gets another treat.  No fair.  Who say's you can't teach an old dog new tricks?  I am learning a lot too.  I am learning to sit, stay and NOT growl and bark at the ringing of the door bell.  I am learning to laugh at the puppy EVERY single time he thinks he finds a new toy!  It is hillarious because it really is either:  A.  The toy I hid from him or B.  His tail!  His TAIL!  He will chase that thing, roll over and play with it and thinks it is the best toy ever.  He is soooo funny!  My own personal entertainment system, and I deserve treats for all my learning too.  Plus I'm faster.

Susan's Notes:   Over the last month Biscuit has really grown up.  He graduated from puppy class but I think his whole attitude is starting to mature.  He is not such a baby anymore, really starting to go from puppy to dog before my eyes.  Classes and demands are getting harder and longer (aiming for a ten to twenty minute stay!) and some days we get there and others we have to go back to the basics but I am learning to be very patient and focus on building on those basics.  Down and stay are his hardest commands, especially when there are various "distractions".  We practice as much as we can and he is getting better and better.  Above you see him in our local Barnes and Nobles as I check out all the new books (that was so nice to finally have time for!), and practicing under at the local pharmacy as I wait for a prescription (for a sinus infection, I really DON'T have time for :-)  As we go into the next month we have a lot to look forward to and keep learning.  Biscuit LOVES water and we will soon venture to the neighborhood lake, we are taking a vacation to see our cousins and visit the BEACH (did I say BEACH!?), so we will see how learning to swim goes.  He also has started novice training classes and these are a step up and I hope he (and I) can learn a lot and prepare him even more for what is to come.  Can't wait.

6 Months Old

 

Biscuit's Notes:  Look at me!  I am making that pillow shrink.  I have been going to school, no not just Susan's school......but I get to go to classes where I learn too!  I like to see all the other dogs there and show off all the stuff I am really good at like sit and stay.  I have even mastered DOWN! I don't like that they are teaching my human so much though, she keeps asking me to do more, and now I have to lay down and wait up to 5 minutes for my food!  It is tough, but I am getting pretty good at being more and more patient with her.  I also love that we are getting outside more, playing, walking and going new places.  But then there are my favorite times when we get to "play" inside....my favorite games are under and hide and go seek....I am really really good at those two!  I will even play when I am not asked to.  I am so smart.

 

Lia's Notes:  Ok, it's not fair.  Biscuit gets to go everywhere.  I have started giving my human my saddest looks when they leave, and after the door shuts, I run outside to sit at the gate and watch them, just in case they forgot me.  It's not fair. I like it better when they are both home, then I can sit on the furniture and show Biscuit who is boss, or run him over in the grass and show him who is boss or steal his toys and show him who is boss.  Who's the boss, is MY favorite game.

 

Susan's Notes:  Ok I know this month's post is a little late but my only excuse is that I have been BUSY (and that is an understatement).  Luckily I can take Biscuit almost everywhere with me, and he has been so good.....no matter where we go.  He went to the hair salon and braved the hair dryer, he went to McTeacher night and braved the kids and all the people, he went to Bingo at school and he has been going to school a LOT (he knows that routine well, as I have been putting in a lot of extra hours).  He has gone to restaurants, shopping and to professional events and I am always very proud of how well he behaves.  I have gotten better about saying "Sorry, no you can't pet him" and have received many compliments about how good he is.  I hope he can keep improving, and we will have to keep working on him because he is far from ready yet!

Special THANKS to the 'Wonderful Teacher' who was willing to take Biscuit on!  Unfortunately there are times when I have to leave him behind .....my little sister got married in Aruba and Biscuit got to stay with a wonderful teacher friend, her two little girls and a CAT!   She tells me that he was well behaved, BUT I know he is a 6 month old puppy that is almost as big as her littlest one!  I am sure that the combination of those two at times lead to a LOT of energy in the room.  I also love to see him with the cat.....you can see he thought that the cat wanted to play hide and seek too!  That is something we will have to work on with him.  Thank you wonderful teacher friend!

 

5 Months Old

 

Biscuit's Notes:  Will you check out how BIG I am?!  I don't even fit on that little pillow anymore, but I still love it.  It is MY spot.  I am a busy guy.  I have plans almost every day and I get to go to the best places.  I find meetings boring, but I can sit through them (unless I REALLY need to go and then I make a fuss :-P)  I do like to go to the store and if I look at Susan instead of following my nose I get lots of treats.  I like treats.  Check me out playing the "leave it" game,  I get to eat those treats when Susan says "free!"  I like that game but it seems to be getting longer and longer the more we play.  I also like to go places like Pittsburgh because everyone LOVES me!  I am the best dog around.  I even went to a class with other dogs and I was the best!
 

Lia's Notes:  I am here too you know.  Anything that puppy can do, I can do better.  I am not eating the treats either in the "leave it" game and I know I am better at it because I can get to the treats faster.  He really is not a bad dog to have around but I do not like that he gets to leave the house and I am stuck at home.

 Susan's Notes:  I think he is doing pretty well.....but I am not sure because I am not sure what to compare him to.  We went to our first "puppy class" and I really do think he was the best in the room (though I have to admit all we learned was sit and look at me, I THINK he should have these down by now!), but then I fill out his information for PAWS and I worry that he barks when he is scared (and he is scared of the dark, fog, certain dogs, people with brooms, and things that flap in the night), he does not like his nails trimmed, is my constant shadow....except when he is not and most of all he has a personality.  He is VERY smart but he is also stubborn.  If he does not want to do something he sometimes will chose not to do it.  However, I am smarter and this is not often an issue because I won't let it be.  Does he chase things?  No, but maybe I am not giving him a chance to chase things?  Does he get along with cats?  No idea!  Does he have free run of the house?  Yes...is this wrong?  I learned that I need to learn more about the rules for PAWS Dogs.

However, he is great when we go to the store, or out to a restaurant and I was really proud of him yesterday.  Saturdays are our BUSY days and we started at Eat N Park where he was great and then traveled to Pittsburgh for a long fundraising walk.  He was pretty good (I won't say he did not have a few moments that need improvement, but overall good) and proved to be a special treat for a really special little girl (pictured above).  Then we ran to the mall where other than being to tired to move was well behaved.  He went on to do well at a restaurant and then grocery shopping and back home.  He is doing so well I am going to take him to the salon...for MY appointment this week and hope he does equally well.  

I think we are ready to start working on the hard stuff.  I need to learn, what is that and how? 

Biscuit goes to the Store

Biscuit's Notes:  I found a new favorite place!  It has moving doors, carts with wheels, lots of people to love me and SMELLS!  Lots of fun smells.  I want to go back and explore all the smells!  I know I shouldn't but I tried to follow them a few times until I got tugged back in place.  I am also not sure about that big black wheeled monster.  He was quiet and did not attack me but I was still a little wary of him.

Lia's Notes:  They left me behind.  Again.  Oh well, time to get caught up on my reading!

Susan's Notes:  He was soooo good, the picture is worth posting twice.  I was a little nervous about taking him to the grocery store, but he did so well.  He walked at a heal (until smells distracted him and that really was not that bad), paid attention to me, sat on command and was overall on his best behavior and this was AFTER I took him to the doctor with me and he was on his best behavior there too.  The only problem we had was when it was time to check out.  I don't know if it was the sounds, the people, the cart or just too much but he lost focus and wanted to leave before I was ready to.  Something we will have to work on, but isn't attention span something every little one needs to work on?  :-)  We hope to continue the good work and next time try a busier time of the day or maybe even a bigger cart.....though I need to learn and practice how to juggle a puppy AND a cart....it takes some skills.  Something to learn for next time......

4 Months Old

Biscuit's Notes:  Can you tell I am everyone's best friend?  Everyone I meet loves me because I am such a great little puppy.  That big soft pillowy dog absolutely LOVED me, he let me just sleep right on him!  That little dog loved me too!  She let me chase her all over the house and loved to play hide and seek.  That baby loves me too.  He even knows how to say my name and screams it all the time:  NO!  No! No. 

 

Lia's Notes:  Ok I know everyone thinks the puppy is SO special, and I admit he was cute for a while but look at how BIG that furball is!  It has gotten old, believe me when he plays his favorite game:  walk Lia (grabbing on to my collar and tugging) he does not look little or cute.  I am busy busy busy teaching him all my tricks.  I have taught him how to give ME the bones, how to dig in the yard and be the one that gets in trouble and how to switch food (so I get the yummy puppy stuff!).  I also steal all the treats when I can lie down on command.  The silly puppy just sits there, no treats for him!   Yep, I am still the queen of this house.  That is until he gets to go on all the fun outings and I get left behind and can't decide if I am really sad and jealous or just grateful for a few minutes peace and quiet. 

Susan's Notes:  This puppy sure has grown.  I look at him and I don't see much of a puppy any more.  He is almost ready to be a dog and all his learning and training is really starting to show.  All of that little stuff we have been working on is starting to add up.  He is almost 100% completely house-trained, crate-trained and working on being obedience trained.  Working on it.  He went to the vet and was a little bit of an embarrassment showing off only his ENERGY.  Since then we have been working harder and harder to get that energy out in more productive ways like long walks including the mall.  He also gets to run errands with me, go out to eat and for real treats: go back to work!  I think he prefers my babysitting, to going to the library and sitting quietly: can you believe that?  Both prove to be a challenge for ME because I have to teach him to be on his best behavior no matter where we are.  He LOVES attention and sometimes keeping his attention on me is a great battle.  We are also fighting his fears of:  the dark, other dogs, brooms, garbage cans, and a few other things.  We are also fighting against his stubbornness, I don't know why but he HATES to lie down!  He can do it, but this one is harder to train and we will have to keep working.  Even though he may look like a young dog we both have a lot of learning left to do and can always keep getting better.

3 Months Old

Biscuit's Notes:  I am such an awesome, smart little guy and everyone loves me! That is why I prance around and get to go see everyone! So they can love me and give me attention. And treats. I like the treats I get too. I have been getting out a lot and when I do I draw all kinds of attention. Everyone says what a pretty good dog I am. Then I JUMP on them! All over them! I love people.

Lia's Notes:  That little furball is my new favorite playmate but I am also very jealous. I watch him get to go in the car and go on walks and I want to go too. I like it better when everyone is home together. I am teaching the pup how to play my favorite game of tag. I love to roll him over and run and tag and I always win!

Susan's Notes:  It has been a very busy and hectic and crazy time for me. Since my last post, we had some very long and cold days without heat due to the furnace dying. Then poor Biscuit has had some issues with infections that we hope will quickly clear up. On top of that, I have a lot going on with school, so I have started taking Biscuit with me at night. He has been to a couple of meetings and while he did ok I am learning how to train him to ONLY pay attention to me and to lay quietly for long periods of time. Then when meetings are done we have put in some late nights at school working on the computer and setting up the Book Fair and he has been a champ. Our excellent janitorial staff has been so nice about seeing him and letting him do his job. I am so proud of him staying quiet and trying to behave. He only barked once! There are some monsters in the StoryTime pit at my school because he was very vocal about them! :-) Biscuit has also been accompanying me to my second job as a babysitter and he loved it, and the kids loved him. He and that little guy above are about the same height and both love to chase balls! They got along fabulously until they both crashed. Biscuit is really showing great strides and I can't wait to start him in Puppy Kindergarten soon. Once he settles down he will be great, now I just need to learn how to encourage him to settle down on command! Always something more to learn! :-)