Meet Roo!

So, how do you pronounce that?

Roo is our latest addition to the Paws & Effect Service dog fleet. He's a charmer. He's a sweet heart. He's just plain fun.

A date with a jetliner!

Had a date with a jetliner!? It was actually a day at the airport with the service dogs. No where else in Des Moines can you get exposed (the dogs) to all the sights and sounds of so many different things. Starting with the parking garage, the automatic doors, the tile floors, escalators, elevators, stair, people, clicking and clacking of roller bags, the lovely smells from the fresh baked cookies, TSA screening, more stairs that you can see through (let me tell you this makes me stumble) and all of that was before we made it to the gate! Once on the tarmac there are a whole new set of stimulation's.

Video One - Escalator Training



Video Two - Stair and Rotating Doors



Video Three - Getting to board the jetliner!

Just makin' a point...

I don't think I've ever, EVER seen Gabor sleep this hard. Really. Not ever. Could it be that he's finally growing up?!? I dunno, but we're gonna find out. We're making plans to place Gabor at the end of August.

Gabor's Growing Up

He did such a wonderful job in New York, walking through Times Square with nary a concern, riding the trains, riding the bus and...well...he has just turned into one incredible, remarkable, fantastic dog. We couldn't be happier! We'll be placing him this summer or early fall!

Who's on Broadway!?

Seems that Tag made his way to Lincoln Center and hooked up with one of the actors (and his puppy raiser) of South Pacific! Both Tag and Todd seem to be happy. How can we tell? Well one is wagging their tails and the other is smiling. We'll leave it up to you to decide which is which.

The "B" is for Brooklyn!

Tag boarding a B2 bus in the Marine Park, Brooklyn neighborhood heading to a nearby subway station. He and Nicole are on their way home.

He and Gabor got the maximum exposure in New York City. There were a lot of learnings.

Tag is hesitant with Buses.

Gabor shined where we didn't anticipate it!

Gabor does the Big City.

He's finding out that he ain't in Iowa anymore.

Gabor's adventures currently has him traveling to New York City. He is getting schooled on the ways of the big city.

Check out his expoits on Guerilla Dogs Blog.

The picture posted is Gabor on the "B" Train to B'klyn!

What's Gabor up to these days?

Gabor has had lots of outings:

Hy-Vee, Sams, Kohl's, Michael's, Factory Card Outlet, Panera's Restaurant, Java Creek Coffee Shop, Iowa Workforce Development ECI meeting, a two hour workshop on I9 forms and E-Verifying I9 (everyone got 2 hours continuing credits....add that to his credentials), a two hour presentation on starting your own business....very boring, a walk through the fitness gym.

He also goes for two walks a day, without his Halti and does very well, and to the dog park every day the weather permits. He goes for multiple rides in the car every day and is now sharing the back seat with Allie. For about the first week he would lay down on the floor in the back seat.

Even got him to go to one specific tree in our yard to relieve himself. He got the idea the second! time I called him to the tree and gave him a treat when he was finished. This will save our small plants from turning "yellow". ;-)

He still isn't sure of drive up windows (Starbucks, McDonald's, etc.). Barks at the menu board, the money taker and coffee giver. Will work on this. He's just a bit unsure of these.

Tunnel's - schmunnels!

Spring Fling has come and gone.

The agility trial kicked off with a Friday afternoon with a couple courses to get the dogs and handlers warmed up for the main event. Other than the wind we couldn't have asked for a better Saturday of trialing. Spring reared it's ugliness Sunday afternoon with a nicely formed "Red on the Radar" storm cell that passed just to the west of us. We could have gone without the thunder and lightening but why not mix it up a little bit. We took a break in the show to present Tag and his new handler to the group. We celebrating the placement with cake adorned with Paws & Effect and the MS Society logos. The MS society has contributed to the placement of Tag. Enjoy the video of Tag's Last Run.