Musketeer Puppy's 5th Weekly Report Card

This week Musketeer has continued to practice the commands of leave it, down, heel, load up and wait. He has been learning the "drop it" command. He has been practicing this command using balls, plush toys and large bones. He has been learning to combine the commands of leave it, drop it, and take it. He has been learning to "stay" in both a sit and a down position, to come when called which is also known as recall, and to heel while off leash. He will be walking next to shopping carts and staying with distractions in a busy store. Musketeer has been training this week at a local city park, Costco, Petco, Tractor Supply Company, a local fire station and Lowe's. Next week Musketeer will continue to practice combining commands including performing puppy push ups*. He will be getting used to hearing traffic sounds by walking along a street with some car traffic and heeling off leash around things in the store.

* "Puppy Push Ups" are when you have the dog go from a sit position to a down position, back to a sit position, to a down position, to a sit, to a down, to a sit, etc.

We are hoping to Skype with Musketeer and his trainer next week Saturday. Do YOU have questions you'd like to know from his current trainer? If so, please leave them in the comments below!

Thank you for wanting to know

more about

my Musketeer!

I got my first "Are you blind?"!!!

In all of the research about service dogs that I've been doing over the past year or so, I've heard of a lot of service dog handlers getting asked, "Are you blind?" simply because most people think the only reason folks have service dogs are for guide dog work.  Even though service dogs have been used to assist the deaf, PTSD, seizure alert, diabetic alert, etc., etc., etc. for decades, service dogs just aren't a common thing and folks just don't know about the tons of other reasons to have a service dog.

Today I was talking to someone about the fact that I'm getting a service dog.  He seemed puzzled, looked into my eyes and asked, "Are you blind?"!

MY FIRST "ARE YOU BLIND?"!

I waited until I was out of hearing distance to crack up laughing!!!  I'm certain I won't find this so amusing my 70th time being asked, but today, it was FABULOUS!!!

Here is a sample of what I mean:  CLICK HERE

HERE IS YOUR CHALLENGE:
EVERY amount donated brings us closer!  We know funds are tight for many people, so we're offering the

THREE MUSKETEER CHALLENGE!

Challenging you to donate $3.00

(or the amount you wish to donate)

Then for you to challenge only three others

to do the same!

MANY WAYS TO DO THE CHALLENGE:

1.)  DIRECTLY TO D.A.D.A.

1. Go to the Diabetic Alert Dogs of America website HERE.
2. CLICK on "PAYMENTS" at the bottom of the page, 2nd from the right in the blue section.
3. CLICK on "BUY NOW".
4. TYPE IN MUSKETEER PUPPY in the "DESCRIPTION".  WITHOUT TYPING IN "MUSKETEER PUPPY", DONATIONS WILL GET LOST!
5. TYPE IN $3.00 (or amount you wish to donate) in the "PRICE PER ITEM".
6. CLICK "CONTINUE".
7. CLICK "LOG IN" for Pay Pal or CLICK "PAY WITH DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD".
8. Continue onto the secure payment page.

2.)  Real Life Wells Fargo Bank

Donate to Musketeer the Diabetic Alert Dog at any Wells Fargo Bank.

3.)  Second Life

Donate at any Musketeer Donation spot (Marie's store).  750 L approx. equals $3.00 USD

If you have questions...

If you want to find out more, you are welcome to call D.A.D.A. (Diabetic Alert Dogs of America) by using the phone number on their website.

~OR~

Ask XMarieX Fairport in SL!

Thank you

for your

prayers,

encouragement,

emotional support,

telling others,

financial assistance,

and for being

so

AMAZING!!!

YOU are appreciated!

Musketeer's Report Card for May 18, 2017

This week Musketeer has continued to practice walking loosely on a leash, the commands of sit, watch me, take it, come and let's go. He has been learning the "leave it" command in which the dog learns that the item the handler has said to "leave it" can not be touched, tasted or smelled. Musketeer has begun learning the "down" command this week, how to appropriately "say hello" to people and other dogs when the handler has given him permission to do so, appropriate behavior while being pet by a stranger, the "heel" command, heeling next to a shopping cart and the "load up" and "wait" commands in a vehicle. His training locations this week have included the trainer's house, local neighborhood, the park, Ross and Petsmart. Next week Musketeer will be combining commands in order to build reliability and differentiate between commands. He will do this by performing drills that will have him leave items told to "leave it," eat treats told to "take it," while loose leash walking and auto sitting sporadically throughout the drill. Next week, Musketeer will be introduced to the commands of "drop it" and "stay" in a sit and down position, and how to heel off leash.

Musketeer Received The Gift I Sent!

I had embroidered Musketeer's name and an Old English "M" with a Fleur de Lis onto a bandanna as a gift to Musketeer Puppy.  I sent it to Diabetic Alert Dogs of America and they sent it on to the folks who are currently training Musketeer.  They were kind enough to take some lovely photos of Musketeer with his new bandanna:

I'm thinking I should get some plain royal blue bandannas and embroider on them with silver thread, to help make them stand out more.  

What do you think?  Is he a handsome puppy?

YOU CAN HELP

GET MUSKETEER HOME!

Fund Raising!
EVERY amount donated brings us closer!  We know funds are tight for many people, so we're offering the

THREE MUSKETEER CHALLENGE!

Challenging you to donate $3.00

(or the amount you wish to donate)

Then for you to challenge only three others

to do the same!

MANY WAYS TO DO THE CHALLENGE:

1.)  DIRECTLY TO D.A.D.A.

1. Go to the Diabetic Alert Dogs of America website HERE.
2. CLICK on "PAYMENTS" at the bottom of the page, 2nd from the right in the blue section.
3. CLICK on "BUY NOW".
4. TYPE IN MUSKETEER PUPPY in the "DESCRIPTION".  WITHOUT TYPING IN "MUSKETEER PUPPY", DONATIONS WILL GET LOST!
5. TYPE IN $3.00 (or amount you wish to donate) in the "PRICE PER ITEM".
6. CLICK "CONTINUE".
7. CLICK "LOG IN" for Pay Pal or CLICK "PAY WITH DEBIT OR CREDIT CARD".
8. Continue onto the secure payment page.

2.)  Real Life Wells Fargo Bank

Donate to Musketeer the Diabetic Alert Dog at any Wells Fargo Bank.

3.)  Second Life

Donate at any Musketeer Donation spot (Marie's store).  750 L approx. equals $3.00 USD

If you have questions...

If you want to find out more, you are welcome to call D.A.D.A. (Diabetic Alert Dogs of America) by using the phone number on their website.

~OR~

Ask XMarieX Fairport in SL!

Thank you

for your

prayers,

encouragement,

emotional support,

telling others,

financial assistance,

and for being

so

AMAZING!!!

YOU are appreciated!

~Musketeer's 3rd Report Card~

(Actual "Report Card" for this week.)

This week Musketeer has continued to get used to being handled (important for grooming, vet visits, random petting by strangers), walking loosely on a leash, and has continued to practice the commands of "sit" and "watch me." He has begun to learn the "take it" command, how to auto sit when the handler stops, the phrase "Let's go" which tells him that we are about to begin walking, how to get on a dog bed upon command, and how to enter his kennel upon command. He has also been getting used to walking next to an electric wheel chair. Musketeer has been practicing sitting and waiting politely before being allowed to eat his food. This is practicing the very hard skill of patience. His training locations this week have been the trainer's house, Walmart, Petco, Target, Tractor Supply Company, a local neighborhood and the park. 

During his training program you will see the same commands continued to be practiced in various locations. This is important because dogs do not generalize like humans do and therefore must be taught to generalize. Once they have generalized a large quantity of behaviors in many different scenarios and locations, they will begin to do it on their own, especially if the behaviors are similar. Not only will they continue to reinforce the commands they are learning, but they will be learning a skill that will allow them to take what they have learned and be comfortable and confident in doing it wherever they go. Next week, Musketeer will be introduced to the "leave it" command, begin to socialize with new people, will learn how to appropriately "say hello" to people and other dogs, the appropriate behavior while being pet and will be introduced to the down command.

I am thrilled that Diabetic Alert Dogs of America take the time to not only tell me what Musketeer is learning, but also letting me know the why, where, and how of it all. As Musketeer is learning all of these different commands, I'm trying to learn them, where I'd need them and what will be the result when giving these commands. Being consistent is extremely important and I'm THRILLED to be kept up to date with everything!

THANK YOU

for

checking in on

Musketeer Puppy!

Slight Oooops...
D.A.D.A. (Diabetic Alert Dogs of America) made a slight oops with Musketeer's age.  They had gotten in five dogs all at about the same time and had originally told me Musketeer was seven months old.  That is the age of another dog.  Musketeer is 14 months old, so has a lot more maturity to him, thus is doing a lot better.  His birth date is February 26, 2016.  

At first I was feeling like I was going to miss out on seven months of his life, but I was assured that Musketeer is so perfect for me, he and I are going to make the perfect team for years to come.  

(I just wanted to get that info in here because this was a step of the journey that we're taking.)