Trey and SD Promise
Nick and Liese
Adam and SD Kita-Boo
Alexa and SD Joy
The crowds cheered on the graduates at the 4 Paws training center!
The funniest part about this picture is that WYATT took it! He said, "Rexie does not want to go to school today because she has to take the test, and if she flunks I can't be her boy." I reassured him that there was NO WAY this mommy and daddy would let anyone take our Rexie away from her boy and we had studied very hard and would do our VERY best!
This is Wyatt and Rexie posing sweetly for a picture. Can you see both of their smiles?
Many of the 4 Paws puppies are adopted from shelters. This little sweetie (the puppy - not the chickie) is part of their breeding program. Some of the dogs have temprements and talents that make them exceptional service dogs. So, 4 Paws does some selective breeding of these animals. All of the SDs that are put into public work are neutered. (Can't have those kind of distractions, can we now? giggle)
This is most of the graduating class right before the diplomas were handed out. Ummm... someone remind me to not wear red until I lose another 40 lbs. Dang, I look like Santa! Rexie is sniffing Joy's butt. Gross. Why do dogs do that? Am I the only person who thinks that is weird? Kind of makes me glad I am not a dog....
This is Tammy and Dell. They had their sons, Trey and Jake at training. They are really wonderful people!
This is Sue and Don with Grandpa Lavern and Grandma Bevy. The cute little guy in front is Nick and he received SD Liese.
Kristin was the kid magnet! It seemed that wherever Kristin alighted, the children flocked! Her little girl, Alexa received SD Joy and her other daughter, Ciarra, came for a weekend durin training. All three are amazing women.
On the right is Alex, Angela and Billy's mom Beth. Her hubby, Bill, is probably playing with the kids. They are a really nice family. They received SD Treasure. On the left is Angela and her daughter, Sarah, is sitting at the table with them. She is just about the cutest thing on two legs. Katherine, her sister, stayed at home and dad had to leave a week into training. They received SD Wonder.
Do you see Wyatt in this picture? Rexie saw him with her nose! Locating Wyatt in stores is just another way this wonder dog is going to make our lives so much more secure!
The chillin' children. Rexie and her human siblings bonding on the hide-a-bed. The place we are staying is very nice ans VERY accommodating. A complimentary breakfast is enjoyed with our 4 Paws families who are staying here and they also serve complimentary dinners on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The staff are very nice when it comes to the dogs. Actually, the staff in general are extremely nice! It costs a bit more (about $20 per night) than the other hotels, but having a two room suite with a full kitchen, breakfasts every morning, evening popcorn, and dinners covered for six days of our stay has MORE than made up for the initial investment.
Wyatt had a hairy-mother kicking, screaming, crying, snotty tears fest meltdown last night. It lasted over an hour. Rexie was really good about staying in an "over" and then a "lap" and then a "down" next to her boy the entire time. Eventually Wyatt recovered his bearings and for Rexie's unconditional love and support what did she get?
She got decorated like the Pharaoh Queen of Egypt. Wyatt brushed her, and then he decided she needed a little accessorizing. Funny. It seemed to calm him down, and Rexie did not seem to mind too much.
This is a picture of some of our 4 Paws friends and families (enjoying the dinner I mentioned). The little girl in the wheelchair is Alexa, and Levi has taken to her like crazy. They bug each other non-stop.
This is Sarah and Alysse on tricycles at 4 Paws. They were having a good time racing around. Sarah is five, so she is a bit older than Alysse, but still a lot of fun! Sarah received Wonder as her dog. He is an awesome dog :)
Billy and Wyatt are playing together on the computer. Billy is 6 and his brother and sister, Alex and Angela are at 4 Paws as well. It is great for the kids to have someone to play with.
This is Jeremy, the head trainer. Alysse was acting as his personal assistant today. It was really funny. Kids and dogs are very much alike it seems, as she followed every command Jeremy gave her. Jeremy told her to stand on a square and she stood there FOR-EVER just happy as a clam. Then Jeremy had her moving boxes for the seizure game so the dogs couldn't alert from remembering where the box was. Looks like we know who to turn Rexie's training over to.... maybe in a few years.
I thought you might want to see our Rexie's snazzy outfit. She looks very professional - don't you think? Tomorrow we go back to the mall to practice some more. Our public access test is on Thursday, so Jeremy wants us all to get more practice in. I really don't think he wants any of us to fail!
Here are all the commands that we have learned to use so far (that I can think can think of at this time) ... 
This is that one day a year when moms everywhere are recognized for the work they do, and thanked for it. We get plenty of thanks in sloppy kisses, squishy hugs and "nuggles" throughout the year, but it is kind of nice to get the royal treatment every now and again. I hope everyone remembered to thank their mommies for the love and encouragement they show! I like Mother's Day because I get to think about my super kids and my awesome husband who have made my life an amazing journey! For my Mother's day feast, we journeyed to ...
Uh-huh. Apparently, I get to be a royal on some tropical Italian island. I am treated to Pizza Hut for my Mother's Day feast! The nice part is that EVERYONE behaved amazingly well! There were no fights at the table, Rexie stayed in her "down under" the table and we enjoyed a pleasant meal. When the kids got antsy, we allowed them to treat Rexie (with her regular food) and praise her with a "good down!" bit of praise. She is truly an affection hound. The edible reinforcers are just icing on the cake for her. She follows commands very well with just verbal praise coupled with a good petting. Today, class consisted of HOURS of work for the seizure dogs, and Rexie kind of had an easy day doing basic command work and snuggling/bonding with her boy. 
This is where Rexie rides in the VanGogh. :) Usually, her head is on Wyatt's lap, but he picked it up for the picture. She is really patient and tolerant. Rexie is a really great "fit" for our family. Jeremy, the head trainer, did an amazing job matching her to our family and one special litle boy...
This is what puppy love looks like. Yea Rexie and Wyatt! Thank you 4 Paws and all the people who made this possible!
Wyatt's favorite place - THE BOOK STORE! Rexie ended up going into a pretty lengthy "down" there due to Wyatt's interest. She even listened to Wyatt read three books to her. It was very cute. She looked like she was listening (wish I could have snapped a pic of that.)
Many people stop to ask about Rexie and what her job is. Most people assume she is a guide dog and Wyatt does not have sight! I think we are going to have to get cards made that have the 4 Paws logo and the different types of dogs they train. I don't really want to tell people, "She's an autism assistance dog." I don't want Wyatt to attach that label to himself. He simply says, "She's a service dog." That is good enough for most people. A few I have had to say that 4 Paws trains seizure assistance, autism assistance, mobility, and hearing ear dogs. Then I just don't offer additional info on what particular type Rexie is. 
Levi wanted his picture taken too. Apparently he wants to be a Brit too! He is a pretty spiffy kid when he gets cleaned up. :)
If Levi wants to be a dressed up guy, Alysse wants to be a princess. This shop is just her style. 
Well, our mall experience was a success. Jeremy, the head trainer, hasn't flunked us out yet. One funny thing did happen. Rexie tucked tail and was shaking all over when we went near the photo booth - you know- one of those ones that eight people pile in and you make goofy faces and then the strip of four photos come out... She was terrified of it! So, I bribed her with treats to go near it and then she was kind of okay. She still gives it VERY wide berth whenever we go near! We'll see what tomorrow brings...
Play time!
There is a play area at 4 Paws tha the kids hang out in. This is Wyatt in the play area with Rexie. The other dogs were all working on the "seizure shirt" game, and since Rexie is not a seizure alert dog, we took the opportunity to bond a bit. Can I just tell you that the seizure shirt game is really cool? Really. We all burst into applause when the dogs alert to the shirt that has seizure smell to it. It was really amazing.
Treasure and his boy, Alex. He is really a cute kid. Alex and one other clasmate have something called Dravet, which is a severe seizure disorder. Treasure alerted Alex's parents to a seizure in class yesterday (not the same thing as the seizure shirt game.)
All in all, we are having a very positive experience here. THe kids went swimming with dad last night while mom did laundry. Everything and everyone is officially clean! :)
Play ball! Wyatt and Rexie really like to play ball together. It is really cute, because at 4 Paws we use balls during class to try to desensitize the dogs to extraneous distractions, so Rexie requires a bit of encouragement to go after the ball. She is a very laid back dog. Some of the dogs in class snap to commands, but Rexie is a plodder. She is not excitable and not really flappable either. Other dogs wanted to jump up and play or broke command, but Rexie kind of looked like she was thinking, "Ummm...ball....hmmm...looks like fun.....might get a correction....hmmm...not worth it." Steve and I kid that she is like a little old lady. She is not really big on getting wet. Jeremy, the head trainer at 4 Paws, said she was too prissy. Funny. She is very sweet and laid back. She is almost a little shy.
This is our lady doing her best and most important job. Wyatt has a tether from his belt loop to Rexie's harness. He is also holding on to a short leash to make sure that his dog "doesn't get away." Rexie did great at the mall. We ate in the food court and she did a great "under" the table. She was startled once and did get up when a big, loud double garbage bin roller went by. She went right back down though...GOOD GIRL!
This is a demonstration of the "Over" command. This is used for when Wyatt is out of sorts and needs a little love from his dog. Rexie will get a lot of experience in this during schoolwork time and homework time as well. The idea is that dogs don't tell kids to "do" anything. It is natural instinct for kids to pet the dog in this position, which leads to self-soothing behavior. It is kind of like a live, interactive lovey for a really big toddler. :) If you have ever witnessed a meltdown, you would TOTALLY understand the analogy!
This is Alysse and Wyatt hanging out with Rexie at the hotel. At one point, they both had their tongues hanging out, but then Rexie tried to give them kisses when they did that. Neither child was really interested in taking that particular part of their relationship to the next level - ha ha.
This might look like a game, but kids who have sensory issues crave serious deep pressure. Rexie, the incredible weighted blanket, will provide this type of intervention to calm and regulate Wyatt's proprioceptive system. An overstimulated kid is NOT a happy camper. Deep pressure for our sensory disregulated kids is the Holy Grail.
The TREAT HOUND strikes! Rexie was having so much fun with those beggin' strips taht she decided to get a little closer to the source! What you can't see is Wyatt's face grainning and laughing as Rexie was going for the treat pouch!
Rexie and Wyatt are going to make brushing a great time for them to share. Wyatt spent about 45inutes brushing her, and she was very happy to be loved on by him!
