CCI Graduation

Sorry for the delay our new life has been busy, but as promised here are some pictures of Irving's and I's graduation on 2/11/11.

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Before Graduation, I met Irving's wonderful puppy raisers thank you both for a job well done!

A bitter sweet moment Irving's puppy raisers handing him our to me.

 Still on stage with my boy, waiting for other classmates to get their dogs!

  We did it!  Irving and I are a CCI graduate service dog team

We Did It!

Oh my God where do I start CCI is amazing!

Okay well here is my guy, Irving III

What an amazing two weeks I had at team training.  The friends I made, the experiences I had and the instructors were all wonderful how will I ever thank CCI for the life changing gift they have given me. The first two days of class I rotated four dogs. They were all wonderful!

Feb 2nd was pre match day, this is where we get matched with a dog and if everything goes well we will go home with it.  I admit that when I was placed with Irving I was a bit shocked I thought I would have been placed with another dog, but I was truly over joyed and the trainers sure know how to make the right match.

The moment we met, for good I found out Saturday that Irving was my final match pure joy and love.

From per match day forward Irving and I worked together and bonded.  We did lots of command practice of over 40 comes. Some of with are:

Give & Get

Tug - we worked hard but we got it.

Went on many field trips - to practice in public (first time in the truck)

More team training experiences and graduation pictures coming in the next post

1st Day - Team Training

Update from first day of team training!

Everything here is so amazing! Aside from that on to a bit about the dogs. I cannot tell you dog names or post pictures until after graduation. Today and tomorrow there are six of us rotating through ten dogs. I worked with four days today, all Lab and Golden Retriever crosses, two yellow females, black male and black female.

Yes I have my favorite but I cannot get attached. More dogs tomorrow not sure if we will be rotate the same ten dogs or if they will bring in a entire different group.

Today is the Day!!!!

Well today is the day I have have been waiting for since August of 2009! We are leaving for Santa Rosa in a few hours, to begin training with my service dog! EKKK.

Tomorrow the training officially starts and I will work with different dogs Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday I will find out which dog will most likely be mine I will work with him or her for the rest of the training. If all goes well I will graduate and come home with my new best furry buddy in just two weeks!

My life is about to be forever changed and I cannot wait for this experience I will do my best to keep you all updated and post pictures!

Countdown: 2 weeks until Team Training

I cannot believe how fast time has passed.  It seemed like it was just December 1st when I got the call, and now we leave for Santa Rosa in just two weeks WOW! I received my training manual and have being going over the information, there is a bunch to learn but it's so neat.


Guess what it is official I received my conformation and dorm room assignment yesterday,  So much to do in so little time to get ready for the start of this new life long adventure. We leave Jan 30th and training starts the 31st.  Be sure to check back as I will try to update daily while we are attending team training!

Important notice for family & friends friends from CCI

Hi Family and Friends,

I received my CCI training manual today, lots of information, they have informed me to inform you of the following:

It is particularly critical in the first month after team training that I establish control and achieve responsiveness in my dog. In conjunction with getting to know and bonding with my dog.  Setting ground rules and maintaining leadership will be my primary focus. It is very important that you regard the dog as a working animal. It will be detrimental to our (the dogs and myself) working relationship in the long run if the dog receives inviting looks, petting or verbal stimulation from anyone. 

You can best support me by ignoring the dog for the first four to six weeks that we are home.  This does not mean that I can't share with you or show you what the dog does for me. You can support us by not approaching the dog with excitable and emotional greetings. Please remain low key and do not pet I can allow you to shake hands with the dog.  If the dog does get greeted with excitement the dog will run towards you and loose focus on me. (Not good)

Lastly the dog will be of a very special diet so please no treats.

Thank you so much for your continued support and I know it will be hard to follow the above because we are all animal lovers, but it will be VERY IMPORTANT that the dog and I form a relationship after all we will be together 24/7 for the next 8 to 10 years.

Any questions please ask, and please feel free to attend the graduation on Feb 11, 2011 in Santa Rosa (more on this at a later date)

Love Tina

I Got the Call

It is so funny how things all happen for a reason!  This morning my mom and I were talking, saying that Jan 2011 will be one year that I have been on CCI's waiting list for a service dog and that we could not believe how fast it has gone by already.  I couldn't wait to get the annual update forms in the mail and that I probably had just six to eight more months of waiting.

We were outside in the front yard and our neighbor comes walking up to chit chat, and he had out of the blue asked me if i had any updates with the status of getting my service dog, I smiled at him and said no still waiting but it should happen sometime in 2011.

I then came inside, I sat down the phone rang I glanced at the number it was 707 area code (Santa Rosa - CCI main campus) I thought to myself it's a tella marketer but I excitely answered the call. To my surprise it was CCI I figured they just needed annual review updates or something since that time was getting close.  I almost dropped the phone when these words came out of the ladies mouth "We would like to invite you to the Feb 2011 team training for your service dog!"  I course said yes, but at the same time bit my tongue because my mom was not in the house but I knew she wouldn't mind.

I then called her right away to tell her the news she was still outside chatting with the neighbor, I could hardly speak shaking and crying at the same time.  She came inside and just looked at me and said you are joking right with a dazed look on her face. But nope not joking it's really happening.

We leave for Santa Rosa on 1/30/11 where I will be matched and train with my new buddy for two weeks.  I cannot wait to have him or her by my side.  I will be sure to update on our new adventures together. 

The next time I post I will be days away from meeting my new best buddy.  It has been a long time coming I can't wait.  Thanks to all my friends and family for there love and support.