Team AP, Go!

It's been quite some time since we've had an update in bloggyville. Times have been filled with dodging heat, mild canine good citizen training, trying best to stay positive, dealing with Porter's stomach issues, and mostly trying to stay level and enjoy the summer.

Porter has had a bout with his immune system and GI tract pretty much since I started training him at 4 months old. He is always happy regardless, but Daddy is getting worn out with the frequent vet visits, and kennel spray-downs. Still, I am positive, he will get better, just have to take it a day at a time. Thank you SO MUCH to Nicole Meadowcroft at Custom Canines, for sending Porter to their amazing vet who seemed to get Porter going in the right direction. We are still having issues, such as a recent ear infection, but I think Porter is fighting whatever keeps attacking his body, and he always greets everyone with a smile. I love dogs for that...no matter what ails them, they still wag their tail.

Most recently, Avery has started tether training with Porter (and me of course). We've had only successful trips to the Zoo, around town, and to Avery's 4 year old Kindergarten (4K) which he started this week (Sept. 4). Not knowing the scenario, we walked the first day with Mommy, Daddy (me), Avery and Porter, but not tethered. This morning we tethered and it was a great, calm, easy success. What a nice walk on a calm gray rainy morning. It was very relieving for me to not have to worry about Avery jolting off into nearby, BUSY, traffic. It was truly a blessing, and I look forward to every morning working with Team AP.

  

New biking socks Gramma Peegy got him, Casio keyboard in hand, checking himself out in the mirror. Porter rolls his eyes:

Been getting in some bike rides too this year, socks compliments of Gramma Peegy...we LOVE them because when he is in a crowded place they GLOW so he is easy to spot when he sometimes sneaks away:

Hot Summer

Hi All,
It's been quite a while since there has been an update. We've been having a hot summer, constantly trying to figure out ways to stay cool, hydrated, happy, and still get training in and have fun.

Porter and I (Dusty) have been getting up at 4:00am to get ahead of the weather and accommodate a busy daily routine including training, exercise, eating, working, swimming lessons, wash, rinse, repeat. When you walk outside in shorts at 4:00am in the morning and it is already muggy and warm, you know the day is going to be sticky. This has been going on for quite some time now, and we are all ready for a cool down.

Porter has been doing A LOT of swimming at Grandma's pool locally. We are blessed to have that opportunity, and have been spending as much time as possible there. I (easily) taught Porter how to sit on the end of the diving board and then jump at my command for a frisbee in the water. I think I discovered a hidden talent. I think he gets about 15 feet from tip of board to front foot touching water. Another hidden talent I think, is how Porter swims out to people in the deep end and won't leave them alone until they grab on to his scruff and then he immediately swims back out to "shore". I think he has rescue dog deep in his blood.

 We popped into a basketball game in the gym. Nothing seems to phase Porter.

How tortuous to bring a water dog to a pool and not swim!? Trust me, he get's plenty of "off the job" paddlin'/playin'.

Soon, Avery and Porter will start one-on-one training, including tethering, and really working on their direct bonding and work together. I am excited, and Porter is always anxious to work, as long as anyone let's him love them and lick them.

Bonding

If there seems to be one main purpose for an Autism Service Dog, in my opinion, it would be TO BOND. To bond to it's human, it's purpose, it's vehicle to give back all that unfiltered love a dog has inside. To provide that security that an Autistic individual needs that maybe they can not find in their parents or peers.

In the past several months of training, there has been a range of emotions. From happy, to discouragement, to pride, and so on... plenty of overwhelming feelings. It has been tough because you would expect the bond between an autistic child and dog to be automatic, but in my Son's case, it was initially exciting, and then off into his own world - much like his relationship with most children his age (friends that he has had long-term exposure to). While this has been the cause of discouragement, it has also been a challenge for me to persist, and to find the positive message in a negative result. What has been happening outside of my expectations, is a challenge to Avery to utilize his speech, an area he needs improvement, in order to communicate to Porter. When Porter plays too rough, he is challenged to talk to Porter, and Porter responds. Both Avery and Porter have been progressing in this area, and much to my delight they are even playing together now, where Avery is giving commands to sit, drop it (a toy), toss, and then repeat for an extended period. I couldn't be more happy to see them start to really work together without my help. With adversity comes triumph, right?

Avery has also been receiving amazing Speech Therapy and Occupational Therapy during his pre-school morning sessions we got him into. That paired with wrap-around care by an amazing friend Patrick and his group of awesome respectful kiddos close to Avery's age have all been helping Avery progress SO MUCH. I think this peer modeling and consistency has really helped him progress the most. He has even been eating VEGETABLES!!!! This is due mostly to the persistence and hard work of our daycare Master Ninja (Patrick). Avery has been talking more and more, even singing, articulating his thoughts, expressing emotions, and following directions. I personally am starting to see the clouds part as I see my Son grow and act like such a great little man. Keep up the good work Son, you have been doing a lot of hard work. Thank you to everyone involved in his daily activities and learning, thank you to all our family and friends, and thank you to those who have contributed in any and every way to make this all possible. I hope this message reaches you with a huge virtual hug and handshake. We love you all, and so does Avery boy.

Please enjoy some phone pictures I managed to snap recently:

 

This is what I opened the bathroom door to one morning

 

This is what happens most everyday I pick up Avery in my car with Porter

Avery insists on him and Porter going out to his small patio balcony, or as he calls it "growing", and on this occasion him and Porter were foam dart hunting some squirrels

Mr. Cheesehead in the airport while we wait for Grandma Peggy and Aunty Dano 

 Trying on Grandma's Elmo flip flops

Porter training in the arcade at the waterpark resort we took Grandma Peggy and Aunty Dano.

Graduation, operation, regeneration, and maybe relaxation?

It's been a busy time, weekly obedience training, dentist appointments, and Porter's dreaded neuter appointment. There has been a lot of down time for Porter, and fortunately he is now back in full swing in training.

This past saturday Porter graduated from Teenager Dog Training at The Dog Den, and concurrently started up his Intermediate Dog Training. He is not so happy, as he got used to the resting routine from his neuter surgery... but he is responding very well, and seems MUCH more calm and collected in public training, as well as Dog Den courses. We have all been through a lot lately, hoping things even out here a bit more. Consistency is the key, and with life events it can be hard to stick to a rigid schedule.

Avery's Grandparents built a chicken coop, and so Avery and Porter have been very interested in the new family members. Avery is VERY excited about the chickens, but seems to be much more concerned and in love with "baby chickens". Of course, Porter goes nuts when he sees the chickens, and it is good practice for me to use his "LEAVE IT" command. Practice, practice, practice.

 

When I pick up Avery from his daycare, he climbs into the car and insists on doing this, everytime... crawl in, sit next to Porter, roll the window down, and cheese...

Not sure if Porter did this out of jealousy, wanting to be in the middle of me and Jessica in our camping chairs, or he was just being goofy... but when Avery fell asleep on Mommy's lap during our weekend patio hangout sessions, Porter promptly crawled up into Avery's "ducky chair" and fell asleep. Doesn't look comfy to me, but maybe Avery warmed it up for him.

Adventures, Adventures, Adventures

Training has been going great, no real major milestones nor defeats... just gentle progression. Avery is doing excellent at communicating with Porter, and I believe it is transferring through to the way he communicates with his peers and his family. He has been talking more and more progressively, and I, Dusty Dad, can't be more relieved and proud.

Here are some recent photos I managed to take recently, we've been on lots of adventures.

 

 Porter getting official downtown (got his license at the courthouse downtown).

Now he has a license, and he's a teenager...dangerous?

 

 Porter enjoying an Easter Sunday.

We went to a hotel resort place for our anniversary and Avery's birthday (coming up). Here is Avery after the waterpark (left), and Porter still all sparky having not gone down a waterslide all day/night (right).

Super reader in his cape Gramma Peegy got him.

Avery serving Porter ice cream (bubbles) from the ice cream shop, as he calls it.

Wash, Rinse, Repeat

Wash, Rinse, Repeat = A lot of the same boring routine, not many exciting events outside of SIT, DOWN, STAY, repeat. We've been going on regular outings in public, and Porter has officially started his Teenager Dog Training at The Dog Den, and of course enjoying our weekly Custom Canines training.

Porter has been growing fast, and learning well. He knows his SIT, DOWN, SIT from DOWN, and WAIT... although he performs these flawlessly for me everyday I train him at home... but he is still working on flawless public execution due to all the distractions. As his trainer, I am lucky to have such a smart student. It takes pressure off our already squirrelly home life. Avery has been learning how to communicate "personal space", which has been an amazing hidden gem embedded within this arrangement. When a wiggly licky puppy comes bombarding Avery with his puppy energy, Avery is learning the NO command, and Porter is respecting and listening. Avery also asks Porter to SIT, and WAIT, but Porter doesn't quite understand these commands from a little man. It truly is awesome to see them work with each other, both good occasions and bad occasions.

Yesterday, I got lucky and had a chance to snap a few pictures. Another reason why there hasn't been many updates: I've got my hands full. My favorite part was when a woman at the cash register asked Avery what his doggy's name was, he said "Porter". Another hidden gem, where Avery is provoked to communicate with general public, and he is actually talking and responding, where he normally doesn't speak. Avery has also been doing remarkable on public outings in general... very calm, curious, but stays by Mom or Dad, listens, and no real meltdown tantrums. I can't really express how awesome this is in words.

Avery at Menard's, a local home-improvement store:

Our trip to the grocery store:

Jessica and Porter are bonding more too, Porter is happy as you can tell. He doesn't normally lay with me, maybe because I am a warm person, and he likes cool temperatures... but this past weekend he layed on Jessica for hours, sound asleep. He loves his Momma.

Another favorite note of the past weekend: I had the stroller wheel down on Avery's bike trailer (our frequent morning school transit option). Porter hopped right in and refused to get out, so I let Avery push the stroller gently. All of a sudden Avery jumped in and sat down happily too. Please keep in mind, Avery has hated to share this space in the past. He especially won't sit that close to Porter for that long. One main goal of Avery's current therapy is to socialize with his peers, in close proximity (in a sandbox for example). Since he was thought to have delays in this area back when he was 2 years old, which is what lead to his Autism diagnosis, this is a huge difference from where he started. I can't be more proud of him, he's working really hard to fit in to everyone else's world.

And one last one of Porter's preferred way to sleep...silly puppy.

Bump it up a notch

This past wednesday, we attended our weekly Custom Canines training outing at West Towne Mall in Madison. It was great to see everyone as usual, and get some feedback and ask questions. I think at this point, I (Dusty, his primary trainer) need to bump it up a notch with his training, in more simple specific areas. By simple I mean SIT, DOWN, and STAY. Since we have regular early morning "training walks", where I religiously practice HEEL, and then COME with some off leash play, I have been slacking on the more simple core commands. Switch gears, bump it up a notch by taking it back to the basics, check.

Although we have been lightly practicing WAIT (or STAY) during every meal, as well as various front door encounters, and ESPECIALLY when Avery and Porter try to go down the stairs together... I guess that was enough for Porter to get the idea. I was impressed at how well he did waiting on command at the mall, with various passers-by, including Custom Canine pups. (I am located to the left of Jeff walking Cooper in the photo, waiting with a treat). Porter is loyal to his treats, and I need to be more focused and consistent with my commands.

Porter got bumped out of the Puppy Class into the "Teenager" Class at the Dog Den where he will receive his first official training classes. I guess all that puppy kibble has made his grow big enough to pick on puppies smaller than him, either that or he is ready mentally for more "teenage" focused commands. Either way, we are excited to get training!