We spent the first week with this team focusing on getting Steve and Maski headed in the same direction with one hand on the harness, and one hand on the leash. Maski began alerting to seizure activity immediately—and his alert is hardly one that you can miss as he places his huge body on top of Steve to ensure that he listens. He must be successful because Steve didn’t have one of his “like a tree falling to the ground” seizures during the three weeks of team training! They spent a fair amount of time on an air mattress on the CPL training center floor, waiting for Maski to say it was safe to get up. For the first week and a half, Maski didn’t really test Steve very much—he focused on his alerts—and trying to figure out what the heck his new dad was doing as the leash and harness got tangled. Steve was an excellent participant in class, keeping his sense of humor, keeping all of us laughing, and working hard to develop his partnership with his dog. They head home to NJ to enjoy family, play golf, and hopefully a life full of activity now that he can put his fears (and his wife’s fears) to rest. Since returning home, Steve has set up play dates for Maski with other CPL dogs in the area. Maski actually led Steve back to his car while they are at an outdoor function and Steve had a seizure ten minutes later. They have returned to work part time at a steel plant and now his wife can worry less about Steve at home or at work.

Cyber is (figuratively) stepping into the harness of a very special lady—Bob’s first service dog, Oreo. Although he is very different from Oreo, Bob is finding that Cyber is an exciting and challenging companion. Bob has matured so much since the middle school days when he first got Oreo—yet there’s still enough kid in there to keep Cyber’s life full of activity and fun. The two of them provided great entertainment for the baboon at the zoo who was seen leaping in front of the glass wanting to join Bob and Cyber in their fun. Bob had to do stroller duty a few times when his nieces and nephews were part of the transportation crew bringing him to class. He learned to handle an energetic dog and a young child in a stroller at the same time. Through training, Cyber has alerted to Bob’s seizures (and to a few other peoples’ too)— fulfilling his promise to take care of Bob and keep him safe. They head home to family, small kittens (who Cyber really loves), radio controlled airplanes, antique car shows, and an independent future. Cyber has gone to some airplane shows and meetings. Cyber dependably gives Bob a seventeen minute alert and he has even begun alerting to his sisters cat’s seizures.

Jacqui has been called the star of the class, an inspiration to us all, cute as a bug, and other affectionate, loving and respectful phrases. Calvin—well, he’s been called a few things that were a little less pleasant—but then again, if he hadn’t been quite the “turkey” that he has been—maybe we wouldn’t have really appreciated or gotten to see exactly how tough, how patient, or how funny Jacqui really is! Jacqui, a fashion merchandising major—was thrilled to know that her dog was named Calvin—just like Calvin Klein (although I doubt that the Lower Brandywine Church had that in mind when they named him!) They really are a match made in heaven—his pretty golden locks and cute face—her adorable dimples and great fashion sense—they really are cute. And that got them through the first day. But then Calvin got wind that his mom was a “tough nut,” after all anyone willing to commute from NJ into New York City to go to fashion school each day would HAVE to be tough. On bathing day we learn how to clean teeth and ears, and all kinds of charming stuff—things that a very well put together, always looks perfect, fashion major is NOT going to think is fun. Once the bath began she was drenched from head to foot! They head home to NJ to family, friends… and most importantly shopping! These two blondes have started their first year of college in New York City and have mastered riding the train to and from home. In addition, Calvin has leaned exactly where he needs to put his head on Jacqui’s lap in order for her to retrieve things from his mouth.

Luna is a successor dog for Kathie who recently retired her first CPL service dog Rita (she’s at home now being spoiled by the rest of the family). This was a tough three weeks for Kathie as medical problems plagued her, she hung in there, dedicated to making her partnership with Luna a success. Luna has been a wonderful and cooperative partner these three weeks—she has tested her new mom only a couple of times— she has been very patient as Kathie has learned to make the change to a new dog and a new way of doing things. Kathie was thrilled when Luna woke she and her husband up in the middle of the night because Luna was alerting to a drop on Kathie’s blood sugar levels. Kathie loves to be with children and frequently works in the nursery at the church—Luna with her sweet and sensitive personality will be perfect to work in that environment. In their free time they’ll be baking the dog biscuits which Kathie is famous for. Kathie sells them to members of her church and community with the proceeds being sent to CPL. Luna will have to be the official taste tester. Kathie is hoping that Luna will slow down a bit when they’re walking together—and Luna is hoping she will speed up a bit! They are now home in PA with her family, and church, having a lot of fun. Luna is helping with walking, and support work and is consistently alerting to Kathie’s blood sugar drops.

Team training started with Mark arriving early for the first night’s dinner, but in the excitement of getting here, he managed to miscalculate when getting the wheelchair out of the truck—and everything, including Mark ended up in a pile on the driveway. It wasn’t the only time he ended up on the ground during team training but nothing deterred him. Mark was the most law abiding, rule following, always arrive early for class prepared student we’ve ever had at CPL! He is absolutely amazing, and his dedication to training with his new partner was greatly appreciated by the training staff, and by his classmates! He gave everything he had to Buckley—whose tail wagged constantly throughout team training. Mark and Buckley are so much alike. They both work hard, have a sense of humor, and a stubborn streak to keep their life challenging. The two of them brought quite a few laughs to the group—the day that Buckley refused to sit in the hula hoop during the obstacle course brought tears to some people’s eyes—we were laughing so hard! When Mark put Buckley’s boots on to protect his feet from the hot pavement— we were again brought to tears as this yellow lab tried to figure out how he was going to walk with boots on, and follow commands at the same time. He was obviously wondering why his new dad would do this to him—he doesn’t yet know that his life will be divided between Arizona (where the pavement is hot) and the beaches of MD (where the pavement is also hot). They had fun and worked really hard and now they’re headed home to MD to run their business and raise Mark’s two sons. Each team was assigned a trick to teach their dog during the three weeks and Mark taught his dog to “moon” his friends. What a hoot! Buckley has learned how to put away his toys every night before going to bed—a skill everyone would love their kids to have!

Clint was our soft spoken, easy going student in this class. We never saw him get upset or frustrated. He entered team training hoping for a dog that would help him become more independent, but he also wanted a dog that would bring him many laughs. Freedom has been happy to oblige. Clint has a very quiet voice—and so it took that first week for Freedom to realize that he really did mean what he said. She would ignore him, but found out that he has the patience of a saint, and eventually, she would have to complete her commands, and complete them correctly. Clint’s first real test was on the day of the obstacle course when his dog decided that she would attempt to eat the treats in the “dog treat mine field” that she was supposed to be walking over while ignoring the treats. He has won her respect and her heart. It was fun to celebrate Clint’s 17th birthday while he was here and to see the joy that Freedom’s antics brought to him each day. They had their first really great day at Longwood, where they did their go pay with ease and even retrieved the little metal lion without a problem. The day at the zoo was fun too—although Freedom insisted on repeatedly rooting in the mulch until by the end of the day she looked like a dusty chocolate Labrador instead of a black one. On the Philadelphia trip, when a herd of security guards approached the group to tell them that they couldn’t come in to The Gallery mall, it was Clint who whipped out his law book and explained his federal rights! They head back to their home in PA to finish high school. These two are having fun in the 11th grade, with Freedom paying for Clint’s lunch in the cafeteria, handing in papers, checking out and returning library books, picking up dropped pens and pencils and opening doors. They work as greeters at Kmart and never cease to greet customers with both their sunny smiles!

While Jody waited for a service dog, she did everything in her power to prepare for this new partnership. She stood firm in her conviction that a dog would change her life, despite the very emphatic resistance from her parents, who couldn’t imagine how a dog could make anyone’s life easier. They were both happy to admit that they were wrong when on the very first day Ruby rubbed against Jody’s legs persistently—her first alert—which allowed her new mom to lay on a mat, completely safe, until her seizure was over. It was a bit unusual to have a service dog sit on their recipient’s head to make sure they stayed down—but it worked—and they’ve refined it a bit over the three weeks. One of their most recent alerts happened at the Philadelphia Zoo, where Ruby alerted to a seizure right in front of a young girl and her mother. Coincidentally it turned out that the young girl had seizures also and Jody quickly took the opportunity to help educate the young girl. Jody was denied the right to use her dog at the Blue Rocks game when a vendor refused to take the wallet that Ruby carried to pay for a purchase. After initially being unsure how to handle the situation, Jody asked for guidance, and then returned to the vendor to straighten the situation out. Good job! They return to Colorado to Jody’s job and family. There are a number of our other recipients who reside in that area—we have the feeling that Jody will be coordinating the Colorado recipient support group! Ruby consistently gives a 15 minute alert to Jody’s seizures. Once they returned home, Jody was in heaven because she was able to take her first bubble bath in 30 years.

John should have known that team training was going to be interesting when he gave his dog the command “lap” (meaning put your front paws on my lap)—and before anyone knew what was happening—the WHOLE dog was on his lap! Austin just loves his new dad! That doesn’t mean he hasn’t tried his patience a bit. Team training started to get a little expensive for John—first there was the not one, but two Halti’s he had to replace (when Austin decided to see what dad would do if he chewed through them). There was the day (or was it days) when the wheelchair broke— and the emergency trip home to get the new one—and then there was the day the van broke. These two sure faced their challenges which came from all sides. And yet, they came to class with a smile and a tail wag each day—ready to face the inevitable challenges—and create a wonderful team. Perhaps John’s patience could be attributed to being able to stay with a Hosts for Hospitals family that has a babbling brook running right through their house—can you imagine anything more relaxing than falling asleep to the sound of water spilling over stones. They are going to be a huge success as they head home to their teaching job where John will be the most popular teacher in the school, and family. Since returning home, John has been busy teaching Austin new and challenging skills and enjoying the new semester.

Jeanette lost her first service dog Nemo, very suddenly and much too early in their partnership, to a serious illness. The pain was horrible and the grief overwhelming. And yet she, like others in this class—realized that life without the partnership, companionship, and assistance from a service dog—just wasn’t really a life at all. Being out there without help was scary. Jenna wasn’t scheduled to graduate until the Fall, but her training was progressing quickly and she was an excellent match for Jeanette, who needed a dog as soon as possible. The two of them bonded and began working like an experienced team right from the beginning. By day two Jenna had alerted to Jeannette’s seizure activity and she continued to provide reliable alerts throughout the three weeks. She guided Jeannette carefully to help with her vision loss—and supported her as she walked and negotiated stairs and uneven ground. Jeannette kept a firm hand on her harness, letting her know that her support was needed. Jeannette has walked faster during these three weeks than we have ever seen her walk—she calls Jenna her 100 mph dog—but has seemed thrilled to be able to move with such ease and such momentum. Jenna does not seem to be offended by the multitude of scarves that her new mom dresses her in— until July 4th that is, when her new mom went a little over the top and had her wear that silly headband with red white and blue metallic pompoms on the top—how is a dog to maintain their dignity wearing something like that! When the time came for her long recall across the training center—she simply stared at her mom when called. It took copious amounts of encouraging, pleading, calling, and coaxing (and I think there was even a pledge to never bring out a headband again in there) before Jenna finally left her sit stay to run to her mom. They head home to family, church (Jenna’s anxious to see what’s really involved with the baking of the church fundraiser’s crumb pies), and fun—with a bunch of pink dog toys! Since returning home, Jenna is consistently alerting to all of Jeannette’s medical conditions.

Sue has been partnered with two beautiful blond males, (one with long hair and one with short) four legged, not two, and she has been a wonderful partner to them both. During our lecture about retiring and losing our partners Darlene shared with the teams her feelings that being partnered with a successor is the best tribute we can make to the importance of our previous partner in our life. They took wonderful care of us, and they would want to know that we were again filled with love, and were being taken care of. It was obvious that this talk touched Sue’s heart as she remembered her beautiful dog Revelation and the changes that he made in her life. She and Clancy embarked on a new partnership and have done so dressed to the nines, showing the other teams how patience, consistency, lots of praise, and respect make a great team. Clancy sits so upright and regally when he’s next to Sue’s chair that you just know he’s telling the other dogs “she’s my mom!” and that he’s so proud of her. They were the only team that needed to call the paramedics during this team training (it seems like there’s always one) and Sue reported that Clancy acted like a pro as the medics helped her. She certainly had to face her health challenges these three weeks—but she has worked hard. They’re headed home to Illinois and are scheduled right away for gait lessons with the physical therapist because Sue wants to be able to begin walking again, the way she did with Revel. Clancy says he’s up for the job and he’s ready for anything! They are working together to attain Sue’s goal of being able to walk more and use her chair less—what a wonderful goal.

There’s a saying that goes something like “when life throws you lemons… make lemonade”— we think that saying just epitomizes Jo. Her beautiful smile and positive personality match Lolly so perfectly. Jo is famous for saying throughout the three weeks that Lolly makes her look good—well, that may be true— but it’s also true in reverse. Jo has been a positive and consistent partner for Lolly. She has been clear in her expectations, and she’s demanded the best—so what else could Lolly give her? Their first challenges as a team were just to manipulate that harness so that Jo could get it on Lolly independently—it was a tough battle, but Jo never gave up, nor did Lolly and they can now do that on their own—a huge accomplishment with only one functional hand. Lolly didn’t do a lot of testing during team training—she was really very agreeable—until the day we went to the zoo. That was the day that she put her little doggy foot down and said “no way am I going near those really big cats!” She was allowed to carefully back out of the cat area and head for safer ground. On bathing day Lolly tolerated three women trying to wash her using too much shampoo—and then, she had to have been laughing when her new mom lost control of the blow dryer hose which began flying around the room. Jo has a wonderful support system full of loving family members and friends. They’re taking a trip to Maine and then head home to New Orleans where they will continue to cherish their partnership, family and independence. Since retuning home, Lolly is helping Jo with stairs, retrieval work, and helping her to get out and enjoy each day by insisting on lots of playtime!

Claire is a member of the ministry in North Carolina, and came to team training excited to once again be partnered with a four pawed, tail wagging assistant. She had gone quite a while without a service dog partner—it sometimes takes a while to be ready for a new dog after your partner retires. Willa immediately charmed Claire with her adorable looks and mellow, good natured personality. Willa enjoys cuddling more than ball playing which is just fine by Claire who would prefer to cuddle too. In almost every picture you see of them, and certainly how we will always picture them is with Willa leaning up against Claire’s chair with Claire scratching her ears. Their lunch hours were spent reclining as Claire worked to alleviate some of her pain, and Willa took the opportunity to rest up. Willa doesn’t know it yet, but one of her mom’s goals is for them to go to Europe to visit friends. We think that Claire will find in her profession (where she will do a lot of counseling), that Willa’s sweet and even temperament will help to ease people’s worries and fears—helping to make her counseling even more effective. Dogs have a wonderful way of bringing out the best in all of us. These two finally mastered the art of click and treat training when Willa decided that she wasn’t sure if she knew how to jump up onto a door to close it the other day—we’re confident that this team is headed home to a lot of additional training as Claire explores all of the creative ways that Willa can help. They head home to college, and the adjustment to the multitude of aides and personal care attendants that are a part of Claire’s life. Since this semester has started, Willa is helping her get around the campus by pushing difficult to reach door buttons and opening social doors as well.

Gillian was the analyzer in this group—she asks the best questions, and then she used the answers to improve her partnership with Piper! That must be why she’s a statistics major in college. Gillian and Piper bonded quickly. From day one she was constantly stroking his ears, and he was leaning up against her leg. It’s been a bit of a challenge to learn his alerts, but Gillian continues to work to listen to him. Piper is very insistent when Gillian is to lay down, and when it is safe to get back up, and she listens to him. They spent a fair amount of time sitting down in a safe spot—at Starbucks, at PetSmart, and under the big shade tree at CPL—but Gillian has kept a smile on her face, and was always petting and communicating with her dog. They were cruising through their skills like pros until the day came to retrieve the metal food bowl— that’s always a tough one. The trick that Gillian needed to teach Piper during these three weeks was to go get someone to let them know that she needed them—not really a trick at all, because Piper will need to locate people within the dorm at college to help. Gillian reported that Piper really loved learning this trick and got very excited and happy. It’s always a good thing to keep teaching our dogs new skills! The first new skill Piper will need to learn when he gets home is to walk with Gillian as she plays with the University’s marching band. Gillian is a bit concerned about how Piper will take to all the noise—but we think he’s going to get a really big kick out of this—and everybody is going to be watching the band now! Since school started, they are marching in the band, together in time and in tune, performing at football games and having a great time living the college life!

These two have shared fun moments, sad moments, scary moments, and frustrating moments. CC quickly learned the benefits and the pitfalls of having a tennis ball crazy Labrador for a partner. While the ball could be used to motivate him to retrieve a metal food bowl—it also made taking a group photo, in front of the play yard with balls and dogs running around, extremely challenging. CC has been a cheerleader for her classmates—encouraging them and reminding them of the progress they’ve made. They go home to a career in art, and a dream to begin a nonprofit organization which will sew and provide curtains to individuals who have lost everything in the recent hurricanes and other natural disasters. Zeus’s will give CC the confidence and independence to face the many physical challenges she battles.

What a compassionate young lady! She worked hard during the three weeks to understand her dog, and dog training theory in general. Her journal telling the story of her trip to Philadelphia talked about how proud she was of how Tasha had handled the train ride, center city, and all of the distractions. She was thrilled that Tasha was able to operate the elevator button of the glass elevator. She was sensitive to the fact that Tasha was initially scared of the button because it was placed on glass which made it look like she would fall through if she hit the button as expected. Allison left a nice dent on a sidewalk in Philly, an environment which is hard for a new seizure alert dog partner to notice an alert – but overall, Alison was quick to pick up on her dog’s signals and respond by getting into a safe position. Alison will face further brain surgery in the near future, and of course Tasha will be there with her—and then they hope to head to college to prepare for a career in the medical field. They are now best friends and Allison is learning to consistently recognize Tasha’s alerts.

Everyone knew that team training wasn’t going to be easy for these two from the start. Elaine has just lost her first service dog Dhuey to cancer just weeks before, and was still grieving. Vinny, who wasn’t scheduled to graduate until next summer, took the fast track and agreed to step in and be placed ahead of schedule. Despite these challenges they’ve done a super job! Vinny’s antics have helped Elaine laugh again, and his patience has encouraged her to take that step towards independence. It wasn’t all a bed of roses though. There was the day that Elaine decided to take the electric wheelchair off the edge of the walkway and flip it over. Vinny didn’t always make things easy either—they were never going to win the musical mats game because it takes him 30 minutes to fold his long legs into a sit! Through it all, a solid partnership has blossomed and grown as they’ve helped each other get through the challenges. Elaine looks forward to getting more involved with her church again, in addition to ministering in local nursing homes. She wanted to get back to the beach and walk on the edge of the water in the sand—like she did with Dhuy—and over the Thanksgiving holiday, they got to walk on the beach together, a dream fulfilled.

Shelly was the worrier of this class—she worried about everything! She worried if Poohdini’s harness was too loose, and if it was too tight. She worried if he minded getting his feet dirty standing in the restroom, and if he minded laying on the floor of the train… and on it went. Throughout training her most common phrase, and one that made all of us smile each day, was “I just LOVE him!” always said with a level of enthusiasm that only Shelly could manage. She is very excited to get home to show off Poohdini’s skills to her doctor who has never had a patient with Huntingdon’s receive a service dog. We’re hoping that Poohdini can help her keep walking for a very long time, because she’s definitely a danger to society behind the wheel of a scooter! Shelly’s last journal entry was extremely moving, she stated “I used to sleep each day until 10 or 11—there just wasn’t any reason to get up in the morning—now I have a reason to get up”. They headed home to Baltimore to a life full of family, fun, and independence! Shelly and Poohdini have been keeping busy at the mall! They LOVE to shop! They continue to work on perfecting their skills together as a team.New York to begin a healthy and independent life as an artist.

Every day Jesttin came to class completely dedicated to making the most of this experience. He was never late, he was always the first one to volunteer to share, to try, and to encourage. He was Darlene’s conscience and memory— keeping her on track and reminding her of our weekly nail trimming sessions. His smile and sincerity have helped him tackle a tough three weeks. Chewie is not always an easy dog, and the fact that he had diarrhea for the first two and a half weeks sure made life challenging! Jesttin, who lives on a farm in California, has a very natural ability with animals. He quickly understood how to use the clicker and treats to teach new tricks, and encourage positive behavior. Chewie tested Jesttin, starting by snatching his sandwich during lunch the first week. He quickly found out that Jesttin knew the “no people food” rule—and the sandwich was retrieved from deep inside his mouth. Very early on, Jesttin listened to Chewie’s alerts which kept him safe during a number of seizures. California will never be the same when these two get home and I don’t think that Chewie will get bored very often. Jettin enjoys farm work, horseback riding, fishing, archery and four wheeling— I think that Chewie is going to be in heaven! Jesttin and Chewie are working hard everyday to improve their skills together and Jesttin is teaching Chewie new skills and tricks to keep him busy. Chewie learned to put all his toys away at the end of the night. Jesttin is continuing to work on recognizing all of Chewie’s alerts. They are an active team!

Anne Marie was our quietest recipient in the class. On our first couple of days, we can only imagine what Anne Marie, a serious and dedicated pianist, was picturing her future concerts to be like as Tinker tried repeatedly to convince her that she was in a lap dog. Her playful antics have brought many smiles, and apparently bath day had everyone in hysterics as we watched the complete insanity of a soapy Labrador who ADORES her new partner! They’ve become a confident team, working smoothly together— handling the city and all that it brings, like professionals. They had one heck of a battle in JC Penney’s fighting with a set of keys that Tinker decided she couldn’t possibly pick up—but in general have handled learning their skills in a steady and consistent manner. One of Ann Marie’s goals is to go Christmas shopping by herself, for the very first time. You go girl! Anne Marie has begun to notice Tinker’s alerts, which tend to run about 20 minutes before the seizures. Anne Marie has been going to piano competitions and will be able to once again attend piano camp this year, which she would not have been able to do without Tinker’s help! They are thinking about the possibility of college now!

If you see Michelle behind the wheel of a scooter—run for cover! Although Grizzly hasn’t been phased by several close encounters with curbs, doors, elevators, etc. These two are so darn cute together! Grizzly has tested his new mom fairly frequently, as any self respecting Labrador will do. First, he told her that he couldn’t stand—he could only lay down. Then he couldn’t possibly retrieve. He could however tug, and best of all, he could support her while she walked (which is a good thing since we’re trying to keep her out of a scooter). He really proved his stuff when he began helping her up and down the flight of 16 stairs at their host family’s home. His nose gets the better of him, so Michelle has focused on the command look at me which has improved his focus dramatically. Each team is given a brand new skill to train their dog—and Michelle wowed us all, having taught Grizzly to collect his toys from around the room on the floor and put them into the canvas bag. They head home to a busy family life and Grizzly will be learning to help Michelle remove her leg braces and untie her shoes. They are enjoying family activities together.

We were so impressed the first time we met George. As he explained his current needs, he was focusing on his future needs as Parkinson’s disease began making life more challenging. This forward thinking, of wanting to be prepared—made us want to send him home with a dog that very day. Within days, I could see a difference in George’s gait as he began to walk more fluidly—so fluidly in fact that when we decided to take the group for their first walk down our very long driveway—he was out the door, down the drive and headed back before most of us had made it out of the training center! Smokey has been a very good dog throughout the three weeks. They head home to grandchildren, school board meetings, and continued independence! Since graduating, they have been very active in the community spreading the word about service dogs.

If in doubt, break it—seems to have been Natasha’s motto during the three weeks of training. The harness, the wheelchair, the back packs, the leashes, you name it—she broke it! And when she wasn’t breaking something—Darlene was rear-ending her with a scooter or tripping over her dog —they made quite a pair! Team training started with her learning that a loved one had passed away, health problems plagued her, things broke, her dog tested her— but still, an amazing partnership was formed. When the two of them walk together you have to hold your breath—but they move to their own dance and get to where they’re going—in one piece—they go up stairs backwards and down stairs frontwards—but it works for them. Perhaps one of the most amazing things is just to see Checkers, when commanded, crawl to lay over Natasha’s stomach— and when she does the muscle spasms that cause so much spasticity—just seem to cease and Natasha looks truly comfortable and content. An awesome sight! These two are going to reach their goals and get back to college soon — moving on with life.

Sheena had to perform modern miracles to get to CPL with very short notice. When Pebbles suddenly became available for this class, we knew that she would be a good match but could we ask a college junior to turn her life upside down to get here in three weeks? Well she did, and boy, was it a great decision! Sheena traveled here from Texas with no support person to help her. It was just Pebbles and the wonderful support of her host family, who provided her with housing. Pebbles must have understood how difficult this was, because she has been very kind to Sheena during these three weeks. Pebbles laid quietly through class with her front paws crossed—looking quite regal. Pebbles has quite an interest in other animals—cats in particular. She’s going to have to control that little compulsion because her new mom is an animal science major who adores cats! They head home to TX, college, and hopefully a career in a zoo or wildlife sanctuary. College is now fun!

Seizure alert dogs each choose how they are going to alert their person in their own way. Some of them bark, some jump on their person, some paw their person.it just depends on who they are. Raider decided that he would alert Jessica by rubbing his head between her legs, and he won't stop until she lays down. Once she's down, he's figured out that she's pretty stubborn and may try to get back up so he lays that big old labrador body right on top of her until it is safe for her to move. Not an inch of him is usually touching the floor. It is kind of hard to miss that alert! We've watched them progress towards what Jessica stated she wanted so badly in her application-to be able to relieve her family of the worry they feel whenever she wants to do something on her own. They head home to Kentucky where Jessica and Raider have goals to get a job, live on their own, do their own grocery shopping and just be independent.

Sam and Colby have kept life exciting for us during training. They hold the dubious honor of being the first team in this class to take an ambulance ride and trip to the emergency room of a hospital. Colby alerts to Sam's seizures and Sam is working hard to pick up her signals. It is important that he do this because he has just accepted a job with the Navy and will be moving away from home for the first time to live on his own in Washington, D.C. Colby is Sam's priority now-and he is hers. They are working to take care of each other and keep each other safe and happy. Colby has taught Sam the fun of owning a dog-the unpredictability, the devotion, and the maniac obsession over a tennis ball that just won't end. For the trick that each team needs to teach their dog, Sam taught Colby to salute him (they are going into the military)-and then he saluted her back. We all salute you Sam. It's not going to be easy-it's going to take a lot of work-but I see a bright, exciting, and independent future for these two.

Bill had become an active CPL volunteer even before we were able to find a dog to change his life. When he first met Hoagie at a graduate support class, Hoagie's trainer said the bond was formed almost instantly. Bill entered team training with much enthusiasm. The physical demands have been very hard with seizures and diabetes being affected by stress- but they've had the incredible support of their family and they've come charging through. Bill has relished each and every field trip-as Hoagie has helped to take away his fear of going into public and has allowed him to reenter life. Simple activities like going to a movie, the mall, or a ball game are now possible again-and Bill's appreciation for those opportunities has touched us all. He has been a cheerleader for his classmates as they have struggled with a task and has helped to problem solve many logistical problems. They head home to a life full of possibilities and even a job again in the future-whatever they choose to do they will share it with a wonderful loving family.

Marty and Adele have personalities that match so perfectly. They're both fairly quiet, intense, focused, and patient. Right from the beginning, Adele began alerting Marty to her cardiac condition- and unlike a lot of recipients, Marty immediately listened to her dog. By day three Adele had alerted four times-and on one of the very first field trips Marty could be seen sitting on the floor of the grocery store waiting for Adele to tell her it was safe to move. Marty knows that if you listen to your dog-it may just save your life. Adele sports a pretty pink collar sent to her by Marty's close friend who helped her through the first week of training. A solid statement of friendship and support. Marty missed her young son Ethan during training- what a sacrifice for him to be willing to give up mom to help her be healthy. So she heads home to New York to begin a healthy and independent life as an artist.

Paula is the recipient who traveled the furthest in this class, flying from Colorado for her interview and then again to attend a graduate support class to show us her commitment to a potential partnership. She and Gibson were in love as soon as they met. She even wears a necklace with a G and two small stones on it-purchased on their first trip to the Exton Mall. Gibson seemed to have some difficulty understanding the "go pay" command (which means put your front feet up onto a counter or table) and consistently confused it with the "load up" command which means put the WHOLE dog up onto something. Apparently he really likes to load up-as he did it again when she told him to lay under the train seat for the ride home from Philly and he ended up on the seat next to her. Quietly and carefully these two have learned their skills, committed to their partnership, and cheered on their classmates. They head home to an immense amount of volunteer work, Paula's job, and a life of independence and security.

This has sure been a "go get um" team! They arrived early for class every day-VERY early- and were quick to help anyone who needed a hand, a ride, a shoulder-you name it. Having had lots of experience with dogs as the founder and previous Executive Director of First State Greyhound Rescue, Tanya was a bit surprised to find out how much was "new" when it came to having a dog with you as your full time partner. Their first night home together must have been a riot. While most teams when back to quiet hotel rooms, or perhaps a home with a cat or dog-Elsie got to meet her new family- the one that consists of 4 horses, 7 cats, 12 dogs, quite a few chickens, a grumpy rooster named Foggy-oh yes, and her new dad Scott. Wow! Good thing we had a long "how to introduce your service dog to other animals" talk! Elsie's energy helps Tanya cope with her increasing pain and fatigue levels. Elsie is going to have a very interesting life as a service dog-transitioning in a day from being a corporate customer service representative, to being a farm hand in the evenings. Elsie collects the raw eggs from the hen house!

During training, Jamie found an inner strength that we don't think she even knew she had. Their first challenge was getting the harness on-and Jamie almost gave up-on Day 4 she came into class and proudly announced that she had gotten the harness on completely independently in 38 minutes-about one third the time of the day before, and it just got better from there. This bright and funny young lady has really shown some grit and determination and has won the respect of her partner. She now has her a furry black guy magnet so she and Governor are ready to enter the next stage of life which is to start college at the University of Alabama.

Daily journal writing is an important part of team training. It allows the students to share their experiences, feelings and fears. Tracy's first entry- which began with "holy !@#$%*" captured what everyone was probably thinking! Despite the overwhelming anxiety of entering a partnership-Tracy led the way to show her classmates how strong you can be when you keep that goal of independence in front of you. During one journal entry we asked what environments each recipient might have difficulty including their dog in-since Tracy goes to Trapeze school when she's receiving her chemotherapy, we could all just picture Tunkha, swinging above a great big net! They head home to Tracy's husband and friends and will also face more medical challenges-but life is going to be exciting, fun, challenging, and filled with new opportunities for all of them.

Damian is no stranger to service dogs. Ben is his third service dog and he's been working with a canine partner since he was in middle school. Damian found out quickly about the stubbornness of a Labrador-yet starting the very first night, and consistently throughout training, he commented on what a great match he and Ben were. They both have an awesome sense of humor! They've had a few moments of testing, but Ben has found out that his new dad can outlast him every time! Damian has been our class star when it came to teaching other recipients how to work with their dogs, use their wheelchairs to maneuver the dog, and how to creatively problem solve. We have all learned from his ability to remain calm and patient-and most importantly to smile, in even the most difficult situations. We found out that Ben likes to dance— he puts his front feet on Damian’s lap tray and hops on his back feet when Damian moves his chair in circles— and that’s how I think these two are going to approach life and their partnership—dancing. They have sure won the respect and admiration of all of us these three weeks! They head back to North Carolina with Damian’s retired service dog Roy to a new position as Supervisor at Vanguard. Sporting events and hanging out with friends will be a big part of Ben’s life. We’re glad that he likes to smile and make the most out of every minute like Damian does!

April's enthusiasm and happiness just oozes-and sometimes controlling it can get to be a challenge. Tara, a very mild mannered, gentle lady, has had to learn to be strict. To set rules and structure and follow through with expectations. As she has done so, April has settled into a steady working partner-oozing only every now and then when she just can't help herself. She has tested her mom periodically. At the movie theatre, Tara scared everyone-she simply disappeared from the group. One moment she was there and the next (or so it seemed) she was gone. The trainers looked everywhere for her with alarm. It turns out that Tara (who prior to getting April had always had difficulty walking stairs) had decided to climb ALL the stairs to the very top of the theatre! That is what having a service dog is all about. Doing the things that you couldn't do before-being able to meet the challenges and take the risks. That is what this team is going to do. They head home to their teaching job, the theatre, and a household of pets who are just dying to meet the new kid on the block.

Team training is tough-by anyone's standards it is a gruelling experience. It is noisy, chaotic, intense, physically exhausting and mentally draining. To think of doing it without ever being able to use your voice-that's just mind boggling. And that is what Sally and Decker have done these three weeks. They have boggled our minds! Sally, who cannot use her voice, has gotten through these three weeks using only hand signals with her dog. By day seven, she was already sending her dog six feet away to retrieve a dumbbell from a chair and return to her with it. The two of them brought tears to our eyes on so many occasions-their strength, courage, and wonderful sense of humor were inspiring to every one of us. We've all been impressed with Sally's support system. Her friends and family have been incredible in their help and encouragement. Her daughter reaped the benefits of having Decker learn to do "go pays" at the Exton mall and headed out with a fair number of bags! Sally's friends even threw her a "dog shower" to honor her partnership. This is a special team and they are close to our hearts. We're so glad that they live nearby so that we can see their partnership at work frequently!

Theo is Shirley's successor dog to her first service dog Murphy. The transition of adding a successor dog into a household where the retired service dog is still residing is tough, and Shirley wondered how things would go when she introduced the two dogs. Theo and Murphy formed a truce and the balancing act of giving each dog what they need began. Theo and Shirley have worked hard to create a unique partnership and right away Shirley commented how good it felt to once again have a dog steadying her and providing momentum as she walks. Theo's shining moment came during his certification test. He easily performed his go pay at the Auntie Anne's Pretzel counter and proudly carried the paper bag containing the buttery, wonderful smelling pretzel to the table for his new mom. But seconds before she took the bag he dropped it on the floor. He realized his mistake and quickly went to retrieve it from the floor-but unfortunately his foot was on the bag-it ripped. Still trying, he went to retrieve the bag-and he did-but the big yummy buttery pretzel fell out. So Shirley asked him to retrieve the pretzel-but retrieve the pretzel and not eat it?-he did as she asked and they passed their test with flying colors. They head home to New Jersey to a life full of fun, family and friends.

Darlene and Ripley have worked together for the past several months, but are officially graduating today. Ripley is Darlene's successor dog, and has gotten many tips on how to "behave" from retired service dog, Nelson. During the final months of Ripley's training they have visited Washington, D.C. and enjoyed a family vacation to Oregon and Colorado. Ripley did test Darlene some during team training though, especially when she showed her hunting dog heritage on the Longwood Gardens trip. This team also had the dubious distinction of being among the first in their class to ride an ambulance when they accompanied Sam to the emergency room. Ripley is a wonderful ambassador for service dogs as she assists Darlene in her role as the Executive Director of CPL.

On the first day of training, Carla said that Bonz was the perfect dog for her because in her life she had broken or messed up more bones than she could count! Carla learned to drive the electric wheelchair during team training—it wasn’t always pretty—but she learned! She was a good class cheerleader – always urging her classmates on and cheering when they experienced success.

She lost her father during the training, but she and Bonz got to visit her dad in the hospital for a final goodbye—it was nice to know that Bonz was there to help her get through—and we broke the no petting rule so that dad could have Bonz visit and be a part of his life also . They’re going to do super!

Mike has a lot of grit and determination! He didn't miss a day of training and entered each day looking forward to the challenges that it held. He had a happy good morning for all and was completely committed to making his partnership with Dansko a success.

The first few days were rough as learning to walk with a dog always is. By the second week the walking had improved 100% and to our delight-Mike is now walking almost straight up and down as opposed to bent in half. We've heard that when Mike's mom watched him walk with Dansko for the first time, there were tears in her eyes!

Sherman was a refugee from the Florida hurricanes of '04. Right away Sherman knew that he loved Chase and that his favorite place in the world was to be up on his lap. When he came to meet Sherman for the first time, Chases's mom commented that she hadn't seen him walk so well, or so long-in a very long time.

Chase took a while to find that high pitched (what we call a girly) voice that will really get Sherman's tail wagging-but he found it and has really improved in his ability to motivate Sherman with praise. They head back to MD where Sherman will be sporting a bright orange vest as he travels on Chase's ATV to go hunting, fishing, and hanging out.

Several months ago, Nadine lost her first service dog Fife. Her grief was profound and her loss of independence was staggering. Quickly, without Fife's assistance, Nadine's health began to deteriorate at an alarming rate. Luckily, Dee Dee was a great match for Nadine. The first week of training was tough-Nadine's health was poor, her grief was still raw, and it was hard not to compare this sweet newcomer to her wonderful predecessor.

But Dee Dee was patient and kind-she is a sweet and sensitive dog and she quickly won her new mom's heart and respect. By day three Nadine was walking again-and she worked hard to increase her endurance throughout the training. DeeDee will help Nadine stay at work and will keep this busy woman on track.

We explained to Montana early on that to be matched with a marine, who pilots sail planes and bikes in huge marathons was going to be a challenge- he said that he was up to it. We were always under the impression that the folks in the military were trained to follow the rules- but Bill has shown us that this is not always the case. The day that we found him perched, resting in his chair against a wall on which a "no parking" sign was placed, should have been our first hint.

They head home to New Jersey where Montana may be enjoying sail planning -and he's looking forward to the bike marathons because his dad is buying him a special little tented cart so that he can ride behind the bike.

Joan has kept us laughing, hopping, and on our toes for the entire team training session. Joan informed us that we might have to deal with" her arm" which" sometimes has a mind of its own." She showed us how to restrain her arm and body by holding the arm behind her back and up with the wrist pointed down. We all nodded our heads wondering what we were in for. What we didn't realize was that when her arm decided to have a say-it would take four women to restrain her for quite some time before the muscle spasms stopped and we could let loose. We all had a workout-especially Joan and Faith. But.amazingly, Faith began to alert to these "spasms" letting us know they were coming. When she got the alert early, Joan could tuck her arm and lean on it herself- preventing the spasm from taking control. Joan celebrated with her whole heart every small measure of progress and success she and Faith made.

This was our quiet team. Eric began alerting to Barbara's seizures very early on. His strategy was simple—refuse to let her move! If she's standing or walking – get in her way. If she's sitting refuse to allow her to get up. Basically, become difficult and keep her still— exactly what Barbara needs! His support and guide work while walking kept her grounded and safe as they learned to move together. So the lady that “didn't like big dogs” said that Eric was a “JOY “and that she still couldn't believe that she would get out of bed that early in the morning to walk a dog—but that for Eric it was worth it! They head home to MA and a busy life working on a college campus and negotiating public transportation.

Rikki is a successor dog to Krystaleve's first dog, Chester. Chester had a long and successful working career as a CPL service dog, but as he began to slow down Krystaleve realized that it was getting hard for him to do his job. As Chester had slowed down so had Krystaleve. She said it was exciting to be walking again for long distances and at a good speed. Once she and Rikki started walking there was no stopping them! Krystaleve had a wonderfully positive and focused attitude through the training and worked hard to share her experiences with her classmates.

Terri made a big transition within CPL during team training. She made the leap from being a successful puppy home (she has raised many puppies for us—the last just entered the kennel) to being a recipient. It wasn't an easy decision to make but as her diabetes progressed, her fatigue levels increased, her difficulty ambulating grew, and her pain got worse, she realized she needed assistance. Jackson's support while she walks will help to alleviate the fatigue and pain, his retrieval and tugging skills will do the same. In addition he has begun to alert her to her sugar levels—something which may take a while to fine tune, but which will prove valuable in her health management. Perhaps Terri's biggest concern entering into this partnership was whether the dog and harness would fit into that snazzy little sports car that she zips around in—a big sigh was heard the day that Jackson loaded in successfully and settled down for the ride—We think he's going to love his new sports car! Look for them on the streets of Wilmington, or headed to a Phillies game—or even at Disney World—those will be their favorite haunts.

In this class, Diana won the award for traveling the furthest to get to CPL—coming from California. She has loved and owned poodles before but she didn't realize how big the poodle that we were going to give her would be—and she spent most of the first week referring to him as a pony instead. “Hammy” as Diana calls him has a keen sense of humor which Diana enjoys, yet he focuses on his work in a serious manner. One of Diana's goals was to be able to get rid of her crutches (which she did immediately upon meeting Hammy) and begin walking more successfully using his support. Despite the physical pain and fatigue, Diana didn't miss a day of training. She heads home to share the word about how CPL and service dogs can change peoples' lives. We think she’ll probably end up being one of our official California PR people because she loves to share her success stories.

Garver is Nikki's successor dog -stepping proudly into her first service dog (Ursus's) working shoes. Ursus has placed his blessing on the team and watches them closely as he enjoys his life of leisure. The two live in DE and are very active in CPL activities in addition to taking care of their family. Nikki took a mandatory one year off the CPL Board of Directors after six years of dedicated service and is now back and working hard. Their life is very busy. They are focusing on having Garver take the laundry down the basement stairs to the laundry room each day and then return to help Nikki navigate the stairs. He has learned to tug the groceries into the house from the car, using a plastic crate, and Nikki is now grocery shopping independently again (something she had stopped as Ursus had gotten older and had more difficulty getting around). They've been to the beach, enjoyed the fireworks, have been to a Phillies baseball game, and are preparing for their first independent train trip into Philadelphia for doctor's appointments.

From Garver's letter to his trainer Meg: "Later, we went to the grocery store..I tugged the canvas bag with the groceries all the way to the front door and mom thought I was one special dog! I told her I was p-e-r-f-e-c-t! When we were at the grocery store mom dropped her cell phone and I got it for her. She dropped her keys and I got those too. I picked up a can of soup off the floor and gave it to mom. A lady who was standing there said I was amazing- she probably meant to say p-e-r-f-e-c-t."

Edwina and Sid are taking New York by storm. They've been to concerts, Atlantic City, restaurants, zoos, parties, and doctor appointments at the hospital. They have been featured on television and in their local papers and are educating businesses regarding the work of a seizure alert dog. Edwina's primary goal once they got home was to take the New York public transit system independently to go to doctor's appointments and they are well on their way to meeting that goal. Edwina has noticed that her seizure activity has lessened in intensity and frequency since getting Sid. She has focused on practicing all of Sid's skills daily and has been very creative in her expectations to keep Sid thinking and active.

Edwina, who is quite quiet, is bursting with pride in the following followup: "Sid is retrieving well and I'm grateful that I no longer have to be the one to pick up my husband's dirty clothes and socks! The 'go pay' command works real well when you need him to put the smelly clothes into the washing machine. When we go up to bed at night I have him turn the light on at the bottom of the stairs and then turn it off at the top. He then opens and closes the door to the bedroom for me at night and opens and closes the refrigerator whenever I need to get in there."

This Texas team is now known around the world. While CPL has placed dogs to assist people with diabetes before, Bob is the first recipient whose dog was placed solely for that purpose. As part of a pilot program to explore the potential for dogs to be used to alert people to their blood sugar levels, Bob and Chewie have taken brave steps forward to begin a life that is safer and more independent. Their story was highlighted in the Philadelphia Inquirer, and on Philadelphia and Texas television, and then it spread across the world. Bob, who is a computer guru, requested that he be partnered with a dog that smiles, and one who is energetic and happy. Chewie has a beautiful smile and plenty of energy! After having a number of life threatening diabetic episodes, Bob realized that for his safety, and his wife's peace of mind, he needed to explore new options. Throughout team training they learned to listen to each other and to bond-which they continue to do as they begin their partnership. They look forward to continued employment, playing with grandchildren, and lots of outdoor activities.

From follow-up: "Chewie alerted twice on Wednesday and Thursday. We visited a friend in the hospital.Chewie was well received. On leaving I was really proud! He promptly executed and opened the door on the first try! What a dog!"

Rick and Baraboo live in Pennsylania where they are learning to use Bear's ability to detect seizures to help Rick get out and begin living life again. When Rick applied to CPL he commented that he wanted to return to work (which he has done) and be able to do more woodworking in his shop and work on his small hobby farm. He commented in his application that he hoped having a partner who could alert him to his seizures would reduce his stress and is already reporting that, thanks to having Bear, his seizure activity has reduced. This is a wonderful by product which we find happens for many of our seizure alert teams. As seizure activity often escalates in times of stress, and the worry about when a next seizure will happen is stressful, the knowledge that a dog will alert them in advance and the mere comfort of having a partner to help them deal with life's challenges reduces the stress and thus the seizure activity. They've spent most of the summer swimming-a favorite pastime for both of them- and have done some traveling.

From application: "If the dog could sense the onset of a seizure I could stop or delay what I was doing until after the seizure was over. I do enjoy cutting the grass but have run both tractors into trees!"

This GA team has already started college and they're adjusting to dorm life quickly. Lauren is a natural born dog trainer, having much patience and consistency and always praising her dog. On the first night of team training, having never met before, Indi inched her whole body up onto Lauren's lap and it was love at first site (although I'm not sure that Lauren's lap or the wheelchair was designed to carry a 60lb Labrador Retriever!). While the function of a service dog isn't "technically" to serve as a "guy magnet," it never hurts to have a beautiful black Labrador sitting next to you to help increase your "social interaction." We are wishing Lauren and Indi a very successful and fun year at college!

From their follow-up: "Using the laser pointer has worked wonders. It is a whole lot easier to have her get things that I want and to also teach her new things. With the laser she has been able to press the button in the car which was one of my goals!"

Mike and Tony live in PA and are already out and about, showing their hometown and friends what a difference a service dog can make. Mike was an inspiration to everyone (classmates, staff, support people) throughout team training. His persistence and humor helped everyone as they worked to learn the tasks, theory, and skills that they needed to become a service dog partner. He and Tony soaked up every learning opportunity and field trip like a sponge and we are so proud of their accomplishments. One of the major accomplishments came when Mike was having trouble grasping the items which Tony (having retrieved) was trying to hand him. Now Tony drops them gently into a small tray attached to the side of Mike's chair with incredible precision.

From his application: "I love music and would love to be able to go out to more concerts and shows but am afraid sometimes that if something would happen, such as falling, I wouldn't have any help."

Sasha is Melissa's successor dog to her first service dog Bob, who she lost to illness several months ago. Melissa, a recent NJ high school graduate, is looking forward to the future and the many opportunities it holds. As she explores career opportunities she is incorporating Sasha into the many areas of her life where she will need assistance when the day comes to live on her own. Melissa is never still. She plays sports like sled hockey, track, swimming and skiing. She needed an active dog. She wanted a dog to help her make her bed, assist with dressing/undressing, put clothes into the hamper, operate light switches, and help her to transfer from her electric wheelchair. She needed a creative dog. Sasha is the perfect match and as you'll read-she keeps Melissa laughing.

From her follow up: "Sasha was hysterical in Sabino Canyon in Tucson (dessert). It was hot and we hiked a few miles when we came to a stream coming from the dam. The water covered the road somewhat so Sasha laid down in the water (harness came off real fast). She then burrowed and rolled in the wet sand. She then went into the stream and cleaned herself off, then started all over again. It was so funny!"

This Iowa team is doing great. Austin, a successor dog for Rhonda, has alerted to Rhonda's seizures and also to her sugar levels-working 24 hours a day to keep her safe and healthy. He also helps to support her while she walks, turns light switches on and off, and carries and retrieves a huge assortment of items. Their work in a hospital keeps them moving and very busy. During the brief period between when Rhonda had retired her first service dog but not yet received Austin, she expressed great fears and found herself scared to go to work, out into public, or even out to the mailbox. Knowing that Austin will alert her to her upcoming seizures has allowed her to once again regain her freedom and independence. Their trip home from team training was the first time that either of them had ever been on a plane and boy did they have fun!

From a follow up discussion: "Austin and I are doing great. Austin alerts wonderfully!.I am just loving him. I can't even begin to explain to you all he is doing for me besides alerting."

This New Jersey middle school team has been busy adjusting to school life and enjoying the holidays. Sean, who enjoys wheelchair sports like karate, keeps Pebbles busy as she retrieves dropped objects like his water bottles and his calculator, helps him transfer from his wheelchair, pays cashiers, and tugs off his jacket. A true dog enthusiast, Sean came into team training having done a lot of homework regarding dogs and quickly learned the many complicated aspects of a service dog partnership. His parents comment that his motivation to be more independent has increased significantly since his placement with Pebbles which thrills us all.

From Sean's application: " She could help me move around and live more independently. It would mean a lot to me because I could get up to do things myself and not have to depend on anyone else. I also think it would be helpful to have a friend to hug if I am sad and the kids in school would think the dog was cool."

The state of Georgia is filling up with CPL service dogs and this team makes one more. Cheryl, who uses an electric wheelchair, is partnered with Willa, a female yellow lab from CPL's breeding program. These two kept everyone at CPL laughing during team training. Cheryl's complete dedication to learning everything that she needed to know to care for and use Willa was inspiring. It wasn't an easy three weeks, but then learning to manipulate a wheelchair and a dog at the same time rarely is. From the moment they met each other these two were inseparable. Willa assists Cheryl by operating door buttons and light switches, retrieving the many objects which Cheryl can't get to or reach, helping with dressing and undressing, opening and closing doors and paying cashiers. They keep busy with their work at the local YMCA where they are active with the childcare portion of the program.

From Cheryl's application, "I need a dog because I feel it will help me be more independent, motivated, and give me companionship."

Kelly and Molly (the dog) are busy preparing for Kelly's wedding. A college student who lives in Michigan hit the ground running as soon as they graduated from CPL. Kelly, who is a paraolympic competitor, reports that Molly loves the snow- which is probably good given where she's living. Molly assists Kelly with her walking-helping her to navigate uneven surfaces and stairs and helping to reduce her fatigue levels. She retrieves, opens and closes doors, and tugs a laundry basket to the laundry. The big debate now is, "what will Molly wear to the wedding?"

From Kelly's application: "If a service dog can help me accomplish the small things (balance, picking up small objects, carrying objects) then I can focus more of my energy on the more important things in life. I believe that a service dog would give me more confidence in my life."

This Illinois team has been busy with physical therapy and swimming therapy since they got home. Revel has quickly become an essential aspect of Susanne's therapy as she has worked to achieve her goal to be in the wheelchair less and walking more with Revel's assistance. They are even handling steps, which was one of Susanne's goals. Revel is helping Susanne with the laundry, getting the phone for her, opening doors and the fridge, and going to get the newspaper. Both of them enjoy playtime as Revel LOVES balls. Revel is quickly getting used to Susanne's schedule and they've enjoyed shopping, going to restaurants, and attending concerts.

From Susanne's goal sheet: "I would like to use my cane and Revel to walk around my home and in from the garage up my ramp. The less I use my chair, the happier I will be." Goal met!

This Virginia team has graduated and gone home to enjoy the activities of being a grandparent-like babysitting and watching soccer games. They've been working in the garden and Cody is becoming adept at tugging the garden hose which is too difficult for Karen to manage. Managing Karen's fatigue is Cody's primary responsibility which he does in a million ways- from helping her walk, to tugging the laundry downstairs, to picking up her art supplies.

From her application: "All the things the dog can help me do that to others seem like a small effort will be a big help to me."

This Iowa team enjoys working at the hospital and spending time with family and friends. Rhonda, whose former service dog had to retire for health reasons was desperate for independence again. As one of her final goals she wanted to be able to walk the stairs at work without taking the elevator-her first day back to work with Morris they took the stairs!

From her application: "When I had my last service dog I was able to be able to do all sorts of things that I have never been able to do before, like having the courage to have independence. I am lost without a service dog next to me."

As a pediatric occupational therapist in New Jersey, Cindy leads a very busy life. She has a clinical specialty in Hippotherapy (using horses to provide medical treatment) and enjoys painting. Monty is helping Cindy by providing support and balance walking and on steps. He helps her in and out of chairs and retrieves objects so that she doesn't lose her balance. He also serves as a guy magnet.

From her application: "I was diagnosed as having end stage arthritis. In addition to pain, I have found my active life style curtailed. Simply, I want it back!"

This team will be our first motorcycle riding duo. Hunter now has a special sidecar, goggles and harness to accompany his new mom (and dad) during their favorite activity. Residing in PA, these two will go back to Alison's teaching career in the fall. They enjoy family activities with Alison's daughter, taking walks around the city, and creating all forms of art. Hunter has 100% success detecting Alison's seizures and when she was unable to speak following a seizure immediately began following hand signals.

From her interview: "I talked with other service dog organizations-but when I called CPL I felt safe."

After meeting one of CPL's graduates at a demonstration, Jim began the application process immediately. This former pilot and mechanic needed a dog to help him with the after effects of a stroke and a seizure disorder. Tonto alerts to Jim's seizures, helps lift his arm back onto the armrest of the wheelchair when it falls off, helps with dressing/ retrieval/doors and a multitude of other tasks.

From his application: "I don't think I'd be afraid to go places, if I had a dog to assist me. If I had a seizure dog, he would have told me I was going to have a seizure and I would not have gone up the steps."

Everyone from CPL was sad to see them head home to California-so far away! This college going, sports loving team is working to feel safer and braver now that Seamus is letting Kathi know when her seizures are coming. He also helps keep her from bumping into things due to her vision loss on one side. Their plane ride home was uneventful and they've already attended a huge sporting event.

From her application: "It's hard to put into words exactly how much a seizure dog would mean to me. EVERYTHING! I feel like my independence and freedom were taken away from me after my seizure."

Joe and Baylee live in New Jersey and have begun their life enjoying the beach, gardening, and fishing. As CPL's first recipient with Parkinson's, Joe helped us become familiar with the unique characteristics of this disability and how best to train a dog to meet his needs. During the three weeks of training Joe went from frequent daily falls to taking on the entire Philadelphia Zoo without a single spill!

From his application: "I terribly miss the companionship a dog offers, and feel dogs improve the quality of life for their owners."

Following an accident, Dario was left with limited mobility. Lucky helps Dario with balance and support while he walks- once Lucky came into Dario's life, the cane became a thing of the past. They live in New York where they enjoy caring for Dario's two children. Dario considers himself the "luckiest man on earth" so it is fitting that his dog is named Lucky.

His goal: "Be alive! Be happy with a service dog and enjoy life."

Linda is a poet and fiction writer in New Jersey. She and McKenzie are working to help Linda get out of the house more and to provide Linda's family with the security to feel that they are safe leaving Linda at home on her own. McKenzie will be helping Linda with retrieval, opening/closing doors, paying cashiers, and with provide assistance with dressing and undressing.

From her application: "So many small things that most people don't think twice about would be possible for me again. A service dog would be a friend and companion who would help me take back a part of my life I had thought was gone forever."

These two New Jersey college students are avid shoppers who enjoy the movies, summer camp, and the computer. Ivy is an active and creative dog so it is wonderful that Sam has the same traits! Just a short ways into training Sam took Ivy to the souvenir store at the Blue Rocks stadium. Ivy retrieved the hat Sam wished to purchase from the shelf, took it to the cashier, gave the wallet to the cashier, took the bag with the hat and carried it back to their seat. This is just the beginning!

From her application: "I feel a service dog would be beneficial because I could do things for myself instead of relying on other people for everything. It would help me to become more independent and possibly boost my self-esteem."

This energetic Pennsylvania duo is always on the move. Between high school, pageants, choir, modeling, and a multitude of other activities there is never a dull moment! Terra doesn't let Spina Bifida slow her down, and Barney has helped her continue to enjoy the activities she loves. Barney's skills focus on retrieval, tugging, opening doors, and providing balance and support. Plus, he is an ever present source for a good laugh!

"This dog is someone to talk to and a good friend that will always be there for me. He will bring me out of my shell and give me the willpower to do different things."

This former respiratory therapist and her partner Roxy live in New Jersey. They are active participants in the lives of Linda's children and grandchildren, and also enjoy gardening, cooking, and needlework. Much to Roxy's dismay, her new mom expected her to live with a parakeet- cooperatively, which she has learned to manage. They survived three weeks of team training even though Linda had to cope with a broken foot on top of MS symptoms. What motivation!

"I can't believe the first week of email follow-up is over. It is a great idea and makes me feel like I wasn't pushed out of the nest (CPL) to fly or not. I know that I can always call, but this daily contact has been nice. I have to say that Bob and I are so impressed by CPL and the program that they have created for the dogs and recipients. Thanks to you and everyone for all that you do."

Lee, a former dental technician, lives in Virginia with his new partner Usul, wife Sue and Perlie, Sue's therapy dog. A survivor of polio as a child, Lee now lives with the complications of post polio syndrome. A service dog was an obvious fit for this dog enthusiast who has been active in Labrador rescue and pet therapy. They keep busy with errands, doctor's appointments, pet therapy and enjoying area restaurants. When Lee is out of his wheelchair, Usul helps him with his balance walking and on steps. When her partner is in the chair, Usul retrieves, tugs, and helps him with his clothing.

Quote from Lee's wife: "Today Usul again prevented him from falling while he was home alone. She stood her ground and he was able to stop himself and stay on his feet. This is the fourth time she's saved Lee from a fall since she came home with him.she's worth her weight in gold. Thank you for giving Usul to Lee!"

Having recently made the move into a wheelchair full time, Lori decided that using a service dog would be the best way to maintain her independence and employment. Being a lifetime dog lover made Lori a natural when it came to training. She challenges Fennec to use his creativity as together they enjoy work, family and especially camping. They have become famous in their neck of the woods in Pennsylvania by educating their community, via radio, TV and newspaper, on the purpose and usefulness of service dogs. Everyone at CPL is incredibly proud of them!

"I know I can never say this enough, but thank you so much for bringing Fennec into my life.you did a fantastic job with him, I only hope we both can make you proud."

This team from nearby Delaware spends their time volunteering at the Delaware/ Maryland Paralyzed Veterans Association, boating, fishing, taking drives and visiting with friends. Sentinel assists John, who is a quadriplegic, with the many things that are difficult to do from a manual wheelchair. In addition, Sentinel loves the role of boating and fishing buddy!

"I have fallen many, many times and could not get up without assistance. At one particular time I had to crawl on the floor to get to the phone and get help from a friend. Now Sentinel is there to get the phone and help me get up."

Hailing from Colorado, Benjamin won the distance award for this class. Since graduation Riley and Benjamin have been busy practicing their skills and completing their high school studies. They watch a lot of movies as Benjamin wants a career as a movie critic. Benjamin uses an electric wheelchair and Riley helps him with undressing (taking socks, pants and jacket off), retrieving objects (especially those in closets that are hard to get to), tugging the door closed behind him, pulling the covers back on the bed, and paying cashiers. He is continually teaching Riley new and challenging skills which keeps this perky lab motivated and happy.

A former Air Force Captain, Jim, and his service dog Camper live an active life. They balance full time work, a family, and hobbies such as woodworking and swimming -while also managing the symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis. CPL is lucky to have them in Pennsylvania as Jim is becoming involved in committees and activities within the organization. He's our only recipient ever who bought an assortment of different colored collars for his dog-to color coordinate with the ties he wears to work!

"Today was our first day at work and Camper has taken it all in stride. I took him to the bank upstairs and he was welcomed like a prince. Everyone seems to want his or her dog to be as well behaved as mine!"

Lindsey was looking for security, in the form of alerts to her seizures to increase her independence. Thorndyke is the dog for the job. With job training and part time employment, along with the usual young adult activities-Lindsey needed to have the worry of "when will the next seizure come" removed from her day. Thorndyke is happy to let her know, but does like to share the space that she lays down on to be safe. We enjoy having them close in Pennsylvania to participate in CPL activities and to help spread the word. Look for them on Animal Planet in the near future!

"Without Thorndyke, I had to wait for someone else to have time to help me, and someone always needed to be nearby. Now with Thorndyke, I can do things when I want to."

Christine, who is a speech/language pathologist in Delaware is looking forward to having Beamer help her with stability and knows that his help will reduce her fatigue. Christine is looking forward to developing new hobbies and resuming some of those which she has set aside. Beamer has become a welcome member in Christine's family with her husband and three sons.

This team will be working hard raising Jane's son and running her full time business, focused on helping children with disabilities. Jane put her walker in the trunk after the first day of team training, and now walks confidently and upright with Cookie's assistance. Cookie will be busy carrying items for Jane as he supports her and will prevent falls by retrieving items that she needs or drops.

This U.S. Virgin Islands team first came to CPL through a referral from the Shriner's Hospital in Philadelphia. Erick, who was recovering from an accident at the time, was already looking for ways to regain his independence. Rover will be helping Erick to untangle his legs when he rolls over in bed in addition to a multitude of other tasks.

These two have returned home to Virginia where they will keep very busy with their children and grandchildren. Wendy is looking forward to finally being able to ride public transit independently, allowing her to participate in many new and exciting activities. Their goal is to increase Wendy's volunteer activities within her community.

Lilly is Lizz's successor dog. The two are headed out into the job market, searching for work in the editing/writing field. This energetic and vibrant Pennsylvania team served as a role model for the others in their class and they lead an active social life. One of Lilly's many skills is to help Lizz roll over in bed at night so that she doesn't have to wake up others to help.

St. Thomas will be focusing his assistance on helping to alert Josh to impending seizures. Following serious surgery this summer they look forward to re-enrolling in college (engineering) and then will begin searching for employment. They reside in Maryland and enjoy music and activities by the river.

Showbo is a dually trained dog, assisting Marie with service skills for her Multiple Sclerosis and providing guide work for her visual impairment. They are active in their church and Marie is hoping to become more involved in helping with the youth programs here. They reside in Pennsylvania and Showbo is the first full service dog to graduate from the prison puppy raising program.

This Delaware team is headed back to technical high school in the fall. For the rest of the summer they will enjoy testing their skills, and will attend camp for a week. Mandi's looking forward to having Phoenix take her papers to her teachers in school and helping her transfer out of her chair. Mandi's also an avid shopper so Phoenix will be helping to pay many cashiers.

This Virginia team is preparing to return to Gina's junior year of college in Arizona this fall. Jinks is a successor dog for Gina and will assist her with many tasks such as helping to undress, transfers from her wheelchair, opening & closing doors, and operating light switches. They lead a very active social life with family and friends - always having someplace to go!

This team will keep busy antiquing, and searching for treasures for Stephen's wife's (Leo's new mom's) store. This will take them on exciting treks from their home in New York, to destinations across the country where they will undoubtedly have many adventures. Leo will be busy helping to stabilize Stephen as he walks and assisting him on stairs.

Pat’s advocacy on behalf of the disabled will keep she and Tony very busy. Pat enjoys clowning and Tony will undoubtedly help her to generate many a smile. Tony will provide assistance with household asks such as the laundry and retrieval. They live in PA and CPL looks forward to having them represent our organization on many fronts.

Desmond is a successor dog for Lee who owns and operates a day care center in MA. They enjoy roller blading, bike riding and playing at the beach in addition to square dancing. Desmond's alerts help Lee to lead a life which is worry free, by notifying her when an impending seizure is on the way.

This Colorado pair have taken the press by storm and have been featured both in written articles and TV spots. Mary uses Flame for a multitude of tasks, most importantly would be help with dressing, opening and closing doors, retrieval and carrying, and paying cashiers. Flame helps with shopping, cleaning, laundry, and her adorable looks make Mary an immediate social magnet.

Mary and Lionus live a life filled with family and friends on the shore in Maryland. Lionus alerts Mary to her oncoming seizures allowing the opportunity to get to a safe place and sit or lie down through her seizure. By providing balance and support when she walks, by carrying packages and retrieving dropped objects - Lionus is helping Mary to step out into the world and be active again. With the security of a dog to assist Mary is walking confidently across the sandy beaches which she loves so much.

Larkin is a successor dog for Claire who is a Pennsylvania high school student. This theatre loving pair are headed for great success. Larkin helps Claire by providing support, balance and momentum as she walks along with helping to take papers to the teachers, pay cashiers, and carry school supplies.

This college team lives in Florida. Their energy is contagious and Candice has become one of CPL's biggest promoters. Chiper has allowed Candice to truly experience college by allowing her the freedom to go where she wants and do what she wants, knowing that Chiper will notify her if a seizure is on the way. This fun loving team is doing a great job of demonstrating how independence can change a person's life!

Pennsylvania is home for this fun and creative pair. They kept the training staff at CPL laughing throughout their training and amazed us with their ability to put their skills to use so quickly. Fred helps Donna with retrieval, paying cashier, the laundry, operating elevator buttons and light switches and with transfers from her wheelchair.

Rosemarie and River graduated and headed home to NJ. There they enjoy quilting and participating in the children's activities such as band. River helps support Rosemarie as she walks, helping with balance as she negotiates uneven ground or negotiates stairs. He also helps with the laundry and shopping by retrieving dropped items and tugging the laundry to the washer.

Brent is the recipient and Bert the dog. As California middle school students these two will bring a lot of humor to their world as they both are very funny! Bert alerted Brent to his one seizure during team training one hour and forty five minutes prior to the seizure. Amazing!

Our first Ohio team, these two were the first team in CPL history to actually get a 20% discount at a store, simply because the dog paid the cashier!

With a serious heart condition, Denny needs to reduce physical fatigue. Zora's assistance with walking and balance help to reduce fatigue and thus the dangers of cardiac complications.

In addition Zora is the first dog in the program to actually alert to an upcoming cardiac episode, which allows Denny to avoid taking medications with nasty side effects, and reduces or prevents the severity and length of the episode. Not only that, they're just cute together!

Prior to Nemo, Jeannette spent her days walking around her community in Pennsylvania, staring at her shoes, in an attempt not to trip on things she didn't see, and running into the things that were in front of her. Her difficulties with keeping her blood sugar levels within range caused severe symptoms that led to a complete inability to function.

Nemo helps Jeannette with balance and support, but also does guide work for her, allowing Jeannette to begin looking up and seeing some of her surroundings. She was able to walk up a hill for the first time in years and Nemo alerts her to her blood sugar levels, eliminating altogether the attacks that had kept her incapacitated.

This Georgia twosome spent three weeks charming us with their southern manners. They spent their first two days walking in circles and falling down, until they finally figured out how to go in a straight line - then there was NO stopping them. They were climbing stairs in no time and Myron was able to walk with security and speed that he's never had.

They head to Middle School this year where Maximo will carry Myron's books, retrieve dropped pencils, take test papers to the teacher, and pay the cafeteria lady. He'll also open doors and help Myron get up and down curbs and steps.

This is the second service dog in this family as Myron's twin Corbin graduated with his service dog Coaty last summer. As we say, two labs are better than one!

Teddy is a successor dog for Rebecca who is a college student in New Jersey and is studying the field of education. As the two of them enjoy college life (service dogs serve as good "guy magnets" in addition to all of their other skills), Teddy will be operating elevator buttons, helping Rebecca transfer from her wheelchair to her bed, helping her to dress and undress, and paying cashiers.

Teddy is an expert at opening doors, those on hinges and socially, which will help Rebecca with her active life. They'll be enjoying participating in the Special Olympics this summer. Too bad they don't have a competition for the attending service dogs.

The first thing people always comment on about Angie is her smile and laugh - and her dog smiles too! This Indiana team (our first in that state) will be busy with an active family life.

Emdee, a creative soul, got the perfect mom for thinking of creative ways for him to help. He's rolling her over in bed, manipulating the footplates on her wheelchair, helping her with clothing, doing all kinds of housework, plus much more. And the longer they're together, the more he's going to do.

They attracted attention during team training and were featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer article, in addition to an article in the Daily Local News. There will probably be a lot more attention from the press for these two because they make a very dynamic team.

Zach is a successor dog for Emily who retired Watson due to diabetes. They'll wow everyone in Wisconsin with Zach's ability to sense Emily's seizures before they happen, helping Emily to stay safe yet have so much more freedom to do the things she loves. His assistance with balance and fatigue will also keep her healthier.

We know for sure that Zach will always be in the height of fashion - he had a new hat to wear for just about every day of team training. It is so nice to see someone having so much fun with their dog, in addition to working with them! He might sleep on her head, but he still loves her!

This Colorado pair have taken the press by storm and have been featured both in written articles and TV spots. Mary uses Flame for a multitude of tasks, most importantly would be help with dressing, opening and closing doors, retrieval and carrying, and paying cashiers. Flame helps with shopping, cleaning, laundry, and her adorable looks make Mary an immediate social magnet.

This Pennsylvania college team is working hard. Katy uses Leo for support and balance while walking and on steps. Leo also helps with retrieval, laundry, and helps Katy get up off of the floor. Since their graduation, Katy has also begun having seizures and Leo jumped right in to help by alerting to them before they happen.

These two spent most of team training learning to move in the same direction and despite Conrad's questionable driving skills in his new wheelchair these two became a wonderful working team!

Conrad referred to Hunschel as his "angel". Hunschel will be helping Conrad with retrieval, opening and closing doors, paying cashiers, tugging the laundry basket, elevator and door buttons, and light switches.

These two struggled through team training's physical demands. Winston quickly learned to alert his new mom to her dropping blood sugar levels to prevent her from fainting and helps her to keep her balance and negotiate stairs.

They've been busy out in public since they got home - participating in school activities and practicing their new skills.

College life is going to be fun for this seizure alert dog. Luckily Nabby's energy level is matched by Jenifer's as the two of them approach an active church and social agenda.

Jenifer's positive attitude during team training was an inspiration to her classmates and she was a real encourager for all of the teams.

This is a fun team - and this is one very spoiled service dog! These two thoroughly enjoyed their training despite the fact that it was so physically demanding.

TJ helps Jeff with retrieval, doors, paying cashiers, and pushing elevator buttons. He also rolls Jeff over in bed at night and lays across his legs to reduce muscle spasms.

Heather got the funniest looking dog in this class - which blends well with her extra curricular activity of clowning with a local clown troop.

They're preparing to join the work force where Heather's cheerful praising of Biscuit will bring smiles to many.

Hope is Steve's successor dog to Chance his first dog. Many of you who have seen the CPL video will recognize Steve and Chance. These two did a wonderful job adjusting to the changes of a new partnership.