Charlie the North Star Dog Blog

Birthday Cake

2009-10-03T18:10:00.000-07:00

So my sweet baby boy turned seven yesterday and we enjoyed a full day of celebrating including special treats at school, a scavenger hunt for some birthday presents and dinner with family. (We have a few extremely close friends that we consider family and naturally they were included in the festivities.)

Since we moved to CA we started a tradition for Tim's birthday where we have special cakes made for him. One of the great things about being in the SF Bay area is that you can truly find anything here and there are some folks that just do amazing things. One woman we discovered three years ago is Debbie Goard of Debbie Does Cakes. I don't know how to describe her other than to say she is an artist who bakes an incredible cake.

She's come to know Tim over the last three years because she's made cakes based upon all his favorite things. Our first year here she made airplane cupcakes for his birthday. Last year we were in a Super Mario craze and she made an outrageous Toad cake with Toad driving a car from Mario Kart. (You would simply not believe her cakes!)

This year I was stumped and asked her to come up with something. I completely trust her judgment and her creativity so I gave her permission to just go for it.

Look what she came up with:

Can you believe this? This has to be the cutest cake I've ever seen! And the detail is simply amazing. Check out Charlie with his ears flapping in the "wind."

Debbie took all the things that Tim loves (Charlie, airplanes, and Super Mario - those of you familiar with Super Mario will recognize the Toad character on the plane's tail fin), and made them into a cake that could not be more perfect for Tim. (It may be hard to believe but this adorable cake also tastes amazing! I'm actually blogging between bites of the leftovers!)

I have to admit, Chuck was a bit frightened by the cake ... perhaps he was uncomfortable with the thought of that cute little golden retriever being consumed! But Tim LOVED it. In fact, as we were tucking him in to bed that night Andy asked him, "what was your favorite part of your birthday?"

Without hesitation he replied, "airplane cake."

Passions

2009-09-17T00:13:00.000-07:00

Like many A Club children, Tim has certain passions that border on obsessions. In particular, Tim is an absolute aviation nut. (I'm so thankful that his interests are interesting to me too!) Like any other die hard A Club parents, we leverage Tim's interests in our efforts to work on his deficits. Fortunately, aviation is a topic rife with language opportunities so we spend an inordinate amount of time at our local General Aviation airport watching airplanes and talking about anything even remotely related to aviation. We've had some great results with this strategy and I'm constantly amazed by Tim's ability to accurately identify aircraft from extraordinary distances. (Just today he spotted a P-52 Mustang, a Cirrus, two Mooneys and countless Cessnas.)

Since the arrival of Charlie approximately 18 months ago, our frequent trips to the airport have included Charlie (at the insistence of Tim.) Charlie eagerly accompanies us every time and patiently waits by Tim until he's seen enough. (Some of our airport outings last for hours ... we also have regular "picnics" at the airport which is code for having a pizza in our strategically parked car as we watch a steady stream of take-offs and landings overhead.)

I know these outings may seem odd to some but I'm certain that I'll remember them forever and with great fondness. And, of course, Charlie will be a part of every memory.

Picture Day

2009-09-15T20:32:00.000-07:00

Monday was picture day out here and after years of refusing to buy school pictures, this year I'm giving in. (Don't even get me started on my rant about the photographers who won't take the time to effectively photograph special needs kids ... sheeesh!!!) Naturally, Tim looked as cute as ever and he insisted on including his best friend in the obligatory-if-not-annoying home photo shoot. (I just LOVE that Tim insists on including Charlie in everything!)

Hard to say just who's cuter ....

Phone Pix and Charlie's Delight

2009-09-09T10:37:00.001-07:00

The only thing more overdue than my blog entries (not including my library books, annual physical, and oil change), is the upload of all the photos accumulating on my cell phone. I have to admit how surprised I am that I even use a cell phone camera but there have been a few occasions where I've found myself without my trusty bag-o-camera-gear and having to rely on the only other means of recording the moment. Thus, the backlog of camera phone pix.

In sorting through them I found two that I must have taken while admiring Chuck's pure delight. The first was taken on the observation platform at a small, general aviation airport near our home. It's a regular stop for us as Tim is fascinated by all things aeronautical and Charlie is always happy to scamper up the stairs and stand by Tim as they spend hours watching airplanes take off and land.

This last one seems to speak for itself: Pure joy?

Camping for Beginners

2009-08-25T09:37:00.000-07:00

So now that we've got the first day of school successfully under our belt, I'm wistfully remembering all the fun things Charlie and Tim did together this summer. There was the beginning of summer when Andy introduced Tim and Charlie to the notion of camping in our backyard:

Naturally, the tent was a big hit - don't know exactly how that zipper survived the countless zipping and unzipping (a real testament to the tents sold in the cheap-skate section of Target!)

Turns out that a back yard tent is a great venue for evening story time so the boys spent quite a few evenings out there reading before bedtime. But at the end of each story, Tim always refused to sleep outside and insisted on retiring to his own bed.

So, we thought we'd try sleeping bags.

Another big hit. Tim crawled in and out of them, made forts out of them, and encouraged Charlie to join him. But this still just wasn't enough to spark Tim's interest in sleeping in the tent. When we asked, he always declined saying, "I want to sleep with Charlie in Tim's bed." That was enough for us. (What do I care if he doesn't want to sleep in a tent? I'm more of a Four Seasons girl anyway!)

So now, in the aftermath of summer, the tent is packed away in the garage and the sleeping bags remain in a heap next to Tim's bed so that he and Charlie can "camp" in his room.

Good enough for me.

Giants Game 2009

2009-08-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

Tickets to Giants game: $120

Parking: $40

Wildly overpriced/undersized ball park snacks: $28

Riding the giant Coke bottle slide: included!!

Obligatory first-time-to-the-ballpark souvenirs: $15

Hearing your A Club kid tell his best friend all about his day at the game: Priceless.

Yes, It's Been a Million Years ...

2009-08-18T21:22:00.001-07:00

I'm terribly, terribly overdue with this post and yet, as I sit here hammering away at my keyboard, I am simply too tired to be creative. The details of Tim & Charlie's summer will be forthcoming but for now, I'll re-enter the blog world with this brief but nonetheless meaningful note.

We were recently invited to attend a baby blessing for a close friend's new born son. These folks were kind enough to include Tim so naturally my thoughts turned to the MOST important issue: what will he wear?!!

Believe it or not, Tim does not have any dress clothes. He's never been invited to a formal event and, being members of the A Club, we don't typically plan outings that involve fancy clothes or frou-frou accouterments. So I've been carefully planning his outfit for at least the last 6 weeks.

It's nothing too outrageous - more like an east coast prep-school uniform complete with khaki pants, button down shirt, and some buckskin oxfords. But the piece de resistance is this little tie:

How does this relate to Chuck, you ask? Well, if you look closely at that tie, you'll notice that the little yellow blobs are actually little golden retrievers. That was the key to getting Tim excited about wearing a tie. Doesn't he just look irresistible?!!

K-9 Yard Patch

2009-07-19T20:26:00.000-07:00

Remember this post about the annoying pee spots? And then remember my dear friend from Virginia who suggested the special biscuits that allegedly neutralized the nuclear power of Charlie's tinkle? I still love my friend to pieces but the dog biscuits ....

Anyway, I had just completed my non-scientific trial of the $10 biscuits when, through the power of the internet (and Kris Jones, the woman who makes those HILARIOUS cards) I was "virtually" introduced to Cory Sonnen. Turns out that Cory Sonnen just happens to own a grass seed company that just happens to make a product designed for this very irritating problem!

Cory was kind enough to send me a sample of his product, K-9 Yard Patch and suggested that we give it a whirl. He explained that the problem we're experiencing is due to the fact that there is something in Charlie's pee that changes the Ph level in the soil where he voids. Since he routinely voids in the same spot, the Ph is all out of whack and grass simply can't grow there.

The K-9 Patch product is sprinkled over the burned out spot and watered just like you'd water your regular lawn. I won't pretend to fully understand the chemistry of this stuff but from what I understand the powdery substance contains both a Ph balancer and some grass seed to get the grass growing once the soil's Ph is corrected.

When the box arrived from Cory, Andy ripped that package out and started sprinkling it on all the brown spots in the yard. Then we waited.

I admit: I was skeptical. (Sorry Cory.)

But, check this out:

That there is new grass growing in the formerly burned out Charlie spot. HALLELUJAH! This stuff worked exactly as Cory said it would - and I'll tell you, we were pretty certain that nothing was going to grow in those spots ever again.

Oh, and one other thing, this little company uses only environmentally safe ingredients in all their products. That means you're not messing with Mother Nature when you're repairing Fido's damage. Saving the earth and my turf - I LOVE THAT!

So, here's a big shout out to Cory Sonnen at K-9 Yard Patch and a hearty 4 paws up rating from Charlie (and his gardeners!)

Oh, and don't forget, if you're looking for Charlie's other reviews, make sure to stop by his review site to see what's new.

Finally, a Solution!

2009-07-13T19:49:00.000-07:00

Remember the helter skelter scene I caused when I last attempted to clip Chuck's toe nails?

Well thanks to the magic of the internet and to the sage advice of Melissa Mitchell, proud service dog owner/trainer and follower of this blog, we discovered the PEDIPAWS.

This little phallic looking little device converted Charlie from a bloody sharp-toed mess, into the divinely pedicured show dog that he is (or at least aspires to be.) It's actually quite a simple tool, much like a little dremel, which allowed me to quietly file down Chuck's nails without too much difficulty.

The instruction manual offered some good suggestions for desensitizing your dog to the "pawdicure" experience (basically just introducing the device slowly, over a period of several days, and combining it with lots of treats.) I pushed Chuck just a bit as I know he's a quick study and we managed to do a complete pedi on our first try. Now he's absolutely gorgeous from his big square head to his round little toe nails. Thanks for the advice Michelle!

One other thing ... for anyone looking for Charlie's reviews, check out our new blog devoted entirely to product reviews (dog stuff will stay on this blog but all our other reviews will go here.)

More Reviews

2009-07-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

Q: Know what this is?

A: A circular model of culinary perfection. I know, I know ... a bundt cake? C'mon, right? Well prepare to relish the retro happiness of the 70's. Nothing Bundt Cakes is a bakery that produces nothing BUT bundt cakes in a wide variety of sizes and flavors. The brainchild of two women in Las Vegas, this little place is actually a nation wide franchise and one just recently popped up out here in NorCal. Plus, good news for those of you too far from the Bay Area to stop by after work ... you can actually mail order these! Check them out here.

A New Ride for Charlie?

2009-07-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

So I stumbled upon this site for Madsen Cargo Bikes and all I could think of was how fun it would be to load Chuck in the back and tool around town. (Since Tim has started to show some interest in his bicycle, it's been a bit disappointing to leave Charlie home while we ride about town.)

As luck would have it, the Madsen folks are giving away some of their bikes to folks that post links to their site and send traffic their way. SHAMELESS PROMOTION ALERT HERE: I'm posting this link because I'd like to have a chance at winning one of their bikes for Chuck. Please help us and click on this link. Looks like the drawing is in July so I'll keep you all posted ... cross your paws for us!

Reviews 2 & 3 (and one extra)

2009-06-30T21:33:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit overdue on some of my review party reviews so I thought I'd try to fit two into one post here. First up today is a cute little paper company called lobotoME.

This little company was the brainchild of a self confessed "lister" who kept multitudes of lists for home and work. When her light bulb went on, she started producing pre-printed lists for everything from meal planning to travel packing. They're all printed on recycled papers and have contemporary designs that are infinitely cooler than toting around a crumpled sticky note. They can be found at the Container Store (LOVE that place) and on line. (The "Sit Me" one seemed particularly useful for parents or folks who leave pets with house sitters.)

Next up is an interesting take on packing tape. Yup, that's what I said. (I never imagined I'd be writing about packing tape.) Although I was skeptical at first, I have to say I am a sucker for a cute package and the idea of sending all our annual gifts back east in something better than a recycled Amazon box really got me going.

This was the sample I received at the party. Not surprisingly, the packaging for the packing tape was as cute as the tape itself.

My sample is a pink dotted version with some light pink vines running through the roll. There's a huge variety of colors and patterns (at the party we saw a wood grain, cute little birds, florals, and lace patterns) and there are a few other tape-ish items like envelope wrap arounds and labels. You can find them all at Tapeswell.

Of course, I can't write a post without at least a fleeting reference to Chuck so in his honor I am providing a bonus review.

Say hello to the Frosty Paw. I spotted these little gems in the supermarket frozen section and thought Chuck might enjoy a nice frozen treat during our unseasonably hot June.

Inside the box are four little ice cream cups just like we got when we were kids. (sans the little wooden paddle-spoon.) I peeled off the tabbed top and headed outside to offer it up to the wonder pooch.

This little frozen treat is, quite simply, canine crack. I'm certain that this dog would have stood on his head and cited the Gettysburg Address for just a few licks. He licked that cardboard tub with such ferocity that I don't know how it managed to remain intact. From the time that I peeled back the top until Charlie delivered his last lingering lick, no more than 5 minutes had lapsed (quite impressive considering that the treat was frozen solid.) It was great fun to watch and I look forward to treating Chuck again. Two resounding paws up!

Party Time

2009-06-30T06:19:00.000-07:00

We were invited to a party last Friday and the invitation included Tim and Charlie so naturally everyone (including Chuck) had to get spruced up. We ran a little short on time that day so I opted to bathe him in the back yard rather than going to our favorite dog wash and with a little prodding I was able to get Tim on board for the task. So first, we gathered up our gear, ...

... and then got right down to business. Tim happily showered Charlie ...

... and Charlie happily showered Tim.

Now that everyone was clean it was time to fret about the party. Tim LOVES parties but you just never know how things will go (A Club parents surely know what I'm talking about here.) Plus, it wasn't just Tim that we had to fret about ... what if Charlie lost his wits and demonstrated some yet unseen wacky behavior? We (actually, just me) were starting to feel a little pressure about this event.

I'm a big believer that preparation is the key to relieving stress so I decided to work with Tim on preparing for the party. We knew that there would be two other little kids there so we spent the rest of the afternoon practicing names and thinking about ways we could introduce the children to Charlie.

As expected, Charlie was a brilliant ambassador for North Star and our family (except for his need to "download a brown load" in the host's well manicured yard. Did I mention that the host was Andy's former boss? Andy quickly removed any evidence of this minor transgression and I don't think anyone was the wiser.) The children threw tennis balls for Chuck to chase, walked him around the yard like a small pony, offered countless sticks for chewing, and eagerly posed for pictures.

I think Chuck was particularly fond of this little guy because he managed to score a few mouthfuls of pasta from him during dinner. (I saw it all transpire but it was simply too cute to correct!)

While it's always great to see Charlie showered with attention, what really thrills me is when I see Tim being welcomed into a group of kids to play. No doubt Charlie was the ice breaker - these kids clearly adored him. But after wearing Charlie out, the kids all played together and that's what really makes my day.

Yup, that's Tim right in there with the other kids. Can't think of much that makes me happier than that. Of course Tim was tickled pink to play with other kids and their toys. Even today as I type this, he's been peeking over my shoulder looking at the photos and saying, "let's do it again."

Phew.

Review #1: Zen Charlie

2009-06-21T17:46:00.000-07:00

It's been almost a week since the big "Review Party" and I've decided to kick off my reviews with what I thought would be the most difficult review for me to write. I am compelled to disclose here that I am terminally practical and as such you can imagine my knee jerk reaction when I first saw Cleansing Thoughts.

Cleansing Thoughts: a cute little meshy bag containing 5 heavy weight plastic cards, an adhesive clip and a single bath gel bead. It's billed as being a device to help you create a happy and fulfilling life by reading the inspirational messages each day as you shower. As the mother of an autistic child, I'm forever seeking inspiration so I actually put it in my shower and have read the first of 5 inspirational notes.

I have to admit, the cards seem to be very durable and the messages, although a bit cliche, are sound. (Although I'm not quite sure about my "highest good is already happening.") The card holder easily adhered to my shower tile and the cards fit tightly. Oh, and the packaging really is cute.

If nothing more, this could be a cute and inexpensive gift idea for a yoga pal or a friend from meditation class. I don't expect my life to change but I do believe in positive thinking and if positive messages in the shower help someone to keep their spirits high, then I'm all for it. All in all, a cute and frivolous little gift. (I think Charlie was a bit confused but it was his first time in my shower and his first experience with inspirational messages.)

Apparently when Kris Jones of Cleansing Thoughts sent out her samples for our party, she mentioned in passing that she also has a little card company that she's starting up and she included some samples for us. THESE CARDS ARE HILARIOUS! Check out the sample I got:

Apologies to those who aren't Seinfeld fans but this just cracked me up! All the cards were very edgy - some even down right risque - but I thought they were absolutely uproarious. All the cards are printed on heavy card stock that appears to be recycled with heavy weight envelopes. Check them out at Roast: Cards for the People You Love Most. (Great tag line too ... trust me, you won't send these cards to folks that you don't know well!!!)

Pee Spots

2009-06-20T17:11:00.000-07:00

See this?

Yup, that's what happens when a well trained dog, capable of voiding on command, chooses to void in the exact same spot every day. This is particularly vexing because Andy just spent several weeks re-landscaping our yard. (I'm talking about a major undertaking involving jackhammers, loads of dirt, and a tractor trailer delivery of a pallet of sod.) Needless to say, my patient husband's patience is wearing thin.

I mentioned this whole thing to my favorite pet shop owner (we love you, Murphy's Paw!) and she informed me that male dogs don't make brown grass. As I blankly stared back at her, she insisted that people actually seek out male dogs because their pee doesn't burn the grass. Has anyone out there ever heard that? If that's true, clearly Chuck has some extraordinary tinkle because his "pee spot" is burned to a crisp.

In my quest to resolve this problem I reached out to my dear friend in Virginia (also the proud mother of two kids and a young dog) and she mentioned a biscuit designed to neutralize whatever it is in urine that burns up my grass. A quick visit to Amazon.com and I had the biscuits in hand within a week.

Today we are well into a non-scientific test using Charlie as my subject. According to the directions on the box, Charlie is to receive two biscuits a day and then after 4-6 weeks we should see results in the form of a lush, spot free yard.

Week four and we're still burned out. I'm giving it two more weeks and then I'm throwing out the biscuits. (Did I mention that the biscuits smell like brussels sprouts? Eew.)

Blog-iversary & Some New Stuff

2009-06-17T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's official: I'm a blogger.

I'm one year, 100 posts, and countless new "internet friends" into this little project and have to say, I'm hooked.

Of course, it's always fun to write about my boy and his dog but this blogging adventure has opened some doors for me that I would never have imagined. I've met people I would never have encountered in my REAL life and I've become loyally addicted to their blogs. I've also been taken aback by the power of the internet and the masses that will read about Tim and Charlie. (Would you believe this little blog has had 10,000 page views?!!)

Recently, as a result of my blogging, I was invited to participate in a review panel comprised of bloggers. The panel was given a variety of products to test and then blog about. We gathered locally to receive the goods (although the products came from vendors all over the country) and then engaged in spirited discussions about all the products as they were revealed to us. It was a great night with a group of diverse panelists discussing products I would never have even known about.

Anyway, my only obligation now is to blog about each one in a series of posts. I'll be honest, these products are not necessarily dog products nor do they relate to autism. This is more about an opportunity I had and a chance to do something outside the realm of the A Club. (Surely those of you in the Club know the thrill of the rare foray outside the gates of the Club.)

So, expect to see some unusual posts here in the next few weeks. Don't worry, Charlie is still right here, encouraging me to write and I'll keep writing about him as long as he gives me material to write about!

The Firedog

2009-06-06T21:55:00.000-07:00

I've always been a sucker for a guy in a uniform ... and his cute sidekick makes me smile too!

New Artwork

2009-06-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

I was recently surfing around on the Etsy site (a great place to find unique artisan type gifts) and I came across this woman who made silhouette prints. I saw one with a boy, an airplane and a dog and instantly had to have it! I wrote to the woman and asked if she could make the dog a bit hairy-er so as to look like a golden retriever and within no time I was looking at a silhouette of none other than Tim and Charlie. (It's noteworthy here that the only thing Tim loves as much as Charlie is airplanes.)

I haven't had it matted and framed yet but take a peek: What do you think?

I Give Up

2009-05-31T20:04:00.000-07:00

See this?

That's Charlie giving me the stink-eye after I did this to him:

I don't even know why I try to cut his toe nails myself. Every time I do, we end up with something right out of Helter Skelter. I even have one of those clippers that have the guide on them so that you don't cut too far into the quick of the nail. Yeah. See how effective that is? That's it. I'm throwing in the towel and calling a groomer. Sorry Charlie.

Time Flies

2009-05-28T09:41:00.000-07:00

It's been a year - 365 days with Charlie the wonder dog and I just can't believe it. I could swear it was just a few weeks ago that Patty from North Star handed over the leash at the San Francisco airport and sent me on my way with her sage words of advice: "I think he has to pee." As luck would have it, there is actually a pet relief station at SFO and it was there that Charlie and I shared our first intimate moment. [This picture was taken in the parking lot at SFO just before we headed home to meet Tim for the first time.]

I don't think I'll ever forget that day - meeting Patty after years of waiting for our dog's birth, meeting Charlie as a 5 month old puppy, and introducing Charlie to Tim in the back of my car. What an exciting day it was. [This next pic is when Tim met Charlie.]

[Here he was trying out his bed for the first time on that fateful day.]

Of course, I also remember the anxiety of having another non-verbal member of the family. My first lesson in non-verbal canine communication came on that very first afternoon when I fed Charlie and then neglected to show him where the door to go outside was. That was the first and only time Chuck pooped in my house. (We're both quick learners.)

Over the course of the year we've had countless sessions with Wendy the Trainer, both privately and in her group classes, and we've even gotten within inches of the CGC brass ring. We've watched Charlie learn how to hike, how to walk on a leash, and how to swim like a fish. He even rides in the car without the nausea that plagued him as a young pup. (Thanks to Judy the Puppy Raiser for getting him over that unpleasant hump.) And we've watched him grow from gangly clumsy puppy to giant gangly clumsy dog.

[Look at him then ...]

[... and now.]

Charlie's come a long way for sure, but what is even more thrilling are the changes we've seen in Tim over the course of the year. The rational side of my brain (whatever is left of it) tells me that the countless therapies, treatments, and specialized schooling that Tim receives every day is explanation for Tim's tremendous strides. But my heart tells me that Charlie has played a huge role in Tim's development.

From day one Charlie's impact on Tim was evident as we found Tim curled up on the floor and talking to Charlie. Tim rarely spoke before Charlie arrived. Now not only does Tim talk to Charlie but Tim's spontaneous language has increased exponentially and it's increasing every week.

Language isn't the only change in Tim since the arrival of Charlie. Because we've made Tim responsible for the care and maintenance of Chuck (basically feeding and exercising him) he's learned a great lesson in responsibility. We've also gotten the empathy lesson from our recent trip to the vet when Charlie suffered from an embedded foxtail and consequent infection.

Charlie has become Tim's go-to guy for just about everything. When I pick him up from school his first question is inevitably "Where's Charlie?" At night he begs to let Charlie sleep on his bed. At home they play in the yard together, wrestle on the floor, and chase each other all over the house. The sounds of their companionship are nothing short of intoxicating.

Tim isn't the only one who's experienced the magic of Charlie. My husband has become the evening walker taking vigorous nightly walks with Chuck which makes both of them very happy and healthy. And me, ... well Charlie is as close to a second child as you can get without actually getting pregnant. I absolutely love this dog and all that he has given to my family.

Sure, there have been some occasional headaches because of Charlie: a few chewed up toys; some big yellow spots in the yard; the juice/soda/wine/coffee stains on the rug from an overzealous nose nudge; vet bills; the stain on the carpet underneath Charlie's crate. At one time or another these may have irritated me. But today, on this one year anniversary, I can barely remember any of them.

Thanks so much to North Star for sending Charlie to us. We're looking forward to many, many more dog years together!

CGC ... Aaargh!

2009-05-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

There's a surprising amount of pressure when you have a service dog at your side, especially when it comes to any type of training. I can fairly state that it is widely assumed that service dogs are inherently good (they are) and intuitively well behaved (they aren't.)

There's no question that Charlie is a special dog. I attribute that to intelligent breeding and excellent early socialization by all the folks at North Star. Plus, I'd be ignoring the obvious fact that he is a golden retriever, a breed known for its docile and friendly demeanor. However, that doesn't mean that they are born with good manners. That's what training classes are for.

In order for Charlie to become fully certified as a public access service animal he needs to pass a test known as the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Test. It's generally administered by a dog training professional and is comprised of ten separate mini-tests which range from commands like "sit" and "stay" to traveling through a crowd without showing anything more than passing interest in anyone other than the handler. It really doesn't sound terribly problematic, especially when you've had the advantage of expert training and a well bred dog.

We failed.

Going into the test Charlie sailed through the first 6 parts, confidently sitting, staying, and even being separated from me for 5 minutes without so much as a whimper. Then came our nemesis: the stranger with a leashed dog. He couldn't help himself. Friendliness is in his blood! He just wanted to make sure that other person's dog was having a great day so he basically leaped across the room, pulling me behind him, as he made his way to the unsuspecting lab at the end of the other leash. ugh.

I don't blame Chuck for this failure. After all, he's still a big puppy - in fact, he was the youngest one in our class. Furthermore, the only way he's going to get over his need to greet other dogs is to have opportunities to practice restraint, which he needs me to do. I have to shamefully admit my failure in that department. We've had great training and we've got a well bred dog but without the significant time commitment from the handler (me), how could I ever expect him to pass?

So, now we're re-grouping and getting back to work on the hard things. We can re-take the test any time and once we pass (which we eventually will - I'm quite certain of that) then we will be just a few short hours away from earning our full service credentials which means unfettered public access for Charlie. It may take a bit longer than we thought but we're going to enjoy the journey and remain resolute in our commitment.

The Recovery

2009-05-20T08:01:00.001-07:00

After what seemed like an endless day without our four legged family member, Charlie came home and boy oh boy, were we happy to have him back. The vet's suspicions about a foxtail in his ear proved to be correct and after sedating him they were able to extract it. Turns out he also has some yeast infection in there too (probably due to the water being trapped in his floppy ears) so for the next week Charlie is strictly a landlubber while we treat him with some very expensive ear drops.

The reunion was as expected: an extremely jumpy/leapy/licky/happy dog and a giggling/smiling/snuggling boy. Tim presented Charlie with his recovery toy (ironically, a water toy but we'll enjoy some dry play for the next week) and Charlie happily accepted.

So it seems that things are back to normal now. Thanks to all for your warm wishes - rest assured, Chuck is on the mend!

QUICK UPDATE: I've had lots of folks asking about foxtails. They're nasty little weed seeds that embed in the coats of unsuspecting doggies causing great pain and in some extreme cases, fatalities. Read a great blog about them here.

Where's Charlie?

2009-05-18T13:26:00.000-07:00

Have I mentioned how much we all love Charlie? I know how much I adore the snuggling moppet, but I don't think I've actually absorbed the depths of Tim's love and concern for Charlie.

After a wonderful weekend full of swimming in the lake (a Friday morning outing with Wendy the Trainer and her dog Renegade) ...,

... posing for pictures with friends ...,

... climbing trees with Renegade, ...

and followed by a Sunday spent surfing in the Pacific,

... and hanging out with family and friends on the beach, ...

... Charlie started to repeatedly shake his noggin, causing his ears to flap madly about his head. Wendy mentioned to me on Friday that he might have gotten a Foxtail trapped in one of his ears or that it could be a bit of water trapped down there so we should keep a watch on his behavior.

By this morning Charlie was still flopping his ears around so I made an early appointment with our vet to have things checked out. Ironically, Tim is home from school today due to a slight cough (and a general oversensitivity to the whole swine flu panic around here) so he kept Charlie company while we waited in the vet's office.

As soon as the Dr started fishing down in his ear Charlie began to wince and whine. I knew it was bad news. The vet then asked if she could take our normally docile dog back to the operating room area so that they could get a better look. I agreed and waited with Tim in the examination room.

After a few thumps, thuds, and thrashing sounds the vet came back and advised that she thought there was a foxtail lodged near his eardrum and that he would need to be sedated for them to actually extract and examine what was happening down there. I hate the idea of sedating him but I really didn't know what else to do so I agreed. She printed out a diagnostic plan (along with an UNBELIEVABLE estimate of the cost for the work) and Tim and I made our way out of the examination room.

As soon as I opened the door and Tim realized that Charlie wasn't coming with us he burst into tears. Not the manipulative crocodile type tears ... these were the kind that start silently with big wells in the eyes followed by a wet sniffle, a scrunched up face and a mouth open in a silent scream. Ugh. How heartbreaking to watch your kid's heart break. The receptionist and the vet techs all tried to reassure him that we'd be seeing Charlie this afternoon but he was inconsolable. We slowly made our way to the car as he sniffled and wept with every shuffle of his sad little feet.

Buckling him into the car, my heart was heavy with the sorrow of my son and concern for our family's best pal. I repeatedly explained that we'd see Charlie in a few hours but there was simply no diffusing this awful moment. Then I suggested that we go buy a new toy for Charlie to have when he comes home from the doctor. Tim tearfully agreed and off we went to our local pet shop.

As we made our way out of the parking lot, his tears had slowed and I thought the retail therapy would be a good distraction for Tim so I snuck in a quick trip to the dry cleaners to collect some long overdue cleaning. Tim ran in front of me and pleaded with the dry cleaning lady "Where's Charlie?!" And then the tears started again. Obviously this plan wasn't working. We needed to get to the pet shop, STAT.

So, back in the car, the tears slowly subsided, and we made our way to the pet shop. Once again Tim ran ahead of me, up to the saleslady at the counter and burst into tears crying "Where's Charlie?!" The shocked saleslady looked to me for interpretation but not before Tim could blurt out one more tearfully plaintive "WHERE'S CHARLIE?" I made it to the counter, explained the situation and then suggested to Tim that we select a toy from their expansive toy collection. The calm settled in and he carefully and thoughtfully made a selection for his beloved companion.

It's only 2:00 pm here now and we won't be able to collect Charlie for a few more hours but while we wait I am struck by the deep seated love and concern that Tim has for his pal Charlie. More importantly this seems to be an indication of Tim's empathy for Charlie, something that lots of medical-types have declared that autistic people don't possess. Perhaps Tim didn't have empathy before Charlie but there's simply no denying what I witnessed today. I look forward to this afternoon's reunion ... as does Tim.

Mother's Day Traditions?

2009-05-13T21:16:00.000-07:00

While we may not be terribly interesting people, I can say with confidence that we're not conventional. To wit, our Mother's Day Pinata tradition started by my often hilarious husband. I don't know why he started this tradition (and being one with an ENORMOUS sweet tooth, I don't really care) but I do know it's become an annual event that we all enjoy.

Of course, some of us enjoy it more than others. Upon seeing this year's papier mache candy receptacle, Charlie gave it a tentative sniff before recoiling violently as Andy hoisted it up into batting position.

While Tim stood swinging wildly at that fish, Charlie went into hiding, probably fearing a wayward swing from Tim's bat.

Then when Andy stepped in to finish the job, the fish nearly exploded with a huge BANG sending Charlie running for the safety of the house.

Fortunately he quickly calmed down and re-joined the party showering all of us with his irrepressible affections!

A Dog is a Dog

2009-05-10T08:33:00.000-07:00

Every once in a while I feel it's necessary to post something about Charlie's less-than-optimal behavior lest we all forget that he is, after all, a dog.

So, it is in that spirit I present Exhibit A: the remains of what was once a lovely jeweled nail file made for me by my sweet little boy. (Note the traces of fur that confirmed my suspicions about the suspect.)

And now I present Exhibit B: the guilt laden mug of the cute but terribly guilty perpetrator.

Although I'll miss my son's token of affection, in the spirit of Mother's Day I have forgiven the culprit and will simply enjoy the sound of my boy and his dog frolicking in the yard. (BUT, he is on probation.)

Happy Mother's Day!

Swimming Dog

2009-05-06T20:16:00.000-07:00

The longer we have Charlie, the more we realize how much he and Tim are alike. They both have strangely long legs, are extremely affectionate, love to play, and would be heartbroken without each other. Lately we've discovered that they are both extremely fond of the water.

Yesterday afternoon Andy called me from work and suggested, "Let's have a picnic tonight." We love picnics around here and Tim eagerly agreed that a Tuesday night picnic would be perfect. So, after packing a cooler that would make Yogi Bear proud, we loaded the whole gang into the car and headed out to our local picnic spot at the lake.

After Tim selected a table for us, we set up our site and indulged in turkey sandwiches, chips, and root beers (with some havarti cheese nibbles for Charlie.) In spite of a slight wind, it was a lovely night and there wasn't another soul in sight.

I may have mentioned before that Charlie has a bit of a pine cone fetish and this particular park is loaded with these enormous California redwood pine cones. So after our meal Andy launched a few into the lake for Chuck to chase.

Let me tell you, this dog can swim. In fact, I'd put him up against Michael Phelps (sans the bong). Although we'd been working on Charlie's swimming, I have to credit Wendy the Trainer with pushing him over the hump because it wasn't until after Charlie's stay at Camp Wendy that he really started putting his head underwater and going into depths much deeper than he is tall.

It's an absolute joy to watch him leap into the lake and track down his bait. He has a laser like focus when we're playing this game and is even oblivious to other dogs in the area. (Dogs are a huge distraction for Charlie - in fact, this distraction is what kept him from passing his CGC test ... an issue for another post.) There are other benefits of his swimming too: after a good swimming session he sleeps like a baby!

Plus, Tim just loves to see his pal having so much fun and will often throw sticks and pine cones for him to chase.

But, just like Tim, Charlie hates for the fun to end and will shamelessly beg for just one more throw into the lake. He's even got the whining down ... he'll whine all the way back to the car ... just like someone else I know.

Where Does the Time Go?

2009-05-04T13:47:00.000-07:00

Every Spring I find myself feeling the same "stretched-too-thin" feeling as I struggle to stay on top of IEP's, class plays, teacher appreciation days, PAR 4 Kids' Sake, Walk Now, the extended family birthdays (which all seem to fall within the first few months of the year), mother's day, father's day, CGC classes, gymnastics, speech therapy, OT, blah, blah, blah, BLAH! Sadly, this year's victim of neglect has been Charlie's blog. Even as I furiously pound this out (placing all my faith in my spell check to correct my reckless spelling and grammatical errors), I'm seeing the clock out of the corner of my eye which appears to scream at me with every obnoxious tick, "GET BACK INTO THE CAR AND TAKE YOUR KID TO HIS NEXT SCHEDULED EVENT." It is truly an obnoxious clock.

Today, like the previous 20 days or so since my last post, I have more tasks than time to complete them so I'm going to simply post a favorite pic from this weekend and hope for more time ... VERY SOON. More "tails" to come ....

Spring Break & The Reunion

2009-04-22T20:35:00.000-07:00

We're finally back and settled in a bit after a sorely needed and fully enjoyed break from our daily routines. We're lucky to have family in Florida who are gracious enough to host us during the peak season and we all really enjoy our visits there.

Tim got lots of time with Grandma & Grandpa and I seem to recall more than one giant ice cream cone.

And, thanks to Grandma, Tim got to meet the easter bunny by the pool!

Grandma & Grandpa also arranged for a little private egg hunt in their yard and Tim discovered the thrill of the hunt (and the joy of the jelly beans!)

At the end of our trip we were able to squeeze one day in at Disney's Blizzard Beach.

If you've not been there, I strongly recommend it. Tim absolutely loves it and comes home absolutely worn out. Plus, being a Disney park, it's very clean, very safe, and very, very family friendly.

This year Tim was big enough to ride some of the bigger water slides and took his Dad for several trips down the runaway rapids.

Of course, what's a trip to Disney without a million dollar popsicle!

Oh, and did I mention the countless photo opportunities they have at Disney? I had a heyday with my new camera!

We made one quick visit to the HUMONGOUS Lego store at Downtown Disney and visited the Lego Dogs. Tim promptly renamed them Charlie - each one of them.

Our break wasn't all about travel experiences. Look what happened on the last day of our break:

All these wonderful fun things aside, the most heartwarming had to be the reunion between Tim and Charlie. Our flight left Florida at the unGodly hour of 6:55 am which meant leaving our hotel room at about 5:00 am. Throughout the 6 hour flight Tim constantly talked about picking up Charlie so when we landed at SFO by 9:30 am, I dialed up Wendy the Trainer (and part-time dog hotelier ... can't ask for a better place to send your mutt than to Camp Wendy ... still not entirely sure that Charlie wanted to come home!) and we arranged for the collection of our beloved Chuck.

The reunion was sugary, syrupy sweet! Both Tim and Charlie seemed to be running in circles around each other and all sorts of noises were emanating from each of them. When we loaded into the car with Charlie in the "way back" and Tim in the back, Tim kept calling to Charlie and throwing his arms over the seat reaching for his pal. When we finally got home, all suffering the effects of full blown jet lag, Tim and Charlie curled up together on the floor and just snuggled for a while. It's good to be home.

An Award & Missing Charlie

2009-04-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

One of our most favorite bloggers has given us this lovely award!

It's called the Premio Dardos award. Premio Dardos apprently means "prize darts" in Spanish and it is given for recognition of cultural, ethical, literary and personal values transmitted in the form of creative and original writing. (Please ignore the fact that I basically plagiarized that description from Blog Dog's post!) Being a relative newcomer to the blogosphere, I'm not even sure what it means to receive such an accolade but we're very grateful and send much love and thanks to our Irish BlogDog Friends!

In the meantime, we're preparing for our spring break trip to visit Tim's grandparents and that means Charlie is also heading out for a few days. Fortunately, Wendy the Trainer also runs a dog sitting service and I couldn't be more comfortable with someone caring for the wonder dog.

We've only left Charlie behind one other time and for that trip I was able to deliver Chuck to his care taker while Tim was in school. Not today. Today, after Charlie and I collected Tim from school we headed straight for Wendy's house to deliver Charlie and all his necessaries.

I wasn't sure how Tim was going to react to this scene. We'd been talking about it for days but you just never know how things will unfold. Tim knew Charlie wasn't going to go on our trip and he knew that he'd be staying with his friends Renegade, Zach and Jasper but when it came time to say goodbye, Tim lost it.

Of course it's horrible to see your little boy so sad but in some ways I'm so, so thankful for his reaction. He loves Charlie. Really loves him. And I love that he feels that way. While I'm really looking forward to our visit with my in-laws and enjoying some family togetherness, I will also look forward to Tim's reunion with his best friend.

Roller Derby

2009-04-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

So this spring has been all about roller skating for Tim. We've been skating just about every day after school, most days on the weekends, and sometimes we'll even go for a second skate in the evenings when Andy gets home from work.

We've skated around the block, at local playgrounds, and at many of our favorite nature parks. As a result, Tim has become a fairly accomplished skater. In fact, he's confident enough now to skate unassisted (took a few weeks for this to happen) and we're finally able to have Charlie join us on our skate sessions. (When Tim was really wobbly on his skates I simply couldn't handle Tim and Chuck at the same time.)

Of course the addition of Charlie to our outings pleases Tim (and Charlie) and the two of them seem equally thrilled when Tim zips around on wheels.

So, I should have been happy with things the way they were, right? Here comes bad mommy again. I don't know what would have possessed me to allow Tim and Charlie to have their own little Iditarod there at the park. We all know how this is going to end, right?

Fortunately, no bones were broken and nothing was scraped (thank goodness for pads!) But even more important was the fact that Tim didn't hold it against Charlie in the slightest (or Charlie against Tim) and they continue to be the best of skating partners.

California Springtime

2009-03-30T07:20:00.000-07:00

Forgive me bloggers for I have been distracted. It's been two weeks since my last post and and in that short time spring has hit northern California in full force.

A weekend outing to Sunol Regional Wilderness Park took our breath away yesterday as we devoured the sights and smells of the season. Wildflowers dot the hillsides ...

... and huge swarms of butterflies fill the sky. (I'm not exaggerating when I describe these swarms like small butterfly blizzards! If I was a better photog I would have captured the masses but you'll have to settle for this one little guy that stopped for a breather on a blossom near me.)

Of course, I would have loved to end this post with nothing but pix of the bucolic scenes of the Nor Cal mountains in spring but with the fragrant comes the pungent. Yes, the wonder dog managed to stumble upon a fresh cow pie and promptly started break dancing upon it.

What is it with dogs and excrement? Charlie is truly a brilliant specimen but I am yet to meet a dog that does not possess an unrestrained desire to throw its body into the nearest mound of dung. Instinct? I don't know. Vile? Unequivocally.

I must admit that Charlie did show some signs of regret. It seemed that after he'd successfully covered himself in steamy cow poo, he discovered his own offensiveness and began to frantically roll on the trail in what appeared to be a desperate attempt to purge himself of his newly acquired odor.

Fortunately, this particular hike takes us past a barn with water so Chuck got a quick spritz and we were back on track smelling nothing but the flowers.

Normalcy

2009-03-16T11:12:00.000-07:00

There's simply no denying Charlie's magic. His impact on Tim is more and more evident every day. We've all been charmed by him and when we take him out in public wearing his North Star "clothes" we are inundated with inquiries about him and his work with Tim. But sometimes the thing I appreciate most about Charlie isn't what the North Star team has trained him to do for Tim.

This weekend was wonderfully low key with nothing but some local exploring, a great local hike (with Wendy the Trainer and her crew), and a Sunday spent assembling an Indiana Jones Lego set. Charlie accompanied us for almost everything (we left him home during an exploration of San Francisco) and true to form, he expressed interest in anything that we happened to be doing.

On Sunday, as I watched my autistic son manipulating hundreds of microscopic lego pieces with his dad to his right and his dog to his left, I was struck by just how "normal" this looked. A kid on a rainy afternoon playing with some legos. I know, we're not talking Norman Rockwell here but just a few years ago this was a scene I could barely imagine.

It's this feeling of "normalcy" that Charlie creates for us that I relish. When Tim is with Charlie he's just a boy with his dog whether he's playing on the trampoline, ...

... watching airplanes at the local airport, ...

... going for a good long walk ...

... or building Legos on a rainy day. Tim always wants Charlie with him and Charlie doesn't seem to care what the chosen activity might be so long as he gets to be there, tagging along with Tim. No judgment. No sympathy. No "A Club." Just a boy and his dog. Normal.

Pot-'O-Golden

2009-03-12T17:20:00.000-07:00

Northern California has been getting some LONG overdue rain this spring and I hate to admit that there have been more than a few days recently where Charlie's outside time has been limited to rather quick romps in our yard while Tim and I stand shivering on the patio waiting for him to do his business.

About a week ago we were treated to the most lovely rainbow that seemed to arc across the entire sky. I ran to get my camera and fired off just a few shots before we could stand the cold no longer. When I finally had a chance to review my shots I realized I had captured a photographic metaphor.

Guardian Dog

2009-03-10T21:11:00.000-07:00

One of Charlie's most coveted emerging skills has been his seemingly instinctive practice of tending to Tim whenever he senses a threat or danger. In the last few weeks we've seen an extension of that instinctive behavior to include a concern for Tim's well being.

We'd had a few consecutive rainy weekends and were all feeling a little cooped up when we finally got a little creative and turned our garage into a skating rink for Tim and his new skates.

Everything was perfect except for the fact that Charlie desperately wanted to be a part of the action and would not leave Tim's side once those little skates were secured. I originally banished Charlie to the house but Tim would have no part of that. So I quickly retreated, apologized to Chuck and invited him back out to the garage. The only new rule was that he had to stay in his crate while Tim skated.

Tim was satisfied with our new accord and happily directed Charlie to his crate. Charlie complied and watched intently as Tim stumbled and rolled around the garage.

I'm not sure what was going through Charlie's head that day as he remained so laser focused on Tim but he seemed to sense the risk involved with the activity and was hyper-alert as long as those skates were on Tim's feet. In fact, the only time that Charlie broke from his sit-stay position was when Tim fell.

As soon as Tim hit the ground, Charlie was out of his crate and at Tim's side. It was like he was checking him out himself to make sure his little buddy was unscathed. Then once Tim laughed and reacted to him, Charlie relaxed and settled in next to him on the garage floor.

Once again the Wonder-Dog rises to the occasion. I'm not sure if this behavior is a testament to the breed, the excellent bloodlines, or just the magic of our beloved Charlie. Whatever it is, I'm more thankful every day for all the Charlie does for Tim.

Great Advice for a Happy, Healthy Dog

2009-03-05T06:45:00.000-08:00

Melissa Mitchell, proud companion to Bastien the Service Dog, recently posted a most useful article about maintaining your service dog. Great advice both for Service Dogs and companion dogs. Check it out here. (Oh, and thanks to Melissa for allowing me to link it!)

Service Beyond Autism

2009-03-03T21:04:00.000-08:00

One of the best parts about writing this blog has been meeting ("virtually") so many folks interested in Charlie and his magical influence on Tim. Of course many of these folks are members of the A Club and I've enjoyed countless exchanges with other club members about the joys and frustrations of membership.

More surprising has been the vast number of "non-members" who know little or nothing about Autism but simply share an interest in service dogs and are eager to support us in our journey with Charlie. (If you want to read some inspiring stories about incredible service dogs, check out Cruisin With Cricket and A Service Dogs Journey )

Then a few weeks ago I "met" a woman who is awaiting the arrival of her daughter's service dog and I was reminded that North Star provides dogs to children of varying abilities, including those who may not have autism.

I've been following her blog with interest largely because it tells the story of another North Star placement but it was this poignant post that really got me. This lovely woman is a member of a different club - one with many of the same joys and frustrations that we in the A Club share. After reading about her family, I am completely inspired by her commitment and determination to make a life for her child rife with experience and love. Hers is a story that I am certain will continue to inspire and I look forward to devouring every forthcoming detail.

(**UPDATE: Since I originally drafted this, a North Star litter was born and one of the new born pups will be going to this sweet girl!)

The Charlie's Choice Awards

2009-02-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

After recently receiving a lovely new gift for Charlie, I decided it was time to do a story about some of the more useful and preferred toys in Charlie's toy box. So without further adieu, I present the 2008-2009 Charlie's Choice Awards!

Most Effective Toy to Lure a Dog Into His Crate

The Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Kong!

This toy is especially useful in crate training. We've stuffed it with everything including dog treats, roasted chicken, kibble, cheese, and just about anything else that excites Charlie.

Then for a really special treat, "cap" off the end with a big glob of peanut butter and he's one happy puppy. (We like this toy so much we have two!)

Best Independent Play Toy

In this category the Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Dental Kong on a Rope.

Chuck loves this thing and will happily fling it around his head as though he's getting ready to lasso a steer. (It's quite hilarious to watch and sends Tim into absolute hysterics.)

Best Traditional Style Toy

Sometimes simple is best and there simply is no substitute for a ball when you have a retriever. That being said, not all balls are created equal. While we all enjoy tossing/chasing an old fashioned tennis ball, the Charlie's Choice Award goes to the orange and blue Chuckit ball thanks to its durability, visibility, and chewability.

Not only is it Charlie's first choice for games of fetch, but he'll often just sit and chew on the chuckit ball like it's a big wad of gum. Plus, we have not lost one Chuckit to a chewing fatality. (Over the fence, in the brush, and over the ridge we've lost plenty but wherever the lost balls are, I'm certain they are in pristine condition.)

Most Engaging Interactive Toy

This is a new category which was inspired by a gift received from an admitted cat family. The Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Bees in the Hive plush toy.

This toy is great. It actually reminds me of some of Tim's baby toys with several squeaky little bees and a big hive where the bees "live." You stuff all the bees into the hive and set it down for the puppy. He then sniffs and digs and paws until he gets the bees out of the hive. Then he inevitably scampers away happily squeaking his captured bee. Great fun to watch.

Most Reliable "Go-To" Toy

Sometimes you just need something to entertain your pooch on the fly. Usually this happens when I need to devote my attention to something other than the 70 lbs of effervescent happiness that is Charlie. For this purpose the Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Planet Dog Big Rubbery Bone.

This toy will always entertain Charlie. As an added bonus it has a half inch hole drilled all the way through it which makes it an excellent substitute for the Kong. I have on many occasions stuffed some cheese down this bone and Charlie will take it and disappear while I attend to whatever it is that commands my attention. It's also surprisingly durable and has survived many hours of heavy duty chewing without any signs of distress.

Best Toy to Make Your Friends Chuckle

In this category the Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Humonga Tongue.

This one speaks for itself.

Best Natural Toy

This category has a stand out winner. The Charlie's Choice Award goes to the Giant California Pine Cones that fall off the redwood trees.

Hands down this is Chuck's favorite natural toy. He'll chase these pinecones into the lake, over the ridge, and all over the trail. When he finally captures one he'll lay himself down and gnaw it to bits.

Best Natural Toy - Lifetime Achievement Award

Finally, this category was designed to celebrate the best of Mother Nature's toys that are universally available (i.e. not just in CA.) In this category, the Charlie's Choice Award goes to big sticks.

He's a dog. A retrieving dog. Sticks and dogs go together like peanut butter and jelly. The best part about sticks is that they're free and abundant.

Of course, the judges are already considering candidates for next year so if you have any suggestions please post them here!

Charlie's Purpose?

2009-02-19T06:45:00.000-08:00

So often when we're out with Charlie in his full dress regalia, we are asked the same question: what does an autism service dog do? Of course, by now my canned response flows comfortably from my lips as I dazzle the inquirer with all the wonderful services that Charlie provides for Tim:

Language opportunities. Tracking. Socialization. Companion. Tantrum diffuser. Safety. Ottoman.

Yes, ottoman.

Did I mention great grin maker too?

A Small Miracle

2009-02-17T16:44:00.000-08:00

We had a teeny tiny miracle in our house a few nights ago and I wasn't here to see it (or to photograph it!) So, in true journalistic fashion, I'm going to retell the story from my in depth interview of my husband after the miracle occurred.

Ordinarily, Charlie tends to stick pretty close to me, presumably because I'm the one most often with him. He's definitely bonded with all of us over the course of the last few months but generally speaking, he still tends to settle in the same room as me when we're all home.

Last Thursday I left my boys home alone while I attended a memorial service in town. As a result, Andy the Superdad was tasked with all the nighttime rituals from dinner to bedtime (something he always executes with great care.) The very last phase of our nighttime routine is story time where everyone gathers in Tim's room - usually Tim under the covers, Andy on top of the covers, me in the rocking chair, and Charlie balled up at the foot of Tim's bed. Andy reads a few stories to all of us, we all get our last hugs and kisses for the night, and then we file out of Tim's room (Charlie included) leaving him to nod off. He always, ALWAYS asks us to open the door a bit as we leave the room.

Well, the first hand reports of my husband indicate that last Thursday while I was out, the night time ritual concluded with Andy leaving Tim's room alone. Charlie remained curled up at the foot of the bed! Apparently Tim was thrilled with his bed-mate and called to Andy to close the door (presumably so that Charlie wouldn't leave him!) Andy complied with Tim's request and even checked on them both a few hours later and found them both peacefully snoozing together. It wasn't until I activated the garage door opener hours later that Charlie popped up and nosed his way out of Tim's room.

It's always been our goal to have Charlie share a room with Tim ... I'm going to have to chat with Wendy the Trainer a bit about how to facilitate this. Until then, we'll just keep trying!

Agility Training

2009-02-09T13:58:00.000-08:00

Ever since Charlie entered our lives, I am constantly looking for new ways for Tim to engage with Charlie and recently I've become a bit fixated on the idea of agility training. For dog newbies, agility training is basically obstacle course training for dogs. Wendy the Trainer is a decorated agility participant/judge/trainer so I bounced the idea off her and not only did she she fully embrace it but she invited us to her training ring where she set up a complete agility course. She also brought two of her accomplished goldens to use as demonstration dogs for Tim.

First, I've got to say Wendy was terrific with this. She had obviously given much thought to this outing and even had the brilliant suggestion of comparing the agility course to a Super Mario game where the dogs played the part of Mario and Luigi. And that was just to get Tim's attention. Then she had Tim join her as she discretely gave commands to her dog Renegade (a seasoned agility competitor) and prompted Tim to give the appropriate commands.

This proved to be an excellent strategy as it gave Tim a feeling of success while at the same time giving him the natural reinforcement of the dog responding to a VERBAL command. (It's all about language folks!) Tim had Wendy's dogs doing the A-Frame, leaping over jumps, running through tunnels, ...

... and doing the weave poles. This particular part of the course really seemed to pique Tim's interest ...

... so much so that he had to give those weave poles a try for himself!

After seeing Wendy's dogs flawlessly perform many of the obstacles on the course, Wendy crated her gang and brought Charlie out to the ring. It was great fun to watch Tim giving commands to his beloved companion ...

... and equally exciting seeing Charlie happily looking to Tim for his next command!

Tim was able to work with Charlie on the tire, the tunnel, the teeter totter and the A-frame ...

... and all of this on our first agility outing! This felt like an extremely productive session.

After about 45 minutes of this fun, Wendy started working with Charlie directly on some of the more challenging obstacles. It was entertaining to watch Chuck bend and twist his long torso through the weave poles ...

... and absolutely glorious to watch him effortlessly fly over the jumps.

As a charter member of the A Club, I'm always in search of activities that give Tim opportunities to participate, have fun, and practice some of his developmental goals. Today's session provided all of this and left me thinking that maybe, with more exposure and hard work, agility training might be a great hobby for Tim.

Of course, I can't finish this post without making a reference to Wendy, the self-proclaimed non-kid person. She's obviously a big fat liar as she definitely thinks about Tim and always makes an effort to connect with him whenever we're together. Seeing all this, how can she really expect us to believe that she's not a "kid person?"!!

Useful Games

2009-02-05T17:18:00.000-08:00

Back when we first started working with Wendy the Trainer she asked lots of questions about what types of services we'd ultimately like for Charlie to provide. Near the top of our list were things related to safety, and in particular, herding and tracking Tim.

One game that she suggested to get Charlie used to tracking Tim was hide-n-seek. It's pretty basic and Tim gets quite a chuckle out of it. It goes something like this:

1. Put Charlie in a Sit-Stay;

2. Give Tim a treat to hold making sure that Charlie sees it;

3. Tell Tim to go hide (when we first met Charlie we never had Tim hide very far away but now he can even go upstairs and hide);

4. Tell Charlie to "Find Tim" and then issue the release command ("OK").

It seems to be great fun for both of them and leaves them both feeling successful in the game. Our plan is to keep honing this skill so that one day, should the need ever arise, we'll be able to rely on Charlie to keep Tim safe. Just another of the countless reasons we're thankful for Chuck!

How Charlie Got his Name

2009-02-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

I recently read a blog post written by a soon-to-be North Star family wondering what to name their daughter's canine companion and it reminded me of the days before our North Star dog arrived and how he came to be known as Charlie.

Believe it or not, in the many months before Charlie's arrival we worried that Tim wouldn't ever welcome a dog in our home. In fact, shortly after we connected with Patty Dobbs Gross at North Star, Tim started to demonstrate an outright fear of dogs. (Of course, it didn't help that out here in CA it seems that just about everyone has some variety of Pit Bull! Apologies to all you Pit Bull fans but I must admit a healthy dose of my own fear.)

We spent months trying to get him excited about dogs, reading books about them, role playing with a toy dog, and scouring the internet for pictures of golden retrievers. For quite some time it really seemed like we might have made a terrible mistake.

Then sometime about 4 months before we learned of Charlie's birth, Tim took an interest in a series of children's books about two young British siblings. Over the months we amassed an impressive library of these stories and often came back to one that tells the story of a friend of the family who owned a dog named ... wait for it ... Sizzles.

We started to use that story as the launching pad for conversations about what it would be like for Tim to have a dog. Then sometime in January of 2008 Patty called to inform us that our North Star dog would be coming to live with us that Spring and that we'd need to select a name so that the puppy raiser could begin name training the dog.

From that point we started prodding Tim for name ideas. These conversations usually went something like this.

"Tim, what are you going to name your dog?"

"Tim."

"Well, that's your name. Let's give your dog a different name, okay?"

Then there'd be a pause just long enough for us to wonder if he'd completely strayed off topic and was thinking about something else. Finally he'd say something like,

"hmm, how 'bout Sizzles."

Here's where the bad mommy comes out. I shuddered at the thought of burdening an animal with a moniker that evokes images of that old Ponderosa-esque restaurant chain (remember The Sizzler folks?) so in a moment of what would later be recognized as genius, I drew from the same well that produced the "Sizzles" suggestion: his favorite book.

"Tim, why don't we name him after the little boy in the book? What's his name?"

And alas, through my not so sly maneuvering, I put Tim in the position of being the one to select the name with nothing more than a slight nudge from me. (Mommy dearest?) Of course Tim agreed and it was settled.

The name of the book?

Charlie & Lola.

Not-so-Graceful Charlie

2009-01-29T09:07:00.000-08:00

Charlie is a dog with many wonderful traits. Grace is not one of them. On more than one occasion, we've witnessed Charlie's athletic leaps into doorways, furniture, play structures, and trees. One unfortunate encounter with our kitchen island left Charlie with a bloody nose. (Who knew that a dog could get a nose bleed?!!)

This week Charlie managed to give himself a doggie shiner after launching himself into the ladder on Tim's play structure. The poor dear looked like he'd been in the ring with a boxer (or even a pit bull) and his pathetic glances at me just about broke my heart.

During our brief period of concern (thanks to Wendy the Trainer for taking my panicked call) my heart swelled as I watched Tim express his concern for Charlie. He repeatedly asked me to "fix" Charlie's eye and to make him "not sad." Then he stretched out next to him on his dog bed and gently stroked him. (This is a vision I ABSOLUTELY LOVE.) Fortunately, the swelling subsided by the following morning and he is once again Tim's loyal and flawless companion.

Foul Weather Charlie

2009-01-27T20:23:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned that we credit Charlie with igniting Tim's interest in hiking? What we discovered this weekend was just how willing Tim is to hike so long as Charlie treks alongside him.

We had the great fortune of heading out for a hike up at Morgan Territory with Wendy the Trainer and her family (i.e. hubby and 3 giant, playful, extremely energetic golden retrievers.) We'd planned the hike well in advance and were prepared for every possible contingency ... except inclement weather.

On the morning of our hike enormous clouds stalled at the top of the mountains casting a gray pallor across the valley. We considered canceling the outing but without rain ... well, who wants to be the one to cancel a hike just because of clouds? So, off we trekked up the back side of the ridge and into the thick billowy clouds.

As we ascended, the cloud cover thickened, obscuring everything beyond a few feet of pavement directly in front of us. Tensions ran high as we silently we drove "toward the light" and saw nothing other than a faint glow through the fog.

When we finally reached the staging area we met Wendy et al in the parking lot. They, of course, were raring to go so we unloaded and made our way up the trail.

Mud. Drizzle. Mud. Fog. Mud. Wind. Mud. Puddles. Mud. Four giant golden retrievers racing into the fog hurling mud blobs every direction. One little boy, grinning ear to ear, covered in mud, and squealing with delight.

There was a time when Tim couldn't stand to be dirty. Not that day. He was so game to follow Charlie and his canine buddies that he literally left us in the muck while he ran 20 yards ahead.

While I can't say that I'm a big fan of foul weather hikes, I have to admit that this particular hike was memorable because of Tim's boundless energy and tolerance of truly horrible conditions. His perseverance is truly a testament to Charlie. (Thanks to Keith for the photos.)

Time for Change

2009-01-20T11:52:00.000-08:00

Charlie invited a friend over to watch today's historic events unfold. Seems as though our new president appeals to all breeds. (They're secretly holding out hope for a Golden Retriever in the White House.)

Some Things You Shouldn't Have to Ask For

2009-01-17T20:25:00.000-08:00

When we first started working with Wendy the Superhuman Dog Trainer I knew that we'd be working on training Charlie to respond to commands like "sit", "stay", "come" and "get the paper." (Ok, I didn't really think we'd be training him to get the paper but let's consider that one aspirational.) What I didn't know is just how high Wendy the Superhuman Dog Trainer sets the bar for her student pooches.

Early on in our training, Wendy explained her training philosophy. That is, there are basically two types of trained behaviors: 1. behaviors to expect after issuing a command; and 2. behaviors just to expect. I admit being skeptical at first - it had just never occurred to me that I could train my dog to think on his own. But after a few sessions I saw the light.

During our first session as Wendy introduced me to her philosophy, she made some suggestions about behaviors that we should just come to expect from Charlie ... without having to ask. Some examples of this are sitting by the door after the doorbell rings and remaining in a sit stay while I greet the guests. Another example is allowing me (or his handler du jour) to pass through a doorway first so that I'm not being dragged through the door or being body slammed into the door frame. Admittedly we have more work to do on some of these "expected" behaviors. However, Charlie has almost completely met my expectations relative to meal time behavior.

We've come to expect that Charlie will not work himself into a rabid froth before we put his bowl on the floor. In fact, our expectation is that Charlie will patiently wait while we prepare the meal, ...

... and that he will remain in a sit-stay (without any prompting from us) as we place his bowl and re-fill his water. Then he waits ... and waits ...

and waits ... until we issue the release command (for us that command is "OK") at which point he usually attacks his meal with the ferocity of a fat camp fugitive.

The more we get to know Charlie the more ideas we have about "expected" behaviors but I'm always open to ideas ... of course, I'm still optimistic about the newspaper ....

The Best Things in Life

2009-01-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

A father, a son, a best friend and a big stick. Priceless.

Bonding

2009-01-10T08:31:00.001-08:00

Friday nights at our house usually revolve around some type of family activity ... perhaps a walk to a park (when the days are longer), a stroll downtown, or a meal in one of our favorite joints. Last night after a casual dinner out together (sans Charlie ... being that he's not fully certified yet we opted not to take him into a sit down restaurant), we all decided to make a stop at the video store.

Tim really enjoys these outings because he's usually permitted to select one Wii game to rent which we will inevitably spend a portion of our weekend evenings playing. Friday night was no exception and after he made his selection we raced home to embark on the 30 minutes of video olympics we promised him before bedtime.

When we filed into the house, I couldn't help but chuckle when I watched Tim make a beeline for Charlie's crate and share his excitement with him. He held the game box right up to Charlie's snout and said, "Look Charlie, we got Mario baseball! C'mon!"

Ahhh, music to my ears ....

Charlie the Hiker

2009-01-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Have I mentioned what a great hiker Charlie is and how he's completely turned Tim into a master of the mountains? This could be one of our favorite side effects of having Charlie. Since his arrival we've been able to do so many great hikes (and California is just chock full of great places to trek.) Looking back now, it's hard to believe that we didn't hike much before but I painfully recall a number of outings with Tim in the trailer ... let's just say that trailer went downhill much more effortlessly than up.

These first pix were taken during a hike at Del Valle which provides some great views of Lake Del Valle to the south and Mount Diablo to the north. (That's Mount Diablo over Tim's right shoulder.)

(Took this one using the self-timer on my camera. That's Lake Del Valle behind us.)

(Quick confession here: our original intentions were to hike a portion of Mount Diablo but we foolishly neglected to check the park rules before we traveled out there. Upon encountering the park ranger at the gate, he explained that dogs are not permitted on any trails ... grrrrr .... So we drove to the summit and let Charlie explore from the visitors center with us. You can see from these pix just how curious Chuck is about the view.)

Those are the snowcapped Sierras in the distance. From the other direction we could see the Golden Gate Bridge.

I think this picture is my favorite from this day. Charlie was so curious but so well behaved that I never once worried about him leaping off the peak or over the edge of the ridge. (Apologies for making this a travelogue but I really just wanted to show off Charlie in some of these scenic locales. More updates later!!!)

Charlie at Work

2009-01-04T17:55:00.000-08:00

Although most of the holidays found us nursing each other through various stages of the flu, we did enjoy at least one day of whole-family-good-health. When we discovered our good fortune that morning, we decided to celebrate with a trip to the beach so we packed up the truck and headed to Aptos.

Being northern CA, I didn't expect that it would be freezing, but I never expected it to be warm. In fact, it was warmer on the beach than we've experienced there in the late spring. That being the case, Tim HAD to have his shoes off, shorts on, and feet in the icy Pacific (sometimes I'm thankful that I'm the photographer!) Of course Charlie was all too happy to partake in this craziness and that's just how these energetic boys spent the afternoon.
But it wasn't the icy frolic that was the highlight of the afternoon, at least not for me. My excitement built as I watched the Charlie Effect occur just exactly as Patty Dobbs Gross explains it in all of her North Star Foundation information. While strolling on the beach with Charlie, Andy and Tim were approached by a small pack of young girls, all smitten with Charlie. (This is what Patty aptly describes as the magnetic effect of a well trained dog.)

Seeing this, I gave Tim the slightest prompting and suggested that he go tell the girls about his dog. The rest unfolded like a script out of a North Star text book. Tim told the girls that his dog's name was Charlie and then joined them in bestowing some love on Charlie. (Please note in the photo below ... especially Wendy the trainer ... that Charlie is in a sit stay just like he's supposed to be when he's receiving attention.)

There were a few other short utterances before the girls left us to go on their way. The whole interaction lasted but a few minutes but the duration didn't matter. Just the fact that it happened. It was all just so ... normal ... and hopeful. Hopefully, Tim enjoyed that interaction enough to repeat it the next time someone approaches us to inquire about Charlie. I'm extremely optimistic.

Blog Break

2009-01-03T11:22:00.000-08:00

So with the holidays and their usual frenzied pace (and this year, some untimely bouts of the flu - ugh!) I find myself looking at a blog that is woefully outdated! Just a quick post tonight - wanted to share Charlie's glee on Christmas morning and his obvious satisfaction with Tim's gift selection. More updates soon!

Charlie's Night Before Christmas

2008-12-24T20:16:00.000-08:00

T'was the night before Christmas and Tim lie in his bed,

hoping and dreaming of Santa's full sled.

But before he retired he had just one more chore,

he had to wrap a gift for a friend he adores.

The present was picked and ready to wrap,

so he wrestled some tape and some paper and crap,

and with the help of his other best friend (Dad),

the final wrapped gift didn't look too bad!

Then to the tree with the package he went,

and stuffed, and crammed and gave it a dent.

Charlie watched on as the parcel was placed

sniffing and nosing as he curiously paced.

And then with a grin on his cute little mug,

Tim wished Charlie a Merry Christmas

and gave him a big hug.

May you all enjoy some love and kindness this Christmas.

Charlie's Sister

2008-12-21T08:12:00.001-08:00

Through the magic of the internet, I have located Charlie's sister! Meet Sassy and her boy Jack. (She sure looks like Charlie doesn't she? I bet some of you thought that was Charlie!) Sassy is another North Star dog that lives with a boy near Portland, Oregon.

I stumbled upon Sassy's blog (being kept by Jack's mom) and discovered that Sassy and Charlie were born on the same day! Then I re-read my old e-mails from Patty at North Star and found one that mentioned that she had two North Star litters born on the same day. Charlie and Sassy apparently share the same father (a dog named Huff). I'm not sure if they have the same mother but it sure wouldn't surprise me in light of their uncanny resemblance. (Take a peek at our Christmas card photo posted below (for my "virtual friends" please consider this your Christmas card!) and check out their likeness ... it's undeniable, right?)

Sassy and Jack's story is positive and inspiring and I am thrilled to have found another North Star blogger with whom to share stories and ideas. As an added bonus, Jack's mom is an avid photographer so her blog is loaded with great pictures telling the story of Sassy's bond with Jack and his siblings. (My personal favorite so far is a photo of Sassy hanging out with all four of "his kids" in front of the fireplace - LOVE THAT.)

When I borrowed the picture of Jack and Sassy to post on my blog, Tim sidled up behind me and immediately said, "that's Charlie." (He also called Jack "Gabe" - Gabe is one of Tim's best friends who just happens to have a slight resemblance to Jack but that's another story.) Turned out to be a great opportunity to talk to Tim about siblings. (Everything is a teaching opportunity, right?!)

Decorating the Tree

2008-12-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

Every year as we clean up our Thanksgiving mess I start nagging my husband about putting up a Christmas tree and every year he puts me off for at least a week. So last week we packed everyone up and headed out to our local tree lot to select our very own holiday icon.

Charlie waited patiently in the car while we toured the lot in search of the perfect evergreen pyramid but when the tree man began securing our selection to the top of the car, Charlie unleashed his frustration. I'm still not sure if the tree man tied up the tree in record time or if he was just a very seasoned tree loader, but let's just say that tree was up on the roof and secured in seconds.

Once we got the tree home, Charlie wasn't quite sure what to make of it. He sniffed and circled it, refusing to get within more than a nose-length of the tree.

Our grand plan was to erect and illuminate the tree while Tim was in school leaving the task of ornament placement for Tim. All went well and Tim happily obliged us with his decorating sensibility (although I must admit to a certain density of decor at about the 4 foot level.) Charlie was a curious and devoted design partner. He watched intently as Tim placed each ornament and then dutifully sniffed each one as soon as Tim's hand released it.

It was great fun to watch, particularly because this was the first year that Tim expressed so much interest in this particular holiday ritual. Of course, the "boys" took periodic wrestling breaks (I swear these two act like brothers at times - they wrestle every day) ...

... but in the end, they made an excellent design team.

Happy Birthday Charlie!

2008-12-10T00:01:00.000-08:00

One year ago today Charlie was just a warm little bundle of puppy loveliness and now ... he's a strapping 60+ pound loving companion to my kid. I don't have any of his actual "baby" pictures but check out this one from the day he was delivered to Judy the Puppy Raiser Extraordinaire. I think this was taken in early February. (I think that the woman holding him is Sharon, another North Star Super Hero.)

We try to use every moment as a teaching moment so we've spent the last few days talking to Tim about Charlie's upcoming birthday. Tim immediately mentioned "party" and "presents" (his two favorite things) so we decided to indulge Charlie a bit with a little family party. We made three stops yesterday in the hunt for a doggie party hat and finally found one at Murphy's Paw. (Seems like a potential business opportunity here ... there are loads of costumes, holiday hats, sweaters, and other adornments for dogs but very few birthday hats.)

After scoring the perfect hat, we took a trip to our favorite Pet Food Express store where Tim selected a few new toys for his loyal servant. Apparently, Tim knows his dog well as Charlie seems quite pleased with Tim's selections. Tonight he'll be served a special treat of canned food (he'll go absolutely bonkers for this, literally walking around in circles in the kitchen until I put the bowl down on his place.) After dinner we'll take a walk and then settle in all together and watch Tim's favorite golden retriever movie, "Snow Buddies." Tonight, Charlie gets a spot up on the bed. Happy Birthday buddy!

Guardian Charlie

2008-12-07T21:31:00.000-08:00

One of the many services for which an autism service dog may be trained is safety. Many A-club kids have a tendency to wander, or even run away from caretakers or safe locations. A service dog can be trained to divert a runner and redirect him back to a caretaker or to a place of safety. (Sort of like a herding function.) Dogs may also be trained to get in between a child and a point of danger like a busy road or an approaching stranger.

I knew that safety was going to be an added benefit of having Charlie around but since we haven't formally endeavored to train any safety related behaviors yet, I didn't expect Charlie to have a particularly protective instinct.

Boy was I wrong.

Las weekend at 3:00 am while we all soundly slept, our doorbell started to ring. An absolutely ferocious barking snapped me out of my sub-conscious state of dreamy denial. The next thing I knew, my husband and I were frantically whispering instructions to each other and peering out the windows into the darkness to discern what was happening. Inexplicably, Tim slept throughout the entire episode.

Knowing that people with good intentions don't generally show up unannounced on your doorstep at 3:00 am, (although I do recall one such incident with my brother many, many years back) I phoned the local police and asked if they would send a squad car to patrol our street. They agreed. So there we stood, in our jammies, noses pressed to the window watching the patrol car cruise our street until eventually their scanning spotlights landed on three unfortunate young men whose big night out ended with a stay in Hotel PD. (According to the police officer, the young men were so inebriated that they may have actually been lost in the neighborhood. Sorry for the buzz kill guys but you just can't come ringing our bell in the middle of the night!)

When our heart rates returned to more normal levels, we noticed that Charlie wasn't with us. I don't know when he stopped barking but at some point during all the commotion, Charlie found his way to where Tim was sleeping and lay himself on the floor in between the door and the bed. He wasn't sleeping. In fact, he was in a position of full alert with his head raised and staring into the darkness for something ... anything. It literally took our breath away.

By 4:00 am the Sergeant called us to close out the incident and we made our way back to bed. That night, Charlie earned a spot with us.

Model Behavior

2008-12-01T18:03:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving weekend at our house revolves around a few simple traditions: loads of leftover turkey and hours spent untangling miles of light strings to be hung from every square inch of our house. This is my favorite time of year and each year seems to be more fun than the last because of Tim's increasing understanding of and excitement about our holiday rituals.

Most of our holiday decor adorns the front of our house so we all spent the better part of a chilly day sprawled out over the lawn, driveway and garage. Charlie eagerly joined us and happily sniffed all of our kitsch.

Of course I was thrilled to witness Tim's enthusiasm about this activity but what was really impressive was that Charlie remained off-leash without incident for the entire day. Yes, off-leash in our front yard in this crazy state where everyone and all their brothers and sisters own at least one dog. I attribute Charlie's compliance to Wendy the Trainer who worked tirelessly with us on the "stay" command (I've learned that it's rarely the dog that can't be trained but the owner who doesn't really grasp the concept of consistency and reward. ahem.) Wendy also spent many sessions with us working on getting Charlie to ignore the distraction of other dogs. (Wendy always makes a point to practice this skill with us at least once during all of our sessions.)

I'm proud to say that Charlie was BRILLIANT all day and not once did he leave our property. He was so well behaved that several folks actually crossed the street to admire him and compliment his extraordinary behavior. And, as always, he obliged me with an appropriate photo to commemorate the day.

Thankful, thankful, thankful

2008-11-27T08:51:00.000-08:00

As I spent the better part of a day preparing a variety of traditional Thanksgiving delicacies (how the heck did the Pilgrims manage to make butternut squash soup?) and shooing a super sniffy Charlie from the kitchen, I started to think about just how thankful we are for so many things. This being a blog about Charlie, I'll resist the temptation to give an Academy Awards type speech, but I do think it appropriate to spend a few lines here expressing our gratitude for Charlie.

Top 5 Reasons We're Grateful for Charlie

5. The countless photo opportunities presented by this dog and my kid (this is perhaps the most selfish of things to be thankful for but I really do love snapping pix of these two together!)

4. Charlie's unrestrained joy in receiving a scratch, pat, or snuggle from any of us;

3. The opportunities to meet new people, whether in person or virtually, simply because they're interested in Charlie and his impact on my A Club boy;

2. The motivation that Charlie gives Tim to speak; (Some might be surprised to see this in the #2 spot on this list. After all, language is Tim's primary deficit. We moved across country to put him into his current language based program. We've seen dozens of doctors, psychologists, neurologists, speech therapists, occupational therapists, physical therapists, audiologists, technicians, teachers and other "magicians" all with the hope that they could make Tim speak. We've changed how we speak to Tim and to each other all in an effort to help him turn on the part of his brain that creates speech. And then along comes Charlie and Tim talks to him like an old pal. Yes, we are definitely grateful for Charlie's impact on Tim's language. But rather unexpectedly we discovered that we're most thankful for something else...)

1. The friendship that Charlie non-judgmentally bestows upon Tim. Until Charlie came along we were singularly focused on teaching Tim to speak thinking that this would be the ticket to normalcy for him. But as we spent more time with Charlie, we discovered that Tim was getting something we hadn't bargained for ... a friend. More than that ... a best friend. I know that no matter how long Tim lives he'll always remember Charlie fondly because he loves him. And when I think about all the things we want for Tim, we most want him to love and be loved.

So, Thanks Charlie. (...there might just be a little turkey in your bowl later!)

Histio-WHAT?

2008-11-24T14:47:00.001-08:00

See this little sucker? Histiocytoma ... that's right. A big fancy latin-ish word describing a benign tumor that appeared on the neck of our beloved Charlie. After a full-on panic attack, I raced into our vet's office where they quickly dismissed my concerns and advised that this little blob will likely dissipate, without treatment, in the next 60 days.

Of course, they couldn't tell me anything about the blob without giving Charlie a quick little shave. Charlie was not amused. (See photo below.) We're keeping a watch on the blob and will be certain to update Charlie's fans on his status.

Pose Practice

2008-11-21T17:37:00.000-08:00

It will come as no surprise that I've been plotting a particular photo set up for a holiday card photo this year and of course it includes Charlie. We took some practice shots yesterday after Tim dutifully selected an appropriate chapeaux for Charlie at our favorite local pet shop. (Tim's particularity in selecting items for Charlie always takes me aback. We just about came to blows in the store when it momentarily appeared that Charlie's size was sold out. Fortunately, a single large hat was tucked behind a row of mediums and thus, the meltdown was averted!)

Once again, Charlie demonstrated his mettle and graciously tolerated the humiliation. For anyone expecting a holiday card this year, don't fret: I'll be using a different photo!

Charlie with a Twist

2008-11-18T17:42:00.000-08:00

One thing I've really enjoyed about California is the abundant agriculture - literally, surrounding us. My absolute favorite thing about my overpriced California house is an enormous lemon tree that produces hundreds of lemons for us each year. One thing I've really enjoyed about Charlie is watching him discover things for the first time.

Now that we're entering the lemon harvest season, Charlie's had an opportunity to discover this delightful fruit.

This little piece of citrus became a momentary plaything for Charlie until he picked it up in his mouth and then promptly spit it out. (Apparently Charlie didn't care much for the tart sensation on his tongue!)

Owwweee for Charlie

2008-11-14T17:45:00.000-08:00

Each week I happily post tales of Charlie the amazing hiking beast along with photos of him effortlessly conquering each pass, ridge, and stream. Well, I'm sorry to report that Charlie's conquests have not been without a price. On Monday night we discovered one of these on the wonderdog:

That there is the Brown Dog Tick commonly found in Northern California. (Latin: tickus-NASTY-cus; Greek: tickus-DISGUSTUS!) Words cannot adequately describe exactly how vile this little creature is, particularly when embedded up to its armpits in the neck of your dog. (I'm throwing up in my mouth as I re-live this.)

Upon discovering this repugnant pest, an immediate search was undertaken to learn how to relieve Charlie of this parasite. Within minutes we discovered an on-line video depicting the removal of a tick using a circular motion, culminating with the insect releasing the dog and "popping out" of the animal. (Oh boy, here goes that gag reflex again ....)

The voice on the video assured us that if we followed this procedure, Charlie would be bug free post haste. However, the voice warned that it was imperative to remove the entire pest and not to leave the poisonous head in the body of your dog. (... gag here ....)

So, armed with my best pair of eyebrow tweezers, Andy and I began the procedure with me wrestling a perplexed and very annoyed Charlie while Andy undertook the business of dizzying the bug. After more than 5 minutes of massaging that little pest, Andy gave the body a little tug and out it came ... that is, out came the body. (...gag ...) The head (... gag ...) was still in Charlie. (GAG, GAG, YAK!)

I spent the better part of that evening worrying about the damage I had done to Charlie first, by not locating the tick earlier, and second, by decapitating the pest while embedded in his neck. However, a visit to my vet left me feeling relieved when he advised that there did not appear to be any infection and that the bug's head (... gag here ...) would work its way out.

Moral of this story? Check your dog for ticks after every hike and if you find one, DON'T ask us for help in removing it.

The Most Accommodating Dog Ever

2008-11-01T19:15:00.000-07:00

Among the countless other things I love about Charlie, I have to say that his willingness to tolerate every bit of indignity we throw at him has to top the list. It seems that he'll do just about anything for his pal Tim. Only the best of friends would do this!

A Best Friend

2008-10-30T16:02:00.000-07:00

I think it's fair to assume that most A Club parents worry about the prospect of their children living a friend-less life. Many of us enjoyed the bliss of toddler-hood reveling in the false security of arranged play dates and "manufactured inclusive fun" for our kids. But as our kids age, their differences tend to naturally segregate them from their typical peers, cutting them out of social opportunities that, for typical kids, seem to be basic rites of passage.

So, what does any of this have to do with Charlie?

Back when we first contacted North Star, it was our understanding that the primary purpose of an autism service dog would be to provide a bridge between Tim and typical peers. Charlie is essentially a lure to typical kids, thereby creating opportunities for Tim to have social encounters and practice his language skills. In a way, having Charlie at his side makes Tim the "Cool Kid" - (surely everyone remembers the allure of that one kid in school who always had the cool stuff. ) While we've definitely witnessed the impact of Charlie on other kids, watching the evolution of Tim and Charlie's relationship has been far more compelling.

This all struck me this afternoon while Tim played in the yard with Charlie. He'd been disappointed earlier in the day when I explained that he wouldn't be able to see "the boys" (his little pack of blonde brit brothers) and then moped outside. It took less than a minute for Charlie to engage Tim and snap him out of his funk. The two of them frolicked and played for nearly an hour before coming in for dinner.

I derive a great deal of comfort from watching Tim engage with Charlie. But I was most moved when later that night I asked Tim who his best friend was. Without hesitation he replied, "Charlie."

Charlie and the Very BIG Dogs

2008-10-27T11:37:00.001-07:00

In some ways, raising a puppy is very much like raising a child. That is, it's just as important to expose a puppy to new sights and sounds as it is a child, in particular, an autistic child. Those of us in the A Club can attest to the nightmare of unexpected sights, changes in routines, or unfamiliar sounds and the in-diffusible meltdowns that can accompany these things. New experiences can elicit comparable negative behaviors in a dog.

One of the things that we've been working on with Charlie is how to deal with new sights and distractions. Of course, Wendy the Trainer provides loads of advice and strategies to expose Charlie to just about anything you could imagine (and if I was a little more diligent in my training efforts I'm certain that Charlie would be starring in a feature film by now.) However, some of our best training occurs completely unintentionally, almost accidentally.

Take this weekend for example. We were out for a routine stroll in a nature preserve close to our home when we encountered several folks on horseback. We've not taken Charlie anywhere near horses since he's been with us so we really didn't know what to expect.

In an attempt to minimize any agitation from Charlie, we encouraged Tim to speak to Charlie while we secured Charlie with a firm grip at the side of the trail. We weren't sure how he'd react - frankly, I expected some barking and pulling - but more than anything he just seemed curious. He watched intently as the animals forded the stream and then went back to chasing the rocks that Tim was tossing into the water.

I suppose this could have been a more eventful incident, particularly in light of Charlie's increasing size and teenager-esque tendencies of late. At least now we know he's seen horses and next time we'll be a bit more confident about his reaction. AND, we can check one more thing off the list of things for him to see.

Charlie the Hiking Dog

2008-10-20T22:59:00.000-07:00

Anyone reading this chronicle of Charlie's work knows by now that we witness Charlie's influence on Tim just about every day. Whether it's language development, social skills, empathy or otherwise, there's just no denying that Charlie has proved to be an invaluable tool in helping Tim find his way.

Now I think it's time that I add hiking to Charlie's list of positive influences on Tim.

While we have always been eager to hike (particularly in CA - the views here really are extraordinary), hiking had become increasingly difficult with Tim as he insisted on being pushed in a converted bike trailer. Of course, this limited where we could venture and as Tim grew, it became more difficult to push him up anything greater than a slight incline.

Then, along comes Charlie.

I don't know how or why it happened but as soon as Charlie started joining us on our hikes, Tim wanted nothing to do with the bike trailer. In fact, on our first outing with Charlie, Tim squealed with delight as he watched Charlie scamper up the trail. Seconds later Tim leapt out of the trailer and took off after him. Since then we've been able to abandon the trailer and explore areas that were simply not accessible to us before.

These photos were taken on a hike we took a week ago at Del Valle. It's a mildly steep climb up to an elevation of about 1500 feet. The views are intoxicating.

Charlie and Tim both managed the climb like seasoned hikers and seemed to motivate each other both up and down the trail. Without Charlie I'm certain that these sights would remain unseen for us. Yet just one more reason to praise the Wonderdog!

Charlie the Cycling Coach

2008-10-15T11:00:00.000-07:00

When we moved to CA we purchased a bicycle for Tim thinking that the mild climate and numerous bike paths would entice Tim into a cycling life. Like many of the other things that came with us from TX, the bike sat undisturbed in the garage for about two years. Then, quite unexpectedly, Tim took an interest in his bike about a month ago and spent a considerable amount of time riding in circles around the garage.

While we were pleased at his newly discovered interest, we were eager to get him out of the garage and into the real cycling world. Enter: Charlie.

We told Tim that we were going to take his bike and Charlie to a nearby park where they could "ride bikes" together. He gamely agreed and immediately ambled up into his car seat while we loaded dog, bike, helmet, snacks, and dog gear into the car.

As soon as we arrived it was as though we'd been doing this for months. Tim jumped onto his bike and Charlie kept pace with him for the entire ride. In fact, I tried to use our outing as an opportunity to work on some skills with Charlie but he was so anxious to be with Tim that I opted to let him stay by Tim's side. (I'm sure that Wendy the trainer will have something to say about this but I was so pleased to see the obvious bond that I just didn't have the heart to interrupt it! After all, that is what we're ultimately trying to achieve!)

Tim obviously appreciated Charlie's support and has since made several cycling outings with Charlie by his side.

More Press for North Star & Charlie!

2008-10-12T15:55:00.000-07:00

A few months ago Patty Dobbs Gross of the North Star Foundation sent me a note asking if I had any pictures of Charlie and Tim together that she could share with the folks at the AKC Gazette (the official magazine of the American Kennel Club.) Being the shameless parent and dog owner that I am, I readily complied and sent terabytes of electronic files to her. A few weeks later I learned that one of our pictures made the photo editor's cut and would be appearing in the magazine as a part of a story about autism service dogs.

The magazine was published last month and the article provides a view into the world of several families who have obtained service dogs for their autistic children. It's worth reading but the highlight is most certainly the picture of Tim and Charlie on page 44. My two boys are celebrities!!!

A Hairy Problem

2008-10-11T16:01:00.000-07:00

aAfter a few months of living with Charlie I was starting to think that we had gotten the first ever non-shedding golden retriever. Then, just as I was about to gloat about the wonderdog and his ability to keep my house and clothing fur-free, the shedding began.

It started innocently enough with the occasional appearance of a hair-bunny on the floor or in a hard to reach collection point like under a cabinet, or on the stairs.

Then I began noticing remnants of Charlie's downy coat on our clothes ...

... in my car ...

... on our furniture, and generally airborne all over the house. It seemed as though every time I'd pet Charlie a small hair explosion occurred and we'd both be engulfed in a fuzzy golden mushroom cloud.

I mentioned this to Wendy the trainer and she suggested trying an undercoat rake to reduce some of the shedding. Acting on her advice, I travelled to my favorite Pet Food Express store post haste in search of such a device.

The helpful folks at PFE convinced me to spend a whole lot of dough on a little gadget called a Furminator.

After dropping fifty bucks on this draconian looking gadget I raced home to test it on my four legged furball. I admit that I was skeptical at first. However, a few strokes into the task I became a believer. Check out the results of just a few comb strokes down Charlie's back:

And that doesn't even include the skeins of fur on my sweater after completing this short grooming session. It was truly shocking but I have to believe that Charlie is more comfortable now that much of his undercoat has been removed ... at least for today anyway. Until the process is complete (which I don't expect for a few months) I'm becoming more acquainted with another little gadget I picked up recently:

Fortunately these little gadgets are only a buck at Target! I'll be buying them in bulk later this week.

Teaching Moments

2008-10-07T07:35:00.000-07:00

Every day we have with Charlie seems to present another opportunity to teach Tim some type of life skill or concept. Lately some of our most poignant teaching moments have been related to the concept of responsibility for another being.

We've been trying to talk to Tim about taking caring for others and treating people with respect. Recently we've opted to broaden this concept to include the routine care of his pal Charlie.

It all started quite unintentionally. One day I simply asked Tim to feed Charlie. I was a bit surprised when he turned to me and officiously responded with, "Okay mommy." I sat there stunned as I watched him get up from the table, pick up Charlie's bowl and take it to the garage where we store the dog food.

He then

filled Charlie's bowl just enough, sealed up the dog food container and returned the bowl to its place alongside Charlie's water bowl.

Then he turned to Charlie, looked him in the eyes and said, "OK Charlie." And then the dog happily gorged himself in that inimitable golden retriever way.

At first I thought that this was going to be a one time event and that the novelty of being the dog feeder would quickly wear off but I've been pleasantly surprised by his consistent attendance to this duty each night (I still feed Charlie in the morning.) Aside from the positive impact this little routine has on Tim & Charlie's relationship, I'm really pleased with Tim's understanding of the need to take care of Charlie. (Those of you in the A Club can certainly appreciate the difficulty in teaching compassion and empathy to an ASD kid.) I can't wait until I can teach him about the responsibility of cleaning up after his dog!

Another Worthy Autism Read

2008-09-30T12:40:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon this book - not even sure I recall how - but I quickly bought and read it. While the story isn't exactly like Charlie and Tim's, (the dog was not a North Star placement nor was it trained as a service animal) it did resonate with me. Much of the story reminded me of our early days with Tim before his diagnosis. Later in the book it becomes clear that Ms. Gardner's son shared the same response to his beloved Henry as Tim has with Charlie. Some of the similarities are uncanny - the most notable being that they both immediately began speaking to their dogs.

The Gardners seem to be very resourceful folks (like so many folks I've met in the A Club) and they used a number of unorthodox strategies to exploit the obvious bond between their son and his dog. One that struck me as simple and sweet was their use of the dog as a "voice box" to communicate to their son. It started with the father using a deep voice and stating to their son that he was Henry (their dog.) Their son immediately responded and thus a new gateway for communication emerged. The Gardners were suddenly able to easily get through to their son and used this method for several years.

I think the Gardner's story is a good one and the book is an emotional read. My favorite part of the book comes in the last chapter written by their son, who was 18 at the time he wrote it. It's a very insightful examination of the story written by his mother and includes his own explanations for some of his childhood "autistic behaviors" described by his mother. All in all it was a worthy read, full of hope, for anyone in the A Club.

Making New Friends

2008-09-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

When we first started researching service dogs for kids with autism we were especially enthused about the idea that a well trained dog could provide a bridge - a gateway of sorts - for Tim to meet typical children and develop relationships. I never expected that we'd all reap that benefit.

We've been quite lucky this year to befriend some folks who often invite us to join them (and their three extremely energetic little boys) on all sorts of outdoorsy outings. Charlie played a big part in our introductions (a long story best saved for another post) and consequently, they are as enamored with Charlie as we are. In addition to the fact that we've gotten the opportunity to know this warm and dynamic family, Tim LOVES to hang with his new little buddies. When he's with them he is extremely motivated to speak and imitate their behavior. (Those of you in the A Club can appreciate what a HUGE deal this is.)

This weekend we enjoyed a good romp through Sunol Regional Park with our new friends and both Charlie and Tim were in their glory. I can't express how thrilling it is to watch my kid just being one of the boys. (Tim's the one in the middle.)

Of course, the boys also managed to give Charlie an olympic work out by running with him endlessly over hill and dale. After a great day of hiking our EXTREMELY hospitable friends hosted us for a BBQ and were kind enough to introduce Charlie to the rest of their menagerie. Turns out that Charlie made some new friends too. (I wasn't exactly sure how he'd react to this little piglet but true to his usual docile temperament, he treated her with curiosity and respect.)

Fun at Fort Funston

2008-09-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

We decided to take Charlie to Fort Funston today for a little hike and a good romp on a leash-less beach. The trek down the "Sand Ladder Trail" was quite pleasant, ...

... we stopped for pictures ...

... and even made some new friends along the way. This little guy named Murphy stopped to partake in an impromptu dig-fest about half way down the trail. (Tim found this all very, very amusing.)

Once we arrived at the bottom of the trail it was time for some pure unadulterated and un-leashed dog fun. Charlie got to run with the wind and found loads of other happy dogs chasing waves, digging holes, and retrieving driftwood logs.

Of course no trip to the beach is complete without a full on game of "Chase Tim" which seems to delight both of the boys.

As the tide rose it became time to make our way back up the trail that seemed so harmless on the way down.

Make no mistake, the "Sand Ladder Trail" is a short but heart pumping climb up the side of what looks like a sheer cliff. We stopped about half-way up just to snap another picture of the magnificent scenery.

Then, right at the end of our ascent we spotted this sign:

We'd seen the hang gliders at Fort Funston before but we weren't sure we'd see them today, a rather windy and overcast day. We opted to head to the top, get a drink and check it out. (One thing I've noticed in CA is that almost all water fountains are equipped with dog fountains at the bottom. Tim was happy to help his buddy quench the thirst he'd worked up after his aerobic workout on the beach.)

Next we found some seats on the hang glider viewing platform (yes, they actually have one of these ... it is California after all!) and we waited.

Sure enough, within about 15 minutes the hang gliders were soaring. This always thrills Tim and not surprisingly, Charlie seemed to relish the experience too. All in all, another great outing with Charlie.

Charlie's Made the Big Time!

2008-09-20T07:49:00.000-07:00

So I get up and check my e-mail this morning and what do I find but a note from an old friend in Florida advising that he's profiled Charlie on his law firm blog! David Wolf is a long time advocate for the rights of children and the elderly and he and his family have been supporters of our family for years. Check out his blog and take some time to peruse his article archives. There you'll find many interesting articles, including several about autism and its impact on families. Thanks for your support David!

Everybody Loves Charlie

2008-09-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

We had a visit from some very dear old friends this weekend and we decided to show them some of the sights outside of San Francisco. So we packed up the truck and headed off to Capitola for a little stroll through the town and a slice of pizza on the beach - in my opinion, the quintessential California weekend.

Charlie was thrilled to be included and he bounded into the back of the truck, happily peeking his nose over the seat to remind us all that he was there. Tim was equally thrilled to have Charlie join us and he periodically rolled down the window so Charles could enjoy a bit of fresh air as we made our way through the Santa Cruz mountains.

Because they're from the "other coast" our friends have only been able to get to know Charlie through his blog and our endless tales of Charlie's superlative temperament. However, it didn't take long for Charlie to ingratiate himself with his inimitable charm.

Within minutes, Charlie and our old friends were snuggling up like old pals. (This is actually an extraordinary development as our friends are life long, shameless cat people!) Charlie even executed a few commands given by our friends (although not perfectly ... that's a topic for another post.) By the end of the weekend our friends were completely smitten and ready to go home and research Golden Retriever breeders. (Have I mentioned how much we love Charlie?!!)