After a long relaxing summer, CAROLINE is finally back to work!  Her first visit was to see Sam, one of her favorites!  He has decreased strength and difficulty balancing so CAROLINE helps him with his exercises and makes working much more fun.  One of the things we work on is maintaining a kneeling position to improve his hip strength like shown in this picture.  Here Sam is brushing CAROLINE while hol ...

I remember meeting Jeff and TAZIE for the first time last semester as I took Kyria's Assistance Dog class and remember how difficult it was for him.  I also remember how difficult it was for me.  Being 45 in a class of young people and having issues of my own to where I was applying for a service dog made me feel like a fish out of water.  I lived in Jacksonville, NC at the time and drove an hour each wa ...

This is a picture of a tunnel CAROLINE is attempting to learn to go through.  Unfortunately, she isn't having very much luck.  She is afraid of walking through the tunnel with even goooood treats!  She is also fearful of walking through tight places, around moving objects, or over cords.  If you have any ideas, I would love to hear them.  We are practicing so we can go through the tunnel with our pres ...

 I know I haven't posted in a week but so much has been going on so I have some important things to share so I hope you will read all the way through this post. Right now I am putting away books and things that I am still unpacking and putting in place and with every book or item I touch it takes me back to that time and as I am doing this I am once again listening to music.  None of you know but I used t ...

As I wonder what is going on with AIRLIE I am trying to keep myself busy.  I am sure others have noticed that dog spelled backwards is God and I really believe dogs are a special gift from God that stand out from all other animals.  I am adjusting to life in Wilmington and I must say this is a very busy place so I make lists and don't go out unless I have to.  Unless I am in a controlled environment it s ...

 Last week CAROLINE visited four preschool classrooms and I just had to share this adorable picture of CAROLINE waiting to enter the classroom.  While the teacher was getting ready, the kids were crowded around the door and taking turns to look through the window to see  CAROLINE.  She was just as excited and ready to get to work!  To me, this picture typifies the work she does and how the kids can't ...

February 26, 2012 Hello everyone Neal and Piper here back around January Mr. Henry talk with my wife and I about coming to UNCW to speak to a class about PTSD. During the conversation we decided to go ahead and attempt a trip to Wilmington North Carolina. This was a big effort for me because ever since the accident which started my PTSD we have not gone anywhere fact it was in October 2005 that we took our ...

  Valentine's Day is celebrated every February and so at school, we are learning how to be a good friend.  CAROLINE has a lot to say about being a friend, and as always, I like to tell her story in pictures!  Here are some ways to be a good friend according to CAROLINE!  This first picture is showing how she likes to visit her friends.  When she sees her friends she "waves" to them to greet them.  Sh ...