I haven't done an entry here in a while, so here's some recent pictures:


Snuggling with Daddy, pepper and Toonces. He's been sick with bronchitis for 2 weeks so I've been keeping him company, makin him feel better, and I accompanied him to the doctor. I also went with him when he got his hairs cut because as you can see here, he was starting to look a lot like hedgie (my favorite toy) Anyway, I took him to the hair salon and the lady was very nice and let me lay right at his feet. Then we went back home for a nap. But nobody took pictures of that LOL

Anyway, click the link to see more pictures from the last month or so
Patch took some pictures of me on the other camera, but Daddy will have to upload those later

And Daddy's never going to let me go back, because I decided turkey chasing was more fun than work and pulled him in the wrong direction too much. That said, I was well behaved enough that we got many compliments, and a Lady gave Daddy a bonecookie  to give me. So dog treats galore. I love Ren Faire!

Pics below the cut

Today Roman helped me run an errand to pick up paint for a Mardi Gras Kreative Krew at a local coffee house. Where he then crashed out at my feet to rest while I played with a mardi gras mask, handed out paper cranes for peace and took pictures of the creative fun.

"Let's Go!" Heading out of Michaels:


"Brace, Roman!" This is how he helps me balance to get out of my wheelchair. I lean most of my weight forward and it's mostly a matter of balance. He's a huge help to me this way!


"Down" Chillin out at my feet at the coffee house

Just a camera phone pic from our trip to the store yesterday:

Recently we went to the Roller Derby. It was so cold even Roman needed a jacket! And as usual, the girls stopped by to flirt with Roman. Such a stud ;) Seriously tho.. here's a picture of Roman with one of the Surly Girlies, a friend of Patch whose roller derby name is Chachi Patron:

(click the picture to open the e-card)

Recently my family celebrated a day of presents! I got lots of new toys. But I didn't want to play with them as much as I wanted to help open presents. I just love helping to tug off the wrapping paper, and then handing the the paper so it can be thrown out. Silly humans drop it on the floor sometimes, so then I pick it up. YAY for the day of Presents! After they finished with the wrapping paper I brought Sean-Michael my favorite new toy. It has a pointy ball that's great for chewing, and a rope for tugging. I love to play tug when I'm not tugging off Sean's socks, picking things up, or opening presents.

One of the lessons I've learned from Roman, is it's all about the treats.

I chuckled as I typed that, but it's true. Sometimes you just gotta let yourself have those treats.

Today a friend needed to go shopping and asked me to go with him to show him a store I'd told him about. So he piled my chair, Roman and me into his car, and did a little retail therapy.  Afterwards he brought me home where I got snuggles and love from Roman who practically held me down to the couch. Roman is still up here with me now hours later. We've been watching Tin Man and snuggling.



Snuggles are good. Cuz sometimes it's all about the treats

Sometimes as a service dog, the lay of the land is dangerous. How do you enter an elevator where the door is too narrow for you and your dog? Is the Escalator a valid option? (not good, too easy for little paws to get stuck in) What about the lift on an accessible bus or van?

Today Sean and Roman went to see Sean's doctor. We took the local Dial-a-ride... which it's good to have, but the service is so busy, that we arrived an hour late.  We didn't both sit on the lift to go up onto the van, instead the driver took Roman into the van, and then Sean rolled his chair onto the lift and got up there too. That way Roman was safest. And that's basically what it comes down to in such situations, what is best for the dog.  Thankfully even tho we got there late, they saw us anyway.

It was a hard day for Sean, but Roman got to spend a lot of time at and often on Sean's feet. Working or snuggling? Sometimes they're the same thing. And sometimes, that's what helps us get through the day. The loving puppy head on knee or foot, the loving scritches behind an ear, sometimes makes all the difference.



We met some nice people on Dial-a-ride including a pastor named Tim, who happend to be blind, and his guide dog who I believe was named Ansel.  There were a few cursory sniffs of greetings exchanged, but for the most part it was a working relationship tail to tail on the bus while the owners talked. Ansel was a beautiful golden eyed lab. Too bad we didn't get any pictures of him. Maybe some day we'll see Tim and Ansel again.

I got a new Camera. Merry Early Xmas to me!

So of course I had Roman play model tonight after seeing August Rush with some friends. Pics behind the LJ cut!

It rained all weekend! Weird here in Phoenix. Daddy was cold, so he got out his warm clothes, but we went to central Phoenix anyway to stop by a festival some friends were working.  Frank,  was there! We love Frank! Here's a picture of us all hanging out.

Service dog laws in Arizona:
http://azpowerpaws.org/Portals/12/Arizona%20service%20dog%20law.pdf

Americans with Disabilities Act on Service Dogs:
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/qasrvc.htm

Assistance Dogs International:
http://www.adionline.org/

And of course if you're in California you should call Canine Support Teams, who trained Roman:
http://www.caninesupportteams.org/


Roman in front of my drum


Roman at the grocery store, picking up the York Peppermint Patties I dropped

One thing happend this week which occurs pretty often when we're out and about. Someone picked up my cane after I'd told Roman to get it.  I appreciate people being helpful, but it takes away my independance, and Roman's job. When people take his jobs from him he looks confused and it throws us off. Roman LIKES to help me. He enjoys picking up my cane, and he looks forward to the great pets and treat he gets afterwards. Plus, I don't know you and didn't ask for your help, then don't do it without asking me first at least.  Sometimes I do accept help from others that I didn't ask for, but I really prefer being asked. And it's usually for something that's up high, or a heavy door I need opening, not something Roman could do. Nuff said :)

What with recently having someone kick me out of a night club in Tucson because "we don't allow dogs here" even after I explained that the rules are different for service dogs and it's illegal to deny me access to a public space, I thought some who read Roman's journal might be interested in reading about the laws about service dogs.

At the time I just thanked them and told them to please have their owner check into service animal laws in Arizona, then headed over to the coffee shop next door, where I had a blast with friends and ate good food. (Ironic considering they previous place had sited health codes as the reason they were kicking us out) Sad really.

My basic understanding of service animal laws is that  Roman is allowed any public place be it plane, train or place of business.

Here's the segment of AZ Law on the subject for those geeks who love details:

( Read more... )

This last 3 days has been a really busy weekend.  Daddy and I went down to Tucson and I was workin hard the whole weekend! We stayed in a hotel.

I love hotels, he always lets me jump up on the bed to snuggle for a little while before he goes to sleep. Also I get to lay on the bed sometimes when he's getting ready to go out so that I'm not under foot. Probably because I like to follow him around the hotel room unless he tells me where to lay. But I wouldn't want to trip Sean-Michael! Here's some pics from the trip:
( Read more... )


Daddy and his friends went to a night club, but they didn't know about service dogs and kicked me out. So he took me to the coffee shop next door instead, and all his friends quickly came with us.  I rested under the table with my head on his wheel. I do this often. Don't worry, he never runs over my nose!

( see much more adorable Roman pics )

I could and probably should ask Patch to take pictures of roman working, because it's very hard to actually do that when I'm using him to help brace to get up some steps or get up off the bench, or help me pick up hangers, my cane, etc. But... I never think of it. I'll try tomorrow to see if she'll get some pics of roman working for ya. In the mean time, here's some travel pics from today:

At the shake shack under the table after helping Sean up the 2 steps


Hiding behind Sean and Patch


Snuggling with Patch in Grandma's convertable:





 

Well... not actually. Patch and Sean-Michael are in Orange County at Sean's mom's house and Roman thinks that her backyard is an oasis after living in the desert for a couple years. He came outside for his after dinner romping, which at home takes place in the living room because it's too hot outside. Unfortunatly I didn't bring the camera out with me until after he'd done his hysterical and wonderful run around the yard, but these videos were too cute not to share

High five!



Here's us snuggling. I wrote a lot more about this originally, but the internet ate it:

Roman is never "just a pet" he's a service dog. That is, a dog who is of service wherever he goes. However sometimes he's more just a playful dog, and sometimes he's being more helpful. And sometimes he's being helpful by laying quietly at my feet on standby.


Things he does around the house include picking up things I drop such as my cell phone.  (This happens a lot) tugging off my socks (his favorite) bracing so I can get up out of a chair or lean over to pick up something that he can't (such as a coin or his dog bowl)

And sometimes he's just playing with pepper or getting snuggles on the couch! Here's some pics of Roman around the house and a video of him tugging one of my socks off.

(video will be here in just a moment)( click to see the pics )

Today I took Sean-Michael and Patch to lunch and a movie.

At Applebees they gave us a great table where I could lay on the floor at Daddy's feet.  And he even gave me a couple treats for helping him brace to sit down and get up again after. They took some pics too of course: