Vet visit

No photos with today's post. Mom wasn't sure she could bring the camera and didn't ask. Oh well.

I went to the vet today to get a check up. I got my shots updated and got a good looking over. I have a little problem with my ears and now Mom has to put some medicine in them for a couple weeks.

Otherwise the vet was very pleased with me. She says I am doing great. We talked about Ike too... the vet took care of him also and she says I have big paws to fill but am doing a great job!!!

I am still doing fine. I love playing with all my toys and chewing on my Nylabones ( I LOVE nylabones)

Halloween photos

Here I am in my whole costume.... I was Scooby Doo this Halloween. It was okay. I was not super happy about walking in it at first, but I adjusted. I had fun. All the kids that came to my house just LOVED me. I wiggled for them all.... and I didn't get any treats :(

I just didn't understand the "trick or treat" thing. I don't know any tricks.... Just my job. I wanted treats... didn't get any.... bummer for me.










I was a very happy Scooby Doo.... Mom loves this picture.






Here I am with our Halloween display.... my grandpa carved that cool pumpkin.... it was neato.





Mom just loves taking pictures..... I don't mind too much... I love her. If it makes her happy... then I will do it.


Hope you all had a happy and safe Halloween.

Changes

Things sure have been busy...





I got to go to Lions Bear Lake Camp in Lapeer. It was great fun. I even got to go swimming. Mom was really proud of the way I swam and played with the other dogs there.


There were other PAWS puppies there and some dogs who are going to learn how to guide people who can't see at all or very well.








Then on Wednesday morning Oct. 1... a very sad thing happened. My brother Ike... my mom's first service dog had to go to the Rainbow Bridge. He was having a lot of trouble breathing and didn't want to eat.





I got to be with him and mom and my grandma and Yvonne when we helped him to the Bridge. I watched very hard while the doctor was helping Ike. I didn't want him to hurt anymore.





Now mom is really sad. I am trying hard to help her, but I miss him too.





She says he is able to breathe well again and play well again and that he is watching over us. I hope so because I sure love my brother big...





Mom says DOGspeed Ike. She misses you.






I am doing my best now to take care of her just like he wants me too. Mom says he must have felt I was ready for the job to go. So Ike, I am going to do the best I can. Thanks for teaching me as much as you could. --- Cooley

Just Because

Here are a few pictures of me that mom just loves..... Sheesh. I am not that cute!!!! But she thinks I am and the shutters keep clicking....

Here I am with my seal.... I LOVE my seal.....

Here I am after having some Tummy time with my mom... I don't really like Tummy time.. but she does... so I put up and make her happy when she wants it.

And lastly (at least for now)... here is a picture taken of me today at the National Coney Island in Royal Oak, MI where we went to have a party for my mom's friend Jane.

Cooley's recent adventures

Okay.... so we've been a bit remiss in updating the blog. Sorry everyone.... it's just been a busy time for all...

Since our last update... we went to the Binder Park Zoo in Battle Creek. Mom likes zoos. We had an okay time and I even got to get close to a giraffe.... they are neat, but mom wouldn't let me have any of the special cookies she bought to give to the giraffes.... bummer. Here we are over in Africa.... we got to ride a tram and Mom was amazed at how good I was while they were strapping in her chair.... I was interested but did a good job.

Here I am looking like I am being chased by an elephant... Mom makes me pose for all these silly pictures.... I humor her.

Here I am in front of the sign at the zoo.... sigh.

Next up for us was a trip to Frankenmuth for a couple of days the end of August. Mom really likes it there.

We took a trip on the Bavarian Belle... a little boat. I liked the boat and did very well while they helped my mom get on the boat. She was very proud of me. I don't get upset when people have to help my mom. I guess my brother Ike didn't always like other people helping Mom... he wanted to do it.

Here are a couple of photos of me on the boat.

Hee..... looks like the paddle wheel is gonna get me! Everyone wanted to see me on the boat and talk to my mom about all the great things I do for her. She is always happy to talk about how I help her.

Well... whew.... that is a long enough post for now.

Wags and wiggles,

Cooley

Armada Fair

Today I went to the Armada Fair. We had fun walking around and seeing things. Here I am under the sign. Mom makes me do silly, silly things sometimes.

This is me with Don, one of the eight Budweiser Clydesdale horses. I guess Mom has always wanted to see them up close and so she was very, very happy that they came to the Armada Fair this year. We got to see two of them getting groomed. I also got to meet Barley, the Dalmatian that is part of the Budweiser team. We touched noses. We both wanted to play... but Barley got called away. I was a little sad cause I was hoping maybe Mom would have let me play.

Ths is the big truck with the Budweiser Clydesdales in harness on it. Looks like they are running after me... hee!!!!

I was very good around them. They didn't seem scared of me either. We also saw some cows, but not close cause Mom didn't want to go in that barn.

We tried to see some goats... they seemed very interested in me, but when we got close they seemed to get excited so we left fast. Mom doesn't like to upset anything. I also got to see some sheep, but not as close as I wanted to... Mom said I got too excited so she made me leave... sometimes being a working dog is no fun.

But I did get to have another plain snowcone.... that was fun. I like being able to make a bit of a mess while I eat one.

Mom says next up for us is a trip to Battle Creek to see another zoo.... she likes zoos.

Stay tuned....

At the Zoo!!!

I went to the Detroit Zoo today. Took my mom and Aunt Yvonne with me. We had a very nice time.

It got warm but mom kept me cool with the misting stations at the zoo, plenty of water to drink and I also got some ice cubes. I love ice cubes.

Here I am while in one of the misting stations. I love being wet!

This is a video of Barle, one of the polar bears at the Detroit Zoo swimming. Mom loves polar bears. It is not great because of the sun shining on the water... but it was fun for Mom. I didn't care much.

I enjoyed going through the Outback and seeing the kangaroos although they didn't seem to notice me. I like kangroos. I enjoyed watching them.

Whee I am Three

I turned three on July 1, 2008.





Mom got me a cake from the Doggy Deli. It is very good. There was plenty for me to share with Ike and we even have some that we are going to freeze for later.





I got a few presents too. I am going to share them all with Ike. It was a nice day.

Artist? Not really

Today, I got to go to Maybury State Park in Northville. There was a lot of PAWS people there... and Ike got to come too, which made me really happy.

We all had a chance to get together and talk, and I got my picture taken a couple times, but wasn't really in the mood today. I was just happy being with my mom.

My mom's best friend Yvonne took me over to where the dogs were being allowed to "paint" because my mom couldn't get there... here is my artwork.

I think I will keep my day job :) I love taking care of my mom.

I also got to meet my half brother Karson today and my mom got to hold him on her lap. She is a bit sad I am too big to do that... but I try to wiggle the sad away.

A champion? Maybe.....

This was taken at Cobo Center in Detroit at the Detroit Kennel Club Dog Show this March.

Mom says I am her champion. I don't know what she means. I like to help her when she drops stuff or wants stuff she can't reach, I am happy to try and get it for her.

She says she would be lost without me. I don't understand what that means either. She always knows where she needs to go. Oh well.... she wanted to share this picture.

What a day!!!!

Wow!!!!

Mom said today was special.... thought it was just cause it was her birthday, but boy was I wrong.

We went to the Detroit Zoo very early this morning and what a surprise I got... Bill and Linda Mueller the couple from Ludington who raised me as a wee pup were there.. I was SO excited to see them, I couldn't stop the wiggle.

A lot of the family was there for a special walk. We walked around the zoo and then we sat in some shade for a while. They brought some gifts for my mom and also my Kong that I had as a pup. I still wanted it today. So now I have it again.

The pictures are of most of the family that was there for the walk and also one of me and my mom with my foster mom and dad.

We got to go out to lunch with everyone too... and I got to show them how well I behaved in the restaurant, which mom Linda was glad to see because I guess I had problems with that as a pup.

Ready for Demo's

Sometimes Mom and I go places where she talks about Paws and about me and some of the things I can do for her.

She bought me this bag to carry all the stuff in it that we use. Then she used her cross stitching talents and put my name on it so everyone knows it is mine.

I love it. I carry it proudly anytime we use it.

She wanted me to tell any other PAWS people out there that if they wanted one for their dog or puppy, all they would have to do is purchase the bag they would want to use (Make sure that she will be able to stitch on the fabric) and get it to her. She will be happy to help.

All groomed now

Here I am... fresh from getting groomed. Mom had a coupon for a free groom and decided I could use one.

They said I did just great!!! I was real glad when mom came back to get me though... I couldn't stop jumping. She said it was okay for a minute, but I had to get back to work.

I am soft now and I am sure glad to be home.

Mom says we won't do that often. She perfers to do it herself but wants me to look extra good for something special next week.

So here I am.

This is another picture of me and my brother Ike. This was taken in Ann Arbor MI after the Dogs on the Diag event at the University of Michigan in 2007.

Ike does not get to come with us most of the time anymore unless dogs are allowed because he is retired, but we got special permission for him to don his working duds one last time and come out with us. It was fun!!!

I enjoyed having the chance to show Ike how well I can take care of our mom out in public. He still worries about her a lot. I have some BIG paws to fill and have been doing the best I can every day.

Me and my Mom

This is me with my mom... she says I am more photogenic than she... but I love taking care of her anyway.

I wake up every morning and greet her with a wiggle. She loves my wiggles.

He's my brother

Here is a picture of me with Ike, my mom's first service dog. Ike worked for her for almost 11 whole years. He was trained by PAWS too.

She hopes I work for her as long. I love my brother. I don't understand why he likes to be upside down on his back a lot, but I love him, even if he won't play with toys like me.

Meeting Mandy Patinkin

My mom is a Mandy Patinkin fan. I have been with her to see him twice in concert already last fall.

This photo was taken in Clinton Township at the Macomb Center for the Performing Arts. We also saw him the next night at the Wharton Center in East Lansing, MI.

Mom says we are going to see him again on June 28 in Ann Arbor.

I said she was a fan.... I listen to the music too... some. I sleep some too. If it makes her happy, I am happy to do it.

My life as a service dog

I am Cooley. I have been trained as a service dog by PAWS With A Cause. My job is to help my new "mom" Erica with all kinds of things.

She walks with crutches. I Love to retrieve them for her when they fall. I also pick up anything else she asks me to.

I also have a special harness that lets her hang on to me so I can pull her in her wheelchair.

It is hard work sometimes but I love it.

Mom is going to try her best to keep you informed about our adventures as a team, but she is new to this blogging stuff... so be kind.