Boots...but, they never stay on!

Whether your pup is a service dog or you are just looking for a way to protect them from the summer heat and harsh winter chemicals, you inevitably search for the "perfect" pair of boots. Now, if you are like me, lets face it, you want them to look good because they will attract attention. How could they not? A dog wearing shoes?! Now that is a site to see! However, realistically, the fashionable ones usually don't stay on or lack the protection that you are looking for.

We too, have tried multiple pairs of boots to protect Gunnar and Scouts feet from the harsh heat of the pavement when they are working or the many varieties of ice melts outside of stores in the winter. Then there is poor Cullan of course, where her feet freeze the minute they hit the snow and while she hates that, she hates wearing boots even more! With the boys, the struggle has been the big paws but skinny legs and finding boots that fit and can tighten enough. We've always struggled with this, and had settled with the boot on the far right in the photo below.

We bought because it looked easy to slip on, certainly big enough to fit Scouts monster paws and appeared it would wrap tight enough around their skinny little legs. These were about $40 so, the cost is moderate in comparison to others on the market and worked well enough. However, they would fall off from time to time, especially on Gunnar, as the foam padding that is supposed to protect their leg, actually prevented it from being tight enough. Further, the "pad" is actually fairly hard and left some deep indents on both of them after we took the boots off. They seemed to provide enough traction for them, but because the boot itself is deigned to be big, it at times was a tripping hazard for them. These would definitely be good for a bigger dog to use in the snow as it would act almost like a snow shoe for them, and would probably stay on dogs with "fatter" legs better.

Next up, the red in the middle. These boots were the most expensive that we bought being $60. The sizes weren't appropriate as the boot picture is a large and should fit a lab/husky, but in reality is better suited for Cullan. The amount of fleece inside makes it hard to get the paws in as the nails get stuck and the opening doesn't stay open. Elastic was used, most likely to help keep the boot on with its single strap, but in reality makes putting on much harder. Lastly, the traction on the bottom is more plastic based and not enough rubber making the boots slippery on tile and other smooth surfaces. 

Now, I saved the best for last! The first boot on the left is not only the best that I've found so far, but also the cheapest at only $17/pair on Amazon (we buy most things on Amazon or Gibsons Natural Pet). First of all, they are shaped more like a paw, the opening stays open making it easy to slide even a big old malamute paw in and they have the perfect amount of soft fleece lining to protect them while wearing them. They fasten on easily, even around Gunnars skinny legs and have two straps to help keep them on. One of which is reflective which adds an extra layer of protection for the dark, especially winter months when its dark out at 4:30pm! The rubber soles provide great traction on smooth surfaces, even ones that are a little wet, though I've noticed they slip a bit on our plastic bumper when the boys wait to get out of the car. The boots are also waterproof, so in the winter, when they are wearing these to protect against ice melt, they won't be walking around in we boots allowing their pads to become raw and infected. Last but not least, they have just enough lining to not be too hot for a snow dog, but to provide warmth for those of you using to keep your pups feet warm and they stay on for the dogs that like to kick up the grass after they've gone to the bathroom.

Boots can definitely be a pain in the butt sometimes, but for service dogs, or other dogs that have to be on hot surfaces or other tough elements, they are essential. They will keep those little pads soft and safe and prevent your pooch from experiencing unnecessary pain. There are lots of different pairs out there, and they range in price, with expensive not always being better, so be sure to do your homework and shop around. If your friends have some, ask if you can try them out before purchasing your own. Ask what they like best and what they like least and be sure to read the reviews of any online.

Hope this helps! Until next time...!

#HuskiesWhoServe #HuskyAtYourService #ServiceDog #CorporalGunnar #TherapyDog #ScoutyScout #ScoutMuffin

Hello again!

Wow! The last time that we wrote a blog was the day before Scout's first grand-mal seizure. Little did we know that our lives would be forever changed the very next morning!

Nearly a year later, we are starting to get into a better routine with things as life was completely turned upside down on August 30, 2015. Not just because of Scout, but so many other things that go on behind the scenes that we don't share. We know you are all amazing and support us in everything, but just like all of you, we too strive for a balance between public and private life.

Many have asked what is the biggest lesson we have learned since all of this began and while there are many things, the most important has been learning to go with the flow. That is not very easy in a world dictated by schedules and running from one thing to the next. Every minute in every day counts and there never seems to be enough of them. For us, that lesson was forced onto us and even Gunnar has had to adjust to a less than hectic schedule.

We stumbled across a quote yesterday, "Living with epilepsy is like a ship sailing through the sea, you never know when a storm will hit". That sentence could not be more true. One day Scout was happy and playing, then he went outside to go to the bathroom and barely laid down in time to be "safe" from the grandmal that struck. The rest of the day was spent indoors, in the dark with the AC set to 60.

Many things became more challenging as the constant worry of WHEN will the next one be now began. Over this past year, Gunnar has thankfully learned to pick up on small warning signs and alerts to any "attacks". When you already struggle with insomnia, adding yet another reason to struggle with sleep can be debilitating, knowing that Gunnar would alert whether I was sleeping, in the next room or even in the shower began to make things slightly easier. While these aren't "qualifying tasks" for a service dog, they are certainly an added skill set.

Now we are half way through July and life is starting to develop a new normal. There are still many things to tackle and much to do but little by little we are getting there. We will be starting to blog again, hopefully once a week and sharing different experiences and tips we've learned along the way...like the never ending war on dog hair or training for certain tasks right down to everyday life with snow dogs and of course the grumpy puggle!

For today, these clowns just get to enjoy life as dogs. Its going to be close to 100 degrees with horrendous air quality that is not good for humans, let alone snow dogs!

Behind the scenes updates!

Hi Everyone.

It has been quite some time since the last blog. Months in fact, and as most of you already know, life has thrown us quite a few curve balls this year. It is my hope that this blog shares a little insight in to what has been happening in our lives, and to share the start of Gunnars journey as we have had so many new fans join us along the way these many months.

More dogs, and service dogs were certainly never in my plans...however, one of my best friends wanted a husky and needed a service dog. We knew he was going to be in the hospital for sometime and thought that we would surprise him and get a head start and at 12 weeks old Gunnar came home. It was clear from the very beginning that he was born for this and that he is an incredibly special dog and he has certainly proven that time and time again.

Fast forward to today, and Gunnars daddy, a Marine, still remains in the hospital needing constant care for his traumatic brain injuries. Its been a long journey with him, one that has been filled with ups and downs. Originally, we had planned to keep Gunnar as a surprise for him, and for 6 whole months we managed to keep Gunnars existence unknown to his Marine, however, after one incredibly tough set back, we complied all of Gunnars photos into a 45 minute long video for him...and shared with him his puppys life. You see, from the very second Gunnar got off the plane, we began a photo documentary for his dad, and we have pictures of all his firsts...from first time on Boston ground, first car ride with us, first moments in the house, first food, first drink, first time going potty...yup everything!! He was overjoyed, but today, he is still struggling to get well in the hospital. We had expected him home before now, many times in fact and the build up and disappointment is mental and emotionally exhausting as you can imagine.

Many people have asked why we haven't just placed Gunnar with someone else, and train another dog for his Marine when he leaves this hospital. Aside from Gunnar being bought and trained for him, this Marine, has now watched Gunnar grow from the time he was 6 months old until now, knowing that this was his dog and Gunnar is one of the main reasons he fights to get well and to come home. Its important to know, that outside of some wishlist items from time to time for Gunnar on Amazon, he has been personally funded, not only in my time training him, but vet bills, preventative medications and everything in between.

When I began training him, we realized just how much education is needed in our communities to help not only other service dog teams, but for everyone, as service dogs are empowering more and more handlers with a multitude of challenges. We began his facebook page as a way to raise awareness and education as well as tasked him as the ambassador for our program. Along the way he has made some incredible friends, and most of all, you have all become a part of our lives. You have all joined us in the mission of Loving Veterans to Life, and together we are all making a difference.

Now for those of you that have been following us for a while, you may have noticed that the posts haven't been as often, and you may have notice that they don't contain near the amount of content that they used to. You see, for the last several months, I have been fighting a silent battle too...so silent in fact, that its only recently that I have begun to address it. Many of you know the mentally grueling year that we have had with the loss of a life long friend back in January, the challenges at our last apartment, the struggles with the landlord, you have some idea of the challenges we face with Gunnars daddy as we continue to ensure he has the best care and do all we can to get him home and you even know that I have issues with my foot.

I have struggled with chronic pain for years, and over the last 18 months it has become noticeably worse, specifically in the last 8 months. For those of you that don't struggle with severe chronic pain, the fatigue and exhaustion alone are debilitating...but it also begins to takes its toll on your mental health and it has. You've seen Gunnar at a number of doctors appointments and hospitals lately and much of that is to help me address the chronic pain, but last week, came the final straw...one that has been years in the making, one that we always knew, but never wanted to admit. Last week, at just 29 years old, the surgeon said out loud for the first time the words "you are permanently disabled". Its hard pill to swallow.

In the midst of the pain battle, in the midst of doing all I can for Gunnars daddy, in the midst of the mental health war, that I have finally realized can no longer be blamed on surroundings or life events, I now face this new battle...permanent disability.

Rest assured, I am tackling all of this in the true form that you all know....taking something negative and turning it into something positive. I have some great doctors in place that are all working together and with the recent xrays adding more insight into the cause of the pain, pain management is now able to better address the pain. In addition to all of that, I have spent the last week or so making some significant changes, establishing a routine that will allow for nothing but success.

Whats the point of sharing all of this?? Its been a rough few months, and I have not been doing near the amount that I want to be doing, or that I am used to being capable of. I have had to put plans and programs on hold which that in itself has been a challenge for me. I am used to setting goals and hitting them, however, as Gunnars dad once told me "you can't help anyone until you yourself are physical, mentally, emotionally and spiritually well"...and all 4 components are being addressed now, and well on their way to being back in balance. In the coming weeks, I will create a different blog to share this journey in the hopes that it might help someone else along they way.

By the way, as I know this can often be confusing. Whos mom, dad, daddy..how are the all connected? etc.

Mom and dad are not married and not dating. (Will) Dad is 21 years older than me and very much like an older brother... He is a great friend and we work together and we both have worked hard training the boys. Daddy is the Marine that Gunnar is going to. He has been a great friend of mine for many years now, long before he was injured in combat.

Thanks everyone for taking the time to read this, for following Gunnars journey and for allowing all of us it share it with you. Thank you in advance for also respecting my privacy and respecting that what I post online is all that I wish to share. So for those of you that I see in our travels in person, please refrain from asking too many questions, as making this public is not within my comfort zone. However, in reading all of the statistics lately, I felt it was too important not to speak up.

Until next time!!

Busy times and correcting an overly friendly vocal pup.

Well, it has been quite some time since I have had the chance to get on here and post. Life is hectic and crazy for us all, then throw in a couple pups and it seems like "free time" is a mythical creature that doesn't exist.

When I set out on this adventure with Gunnar, I never imagined where it would lead. It all began with a friend wanting a husky but needing a service dog. Months of research, extensive conversations and then finally finding the puppy that would become Gunnar. Boy how things have changed over the last 15 months. It has been challenging at times, but also one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. So many of you often ask how I could possibly give him up...and there are days where I wonder that too, but then I realize, that Gunnar has been trained with a purpose. Hes been trained to help one of my best friends be able to live his life in ways that he might not have been able to without him. Lucky for me, Gunnar will be in my life daily as Tom will work with us. Not only to continue his healing, but to help so many men and women that have faced and are facing the challenges that he is working so hard to overcome right now.

Then came along Scout....boy did I get a double dose of husky in that one. Everything Gunnar never did, Scout has done ten fold. Gunnar was a shy guy, not interested in anything, and a natural for a service dog. He was more interested in pleasing us and staying close by to ensure our safety. Scout on the other hand is the dare devil of the two, investigating everything, jumping off things Gunnar still wouldn't consider to this day. Gunnar is a quiet laid back husky that can hang out on the couch all day if I need him too, while Scout needs something to chew and to regularly beat Gunnar up as any 6 month old puppy desires. However, a few things are noticeably different between them and requiring different and more training. Scout is very food driven, and therefor likes to ask for his cookies, and anything else he may want and while his barking is getting less, its a long fought battle of consistent training with him to teach him when it is appropriate and when its not. As some of you might know, Will's (dad) life long mission of over 30 years is "Loving People to Life" which is why we use "Loving Veterans to Life", well Scout has certainly taken that mission to heart, and there is not a person that we meet that he doesn't want to give a quick lick and hello to to make them smile. Its something that we love about him, but also something he has to learn to wait for a command to do. Not every person wants a hello, and not everyone is as happy to see him as he is them. Some people can be fearful, some don't care for dogs, some may be in a rush or whatever the case may be, regardless, as a service dog he needs to learn to control those impulses and wait for the command "ok, say hi".

So how do we fix these problems? Different books, different trainers, different websites all have different suggestions, different magical answers and super inventions that make them stop in 2 seconds if you spend a million dollars on their inventions.

Lets start with the barking and being overly vocal. Scout loves to bark to get whatever he wants, whether it s a cookie after he feels he has waited long enough, the chew that Gunnar has because his isn't good enough, or breakfast at 4am instead of 6:30am. Those just name a few. A lot of people have suggested spray bottles which I personally disagree with as its a form of punishment and with all our training, we try to positively redirect the dogs from what we don't want them doing to what we do want them doing. Saying "quiet" over and over to your dog who continues to bark is meaningless, if you have to say a command multiple times it looses its impact, and quite honestly the dog is thinking "cool, they are barking with me!". While there are some cases where an E-Collar may be needed, there are those that are for and against it. My personal opinion is that if its used properly it can be an effective training tool, though I would strongly recommend and encourage one that has a remote with 3 functions and the ability to control the levels. Those 3 functions being a warning beep, a vibrate and as a last resort a shock. The beep is an auditory cue that interrupts the dog and if that doesn't work, the vibrate is a physical cue that also interrupts the dog. 90% of the time, those that use the E-Collar will find that these two functions are all you need and cause no harm to the dog.
With Scout, I redirect him. If he decides to start barking. First he is asked to "quiet", 50% of the time he stops immediately, and in drama queen fashion pouts into another room. The other 50%  I give him a command that he knows such as "house" or "come" as repeating "quiet" does nothing. Once he has done that, I praise him for following the command and give him a few extra seconds before praising him for being quiet. Simply saying "no" or "quiet" too many times teaches the dog that they can continue doing what they are doing because that command has no significance or meaning to them. Scout has come a long way from where he was with his barking and he is gradually getting better. He is also a dog that very much wants to please who ever is working with him and strives to get that "yes! Good boy" followed with a cookie.

Now, what about the innocent and over friendly pup. Man is this a challenge. Its very hard not to want to let Scout love on everyone that wants to see him. This is one of the many reasons that Scout will be dual trained as a service dog and a therapy dog. How can you have both you ask? Many veterans are finding therapy in helping their fellow veterans and often visit friends in the hospital. Their service dogs of course accompany them to assist them with any needs they might have, but under the handlers permission, the dogs are able to love on some of the patients and brightening their day. It is also a great non invasive way to introduce service dogs and what they can do for our recovering veterans. Take our buddy Midas for example. He serves his handler Juan flawlessly. Even if Midas is enjoying some free time he is always on alert and frequently checks in just to ensure his dad is ok. However, Juan and Midas visit the hospitals from time to time so that Juan can talk with other veterans, thank them for what they have done, let them know that things get better, and share what Midas has done for him all while Midas is giving them some kisses and love that they have been missing.

When out in public, Scout desires to say hi to everyone, and unfortunately, I do not allow him until the end of our training session, or if it happens to be a child that has done the right thing in ignoring the dogs, and politely asking if they can pet them. Why? I want to take a moment to reward the child for how they approached us and explain a little of what the dogs will do, and why it was important that they asked how they did. Believe it or not, our biggest challenges comes from all you adults! So when Scout sees someone or someone approaches him, I say leave it and quickly reward him with a treat when he focuses his attention on me. For those that continue to approach, I ask Scout to "front sit" so that he is facing me and his attention is on me. This prevents him from trying to sneak in a little love, and gives me a moment to explain to the approaching person that Scout is in training, and part of that training is learning to ignore people. As soon as the person or distraction has passed, Scout receives much praise and many cookies much to Gunnars dismay, and he is learning that he can't say hi to everyone that enters "his bubble".

Many often think that huskies are incapable of this line of work, when in reality they are very capable. They are incredibly smart, highly motivated, and eager to please. While they are high energy, most forget that in addition to physical exercise, they need mental exercise. So if your husky is running your life, destroying your yard or your house, its because they are bored. Much like you and me, they need a purpose. So think of something that might help you out around the house, that can also keep them busy. As I have said in previous posts. Once we bring home a dog, we owe it to them to train them and raise them into the dogs we want them to be. This requires, time, commitment, love, patience and most of all CONSISTENCY. If you are not willing to work with your dog on a daily basis for at least 20 minutes, then you should not expect it to behave naturally on its own.

In addition to all their training, I am fortunate enough to have Gunnar and Scout with me all the time with the exception of two beautiful days each week when they go to doggy day care at Gibsons allowing me time to catch up on work! I think many of you are under the impression that I am a full time trainer, when in reality, their training is what I do in my "spare time". I am the co founder and executive director for Valiant Veterans and the executive director for the LiveLife Center. The LiveLife Center will be the actual center where we house all of our programs of Valiant Veterans which include the Gunnar Center, music therapy, art therapy, counseling, peer groups, and more, all of which I am currently facilitating and designing...in addition to planning 4 major events each year! I am very grateful and blessed to have the opportunity to train these boys and expose them to a variety of situations that my non paying job presents. Yup, thats right! Right now I am 100% a volunteer to everything I am doing. The money we work hard to raise, are to benefit the programs we have and to establish the LiveLife Center, and right now, we aren't in a place where Will or myself can take a paycheck. Thanks to smart savings and tax refund I have managed, and some odd jobs here and there help, same goes for him. So for those of you that consistently comment on how dedicated we are, its because we truly are passionate about what we are doing and strive to make a significant impact in the lives of the veterans that we serve. They have fought and served for us, and now it is our turn to fight and serve them.

If you would like to join us in taking a stand against veterans suicide and help us raise much needed funds for the Gunnar Center, please join our $22 from 22 for 22 campaign. It is our hope that 22 people each day will donate $22 and we hope to do this for 22 days. We are now into day 6 and the numbers are starting to decline. So please join us in Loving Veterans to Life!
END 22 A Day-Provide Life Saving Service Dogs

Snow Day!!!

Its funny. People often ask me what I do with the boys when we get so much snow or if the weather is freezing out. I give them the "are you kidding me look"?!!? What do I do with them?!! How bout me!!? I put every piece of Under Armour on that I own in the hopes that I can stay as warm as I would like so that they can have some fun in the snow...while I would much prefer to wait for some fun in the sun!

Winter is often hard for many dog owners. While a lot of your pups who are not snow dogs enjoy it, you need to pay careful attention so that they aren't outside too long. Just like humans your furbabies can get hypothermia as well. Do you know what the signs and symptoms are??

Hypothermia symptoms vary with the level of severity. Mild hypothermia is evident through weakness, shivering, and lack of mental alertness. Moderate hypothermia reveals characteristics such as muscle stiffness, low blood pressure, a stupor-like state, and shallow, slow breathing. Characteristics of severe hypothermia are fixed and dilated pupils, inaudible heartbeat, difficulty breathing, and coma.

That can be found on PetMD as well as the symptoms for frostbite...Yes! Many of your dogs can get frostbite just like us. We've all experienced the frozen paws at one point or another. My min pin used to get them all the time and Cullan the grouchy sister gets them too on the days that the ground is bitterly cold. Unlike the boys, she enjoys just looking at the snow from her nice warm bed, though she will get the energy to play in it for short bursts.

So what do you do when you do have cold weather loving dogs who are addicted to the dreaded white stuff? You find creative ways to play inside. Keep in mind, while you might be happy curled up on the couch with a fire and a movie, your furry buddy, especially a puppy is going to want to play at some point, in doors or out. Tug of war and tossing a ball are quick and easy games to tire them out. If you have a long hall way put some things that they have to jump over like pillows, for a little added work to getting that ball. Playing hide and seek is a great way too and not only works them physically but practices commands as well as provides mental stimulation as they try to find you or your children.

What about those of you that have a small apartment like I do and maybe one or more dogs? Puzzles are a great thing. We have a variety of them with varying degrees of difficulty. Some release treats easier and are designed for younger or less motivated dogs, while others require quite a bit of thinking and work to release the treat. (To find puzzles just type in "dog puzzles" at Amazon.com) We also play "get it", "go get_____" or "go find it" as it reinforces their ability to fetch certain items for their handlers, but can also be a fun game. I will also hide some of their favorite toys around the house and tell them to "go find it" and of course, there are always chew toys! Cullan and Scouty Scout love to chew while Gunnar now enjoys it because he is not to be left out, but he much prefer batting tennis balls around the house and throwing them as far under the couch as he possibly can. Forgot to stock up on toys before that 2" unexpectedly turned into 12"??! TRAIN! Work with your dogs on different obedience tasks. This may not seem like it is going to tire them out, but it will. If they know their basic obedience on the first command, then work on teaching them a new trick...if they learn fast teach them two. Every dog owner should plan to invest at least 15 minutes a day in training their dog, if they are puppies this is significantly more, but the day you commit to that puppy, you have an obligation to it to give it the training that it needs to be the dog that you want...and that friends, family and neighbors like.

(As you can see, they are clearly lacking toys after a generous donation)

These are just to name a few, but I do encourage you to spend a few minutes with your pup in the snow and if they can...let them bounce and hop their way through the deep stuff. That is best and fastest way to tire them out, but please, please remember to watch your dog carefully and be mindful of how long they have been outside. Some of the smaller dogs like Cullan could never withstand being outside while I brushed off and shoveled out, while a lab or retriever may be able to. Each of your pups are different, just like your children. They all require different things but at the end of the day, they want your love and they want your guidance!

Until next time, stay warm....especially if you own a snow dog!!

Choosing your newest family member

The snow is coming down steady outside and we are expecting 7"+ here in central MA today. The boys are sound asleep, Scout at my feet and Gunnar on the couch next to me with the "princess" still in bed. While there is much that I could write about with our current happenings (and I will dedicate posts to those), I thought that I would start back at the beginning with choosing the boys as many people often ask how or why we chose them, or what they should consider when getting their new member.

Gunnars Marine, Tom, has always dreamed of owning a husky for as long as he could remember, and while I have always loved the breed too, I had never considered owning one as I was never in a position to adequately care for one. For starters, I was in school, be it high school or college, and then there was post college with multiple jobs to pay back the dreaded student loans, of which I am STILL paying back! My living situation would not have made for a happy husky, hence, the grouchy puggle sister, Cullan. Back to the boys, Tom desperately wanted a husky, yet needed a service dog, so in doing more in depth research about breed and about Malamutes as well, we found that what we truly wanted was a combination of both. The smaller body, incredible intelligence and steallar blue eyes of a siberian husky, but the laid back and calm temperament of a malamute as well as its strength.

Was this even possible? Certainly there had to be mixes out there somewhere? But we wanted a puppy as I have never trained a service dog, so I wanted to start with the dog as early as I could. We dug a little deeper and alas, "Alusky", a term for a "designer breed" of Siberian Husky/Alaskan Malamute, though many also refer to them as Alaskan Huskies. The search was on and within 30 minutes we found that beautiful face above. Amazing markings, stunning blue eyes, she was remarkably beautiful and she melted our hearts, but there was one problem. She was a SHE. Of the many common mistakes dog owners make, is not taking into consideration the other pets they already have in their home. Cullan was a 6 year old alpha female and there was no way that she was letting another woman in the house! As much as we fell in love with Lavern for her looks and her description, there was no way that we could bring her home knowing that the puppy would predominately live with me and with Cullan. With a few more clicks, we discovered that Lavern had two brothers! Lenny and Squiggy.

They were adorable and their descriptions incredible, but the ad was a few days old and were we truly committed to making this decision at this moment. There is no going back once you make it, though for many that might not be true. I texted the number, fingers crossed that the boys were still available and praying that Lenny was. Sure enough, ONLY the BOYS were available!! Yes!!! Because we wanted Lenny with the half brown and half blue eye! We scheduled a time to talk with Deb, their breeder at Rosekroh Siberian Husky/Alaskan Malamutes and had a long list of questions to ask before we made the final decision to bring GUNNAR home!! What kind of questions, the history of the mom and dad, their personalities, how they interacted with people, kids, different animals, their health history and then most importantly about our Gunnar. Since Deb is in Missouri and we are in Mass, we needed to ask what this little boy was like, how he interacted, what his activity level was, how he did with his litter mates and with other dogs. Even though he was a puppy and young, this was important to know because it was going to set the stage for how he could become as an adult. Now equally important in our conversation with Deb, she had questions for us, to ensure that we could properly care for one of her babies, and to be sure that we had done our research. An hour long phone call and several texts later, preparations for Gunnar to come home were being made! We had found Toms dog, and we had found the puppy that I would devote my time to training. That chill little guy in the background of the photo was coming home to us!

Now when it came to Scout, there was lots of back and forth of should or shouldn't I. Deb had been posting all of these adorable puppies throughout the last year that I just wanted to bring right home and keep them all, but Gunnar wasn't quite a year yet and his training time was getting longer and longer....until one day when a photo of Little Foot appeared in my "stalker feed" (thats what I call my facebook news feed :-) ). Something about that little boy, he HAD to come home!! Even though his description said "he is the sweetest" but was followed by runt that made no difference. I want our dogs to stay on the smaller size because they are not being used as balance, and smaller is more ideal for service work. Little Foot had to come home and start his training, but how? A year later and we are still fundraising to purchase the LiveLife Center and I am still without a paycheck and personally funding Gunnar and his expenses such as the vet and daycare with many of you donating the treats and our incredible friends at Gibsons Natural Pets donating his food. So how on earth could we get Little Foot home as I was ready and able to take on the training of two dogs, with three in the home. A fundraiser! Thats how! Many contributed with one angel in IL donating more than half of the expenses needed to fund his first 18 months and again Deb was sending  us a puppy!! Only this time, by fluke, Deb would be landing at Logan just hours before Scout would be, and I was going to meet this incredible lady, she was going to get to meet one of her babies all grown up and after a 14 hour day, Scout was going to have a familiar face!

So there you have it! That is how Gunnar and Scout came home and the start of this incredible journey!! Now to share some things that you should consider before bringing home your next family member as there is truly a lot more to consider than just the appearance of the dog.

While we all desire to have a cute and gorgeous dog, you cannot simply choose a dog based on what they look like or what they will look like. Many people we encounter tell us how much they want a husky and that after meeting the boys, they desire to go out and get their own. Firstly, Gunnar and Scout are as good as they are because their training is constant no matter where they are. If I choose to bring Scout to dinner with us, I am choosing have my meal interrupted and possibly faced with having to leave if his behavior is not what it should be in public. By that, I mean, if he can't stay settled and needs to be corrected more than 2 times in a restaurant or if he barks once, then into the car he goes! No exceptions. It is very important to set the expectations for your dog and not make exceptions, especially for puppies. The rules are the rules and they are looking for you to keep them in their boundaries.

Now, when you start choosing your dog, you need to consider many things:
MOST IMPORTANT*** Can you dedicate the time to train this dog? If you are going to have a dog, you have an obligation to its training and if you can't spend at least 15 minutes three times a day then you should not be bringing home a puppy. Owning a dog is similar to having a child. They are looking for you to teach, train and raise them into the adults you want them to become. 
-First, can you care for this animal for the next 16 years? Some breeds can live to 16 or older and they rely on YOU to take care of them.
-How much time are you able to spend with the dog? Some dogs need someone at home with them more often than not, while others like my Cullan can be home for 12 hours without a potty break, and be thrilled when I crash on the couch with her in my lap.
-What is your living situation? Do you have a house/apartment? Is it big enough to accommodate the breed you have? Now contrary to what so many adoption agencies might say, if you are an active person or an active family, you can have a larger dog in a smaller space so long as you are getting out every day and giving it appropriate exercise. Just be sure there is plenty of room for those nasty days that you are stuck inside. I have three dogs at the moment, two of which huskies in a one bedroom apartment which many people would think is crazy. However, these boys go to the park every day, they get a walk at night with Cullan and they are mentally challenged throughout the day. On rainy days it can be a bit cozy, but there is enough room to keep them entertained, exercised and happy.
-Your activity level? If you are couch potato then a high energy dog like a husky is not for you, likewise, if you are an avid runner and on the go, a low energy dog like a bull dog is not for you no matter how adorable.
-Your family situation...do you have children? Do you plan to have children? Then you need a breed that is great with children, not only so that your children are kept safe and so they do not grow up with a fear or dislike of dogs, but so that your dog is safe, and that you are not putting it into a situation that it will fail.
-Environment? Are you in the city, the country or the suburbs. Now most all dogs can adapt to their environment, the question is can you give them what they need if you are asking them to adapt to what you need. The boys are not city dogs, these are working dogs, that are born and bred to run and love the outdoors and love to hike. While they can function in a city and enjoy it for a day, I would need to find a wide open field for them each day if I lived in the city with them. I would need to be able to make the time to take them for a hike or take them to a park.
-Who is going to be responsible for the dogs training? One of the most overlooked things by families is the dogs training and establishing WHO is going to be responsible for it BEFORE the dog comes home. While many want this to be a family affair and it can be, there has to be one person who is in charge, dogs need a clearly defined "pack leader" and while everyone can help. There has to be one person who assumes the overall responsibility for the training.
PARENTS!! REALITY! If you choose to get a puppy for your children YOU will be doing the training!! Yes, the kids can take the puppy out and help with feeding and assist in training, but you will be doing the training. Keep in mind this not only means training the puppy but teaching your children how to work with and interact with the puppy.
-Rescue or purchase? Everyone has a different opinion. While we greatly support rescuing animals, a rescue is not always best for every person or every need. There are many loving and incredible animals in shelters across this country looking for their forever home, some coming from loving homes and forced into shelters because their loving families had no choice, however, there are some that come with some issues. You need to decide why you are getting a dog, what you are expecting from that dog, what its purpose will be and what you can handle. I chose to go to a breeder for the boys so I knew exactly what I was getting, especially because of their breed and that they will become service dogs.

-If you choose to go to a breeder, do your research, there are a number of breeders out there, some are in it for the money, some make a ton of claims that are false, but there are also a number of them that are incredible and have a genuine love of the breed that they are working with. Ask questions, ask to speak with other customers, see if you can see older dogs. Before I had even spoken with Deb, I had gone through her facebook page, looked at all the comments from other people who had purchased from her. They had incredible reviews of not only Deb, but the dogs that they had purchased. She appeared to stay in touch with many through her page and upon starting to work with her and talking to her, I could tell instantly that she loves all her puppies. She has a genuine love, and shes not selling them to make a quick dollar. Each family is asked a series of questions, and if she doesn't feel they are a good fit for one of her puppies, or that they can't adequately care for one of these dogs, they are told so. She wants to ensure that her dogs not only go to a loving home, but go to a home that can care for their needs for years to come and that perspective owners know what they are getting into so that they aren't bringing the puppy back or surrendering it to a shelter in a year because its too much for them. We keep in touch and I wouldn't go anywhere else for our dogs, and as time goes on and our veterans look for labs or others, I won't work with a breeder that does not show the same passion as she does. You need to feel comfortable with the person you are purchasing from and you need to be responsible for doing your research.
-Another question we get asked often from first time owners is "why is the rescue or breeder demanding I have a fenced in yard?" Our lives are busy, we often don't even devote the necessary time for ourselves let alone a dog, and it is easy to get caught up with life and maybe not give your pet the amount of attention it needs. Dogs need exercise and they need it daily...even the lazy ones need a few minutes every day. Many breeders and rescues require a fenced in yard or ask for it because they know, on days where life is too much, many owners will just open up the door, send the dog out for an hour while they continue about their routine. I personally do not agree with this, because there are many active owners that could provide incredible homes without a fenced in yard or huge house because they are able to take the dog else where to exercise. However, know that the rescues or breeders are not doing this to be mean or unfair, they are trying to do what is best for the dog and ensure that it will get the exercise that it needs while being kept safe as well.

Now that I have written you a mini novel, please remember that this is based on my experience and some of it my personal opinion. Owning a dog is a big commitment and it is a life decision that should not be made because you fall in love with a cute puppy...that cute puppy is a living animal that grows up and is dependent on you. Dogs provide unconditional love, they are the best medication and if you can care for the breed you choose, they will be one of the biggest blessings in your life. The only thing harder than walking away from a cute puppy that you really want to take home, is becoming attached to that cute puppy and having to give it up.

I am off to enjoy a fire, some hot chocolate and looking at the falling snow, before I am freezing for hours in it once the boys wake up and are ready to play in it! Yup, in owning and training snow dogs, I have volunteered myself to spend countless hours freezing in the cold for their enjoyment :-)

Welcome!

Welcome everyone! 

After all of your comments on Gunnars page last night it would be quite hard to deny starting something up, that is not from "Gunnars" perspective and allows me to go into a little more detail on things. I am very thankful that many of you expressed concerns about whether or not I would have time for this, and while I do have a lot going on, the boys go to daycare two days a week now at Gibsons which has freed up my time a bit. With Scout deciding to wake up early some days, I have a bit of time early on around oh lets say 3 or 4 am where I will be able to write. You'll find probably one blog a week maybe more if I have time, and some will vary in length.

So as I sit here enjoying my quiet time at Barnes and Noble and we start down this road of blogging, I want to remind everyone that not only was I not an English major, but that I am certified dog trainer and I have not gone to school for training dogs. Other than my own personal dogs, I started "training" when we got Gunnar after long hours of researching with books, the internet and speaking with many trainers. Gunnar came into my life because a very good friend is in need of a service dog, and I am fortunate enough to have a job where my focus on his training can be incorporated into my work with Valiant Veterans. I must admit when I read "I really have always dreamed of a husky" my eyes bugged out of my head a bit. I have heard all the horror stories, seen all the photos and watched all the YouTube videos, but I have also read enough to know that with the right love, patience and training they will provide unconditional love and loyalty with a deeper bond than most breeds, something that many of our returning veterans are in need of. The information that I share here is based on my experience with these boys, the dogs that I have owned and the loads of information that I have read and learned from other trainers.

After reading countless books, spending a mind numbing amount of hours on the internet and in conversation with other husky owners and trainers, the decision was made and we set off to find Gunnar, which happened in just hours. We fell in love with him and quickly made the call to Rosekroh Siberian Huskies/Alaskan Malamutes and began bombarding Deb with all kinds of questions about his parents and the process of Gunnar coming home began!
I must admit, when he got here, I thought all you husky owners were crazy. How on earth could you ever describe these dogs as crazy, hyper, maniacs that did nothing but sing to you and beg for your food. That wasn't Gunnar! You all must be nuts! However, as you will read throughout these posts, I have quickly learned that while yes, Gunnar has been incredibly trained, he was also born to be a service dog. Little Scouty Scout on the other hand, that boy would be everything that you all describe and more if you let him.

The most important thing for those of you with dogs, no matter the breed is CONSISTENCY!! It is key. If you don't want them on the couch, don't ever let them on the couch, not even once. What you say goes and thats it, however, much like raising a child, you can't just say "no" or "leave it" and expect the puppy or dog to naturally figure out what you want it to do, instead you have to teach it what you would rather it do. (I don't have kids, so why am I relating this to raising children? I spent 6 years in childcare primarily with toddlers! No you must really think I am a gluten for punishment!) Scout would have most certainly destroyed my house by now if I had not taken the time with him. Contrary to Gunnar, that boys mouth was all over everything the moment he walked in the door. From fingers, carpets, door jams, couches, footstools, headboards, bathtubs, toilets and anything else you can possibly think of, that tiny mouth was on it and while he was told "leave it" and removed from the item all together and given a chew toy instead.

A teething puppy needs to chew and most dogs like to chew, many will chew on whatever they can get their mouths on unless you teach them what they can and can't have. So the next time you see your puppy or your dog headed towards something you don't want them eating quickly re-direct them to something that they can have. Its important to remember that when you have a puppy, your eyes need to be on them at all times, it only takes a second for them to get into something that could potentially harm them. Catching them before they get to an object and replacing it with a toy is a lot more ideal and can save you quite a bit in furniture replacement :-)

Looking forward to sharing lots more soon and answering some of the many questions that you have!