Domino Service Dogs

Welcome

Jasper — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 05:42:34 +0000

Caitlin and Badger at the SE Weld County Fair 2009

It is the intention of the Domino Service Dogs Website:

To advocate for the right of persons with disabilities to thrive in our world just like everybody else.

To create a place for persons with disabilities who use assistance dogs to receive information that might help them with the problems or sometimes just down-right inconveniences we deal with on a daily basis.

To educate the world about the benefits service dogs provide to their handlers.

To never again hear the words “you cannot come in here” or “you cannot bring that service dog in here”.

Jasper at Civic Center Park

Welcome to the Domino Service Dogs Website. While you are here I hope you enjoy the stories my daughter has posted about her life, with her service dog, Badger. The incredible journey Caitlin and Badger have taken has certainly inspired me. I hope Badger’s story will have the same affect on you.

Unfortunately, Domino Service Dogs does not train assistance dogs for other people. We neither have the resources nor the experience to take on such an enormous task, therefore we have chosen to leave this undertaking to the professionals. However, if you happened upon this website because you are considering a service dog for yourself or a family member please visit GAP Dogs by clicking on their link located in the column on the right side of this page. A member of their organization will be happy to answer any questions you might have and get you started with the application process.

Our website is constantly changing so check back often. In the meantime, may your path in life always be wide enough for your service dog to travel by your side.

One Life

Jasper — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:08:08 +0000

Jasper at the park

I’ll never forget the day the phone rang, Robin was on the line saying “Barbara your puppy is ready to come home. Can you meet us at the nursing home this afternoon to pick him up?”

I was shocked. When Mike from the Guild Assistance Dog Program had asked me 6 weeks earlier if I was going to take a puppy I didn’t actually believe he meant it. He never asked me to fill out the standard application form. Even when I brought Caitlin and Badger to class weeks earlier and saw the chocolate lab wearing a collar with my name on it I thought to myself certainly they won’t actually let me take him home. Surely someone else is more qualified to work with this puppy than I am. Maybe they didn’t actually hear me say that I had a traumatic brain injury.

At the time I spent a lot of time resting. I frequently cried, most of the time for absolutely no reason at all. I still suffered from vertigo on a regular basis. I didn’t spend much time in public because I was afraid that I wouldn’t recognize someone who obviously knew who I was. I always kept my car keys in my left pocket, checking frequently to make sure I hadn’t lost them. I never drove anywhere I wasn’t familiar with just in case I couldn’t find my car.

In spite of all this or maybe because of it, on May 25th 2008 the call came. It was time to bring our puppy home. I was so excited and then the panic I often experience with TBI began to set in. I didn’t even know where the nursing home was located. What if I couldn’t find it? I hadn’t picked up any toys. I didn’t have a crate. I hadn’t even considered any names. Take a deep breath I told myself. Map quest will provide the directions, you’ll think of a name on the way and stop to pick up the necessary supplies on the way home.

I printed out the directions and Allison, Caitlin, Badger and I set out to find the nursing home. We discussed name ideas the whole way. Just as we entered the parking lot we decided his name would be Jasper. We spent a few minutes filling out the puppy raiser application form, received approval for our name choice and with Jasper in hand we were on our way back home.

Platte Valley Medical Center July 15, 2009

The reason I wanted to take on this project was simple. To change one life for the better. The concept was not new to me because my daughters service dog Badger gave her back her independence, improved her self-esteem, helped her to start new friendships and lifted her spirits. So many people had helped me and my family when I was injured and then again a few months later when Caitlin got sick and lost the use of her left leg. Now it was my turn to help someone else. So we brought Jasper home and made him a part of our family. We were fully aware of the fact that someday we would give him up so that he could change one life but we also knew it would be worth it.

And so the Journey began. Our home was a flurry of activity. There were walks to take, games of fetch to play, messes to clean up and most important potty training to begin. Everyone pitched in and Jasper began to learn all kinds of new things.

Jasper working on his door opening skills

Jasper was on a leash attached to my belt until he hadn’t had an accident in the house for two months. It probably took me 4 or 5 months to get him completely potty trained. The funny thing is that every time he had an accident in the house I knew it was my fault. It wasn’t like he didn’t show the signs of a puppy who was in desperate need of an outside break. I just wasn’t paying attention. When the time finally came to let him off his leash Jasper didn’t run off to enjoy his freedom as I had expected. Instead he followed me everywhere and to this day he still does.

It was extremely important to expose Jasper to as much as I could possibly think of. Robin told us to encourage our puppies to experience 12 of everything. In other words hear 12 different kinds of music at 12 different volume levels, see 12 different kinds of people wearing 12 different kinds of clothing wearing 12 different hats, feel 12 different surfaces beneath their feet and so on.

Jasper and Caitlin July 3, 2009

I accomplished this task by taking Jasper everywhere I went. Sometimes it took me 2 hours to shop for groceries because so many people wanted to ask me questions about Jasper. After a while I began to feel more comfortable in public places. I actually started looking directly at people instead of just hurrying from one place to another trying to keep my head down in order to avoid the possibility of an uncomfortable situation. After all if ran into someone I should know they would always start the conversation by saying “how’s Jasper doing?” and that became my cue.

Good friends make good luck

I can’t tell you that I am 100% back to the person I once was. I can’t actually say that I ever will be. I might always have a difficult time finding the words I am looking for. I might always keep my keys in my left pocket checking frequently to make sure they are there. And when asked for the thousandth time if Jasper is in the car my son might always respond by saying “no mom you actually did leave him in the store parking lot” and then follow it up with the chuckle that tells me he’s joking.

Our family has been through many changes in the last few years. There have been times when we have accepted these changes with grace. Believe me there have been times when we have fought against these changes with all our might. In the end I learned to follow the advice I was given many years ago by my daughter Allison.

Which is simply this:

When life gives you lemons make grape juice and leave the world to wonder how you did it!

I will always be grateful to all the people at GAP dogs who devote an endless amount of time, effort and money to changing the lives of others. Many of who show up as strangers and hopefully leave as friends. Thank-you Mike, Robin and of course Mary Ellen for your incredible devotion. You have had a profound affect on our world. The work you do may start one life at a time but I can guarantee you that changing that life spreads throughout entire communities.

Badger’s Story

Badger — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:58:29 +0000

Caitlin and Badger June 26, 2009

My name is Caitlin. I am 10 years old. Badger is my service dog. She goes with me where ever I go. Badger accompanies me to the grocery store, the bowling alley, school and even to my doctor appointments. In a few days I will be taking her with me to visit Lakeside Amusement Park. My favorite part of the trip will be when Badger and I get to ride the train together. I am so excited about this trip because I love to ride the rides.

Badger is what you would call a brace and balance dog. She helps me walk, she pulls my wheelchair and when I fall or sit on the floor she helps me to stand up again. Sometimes when my leg is hurting really bad Badger lays on it which believe it or not helps relieve some of my pain.

Badger is also my best friend. We spend a lot of time together. Going for long walks, watching TV, reading a good book, picnics under my favorite tree and even watching the sun set. Badger was the one that taught me how to walk up a hill and she even helped me learn how to roller skate again.

It wasn’t always this way though. This story actually began when I was seven. I was very sick. I was in the hospital for a very long time. When I came home my left leg was paralyzed. I spent a lot of time in my wheelchair and I didn’t like it one bit. So I came up with a plan that I hoped would change my life. I told my mom that if I could have our dog Badger to help me I wouldn’t need my wheelchair so much. My mom said “Are you out of your mind? You don’t want to take a dog with you everywhere you go!” I said that I at least wanted to try it. And so began the adventure of a lifetime.

Boy those bunnies sure are big!

Badger is a Great Pyrenees and her job on our farm was to protect our sheep. She had never been in our house except on really cold nights when she was allowed to sleep in the laundry room. Great Pyrenees have a lot of fluffy white hair so the first order of business was a lot of brushing and a long bath. My Mom and I spent hours getting Badger cleaned up and then the hard work began.

I began teaching Badger all the basic commands like sit, down, stand and stay. I even taught her to leave a tasty treat like a hot dog on the floor while we walked by. Have you ever heard the saying “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks” ? It’s completely wrong! Badger learned all those commands in no time at all and she was 3 1/2 years old when I started training her.

Badger pulling my wheelchair

I started taking Badger to places like Walmart and fast food restaurants. She was scared of everything including her own shadow and vents and mirrors and different floors. It took a while but eventually she was no longer terrified of mirrors, shadows and different kinds of floors. 3 months after we began this process my mom started going to school with me so that I could take Badger with me. At first it was just a few hours a day two days a week. By the middle of the school year Badger and my mom were at school with me for half of every day. Towards the end of the year they stayed at school all day every day. And finally after an entire year of hard work and dedication Badger and I went to school all by ourselves. That was the best day I had ever had at school!

Waiting for the Doctor

Eventually my mom crossed paths with a lady named Sherry. It turned out that Sherry had trained service dogs before and was more than willing to help us out. Sherry donated many hours of her time to help me work with Badger. She allowed me to take part in her dog class every Saturday. She taught me how to groom Badger, clean her ears, brush her teeth and cut her toe nails. Sherry also helped me get involved with Guild Assistance Dog Partners or GAP dogs.

The people at GAP dogs help people with disabilities train their own service dogs. Badger and I go to service dog class every Sunday. We also attend two service dog field trips a month. They provide this incredible service free of charge. Eventually Badger and I will graduate from their program as a certified team.

Guild Assistance Dog Partners

Jasper — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:57:06 +0000

This page is dedicated to Guild Assistance Dog Partners and their mission to

make the world a better place one dog at a time

Visit The Official GAP Dogs Site

About Their Program

Guild Assistance dog Partners, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to placing trained dogs with individuals with varying disabilities. Each dog is individually trained for their partner, depending on that persons needs. The dogs and their training are provided at no cost to them. There is a nominal charge for the equipment that the dog uses and a $25.00 application processing fee. All funding for Guild Assistance dog Partner, Inc. is provided by donations by both individuals and corporations. We do not receive any funding or support from the government, either state or federal.

Puppy Raising Program

Puppy raisers help ensure the Guild Assistance Dog Partner puppies are well behaved in all situations. By being introduced to a variety of people, our puppies become steady and reliable in new situations and unfamiliar locations.Puppies are placed in foster homes at about eight weeks of age. They will live with their raisers for the nest 12-18 months. Raisers are expected to take their puppy with them almost everyplace they go. Whether they’re shopping at the mall, walking around the neighborhood, riding the RTD, or being a passenger in a Radio Flyer wagon, each journey prepares the puppy for its future as an assistance dog. Play time is fun time and is an important part of every puppies training. Many of the games the puppies play will help in their ability to work later.The puppy-raising program provides an opportunity for a volunteer to make a difference in another person’s life. The program helps teach younger raisers about responsibility and raises their self-esteem. All of the raisers learn communication and decision making skills. Teens who participate in puppy raising have been shown to do better in school subjects such as reading and math.

Guide Dogs

Individually trained to meet the needs of a blind or visually impaired person. These dogs improve the mobility and freedom of that person. Guide dogs allow a person to travel about freely on their own without having to depend on friends or family all the time.

Service Dogs

Individually trained to meet the needs of a physically disabled person, these dogs help to make life easier for their partner. They are specifically trained for the needs of the person they will be working with. Not all physical disabilities require the use of a wheelchair. Some of these dogs will help pull wheelchairs, retrieve items their partner has dropped, open doors, stabilize, balance, etc.

Therapy Dogs

A therapy dog works in a facility with a professional (i.e. social worker, occupational therapist, speech therapist, special education teacher, librarian,etc.) and there clients. Therapy dogs can facilitate communication and trust from a client who may be able to relate easier to a dog who is non judgemental and accepting of everything. Therapy dogs have been shown to help improve the emotional bonding of autistic children.

Breeding Program

Guild Assistance Dog Partners, Inc. has their own breeding program. The main breeds used are Labrador Retrievers, (yellow, chocolate and black) Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Each puppy is temperament tested before being placed in a foster raiser home.Guild Assistance Dog Partners, Inc. occasionally accepts donations of dogs to be trained to help the disabled. These dogs need to be AKC registered with papers available. They must also be up-to-date on their vaccinations. Donated dogs will be temperament tested before being accepted for training.

Lakeside Amusement Park

Badger — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:08:33 +0000

Our Lakeside Adventure

On June 27, 2009 I went to Lakeside Amusement Park for dog class with my best friend Jacob. I was so exited! Lakeside is one of my favorite places because I love to go on rides. The white roller coaster is my favorite. I also love to take Badger on the train.

When we got there my big brother Justin got my wheelchair out of the truck for me so I could set it up for badger to pull me around. As soon as I was ready we went to the ticket booth and bought wrist bands to ride all the rides.

Our class assignment was to see if the dogs would be scared of the rides. Of course Badger wasn’t afraid of anything. At 12:45 we all met up to ride the scenic train around the lake. They wouldn’t let the service dogs get on the train. I couldn’t believe it! We all rode the train last year. In fact, Badger and I rode the train twice last year.

Since my family won’t support a place that discriminates against people with disabilities, we had to get refunds for our wristbands. We had a picnic at the park instead. Still it was a real bummer.

All in all today was a very disappointing day!

Keenesburg Fireworks Show 2009

Badger — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:52:40 +0000

July 3, 2009

Every year our little town called Keenesburg puts together an awesome fireworks show. This year we went with several of our neighbors. We all ate hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and ice cream. It was really tasty.

When we were done eating I took Badger down the slide a few times. Badger doesn’t really like the slide but she goes down it for me. She is such a good dog. My mom also took Jasper down the slide too. Jasper loves to go down the slide.

Awesome pillow

When it stared to get dark I began to worry about Badger. I love fireworks but Badger usually gets really scared and starts to shake. This year Badger did awesome! She was a little afraid at first but then she laid down and let me use her for a pillow.

Today was a great day at the park with family and friends!

My Birthday

Badger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:07:19 +0000

July 8, 2009

Today I turned 11 years old. In honor of the big event my mom and I went to the hair salon and out for lunch. We decided to get our hair cut at Cost Cutters since it was close to our lunch destination. The minute we walked in the door I saw the look come across the ladies faces. If you have any experience with service dogs you know the one I’m talking about. It’s the look that says you are not welcome here. Fortunately my mom has become extremely good at dealing with the usual discussion that follows that look. A short conversation later and we were both seated. Phew! That was a close one!

Before my haircut began I put Badger in a down stay near the chair and she stayed there the entire time. She didn’t move a muscle. Not even when the lady turned on the blow dryer. Badger didn’t even itch and believe me when I tell you that Badger is an itchy dog. I am so proud of her.

And do you know what? It turned out that the ladies that cut our hair were actually really nice. They just needed to understand the access rights of persons with disabilities. My mom always says it’s amazing what a little education can do.

I was a little bit worried but today turned out to be a great day after all!

Physical Therapy

Badger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:31:08 +0000

Today I got up early took a shower and got dressed. I got Badger dressed in her usual red vest and put her in the truck. I decided I needed to go back into the house and get some mints. When I got back Jasper had jumped into the truck through the door I had left open. Jasper climbed into the back seat and laid down on the floor as if to say don’t forget I’m supposed to go too. So we had to take him with us. My mom is just sure I planned the whole thing but I swear that I didn’t.

The long shiny floor

After we arrived the first order of business was to get Badger to walk across the long metal floor. Badger doesn’t like to walk on anything shiny or that looks like a vent. The floor we have to cross to get to physical therapy is both shiny and looks like a vent. I think Badger is afraid we might fall through it. The first time we went to physical therapy it took about 5 minutes to get her to step on the floor. When she finally did she quickly cut across the corner where there was a different kind of tile. Today Badger didn’t even hesitate as you can see in the picture she just walked right across the floor. I guess the extra time we spent the first day sure paid off!

Badger and me

When I got into therapy I had a lot of work to do. I had to push my legs against a wall in order for my back to move away from the wall. After I got done with that exercise I had to lunge forward and throw a ball to my mom. Then I had to kneel down and do the same thing. After my exercises I had to ice my knee for 15 minutes. I hate going to physical therapy because it makes me sore. My mom says it will make me stronger and when I get stronger my leg won’t hurt so much. I sure do hope she’s right.

When we left Physical therapy my mom took me out for lunch at Wendy’s. I like going to Wendy’s because everyone there is always nice and they don’t make a big deal about my service dog. Badger was perfect like always. That was pretty much mine and Badger’s day.

National Association for Family and Community Education 2008 Essay and Artwork Contest

Badger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 01:40:41 +0000

On February 4th 2009 I received an award for participating in an essay contest I entered about responsibility. My essay took second place in both the district and the county level. Here is what I wrote:

Badger is my service dog. It is my responsibility to take care of Badger. I have to feed, water and groom her. In return, she helps me walk. She also pulls my wheelchair. She didn’t have to at first, but she chose to. When she first started helping me, I couldn’t walk up a small hill, but everyday she pulled me up that hill until I could finally do it by myself. So, I guess she really isn’t my responsibility, I’m hers! We are great partners.

Bowling with the Special Olympics

Badger — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 02:08:09 +0000

Special Olympics Bowling Trip 2009

On October 14th, 2009 Badger and I had the opportunity to miss a whole day of school and go bowling with the special Olympics. We left CCA in the morning and rode a school bus all the way to Greeley. Badger was so good on the bus. When we arrived the parking lot was full of school buses and the bowling hall was full of kids having a great time.

We all got to play two games and then the pizza arrived. We all ate lunch together while a great group of volunteers handed out the ribbons. Out of the four kids from Cardinal Community Academy three student received 1st place ribbons and the other student received a 3rd place ribbon. When it was all over we got on the bus and headed back to school.

I would like to say thank you to the following people:

CCA PTO for paying for the bus
Mrs. Macho for helping to make the t-shirts
Our principal Mr. Ewing and my mom for joining our adventure
Mrs. Vroom for all the hard work she did to make this trip possible

All in all I think everyone including Badger had a wonderful time!