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Life as Clementine's little brother

I passed the test!

I passed my temperament evaluation this afternoon with flying colors and am now officially a Pet-Assisted Therapy dog in training! Well, first Mom has to pass her Dept of Justice background check and I have to get a health exam tomorrow (yuck) but after that we'll be assigned toa mentor team and get to start visiting folks in a nursing home not too far away. Mom was soooo excited and I got extra pieces of my favorite treats for being an extra good boy today! Yaaaayyyyyy!!!!!

Flexi-lead recall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 3, 2008
Release #08-387

Firm's Recall Hotline: (888) 296-3807
CPSC Recall Hotline: (800) 638-2772
CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

Worldwise Inc. Recalls Retractable Dog Leashes; Metal Clasp Can Break
and Cause
Facial and Body Injuries to Dog Owners

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in
cooperation
with the firm named below, today announced voluntary recalls of the
following
consumer products. Consumers should stop using recalled products
immediately
unless otherwise instructed.

Products: SlyDog Retractable Dog Leashes

Units: About 223,000

Importer: Worldwise Inc., of San Rafael, Calif.

Hazard: The metal clasp connecting the leash to a dog's collar can bend
or break
while in use, causing the leash to recoil back unexpectedly. This poses
a
serious risk of injury to consumers.

Incidents/Injuries: Worldwise has received five reports of injuries,
including
facial cuts, a broken tooth, displaced eye lens, and a bruised collar
bone.

Description: This recall involves the SlyDog Retractable Dog Leash with
a metal
clasp. The leash has a handle composed of a blue plastic case with a
black
plastic grip. The leash is made of a black woven strap and measures
approximately one-half inch wide. The end of the leash has a metal clasp
which
connects to the dog's collar. The SlyDog retractable leashes with a
plastic
clasp are not included in this recall.

Sold by: Dollar General Stores nationwide from September 2007 through
August
2008 for about $5.

Manufactured in: China

Remedy: Consumers should stop using these leashes immediately and return
them to
Worldwise Inc. for a full refund, including shipping costs.

Consumer Contact: For more information, contact Worldwise toll-free at
(888)
296-3807 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT Monday through Friday, or visit
the firm's
Web site at www.squareonesystem .com

To see this recall on CPSC's web site, including a picture of the
recalled
product, please go to: http://www.cpsc. gov/cpscpub/ prerel/prhtml08/
08387.

I did it!!! I passed the test!!! It was tough but I did- it!!!!

Okay so I been going to these classes to tune up my already spectacular behavior. Okay so maybe it's not THAT spectacular but I AM a pretty awesome guy. Just ask anyone.

Anyways, so I went to these classes and then two weeks ago we had a big test. I did the first nine things perfectly. The test I'm talking about is the Canine Good Citizen test and I took the class with mom so we can be a Pet-Assisted-Therapy team and go visit people in nursing homes and hospitals and such.

I passed everything until the very last test item came up ... meeting a strange dog. I had done this so well throughout the class training and on the other nine test items that the evaluator had already checked off that I was good with the stranger dog.

Then it happened. While I was waiting to take my turn, I saw the other eight dogs in my class getting to meet this new dog and I let out a little grrrrr to remind them not to forget me. Mom said shhhh and I could feel her getting nervous and that made me nervous so I let out a bigger gggggrrrrrr because now I was sure mom was worried they would forget me too.

Well, by the time it was my turn to meet the new dog, I was so frustrated that I was making really loud and long gggggggrrrrrrrrs. When I went up to meet the stranger dog, I was worried he would be mad at me for grrring at him and I guess I looked really nervous. The evaluator gave us lots of chances but I really just wanted to go back to my seat and forget all about meeting anybody else that night.

This meant I could not pass the test. Everyone in the class came by and said they were so surprised and how sorry they were because I had been so good in our training classes. Mom got tears in her eyes because she knows I am a wonderful boy and she felt like she let me down. She hugged me and hugged me and told me I have it in me to pass the test so she was not upset with me. That was two weeks ago.

Last night mom took me for a retest. This time it was only me and one other dog and we both passed! Hooray for us!! My next step is to have a temperment test and then mom gets her volunteer t-shirt and I get my official PAT bandana (which, by the way, is almost as big as I am)!! I am so excited!