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The Adventures of Milo: Autism Service Dog

I get my ultrasound and go shopping

It's been a busy (and good) day!

First, we had to prepare for my ultrasound by eating my dinner late last night. I wasn't allowed to eat breakfast this morning before the ultrasound so eating late could tide me over. I also wasn't allowed to go to the bathroom either because they wanted my bladder full. So, we woke up at 4:00 am and I got a chance to take care of my needs.

We drove down to the clinic and got some lunch at McDonald's while waiting for our appointment. My family made sure I didn't have to exert myself with a full bladder so we just ate in the car. When we got in, I didn't have to wait long. Some very nice ladies picked me up and placed me on my back on a metal table. Truly, I enjoyed every minute of it, I wagged my tail through the whole thing! I love laying on my back, so I didn't get frightened when the ladies kept me still. One lady held my back feet, one held my front feet, and Becky held my head. The main lady shaved my belly hair off and did the ultrasound. I had the attention of five ladies all to myself so shaving my belly was nothing compared to all the interaction I got.

Thankfully, all my insides looked normal- no tumors or cysts like Becky thought. However, the doctor thinks the sphincter loosens from time to time, causing my urinary trouble. Finally, an answer after almost three years! Yay! So, I will be put on medication to keep the sphincter nice and tight. If this works, I will most likely be on the meds for the rest of my life. They are chewable pills which I love, so to me, I'll be getting a free treat every day! No complaints here!

We were so happy that we got an answer without anything seriously wrong that we decided to do some errands. Becky was fitted for orthotics Monday but they don't fit with her shoes. She was able to find a pair of boots and sneakers at L.L. Bean's in Freeport after trying a few stores but we still need dress shoes. Shoe shopping isn't her favorite thing because of her tactile issues but I was right there if she needed me. A bunch of little kids came up at Bean's and screamed which made Becky scream. I got up in her lap and poked and nudged her to help her out of it, then we made our escape to the end of the footwear area.

So, we are pretty tired out from all that we did today. I chomped on one of my toys for a little bit tonight but we just rested tonight. It is getting quite late now, so I need to log off. We have a special demo coming up friday, so keep posted. Good night!

I'm feeling better!

I'm definitely on the rebound and am feeling more like myself! I've been busy so I haven't tended to my blog. We have three doctor appointments this week, plus my ultrasound on Tuesday. We are getting nervous about Tuesday but we are hoping for some answers. We will see. Even if we don't find any answers, I am a happy dog that loves his work.

We played the fainting game tonight, which always is fun. Becky falls to the floor face down, and I rush right over and poke her with my nose until she can't hold in the giggles anymore. She just started it as a game, then it became something I could do to help her just in case a sound hurts her so much she crumples to the ground. We demonstrated it at Planet Dog's 2008 Woofminster Show and won 2nd Place for Best Trick! Here is a link to a photo of our trick on stage! On a side note, I won 1st for Best Kisser and was the Runner Up for Best in Show that day.

Well, I've done enough bragging for one night. I just thought I'd share. :) It's time for me to hit the sack; we need to really rest up good for the coming week. Good night everyone!

A change of plans and fun with keys

It turns out I am not going to Tuft's after all. The expense, both monetary and emotional would be too much to handle for no guarantee of an answer to my problem. Instead, here in Maine we have an Ultrasound Specialist. We suspect a tumor or growth that pushes against me from time to time, causing my urinary trouble. We really don't know, so I will be getting an ultrasound. We will call Monday morning to make an appointment.

I woke Becky up at 4:30 am to go out, which I never do- I always sleep through the night. We didn't get back to sleep until 10:30 for a nap. Sometimes when I'm out to do my business, I don't feel like going, and other times I can't get out the door fast enough. Sigh... we want an answer soon!

A fox took a chicken in front of our house this morning so the distraction of all the feathers and smells, oh my! The smells outside made it difficult to focus on doing my business. We did have a good night though!

We decided to practice finding the keys in the apartment. Becky would direct me to the bathroom and have me do a sit/down-stay. She would run off with the keys and hide them. Then she'd come back and tell me "keys". Oh, that was SO much fun! I found them in tricky hiding spots that I've never seen them in before. Then we practiced my intelligent disobedience with the keys. Here's how it works: Becky drops the keys and keeps going. I stop, she tells me to come with her. No, I say and grab the keys. I bring them to her, and then I get big praises and hugs! So we did this, and I yanked on my leash and actually pulled her so I could retrieve those keys! Normally, pulling is a no-no, but in order to make sure Becky has those keys, I need to really make it clear that I'm not going with her until she has them!

With all our nighttime fun, I need to wind down and get some sleep. Good night readers!