BIG July News

We found out on July 1st that Pixar is actually in our town training with a local family!!!  I am super excited about this change.   Our in-town trainer (referred to as “B”) has called me three times since Pixar has been placed with her family.  It is wonderful to get more frequent updates!   B has said that Pixar seems to be a very fast learner, eager to please, and loves to snuggle!   All awesome traits of a service dog.  Oh, also that Pixar is a GIRL!  (Different that what we had been previously told.)  (This has made Liv even more excited. )  The thing that I really love about having Pixar SO close and with this family is that B wants to include us.  She wants us to visit.  Hopefully starting THIS week!!!   This is fantastic!  I have been wanting to be able to get Christian and Pixar together — now we have that opportunity! Yay!   I think this will really help the transition when we finally get to bring Pixar home with us, for Christian AND Pixar’s sake.

Pixar (8 months old)

 

Here’s our newest picture of Pixar!  We have not been able to get back for a visit, but have been told that training is still going very well.  Pixar is a calm, gentle dog.  Our family is scheduled to be trained and bring Pixar home during the last week in September.  We are hoping that summer flies by or it will be hard to wait that long for our newest family member!

Asking For Pixar

Good News — Christian is asking for Pixar.  I think the association is starting to be built that Pixar is HIS pet.

Bad News — Pixar still has so many more months of training.  I think that we’ll have to try and visit him again this summer.

Christian Meets Pixar!

On Friday, our family drove out to the Compassionate Paws training facility to meet Christian’s dog, Pixar.

This is Pixar at 4 months old.

Christian was a bit unsure of the “new” place, so he spent the majority of an hour perched on my back while taking it all in.

He did come down a few times long enough to be “forced” to touch Pixar.

He actually seemed to enjoy this ... somewhat.

Olivia enjoyed meeting Pixar, too.

While there, we were informed that Pixar is a BOY, not the girl we had been told we were getting.  (Not a problem.  Compassionate Paws just ended up taking all four dogs from the litter instead of just the two they first decided on.)  Pixar will continue training at the Compassionate Paws facilities until the end of September when we will go to pick him up. 

We can hardly wait!

Pixar and his training buddies.

Christian Decides On A Different Name for “Ubu”

Yep.  The cutest puppy ever.  Christian’s service dog.

We had all intentions of naming her, “Ubu.” 

Last week, before we saw the picture of her, I had a dream that we named her, “Pixar.”

Yeah, that sounds like a name that Christian would pick.  (Well, “Ubu” does, too.  Both are production companies.  A passion of Christian’s.)

Anyway, after looking at the picture a little more, I got to thinking that we never really asked Christian if he had a preference of dog name for HIS dog.  Well, he’d probably just name it, “Dog,” but his therapist this afternoon and I asked him (on numerous occasions) if he would rather name his dog, “Ubu” or “Pixar”.  Say it out loud.  Circle it.  Etc.  I wanted to be sure I understood that he was making the decision.

He did.

His dog will be named “Pixar.”  I love it!

Picture of Ubu!

Here's Ubu!!!!

Here’s our first picture of Ubu, Christian’s service dog!  Isn’t she the cutest thing ever?!?  She has LOTS of training to complete, so she will not be coming to live with us until September.  We are thrilled!!!   And are hoping to meet her within the next couple of months.

Great News

The Compassionate Paws training facility is up and running again!! Securely!! Hooray!

The even better news is that they have a dog for Christian!!!!!!!!!!

SHE is be a St Bernard/Blue Heeler mix. Big dog that is good at herding. Probably the perfect mix for Christian! She should be coming to live with us during the last week of September and will be about a year old at the time.

We couldn’t be happier! Thank you, all of you, for your unending support. I can’t tell you enough what this means for our family…

We should have a picture of said puppy within the next week. We can’t wait to see her and then share that with you!

Funds

If you haven’t checked the fundraising thermometer lately, we are getting SUPER close to the top. That is SO fantastically awesome! Some have started asking — what happens when you reach your goal?? what happens with any “extra” money if you exceed your goal??

We had set two goals: first goal = $7000 – at this mark Compassionate Paws would start the search for Christian’s service dog; second goal = $10,000 – the amount needed to be able to bring the trained dog home after about 9 months of training.

Any additional funds are held by Compassionate Paws in a special account specifically for Christian. These funds can only be used for service dog related expenses — public access equipment, extra in-home training after the dog has been placed, dog supplies, veterinarian services, insurance, etc.

If the funds received are “excessive”, the funds can then be given to Compassionate Paws and/or divided among the other families waiting for a service dog as our family would request. Because of the recent safety concerns (click here to see more about that), we would certainly ask for any extra funds to go towards a security system at the training facility. The trainer and dogs are not safe at the facility until this is put in place and dogs will not be training until this exceptionally important piece of safety equipment is in place.

I hope this addresses your questions on where your funds are going. If you have additional questions, please click on comments and leave them there. Thanks!

Thank You!

Are You Ready to DISCO???

Raffle tickets are on sale now!  Check out the prize page.  If you’d like to purchase tickets (or reserve some for Sunday), email paws4christian@yahoo.com 

Doors open at 1pm Sunday afternoon at the American Legion in Fond du Lac for this FREE family-friendly event.  Stop out in disco attire and enter our costume competition happening at 2pm.  Join the disco dance-off at 2:15!  (Prizes will be awarded. )  Raffle drawing will start at 3pm.  (Ticket holders do NOT need to be present to win!)  Stay, snack, and party with us until 5pm!