Teaching the Puppy to SIT

YAY, Easton can SIT !!!

Today has been a fun day with the red toy poodle puppy, EASTON, named after the famous baseball bat because his mommy and her boys are Little Leaguers. 

Now when I attend a game, I see the puppy's name everywhere!  

He & Cheyana, my big red standard are good friends, he adores her a bit more than she adores him.  Being a 10 year old, she plays with him on HER terms.  They do play rough and both love it, but when she's tired, she means business when she wants to rest.

Today, I was having Irish Cheddar and raspberries and Cheyana is a bonafide cheese lover.  She sits automatically and just stares at me whenever I eat cheese waiting patiently for me to share.  Easton was standing beside her staring (he copies her and follows her like a baby brother).  Well, he didn't realize he sat down next to her, but when he did I praised him and said, "good SIT" repeatedly as I gave him a tid bit of my cheese.  Well, he would stand up again, and then sit again and so earned another bit and more praise repeating the command.  Teaching him this cost me most of my cheese, but we were on a roll and he was sitting so well, I HAD to reward, praise and say the command several times.

Well, cheese gone, I was finished eating and we needed to put some time between this initial sit session and another one.  Besides, too much cheese is not good for their tummies.

So I wrote my blog (below this one on Facebook) and then got the homemade treats I concocted and had in the freezer.  They are tasty morsels from a recipe I got on the Poodle page of FB.  SIDENOTE:  I will most likely never make them again they were SO MUCH WORK!!!!

Well, we've just had two more successful SIT sessions using these treats.  He is such a smart pup!

TEN MINUTES LATER:

     Cheyana is limping a bit, I can tell her arthritic elbow is hurting despite her stoicism.  It was time for one of her pain meds and CBD oil.  I also give her organic hempseed oil from the natural food store in a dropper bottle.  Puppy Easton loves this hempseed oil too, which isn't a CBD oil. 

I give her the pill and the CBD oil, and when it's time for the hempseed dropper of oil, Easton comes to beg.  I simply say, "SIT" and he does!!!!   I think he's really got it!  Oil administered, I decide to try some yoghurt, I know Easton loves yoghurt, but Cheyana never has.  This batch is the Greek, heavier variety (I always use Plain, not flavored) and Cheyana seems to love it.  I have a bit in a little plate and some on a spoon.  Easton SITS perfectly when I say the word and he happily licks the spoon.

We are on a roll!  I let more time go by, and decide to bring the bag of Stella & Chewy's "WILD WEENIES" treats to my desk as I sit and write this for another session.  Lo & behold, Easton has it down!!!!

He keeps coming over and just sitting on his own looking up at me requesting a weenie!!

I'm SO OVER THE MOON about this I'm writing an entire blog about it.  It's big news here as to me, there is nothing more rewarding than a successful training session with a very intelligent puppy.

The only thing I can think of that would be as rewarding would be a film company calling to request using my book (https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=9ZZ1E8OqX84)  as the subject of a new film and wishing also to utilize some of my Mantra Music (https://www.aveguevara.com/healing-music-1.html)  for part of the sound track.

IT'S OFFICIAL....

Hear ye ~ Hear ye ! ! !

So proud of my Cheyana....we not only passed on DAY 3 of of our testing and was accepted into the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, the testing lady wrote in the commentary how amazing an addition she is, and how she "is a natural" and a benefit to the organization!

Today we went to my favorite elder facility, Atria.  It's my favorite because I had taken my elder friend there years ago for holiday dinner and to socialize (he was a hit with the ladies) and see if this could be a good residence for him.  It's a beautiful facility and does not have that smell many places do.

We went into the actual dementia unit, which was impeccably clean, well lit, nicely decorated and all the residents were clean and very well cared for.   They even had a room for manicures, and the women had beautifully manicured hands, some with polished nails.  Unfortunately, some of these lovely people did not even know they HAVE nails or that they're beautifully done. 

There was a room full of people who had just done some singing together and we went in when they finished their song.  Well, everyone's eyes lit up and they would reach for Cheyana and they all had big smiles and said how lovely she was.  Only one lady did not want her near her, and that was easy to arrange.  One elder asked if she could do tricks.  "She knows her commands in French," said I.  As Cheyana is better with French for this, I spoke with such a practiced accent adding how good she was all in that beautiful language, someone asked if I actually WAS French.  They were all beside themselves with joy.

I cannot tell you how moved I was, this touched my heart so deeply, when we left that area and headed to the main space I welled with tears and emotion moved me.  I had thought of my mom's last days with Lewy Body Dementia and when visiting her in January, had so wished to have Cheyana present, knowing she would have brought such joy to my mom.  

These people are so wonderful, so pure of heart like little children....SO very precious.  I also visited with some not in the dementia facility and was impressed at how well groomed they all were.  It was incredibly bittersweet.  I told them I'd be back and arranged with the director to go every Tuesday after my certification paper comes in the mail.  

I can tell Cheyana's arthritic elbow is getting worse and she could be in constant pain.  We decided to become a member of the Alliance team for a few reasons, my main one concerning my lovely 10 year old girl is that she can no longer take even short walks without being in severe pain, hence, she gets no stimulation.  I can toss her ball only about three times twice a day, maybe just once, to keep her spirits up and her body moving.  But these visits she gets a lot of attention and stimulation, new smells, having to adjust to new environments and visiting with many people, old, young, and everything in between.  When we have our membership card and tags, I will like to go down to Shriner's hospital and bring smiles to children - although I don't know how my heart will handle that.  I'm sure my heart will expand in ways I cannot fathom being in the presence of these children.

This was most fulfilling and I feel an energetic shift within me from today's experience.  The past two days were good too, the first day being a convalescent hospital and a challenge to my olfactory nerve, the second day was the courthouse and I was glad to do it, but nothing compared to today's experience.  I am so thankful to be able to share this with my beautiful canine companion of 10 years.  Interestingly, there was this one lady who was there for a brain injury and we spoke for a while.  Cheyana licked one of the palms of her hand.  When I told her that Cheyana likes to lick the part of my hand that had the surgical procedure, and causes me constant pain and it feels healing and soothing when she licked it, this lady showed me her hand where Cheyana was licking; lo & behold she had a scar there from a surgical procedure.

Back when Cheyana was just 9 months old, I took two levels of Reiki training with Barbara Mariano, and Cheyana attended.  Both she & I were initiated into the first & second degree, making her a Reiki dog.  Sharing the hand licking story with this lovely lady today showed me that Cheyana really does have that "healing touch" when she gives licks.  I am humbled and in such a state of deep appreciation as the sun heads toward evening and the thunder clouds rumble in the distance.  My heart chakra was truly opened today.

My testing director said Cheyana will be good for children having to testify in court.  I asked what that entails, and she said I would take her into the witness stand and she will lay next to the child to bring ease so the child can tell her/his story, and I would be right behind Cheyana.  This sounds like very emotionally intense work, but to be in service in this capacity I believe is an honor.

THERAPY DOG TESTING DAY

DAY 1:   Therapy Dog Testing

Today was the first day for Cheyana, my standard red poodle to be tested in how she managed visiting patients at an elder care convalescent hospital here in our town.  The testing lady observed

and brought her little Yorkie, as is customary for the first test day, so Cheyana could follow the little dog's lead in what to do.  She did fine

on her own and didn't pay much attention to the little dog.

We visited several very old patients who were residents at the facility and many had dementia.  Some were quite alert with a sparkle still in their eye.  And many an eye lit up when they saw the big fluffy poodle

come up to them to allow some petting.

Cheyana is initiated into second degree Reiki, as years ago, we both took Barbara's course in this healing modality.  So she is an official

Reiki dog, which I'm rather proud to say I don't know of any other poodle who is a 2nd Degree initiated Reiki dog!  She has a great healing presence, and being initiated, anyone who comes in contact with her

receives this energetic healing.  It's not something I announce though.

It was also lovely for me to interact with these elders and ask them how they were.  As my mom recently died in a group home, a very different setting than a convalescent hospital, I am sensitive to elders, and I enjoy giving them the energy I also have of Reiki and The Reconnection.  One does not have to 'give a session' to emanate the energetic healing of these two modalities.  It's all about intention.

The next two days we will visit two more facilities, tomorrow being the courthouse, our job to bring ease and possibly uplift people who are waiting their turn to go into Family Court, no doubt something very stressful for these people.

This is very good for Cheyana too, as she needs to 'have a job' and to have some adventures.  With her elbow injury/arthritic condition, we can no longer take even short walks as it causes her too much pain, so she doesn't get to get out and have a 'scent adventure' and be stimulated.  This new job will give her the stimulation to keep her young in mind & body.  The patients loved her and she brought many smiles, so it was great energy all the way around for everyone.

I'm Creating an even MORE Fantastic Life!

Yup, a great life abounds.....

Yes, I just posted a RANT IN COLOR

That rant was about just ONE ASPECT of my life today.  And it wasn't even an ASPECT OF MY LIFE as much as a situation I encountered in the mundane aspect of life in this society.

That said, I wanted to immediately follow up with this bit of 

AVE'S NUES . . . My life is pretty amazing since my daughter came

over and re-organized and re-arranged my cabin.  Truly, the art of

FENG SHUI (in her case, a good eye and a sense of flow) - works - she didn't have to read books on this art of placement, she just 

SAW and DID.  An art I do not have within me to perform, but that's ok, I'm already busy with music, writing, painting and soon enough, skating again.  I left out photography and garden design....but hey....gotta pick one and run with it.  Maybe two.  Alright...three.  But that's IT if I wish to actually FINISH a painting or a book.

I'm just doing a post to end this day that isn't a RANT IN RED.

Life is truly beautiful in many ways and I'm not one to NOT count my blessings, even in the throes or anguish, depression or other forms of darkness we all must travel through from time to time or even for prolonged periods of time.

That said, I'm creating a life that will be as much fun for you to read as it is for me to write.  Not that ranting isn't a sort of dark fun, it's making the most out of the darkness and applying my literary skill to it.  I'd photograph it, but selfies just don't do justice (my face need expensive camera gear) and I'm not really a selfie sort of person.  

I will be making more videos.  I have a bunch that could use the editing touch, but onward to make more, create awesomeness and report it during my 30 day blog writing challenge.  This is the second blog post on DAY 4.  Not bad, if I say so myself.

I am not writing about unicorns and butterflies, because life has been moths and worms, and I want to keep it "real" - even though what we humans call REAL here on the earth plane, is not really what's real.  Go figure, eh?

RAINY MAY TUESDAY

...and in today's nues.....

Ah, it's been deliciously rainy, the new green leaves all dripping, it even hailed for a minute!  It's truly a delightful spring we are all enjoying, especially the flora & fauna here in the foothills.

Here is yet another blog I had created back in my days of applying creativity with feeling rather clever.

The poodle is freshly bathed and I'm having a day of service to humanity in small seemingly insignificant ways.  However, what seems insignificant to those of great accomplishment, living the definition of society's   s u c c e s s  may in fact BE significant  in the overall Cosmic scheme.

This is DAY 3 of my self imposed challenge to write "a blog a day" and although no one could access Day 1 - the MY DARK RANTS blog, I've stuck to it thus far.  Methinks I must check the settings on  RANTS, perhaps they are set for private.  The RANTS blog has the most views over the more tamely named blog spots, indicating more people are interested in "DARK RANTS" - If I review them, I may find them themed to be reflective of my dark moods and 'reactions' to an assortment of the dishes life serves up.

Speaking of darkness - the late afternoon cell of clouds carrying with it thunder rumblings and the promise of a downpour is upon us.  I relish being cozied up in my newly organized cabin with a fire in the stove and one clean poodle happily chewing a squeak toy that is one of Tiny Easton's favorite.  Tiny Easton being the puppy red toy poodle that belongs to my ginger daughter's ginger son.  

I've decided today to enlist the twins in expansive writing exercises, in which I too will participate.  I've set up guidelines for them to follow in the creation of their "story a day" - guidelines to ignite their already active imaginations, expand their ability to follow directions, improve penmanship and share something fun, creative and educational.  By the end of the summer they will be amazing writers with extraordinary vocabulary and excellent handwriting. . . and I will have a book completed myself!

I do not miss FACEBOOK AT ALL ! ! !