A Reminder

Ok so our camping trip was a reminder that there is a lot of work to be done with Frosty. He defiantly put his guarde dog on. Positive reinforcement will for sure always be my method. I really like and agree with a lot of what Victoria Stilwell says on training your dog with positive reinforcement. I plan to watch at least one training video a day and spend at least 15 minutes (for starters) a day with Frosty. I too want to start taking him with us places more to get use to a lot of differen't people and situations. I was not sure I wanted to do that because he does get guard dog like and I don't want him to act like that around others but I think it will help him get better. I won't be taking him out as a "service dog" but as our pet and companion in training. Again I must stress as I have in other posts is I will not be bringing him around as a service dog at least not until he is fully trained and has 0 aggression. Before I ever really even weigh that possiblity. For now he is a diabetic alert dog IN TRAINING, pet/companion for my little man and simply a superb dog :) I hope to get better at posting more often and I thank you for stopping by.... Simply Superb Dogs

Frosty Goes Camping

I wish I could say our camping trip was a great success with Frosty. I really exspected him to do a lot better. He very much had his guard dog on. Barking and such at famlies around us and at another dog. He was pretty much good and quiet in the tent but when out, attack mode. A reminder that we really MUST work with him every single day. A reminder that things don't just happen over night that they take time and work. These dogs are worth the work and time, when we got home he alerted to some high BG's that my little man had. He put his sweet attentive dog on and does this often. Since there is still much work to be done he does NOT have the title of a service dog. I need at least two good years with him before I can even see if he can have that title. Though I can say he is a diabetic alert dog because he does alert to high and low bg's. Even so there is still need of work in that area as well. So got to come up with a plan. Maybe watch a training video every day. Take Frosy out to friends and family more. Continue to focus on turn off the guard dog in him if that is possible. There is other work to be done in training in obediance and such. But this is the greatest need so this is where my focus is. A good thing is often a hard road, we must learn to persevere so thanks for stopping by Simply Superb Dogs as I hang on, continue to move forward and grow and learn with Frosty the Snow Dog.

Frosty Finding his "Place"

We have been focusing on teaching Frosty "place" or as my little man says base :) This way I can have him stay in his spot when needed. When there is food around, when someone knocks on the door, when he needs time out so on and so forth. Also this will be very helpful when we go out somewhere. Here is Frosty finding his "place" :) He is getting better and better.

He is learning to wait as well. Good job Frosty the Snow Dog! Thanks for stopping by Simply Superb Dogs hope you come again.

A Boat With Four Legs :)

Several days ago it was those hopeless feeling kind of days. To much focus on the negative and not enough on the positive. Anyway I went to let Frosty in from being outside. He did his usual dash for the little man and checked on him. Frosty came running in where I was. Jumped up on me several times. I said, "Do we need to check?" He jump on me a few more times then ran for the little man as I followed. I went to the little man he was playing his DS. I touched his hands and they were sweating. Then I went for the meter as Frosty stayed close by and jumping up. I checked the little man, his BG was low....it was 63!!! I had checked him not that long ago and BG was great so would not have checked him again so soon if it weren't for Frosty. I was so excited that was such a clear alert and right on. Gave the little man a snack and treated Frosty and gave them both much loving!!! Then thanked G-d, I was reminded of how great our G-d is and the hope we have in HIM and the many tools HE uses to help us along the way to tell us HE is with us and is listening. HE is our provider, our protector, our shelter in every storm. Watch for a boat that HE will surely bring, you never know it might have four legs ;)

High BG's and Guard Dog Elavation

As I have written before unfortunately there are times Frosty has his guard dog on. This seems to be elevated when food is around (which is really bad for a service dog) so I am doing some things to turn that around which I will share in future posts. I am also finding that it seems that his guard dog tendencies seem to be elevated when my son blood glucose level are high. This morning he put his guard dog on as I walked toward the little man so I went and got the meter and he calmed down as I checked his BG. My sons BG was 400!! I am going to check his BG in 30 minutes to see if it has gone down because he has already been given insulin and his BG's are elevated. Making sure it goes down and that we don't have bad insulin. Anyway I am finding more and more that when Frosty gets his guard on and there is no food around the little man BG's are high. I will be looking at that more closely and will work towards teaching him to channel that energy elsewhere to alert me. He does calm down when I pick up the meter and go to check my sons BG's. He never discourages me from checking my sons BG's and wags his tell with excitement as I check him, that is awesome!!! Frosty the Snow Dog is so very attentive to my son this shows me he really is perfect for his job. Even so he is not without negative behavior that needs to be worked on consistently with positive reinforcement. That is all for now thanks for stopping by.

Thinking about titles "Service Dog" etc, etc...

On this journey I think about the titles "service dog" , "diabetic alert dog" and "superb dog". Is Frosty at this very moment all three of these? I would say yes and no. Since he is an adult dog and has that big dog inside a little dog... (guard attitude)sometimes, and I have only had him for a couple of months, he is not "service dog" in PUBLIC ready yet. I will take him to as many "dogs allowed" events at this time to get him use to many area's and situations. I do not want to mistakenly and prematurly give him that "service dog" title and give the "service dog" world a bad image or more struggles. There are times that people give people with "service dogs" such a hassle I do not want to add to that. So I plan to have Frosty fully trained before I go out into the public as a "service dog" I could take him out as a "service dog" because he is helping my son and a service to us in catching those BG's but I know for us and our dog personally he is not ready for that title. If your seeking to train your dog to be a service dog be sure to educate yourself, find support from those with experience and get some professional guidance. I do see Frosty as a "Diabetic Alert Dog" in training. He does alert me to high and low blood glucose levels from time to time. This is my greatest need is for him to alert me in my home especially in the middle of the night. Our dog from the shelter is already doing that already accomplishing his greatest purpose. A "superb dog" yep Frosty is that...everything rolled up into one. As he alerts me and looks after my son and learns obedience he IS Simply a Superb Dog :) All is a working progress as we learn and grow together. Hope you journey along with us you can also follow us on FB Simply Superb Dogs and be sure to Have a simply superb day :)

Missing D.A.D.'s

Had a scare yesterday. I couldn't find Frosty and saw that the back door was wide open. My other dog lets herself in and she forgets to shut the door LOL (need to teach her that one :) Anyway I called and called for her in the back. Frosty is so little he can get through small spaces. I called for him looked all around and could not find him. I drove around..still no Frosty. Prayed and prayed that I would find him. Went to the back again and no Frosty. So I went back in the house got my shoes on and thought I would look down the alley opened the back door and there was our Frosty!! So glad he is not gone...was so worried that another precious D.A.D. was taken from us.

Speaking of precious D.A.D.'s... Shiloh our D.A.D. that we got from an organization that we no longer have(they took her back they say because of breach of contract), turned a year old this month. Happy Belated Birthday Shiloh where ever you are....We miss and love you so much!!!!! Shiloh resting at my Moms house right before it was time to meet with the trainer...right before they took her away.

When we first got our precious Shiloh and our visit to the fire station. It is amazing she once was that little :)