From Chris Conforti, Instructor at Childrens Village

Sierra thinks: I am lucky because I get to stay with David. Most of the other dogs are new to class here. I first met David when he first came to dog training in September. I knew more than David so I had to train him. Now he knows more than me so he is teaching me. I am trying to learn turning on a light and I need more practice picking stuff up. I still like to challenge David - I love to see him frustrated. In the end I let David win because he is a good teacher and leader. David, I know with your help I'll make a good Service Dog. Thanks!

From Aurelie Douay, Instructor at Green Chimneys School

All the dogs are ready to explore the world! (or the farm...its a good start)
Their students look a little bit nervous and excited at the same time for this new experience.

Rosies's pups (Compass, Fern, Lilly, Jansmine, Iris), our black labs Dixie and Missy followed by our Great Dane, Yoda are READY TO GO!

But what are our pups thinking while we are heading to the farm?

Lily looks very excited: "Where are we going, where are we going?"
"What is this smell...?" while Compass is looking back and forth between the farm and his trainer.

"Hey! Look over there. What is that? Can't really be a pup...too big for that... it looks a bit like Yoda" wonders Jasmine. "I'm not really sure that I like it! My boy siad it was a HORSE mmmmmm but should I be scared?"

Oh no, my boy said that I don't have to be worried about it. "Now it is just me and my boy. We are both together, cuddling up, watching this huge thing moving around!" "Hey, I think I like it, and my boy too! He is smiling at me and petting me! I think I really love that!" Jasmine now settles her heard in her trainer's lap.

"Hey Dixie come have a look!" Fern says. Dixie gets closer the fence. "Yeah! But you know what? I see it but I prefer to be next my girl!"

Yoda and his trainer are now looking at the horse. Yoda wonders if he'll get that tall.

That was a fun day! Children and pups are tired after all the stimulation. Time for puppy nap time. Dreaming about the farm and we'll be back soon.

Yuka Dawson, Instructor from MercyFirst

Reptiles on the Move!
A few varieties of reptiles visited the campus of MercyFirst!

My afternoon group was the lucky one and got to meet the reptiles.
Of course, the students brought their dogs along.

As the reptiles were handed over, the dogs just sat and stayed under the chair.
Good thing, none of them (both dogs and students) freaked out because of the reptiles!

It was an odd, but a fun experience to touch different kinds of reptiles.

Whatever the animal it is, they are all soothing and put a smile on everyone's faces!

Yuka Dawson, Instructor at MercyFirst

Therapy Dogs at MercyFirst are training for a 5K run!

Cass, Mitsu, and Glory are exercised everyday on MercyFirst's campus.
Eight chosen students, I call them "Assistants," jog with the dogs everyday.

It all started to get the therapy dogs back to their healthy weight.
Daily cookies slowly added pounds around their weist and next thing you know, the dogs were a few pounds overweight...

After two weeks of running and restrictions on cookies, they are looking slim and beautiful.
(I wish I can loose the weight that easily!)
The students learned the importance of being healthy and staying trim.

Now, the dogs are training for The Bridie Goldstein 5K Run for Children that takes place in Syosset, NY on Nov. 28th.

Anyone would smile watching Jacob and Cass running around the track!!

Yuka Dawson, Instructor from MercyFirst

Wesley, a veteran student trainer from MercyFirst, got to meet the Dog Whisperer, Ceser Millan!
Ceser was at Book Revue for book signing for his new book, "How to Raise a Perfect Dog." No dogs were allowed in the book store, but Service Dog in training, Angel, was allowed!!
Wesley shook the legend's hand, had his book signed, and gave him ECAD's information.
We are hoping that he will visit our program one day :)

From Wasabi, Service Dog in Training

IT'S OUT TEENAGERS!!! THEY'RE BACK! I just love my teenagers. Now I know why they brought us back. these are the ones who teach us everything. There are others who give us our baths and cut our nails, they aren't trainers, but some kind of assistants. They're so gentle when they cut our nails that I don't mind a bit. I really could use a bath too.

I'm not too good at teenagers names, so I'm going to make them all up. there's a tall one, we'll call him Alan. He's a trainer. Dunkin is walking him. Now Dunkin is dragging him towards Jeanie. Jeanie won't say hi to Dunkin, but she talks to Alan. Now Alan is making himself more important than Jeanie. Dunkin should know that the human holding the leash is the most important one in your life at that moment. Sometimes we forget when we get excited. Even Elli forgets when she sees Lu or Dale, because she loves them so much. Alan did a good job with Dunkin, now he's the only human Dunkin sees.

Now here's Bob. He's new. It's hard for the new teenagers. They have to learn our commands, and there are a lot of them. We try to get away with things when we have new teenagers. It's not fir, but we're teenagers too, just in dog years. Bob keeps saying "no." That never works. Oh, he learns fast! Now he's saying "watch me" and "leave it." I knew it wouldn't last. These new teenagers are really samart!

It's Yuka! I love Yuka! She trains the teenagers. She loves all of us, and takes us back to our kennel at Childrens Village every night. She is so patient.

Now Yuka is having the teenagers take us to class. I walk nicely beside my teenager, I'll call him Carl. We're playing "light" and "switch." I'm short, but I can just reach the light. We turn the lights off and on for humans who can't reach them, but only when they tell us to. I'm a little nervous when we play "tug." I like pulling on the rope, but it's attached to something and it's noisy. Oh, it's just the thing they put the laundry in. I guess I can handle it.

We get different teenagers and classes about four times a day. They love to play things like "get it, bring it here, and drop it." They give us really good treats too. At Jeanie's house we just get kibble, but here we get a real treat! I love to learn new things so that can make the teenagers happy. When a teenager is happy, it's the best thing in the world! I look up at Carl and I love him. I think he loves me too.

Classes are over and I'm in my kennel. I'm really hungry. Here's dinner and not a moment too soon! i eat my delicious kibble and I'md drifting off to sleep. I wonder where I'll be tomorrow.

From Wasabi, Service Dog in Training

It's good morning time, and I really have to go! I'm so glad these humans get up early. Whew, I feel better now, and it's time to eat! I eat, then rest. I wonder what we're going to do today?

We're going in the car! I'm getting to like this car, even without air conditioning. Why are they putting my kennel in the back? Shanee and Jeanie are coming, but Elli is staying home. It's a very small car, so I guess Elli would be more comfortable at home.

I know these scents! I sit up after what seems like hours of driving, and we're at my school, Mercy First! I love my school. I can't wait to see my kennel mates. I should call them classmates, as we all go to school together. There's my sister! Oh, I have to "get busy" I'm so excited. We have to catch up. Wow, everyone got to go with a human for a while. I think mine were best. I'm not the only one with another dog either, but I bet they weren't as nice as Elli and Shadow. No one else had a baby either, or a gas station on the corner. I must have gotten all that because I'm so good. Hey, Dunkin's back. Hiya Dunkin. Weren't you at Elli's house too?

Okay, we said hi, let's go home. Hey, why are you bringing my kennel in there? I don't get it. I'm inside our run, and Jeanie's outside. Here's Shanee, maybe she'll bring me outside again. Kennel up? Okay. I guess I'll be here a while.

From Wasabi, Service Dog in Training

Now is the time I get to stay outside with Shanee and Mikey. We watch all the people go by and I don't bark! Shanee plays "watch me" all the time when we're out there. I'm getting more used to the people going by, but when they come in the house, I get a little too excited. I think it's the different noises I hear. They make me a little nervous, so I bark to make sure someone else is paying attention. I only bark once, but I have to learn to be quiet.

Dinner time! My favorite kibble again. Now I have to lie quietly in my kennel for a while so I don't get sick. Big dogs like us can get a sickness called "bloat" which is very dangerous. We could even die. That's why we always have to lie quietly for about 20 minutes after we eat. I like that. I always like to take a nap after I eat, don't you?

We're going for another walk, but just a short one this time. I think Jeanie wants me to get used to going out at night. This street is a little quieter. There's a barking dog! Wow, if I ever barked like that, I would flunk out of the ECADemy! I look, but don't bark back, because I'm playing "watch me" Now I'm a good Wasabi! I like that!

That was a short walk, but very educational. Not every dog is as well behaved as me and my kennel mates. I'm so proud of myself. Now I'm starting to understand that we're very special. All those dogs that are left outside because they don't know how to help their humans are very sad. They're bored and they need a job. They want their humans to spend more time with them, but they don't know how to train the humans and the humans don't know how to train them. I'm really glad I'm an ECAD dog.

We're relaxing now, and I'm getting my ears scratched, because I'm such a good dog. I love having my ears scratched! I love being such a good dog. The doorbell rings and Shadow barks. It wasn't me! Jeanie just says "Shadow" and she stops. It's a man named Paul. He's a landlord, whatever that is. He loves dogs, especially Elli. Elli says that she's known him for years. He used to bring his kids over to play with her when she wasn't working. Elle gets a nice belly rub from him and he visits with everyone for a while. He said he was going for a walk, but he didn't even hav e a dog! I thought he was going to borrow one of us, but he went by himself. What a strange human. Nice, but very strange - going for a walk without a dog.

We're going to be early tonight, but that's okay, I'm tired. We did a lot of new things today. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.