Tanks journey as a SD

So my mom went to stay with friends on 2 different weekends and didn't take me. She explained why I wasn't going and we are working on the concerns she had (dumb cats). Anyways, mom didnt tell me who she was goi g to see and the first weekend she stayed with my 2nd most favorite person, the 2nd weekend she saw my next favorite people I've met on my journey, this weekend she has been with almost all of them but she does come home at night. She explained she isn't taking me this weekend for my safety but I want to see my friends too. Mom promised I get to see them soon but until then these are the looks she is getting.

He knew we were going to the bank and to see Nana but he didn't know we were going inside the bank this time. He likes the drive thru better he gets treats at the drive thru he didn't get a treat inside.... the struggle was real

So, over the last week or so, Tank has been hearing new voices coming from the phone. I had closed him out of my room while Ela and I were talking, and he began laying at the door, sniffing and whining over the last few days so
last night, he got to video chat for the first time with his new friend. I brought him in and up on my bed as she and I were talking. He went into excited puppy mode. His reaction to her was amazing. When I showed him the screen and he could see her, he instantly went into loving mode. He tried to take my phone several times from me through the night. Once I had him settle down, he laid at the foot of the bed and during a topic that was very emotional for her he crawled up to me and slowly kept inching up to get to the phone. I flipped the camera a few times to show her his actions, and it was very clear he wanted to comfort her. I know how amazing he is and how intuitive but I never would have imagined he could sense something just from someone's voice over the phone. He even gave her kisses and hugs via video chat (I did have to clean the screen on my phone last night). I am interested in seeing what he starts doing today around the time he usually hears us on the phone to see what his reaction is.
We put a lot of work in our training and we still train and are still getting new experiences as they come. Tank will be 3 next month and I can see where a lot of the puppy energy is still there but also where he is also able to settle a lot quicker now and is a good bit calmer than he was a year ago and especially 2 years ago.

What happens when my 3 year old nephew calls and he is crying help me all my fireworks gone bye bye? Well it is aunt Misty to the rescue.... he will be a happy boy when he wakes up from his nap. Mom elected for Tank to stay home since he wants to attack the fireworks.

Two years ago I asked that we all remember our Frontline workers who can celebrate the incoming new year with us, I ask the same this year. Im not sure which we will be celebrating more the beginning of a new year or this one finally being over. This year has brought many trials and also many blessings, I was able to go back to work after 3 years from my injury and surgery, I have gotten to spend more time with my nieces and nephews watching them continue to grow into amazing people, i heard Blane say call my name and tell me he loves me, Trent and Bella call me aunt, our Christmas miracle was Dad getting his kidney transplant and doing amazing afterwards even though he isnt home yet, the wait for him to come home makes us realize how precious life is. To the family of the man whose kidney dad now has thank you so very much I know that your loss was tragic and traumatic and I am so sorry for you loss but hope you find comfort in knowing he saved lives. I lost several dear and close friends this year, great people who are loved and missed and have shed many tears with their frienda family and loved ones. I wish they were here with us to bring in this new year so while we are all celebrating please don't forget to raise a glass, raise a toast to everyone who can't celebrate with us tonight. My toast goes up to my friends Larry Nutt, Joe Avery, Brandon Hamblen, Robert Bowden Jeff Hughes, and several more who found a home in Heaven this year, my sister Becky Rhinehart Arnold being a Healthcare worker she is with her residents and unable to be with our family to bring in the new year. I toast Heather Campbell our sister in law another Healthcare worker who works at the hospital in different units including the Covid unit. Please pray for and give a toast for our Frontline workers raise a glass and honor them especially the ones who can't be with us tonight and the ones who risk their lives for us. I love you both and thank everyone who puts their lives in the line who have sacrificed who have tended to our sick and our mental health. To those who patrol our streets, protect our homes, provide emergency aide, our truck drivers who can't be home with their families and so many more. Please have a safe new year, a safe and sober ride home, call a cab, call a friend, call a tow truck, or stay where you are if you are somewhere safe and secure, don't risk your life or someone else's life tonight.

From my mom: I had a meeting today and since it has been a very difficult 2 weeks took him with me. Boy am I glad I did he alerted on me twice, the first time was someone looking around the corner of the hall and moving towards my direction in a way he felt was threatening so he did his chuff alert warning me of possible danger and them to back away. The second alert was when my anxiety started getting high and I felt like I was going to have an attack. He did what he has been trained to do and I couldn't be more proud of him. He stayed by my side, I didn't have to hold his leash as we walked except when I went to get coffee and he wanted to search the room and halls to make sure it was safe with us walking past closed doors plus he had never seen lockers before so he felt all those closed doors needed to be sniffed to make sure we were safe. I am so proud of him he was a shining example of how a service dog should behave and how one tends to and takes care of their person. We still have work to do and training to do but his training will never stop we don't have to use the same commands all the time but we don't want to forget what we learn.

He loves just hanging out at home making a nest on his mom's bed

Just chilling out with mom today

If you see Tank and I out in public and his vest is on please respect him and don't try to pet him, play with him, or otherwise distract him in any way. He is working and all this does is distract from his training and his job. Please ignore him and act as if he isn't there. He does chuff to tell people to back off, this is not growling and it is MY responsibility to decide how to respond to this behavior. He doesn't chuff unless I am extremely uncomfortable. It is an alert he has been taught and I will not "correct" him for alerting that is what he is suppose to do. I have people he knows who he will allow to intercede and reach me when needed. AGAIN I will not change or "correct" him because you do not agree with his alert signals, the people who know us know his alert signals and how to respond to them. Thank you Jess for everything and for coming to help Tuesday night. You are the best.

Now it's easier to send Tanks journey as a SD a message.

Tank has is own page now it is Tanks Journey. We are still working and training and he has progressed so much. I am so proud of all that he has accomplished. He has been to a large pool tournament with me and did amazing and of course he was the star, everyone complimented him on how well behaved he was and how handsome he is. There was also interest in his breed and a couple were so impressed with him that they now want one. We are progressing from having someone hold him the entire time I am shooting pool to where I can drop his leash and he will watch but doesn't have to be held. I have to give a huge shout out to Rhonda and Katie for all of their support and help and allowing us to work on so much of his public training at Rhonda's Billiards and Sports Bar in Defuniak Springs FL. There is so much more he has been exposed to lately including the cows at 2nd mom Jen's house. Today is a training day with commands and the day we start working on turning the lights on and off. I have complete faith in him and a lot of concern in my ability with this. We are also going to work on clearing the house he is doing quite well with this one so far it just takes me remembering that even when we come in from checking the mail or going out for his potty breaks to have him clear the house. I often forget to have him run this drill everytime we walk in the house or a new room.

Just chilling at home with mom

We haven't updated much lately because of the holidays however it has been a wonderful and amazing training experience with some great surprises. Tank has settled down from puppy stages in public and now just lays down at my feet where I am sitting. In some places we visit on a normal basis he will greet people we know in his off work time. He is a different boy with his vest on than he is with it off. For Christmas Tank received his full service dog ID cards and even though he is still training on things he is considered a full service dog. He got saddle bags for his vest along with his service dog patches and do not pet patches. Some strangers can't read and still try to distract him but he is doing great at avoiding temptations from strangers. He is loading up in the car and jeep immediately but because the truck is lifted he still has a little trouble getting in it by himself but his confidence is building in the truck. I am so blessed and can't thank Joline and Joel Westbrook enough for him. He is excited to meet the newest little man in their family amd see them amd Wyatt as soon as the weather is warmer he doesnt want the babies out in the cold.

A few short videos from my first football game and my cousin Ava. Isnt she beautiful and I danced with Aunt Becky while Ava was dancing.

Mom took me to my first football game tonight. There were a lot of new smells and all kinds of people big and little and people playing with balls and little people who were not much bigger than me. I could stand on my back legs and I would be taller than a lot of them. My Aunt Becky and cousins Connor and Ava were there too and so was Uncle Chad. Aunt Becky loves me so much that she let me sit on her "cushion" which was a big towel because the big metal steps everyone was sitting on were super cold. My Aunt Becky loves me. I was a very good boy and it was a big step in my training to go out with that many people doing so many different things. Mom is so proud of me that I get my extra special good boy treats. Even the police officer I met tonight told me how pretty I am and how good I was tonight. I love going out with mom and training and being able to do my job.

It has been a few weeks since my mom has posted on my journey because she had back surgery and we haven't been out a lot. We have been working at home and my aunt Jen brought new friends for me to meet and socialize with. I also got to go visit with my Cindy and spend the night while my mom was recovering amd home alone. Today I am qith mom at her follow up at the Dr. I keep letting my mom there are people outside the door but she keeps telling me to shhh. I am doing my job amd mom is super proud of me and I met a new friend, the nurse at the Dr. office. I like her she took my picture and I posed for her, mom said I was being a ham I am not food and my Rhonda feeds me ham but mom promised me its different kind of ham. Then we we and visited the learning center for adults with disabilities and I was a very good boy and I got to show off and everyone clapped and they all want me to come visit again.

We have had a week and weekend full of new experiences and refreshers. Tuesday we went to the lucky star where everyone complimented Tank on howbwell he is doing especially at such a young age. He also got to share his house with new friends and people and he was very docile with his new friends even though he wanted to play more than they did. Today he went to Uncle Allen's and played with Sandy Blane Bella and Trent. He kissed the babies loved on the babies and was so gentle with the kids and the baby. He and Sandy wore each other out and he has crashed on the bed, he is so tired he isnt even snoring. Then we went to visit Ms. Judy at the Legion and went to Waffle House so I could eat. He has been so ama,amazing, and wonderful especially last night when my anxiety was getting the best of me and I had to take my meds early. Fortunately for both of us I have amazing friends and roommates who let me tell them what happened and helped me redirect my attention so I could calm down. Tank was right qith us and if I separated him from me he cried !nd cried. He is amazing and can pick up on when I am not calm and relaxed and he knows when my blood sugar drops. I am so very blessed and fortunate. I owe so very much to Joline Westbrook and her family and my brother and his family for making it possible for me to have such an amazing boy and for being my never ending support system. There are a handful of people who I am blessed to have in my life that have supported me through everything and I am so very grateful for each and every one of you.

Friday Tank and I took a trip we drove for over 3 hours and he did great. Went into a store neither of us have been in and he was perfect, then we went to the ATV park. Everyone at Southern Ridge ATV park was amazing and he did phenominal. He didn't get scared or nervous with the ATV'S or other dogs and the amount of people that were there. I am super proud of him and how amazing he did. He was quite tired when he got home and is still taking extra long naps but he had a great time he played and ran and visited and was spoiled. He had fun and I look forward to taking him again.

Today is the day we have been looking forward to for 2 weeks. All done with his meds from his neuter and officially no more cone, we actually took it off a few days ago he was miserable and it was breaking my heart. Now we can go have more public training and we might start with my Dr. Appt today. Tank wants to let everyone know how much we both appreciate everyone and especially those of you who work and train with us.

Tank is feeling better today he qants to jump on the furniture amd the bed and run in the yard but isn't allowed to yet. I am keeping him in an area where he can keep calm and has limited area to move to try and keep him from hurting himself. His medicine keeps him mostly calm until it starts wearing off then he wants to get hyper again. He took his cone off in the night last night but doesn't seem to have hurt himself at his surgery site. His DNA test and certificate came back he is genetically predisposed to no diseases and is super healthy. He just had his meds about an hour ago so he should be asleep, he didn't cry through the night last night but I did sleep on the floor beside him most of the night. 2 nights on a hard floor use to be much easier.

My mom picked me up from the Vet, they called earlier than they normally would because from the time I woke up until they brought me out to my mom all I did was cry. Mom picked me up amd put me in the jeep and stopped to get me water in a bottle that drips water so I wouldn't drink too fast and get sick, then I wanted up front when we got close to home so mom pulled over in someone's yard so she could put me in the front seat. When we got home everyone was home amd so were 2 of my friends Tim amd Cami. Mom set me up so a sheet covered my bed this way fuzz doesn't get in my sore spot and I pushed it all to the back because the plastic was cold and felt good on my sore spot. This thing was also put in me so if I get lost, mom is hyper OCD about knowing where I am at all times so thats not too likely, or if someone tries to take me then when someone checks my chip they will be able to find my mom and get me home to her. Mom is thinking about putting a GPS tracker on me too just in case, after today I am not sure about too many new things being attached to me. Check with me on that one after the pain meds wear off, that will be in about 15 or 16 days.

Today is a big day for Tank and a day full of anxiety for me. He is getting neutered and his microchip. I will be much more at ease with our socialization training and public access training once his microchip is in. His neuter isn't required for his Service Animal status but is highly highly recommended to keep him from getting distracted if we come upon a female in heat and other things. He will be closely watched and monitored for 14 days and no social or public activity while he is healing. I have gotten so attached and dependant on having him with me that I am sure I will have days or times that it will be hard for me especially in public. Please understand and don't take it personally, I am better with him than I am when he is home or not with me.

I was sent these pics of baby Tank by the wonderful and amazing woman who her amd her husband blessed me with Tank. He is still loved by them and he is loved by me he is one spoiled amd loved fella. Thank you Joline Westbrook for the pics.

A few pics starting from the day I brought him home. I was very blessed when I was gifted with Tank and this is our journey on going.f3om a service dog in training to a fully trained service dog. The whole process will take at least 18 months with a minimum of 120 hours of training every 6 months. A minimum of 30 of those house have to be in public plus socializatoon training. I have been questioned about why am I trainjng him and isn't an ADA certified trainer required to train him. I have 2 AKC certified trainers working with us and as AKC certified trainers they have completed all ADA guidelines. It is not required to use a professional trainer. There are a lot of misconceptions where service dogs are concerned and their training. Yes if you have the medical documentation, which I have, and are approved you can purchase an already trained dog, they cost anywhere between $10,000 and $30,000 each. I don't have that kind of money so I opted for option 2 to train him myself amd pay for training classes. I ask that if you see us out and his vest is on please do not pet him, try to play with him, or try to get his attention, he is working and we are training and he has to know his full attention needs to be on me at all times.