Pet Photo Contest!

Photo Contest Fundraiser? I think so!!

Rules:
*$5/entry (no limit on entries/person)
*email photo to pawsforcayleb@gmail.com by November 30th, 2013 00:00
*Theme: Halloween with your pet (pet in costume etc.)
Prizes to be announced soon!!

Ivy's criptonite

Our first full day home with Ivy and already we've broken her. 'Ivy, come' I manage to say in a high happy tone ... Ivy stands firm and won't move. 'Puppy, puppy, puppy'. Still Ivy won't move. I reach for my phone to call NSD emergency hotline when I see him. Sitting just around the corner is a dark (and light) small figure. 

Meet Ivy

Ivy is a sweet natured, even tempered yellow Labrador retriever. Ivy has amazing focus and deep drive to please. We are still getting to know Ivy. Cayleb fell in love with her instantly!

Ivy is home

Her whole life has led her to this moment, she has met her forever best friend. Ivy is home.

The final day

I cannot believe how quickly this week has passed. I also cannot believe that we are taking Ivy home to Cayleb.

Words cannot even begin to describe the heart felt gratitude I feel towards National Service Dogs! The hard work, dedication, passion and love that is put into the service dog program is unprecedented! The gift of safety, independence and love that Cayleb is receiving can only be summed up into one word....Ivy!

It dawned on me this morning that the moment Ivy has been working towards her whole life will happen today when she meets Cayleb. Actually, it started before her life began when NSD paired up her parents, NSD Jemma and GD Tommy to breed. With the care and dedication given to Ivy by Misha and Josie during her Puppy raising, Ivy was started on the right foot that has brought her to today. At 18 months when Ivy was removed from the family she loved, she was met by the amazing trainers that would teach her to keep our child safe. Many hours this team spent discussing our family, Cayleb and the dogs in intensive training to make a perfect match. Not all the dogs are suited to be autism service dogs for a variety of reasons. Finally these dogs are met by a group of scared and uncertain adults, two of whom they will call Mom and Dad (or whatever appropriate names reflect that family and their dynamics) for the rest of their lives.

5 days later they are brought to meet the child that they will be bonded to and of whom they will become inseperable! 

Ivy has dedicated her life to help Cayleb and because of that, she is worthy of carrying the name National Service Dog.

It took a village to raise Ivy and by association our Cayleb. We are so greatful for that village and are honoured to be a part of it-forever part of the NSD family!

Team Training, so far....

Team Training started on Saturday, October 19th, at NSD where all 7 families were introduced to both each other and our trainers. Sunday was our first busy day. We met and worked with all 7 dogs (Nestle, Jasmine, Jelly Bean, Juno, Ivy, Izzy and Harris) multiple times as the NSD trainers taught us the commends, one by one, these dogs have been using for the past 6 months. It was challenging to remember to use the correct tone, sequence of command-corrections-praise, but mostly which dog we were working with, as we'd have to quickly scroll through the rolladex of names before spitting out the right one. After an exhausting day of learning how to work with a NSD dog and being watched by the team of four trainers, we were taken back to our hotel rooms to wait for the dog that would instantly join our family and forever change our lives.

The moment there was a knock on our door, my heart skipped a beat. This was the moment we had been waiting two years for. Was this actually happening? Opening the door, we were greeted by four smiling faces and the beautiful miss Ivy. I realized in that moment, these trainers (Cathy, Jillian, Vicki and Tamara) had been waiting for this moment for two years as well. And all the hard work we had all put into this moment suddenly became worth it.

Ivy, of course, is perfect. I cannot believe how amazing she is (and that the NSD decided to give US the BEST dog!). Ivy is sweet natured, VERY focused and quiet. Our first night with Ivy was great as she slept through the night on her doggie bed - the doggie bed we have had Cayleb sleeping on for over a month.

We have now completed two full days of working with Ivy, with the direction given to us by the NSD trainers, and volunteer Catrina, Keeping Ivy's focus while passing distractions, learning to walk with her down the stairs at a safe pace, perfecting our various vocal tones for commands and praise and loading Ivy in and out of the NSD van are just of the few things we have slowly becoming more confident at.

(Ivy, practising 'leave it' with a pile of food)

So here we are at day 5 of training with Cayleb's dog, imagining how much life is going to change the moment we bring this wonderful dog home. We already cannot imagine life without her big brown eyes looking at us for direction and approval.

Today will prove to be an emotional day as we prepare to meet the puppy trainers that so generously opened their homes and hearts to our dog, knowing that at 18mths they would have to give her back - knowing she will change a child's life, but still be missing in their hearts. Today we won't have the words to thank the people who raised our Ivy, who gave their time, hard work and love, all for a child they have never met. Today, we will let them know our lives are changed because of them. Today, and everyday, I will cry because of what Ivy means for Cayleb and our family and because of the kindness of people who made this possible simply because. Today is day 5.

Welcome to the family Ivy, now forever known as Ivy Jevnikar! Photo taken immediately after we were given Ivy for Cayleb.

Doggone tired

Ivy had a very busy day today. Her rest is well-earned!

Introducing.....

IVY

The newest Jevnikar!!

Ivy is a pure bred golden Labrador. Born on October 2, 2011, she is 2 years old. 

We are absolutely thrilled to have Ivy in our family and cannot wait to introduce her to Cayleb! 

Nestlé

Harris

Harris

Jasmine

Jasmine

Jellybean

Jellybean

Ivy

Juno

Juno

Juno

Working with Izzy

Izzy

We are working with Izzy first! 

Today's schedule

Day 2

Getting into the vans at the hotel. 1st stop, Tim's then NSD!!! This is actually happening!!!!!

Day 1

Today we were introduced to some NSD staff and the other 6 families receiving service dogs this week. Everything our dog will need was also given to us. Tomorrow we need the poop bags, treat pouch and our training binder!

It is still very surreal that tomorrow we will meet Cayleb's service dog!

See for yourself!

Want to see what we are getting ourselves into? Watch this amazing documentary by animal planet!

It doesn't seem all that long ago that I was sitting at the computer at Malton Station, going over the National Service Dogs application form with my then partner, and good friend Scott. Scott, owner of two dogs, and I were discussing the responsibility of dog ownership and what a service dog could mean for Cayleb. It was in fact just over two years ago that we started our journey to obtain a special friend to help Cayleb (and our family) have a bit easier time of things.

And now, here we are only a few days away from Eric's and my week of training at NSD with Cayleb's new dog. We are so grateful for all the supportive friends and family who have helped us along this journey. Of course we will want you to join us during training, so check back here for daily updates!

 We have raised over $23,000 for National Service Dogs so far. We will continue to fund raise in hopes to achieve our goal of $30K which will cover the cost of training Cayleb's dog throughout his/her career.

1 week

About this time next week we will be calling home to tell Cayleb his new dog's name and emailing him a picture. So very excited about this!!