RedSoxRoxyandJanson : Our Journey Began 8-25-16 (Our First Week with Roxy)

https://www.facebook.com/andrea.munkcribbs/videos/10208857236580316/?l=31558211298666076

10 things I have learned as a first time dog owner and service dog owner:

1. Do a little bit, every day.

2. Expect more of your dog, she can do it!

3. TRUST IN THE PROCESS, she knows the scent, you just have to reinforce what she already knows.

4. Do what works for you and your family and lifestyle, she will adjust. She is more flexible than you think. She can be and do what works for your circumstances, your living arrangements, ages of kids, work hours, school schedules, or travel schedules. You bring your dog into your world, not the other way around.

5. Make sure you get advice from the right sources. Everyone will tell you what to do, just like when you are a first time parent. It was overwhelming and intimidating. It helped me to turn ONLY to other Tattle Tail DAD owners and the online training classes by KC. They are safe places to ask questions and share concerns. It saved my life the first 3 months!

6. YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE in your dog for her to BELIEVE IN YOU! If you believe she is alerting, if you believe she is trying to communicate with you...then she IS, and it works! Skepticism prohibits growth. It kept us from bonding earlier. You have to hear her when she is communicating, then she will trust you. The more you trust in HER, the more she trusts in YOU, and her alerting happens more and more! Positive reinforcement works miracles! A bond begins, and you will be surprised what happens next! It is a process.

7. Never stop working basic commands. And, go back to the basics when you don't get the results you want. Every stage/phase is temporary; so don’t give up, it will get easier.

8. Our service dog is another tool in our tool belt. She is not always perfect or right. She is a loving animal, not a machine or a piece of technology or an algorithm used to calculate blood glucose levels. (Although, I have found to trust her over these tools sometimes!)

9. She works for me, but her person is the diabetic, and their bond is unique.

10. I didn't know how much I could love her! The love our dog gives us is unconditional, and I find myself loving her more and more every day. Kissing her and cuddling with her happens daily in our home!

Our ‘Red Sox Roxy’ is now 8 months old. She was named after Janson’s favorite baseball team, and she lives up to her name! She loves watching him play baseball, fetching foul balls, and alerting when he gets caught up in the game and his BGs are high or low. We still have a LONG way to go on our journey… but if you would have told me 2 years ago…”you are going to be a proud owner of a diabetic alert service dog, and you are going to do all the training from 8 weeks on yourself”, I would have laughed in your face and said you were crazy! This process does work. It is not easy. It is a journey. And it is so worth it!

Proud Owner of a Tattle Tail DAD,

Andrea Cribbs

Mom to Roxy’s person

14 year old Janson Cribbs

(Type I Diabetic since 19 months old)

RedSoxRoxyandJanson

Thursday, March 16, 2017

Our Journey Began 8-25-16 (Our First Week with Roxy)

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