Mea Culpa!

When Cura first came home, due to my inexperience and a desire to 'make my life easier', I went ahead and got one of those Service Dog "certifications" that can be sent away for by just about anyone.  I have mentioned having a meaningless certification before.  Well, when the certificate came, it included a couple of "Registered Service Dog" patches.  I didn't get them put on Cura's daily vest or pack, but they were added onto her Cooling Coat.  Now that the weather is warmer, Cura is using her Cooling Coat more often and walking around town flashing the "Registered" patches all over the place. 

So what, you may ask . . . what difference does it make?  Well, here is the problem . . . by displaying patches that indicate that Cura is registered, it supports and promotes the public's misconception that Service Dogs need to be registered.  I am not sure why I did not make this connection earlier, but something that Heather said the other day suddenly clicked.  By the next day, the "Registered Service Dog" patches were removed from Cura's Cooling Coat.  I have to order another pair of her 'normal' Service Dog patches, but at least I am no longer contributing to the problem.

In reality, initially gettting the certificate and the patches was probably something that I needed to do.  I was not ready to deal with access challenges without having some kind backup -- no matter how flimsy I knew them to be.  If I could flash a patch, card, or piece of paper that others would see as validating Cura's status as a Service Dog, then I could avoid an unwanted confrontation.  Even with that support, for several months I came away from almost every access challenge with my heart pounding, hands shaking, and knees weak.  It took me a long time to feel comfortable dealing with such situations without getting overly stressed. 

Now after over a year of practice, it is time to stop leaning on these crutches and stop supporting the idea that Service Dogs should be registerd by displaying patches, etc. that indicate Cura is registered.  I apologize for buying into the hype.  I realize that I potentially made it harder for the Service Dog Team that happened to follow after me without some "registration".  Fortunately, one of the benefits of having Cura in my life for the past 15 months is gaining the skills to deal with such conflicts when they arise.  I am happy to say that I will not longer be sending out false impressions -- the patches are off! 

I have stopped 'making my life easier'.  In the long run, it is more effective to do the hard work of educating those who do not know any better.  I am now up to performing this task 100% of the time.  It may not always be fun, but it will always be worth it.  Thanks Heather for persisting and helping me to see the light!

Crawling out from the Cave!

Finally, I feel like it has been forever!  I apologize to all of you who have patiently been waiting for me to pop my head up and re-enter the blogosphere.  To make a long story short, my absence began because I became ill -- for weeks!  Yes, I was one of those fortunate souls that got that lingering cold/flu (no N1H1 though -- yay!).  After finally recovering, I have spent the last month or so dealing with current activities while playing catch up and getting things back under control.  I believe that I am finally to the point where I can resume my blogging on a regular basis.  So, here goes!

First, since so many of you probably have four legged fuzzies in your home, or know someone who does, I thought I would pass on an opportunity to lend a helping hand in the Gulf.  Some of our local businesses are collecting human and animal hair to be sent to the Gulf so that it can be used to soak up the oil. Apparently, hair has been used effectively in the past to clean up oil spills and some eco-conscious businesses are making it easy for us to gather this easily acquired item and get it to where it can really do some good. Check out Matter of Trust for more information on how collecting all that hair that your dog or cat is spreading around your carpet and furniture can be used to combat the oil gushing into the ecosystem. If you are not aware of any businesses collecting in your area, you can sign up on the website and they can provide a location for you to send your clippings. They are also looking for donations of nylons -- and they don't have to be pristine -- they stuff the nylons with the hair and create a hair boom to gather the oil. Even better . . . do you know a local groomer? Get them involved!

Now, on to a bit of an update . . . well, an update on one thing anyway -- more will follow in later posts.  Some of you may remember that Cura and I were scheduled to go to a Conference in April.  Despite not being fully recovered, we did go.  It was my first with this particular organization so really wanted to go.  But on top of that, this going to be a great opportunity to see how Cura handled a Conference situation.  There are some major national conferences that I want to eventually attend, so this smaller gathering was a good test run.  On top of that, this was the location that had informed me that they required certification for any Service Animals (see Traveling with a Service Dog) and I saw it as both an educational opportunity as well as a sitiuation for me to practice dealing with these types of situations.

We traveled by car and Cura was her usual laid back travel complanion.  Though she does get a bit antsy once we have been travelling for about an hour -- looking around, sniffing the air.  It is almost as if we hit a point where she realized that she doesn't recognize the sights or smells and she spends about 15-30 minutes trying to record them in case she needs them.  Then, she settles down for the rest of the trip until we get close to our destination -- then she gets antsy again, but more expectant, like she knows the trip is about to end. 

When we got to the hotel, I just had to show the front desk Cura's Service Dog Tag.  I had her certificate, but I was not going to show it unless I had to.  Once they had made a copy of the tag, I politely let them know that thier procedures were inappropriate and that, it was possible that they could run into some difficulties if they continued to require people with Service Animals to provide certification when they checked into the hotel since it was against both ADA Federal and New Mexico legistation.  I suggested that the clerk inform the manager so that they can avoid problems in the future.  I am not sure if he did -- but I did my bit.  I was tempted to call and pretend to make a reservation again, just to see if they changed their practices -- but have not gotten around to it.  I still may do it . . . just to see if I need to follow up and contact someone higher on the totem pole.

Cura dealt with the crowds well.  In fact, she was quite popular.  I have run into several people that were at the conference and they all recognize me because they remember Cura.  She was a big hit -- everyone commented on how well behaved she was.  She still has a bit of trouble with camera flashes -- too much like lightening.  But each event we attend where people are taking pictures that require a flash, she gets better. 

The conference days were long and full of activity and the trip was followed by over a week of very busy days.  By the end of it, Cura was knackered!  She even got to the point where she didn't really want to go out a couple of times (more on that, later).  But, all in all, it was a successful trip.  I think Cura will manage a larger conference quite well!

Traveling with a Service Dog . . .

In April, Nonna Ear Rubs and I will be attending a conference that will require us to stay in a hotel for a couple of nights. Nonna Ear Rubs made the accommodations reservations and, to smooth the waters a bit, informed the hotel that we would have a Service Dog with us. The person on the phone immediately informed her that we would need to provide Service Dog Certification when we arrived. The implication being that if I did not provide a certificate, we would be turned away. This is actually illegal.

First, let me just say that, as a rule, I inform businesses that I have a Service Dog as soon as possible because it tends to head off any negative reactions to my having a dog with me. It is for this same reason that I make sure that Cura has either her vest or pack, complete with patches, on when we are in public. At the VERY least she has a Service Dog tag on her collar. But, NONE of this is required by law. The ADA does not require that Service Dogs be certified or registered. Nor does it require that the animal wear any kind of identifying equipment.

Now, in addition to making sure that Cura wears clear identification that she is a Service Animal, when Cura came home, I did go to the trouble to purchase a "certificate" for her. It took my doctor and a vet filling out a form that I submitted with my fee and the certificate was issued. The fee was minimal -- not one of those companies that charge hundreds of dollars. But, the reality of the situation is that this 'Service Dog Certificate' was issued by an an organization that not only did nothing to train Cura in her skills, but did not personally evaluate her performance as a Service Dog. Anyone who could get their doctor to say that they need a Service Animal and a vet that would say that their animal was not a danger to society could get this certificate. Does this mean that the animal is actually able to act as a Service Animal? -- NO!

Will I take a copy of Cura's certification with us on the trip? Yes, the hotel indicated that it should be brought, so I will bring it, in order to avoid conflict. However, upon check in, I will be having a discussion with the manager (and, depending on how that goes, following up with some kind of written correspondence) about the illegality of their requests. If I run into too much trouble, I will call the appropriate authorities and report them.  Do I want it to come to that? Of course not. But, at the same time, they are asking for information that they are not legally permitted to require. I hope that it doesn't escalate, but I have plenty of time to prepare for any eventuality.

Nonna Ear Rubs wanted to know why we bothered to inform them that we would have a Service Dog with us when we made the reservation if we didn't have to.  It is all about making things easier. If the organization knows that I will have a Service Dog, when I show up with Cura, there is a good(ish) chance that she will be expected and I will not run into the initial 'No Dogs Allowed' mentality. I am all for avoiding conflict if possible -- but I will not tfacilitate illegal behavior. I plan to inform them that their request was illegal. If they insist on seeing a certificate, I might just get the authorities involved -- not because I do not have a certificate, but because they have no legal grounds to require one.

Well, the conference is not until April so there is time . . . for all I know, I am getting worked up about nothing because as soon as I make it clear that I know the law and my rights, they will back down. Who knows? But I will be sure to let you know what happens.

Filling a niche?

Recently, I began to focus some energy towards making some additions to Cura's Corner. I have attempted to add to Cura's Blog List AND embraced the concept of Blog Buttons, creating Cura's Button Exchange. This has resulted in a number of additions to both lists. Apart from the realization that there are a number of people checking in on Cura and I on a regular basis, this process also made me realize that there are very few current Service Dog Blogs out there.  I have conducted several searches and most of the hits that come up are at least a year old --  and many posts are older than that.  If you find an active blog that I have missed, PLEASE share -- post a comment with the link and I will GLADLY put it on one of Cura's lists!  Also, if you have a favorite doggie site or blog, let me know and I will check it out.

So, it makes me wonder why many of the Service Dog Blogs that were out there do not have any recent posts.  Based on my statistics (at least as far as I can interpret them -- STILL struggling with Stat Programs), there is an audience out there . . . so why did so many other blogs on the subject fail to thrive?  My guess is that the key is to make it more than a 'dry' and 'practical' blog -- while it is important to address issues that Service Dog Teams encounter, I think that it is also important to share the joys, successes, trials, and tribulations that any person with a dog in their life may encounter.

Sure, Service Dog Training requires more precision than the average pet owner finds necessary, but the basic challenges do apply -- one of the main differences is that a pet is not required to get over their challenges because they do not necessarily have to deal with them . . . they can just stay home.   I hope that some of the things that Cura and I experience, combined with the guidance that we receive, will prove helpful to many of you, whether you are blessed with a Service Dog or a beloved Canine Companion  (both provide vital roles).

It is my hope that I will ultimately include all my followers in at least one of my two lists.  If you have a button, please let me know if you are not already included in the banner marque to the left and I will add you!  If you don't have a Blog Button, but still follow Cura's Corner, I will be happy to add your URL to Cura's Blog List, just let me know that you are out there!  Leave a comment  and I will be happy to check out your blog and add you to one of our lists!


Now that the technical post is over, check back later today or tomorrow for Cura's weekly adventures . . .

Why a Service Dog?

Since just before the first of the year, I have been working on making some adjustments in my life -- not New Year's Resolutions (I think I mentioned before that I don't really do those) -- but focusing my energies in different directions. The process involves several meetings/interviews with various people to determine the best direction to proceed. This past week, I met with a couple of different (new) individuals and spent quite a bit of time answering tons of questions. Not exactly my favorite thing -- carrying on conversations about myself with people who I have just met -- in fact I find these things very uncomfortable. But, I survived and am moving forward with the process.

And why am I sharing this? Well, each time, the conversation inevitably came around to the topic of my having a Service Dog . . . how did I come to have one, what does she do for me, how long have I had her . . . those types of things. All of these are questions that I have encountered on a number of occasions and have gotten pretty good at fielding. I was under the mistaken impression that I had encountered all the different questions that would come up -- maybe worded differently -- but essentially the same thing. Well, I was taken by surprise . . .

When I explained that one of the things that Cura helped me with was my balance, I was asked why I hadn't just gotten a cane . . . or maybe it was had I ever thought of getting a cane instead. I honestly don't really remember the exact wording. It is hard to explain all of the emotions that I felt when I heard the question (and there were a lot of them) -- but it definitely left me speechless. I mean, how does one answer that question in a way that makes sense to a person who would compare Cura's value to me with a cane? I must confess, that when I finally found the words, they sounded very clinical -- pointing out the things that Cura did that I would not be able to accomplish with a cane. But I found the question pretty offensive. Cura may be placed in the same category, legally, as things like canes and wheelchairs, but she is not some inanimate object to be leaned or parked in a corner someplace when not in use! Not to mention that she does so much more for me than any of those things could.  ***I realized when re-reading this before posting, that the statement about Cura not being put in a corner "when not in use" was not exactly accurate . . . she is frequently lying nearby, out of the way, when we are out and about - and sometimes it is in a corner.  The difference is that she is always on duty in those instances, ready to step up and help when asked (and sometimes without being asked).  But hopefully everyone gets the point I was trying to make.***

I honestly thought that the most disturbing question I would ever encounter was some version of "What is wrong with you, why do you need a Service Dog?" You know, the one where some stranger feels they have the right to ask for and receive a run down of my personal medical condition(s). The one where they expect me to justify my need for a Service Dog . . . oh, and then they play the "I didn't mean to offend you" card when I politely inform them that it is not appropriate/polite to ask a person that question (Gotta LOVE that!). Anticipating this invasion of my privacy, I have tried out various responses to date, some more comfortable and successful than others. But, this last week showed me that there were other disturbing questions that could -- and would -- be asked. To date, the most disturbing question that I have been asked infers that a lovely, generous creature, both dedicated to and successful in improving my life, is no different than an inanimate piece of medical equipment!

Please, if you are a person without a Service Dog that is reading this blog, try to remember that not everyone wishes to share their personal medical history with a stranger -- be honest, would you? (very seldom am I offended if someone asks nicely, it is simply none of their business!) More importantly from my perspective, our Service Dogs are both physically and emotionally important to our daily life. That means that -- despite what the law says -- instead of seeing them as a piece of medical equipment, we frequently see them as a new lease on life. They open doors for us that were previously closed or difficult to navigate. No matter how successful I have been in maintaining an outward picture of calm and comfort in many situations, that is all it is -- a picture. The reality was (and, to some extent, still is) very different. But Cura makes all that easier -- respect her, and me, for it.

Please, think before you speak or ask a question -- if you honestly would not mind being spoken to in such a way or asked such a question . . . well, fair enough (though I hope you will be open to the reality that your comfort zone may be different from others), but if you would rather not be spoken to in such a way or would not like to answer such a question -- don't expect another person to be comfortable either.

Welcoming Access

I have alluded to the fact that Cura and I are frequently warmly welcomed by most businesses. There are a couple of incidences that I would like to highlight at this point -- particularly since I have posted on my difficulties in this area before (without identifying the businesses, of course, given our litigious society). Some information will be very specific while others will be less detailed. However, unlike my posts dealing with negative experiences -- I will happily provide specific information about those businesses that, in my experience, have either welcomed or encouraged my patronage as a person with a service animal.

I have frequently been met with smiles and compliments at the Walmart on Unser in Rio Rancho as well as the one on Coors in Albuquerque -- there was one incident of a challenge, but most times I was welcomed right off the bat. I frequent both of these locations often and have almost always been welcomed warmly initially and am convinced that the only 'challenge' that I experienced was either an innocent or a legitimate concern by an employee that had not registered Cura's vest (I still find this a baffling, but legitimate reaction) or was overly exuberant about their responsibilities since, once it was brought to the employee's attention, we were welcomed without further protest.

Hello Deli on Jefferson NE in Albuquerque on Monday 27 July: We descended upon them with several challenges: a grandmother using a walker, a service dog (Cura), AND a pet dog (Skye). They not only welcomed us all to their patio, they graciously volunteered to bring the dogs a bowl of water! After the initial offer, at least two other members of the staff came out and asked if anyone had brought the dogs water -- this was a rather hot day (somewhere in the 90's) so this attention was very appreciated. While I always attempt to insure that I have Cura's needs taken care of to the best of my ability (yes, I manage to forget things once in a while), it is VERY pleasing when a business is willing to provide for my service dog while they are providing a service to me. Hello Deli certainly managed to do this when we were there -- thank you very much!

Scalo on Central SE in Albuquerque 28 July: OH MY GOODNESS! What a lovely experience! Once again, we were on the Patio, but only because the person who arrived first thought that Skye would be with us in addition to Cura. But, because of our plans for the day, Skye was not with us -- while there is a possibility that Skye will, eventually, become an assistance animal, that decision has not yet been made and she is not in a training program as of yet, so does not have the same access as Cura. First, I would like to compliment Scalo on the patio environment that they provide -- despite rather high temperatures, the patio is quite pleasant. On top of that, our waiter graciously asked if he could provide Cura with some water. Unfortunately, I neglected to note the name of our server (something that I have now vowed to remedy when I am out and about from now on because I want to give credit to individuals when it is warranted -- and this server DEFINITELY warranted it!). All I can do is try to give as much information as possible in the hopes that this individual will be recognized by his employer for his excellence. Prior to my disability, I was a server at a restaurant and I am both sympathetic to the stresses of the job and I also have very clear expectations of what warrants exceptional service, and what we received that day was, without a doubt, exceptional (even my father of Scottish descent, who frequently conforms to the monetary stereotype, loosened his purse to acknowledge the service we received this day). As I am sure you have already figured out -- our server was male. In addition, he sported a closely shaven/bald head and a crucifix around his neck. We were the only party on the patio at the time. There were four of us in the party along with Cura -- one of which was my grandmother who, while physically challenged, is very decisive and alert. In addition to making sure that Cura's needs were taken care of, our server also gave me ample opportunities to reinforce Cura's training. Not only is she supposed to be friendly in public when given permission, but she is also supposed to avoid contact and distraction. Our dog-loving server gave me the opportunity to reinforce both responses to public overtures. Thank you!

Satellite on Alameda in Albuquerque (several instances): While there is nothing overly exceptional here -- it is just as important to me to have a 'normal', 'uneventful' experience as it is to have an exceptional one. Every time I have gone to Satellite, I have had a very calm, normal, unstressful, experience. We have always been on the patio because Skye has been with us, but I have always been the one to go in and order and not once has anyone reacted to Cura's presence. Thank you, Satellite, for helping me to feel just like any other customer!

Flying Star in Bernallio on Saturday 25 July: Very similar to my Satellite experiences, this breakfast at the Flying Star was very mundane. But it is VERY important to realize -- from my perspective, having a rather mundane experience is actually desired. Ultimately, I wish to have the same service as any other customer at a restaurant -- the difference is that "I" includes both myself AND Cura. So, making sure we both have a comfortable experience goes a long way in my book. Flying Star managed to provide a pleasant experience for both Cura and I when we visited. While it was not an exceptional experience, it WAS a normal one and, in my life, normalcy is warmly embraced!

These are some of the local businesses that are providing me with normal or exceptional experiences. Thank you so much. Regardless of whether it is a "normal" or an "exceptional" experience -- BOTH are greatly appreciated. I will gladly recognize future positive experiences with details and share less than positive experiences by providing ambiguous details -- just stay tuned!

Denying Access

Okay, so I feel that I must preface this post with a disclaimer . . . the majority of the time I do not run into this problem AT ALL -- frequently I am equally amazed at the positive and welcoming reactions that I encounter. In fact, several reactions in particular have impressed me recently so I am confident that a number of future posts will concentrate on more positive experiences . . . I promise. But for now, I want to address the issue of individuals and businesses attempting to thwart (either overtly or subtly) many state laws and the federal law by attempting to deny service dogs and their handlers or charges access to public areas.

It is amazing to me how many people come up to me and tell me that I can't bring Cura into a particular place. But what amazes me even more is that when I inform them that she is a service dog, their response is some version of 'Oh, she is? I didn't know . . . ' Now, I realize that I have not put up any pictures of Cura when she is in her working gear (after all, usually when she is working I am not in a position to be snapping pictures). I will now remedy that . . .




Cura 'off-duty'


In her vest


In her pack


In her cooling coat

As you can see, Cura is VERY clearly identified as a service dog at all times, particularly when she is working. When she is not working she only has a badge attached to her collar that identifies her but when she is working she is either in a vest, a pack, or a cooling coat (or some combination of the three) ALL of which have SEVERAL patches identifying her as a service dog AND asking that people not pet her (they don't always work, but that will probably be a whole other blog).

As you can see, her vest and pack are red -- very noticeable against her black coat -- and her cooling coat is silver -- again, anything but invisible! I am baffled that so many people apparently do not realize that Cura is a service dog. I can only imagine what people that don't put clear identification on their dogs go through -- after all, it is my understanding that legally it is not necessary for a service dog to wear anything that identifies them as a working animal (though it certainly makes things easier if they ARE identified). In fact, it can get down right expensive to get the equipment -- even for a person like me who is bargain shopping and buying less costly items.

As baffled as I am about people attempting to deny us access directly despite Cura being clearly identified as a service dog, there is a more passive aggressive response that I find even more disconcerting, probably because I have not figured out a consistant method for dealing with it yet. This passive aggressive response does not involve any direct contact with the individual in question. Instead of coming forward and telling me that I can't bring Cura inside the establishment, they just follow us around 'keeping and eye on us'. I have come to think of these people as 'lurkers'. Lurkers are different from the people who leave us alone but are fascinated by the whole service dog concept and watch us with a smile on their face, some form of positive expression, and a sparkle in their eyes. Instead, lurkers are hanging around with a sour look. I believe that they are just WAITING for Cura to do something that will allow them to make us leave. After all, Cura may be legally allowed to be there, but if they can make a case that she is being disruptive to the business or customers, legally she can be asked to leave -- and even can be banned from the premises permanently.

Unfortunately, the two most obvious occurrences of this happened in a national department store -- a rather surprising situation for me. I must admit to being naive and assuming that any national department store would train their employees on the proper way of dealing with service animals and, to be fair, most of the stores, department or otherwise, have been very supportive and respectful of the fact that I had an assistance animal. This particular store, on two separate occasions, resulted in two different members of staff 'trailing' me. I felt as if I was followed throughout the store, but I must admit that I am not 100% sure that was actually the case -- I may have only been shadowed through that particular employee's department.

Why is this more disturbing to me than a person coming up to me and trying to get me to leave? Well, for one I feel like I am being stalked by a person that does not have positive intentions toward me -- disconcerting, to say the least. Also, in such situations, I am not given an opportunity to counter what I see as their aggression. But, more importantly, the whole situation tends to make Cura a bit jumpy and distracted (ironically increasing the chances that the lurker could claim she is disrupting business). I have not yet worked out whether Cura is reacting to the lurker directly or if she is reacting to my discomfort over the situation. In a way, I hope it is the latter because, from a training perspective, that is simpler to deal with because to solve Cura's discomfort, I just need to control my reaction to the lurker which will likely just be a matter of figuring out how to deal with the situation. If Cura is being affected by the lurker directly, that becomes more complicated to deal with -- though not impossible.

I am very divided about how to deal with lurkers. A part of me wants to go up to them and ask if I can help them -- meanwhile, potentially informing them that they are affecting Cura's ability to do her job by shadowing us and, therefore, breaking the law (this is the more practical and assertive part). Another part of me just wants to ignore the situation and get out of there as soon as possible (the non-confrontational part). Still another part wants to go up to them and tell them to bugger off and leave us alone (definitely a confrontational part, influenced by my stay in Scotland)! These are only the three most prominent reactions, there have been others. So, I am not sure (yet) how to deal with lurkers, but I know that I must figure it out for both Cura and my sakes. Note to self: Remember to have a chat with Rick and Heather about this one!

Interestingly enough, one of the local papers recently ran an article directed at individuals with service animals suggesting that, if any business challenged their right to access, they should not only inform the representative of the business of the fact that they are breaking the law, but that they should call the police and report the incident so that the business could be cited for the violation (presumably to prevent the business from attempting to deny access to future service animals and their charges who would not be inclined to assert their rights and insist on being allowed access). Now, while there are already one or two businesses that I would be more than happy report if they give me a hard time one more time (personally, I find this a bit disturbing since I have only had a service animal for four months), I am not sure that calling the cops would be my first reaction if I ran into any resistance by a particular business. After all, my gut tells me that, usually, it is more a case of individual employee ignorance of the law than overt discrimination (I DO know that employees at one business believe that they are acting on the instructions of the owner, but my optimism prompts me to also believe that they have misunderstood or missed the clarification that there is a difference between 'dogs' and 'service dogs'). Therefore, I personally am more inclined to give both businesses and individuals the benefit of the doubt. So, as frustrating as direct challenges and lurkers can be, I think that I will only pick up the phone for repeated or exceptional offenses. Some may see that as overly generous, but I see it as being flexible and understanding -- maybe it is because I am a teacher by profession, but I tend to see these situations as opportunities to educate. Like a teacher, I believe that if the lesson is learned there is no need to penalize the student -- however, if the student repeatedly 'fails the test' then they must suffer the consequences of their actions (or lack thereof). So, businesses be warned -- while it may not be my FIRST reaction, I do have former students that will attest to the fact that I am not shy about failing those who consistently show an inability to grasp the facts and act accordingly.

Navigating a Road Trip

Whew! We have been back from our Road Trip for a full week now and things are (very) slowly getting back to normal. Well, at least as normal as they can be when family is visiting. Now that I can take a little breath -- I have actually caught up with my course grading and have nothing outstanding to return to students -- I have time to contemplate our trip from a 'person and service dog partnership' perspective. A few thoughts come to mind.

First, this was an authentic 'Road Trip' because we traveled by car going from New Mexico up to Omaha, Nebraska then back down to Hays, Kansas and back to New Mexico. It was 'girls only' -- myself, mom, Cura and Skye -- spending a week together filled with driving in the car, living in hotels, and strange environments for the dogs.

Amazingly enough, Cura did a wonderful job of reminding us to stop on a regular basis to take a break, stretch and get the blood flowing after sitting in the car. About every two hours, she would get restless and give a little whine. If we didn't stop within about 5-10 minutes, she would whine again. Never anything overwhelming -- just a little noise that seemed to say 'Hey, we need to stop soon.' Funnily enough, when we stopped and got out, she didn't always need to relieve herself, sometimes she just walked around for a bit. Whether she intended her actions to benefit mom and I or not, the result was that every few hours we stopped and walked around for a bit. When we got into North Platte that first night after 13 hours on the road, both of us were much better off than I would have expected. I was amazed at my condition. To be honest, I had anticipated having a disturbing sleep that night brought about by overexertion since one of the things that complicates my condition is staying in one position for too long at a single stretch or too frequently throughout the day. Instead, I slept surprisingly well and awoke fairly refreshed the next day. If we had not been traveling with Cura, I don't think we would have stopped as regularly and the trip would have ultimately been more physically difficult.

One thing that I didn't expect was to have a difficult time getting the dogs to eat! We ended up bringing home half of the food that we took on the trip and we had portioned out the food so that we took only what was needed, plus a cushion of two meals just in case. They averaged one meal a day, but in actuality, there were times that they didn't eat for 24+ hours. Try as we might, sometimes Cura was just not comfortable enough to eat. I am sure that there were a number of factors that played into this and it was probably a different issue or combination of issues each time. I am sure the weather had a role in it because there were times when it was at least threatening if not actually stormy. Also, the fact that she was in a strange place and was being asked to eat in a different place than she was used to (she always eats in the same place at home) and she didn't want to be left behind (not that she ever is, but then again if one thing is different, maybe other things will be too!). There were times when she planted herself in front of the hotel room door so that she would know if anyone left. On the few occasions that I left the room to get something like ice or something to drink, if I didn't take her with me she was sitting right in front of the door waiting for me when I came back even though mom and Skye were in the room with her. Definitely a disconcerting thing for her.

I realize that this installment is starting to get on the long side but I want to share one final thing before signing off. We were in Nebraska and went to breakfast at the hotel. Cura was, of course, with me. Immediately upon seating myself in the breakfast room while I was still getting Cura settled, I was approached by a member of staff and informed dogs were not allowed in that area of the hotel. I explained that Cura was a service dog and when they insisted that Nebraska Law forbade dogs in any area where food was served I replied that I did not know what the relevant laws were for Nebraska, but Federal Law dictated that service dogs did have access to any area that was open to the public and to my knowledge no state had the authority to ignore Federal Law. She went away a bit flustered, but came back a few minutes later apologizing SEVERAL times.

I tried to reassure her that it was not a problem. Even having a service dog for as short a time as I have, I have been challenged directly on a number of occasions. If I got upset every time it happened I would be wasting a lot of energy! She went away, but came back again after a few minutes still apologizing and then started to strike up a conversation. Now, this would have been fine except that in her desire to be out of the breakfast traffic, she chose to stand very close to the spot that I had tucked Cura in so that she was out of the way. What do you suppose happened??? Yep -- she stepped on Cura's tail!!! KNOWING that the dog was there, she managed to step on her! It was not a light step either because Cura yelped and jumped up. The good thing is that she didn't do anything else but lean up against me -- so a desirable reaction, given the alternatives. But the whole situation was a bit infuriating because this prompted yet another shower of apologies! Please -- apologize if you must, it is greatly appreciated. BUT, only a single sincere apology is necessary! And, for goodness sake -- don't step on the service dog!