DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Headed to Xenia Ohio

Well we've been having a bear of a time with the connection here at the Hotel. The other night my wife spent 3 hrs getting everything ready and all the pictures she had loaded and just before she was ready to post them... the network line went down and she lost all here work. So we're working on it just don't know when the pictures will be up.

The CNN piece will air in July we'll know soon.

Yesterday and today we practised tracking. James would go hide 4-500 yds away and the dog had to find him. I'll tell ya what when Koda get's within 30-40 yds of him it's hard holding him back.

This evening we will be spending some time inside some stores. James will be holding onto the mobility harness while we'll be holding the leash.

Should be fun as we've already been practising this, just not in the stores yet. They did andvise not to take him into Petsmart right away.

Anyways everything is going fine except that darn network problem.

nordawg

Nor your link was busted.

here is the correct one http://www.justbeingjames.blogspot.com/

Welllllll Michelle James in his infinte wishdom decided that his dog needs a first and last name.... So his full name is Takoda Runner... and he calls him Koda....Unless he's really trying to get his attention then it's.....Takoda Runner...you better listen to me.... I have no idea where James Michele got that from

By the way Michelle my wife and i hope we can meet up with you and Jules while we're down. We'll have to get something planned. We get no days off....we are in training everyday....we get out of training around 4, but by the time Koda shows James how to pee on trees we usually don't leave until 4:30 quarter till 5.

nordawg

thanks 337 i don't handle that part of it although i do take some pictures....

nordawg

sk8termom these dogs are primary austism assistance dogs, because of James other problems our dog was trained in autism assistance, mobility, and tracking. As you probably well know tracking is very important with these kids. If you have any questions you can pm me and i'll help you out anyways i can.

nordawg

Nordawg,

This is an awesome story. I just read the blog, good stuff! You will have to get Koda a Browns bandana for football season.

He's already got one we just forgot to pack it. Otherwise we would already have pictures with him wearing it. My wife going to hate that the internet is working at the minute and she's not here to take advantage of it. Oh well..

nordawg

Saturday wasn't a real good day for James. Started out fine but by the time we made it to where we were going to track James decided he didn't want to be tracked he wanted to play with the 1000 ants he had aggetated. Once he was bit a couple times his tune changed at least long enough to be tracked.

Don't know why he thought we were done and it was lunch time. But when he found out we weren't eating until 1 and then back out at 2 he got to the point it was time for a nap.

He was in luck as the afternoon was spent at the mall handling the dogs so my wife went and i stayed with James. We went to the mall the day before and i handled the dog then so we both got our training.

Anyways we'll be headed to class again soon and koda and i'll will be tracking James this morning. Just pop a couple pain pills and take off.

nordawg

Today we finally got to something that will work at least evry other day... Behavior modafication.... As with most kids with autism they are prone to meltdowns every once in a while... with the long training the last 2 days have been trying at times.

Well when James is having his meltdown or just being antisocial, we now can have the dog nussle on command. Also kiss and lap. Well as i said James just didn't want to continue with anything, but by the time Koda got done nussling and licking his face spotless he was laughing and having a great time. I told him next time he gets in a bad mood i'm going to paint his face with peanutbutter that way Koda can really get into his work and really slobber him up good. Of course by then James says ok dad let's go for it.

He really does love his dog.... Today besides the behavior we did more tracking and tonight we brought James to Wal Mart just to have him walk around with Koda. This way he gets used to being in stores with us. We've been taking him with us on our lunch brakes now for 3 days. Koda slides under the table and stays there out of the way while we eat lunch. Now he does eat either before or after we do. That way we can judge his behavior better to food.

Well only 5 more days of training....

nordawg

today was pretty much the same as the last 2. Tracking at a park in the morning and obedience training in the afternoon. But tomorrow we do our first track inside the Mall. Now that should be interesting....My wife transfered all the pictures to disc and hopes to be able to transfer to the blog. I'll let you know if it works..

nordawg

Good luck tomorrow. Keep us posted!

Well lets see... The mall tracking went great. We`did 3 tracks inside Pennys and all were sussessful.

Now remember earlier i said Koda was a horse. Well earlier in the day we were tracking at one of the parks and Koda lost the scent temperary.

Now when this happens you stop and let the dog circle until he picks it up again. Well while he was circling the leash bumed my hat. Now i know not to reach up and straighten my hat with the hand that controls the leach, but what the heck he was circling.

As soon as i got my hand up [ now i got a good grip on the leash ] Koda picks up the scent and is off in a bee line while i'm doing my best impersonation of Superman flying through the air.

Well anyways i pick myself up and we finish the track and i'll wear my hat backwards from now on when we track.

nordawg

Oh forgot to say if anyone watched FoxNews45 out of Dayton last night. James was the kid at the begining that was being nussled and in the wheelchair that was being pushed with the dog next to him.

nordawg

Dang, I wish I would have known that ahead of time, I would have definitely watched. You guys are becoming quite the celebrities!

I couldn't get this computer to work last night or i would have posted it. You may still be able to retrive it off they site.

Right now we are scheluded somewhere around July 10th for CNN, we sighed our release forms today so they could show the kids having a melt down. And their behaviors before they got their dogs. Also before it's aired on CNN there will be a clip on Larry King not sure on the date on that one. Once i have the dates i'll post them.

nordawg

They did a great job. It also helps that i use to train beagles so i know something about tracking. We learned today that our dogs could also be used to help track lost kids as long as they have a scent of the kid to start on. But of course tracking our kids will be best because they live together.

Today i found James about a 1/2 mile from where we started... and the best part is i stayed on both feet....

nordawg

Great clip!

4 Paws for Ability

Notice how i try to stay out of as many clips as possible...Actually the way my wife and i have it set up is whoever does the morning track the other does the afternoon training that way it works out pretty even so we both get the training needed. It's just when CNN was there they wanted me to work the dog. Hope they don't use that clip as up to then i was pretty good at avoiding the cameras...

nordawg

Well we've been home over a week now and James and his Koda are doing great. Now when we go into stores or restrants James is more open to people instead of turning away he ask everybody if they would like to pet his dog. Which is ok with these dogs as interaction with the public is encouraged.

Well anyways i have the times for when this will be aired on cnn. Karen who owns 4 paws will has been nominated as a local hero for these kids for her work, but they will be doing clips from our traing and also from some of the video we sent in from home so they could train our dog for our needs.

The way i understand it they are an hr long and lots of video. The times i have are:

THIS STARTS THE 17th


CNN USA
THURSDAY Larry King Live - short version - 9-10P / 12-1A / 3-4A
FRIDAY 11A-12P
SATURDAY 11A-12P, 5-6P
HEADLINE NEWS
FRIDAY 7:30-8A, 2:30-3P, 8-9P/10-11P/ 1-2A
CNN INTERNATIONAL
FRIDAY 2A, 7A, 12P, 8P
CNN en ESPANOL
MONDAY Panorama Mundial 9pm
TUESDAY Al Dia 7am, Nuestro Mundo 2pm, Encuentro 6pm, Directo 7pm
SUNDAY Mirador Mundial 7pm

If anyone is interested those are the times i have..


nordawg

Also Koda will be going to Boyscout camp next week with James and walk for life this weekend.

nordawg

Excellent Nor and thanks for the times!

No problem Jules...wish we could have had time to meet you guys while we were done there. We do plan on bringing Koda back for refresher training every yr or so. Maybe then as we won't be so pushed for time.

nordawg

That would be nice, maybe your return visits won't be so intense. I'm looking forward to watching the program.

I came across this article today, thought I'd share the link. Sorry I do not know how to post the story or videos!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/LIVING/07/16/heroes.shirk/index.html

And how are things going, Nordawg?

If you see the young man in the video where he says he's my buddy with the guy sitting next to him with the shirt with Cleveland on the sleeve. Well that's James. His mom is in another shot with James.

Anyways just getting home from boyscout camp. Koda certianly lived up to what his name means as he was a friend to everyone. Made James and Koda the two most popular guys in camp....What a change from previous yrs, as James was so much more interacting with the kids. And to top it off he earned 5 merit badges, and should have 2 more done by the middle of Sept.

nordawg

If Karen wins the hero's award they will then do the 1 hr special. Until then it's just the 2 minute clips that was seen. We didn't know this when we were in training. But anyways i hope she wins the award.

nordawg

Tell James congrats on those merit badges! Way to go kid!

Hey, Nor....I drove by the training place today and thought about you. How's it going?

As A matter of fact i've been through Xenia 4 times this month and thought of you gals..James lost his VNS on his left side do to scare tissue around the nerve and we ended up having to go to Cinninati Childrens because they we're the closes ones that did right hand placement. He's doing fine and if it wasn't for his best buddy Koda being with him the whole time it would have been alot harder..I hate driving the intersate if i don't have to so i took RT4 to Rt 68 to 71. That way i wasn't on the intersate that long..And theres plenty of places to stop along the way..

nordawg

Great stuff Nor....great stuff.

Glad to hear things are going well, even with some bumps in the road.