Gracie II | September 2016

_{Back to school!!!!  Whooohoooooo!  This year we have some pretty cool grade 10 kids.  They seem to really like me.  Most days we practice being patient, focus and following directions.  It’s like we are learning and practicing together which is super cool J  I am also learning how to interact with a new student in a wheel chair.  I’ve never met a person in a wheel chair who wanted to pet me.  My mom talked to the PADS trainer to make sure it was okay for me to learn to put my paws up on this student’s lap so that is something new I’ve learned.  At first I wanted to jump in her lap but now I know that it’s front paws up only!!!  She also runs her fingers through my fur, brushes me and learned to put my cape on as part of the exercises for her hands.  I never thought about how I could help someone in a wheel chair because I’m so little but there are things that I can do with her!!!  My mom arranged for one of my favorite people, Miranda, to bring in PADS Bronx to show my new friend how a PADS dog could help her be more independent.  They did some demo work and talked a lot about all the possibilities that come with having a service dog.  You know, PADS people are really awesome.  I feel proud to have all these really nice people in my life that care about me and who are cheering me on through my training but it’s also pretty great to be able to ask them for help whether it’s training or having someone come to show my kids at school all the things that service dogs can do.  This was also graduation time for PADS dogs going on to enhance lives – I hope they know how much they are loved and appreciated by all of us.  Each dog that goes on to be a service dog, well they open another door for those of us coming through training after them.  It’s another opportunity to educate people and show how important this work that we do is.  Happy Graduation to my pack!  All of my Dr. E. P. Scarlett friends wish you many years of love, loyalty, service and joy xoxo}

_{Submitted By: Tanya L. Miller}