Marshโ€™s Marvellous month of December:

This month, I have confidently settled into my co-raising routine. At school, the kids know how and when to give me space when Iโ€™m in training mode. They also know the times that they are allowed to come and pet me. Often in the library, I lie really still and they come over and give me some scritches and snuggles. I love the kids and they smell warm and sweet. At recess I usually have a small group of kids come over and say hello to me and I watch them playing, running around, swinging on the swings and squealing.ย 

Outings this month have been quite exciting and I have been to lots of different places. The streets, houses and shops are decorated with lights, inflatable statues and sparkly decorations. At my age now I am supposed to be able to lie quietly for a while. Places that I went to and practiced settling were a restaurant, coffee shops, a hospital laboratory waiting room, a clothing shop, a hairdresser again and the recreation centre to watch the swimmers. Thereโ€™s always someone asking questions about me and about PADS and a short outing often takes longer than planned.ย 

Other outings took me to some big box shops, and grocery stores, walks around the lake to see lights, a Christmas craft fair, malls looking for Santa and a number of evening drives to look at more lights. The nurses and volunteers at Langley Hospice were excited to see me one evening and I also met two patients.ย 

Once a week I go for an off-leash scamper somewhere and work on my recall, and sometimes, I go with a friend and enjoy a good play. Our puppy class Christmas party was long and fun and I managed to stay on my soft blanket for a lot of the evening. The month ended with a few Christmas social events in the house and I used those days to get some extra naps in.ย 

Happy New Year everyone.

Submitted by: Jo & Laura