The things I do for treats.

Written for the Pets Win Praises competition with MoneySupermarket.com

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http://www.moneysupermarket.com/c/pet-insurance/pets-win-praises/

 

I am a yellow Labrador assistant dog and have PHd level training from a charity called Canine Partners. I have taken my mistresses blog over for a day to tell you the things I do for treats!

I was trained as a pup at Canine Partners, a charity that trains dogs like to a very high level to help and care for a disabled person, the world class trainers,puppy parents and a whole army of humans goes into making a dog like me pass with a PHd in caring! I had a lovely puppy mistress and master where they would show me as a young pup the human world and told me how to go about being an outstanding doggy.I would be rewarded every time I sat, went to my toilet and only in my toilet area to do my business, behaved well in town and my puppy parents taught me all about small humans in a pack and I loved them! I would get biscuit treats for small tasks as a pup. Eventually my education went on as I grew, I was being taught to unload and load the washing machine, open doors and pick up all kinds of objects from floors and supermarket shelves. Every time I completed each task I would get what Canine Partners call "a jackpot" of treats, as a dog I call it funny humans throwing me tasty bites everywhere, its such fun! I was no longer a pup, I packed my doggy suitcase, sadly said goodbye to my puppy family and told them I would make them proud.

 

I lived at Canine Partners, I loved the trainers but I am a busy dog and when we finished play and training I had to go settle down, I was not amused, all the treats in the world didn't stop me moaning! Eventually CP invited this tiny adult human along to trial us dogs with her and I knew I had found the right human for me, she looked a positive and busy human,her eyes smiled. My human mistress has been ill all her life, she was 15 months old when she got Juvenile arthritis which is nothing like old human arthritis, this is a disease that involves the immune system attacking everything in the body from bones to organs. It can be lethal and works over night eating a knee joint. Mistress tried to live in her own kennel independently but her mum and dad had to come over every day to help,she couldn't pick the mail up from the floor so urgent appointments were going unanswered,she couldn't get up from the floor if she fell over, needed help dressing etc etc. That is where I came in! We trained with Canine Partners together,mistress was taught how to treat me with higher levels of treat if I do something complex and normal treats for smaller tasks which to Mr Average dog would be a huge event! Before I came along mistress was having to call her parents if she dropped her car keys when she was out, even if she was an hour away she had to call because no one would help her get the keys, she lost confidence in going out because of this and if it wasnt for her funny human external pack friends she wouldn't have seen many humans. Now I go out with her and she no longer has to worry and neither do her parents and my tummy doesn't worry because I get lots of treats out and about!

 

I have been with my mistress for 7 years. I have been there at parties,there to clear up after parties.I have been there when she fell in love with master who also has youth arthritis, I was there when he proposed with a sparkly ring that I checked out to make sure it was an adequate purchase by sniffing it! I have been into work with her and met interesting humans all who wanted to stroke me which is a naughty person! I was there at mistress and masters wedding with a purple organza bow around me, I felt smart and enjoyed the treats down the aisle! I was there when they went away one night, unexpectedly, I wondered what the deal was, I worried! My mistress was looking like a fun beach ball and then she went away and had a small human pup with her! I sniffed him to ensure he was part of the pack and he met my high standards of pack membership, he did, he is my best friend! I wag my tail at his puppy antics, I find him so much fun that he now says my commands and I help him open doors which has got us both into trouble, we both sit on the naughty step then! Although he means a lot more work for my pack I wouldn't change him for the world.

Here I am checking out the new pack member and instructing him on my high standards of membership!

 

My work varies, sometimes every thing goes as smooth as a labs coat and other times it doesn't.

 

One of my main jobs that gives me high job satisfaction and lots of Kibble treats is helping mistress get on the floor to play with the small human. Mistress has been unable to get on the floor since she was 4 years old but now I sit right up against her, she puts her arm around my neck and I lower her to the floor slowly. If I jar her one of her joints is likely to break or dislocate so this is a job only for the smartest dogs! I get lots of cuddles and treats, she is thrilled to be able to play on the floor with her son. I am so proud I can help her and small human.

 

Mistress being helped on the floor by me.

 

My next job is smelling small pup boys smelly nappy and going of to get the change bag and bring back to mistress. My nose goes wild and I am glad the frenzy nose calms down once the smell is removed! This is an easy job for me so here I get a base of my tail scratch which I love, food treats are used for complex tasks after all I have to watch my waist line!

 

When mistress is on the floor she can not move so I have to get every thing for her and boy pup. If the phone rings I go and get that and bring it to her, if she has left the remote control on the sofa and needs it I go fetch that for her. I bring books for pup boy for mistress to read, I go off to the shelf and bring back my favourite books which are "Green Eggs and Ham" and "Some dogs do" ! I do get treats for these things but to me they are simple tasks like brushing teeth is to healthy humans so I get huge cuddles and a mini log bone treat.

Here I am getting the remote.

 

 

Small humans nap time comes and we collapse in a heap! I have a walk and then we all zonk out! Mistress has a drink and collapses on the sofa, I feel when she is in pain, I try to help and lick her bad bones but there is not much I can do but be there when she is crying and fed up of having a body that doesn't work well, she tells me she wants the best life for small human pup, I tell her I am here to ensure that happens. She gives me a treat for being with her , I give her a paw and a lick and a cuddle ,we fall asleep.

 

In the afternoon it is more of the same, I will load up the washing machine and get treats. I will get mistress back on the floor to be with her son. They will get every toy out which I put away in the drawers at the end of the day, small pup boy watches me and I am slowly training him now to tidy up after himself, not sure what treat small humans like so just give him a lick.

 

I love treats, gosh I am a lab, paws up any lab that doesnt love a bit of cheese or crunchy kibble!?? I love my bond with my pack more, I am proud of mistress and master, of my friend the small human and of me. Life is great for my pack, we make it great together no matter how hard things get for mistress and master who are both currently on chemo and strong pain killers. To my puppy parents, I told you I would make you proud and change someone's life for the better, mistress has been through a lot and I have been there lending a paw and am excited about the future fun we will all have. I am off for my evening walk now, cats are great news for me because I do get a treat if I ignore one which I always do because a treat is far more entertaining than a boring old cat. It has been nice talking to you all and Merry Christmas x

 

My lovely pack having fun!

 

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