Nitro's day at work

Today was super fun! My morning started out just like normal. I got up, went potty, ate breakfast, and went potty again. But then, instead of going to "place" or hanging out with Amanda and Sarah, Mrs. Gonzalez grabbed my bag and led me to her car! I went to her job, and stayed the WHOLE DAY!!!

Mrs. Gonzalez bought me a nice fuzzy bed and put it under her desk. I liked the way it felt. So soft and cozy. She told me to stay there and be quiet, and I listened because I like to make her happy.

After a couple of hours of work, a lady came into Mrs. Gonzalez's office. She sat on the other side of the desk. I was very, very quiet, because I know I'm supposed to be invisible at work. The lady sat down and started talking about boring retirement stuff. I stayed still like a good doggie. But then I started thinking that Mrs. Gonzalez has a really good sense of humor, and this would be a perfect opportunity to play a joke on her. - I let one go, a nice big, silent fart. Oh yeah, not only did that feel really good, but it smelled AWESOME! Mrs. Gonzalez kept talking to the lady, but I know they both smelled it, and... ha ha... that lady probably thinks Mrs. Gonzalez needs to lay off the Mexican food!

After Mrs. Gonzalez finished chuckling (see, she didn't even get mad at me), we went out for a potty break and took a nice little walk around the parking lot together.

At lunch we walked again, and then Mrs. Gonzalez got my puzzle game out (which kinda made me feel bad that she got blamed for my stink bomb) and we played together. She wore me out good, and I slept most of the afternoon away under her desk.

I think I like her work, and I want to go again. I bet next time she brings some room deodorizer with her...

Nitro

Hi. My name is Nitro. I've been with the Gonzalez family for three weeks now. The peoples decided that I will probably make a better diabetes alert dog than my brother, Kismet, so I'm living with the Gonzalez family. They're really nice. They love me a lot. I have learned a lot since I've been here, even though I learned a lot when I was with my mama and Joanne too.

Since I've been with the Gonzalez family, I've worked a lot on sit, down, and wait. I have also learned to paw (high), and I'm working on performing a bow.

I get to go lots of fun places. I've been to Sarah's theater classes, out for pizza (no, I didn't jump up on the table and eat it, even though it smelled good), to the Spaghetti Factory, and to several stores including Walmart and Target (the peoples tried and failed to find me a kiddie pool to play in), and most recently, a grocery store. I didn't pee or poo in any of them, which made the peoples very happy and relieved.

It hasn't been all perfect here, I've had a bout of tummy issues. Mrs. Gonzalez has done a lot of special cooking for me. I really like the way she makes chicken and rice because she cooks it up with chicken broth until it's extreme yumminess! I started a new food a few days ago, and since then I've felt better. Mrs. Gonzalez thinks I have a dairy allergy because I had a small piece of cheese yesterday, and kept her up all night because I had to poop every couple of hours.

My very favorite thing in the WHOLE WORLD right now is my puzzle! It's the funnest thing EVER, and Mrs. Gonzalez hides yummy treats and the treat part always smells a little bit like Sarah when she doesn't feel good.

Today Mrs. Gonzalez is REALLY happy with me, because I've been finding the smell of low blood sugars in my puzzle, without the treats!

Here's the video evidence! Nitro finds the low blood sugar sample

Special guest post

Hi. You were expecting Kismet weren't you. Well, he's hanging out with our mom, Sylvia, and Joanne. I'm his big brother. Well, we're actually the same age but based on Mrs. Gonzalez's surprised grunt when she lifted me, I'm bigger. Unlike Kismet, who is a bit of a spazkadoggie (I'm allowed to say that, as his big brother), I am secure in my doggieness. I roll my eyes at craziness. I am a happy dog, and I love to please my people. I'm still very young, but I listen pretty well.

Today it was my turn to spend some quality time with the Gonzalez family. What? You thought Kismet was going to get all the fun? Kismet's a good guy and all, but that dude needs some work on finding his zen place.

I know exactly how to find my zen place, and the smell of low blood sugar makes me CRAZY happy, so the peoples decided that I get to be a diabetes alert dog too! Then the peoples had another idea. What if Kismet and I shared both Joanne and the Gonzalez family? Joanne is an expert at training dogs, and the Gonzalez family are experts at loving dogs and taking them out on fun socializations. So the new plan is that we will each spend time in both places. I'm excited, because I haven't gotten out much yet. Now I'm going to get to wear a beautiful red vest and go shopping, and walking, and to the bank, and to the costume shop, and to Sarah's classes and all kinds of fun things!

So I am now at the Gonzalez house and Kismet is taking my place at Joannes. So far it's been fun. I got to meet their dog Belle. She looked a little confused when she met me, it was like she expected me to jump all over her or something. But I really just wanted to sniff her butt.

I went outside in their backyard, and it was cool. There are lots of plants and I was good and didn't eat any of them. Mrs. Gonzalez tried to take my picture, but I had a hard time sitting still (it was a new place, so she forgave me).

The only problem was, Mrs. Gonzalez wanted me to pee... on a leash! Can you believe that? I mean seriously, who does that? What about privacy? So I held it in. I think I might hold it forever, but I'm not really sure how long that plan is going to last.

Still, I think I'm gonna like it here.

The day I failed the Chipotle test...

No one at the Gonzalez house felt like cooking, so I was the only one to eat a homecooked meal. I ate every bite of my chicken and rice, and then I licked the bowl, and then I licked the bowl, and then I licked the bowl... you get the idea. My people decided to have dinner at Chipotle. I've been there with them twice before, and I did a good job of sitting on my mat and being good. And then...there was today.

It all started when we got out of the SUV and Mrs. Gonzalez commented on the wind... and they decided to have dinner inside. So far they've only taken me to outdoor Chipotles. We went inside and they found a table and put my mat down. I tried to stay on the mat, I REALLY did! But my nose kept pulling me away! SOOOOO MAAAANNNNNNYYYYYY SMELLS! And little bits of stuff on the floor, like chips, bits of rice, and straw wrappers! AAAGGGGGG!!!!!!!! And my little brain just couldn't manage to work well enough to tell my body to sit still!

So I wiggled, and Mrs. Gonzalez pulled me back onto the mat and told me to sit.

I sat.

Then I wobbled, and Mrs. Gonzalez pulled me back onto the mat and told me to sit.


I sat


I whined AND wiggled, and Mrs. Gonzalez pulled me back onto the mat and told me to sit.


I sat... 


And then I barked. Oops.


I was swooped up and outside in the grass before you can say whaddidIdo? And that was the end of my experience at Chipotle. I'm pretty sure I won't be going back there for awhile.

A world paved with ice cream…

Yesterday was extra fun! In the morning Mrs. Gonzalez spent some time setting boundaries with me. She put me in my place – literally. Crystal from Canine Hope for Diabetics sent me a present, a nice, elevated place for me to learn how to be attentive and watch people. This will help me learn to pay attention to people so that I’m always on the job sniffing for funky blood sugars. Anyway, Mrs. Gonzalez put me on the mat and told me “place”. I liked it, but then I wanted to leave, so I started to jump off. She put me back on and told me, “Kismet, place”. I thought it was important to make sure she knew I really wasn’t interested in sitting there anymore, so I told her so by snapping my widdle jaws at her. I don’t think she appreciated that, because she picked me up by my scruff, which is how my mama told me when she wasn’t happy with me, and put me back in “place”. I decided it wasn’t such a bad place after all, and stayed there for a few minutes, until she told me “Ok”, and then I knew I could get down.

Then we got in the big giant moving thing they call a Suburban. They made a special place just for me, and Mrs. Gonzalez sat right next to me and kept me from wandering. I decided it was a good time to take a little nap.

When we stopped, we were at a place where people play miniature golf. I got to meet Sarah’s cousins, and aunt and uncle. Once of her cousins isn’t that much bigger than me! I didn’t even know they made Kismet sized peoples! I got to sit in the shade with Mrs. Gonzalez and her parents (I want to know why Mrs. Gonzalez’ mother never picks HER up by the scruff. I was kinda hoping I’d get to see that!). A lot of kids and parents came over and told me I was really cute, and Mrs. Gonzalez had me sit still and let different people pet me. I liked the attention, but I already know I need to stay still when people are petting me.

After my Sarah played miniature golf, we got back in the Suburban and drove some more. We stopped at the BEST PLACE EVER! It was a place where the ground was paved in Ice Cream! It smelled soooooooooooooooo good! Unfortunately, Mrs. Gonzalez held me while we were outside, saying she didn’t want me to lick the ground. SO not fair!

They took me around to a bench where the ground wasn’t paved in ice cream, and I ate my dog food. It was good, but I still wanted to try ice cream. Then we all went inside to an ice cream parlor, and I had to stay on my yoga mat while all the people ate hamburgers and ice cream. 

They didn’t even share, but I’m used to that and it’s okay. I was able to sit and lay down very still while they ate until they were almost done, and then I got ants in my pants and couldn’t sit still anymore. I found out why when Mrs. Gonzalez took me outside to the grass – sometimes when ya gotta go, ya really gotta go! I felt a lot better, and took a nap on the way home, snuggling with Mrs. Gonzalez the whole way.

I loves my family. They’re really nice and snuggly and they feed me and they play with me and they throw the ball and they feed me and they give me toys and they love me and they feed me.

I think I like being Kismet.

Muhhahahahaha....

I'm growing and thriving, okay and maybe driving everyone a little crazy now and again. A couple of times Amanda has affectionately(?) referred to me as hell-spawn Kismet. Oops. Okay, so I know I can be a bit of a handful, but I really do love my family.

These last few days have been a little bit challenging. I'm learning the rules of my house, in my own puppy way, but sometimes it's difficult because the rules aren't quite the same with each person. I hear them conspiring to change this. It will make it easier when I learn the rules are the same with everyone. I know I really shouldn't bite toes or rip jeans, but - hello - puppy here!

Mrs. Gonzalez and Amanda have me on a leash most of the time these days, and that helps me not be so tempted by trouble (I REALLY want to eat that pillow on the couch... PLEASEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!)

I'm getting better at taking my potty outside, but I still make mistakes on occasion. Sometimes I just can't hold it! Don't you remember being a toddler and how hard that was?

Last night Mrs. Gonzalez weighed me, and I'm 21 lbs.

Things I really love:

My yoga mat - It's just comfy! And it's mine!
Pumpkin - It's delicious!
Pouncing on my ball
Hugs and kisses
Sit and Come - because sometimes I get a treat!
Low parties - I'm not quite sure why they throw these parties on occasion, but I'm not complainin'!
Insulin pump tubing - One of these days that sneaky little tube will be MINE!!!! Muhhahahahaha....

Things I don't like:

Baths - Come on, I'm not THAT dirty!
Sidewalks - It's scary!
The GATE - cause I really want to pounce on that other dog
Waiting for breakfast - Hurry up already!
The kitchen garbage - Haven't you ever been afraid of those evil white cans?

Today I'm going on my longest car ride yet! I'm pretty excited, except this time Mrs. Gonzalez is sitting in back with me, so that means I have to behave.We'll see!!!

Kismet, Hurry!

Twice today Mrs. Gonzalez thought she could trip me up by telling me to "hurry" before I started going potty instead of when I actually start going. I like to impress her (and my puppy antics have lost her some hair so I'm trying to make up) so when she told me to hurry, I listened and went potty. She was very happy with me.

I'm still a bit of a handful at times. Playful biting and barking are part of being a puppy after all! But it's hard to be well behaved all the time. I'm trying though... I really am!