Day 3,4,and 5

To start off, Internet access is not good at our hotel... I've been trying to keep the blog updated without much success. We are having an amazing time, other than Garrett and Mallory having the stomach flu the past two days. We have still been able to participate in almost everything, except for an hour this morning when we were cleaning up after Garrett. We have been going over commands and we went to the mall with Garrett tethered to Moose. It was so cool to not have to worry about Garrett bolting off. We kinda got emotional about it after seeing how much of a help Moose will be in our lives. Tracking is indiscribable. Moose is so smart. I am shocked each time he is able to find Garrett. We've gone to three different wooded areas and Moose has tracked Garrett about 250 yards away, although he is able to track him at longer distances. This has truly been an experience of a lifetime. I'll try to post more pictures soon.

Day 1 and 2 of Training

Our first day of training was amazing and exhausting. Moose is such a good, good dog and Garrett is actually already starting to bond with him in his own way. He throws treats to Moose and giggles while Moose follows him around. We have been working on basic obedience mostly to gain trust and respect between us so Moose is more excited to work for us. I think he is starting to get that we are his new family. So far we've done sit and down commands with distractions, and heeling. We are so pleased with Moose and his sweet personality. He loves to play with toys and balls and is very patient with Garrett and Mallory. Little Mallory already adores Moose and actually won't leave him alone. It kinda makes me a little nervous because Moose is so big and she is so little. So far so good. He is so big that it made our drive to and from 4 Paws and the hotel interesting since we are driving a full size 4 door. He could easily take the whole back seat but we have both the kids in the back so he tries to squeeze in on the floor. Tomorrow we will work on tracking so we are excited to see Moose in action. Hopefully I can keep up! I can already tell he has an amazing sense of smell. Stay tuned and I will try to post again soon.

'Moose' Assigned as Garrett's Companion Dog

Moose is our new family member! He was born in May 2008 and he is a German Retriever...which is a German Shepard and Golden Retriever specifically bred for tracking abilities and temperment. We are getting ready to leave in less than 2 weeks and it is finally starting to feel real now. We will receive a letter from "Moose" letting us know some things about him so we are anxiously awaiting that and will post it when we get it. Can't wait to meet him! Come back for updates and pictures while we are at training to follow this amazing journey. Thanks for all those who made this a reality for us!

The Countdown...

We have met the required funds for Garrett's service dog and will be heading to Ohio for training in August! We are busy making travel arrangements and trying to now come up with the money to travel to Ohio and stay there for the 10 day training. The Hillsboro Fire Dept. donated $500 toward our travel expenses through their Random Acts program. We are so grateful for all the help we have received from our community, our families, and also from our friends. Without you this wouldn't be possible. The training class will be for Ryan, I and Garrett, and 9 other family from across the US. The dogs have been in training already for about a year and 4 Paws will notify us of the dog we will be matched with 2 weeks prior to training. Getting ourselves and our home ready for this is much like getting ready for a new baby. We are already trying to get all the doggie gear we will need and studying up on different dog breeds. If you want to check out the dogs that are in training at 4 Paws For Ability you can go to www.4pawsdogs.org. We frequently go on there and try to picture which one will be ours! The smaller dogs are usually seizure alert dogs or mobility assistance dogs and the larger ones are ususally the Autism Assistance Dogs. We are compiling a video of "A Day in the Life of Garrett" to send to 4 Paws so they can match us with a dog that will be trained specific for our needs. Check back for updates on our amazing journey! Only 116 day left until we meet our furry friend!

Garrett's Fund Raising Effort Nearly Complete

Our fund raising goal of $13,000 for Garrett's service dog is within sight!  Donor support has been so enthusiastic, we've already raised $12,295.  If money continues to stream in as it has in recent months, we expect to meet our goal by the end of September!

Several donors have asked us what the $13,000 we're raising buys for Garrett.  The answer is a little surprising, becuase it doesn't actually "buy" anything!  The money reimburses a nonprofit that trains service dogs and matches them with those in need.  For us, that nonprofit is an Ohio-based orgnaization called 4 Paws For Ability.  You can learn more about 4 Paws by visiting its web site here.

So if the money's just about raised, what's the next chapter in the story of Boy Meets Dog?  It's a chapter where we practice the life skill of patience.  We still have to wait until Garrett is assigned to a training group.  Openings are limited, and the family hopes Garrett will be assigned to a class in the spring of 2009.

Between now and then, Garrett will start to spend more time around dogs.  We even get to make a video of Garrett's interaction with dogs to help 4 Paws find his perfect match.  That way, when Garrett finally meets his dog, he'll feel comfortable right away and can begin his training.

We are so appreciative of your donations to help get a service dog for Garrett.  To keep you informed about Garrett's progress, we intend to update this blog frequently.  Blogs work best when readers interact, so don't be shy!

Leave a comment about a post by clicking the "comment" link at the bottom of each entry.  Join the Boy Meets Dog blog community by clicking on our widget, that black, i-phone looking box in the right-hand column.  Or sign up for our RSS feeds (the orange boxes near the top of the page, also in the right-hand column).  We can't wait to hear from you!

Welcome to Boy Meets Dog

Boy Meets Dog is an online journal about Garrett, an Autistic child whose penchant for running off leaves his family both fearful and flustered.

In Autism circles, Garrett is described as nonverbal, which means he doesn't talk. So how does Garrett get back home at the end of his escapist adventures? With help from family, friends and increasingly familiar police officers.

Garrett's family knows they need help with their sweet-yet-sneaky son. And they believe they have found it in the form of a service dog trained specifically for Autistic children. His parents have chosen to work with 4 Paws for Ability, an Ohio-based nonprofit that has placed hundreds of service dogs with Autistic children.

Ten thousand dollars have already been raised to help pay the $13,000 cost of training Garrett's dog. If you'd like to make a donation, click here, or look for the Donate Now link on the right side of this page.

Garrett's family hopes to have him matched with a service dog in a matter of months. Feel free to subscribe to or bookmark this blog, Boy Meets Dog, for the latest developments on Garrett's ever-evolving story.