Dianne's Creative Table

I am inspired by light, all things natural, reusing previously loved items, and bargains!

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Where Have I Been???

I know I have been blog-absent lately, but I have really adorable excuse.  Meet the newest member of our family.
This is Daisy!  We think she is a Beagle/Jack Russell mix.  She is between 1 year and 18 months old. We adopted her in June from the Wetumpka, AL shelter.  You might be tempted to ask, "why AL, instead of adopting in TN"?  It's a story, but not a long one.  
Daisy's favorite toy, a squeaky ball
We attended a meeting about Diabetes Alert Dogs and decided we needed one.  Mr CT, has type 1 diabetes and has lots of low blood sugars when he is working hard for long hours.  Diabetes alert dogs that are trained cost $40,000, but you can train your pet to detect high and low blood sugars for about $600.  No brainer for us, except, we didn't have a dog.  
We asked the trainer to help us find a suitable dog for  this important job.  
About 2 weeks later, we received a call about this sweet little girl that had been in USDA scent training, but flunked out b/c  she was afraid of the sliding doors at the airport.  She ended up in the Wetumpka shelter and on the working dog rescue network.
Thanks to a wonderful volunteer, we were able to get Daisy to our forever home in TN.  I wasn't sure how this was going to work out b/c Mr CT, has never had a dog and said no every time I asked about getting one.  

Daisy has won Mr CT's heart
Daisy goes with him in the truck every day and sticks by his side at home.  She takes naps in my lap, but she is a Daddy's girl for sure.  
Very smart and easy to train.  So smart, she even took her own selfie! 
 We were concerned about how 16 year old Punkin would react to a dog after having the rule of the house.  

Punkin's favorite bed is a Dillard's bag.
 They aren't best friends, there is still a lot of swatting going on, but they tolerate each other.  
Daisy has completed the Basic Manners class and will start obedience training soon.  Once she completes obedience, we will be ready to enroll in the alert training program.  I also want to start Agility training with her at some point, but she already has a lot on her plate.  
It's enough to make a toddler need a nap!  

8 comments:

  1. Oh, Daisy is adorable! I'd say this is a terrific match, Dianne. I think it is a wonderful program and am eager to learn more about it as you share about the training. Wonderful that she and Pumpkin seem to be more than tolerant. Just look at those two side by side.

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  2. What a wonderful idea! I've seen people have a low sugar moment and I know it can become life threatening. Daisy looks like she's fitting in just fine. If the cat and her can lay close by like that you're on your way to success!

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  3. Daisy -- I love her name! You definitely have your hands full with a puppy in the house. The concept is wonderful, because having an alert dog could certainly prevent a catastrophe. The two critters seems pretty friendly -- I am sure they will get cozier as time goes on.

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  4. Daisy is adorable. Love the first photo of her, she actually looks like she's smiling! Best of luck with her. You will find that she brings so much love to your home, more than you realize. We have had our dog for two years now and can't imagine life without him!

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  5. What a precious and necessary addition to your family! Daisy is adorable and you can see in her eyes how bright she is. Dogs are wonderful, but service dogs are truly amazing gifts. Best of luck with the training. Rosie @ The Magic Hutch

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  6. OK...are you sure this dog was in diabetes alert training, or was she in modeling school??? Look at her hamming it up every time a camera is turned her way!!! That first pic with that practiced, poised, precision smile!!! Her "selfie"!!! That girl is a contender for "America's Next Top Model" if I ever saw one!!! I'm so glad your husband acquiesced and has become cozy with her!! That's going to be a really good thing in the long run. As for Punkin, it may take her awhile to warm up to Daisy, but it will happen in time. Punkin's "bed" is HILARIOUS!!!!!!! A Dillard's bag??!?!?! SO funny!!!

    Congratulations on the newest member of the family!!!

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  7. Oh my goodness she is adorable~what a great dog. I think the training is awesome!

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  8. Adorable Pictures of an Adorable Family!

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