NEW KID ON THE BLOCK ! BIG EARS...I MEAN BISCOTTI !

A BIG welcome to Biscotti !  Sometimes great things come to you when you aren't looking for them.  I will say, the timing was crazy, as I was up to my eyeballs with my dad's project.  In less than 24 hours I had a new dog.

I received a phone call that there was a leader that was stuck in the Spokane area.  His transport fell through twice.  I called my friend Judy, who lives in Spokane.  I spoke with her husband and I asked if there was any remote possibility that he could pick up a dog and meet me halfway.  He told me that he was retired and that he could pick up Biscotti.

So...we met in CleElum (yes, that is more than half way to Seattle) and I picked up Big Ears.   At first he was pretty skittish.  I put him in the front seat, riding shotgun.  As I drove, I petted him and kept scratching behind his ears.  After a while, he laid his head in my lap.

I wasn't too sure what I had just gotten myself into.   I have been working 7 am til often 10 pm.  How was I going to manage with a dog...never the less a sled dog???   Before I picked him up I stopped at Home Depot and picked up a chain.  Couldn't risk having him chew.  He did fabulous and just watched me work throughout the day.   When it would rain, I would put him in my car.  He would just curl up on my seat and I was so pleased.

He slept the first night by the side of my bed, and from then on, on my bed.   He made himself right at home.

Kangaroo or sled dog ???

I took Biscotti to visit my dad.  He jumped right up on his bed and made himself at home.  He curled up next to dad and dad was in his glory, petting Biscotti.

Dogs are good medicine...

Buddies

Prairie Elementary

OK, here was the real test.   All school assembly with lead dog, Biscotti !  I decided to take Biscotti to Petsmart and see how he does in an industrial setting, high ceilings, linoleum floors and lots of strangers.   He did great so I decided to make a go of the school visit with him.

I got to Kick Off Prairie Elementary's All School Idita-Read at their Friday All School Assembly.    It was a wonderful opportunity and one of my favorite schools to visit.  After the assembly, I did small groups with each of the grade levels and kids got to get up close with Biscotti and it was time for questions and answers.

A BIG thank you Dog Handlers,  Brendan and Matthew.

They helped take care of Biscotti while I kicked off the Idita-read.  

The kids were great, giving Biscotti his space 

It was all they could do to stay off the dog mat.  : )

I got a big kick out of the kindergarteners.  When it was time for questions, the kids would tell me stories...and the teachers would have to remind them that they were to ask questions.   The top two questions were..."I like your dog" and  "I have a dog...."      : )

Saint Matthew School

Biscotti made his second school visit...an old pro now.  Afterwards we headed for the airport.