Sweet NIKKI

I just wanted to give you a quick update on NIKKI. I am happy to report that she has not had any seizures - that I have seen - since we started her on medication. All the side effects she was experiencing in the beginning have seemed to subside and she is the same old sweet girl that she has always been. She is back to work and doing very well. This past week we visited several classrooms and NIKKI did her usual great job! On Friday, she helped the kids in the preschool count - she did tricks and they counted how many times she could do them.... 5 high fives, 4 turns, 3 speaks, 2 puppy push ups and 1 rollover. Not only did they work on counting but also number recognition. And the coolest thing is - NIKKI is consistently taking commands from the kids! That makes them very happy when she listens to them! (I do have to use a few hand signals every now and then when the kids aren't too clear!) Earlier in the week she helped some special middle schoolers work on verbalizations and matching. And her usual Wednesday job of spending time in Candace's classroom is always fun....especially when Candace's assistant Flossie makes the peanut butter crackers. Today NIKKI visited the kids in the hospital. I have to admit that this still is my favorite thing to do with NIKKI. I don't know what it is but it always makes me so happy to be at the hospital. There wasn't too many kids in the hospital today (which is a good thing!) so NIKKI had an opportunity to brighten the day of a few nurses. Even the nurses can be easily impressed with just a few tricks!! NIKKI is also still going to her weekly advanced obedience class and doing well. We are working on the skills she needs to pass the Canine Good Citizen test this summer. I think at the beginning of this blog I said - just a quick note - but I seem to be rambling on! So to sum it up...I am cautiously optimistic that NIKKI's seizures are under control and that our work together can continue as we have always planned!

Sharon