A Boy and His Dog

Austin with Bo on homecoming day - October 13, 2012.

 Our family welcomed Bo, our 7-week-old, yellow Labrador puppy, into our hearts and home on October 13, 2012. At his homecoming, he weighed 10 lbs and was the largest pup in his litter. We chose him for his calm and mellow temperament and his pure cuteness. 

We fell in love with him instantly and we are hopeful that with lots of love, training and patience he will grow to be an extraordinary companion and service dog for our son Austin, who at the age of 4.5 was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.

The First Week: October 13-19, 2012

Socialization is one of the most important elements of raising a service dog. Knowing this, we didn't waste any time and got right to introducing Bo to a variety of people, places, sounds, sensations and smells. The following is a list of just some of Bo's experiences this week:

• Octoberfest celebration at our friends' home in Hooksett - children and adults of all ages were holding, petting and playing with Bo.

• Meeting our neighbors Sylvia and Gil and exploring their sunroom and front deck.
• Visiting the Bedford Safety Complex and taking a ride in an ambulance - the noise of the sirens and vibrations of the ambulance didn't phase Bo one bit, he was cool as a cucumber.
• Playing with Leo, a Golden Retriever, and Lexi a Black Labrador Retriever.
• Shopping cart rides at Target and Lowe's and being pet and picked-up by employees and customers.
• Experiencing the sounds of a parking lot.
• Walking over drain grates, wood pallets, wood beams and rocks.
• Feeling rain drops and seeing blowing leaves.

• Hearing the sounds of a garage door, car engine and vacuum cleaner.

So, what socialization experience do you think we should tackle with Bo next?