fayeandknight

[fayeandknight]

Something I am endlessly amused by is how perceptive Faye is.

For example - she knows that me putting ice in my tumbler means I'm leaving but me putting ice in a cup means I'm not.

This morning I put poop bags in my pocket and she got mad because it means I'm going to take the boarding dogs for a walk. So there I am, quietly stuffing bags in my pocket and she comes flying into the room so she can throw herself in her bed and yell at me. (The rule with Faye is that she can have loud feelings but she has to do in her bed. Otherwise she will attempt to herd me away from whatever door I'm leaving through and that's not allowed.)

Boarding dogs are set up in my (finished) basement. She does not directly see me go take them out. But she's figured out the pattern nonetheless.

I find it hilarious and shit like this is why I often refer to her as the Queen of Hearts.

But also anytime someone says they aren't a fan of herding breeds I'm just like fair. Living with a tiny tyrant isn't for everybody, lol.

[fayeandknight]

6 months

9 months

13 months

[fayeandknight]

This one is for the corgi enjoyers out there 😎

Shirts can be found here!

[fayeandknight]

Completed Groenendael piece! :) This actually has been sitting in my files for a while, but I still can't tell if overall I'm satisfied with it or not, so I'm just going to post it now without regards to that.

At some point there will be a bookmark version of this, which likely will take some time until it's possible for me to do, but feel free to keep an eye out if you might be interested to get one.

js-tierportraits.de

[fayeandknight]

Fiver is so good at down. Fiver is so good at chin rest. Fiver deserves pop tart.

[fayeandknight]

I held my phone/camera in my teeth in a waterproof bag to get this video, lol.

Faye is an excellent paddle board buddy. Also, really lucked out in that the bay was exceptionally calm though foggy.

Also, I feel it's important for y'all to know that even though I'm home/back at work - that bitch is still on vacation without me.

[fayeandknight]

The worst part of my current boarding dog is not his bite history or reactivity. In fact, he's improved leaps and bounds in learning to self regulate and/or engage with the handler instead. I'm actually soft on him given how far he's come.

But holy noxious fumes Batman, the gas this dog is passing may actually take me out. I had to roll down the windows on our drive home because it was making me gag.

We'll be spending most of our time together outdoors. He's a good boy, and I am going to make sure he has a good time staying with me. But yeah, it'll have to involve a lot of outside time.

[fayeandknight]

I wish how people can see your stance of - war and killing people is bad and finding a way towards peace is good - would be baffling to me. To an extent it is. But I hate how I understand how much the role of bigotry plays such a massive part.

Anyway, I'm a supporter of team everyone gets to live safe and good lives while sharing space.

We remember you zionist

only on tumblr will you be labeled both a zionist and a hamas supporter for rhe same moral viewpoint of: war bad, genocide bad, stop killing civilians and start rebuilding for those who are left.

[fayeandknight]

Went on vacation for a few days and on my last day went into the shopping center to poke around and pick up fudge for my coworkers.

Best moment was walking into the fudge shop which was packed with people - no one tried to interact with Forte. The couple behind us in line directed those behind them to curve the line so people weren't standing next to us. They saw the "need space" signs on my leash wrap or his harness and just rolled with it. Absolutely appreciate those people.

Worst moment was when an individual in a truck had their nose in the crosswalk we were waiting at. They gave me the go ahead sign so I asked Forte to take me across. (This is a FMP/find the car cue as it was the end of our shopping trip and I was fatigued and needed him to guide me back to the car.) Two steps in and the driver guns forward and then slams on the brakes when I jumped back with Forte. Driver says they wanted to see if the dog would stop me. I was so overwhelmed that I just shouted "what the fuck is wrong with you". Driver, literally, burned rubber peeling out instead of acknowledging me. Thank fuck I was with it enough to respond in time. Forte is very good at waiting to cross streets, but he relies on my go ahead since it's a sighted guide task. But also, I don't see how him being a guide dog/me being blind would make that stunt okay/not even more dangerous.

Another good mention belongs to a group of teens with skateboards. One put their skateboard down and another tapped them on the shoulder, pointed at Forte and I, and said something along the lines, "Bro, important dog with an important job, let'em pass first". Which was so sweet and thoughtful. Forte has no problem ignoring skateboards but I appreciated the kindness and consideration.

Most of our working life together is boring, which is a good thing for the most part. But going somewhere new/a very tourist/heavily populated place does shake things up in both good and bad ways.

Anyways Forte did amazing and I am so grateful to have him as my partner/service dog.

[fayeandknight]

The mark of a good trainer is that they are also a good learner. Not only do they never stop looking for new information but they observe their learner and allow that behavior to shape their own and then adapt their training plans to match. They don’t settle for “good enough” or “this has always worked before” or “if it’s not broke…”

[fayeandknight]

I’m paying to force seven thousand strangers to see a photo of my late husband having fun with his dog. Tumblr Blaze is totally worth it. XD

[fayeandknight]

Best shopping buddy.

Did not offer unwanted opinions, didn't push me to try multiple clothes I'm not interested in, and let me move at my own pace.

[fayeandknight]

Forte's enthusiasm for people is so hilarious to me.

Yesterday we went to a pet friendly store where the employees flock to love on him once I give the okay. Meaning they always ask for permission and then it's a love fest between them and him.

This time an employee asked if they could take a picture of him. He's off duty so I say yes and ask him to paws up on the counter so they can get a good pic. But it's a tall counter so he's dropping back down before they can get one, so I ask him again. After the third request Forte problem solved by just hopping onto the counter.

The store lost it, they can't believe he got up there so effortlessly. They crowd around for selfies while Forte happily kisses them.

It was so adorable. Forte was beyond pleased, tail wagging a mile a minute as he kissed them all.

Wish I'd taken a picture myself.

[fayeandknight]

Things that make other people laugh - my cousin is a firefighter and has two dalmatians.

Things that make me laugh - Their names are Arwen and Gamgee.

[fayeandknight]

I am pro BDSM, I am pro kinks and fetishes and power dynamics and whatever consenting adults want to get into. You do you, have fun.

However it is not cool to call the dog training facility I work at and try to set up a lesson for a human pet. Nobody here consented to being involved in that. And quite frankly, you make the community look bad. Fucking stop it.

[fayeandknight]

[fayeandknight]

Adventures in DMV land as me

So I had to go to the DMV to renew my license because I'm dumb and didn't realize it expired recently. So I made an appointment two weeks ago for the earliest date I could swing, today. I also decided to get a Real ID because I believe it's going to be pushed even harder than it currently is and since I had to go, I might as well just take care of both.

On Thursdays I start work at noon. The office is 30 minutes from work. So I figured setting it for 10:30 would be enough time. I got to work early to drop Forte off because the last time I brought him to the DMV, security and I argued about whether or not having him means I'm blind. I'm not blind and while he is a service dog and works in a harness, he is not a guide dog.

Now I was already very nervous/stressed about the appointment because my documents are a mix of full middle name, middle initial, and no middle anything. And the website stressed that this would be a problem and potentially not be accepted. So I decide to pick my battles and not bring Forte, surely I can get through this without his help.

I pulled up the email from the DMV, click on the address link, and head out. As I'm getting closer to the destination I'm not having a good feeling, it seems too much like a neighborhood and when I arrived it was just a junkyard on a narrow dead end street. I search for the DMV in this town, it's 10 minutes away. Now I'm going to arrive at my appointment time instead of being early. Which just adds to the stress because I wanted time to settle myself.

Once I'm there and checked in they call my number fairly quickly but it turns out that's just for the photo and I need to wait for actual paperwork stuff. I find a seat at the end of a row, which is the best I'm going to get in a crowded room. (Crowded spaces are hard on me due to my disabilities). Along the wall to my side are more seats with a father and two young girls, maybe 5 or 6?

Absolutely no judgement on this family, but it was not easy to share space with them. The girls seem to have hit their limit on being bored and I'm going to guess that he, like me, thought an appointment time would mean this went quicker and thus there's no entertainment for them. They are throwing themselves around, he gently asks them to please sit down. They start complaining they're hungry, he calmly says they will eat as soon as they leave. They start crying, literally, for mommy, he explains that she's at work and they will see her after. I give this man credit because at no point did he raise his voice or get outwardly frustrated. He addressed their behavior in a calm manner while patiently explaining whys, what he wanted them to do, etc.

I am staring hard at my phone because I don't want to stare and convey judgement. There is no judgement, it's just really overstimulating while I'm already stressed. Then one girl starts periodically squawking at the top of her lungs every few seconds. The other starts angrily and loudly singing happy birthday while stomping her feet. It's a little like this

HAPPY BIRTHDAY stomp squawk TO YOU stomp squawk HAPPY squawk BIRTHDAY stomp TO squawk YOU stomp

Dad asks them to please stop because it's disruptive and we need to be mindful of sharing space. They settled for a bit before crying for mommy again.

Again, absolutely no judgement. They are little kids and he's addressing behavior while being kind to them. But I've lost the ability to read my book and am internally melting. I am cursing myself for not bringing Forte because I could really use his help with grounding myself. I do not move seats because I don't want to make it seem like I'm being judgemental.

11:15 and my number hasn't been called. I'm going to be late for work if I don't leave soon. I panic text both my boss and the assistant manager. I ask if I can please be late, I'm so sorry, I thought I'd given myself enough time.

I do not want to leave because two weeks of having an expired license has been eating at me.

Finally at 11:47 they call my number. As I approach the window, shaking at this point, the gentleman tells me he's done nothing wrong. It's a joking but not really tone and I'm utterly confused. He repeats this as I say I'm there to upgrade and renew my license. He says you're a cop. I am more confused until I realize I'm wearing a shirt for a bite sport team my boss got me. He thinks I work with police K9s. This is my Thursday shirt, I didn't even think about how it might be perceived.

I explain that I'm a pet dog trainer, it's just a comfortable shirt to work in. I dump out my documents and kitchen sink and offer them to him. He dismisses most of it while we chat about his cavapoo and possibly coming to my work for training. He gives me a paper to sign saying that I swear my address is my address and approves me for a Real ID. He chides me about the expired license and I apologize, confessing I wasn't paying enough attention and didn't realize until after. He gives me a temporary license and sends me on my way. The whole interaction took about ten minutes.

I got to work only twenty minutes late. Not bad in the grand scheme of things but I still feel terrible about it. I tell my boss my tale of woe while apologizing. She laughs and says thanks for being the guinea pig. When she has to go she'll wear her work shirt.