WE are the CHAMPIONS!

I'm going to let Shasta write this post for me. After all, it wouldn't have been possible without her.

Have any of you ever watch Rocky where he runs up all those steps and once at the top he jumps around and raises his arms up cheering because he knows he is the going to be CHAMP!

That's what it felt like for mommy on Thurday, 22nd. I could feel her excitement from her and I was so happy that she was estatic.

Mommy has had a phobia of going on buses since 1994 or 95. For the longest time she couldn't bring herself to get on one at all, but several years ago, she finally was able to get on (with medication) if she went on with someone close to her. That way they could do all the thinking and told her when it was time to get off at the right spot. She still hated it when the bus became packed and she felt like she wanted to jump off, but as the people started to leave, she would begin to relax again.

On Thursday, she had an important doctors appointment, but it had snowed with also freezing rain. The friend that was suppose to drive her was afraid to drive in those conditions and asked if she could change her appointment.

Normally, that's what she would have done, and I was surprised when mommy dressed me up in snowsuit, boots, muzzle, service vest and we went to the bus stop and I sat there with her waiting. I had never been on a bus neither, so this was going to be a whole new experiance for the both of us.When the bus stopped, we got on and mommy tried to find an appropriate place to sit down so she could watch closely where she was to get off and transfer. She had me sit between her legs facing out so I didn't take up any extra room and nobody would trip just as we practiced at home. The bus driver smiled and so did a lot of other people.

I could tell when mommy would start to feel nervous, she would start to pat me more and more and as she calmed the need to pat me in the same way would stop and she only kept her hand on me.She had asked the bus driver to let her know when it was time for her to get off to transfer and when I was coming out right just behind mommy, the people waiting to get on were a little surprised to see me. Then we crossed the street to our next waiting place. I could sense mommy had so many different types of emotions going on in her body. She was nervous, yet proud, happy, but scared and determined all rolled into one.

The bus came and this time we both got on like a pro. One woman that was sitting beside us was talking to mommy and telling her what a wonderful way to promote a positive example for the bullie breeds and although she knew that mommy had problems of some sort, that it was wonderful to see a bullie as a service dog. She was so excited and mommy felt really proud of me.

Once off the bus, we had to walk to a part of London that is pretty rough and mommy hates going there, but that day was different. With me by her side, she felt confident and even more so becuz we had just taken two buses to get there. That's a lot of firsts in a matter of 45 minutes.

She told the receptionist she was there and while waiting she removed all mine and her snow gear. All she left on me was my boots, muzzle and service vest as we were still in a public area. Once her name was called, she told me to come and we went into the doctors office where his nurse asked her some questions. She asked if she could pat me and mommy said yes. Even though she was patting me and saying I was beautiful she saw I was still focused on mommy.

Once the doctor came in, he asked her, 'And who is this?' and mommy proudly said 'Shasta.' She told the doctor that the muzzle was a requirement by law in public, but in the privacy of the doctors office if it was alright with him, the muzzle was allowed off. She was hoping he would say yes, but instead he said, 'I prefer if you would leave it on.' Mommy told me to lay down as the two of them talked about her medications and her health. I never moved a muscle and stayed where I was told.

Once done, mommy had to use the washroom and that was just across the room that we were in, so she waited until it was free. Meanwhile, thinking we had left, she overheard her doctor telling some of the nurses, 'Those dogs are bred for one thing only and ONLY for that purpose.' No wonder he didn't want mommy to take off my muzzle. Finally the washroom was clear and we went inside, did her business and went back into the waiting room to put back on all our winter clothes. Mommy watched as the nurses were peaking at me and she was so glad my manners were EXCELLENT.

Soon as we got to the front door, it was storming outside again and we walked straight to the bus stop and she sat on the seat and had me sit like just on the bus while we waited. We had so many humans looking at me that day as I had never been downtown before just mommy and I.

Mommy thought about what the doctor had said and at first it bothered her, but after awhile she giggled inside knowing with repeat visits he will see how mannerly and professional I am that he may one day change his mind about me and the bullie breeds.

Oh, I'm getting ahead of myself. The nurse in the office that was patting me asked mommy why she would choose my breed when they aren't normally used for service dogs, and mommy replied, 'Quite on the contrary. The pit bull breeds have been used as service dogs, therapy dogs for years that even Helen Keller used an American Put bull Terrier as her companion dog. The Staffordshires have been called The Nanny Dogs as they took care of children. It's only been through the years 2000 that the breeds have gotten a bad name due to irresponsible owners and criminals, but they have a very fine history if people would only take the time to read about them rather than what the media writes.' That probably was what was being discussed when mommy's doctor made that statement.

Going home on the bus was not nerve racking on mommy at all. Matter of fact, she barely had to pat me as often even though the bus was packed and people were standing. Someone even offered mommy their seat. This time she didn't ask the bus driver to tell her where to get off. People were talking to mommy from all directions and some asked if they could pat me.

Once we made it to our final destination, mommy felt just like Rocky! She wanted to jump up and down excitedly and raise her arms up in victory. She wanted to tell the world!!! A fear that she has held for so many years was broken! She even kept one of the bus tranfers as a keepsake of the day we overcame one of her worst phobias. We no longer have a 2K radius on good days. The skys the limit and WE are the CHAMPIONS!

*woof* Shasta