The Homer Report - An Odyssey to Remember

Before we go to today's report, we have to give a giant shout out to Maui the Manager who has taken Homer under his wing (paw?) and created this fab site to showcase the day in the life of Homer aka the Scholar. Thanks Maui! You are rocking this to be sure!

Today marks a week that the Scholar has officially been a Pup in Progress. He has formally attended two face to face classes on campus, too many Zoom meetings, numerous hall meet and greets, met the wife of the university president, and has clocked what seems like hours and hours of office time.

Several colleagues in our office area have set up beds in their offices for the Scholar. He has already learned the office is his cool space. His little step lightens and he get that cross between the hop and speed up as he crosses the threshold of the office area in anticipation of people to see and greet. He is ready.

While we are not quite (ok, no where near) the point of ‘sit and wait’ at a colleague office door waiting for the invite to come, the boy does respond to the pressure on the leash holding him back. Once ‘released’ he bounds into office and in a explosion of joy and happiness he is greeted and he greets his office area colleagues. There are smiles all around to be sure! Heaven help us all when the tail is at the end of the grown dog because it is getting so much practice and strength at wagging now that it will be an appendage to be reckoned with!! The expression the tail is wagging the dog is true here. Homer’s little tail wags so hard that his little back end gets caught up in the excitement!

Oh and you should see the faces on the students in the hallways when the Scholar is making his way as we go from one place to the next. We all know and can envision just how cute the young pup at this age is when they walk. And, in their cape they are a sight to behold right? ADORABLE! They walk so proud and, yes, they get distracted with the leash, the cape, the people, the floor, the light, the sound, the shadows, the invisible—-but you know they are so cute and so darn adorable as they do that walking thing. Now, add these students in the hallway each with that gasp and the ohhhhs and ahhhhhs and oh so cute and call outs of HOMER by those who have met him. Of course he stops and yes, of course ‘you can pet him’ is always the response. And, sometimes when we are walking and a student or group sees him but they are not quite sure what to do or say, I quickly respond ‘yes, you can pet him. His name his Homer…’

That’s the Homer Report for today. Thanks again to Maui the Manager and till the next time, be well and keep those pats and rubs coming!

Day 5 The Monday Homer Report

The weekend ends and work week begins. We are soon a week since Homer VI’s arrival. As usual he is amazing. Again—slept.through.the.night! Such a gift. Thanks buddy!

As you can imagine, Homer changes daily in so many ways but always maintains that excitement in life and steadfast trust in me, his human.

The ‘big’ dogs Cameron and Issy, are getting use to Homer. And Homer so much wants to be their pal. Patience little one, patience.

Yesterday, while interest in the physics and music remain, Homer displayed some interest in gymnastics. He seems to want to work on nailing ‘landings’. For example, when we are working on ‘here’ I place myself 8 or 10 feet in front of him and crouch down and before I even say ‘here’ he comes running full throttle to me and attempts to jump right into my arms.

He is so pleased with himself and one just can’t help but smile at the pure joy in his eyes. Ok, yes, I know I am giving human attributes to this little non human creature but it sure looks like joy to me! Or perhaps, it is that he brings pure joy to me!

On that note of joy, we end this days Homer Report.

The Sunday Homer Report: Day 4

First up: the Sleep Report. Another sleep through the night for The Scholar!! Yay! 🎉 💥 🥳💃🏻🐾👍
Yesterday saw the boy’s ON-OFF switch in full operation and of course that continues into today.
When he is ON he is curious and inquisitive, willing to try new things (although attention span is right around a nano second for anything I might want him to attend to—longer if his choice—of course) and he demonstrates a certain of level athleticism (has discovered running and the joy of zoomies around the kitchen island, likes to walk on the low retaining wall and can climb steps—I think he would like to leap from tall buildings in Superman style if if given half but there are limits to what he is allowed to do!).
He also experienced the light Flagstaff fall rain. Verdict is still out in that.
The boy put on some more weight tipping the scales at 13.6 this morning.
Related to his interests to date: he seems interested in the hard sciences—metals and physics, specifically movement
He found the chord of the vacuum very interesting as the chord was being wrapped back into the vacuum. That movement garnered more than a nano second of his attention.
He saw an ant yesterday and had to make the choice between the ant and a leaf. He chose to follow the ant!
Metals: this morning the zipper on my fleece was most alluring. We always do a cuddle and snuggle, a rub and pat after post breakfast play. Today it was ‘yeah, ok, keep the pats and rubs and all that coming but I am gonna figure out how I can get this zipper stuff into my mouth—please, just give me a minute—stop doing that redirect thing you always seem to do. Just let me at the metal—please!’
If not the sciences, I think consideration of the arts might be appropriate for the boy scholar—the ‘musical’ side.
While humans are said to sing in the shower, our boy likes to serenade while in the crate in the car. I think he is channeling Leonard Cohen with a bit of Dylan thrown in.
In his ‘signature’ song that is always the first in the car entitled ‘Mumbles and Grumbles’ he does a very well done long variable note hold at the end. This is not to be mistaken with a howl, which of course is a long note. Rather this a very well done ending note that is a resonating, vibrating, rather melodic albeit somewhat guttural coda to his protest song.
He really does have quite a nice range and while he can do the high notes well, he seems to stay in those lower octaves. And he uses the ‘whine’ very judiciously – – not overdone in the least.
And then there is the OFF switch… punctuated by murmurs of content, little snores, and the gentle breathing of The Scholar.
Note: to opt out of the Homer Report type OUT. No penalty or fees apply.

Day 3 The Saturday Homer Report:

If yesterday was bobbing for breakfast, today was going in circles!
Slow bowl was introduced. Imagine a whirligig--starts slow then revs up.
Slowly, the little yellow mass sways gently this way and that way gathering the still warm kibble soaked to perfection.
Soon the sway turns to feet moving in a circular motion (a precursor to the piviot?!). Important to note here that the little yellow head remains solidly and firmly in the bowl and before you know it the yellow mass is whirling around the bowl, head never lifting and puppy sounds of gobbles and grunts and murmurs of eating turn into louder grunts sometime punctuated by short noises somewhere between screech/cry/ grumble in not getting the kibble fast enough given the barriers of the bowl with all its obstacles!
Thus the name slow bowl! One might say this is an EXHAUSTING way to get a meal.
The little thought bubble above the Scholar's head reads: .'..and you want me to do this 3 times a day?!!'
So you ask, what's with the Scholar moniker?
Well, upon providing the name riddle coupled with some pics of Homer sent to folks, several started referring to him as the Scholar--I guess you can't have the Homer of the Iliad and some pics of our Homer who often looks so thoughtful like he is just taking it all in and of course can't forget that he is to spend his next year plus in the hallowed halls of higher ed! Ergo, The Scholar.
3rd night and agin, wowza--lottery on easy night. Homer did wake up once and I took him out. A hurry piddle ensued. I attribute this night of not sleeping through to we went to bed earlier than usual meaning he did not get his last go out to hurry at the time of the previous 2 nights. Once back in, back to sleep for the rest of the night. Ahhhhhh! So nice!!
And there you have it! Another Homer Report chronicling a day in the life of Homer of Gillenwater (that's my street name) known to some as the Scholar.

Friday and Day 2 with Homer.

Homer slept through the night—again. Blissful!!
Breakfast is over. P**p and piddles done and full on play mode in progress as I sit in the x-pen having coffee with the boy. Well, trying to have coffee. Not so easy with a bouncing and bounding bundle of fur at every turn!
What can I share that have I learned about Homer as we enter day 2 of our time together?
Well—Homer is a very enthusiastic eater who has not yet mastered the more subtle nuances of getting food from the bowl to the mouth then on down to the stomach. His preferred mode is full face into the bowl. Imagine bobbing for apples in a barrel at a fall fair only with kibble!
I dare say he won't be asked to any dinner parties at this rate.
He also likes to work on strength building by pulling his bed from one side of the x-pen to the other. He does this only with an audience so not sure if he wants to be a contestant on some ninjas show and views this as pre audition behavior.
Homer had his first day at school yesterday. Lots of meet and greet and then class with 31 adoring students patiently waiting for their turn to get a whiff of puppy breath.
First student to hold him was the one who solved the riddle for his name (what does the Iliad and the Odyssey, the TV show The Simpsons, and a town in Alaska all have in common?).
Super tired boy for sure when it was all done.
Today is a bit if a chill day. No trip to university.
Oh my—The 'off switch' has been activated and the boy has curled up in my lap where he is fast asleep sleep as I finish this morning report and reach for coffee that has gone cold.

Day ONE: Thursday and it’s time for the 'The H Morning' report--the boy slept through the night!
Hurry piddle upon getting up this morning and good solid p**p after breakfast.
Coffee with him in the x pen where we did cuddles and rubs and feet touching.
And he did a lot of 'stuff' like sniffing and climbing on me and sniffing and smelling and playing with this toy then that toy and more sniffing and more crawling and more and more and more...
I believe the 'off' switch has to go on soon! Right? 😱
Wait---shush---is that quiet?
Ahhhhhh---

Welcome to The Homer Report - An Odyssey to Remember! Meet, Homer, aka, Homer the Scholar! He is a Canine Companions Future Service Dog in training. Follow Homer as he navigates the Halls of Northern Arizona University as an "Associate Canis Scholar" spreading cheer, good will and of course all the puppy knowledge he can to the students and faculty.