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Een deel van deze site bestaat voornamelijk omdat ik jullie graag op de hoogte hou van wat er in ons leven gebeurt. Wat het nu betekent om een assistentiehond te hebben, zowel in positieve als negatieve zin. Mijn eerste doel was om te gaan bloggen, maar ik heb al snel moeten toegeven dat ik dat fysiek niet kon volhouden. Wat ik wel echter heel goed kan is foto’s met korte verhaaltjes plaatsen! Je kan op deze pagina de hele tijdlijn bekijken, of je kan ons gewoon direct volgen!
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De nieuwste posts
FaithfulElite
OOPS BANK GONE
The longer she’s on her medication the more she falls off 🤣
FaithfulElite
SPORT THE RESULTS
And I have to admit, I love how the show line from belly to hind leg matches this time. Each shave I learn ánd get better - which is fun.
Her neck looks a bit funky, but in stead of at the collar I shaved down on where her sweaters & PJ’s end. So naked it looks a bit weird, but she’ll be wearing clothes 24/7 and it’s prettier and warmer this way.
FaithfulElite
NJEEEEENG - SHORTCUT!
So yeah… winter, colder… blah blah so I shaved her, but with a 2,5cm shaving head on. Because again I was afraid of going too short.
All it did was make Faye itch al over, very dusty, annoyed, dirty and an unhappy camper. So again I had to think to myself ‘ís this really it?’
She was wearing sweaters anyhow, why the hell pinch, be conservative and afraid of going back to the 2,5mm setting like summer? Ooooh she might get cold 🤨
I know her more than well enough to know if she needs thicker p-jays and if she’s cold or hot. So she’s shaven down once again and way happier for it, once again 🤣
This picture was halfway done, I had a tough time getting through the underwool and there were welts, sore spots and bumps mostly on her legs, butt and neck. Some annoying welts that were going smelly already, yay for yeasts. So note to self for next time: SHAVE THE GODDAMN DOG.
FaithfulElite
JUDGMENTAL COW IS JUDGING YOU
#armoede #verborgenarmoede #stillearmoede #ikredhetnietmeer #buurtkast #buurtkastje #deelkast #deelkastje #deelkastje.nl #deelkastslotlaan #doetinchem #armoedebestrijding #armoedeisnieteerlijk #armoedeinnederland #samenkunnenwemeer#noodhulp #lokalehulp
FaithfulElite
SINTERKLAAS
Party
Awesome
Got gifts
And many nomnom kruidnoten
FaithfulElite
GRRRR
I r dinosaur
Be fraid 🦖
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
HOOWDYHOW IMMA COW
Go mooooooh
FaithfulElite
PLAY?
FaithfulElite
IT EARLY… I SLEEPS
#yolo.
She’ll join me on every journey, but it definitely is way too early even for Evi 🤣
FaithfulElite
WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE
When your hooman just shaved your hooha
And now your hooha is freezing on the cold floor. Don’t you just hate that feeling? 🤣
Bit of a hackjob because the battery was more drained then expected but all hidden away under the sweater 😬
FaithfulElite
I GOTZ A NEEHEEW SWEAAATEEEER
And I’ve got the feeling she’s okay with this one 🤣 shaven down, though longer than compared to this summer, her coat lost a lot of function.
She’ll be going over to my brother for Christmas & new year and his house is a bit colder overall. But I also don’t want to grow her hair out because well… issues. So I now have a 33kg, 65cm high long haired German shepherd wearing sweaters for comfort 🤣
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
LOOK AT ME! I’M A MERMAID
I promised the blankie to the first dog who jumped on the daybed. Evi won. Evi is now a mermaid
Evi likes being a mermaid
Evi likes blankies
Evi likes extra warmth
Evi shall henceforth be known as Her Royal Highness Evi Of The Cold Winters And Warm Waters.
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
BORING THINGS
Boring life
But we shall persevere for hooman.
So we walk the walkies (no real walks because too slow, no real trot because too fast so we do a nice ambling gate)
And then we watch the watches resting our chin. And when that becomes too boring we sleep the sleepies ‘till it’s time to amble the ambling back home.
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
WINTER EVENINGS
Do not ask me why Faye decided to bring the window wiper out of the ‘belongs to a car box’
I don’t know either 🤷♀️
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
WINTER SUNSHINE
FaithfulElite
CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE
I’ve had a long few months waiting for my case to be heard by het ‘college voor rechten van de mens’ and lets start with the anti-climax: eventually I withdrew my complaint - voluntary to be sure.
I had a lot of issues with the @msccruisesofficial customer service (Dutch edition) trying to verify what was needed for me to cruise with them, that eventually turned into an email thread spanning over several months of me becoming so frustrated I said to hell with it: go and explain yourself to a higher up because this is unacceptable (sentences like “if you had a real service dog you know which documents we need” & “only guide dogs for the blind are welcome on board and no dogs in any other case”). Yep, and then there’s me going: fine, I’ll fight this. For me and all future assistance dog teams.
But what happend? Well before the hearing started it was made clear by one of the ‘jurors’ the option for a conversation was on the table from the side of MSC if I was also up for it. And hey why not: it’s not like 3 people scare me, and let’s be honest, if it wasn’t to my liking I could continue the hearing.
Long story short: they said ánd did the right things. Including revamping the texts on the website and making sure everything (including customer service) is up to date. They honestly made an effort to fix things (yes albeit a bit late, but customer service had their hands in that last year) and admitted some crucial things went wrong on their end which fuelled my frustration.
And in the end that was my wish; make things accessible, acceptable and doable for service dog teams that want to travel the world.
So, I formally withdrew my complaint and gave compliments that they did own up and not only that, they made changes. So there is the end of the saga, most companies always have to thread a thin line between doable for them and legal, and MSC is doing that fine in my eyes.
I hope to try them with Evi for a cruise in the near future.
FaithfulElite
TRAIN - NO TRAIN - TRAIN
So booked the train ride back home (need assistance on intercity’s to get in and out of the train). And lo and behold: the elevator was broken! And Utrecht, the massive transport hub it is, of course only has one freaking elevator per platform 🤔
So customer service called and tried rerouting via Utrecht overstegen, hmm no, elevator broken there as well… so I suggested Deventer in stead of Den Bosch (because Utrecht <-> Arnhem is down for maintenance). Hmm no you guessed it: elevator broken!
So three routes, three stations, three broken elevators and one route on maintenance … rerouting me through the west was a simple no go. So; taxi to Den Bosch - well sir thats nice and all but Den Bosch is 53km and Arnhem 55, if we’re going to this can you just reroute me to Arnhem and save me the hassle of Bossche Bol City?
Luckily the customer service employee of NS was willing to help me in that regard and now we’re finally on our way to Arnhem, a few hours late but luckily we had our appointment.
I’m hurting like hell but it was worth it, I’ll tell you about that later 😎 Evi is sleeping it off, NH Hotels Utrecht was nice enough to let me go to the toilet and let Evi warm up inside. One short train ride when we’re in Arnhem and after that back home sleeping it off…
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
TRAIN, AGAIN….
Today is the ‘court hearing’ of my case against MSC. And Evi is putting her best paw forward. Sadly the direct line from Arnhem to Utrecht is down zo we have a long journey ahead, which does suck balls. Trains are a lot of work…
But if this hearing means MSC will be ‘forced’ to change their ways for future visitors with service dogs that contact them I’m happy.
A slap on the hand saying what they did wasn’t right would even be better. Fingers crossed.
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
GIMME DAT SASS
#assistancedog #hulphond #Evi #Faye #eds #ptss #chronicpain #shepherds #duitseherder #herder #shepherd #doglovers #dogs_of_instagram #gsdstagram #gsd #gsdlife #gsdlovee #instagsd #fluffy #fluffyearsarethebest #fluffydog
FaithfulElite
BUTT TO NOSE
Yin to yang
FaithfulElite
WHEN YOU’RE BORED
And in bed
And your dog is in your bed
The dog will become a plaything
It’s universal law 🤣
FaithfulElite
NIGHTYNIGHT!
FaithfulElite
ALL IS WELL
When Evi is well. And yes I feel pain, have incisions, just had surgery and feel groggy from the anaesthesia - yes I’m in a hospital and things are different. But when Evi says it’s okay? It’s okay…
My EDS brings me (many) side effects and exception after exception. But I know I can deal with them when this little light is near. She’s not a big bright light - like you could compare Faye with a flood light 😂 but she’s the steady little flicker of a candle thats always there. Warm and gentle, soft and in the background but definitely unmistakeable.
She’s there to help and she does. The moment I was wheeled back to my room she did a full sniff around, like a bomb dog checking for issues and after a thorough inspection said to my mom (who was stand-in handler for me) she’s okay. Flopped down on the floor and wen to sleep.
When I finally fully woke up a few hours later things changed though. I had to get up, pee, sit in my chair for a bit, nurses walking in and out…and the floor no longer feit safe. The hospital bed is up high with big plastic barriers that make her first steps signalling (which are soft prods, pokes and noses) too hard. So in full on Evi style she told me, and I was prepared - even brought along her @sheddefender - luckily the staff was a-okay with just her fleecie on the bed. She keeps to it only to get off when telling me something is shifting or wrong to immediately return to it when I get the message and am safe. Hygienic dog 101 😂
She is in no way phased with what is going on and I could go to sleep with the door open now, sleep away the day and nothing would happen. There’s a reason training assistance dogs takes 2 years or more 🫣
We agreed on her not wearing her vest in the room, it’s bulky and we can’t imagine it’s nice to have to wear it for 24/7 (tomorrow is the soonest I can go home). She’ll wear it when someone is taking her potty though.
The staff here at Rijnstate has made this journey possible for me, because without Evi it would have been a no. I’m seriously grateful ❤️