Wow! I can't believe how fast the time has gone, despite how long every day seems to be lately. I remember the day I got the phone was 20 days away from Dec. 1st and now there's only 7 more days before I pack up and leave for training! It's so exciting and every day seems to go by very slowly. I have a very busy week with in-class assignments and 4 final exams to do but all I can seem to think about is what dog bowls I want to buy and what toys I want to get next.
This weekend I went to 3 different pet stores to buy a bed, food, and one toy. I know I am not supposed to buy anything before I go to training but I couldn't resist. The bed I've been dreaming about buying was on sale for $55.00 (regularly 70!) at Pet Smart. So when I got there and brought it up to the cash register I asked if they give any discounts for service dog owners. I was told that they give 30% off anything in the store and would honour the discount to me today even though I don't have my dog yet. After the discount, my total came to $25 dollars with tax! It turns out that the tag on the bed was for the size smaller than what I purchased so it rang up as 45.00 before the 30% discount! I was prepared to pay 55 bucks for the bed so swiping my visa for a 25 dollar purchase felt fantastic.
This weekend I also finally decided what food I am going to try feeding my dog when we come home together. Since the school is sponsored by Purina, that is what all of the dogs are being fed currently. I wanted to find a dog food that is grain-free and high in protein. These foods may cost more upfront but the dog has to eat half of the amount (instead of 6 cups, the dog would only need 2 1/2 to 3 cups per day). The food I have chosen to try first is Natures Variety Instinct with Raw Boost. I purchased a small 4lb. bag of the chicken recipe to get us through the first few days at home and to see how the dog takes to it. I am hoping it goes over well as this is one of the best foods Pet Smart sells and I just can't beat the 30% discount! All other stores in my area (pet valu, global foods, etc.) only offer a 10% discount. If my dog doesn't like this food my next choice is probably going to be wellness core as this is also a great option.
Here is a picture of the bed and skineeez fox toy I purchased over the last few days. The skineeez toy I got at Ren's Pet Depot during their biggest sale of the year on Saturday. I initially went there to buy food and a bed too but they were sold out of the bed that they had on sale for 15 dollars and so I had to go to Pet Smart anyways. I'm glad I did or else I would never have known they offer such a large discount to service dog owners!
Isn't it just so cute! I think it works great for a girl or a boy. Grey is definitely my favourite colour. I love purple too so it's perfect.
Now I just have to try and focus on studying for my exams and then figure out what to bring. I'll be posting at least one more update on my blog before I leave. So check back here in a few days if you want to see everything I'm bringing with me to training.
xoxo.
P.S. Just SEVEN more days!!
