Hi. I’m Kuno. If you’re new here, that’s okay. I used to do the talking. Now Chesnyy has the job, and there’s a puppy coming up who is going to need all of you. I just wanted to say hello properly. If I get a little slobber on the booper buttons, that is historically accurate. I’m a black-and-tan Rottweiler from Alberta. As a puppy I had several seizures. That scared people. Some thought it was hormones because I was growing like I had somewhere to be. I outgrew them. Good thing, too, or I would not have been right for the work. The important part is this: my mistress still chose me. She knew about the seizures and picked me anyway. That is the first time somebody looked at me and said I was enough. Her name is Marla. I mostly thought of her as mine. She lost both her legs to sepsis. When she came home, the world had gotten sharper. Not just stairs and snow. Attitudes. The kind where people look at a wheelchair like the person in it is already finished. Like she should be grateful, quiet, and out of the way. I did not like that. I was polite about it. Mostly. We did not start famous. We started with “can you get that?” and “stay with me” and a lot of practice in the living room. I learned to pick up keys. Open doors. Help with transfers. Walk beside the chair without becoming a speed bump. She trained me because the waitlists were years long, and years is a lot of life to spend waiting for help. In 2020 I passed my public access testing and became a government-qualified service dog. One of the first Rotties in Alberta to do that. I was very normal about it. I only thought about it every day. Then the job got real. Sometimes the power chair dug itself into the snow and I had to pull. Snow in the nose. Chair heavier than pride. Sometimes a curb ramp was so dilapidated we got hung up on it, half on the street, half not, while people walked around us like we were a traffic cone with feelings. Those days lived in my shoulders. I still did them. That is what partners do. I could smell when she was in pain. Humans think they hide it. They do not. I would lean in and stay. Late at night I got up to make sure she made it to the bathroom safely, even after a very professional perimeter check. Then bed snacks. The sacred ones. A story. A nibble. Her voice going soft. She told me she loved me over and over and over, like she was afraid I might forget. I never forgot. Sometimes there were tears. I knew the taste of them. I believed she was more beautiful than bacon. I do not say that lightly. Bacon is policy. We had good adventures too. Dog shows. Hotel beds. Hunting for a meatball in a tree in the park, which remains an elite sport. I loved bedtime stories. I adored her singing, even though she sounded like she was related to a cow. I did not mention that while on duty. It seemed unfair. I also had an internet love, @CanadianPenny1. Prettiest pup in Canada. She sent gifts taped like she was defending them from raccoons. Nothing says I love you like bacon, but Penny came close. She is here with me now. Interwoof love counts. I checked. You counted too. Some of you were here from the start. Some of you just got here. Either way, you made a lot possible. Not with speeches. With help, cheering, snacks for the road, and the decision that a woman in a chair and a big Rottie belonged in the middle of things. Community turns a stuck-in-the-snow life into one that still has Sunday breakfasts and little victories. I made it to the top of a snow pile once and decided that was good enough for the day. You were our snow pile people. I am not writing like I just left. I’ve been gone a while. I am checking in. Please keep looking after my person. She is brave and tired and still trying. Please keep cheering Chesnyy. She has my old job and she is doing it for real, not as a photocopy. Please keep raising that puppy like the world-changer he is going to be. He will need manners, naps, and people who believe he is more than a cute caboose. And I need you to know this. I still care about you. There is a superhero in you. Not the cape kind. The kind that holds a door, shares cheese, learns a better attitude, and decides disabled people get to stay in the world. You have the potential to change that world. You can make someone smile. You can make someone’s job easier. You can probably even make bacon. That is a lot of power. Use it kindly. A few woofs, with only a little slobber: Love the one that gives you cheese. A kiss is worth a thousand woofs. Very few things cannot be improved by bacon and nose boops. Celebrate the little victories. Top of the snow pile counts. Don’t give up on your ball. Sitting and staring at the couch will not bring it back. Some see an empty scoop. I see a scoop ready for food. Perspective is everything. You can’t eat the treat if your teeth are still clamped on the old thing. Letting go is a skill. Sleep well to dream big. Morning is for chasing the dream so it has to keep up. Dance like the entire world wants to dance with you. Tail-chasing is cardio. Dream-chasing is the point. Most things can be made better with a treat, an ear rub, and some love. Most of the leftover problems can be made better with a well-timed poop. I stand by this. If this story makes you want to help, help them. Help my mistress. Help Chesnyy. Help the puppy. That is the work now. I already got the grass that never turns to ice, Penny beside me, and the knowledge that I was chosen on purpose. Tell my person I liked the bedtime stories. Tell her I heard every I love you. Tell Chesnyy she is doing fine. Tell the puppy there are meatballs in trees if he looks properly. Tell Penny’s mom and dad she is not lost. She is here, she still knows who loved her first, and I am taking good care of their girl. Thank them for sharing her with the Interwoof, and with me. Tell yourselves I see the good in you. I was a big derpy service dog with opinions, a crush, snow in my whiskers, and a whole Interwoof I loved. You were my people. You still are. — Kuno Black-and-tan. Chosen on purpose. Qualified. Still on your side.

With some support and the right equipment, it's amazing what can happen.

6:38 a.m. and Mr. Sun is late for work again. My tree is also naked now. So much chaos in the world.

Admin has been summoned for potty training advice! 🙂 Potty training feels like a full-time job at this stage, and that’s totally normal. At around 14 weeks most pups still have tiny bladders and limited control, so they often need to go out every 1–2 hours while awake. I know it can feel like you’re going out every 5 minutes, and for a while it really is a lot of trips. What we’re doing is setting them up so they don’t even have the urge to go inside, as we’ve already taken them out. We’re setting them up for success and rewarding it. Some dogs catch on super fast. Others need weeks or more of consistent practice. How quickly it clicks has very little to do with breed. It’s mostly about the individual puppy, their age, and consistency. Patience and celebrating the wins matter far more than the calendar. And remember, they’re still babies. There will be days when you think you’ve got it mastered, and then something exciting happens and they pee. That’s part of puppy life. Here’s a sample daytime schedule that works well for many puppies this age. Adjust the exact times to your household, but keep the rhythm: Wake-up (first thing) Take the pup out immediately, before coffee, before pets, before anything else. Go with them. Stand quietly and give them a few minutes. If they go, give big celebrations and a treat right away. If they don’t go after a few minutes, bring them back inside and put them in the crate for 10–15 minutes, or stay with them in a small, puppy-proofed area. Then take them straight out and try again. Repeat until they succeed. This keeps the association clear without letting them practice accidents inside. After success You can feed breakfast. Take them out again 10–15 minutes after they finish eating, since many puppies need to go shortly after a meal. Morning & afternoon rhythm • Out every 1–2 hours while awake • Out after each meal, nap, and exuberant play session or • Short, calm potty trips of 5 minutes work better than long wander sessions Structured naps Pups this age still need a lot of sleep, often 16–20 hours total. Naps in the crate for 1–2 hours at a time prevent overtired chaos, which is when many accidents happen. A common pattern is 1 hour awake and 2 hours asleep, or whatever length keeps them calm and successful. When the nap ends, go straight outside again. Evening Start winding down a couple of hours before bed. Give the last meal earlier rather than later, then do a final potty trip right before bedtime. Many people find a short crate nap or quiet time in the evening reduces the witching hour zoomies that lead to accidents. Overnight Most 14-week-olds still need at least one overnight trip. When they wake and cry, take them out quietly, no play, then right back to bed. As bladder control improves, those nighttime trips usually stretch out on their own. Why we take them to the potty spot and celebrate Puppies aren’t thinking indoors vs outdoors. They’re mostly thinking, “human got really unhappy when I went there, so I’ll try somewhere else.” Going to the same potty area and having celebrations when they go helps clarify where the good place is. Go out with them at this age. Being alone in the big world can be overwhelming, and some pups simply won’t go if nervous or distracted. Use a leash, pick a routine spot, and make success loud and happy. A few extra tips that can help • Clean indoor accidents well with an enzymatic cleaner so the smell doesn’t invite a repeat. • If accidents are frequent, tighten the schedule for a few days with more potty trips • Keep a simple log for a couple of days if you’re stuck. It often reveals a pattern, such as after play, after certain foods, or after long naps. You’re not behind if it still feels messy. Consistency, short successful trips outside, and plenty of rest is the combination that works for the vast majority of puppies. The first few months are a LOT. It does get easier. You’ve got this. 🐶💛 @freya68jazzy

New skill unlocked. My baby brother has mastered the art of picking up the dropped leash and bringing it to the human. Don't tell him I said this, but the kid is really starting to show some potential. 🎥 Kenji demonstrates his new skill

Sugar Cookie Giveaway 🇨🇦🇺🇸 It's a bit early for Christmas, but what better way to show off my latest festive sample sets 🍪 A huge thank you to our generous sponsor for making this possible! ❤️ Comment below to enter. Closes Oct 19th 5pm(EST) More giveaways to come next week!

Train. When the human says train she is thinking we will hone our skills. When I hear her say train I am thinking I get to be a power locomotive. I like my version better. 🙂🐾🏆

When the tall grass tickles his tummy, Kenji bounces. Sproing!!!

My plans were blown away. Literally. We got in the van and went to check out a local community park that might be a great place to do some training in. But by the time we got there it was so windy the van was shaking. There were kids in the field trying to play soccer and they couldn't keep up with the ball blowing away. Then it started raining! The community park did look like a great place to do some training, and there was even a hall that apparently has a wheelchair accessible main floor, and a grass rink beside it. Except there was no curb ramp to get a wheelchair out of the parking lot and up to the sidewalk that leads to the facilities. I'm pretty sure that means the accessible hall is inaccessible. My human would have figured something out, like parking at the school nearby and rolling through the grass. She's stubborn. But that wouldn't work in the rain or if there was snow. So we drove home avoiding things blowing across the road. I saw a woman chasing her big floppy floral hat. It looked like a tremendously fun game! I'm a bit disappointed we couldn't get out and play too. And my human is grumpy because our plans fell apart but she's making a pie and pie fixes grumpiness.

𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑐 𝑝𝑎𝑤 𝑏𝑜𝑥 𝑤𝑎𝑠 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡… 𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒. 𝑈𝑛𝑠𝑢𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑒𝑑. 🐾 𝐶ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑛𝑦𝑦 𝑤𝑜𝑛’𝑡 𝑘𝑛𝑜𝑤 𝐼 𝑏𝑜𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑒𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛𝑒 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑. 𝑊ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑏𝑢𝑡𝑡𝑜𝑛 𝑑𝑜?? 📸 𝐹𝑅𝑂𝑁𝑇 𝐹𝐴𝐶𝐼𝑁𝐺?? 𝑈ℎ 𝑜ℎ. 𝑇ℎ𝑎𝑡’𝑠 𝑚𝑒. #UhOh #AccidentalSelfie #KenjiChaos #LittleBrotherProblems

Whenever we go somewhere and Baby Rottie Kenji has to stay home, he always has something to listen to. Sometimes it's the radio. Sometimes a Ted Talks. Today it was a Spotify playlist of classic dog.

My little brother Kenji, the overgrown Rottie puppy with the giant melonhead, the enormous clown paws, and the emotional support face of a baby who has never known a hard day, stayed up way past every bedtime just to make sure his big sister made it home. 🌙 I walked into the yard glowing in my LED vest and there he was. Big silhouette in the window, oversized head tilted, those huge paws planted like he was personally holding the night together. No lights. No sound. Just my personal 90-pound shadow doing the purest “you’re finally here” stare of all time. 👀 So I hopped up on the little deck, put my paws on the frame, and we locked eyes through the glass. Him with that ridiculous big head and those giant baby paws pressed close. Me in the vest that could be spotted from space. And for a second it felt like the whole night got quiet just so we could look at each other. 💛 Then I turned and headed for the door and he stayed right there watching me the whole way, like his only job in the world was making sure I was safe inside. 🏠 The vest was for the dark streets. But the real light was my overgrown, soft-hearted wrecking ball of a little brother who wouldn’t rest until his sister was home. ✨ He’s dramatic. He’s enormous. He adores me more than anything. And somehow that giant head still has room for nothing but me. 🥺 #DogsofX #Rottweiler #SiblingGoals #PuppyLove #ChesnyyAndKenji

Alleged crimes. Conspiracy to extort treats. And. Theft of hearts.

🚨Local Criminal Evades Police🚨 I'm not saying it was me, just that my MentorDog had a long history of evading the PoPo and insisted I learn to be a stealthy rottie. #ThrowbackThursday 🎥An unidentified dog in a balaclava carrying a bucket of loot around the city stops behind several police officers who are completely unaware of its presence.

No cookie to follow here. Kenji is learning to walk around the little table through shaping, not luring. Yesterday he figured it out with a pylon; today he’s applying the same idea to something completely new. Luring has its place. It’s great for teaching muscle memory, but it essentially only teaches a pattern. Shaping asks him to solve the problem himself: getting from A to B while working around whatever’s in the way. That builds independent thinking and real problem-solving skills. He’s a confident pup, which helps. For less confident dogs, relying mostly on luring can sometimes reinforce clingy behavior instead of teaching them they can figure things out on their own. Piece by piece. No lure. Just thinking.

It's very very early in the morning and I've followed my human into the kitchen. She's left the lights off and is being suspiciously quiet. It's almost like she doesn't want anybody to know about that piece of pie she's eating.

This is NOT a Halloween costume. This is NOT Baby Rottie Kenji growing a beard. This is, however, him after finding the hairball from the vacuum cleaner. #UnwantedFacialHair

Last October we had another special guest. The iconic Marilyn Monrottweiler. Invitations have been sent out for this year's special guests. I wonder who will be visiting. Any guesses? #CameoAppearance

The human is a bit sluggish this morning so we're watching TV while we wait for breakfast.

Kenji's friend Peanut can't visit for a while because she came into heat. She was scheduled for spaying this month but that's been postponed. So today Kenji got to go for a walk with Maven. Last fall some of Maven's siblings, Mars, Moon, Mallory and Maple spent some time with us for exposure training. Maven comes to some of our group classes and is working towards becoming a qualified service dog. Kenji seems to let these girls all push him around a lot. 🎥 The kids taking a play break.

I only see my goals, I don’t believe in failure… …except that I completely do. This little rally obedience video with Chesnyy (and my wheelchair) starts with that bold Lukas Graham song line, then gets real. I want to feel confident, but a lot of the time I’m just worried I’m gonna mess it up. Failing, struggling, and having to try over and over can feel embarrassing, but it doesn’t have to. That’s dedication and resilience. Nothing to be embarrassed about. It’s okay to fail sometimes. We can’t be perfect all the time. Sometimes we can’t even be borderline good. Sometimes we just mess up royally and that’s part of life, especially if you’re learning something new, or there's a few extra challenges facing you. Mess up, reset, try again. That’s where the real commitment comes from. Humility sneaks in there whether I like it or not. Remember, today's failures can be tomorrow's sort of okays, and eventual successes. (The dog’s still the patient one. I’m just figuring it out.) Admin 🎥 Chesnyy rocking her rally obedience practice. Mostly. We don't show the really bad parts 🤣