Numotion has teamed up with Summit Assistance Dog, a fully accredited 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, providing highly-skilled mobility-assistance dogs for people living with disabilities, to sponsor their own service dog, Numo. At the end of a two year training program, Numo will be matched with an individual to help increase their independence and confidence.

Here is a recent interview with Numo that touches on her background, training and life as a service dog-in-training.


Hi there friends! I’m Numo.

I hope most of you already know who I am and follow along with my adventures on Instagram, but if not, no worries. I caught up with my friends at Numotion to answer a few questions and share some exciting details on what being a service dog-in-training is all about. I hope you enjoy!


Q: nmo2.pngNumo.pngHow old are you and what’s your breed?
A: I am a 9 month old Labrador Retriever.
 
Q: What is the origin of your name?
A: I was named after you (Numotion), a CRT company who gave me a scholarship to attend school. Thanks by the way!
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Q: What school do you attend?
A: I am training to be a service dog with Summit Assistance Dog, located right outside of Seattle, WA.

Q: What is the one question you get asked all the time?
A: How long my training program is. There are a total of six levels that take about two years to complete.
 
Q: What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
A: I was born in Australia. My parents’ names are Obi and Souix and no, I do not have an Australian accent.

 Q: What level of training are you in currently?
A: I am in puppy pre-k and basic socialization where I am learning my name, hand target, leash walking, kennel and come. I am doing really well and hope to graduate to level one (basic obedience) in the next few weeks.
 
Q: What will change when you move to level one in your training?
A: My day-to-day won’t change much but the commands and skills will get harder. Right now, I am working on mastering the very basic skills to build a strong foundation. In level one I will be building on that and working on commands such as sit and down, how to walk on a leash for longer distances and making eye contact.

Q: Favorite things to do?
A: Sleep, go on field trips and hang out with my puppy trainer Geoff on his houseboat. I think I rock a life jacket pretty well.
 
Q: What do you mean by field trips and where is your favorite place to go?
A: Geoff takes me everywhere he goes. It’s part of my training. I need to be introduced to new situations, places and people so he can see how I react. Geoff can then tailor my training to help me with areas I may be struggling with, such as sitting still during a three-hour lecture or not chasing the free-roaming ducks at a local farm. The grocery store is my favorite though!
 
Q: What is the most rewarding part of your training?
A: Knowing I can someday assist people with mobility disabilities.
 
numo4.pngQ: You recently took a trip to Numotion’s Seattle branch. How was that experience?
A: It was awesome. That was the first time I got to meet some of the amazing people that work at Numotion. They were very welcoming, kind and gave me a ton of attention and love. I was able to share information about Summit Assistance Dogs with the help of Melissa from Summit, show off some of my skills and play with everyone. It was the highlight of my training so far and now other branches want me to come visit too. I’m going to need an agent!
 
Q: Best way to keep up with your training?
A: Follow me on Instagram at Numo the Service Dog. I hope everyone follows along and gets to experience this journey with me. I feel really lucky to have this opportunity.

Woof!
Numo, Guest Blogger

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Numo, Guest Blogger