b'WWhhaattssiinnt heeBBaagg??thWhenever Jaeger and I go into the community, I always have items for him. I think of it almost like having a diaper bag for a baby. I keep these bags in my car, so Im always prepared. If we are going to the grocery store, for example, the only things I carry in my purse are a Ziplock bag containing a few bleach wipes, some paper-towels, and a plastic bag. These are for the off chance that Jaeger has an accident of any kind. The bleach wipes are for the oor. Like our children, service dogs can have accidents, and it is my responsibility to clean any mess he would happen to make. Thankfully, Ive never had to use this Ziplock bag of items.If we are going into a restaurant, or going to work at WKU, I always carry Jaegers hot-pink backpack. This backpack has treats for the treat pouch that I wear when we are out together, a small, squishy bathmat, toys that make no noise like a bone, a tiny stuffed toy, a Kong (a dog toy that can have treats put inside), and a small, thin blanket. Also in the bag is a collapsible water bowl, a serving of dog food, and a bottle of water, in case the location we are in does not have water. The bathmat is so Jaeger has a clean spot to lay on the oor. We use this in classrooms, under the tables at restaurants, under a table at meeting location, on the gym oor at sporting events, etc. It is easily washable and gives him some comfort from laying on a hard, dirty oor. The bones and the Kong were activities for him to stay busy, while in a down-stay position. Meetings are boring for everyone. While we might doodle on paper during a meeting, Jaeger would chew on a bone, to keep him occupied. Sometimes we were at chilly locations for hours (e.g., volleyball games during the winter months, and the gym was cold). When we were at these events for hours, I worried Jaeger would be chilly. We were often covered with blankets at these events. My ultimate goal was to keep him comfortable when we were working, or not working. He really likes his blanket, and so when we were seated for hours at a daylong event, I would cover him with this blanket while he slept. Did you know, that for every 15 minutes a service dog works, they need to sleep for an hour? Making him comfortable was the least I could do for all his hard work. 17 msfocusmagazine.org'