Jim Elkthunder and his universally beloved service dog, Moose, are fixtures at Central Office.
Story by Marcus Wilkins and Jim Elkthunder. Photos by Garry Brix and provided.
the office gate to entice his co-workers to
visit.
As the unofficial greeter (and morale booster) at the Missouri Department of Corrections (MODOC) Central Office, Moose has few rivals when it comes to charm and charisma. Just inside the entrance, you’ll find him resting his chin on the baby gate that keeps him from wandering, a duck stuffy in his mouth and pleading brown eyes tempting passersby to stop for a pet.
An outgoing “people person,” Moose rarely leaves the side of his human, Jim Elkthunder — a MODOC safety coordinator, U.S. Air Force veteran and diabetic. A certified service dog trained through K9s On the Front Line, Moose is constantly on the alert for volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in Elkthunder’s breath and sweat that can signal sudden spikes or drops in blood sugar.
“When he smells that, he gets really excited and boops me with his nose,” Elkthunder said. “He won’t leave me alone until I do something about it. At night, if he can’t wake me, he wakes up my wife.”
Moose is also trained to recognize when Elkthunder is experiencing a PTSD-related episode. In those situations, he’ll jump onto his lap or lie on his chest, applying calming pressure. It’s a responsibility the affectionate Labrador-pit bull mix clearly takes seriously — and one he doesn’t seem to mind.
Read on for first-pawson account of a typical day in Moose’s life …
personality makes him an ideal service dog
— and office mascot.
Moose: My day starts when Dad wakes up and lets me outside to do my business. After a quick stretch and a bite to eat, I’m ready for whatever the world throws at me. Dad starts the morning with a lot of moans and groans; he sounds like a Rice Krispies treat getting out of bed in the morning. (Now I want a Rice Krispies treat.)
Dad: Moose, it’s time to go.
Moose: OK, OK — I’m getting up! [Stretch and roll closer to Mom.]
Dad: Moose, let’s go!
Moose: OK! [Jump off the bed, stretch again.]
Moose: Most of the time, the ride to work is boring. Occasionally, we get stuck in traffic, and I voice my dissatisfaction with the long wait. I have people to see and treats to eat at Central Office. This is unacceptable.
Jim and Moose.
Dad: Moose, we are in the office all day, so get comfortable.
Moose: Translation: I’m going to be bored today! That means I’ll sit by the door and see if anyone stops to pet me. I must make sure I have my black duck stuffy to lure people over.
Dad: Moose, let’s go for a walk.
Moose: Yeah! It’s snack time! First stop: Jenneca. Second stop: Katy. Then Barb at the warehouse and Myra across the street.
Moose: Dad, it’s 10:30 a.m. Time for my outside walk! I also like to play out back — tug-of-war with Dad and zoomies!
Moose: Lunchtime! What does Dad have for me today? Just my kibble. Maybe tomorrow — or maybe tonight — I can con Mom out of something good. (Just can’t let Dad catch us.) Mom has the best stuff: barbecue, chicken, hamburgers and hot dogs. If I’m lucky!
Moose: Alert! Dad is feeling overwhelmed. Time for me to do my thing! I have to get him to sit down. Now I place my head in Dad’s lap and make him pet me and hold me. If he doesn’t stop shaking, I’ll lick his face. Repeat until Dad is OK. Alert over. Dad is OK. I’ll remain on alert and keep watching him.
Dad: Moose, it’s time to go home!
Moose: It’s park time! Dad takes off my service-dog vest, and I get to just be a dog! I get the zoomies again and run with the other dogs at the park.
offer it. Doubly so if you have a treat.
Mom: Well, boys, how were work and the park?
Moose: Great! What’s for supper? I smell chicken cooking. Do I get some? I know Mom will sneak me something — she always does when Dad isn’t looking. Now it’s time to sit back and relax, watch a little TV and get ready for bed. Time to turn out the lights and sleep.
Moose: It’s 2:30 a.m. Alert! Dad has that familiar smell, and he isn’t waking up. I must wake him! [Poke, poke, poke with my nose.] Dad still isn’t waking up! Now I need to wake Mom. She has his medication, and Dad is finally waking up. I’ll sleep next to him now to make sure he’s OK.
And there you have it: a day in the life of Moose. Sometimes boring, sometimes full of excitement. I love my job — and my humans!
