“Sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” -Lewis Carrol

Waffles (Water’s Edge Keep Calm and Waffle On) was born on August 12, 2024 to proud mom Wit (Water’s Edge Sharp as a Tack), dad Rocket (Water’s Edge Timeless Flight), and breeder Dan Rode at Water’s Edge Kennels in Buffalo, Minnesota. He and his 8 siblings — a total of 2 girls, 7 boys, temporarily named after Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs — kept Wit and Dan busy! We were lucky enough to go visit several times as the litter was growing up.

At 6 weeks 6 days, when I tested his litter for work aptitude, “Happy” was getting ready to attend college, join a fraternity, play beer pong with red Solo cups, and pee on the floor. Back then, we didn’t know he’d be the Waffles-Man yet… but he sure came out of testing with top marks across the board.

This blog will serve as a training log. It is not meant to be a training guide, but rather a record of Waffles’ adventures in training as he learns new things. He follows in the footsteps of his service dog predecessors: Valen, Zap, Pi, and Quick, and beloved family pet Spanky, who are no longer with us; and Archer, 12 years old and now retired. I have a theory that dogs come to you in the following order: “Wise Dog” followed by “Agent of Chaos.” We’re due a “Wise Dog” this round. Fingers and toes crossed?

Here are some pictures of Waffles, his parents, and his siblings as he grew from a tiny potato to a drunken hippo, and then to a fine young pup in Dan’s watchful care.

Bring on the training adventures! Tomorrow, the real learning starts!