Ace and I already told you that we would be taking a break until July, but something came up. This time, it was a business trip—not just for pleasure.
We also had a visit planned to Dogs Inc to check Ace's weight. It's a long story, which I'll explain later. We were so stoked to head out to Tampa! One of our first stops was to visit Phoebe the Pink Flamingo. Ace knows the cue, "Find Phoebe!" and he excitedly guided me right to her for a photo opportunity to say hello.
We learned something new during this trip. We wanted to figure out how to get to the rideshare pickup platform for Uber. We discovered some markings on the floor, and I wasn't sure what they were at first. I took a picture to show everyone. They were incredibly easy to read, and with my vision, they appeared very clear. I don't know what's going on with the health of my eyes, but I've been taking vitamins and using specialized eye drops to keep my artificial lenses clean. The opacity is now back to nearly 100 percent. I had been struggling with blurry, foggy lenses, which was likely caused by a nose-poking dog.
Ace and I followed the floor signs to where we needed to go—the escalator! I had always been told that service animal handlers should avoid using escalators at that airport. I searched for an elevator, but it wasn't conveniently located nearby. I finally said to myself, "Screw it, let's do it." Ace was so happy to use the escalator like a professional! Ace-mazing! That tells you just how much Ace enjoys riding escalators. If anyone had stopped us, I would have simply asked where the elevator was to reach the Red Express Curb.
Once we got off, Ace pointed me toward a sign. I could clearly read, "Service Animal Relief Area" with an arrow pointing the way. I asked Ace to find the door, and off we went. Ace practically raced me to the relief area! It was spacious, beautiful, and shaded. Ace absolutely fell in love with it. He sniffed around and around, which made me laugh. He had discovered something wonderful before I even knew what was there.
After that, we caught an Uber ride to our hotel in Brandon. The people there were wonderful! Several employees were excited to meet Ace and me. We were told that Ace was the first service animal to visit this newly built hotel which was opened on June 11th. The staff were incredibly supportive. I requested a room near the stairwell because it's important to expose Ace to stairwells and help him become familiar with them in case of an emergency. That way, Ace and I can comfortably use either the stairs or the elevator. It turned out to be a great decision. We used the stairwell all the way down—seven flights—to reach the relief area. Perfect!
After a few hours of rest, we headed to Target to purchase a new Bluetooth keyboard since I had accidentally left my old one behind on the shuttle. Honestly, it was old anyway. We also picked up bottled water for both Ace and me.
Guess what? Brandon was something else. We experienced our very first service animal rider denial. Fortunately, a hotel employee helped me communicate with Uber. We waited for another driver, and everything worked out. I was glad to have someone in my corner.
Can you guess what Ace and I would be doing the following day?
I captured a beautiful sunrise just outside my hotel room window, and it was a lovely sight. Ace and I spent some time exploring around the hotel, and it turned out to be easy-peasy for us. We were waiting for a friend to give us a ride to Dogs Inc so we could visit the veterinary center and have Ace weighed. Ace is known as "Hercules" or the "Incredible Hulk" because of his massive muscles and bone structure. Of course, his growth spurt finally stopped just before he turned three years old. He is solid as a titan.
Ace stepped on the scale twice, and both weigh-ins came in at 89 pounds. He only dropped one pound after reducing his food intake to one cup per meal, which equals two cups per day. We met up with two wonderful trainers, and they agreed that Ace looked great—just a big boy. I wanted to make sure I was on the same page as Dogs Inc, and I understand that the target weight range is within three pounds of his ideal weight. Ace has gained 26 pounds in just one year. There is simply no way I could get Ace back down to the skinny boy he was on the day we first locked eyes.
Ace received plenty of compliments. He looks happy and healthy, has a beautiful coat, well-trimmed nails, and his eyes are glowing. Ace proudly showed himself off on his "ACE" statue. I could tell a huge difference in his physique from January 2025, when he weighed 64 pounds, to June 2026, when he weighed 89 pounds. It was wonderful to see how Ace reacted when he realized we were back on the Dogs Inc campus. He could barely contain his excitement.
It's incredible to watch how Ace consistently sits and gives me a look when it's time for grooming in the morning and our basic skills routine in the evening. He will stare at me until I figure out exactly what he wants, and then he gets the prize of knowing that I received his message correctly. While it isn't a requirement to practice basic skills in the hotel room, he enjoys it immensely.
This morning at 7:30 AM, the temperature was already 81 degrees, so it wasn't ideal to work outside. Instead, we enjoyed some quiet time together and relaxed before heading back to the airport, where Ace would be working mostly indoors.
While we were doing stair work, Ace was exposed to a new smell in the stairwell since the building is newly constructed. We started by going down a few flights at a slower pace to make sure he wasn't overloaded by all the new scents. It didn't bother him at all, so we picked up the pace and continued our stair work. In just four months, we have completed an incredible 570 flights of stairs together!
As we arranged an Uber ride back to Tampa International Airport so we could catch the airport shuttle and head home, Ace and I were denied by an Uber driver. I was dumbfounded and couldn't understand why he didn't want us in his car. He canceled our ride. I had to ask a front desk employee to assist me when the next Uber arrived. I was disgusted that the driver would only take us to the airport if a sheet was placed entirely across the back seat. The hotel staff had to go inside to retrieve a sheet and spread it out for him. I remained silent, but Ace was clearly upset that we had to get back out of the car while the staff prepared the seat. He certainly did not appreciate the way we were treated, especially after experiencing two denials in two days. Of course, I took the sheet with us after we were dropped off.
Anyhow, we continued working and exploring. Before leaving, we wanted to find Phoebe and bid her farewell. Ace happily guided me to Phoebe so Ace could stand on her foot one last time. Then I asked him to "Find Uber."
We started at the elevator where the floor sign is located, and off we went. Ace confidently guided me all the way to the area where we go down an escalator. Of course, he wanted another thrill ride! I told him we didn't need to take it, but it would make a great video to show everyone. He only learned the route once and already knew his way around.
Next, we found the airport shuttle parked perfectly beside the relief area on the baggage claim level. Score!
What an amazing and challenging trip we had. Once again, Ace proved how intelligent, determined, and reliable he is.
A video and photos are woven throughout this clip. There is something that may surprise you, but I won't reveal it until you see it for yourself.
Let's just say it's something truly ace-mazing!
Next up, we have an exciting trip coming up, and it will be a brand-new experience for us! Keep your eyes peeled next month—you won't want to miss it!