3 of our career changes at daycare yesterday..

Lowell, Natara, Zuni.

A new puppy....

We made the decision to keep raising service dogs...However, we are going to be raising for PAVE (Paws Assisting Veterans) in Portland! We are super excited to raise a puppy for a veteran and be involved with a new, very small, non profit!


Our new little puppy will be ariving on June 13th! He is a purebred golden retriever from Sunset Goldens and his name....is CHIEF!..

Lowell made a decision

Lowell decided to stay with me and be a spoiled pet dog..Lowell will be officially CCed for relieving-or shall I say inappropriate relieving!?..Lowell has had a few too many incidents of relieving at inappropriate times in the past few months, so I guess he was telling us he wasn't meant to be a guide..


I had concerns about his drooling (anytime any kind of food is in his area/ear-shot etc!), he's a bit distracted by dogs or the sound of dogs and well, he can be a little sloooow..However, I adore him. Big head, drooling,"slowness" and all..


I know my co-raiser is very sad that he will not be a guide for someone, but I think he will be just as happy staying with us...He is quite fond of cushy dog beds (including the futon just his size), he looooves food and he loves other dogs..I think he will acclimate just fine to pet-dog life! I hope to show him in obedience, but if he doesn't like obedience, he would be a wonderful therapy dog.


So, our raising time is over for now..We still have 2 pups that we started in training or in a raiser home, so technically Lowell isn't the end, but I'm happy with having 2 of our puppies staying home with me, 4 working as guides and many living in great homes in Portland as spoiled pets! I didn't get to keep my Emmy, but I now have 2 pieces of her with her half-sister and half-brother..

Our complete house!!

                                Thank you daddy Simon for giving me such awesome dogs!!

Playing catch up..

It is really not as interesting to blog when you only have one (very dopey) guide dog puppy.. Lowell is 14 months old and still trying to comprehend that he is not the size of a chihuahua. He and his half-sister, Claudi, play like crazy lately and he's even won over my pet dog, Sidney..

Lowell has plans to return to campus on May 12th (not cool for my last puppy to be going back on my birthday big guy!)..The house will certainly feel very empty without our big goofball.  He's made alot of friends along the way and is going to be a very nice dog when he matures a bit!



Our starter pup, Zuni, was CCed after being in phase 8 for months..Apparently he didn't see why he couldn't pull *really* hard in harness...I was a little disappointed that his finishing raiser adopted him--he would have fit in well with my girls. He's a sweet dog and seems to be LOVING being a CC.



One of my favorite puppies to ever be in the club, Vino, was CCed last week for allergies..His raisers kept him (they had raised his mom)-I hope I get to see him..OUR CC (Claudine) is going to be 5 next month--I can't believe how time flies..Luckily, she acts like she is 2--she even ate a set of drink coasters a few weeks ago just to keep us on our toes!

Change of Plans!

Zuni was taken out of class last week and is being evaluated by the training department..No matter what Zuni decides to do, his 2nd raiser would be happy to keep him or see him working!


Last week we got some really sad news that our very loved Guide, Marina, was retired due to her person passing away froom cancer..She had been working for 14 months and the woman's husband will be keeping her...Marina was raised by myself, 3 co-workers and another friend..She had ALOT of love from all 4 of her homes and 3 of us would have been in line to keep her...Many people know her brother, Marino, who has sired quite a few litters now..


We also got news that our former puppy, Vona, was CCed in phase 8 due to a soft trachea! Vona also had 4 homes and is going to live with her 3rd raiser who adored her..We had a disappointing week I guess, but I personally am very happy for Vona and am confident that Marina will love being a spoiled pet.


We heard that Jethro is on the February recall...Time sure goes fast..I am hopeing to puppysit one of my favorite dogs ever, Vino, before he is also recalled in February, but we will see if it works out...


Nothing is new for Lowell..He's our big, sweet, boy...I bought a very nice, expensive, dog bed from my work for my pet dog a few weeks ago and Lowell has taken up residence in it...He's pretty sure he needs a cushy dog bed at all times..


I have no new photos of our guide dog puppies, but I am getting a 10 week old red lab mix puppy into my rescue that is way too cute..

Updates

I have not been posting for awhile..been busy starting my own rescue and I have decided not to raise again for GDB..My roommate is still going to raise, but after Lowell returns to campus I will be done.

(A friend's dog, Lowell and CC Claudine)

Lowell is now a year old and just a big, dumb, goofball. He's 75+ pounds of uncoordinated lab. We love him, but he sure is goofy.


Zuni-a starter puppy we had is in class to graduate. Zuni is half sibling to our career change and is the dark red color that I love. Our friend, Ali, raised him most of his time and is so excited for her 2nd dog to graduate....Funny that we will have 6 graduates now, 4 CCs, 1 in phase 8 and 3 still with raisers..

(Tabetha (new mommy for GDB), and Zuni the soon-to-be graduate!)

If only our first graduate would decide to come home-life would be good:) My story about miss Emmy is going to be published in "Dog World" magazine in the next few months and was on the Guide Dog Blog a few weeks ago..She's pretty special!
Kim

Lowe and Vannie

Lowe dog is almost 10 months now and headed for surgery tomorrow because he has OCD in both shoulders..Poor guy..He has been limping less lately, but we're all looking at 6+ weeks of "resting" him...so that will be interesting!
Luckily, he will get to go to a puppysitter with no other dogs for 2 weeks..Before she gets her 1st puppy-a FYL "C" puppy..

(Lowe and my pet dog, Sidney)

Vannie is going to her new raiser (in our club) on Halloween...The raiser raised Doug's sister, Deanna, and currently has FYL Karma..She loves Vannie already and I think it will work great-she's a spitfire of a puppy!

(Vannie)

I am having puppy fever (like every few months!)..I need a little red or yellow female pup to foster/raise or keep....Decisions..Decisions..