Graduation 1 & 2

Graduation is going really well! Veda and Xerxes are starting the long process of bonding with their new families.

Veda is with a family, who child is has higher functioning autism, meaning he can talk, and do most things normal kids can do. He loves his new buddy very much!

Xerxes new friend, is on the other end of the autism spectrum, and can't speak or communicate much, but already his parents are seeing improvements in his behavior!

Day 1
We introduce everyone, get all paperwork taken care of, and go over the basic of how we introduce the dogs to everyone.

Then a staff member will bring the dogs in, and let them run around and interact with the kids. Chaos!!

We staff members are not allowed to interact much with the dogs, because (as I'm sure you can see) it would be very confusing for them.

Once we kind of get things settled back down, our President commences the lectures, and then its lunch time!! This graduation, we had lunch delivered, instead of taking the group out on the first day.

After lunch some trainers took the parents, and worked on their leash handling skills, while others of us, were in charge of helping the other parent monitor the kids.

It was around the high 80's and HUMID like you wouldn't believe. So we cut that days session short, and sent families and dogs back to their homes/hotel.

Today

I got to skip the lecture this morning, so when I arrived they were already heading out for lunch. One of the families hadn't been able to take their child out for several years, and were quite nervous about going to a sit down restaurant.

So this was going to be an adventure. And did have some success!!

But it was in Target where this family had the greatest success...only on the 2nd day we were able to go into the store, walk through it, and not have a major meltdown at all!

I was close to tears, watching Mom tell Xerxes how she didn't know how they'd gotten along without him.

After that we took the dogs and kids to the park, to let them run off some steam, barely leaving before a severe thunderstorm hit.

I am so proud of Veda, he has come a long way since arriving at my home in April, I'm sure he'll be a major benefit to this family.

That's my boy!!! :D

Erin

Busyness!

This week,we at Wilderwood will start Team Training this week, with another two families with autistic children.

Veda and his brother Xerxes will be placed with their new families, and we'll commence training!

This week will be very intense and stressful for the dogs, as its kind of confusing not only going to a new family, but having your old "people" there everyday as well!

I think I've been commissioned to take photographs for this event...but I don't know for sure!

The day after Graduation I'll be meeting with my new boss at my 2nd job, and then (Hopefully) hitting the road for Florida!!!

Ben will be staying with a sitter, and Bubbles and Texas will be staying here at home with a sitter.

I'm quite nervous about leaving them at home, I'd much prefer them to be able to stay in a kennel where I know they will be monitored throughout the day, and get to play.

But alas there is a lot involved, that I don't have time to get taken care of right at this moment...soooo! They will be home.

Ben will not be coming back here after I come back, I will be getting another dog, and he'll be moving on to another trainer.

We'll miss him GREATLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So lots of changes going on around here in the next couple of weeks!!

Wish us luck! :D

Car Rides :D

#WetWednesday - Meetings

And once again, our fair town is hit with another raging thunderstorm. This is getting old fast. But in other news, I broke down and bought a seat hammock/cover thing for my dad's car. Ben sheds like no other, and I was tired of hearing the comlaints from my non-dog-lover framily.

Here's the gang trying to figure out how to get to me. :D

Bubbles, Ben and Jordan

3 years and counting

Wow can't believe I forgot!
Today marks three years, since I first entered the service dog world as a puppy walker. I will never forget the excitement of bringing home my very big 12-week-old, puppy. Mr. Jake.

Knowing all that I know now about dog training, I kind of feel sorry for Jake. We in no ways harmed him, but he was our gunia pig into the world of puppy training.

-Jake @12 weeks old-

-Jake @6 months old & Bubbles-

And all though he didn't make it as a guide dog, his owners rave about how good he is all the time. Our goal mainly is to raise a dog that would change someone's life as well as bring them happiness....and I would defiantly say.

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED

-Jake @1 year old-

Rei came next in that line up. I'm sure you all know by now that she was not the eaisest puppy in the world. But we did our best with her, and she has made us sooooo proud!

-Rei and Bubbles-

-Rei @8 weeks old-


-Rei @14 months old -

-Rei @2 years-

and last but not least my girl Midnight. I loved this dog so much, it still hurts to think about her.


-Midnight @8 weeks old-


-Midnight's first trip to daycare wore her out!-


-Midnight @13 months-

-Midnight's last day at daycare -

These guys taught me so much about puppies, and how each one can be SOOO different; they each took a piece of my heart with them when they left. I'm hoping my sister will carry on my "legacy" until I can raise again one day.

In the meantime we'll keep working our hardest with our Wilderwood Dogs, hoping that they too will get the chance to change someone's life.

But
Once a Puppy Raiser, always a puppy raiser.

Puppy Class

These is only four of the six puppies that I'm charge of for right now, from left to right.
Gideon is a 10-month-old Golden Retriever, about to enter his "Formal Training" with me in about three weeks.
Ira is a 5 month old Golden Retriever, who just entered the Foster Training stage.
Hope is Ira's sister :D
Yiska is Veda's sister, and hanging out in the program, :D


They are really great people to work with :D

More Pictures

Puppies are such fun to take pictures of..what can I say??

::Mom why are you down there?::

::Oh wait? What's up there?::

::Crunch, munch, munch::

::Can I have a treat now?::

::I'm super cute and you know it ::





::The Whole Group (and everyone was looking!!)::

Happy Month Day!

Texas is 11-months-old Today!

Jordan

Another rainy stormy day in eastern TN. But we got some cute pictures of Jordan in her puppy in training coat. Makes me want a new lens for my camera for sure. Can't figure out why each of these pics were just slightly out of focus......

#WetWednesday - Playtime

Ever since I've moved to TN, in January, I'm pretty sure its rained EVERY Wednesday, and today was no exception...
Rain was only part of the ordeal, for most of the afternoon, it thundered and rained cats and dogs.
Jordan and Texas were not bothered by all of the noise outside, while Bubbles and Ben, huddled under my feet.

Jordan is a full-blooded lab to the stomach, and will chomp your hand off trying to get treats. (Puppy teeth HURT!) Today I tricked her into eating her meds plain. Silly Dog gulped them down n/p! (and barely left my hand intact)

But before that happened we did get some playtime in outside, during the muggy morning.
Ben and I did some training, Texas and Bubbles dug a hole, Jordan sat and watched the proceedings.Fun Times all around! =)

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She's BaaccckkK!

Remember Jordan from about a month ago??

Wellll she's back for another visit!!! She may have sprained her leg before arriving her, so she's limping around here. But she's not letting her stop her one bit!!! And is bee-bopping around here like the rest of them!!

I took her out to eat with me, this evening, and I'd forgotten how easy it is to take a puppy out. She just came and slept under my chair no questions asked!

I miss this :(( But am glad I get to baby-sit her.

Random News Fact of the Day: Texas tried to eat a dried up frog, then spit it out on my CARPET. Course I had to get it up before everyone else decided it was a new toy. Makes me want to puke just thinking about it.

Our Weekend

Our Weekend at Pignapped in the Park
BBQ- Motorcycle Ride - Free Door Prizes - Drawings - Bands