Sam's Club

Today I finally got up the nerve to haul my camera into a store, and take photos of the dog while in there. I know silly that I wouldn't want to but, I feel weird hauling out a DSLR in a store.
Anyways Daniel, accompanied me through Sam's Club to get some new tires on my car; We spent a lot of our time, talking to people...."What's IS HE?!?!" " Oh I thought you had a stuffed animal in here" (I love that one. Seriously people!?) and doing some training.

I am currently working on the "behind" command. This is where the dog walks directly behind you, so you can get through, narrow spaces. I have tried several different ways to work with this command, and am working on something else.

So we worked on that, and "Up" command, and sitting to visit....lots and lots of that. You meet all kinds of interesting people, one lady had 10 dachshunds....all under 1, a GSD, and an Australian Shepherd.

I had to mention to her that, that was crazy. Which she admitted.

After balancing all my purchases in one arm,(shopping cart? Why?) we checked out, and sat on the patio furniture, while waiting for my vehicle to be released.

And waited...and waited....and waited. 1 hour later, one of the guys recognized me, gasps "Oh uh, Ma'am your cars ready".

Really.

Thanks for telling me.

But anyways, it was a smooth ride home.

Goodbye Gideon

And as is customary for my organization, it is once again time for us to trade dogs. Not something I really ever enjoy doing; but its the way things are. Gideon will be moving on to another trainer who will continue what I have started. Loose leash walking, working him in the real world doing service dog work, etc..

While its been fun having four dogs, I am ready to have some sanity back, having four dogs with different energy levels, has been interesting to say the least. I have to constantly remember to switch gears/tactics when working with all of them.

But despite our challenges I feel we've made significant progress.

Goodbye my goofy golden pal.

Mom's Photography & Bandannas

Yo Guys,

Check this out,like mom is totally into the Twitter thing, and has met lots of tweeple while on there. (She's got like almost 500 followers so if you tweet go follow here!)

Anywho...one of the tweeples contacted her and (seeing me)...ok her photos, wondering if she wouldn't mind using US as models for some of her work.

She makes dog clothes and cool stuff like that. And of course I was totally like YEAH, and so mom said yes, and yesterday they got here!!

Wooot! Go check us out!

CLICK HERE

TTYL

Texas

P.S.(Her twitter account is twitter.com/fidography)

From Daniel

Dear Mom and Dad,
Hi! Its been a while it seems, since I've seen you guys, but have no fear, I'm having LOADS of fun at Erin's.

There are like bunches of other dogs here with me, and the keep me busy all the time.

There is a huganormous yard here, and almost everday, we get to go run around out there. SO much FUN!

Most of the time I stick with Erin, cause she always has yummy treats. She also has this thing, that makes a clicking noise, and I know what I did was good, and a treat is coming soon.

Gideon is my mostest playmate, well cause he doesn't really give me a choice. He's like Super fast, and runs smack into me, and knocks me over! But ONLY because I LET him. He thinks he tough, but we know I"m tougher. We like to play tug of war with the stuffed toys. Most of the time I win.

And then there is this little dog named Texas. He's a mean one, but he's being nicer to me know. Most of the time he just plays with Gideon or Bubbles, which i s fine with me, cause by the time we come back in from outside, I can BARELY move.

Most of the time, I like sleeping in the kitchen, cause its nice and cool. Erin is thinking about (*gasp*), gettin me shaved, so I'm not so hot all the time. But she's still thinking about it cause, we all know how adorable I am in my furry coat!

Anyways Erin is teaching me all kinds of new stuff, and I think I'm doing good.....um yeah, well I have to run, Gideon and Texas are playing a game without me, and I can't let that happen!

TTYL!

DANIEL

From Gideon

Dear Mom and Dad,

Hiya! Gideon here, thought I'd drop you guys a note, and let you know how I'm doing. Well ok, it was Erin's idea, but I at least acted on it! That counts for something right?

So anyways, I'm having fun here, if I'm not play with Daniel or Texas, I'm probably sleeping. I've already picked my favorite spots in the hosue. One is the bathroom floor. Aaaah, and the other is the big wire crate in Erin's room.

Well it was until Daniel came and took it. Something about him being bigger than I am. Whatever he is just a hog. But we do have a lot of fun together. Most everyday we get to go outside OFF LEASH and run, and play, and explore all over ever we want too!

Well as long as we don't go under the barbed wire fence in back. Than we get in trouble and have to go STRAIGHT HOME. So I do my best.. though I'll admit its mostly Erin keeping me close to here, and don't go over there.In the house, Me, and Bubbles and Daniel and Texas like to bark at things passing the house, its great fun! Don't know why I never tried it before?!

Other than that, I'm learning lots, and trying to be on my bestest behavior ever!! Miss You!

Gideon

Shakesphere in the Park

Saturday night, my friends and I decided to visit a play one of our foster families was in. And since it was an outdoor event, I figured it was the perfect place to get both Daniel and Gideon out in.

I'd spent alllllll day take wedding pictures for a friend, and then helping put together decoration,and favors, so I knew they needed to get out of the house for a while.

....Lets just say I won't be doing that again anytime soon.

Gideon and Daniel are not at the same level, mentally, or socially, and so it was a very hard night Gideon. I finally just took him, and let him hang out in the car (it was a night time, so no heat issues) while we finished up the play. Daniel alternated between sleeping,and soaking up all the attention he receives while in public. If it doesn't go to his head, I don't know what will :D

I feel bad for Gideon, the whole experiance was just too much for him. Guess we'll go back to square one and gradually build back up again.I hope to go back and see it again, while they are still putting them on, so I can see the whole thing :D

Side Note: I guess that's one thing, that is hard to remember ESPECIALLY when you have two dogs at one time. They both are completely different even if they are the same age. You can't expect the same thing, at the same time, ...oh well its all a learning experiance!! :D

The Boys

{Everyone Semi looking at the camera!...er...treat!}

{Now Everyone stick out your toungue!}

{And then just Daniel}

#WetWednesday - Meet Daniel

And another Wednesday heads out of here with a splash. And it couldn't have come at a worse time. Dog introductions 1:1 is hard enough by oneself, but add in three dogs plus a thunderstorm.. and that just equals chaos!

But anyways - Meet Wilderwood Service Dog #5 and SD #8 over all.

Meet Daniel: 10 month old Golden Retriever/Poodle Cross - also brother too one Eden, whom you all saw a couple of months ago. Daniel will be with me...until I hear otherwise!!

One thing to know about going into public with an Goldendoodle....is wow you'll get TONS of questions. After picking Daniel up from his foster, we went in PetsMart to pick up some grooming supplies. (Gideon is need of it); a family with two litter girls followed us around the ENTIRE time we were there, hugging on him, laying on him, talking to him, talking got me, pouncing on him again once we were able to tear ourselves away....it had gone from cute to annoying real quickly, and I just kept running into them!!

I left as fast as possible, *eye roll*; But Daniel did really well though :D

Once home, then chaos ensued pretty much. But we're all inside, and had some time exercising, and starting to get Daniel acclimated to my home.

{Gideon is ecstatic to have another big dog in the house...even though Daniel not into playing at the moment.}
He's showing typical stress signs, so we're he'll just get to hang out for about week, before we start putting him through some paces.

--Speaking of wetness, I bathed all three dogs last weekend.....all at the same time:

That wasn't the plan, but once Bubbles and Texas were in, Gideon couldn't be left out!!

One Week

Gideon has officially been with us for a week now!

This week has been kind of hectic for both of us, with me starting a new job and all, and him getting "thrown" into a new home; but I think we're reaching a point of normalcy.

On Thursday we went to a restaurant, and he did alright, his nickname will be my ADD dog, as laying STILL with all that food around was VERY hard for him.

So today we "practiced" long down-stay's while I practiced the piano, I "suited him up" and put him on Tie-Down next to me.

At first he was up & down, but once he realized that he couldn't go anywhere, he laid down, and went to sleep.

Now whenever he laid down, I would drop a treat in between his paws, just as a reminder that that's what I wanted him to do.

And I practiced for a good 45 minutes, before I called it quits.

I always stop while were ahead :D .

Gideon is used to using a dog door at his foster families house, and so he has assumed, because he can push the screen door open....he can go out whenever he wants too.If I lived further back from the road, that would be...annoying but ok; as he's not a runner.

But twice today, he's let himself out to potty, and then went on a tour-de-knoxvul; thankfully I was able to track him down quickly both times, buttttt we're going to have to...work on that.

*woooooo*

Happy (BELATED) Birthday Texas!!!

*spanks hand*

Yes I feel bad for forgetting his birthday,but I seriously don't think he even noticed/cared. I know he doesn't actually.. But July 5, Texas turned 1!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TEXAS!!

Sad News

Jordan is a puppy I've watched several times for puppy raiser, who volunteer with the Guide Dog Foundation. I don't know if I mentioned how she'd had a bad limp, because she'd fallen from her raisers deck.

Although she'd been checked twice, the vets proclaimed nothing wrong with her until now. Apparently one of the bones in her leg is healing wrong, thus causing the limp. She's in surgery now, and will be in a brace for 10-weeks.

I told her family, I don't know how they will be able to do that!! But she is being released from the guide dog program because of it. She won't ever be able to handle the rigors of guide work.In someways medical CC's are hard because its not like the dog got to make the decision that guide work wasn't the right path for them. Oh well.
She's going to make someone an awesome pet.

...If you can't tell I really get attached to these dogs!

Settling IN

Gideon is still getting settled in, and I normally don't start any major training the first couple of days, besides just establishing house rules.

He's a little unsure of his new surroundings, and doing the normal pace-n-pant (as I call it); but he and Texas started to play a little bit tonight, so that's good.

Meet Gideon

Meet Gideon - he's a 10-month-old spunky golden retriever, who makes #4 in my training line up.

While he is a little head-strong, and full of energy, I don't see any reason for him not to make an awesome service dog.

Texas and Bubbles are loving him, cause they think all the new toys are awesome. He and Texas are having a little tiff over who gets to play with which bone, at which time, but all in good....fun I guess.

I took him out exploring the property on a long leash, as well as too establish some boundaries.
I want to make it clear to them, that cross the road is a huge NO-NO.

After that we came back inside, fed them dinner, and they've been lounging around playing with toys ever since.


BTW- We made it home safely late last night, had to buy another car, but we're here!!!!! Texas & Bubbles were soooo happy to have me back!!

End of Graduation

The last four day of graduation,were a continuation of the families exposure to new things with their families. Saturday we threw a Bar-B-Q, for our volunteers, food, fun, just a relaxing day for the dogs and families. We had a pool for the dogs, and Texas loved it!! I was shocked!

Sunday - We took them too the Mall, to practice their public access test. They are required to take this test, in order to be a team in public. My group could have passed their test right than and there, but they had to wait until Tuesday to do that. :(

Monday - We took them out for a night on the town, allowing them to work in a downtown setting.

Tuesday - the Big Test day, After the test Veda's "parents" were treated to massages (the other family turned it down)I dropped Ben off at his sitters, and Deanna and I got to watch "R" & Veda. They did so well, while we waited!

Later on that night, I held puppy class, raced home packed, said good-bye to my dogs, and then went to my friends house, and left for Florida!

......More on that later

Dear Blog Readers,

********************************************************************************
Well....our Florida vacation has been....tiring...fun...and miserable all at the same time. Our plan was too be back today....but......that's not going to happen.

As I type this I am sitting in a nice hotel in the middle of Georgia, stranded until morning, IF the mechanics are able to fix our car.

They said something about a timing belt..(s0b) which is NOT good. This has been one of those days you want to just reverse time and crawl back into bed. Hindsight is 20/20 what can I say.

Anyways in other news

I MISS MY DOGS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And according to my sitter they miss me as well, and have ruined two pairs of shoes in my absences. Oh well.

What else would you expect from bored dogs?? This is probably the first and last time they get to stay home while I'm on vacation.!!

Friday I'll be picking up my newest trainee - Male Golden named Gideon whose a 10 month old bundle of energy. Just what I need from coming off this harrowing trip.

I'll post lots of pics on my photo/personal blogs when I get home, but thought you guys might want to know why its so quiet around here. haha

You can always follow me on twitter: twitter.com/fidography

Talk too you soon!

Erin

P.S. (Did I mention I missed my dogs??)
P.S.S.( Another Wet Wednesday....this is starting to get predicatable!!)