The End.

Did you know, since I came in 2008 I has helped mom raise and train about ....um.....9 service dogs/puppies in training? Pompei stayed the longest than all the others ones, so I think they should defiantly put my name down as a "co-raiser" of him. 

Me teachin him da fine arts of runnin at top speed

Me showin him da pool was not so scary...

He made fun of my scarf! What can I say!?

He wouldn't have even been as great if hadn't showed him the ropes. The house is super duper quiet now that he's not around, and I hates ta even say this butt...........


I think I might  miss him.


Me and Bubbles rode in the car with Mom and Pompei, on Saturday so we could go meet the people who was driving him up to New York. Mom was driving super fast, cause she got her times mixed up and didn't realize she had an hour more of traveling than the people meeting her, so she had the pedal to the metal. 


And she also made me ride on the car seat, which was completely not right, cause I can't even get as warm as I could sitting in her lap, but she was not even changing her mind, so I crowded on the seat with Bubbles. 

Let me tell you. That girl hogs up a whole locka space. And she didn't even move over so I could lay nicely. So I went back and slept in the back seat with Pompei. 


Then all of the sudden we was there, and mom was getting Pompei out of the car and walking him over to another lady in a van. I had ta scream for a little bit cause SHE FORGOT I WAS IN THE CAR!?! ...


....but she didn't even come back 'til the lady put Pompei in the car. Then she came and let me and Bubbles go potty, as the vans were leavin, we could see Pompei's head pop into the window, cause I think he was wonderin' why we wasn't comin with him....


That made mom all kinds of sad, so she then she thought I'd make a good cuddle toy.. 


NOT!


Then she did that crying thing, and had to use up the box of tissues the lady gave her. Sigh. Humans. 


After that she got herself some food, and didn't even share ANY with me. Not even a CRUMB. I thought that was highly unfair, and sat in the back of the car and barked at people while they walked by. 


Then FINALLY we drove away back to our home place. 


Anddd its been really borin around here. I tried ta get Bubbles to play wit me and she only plays for like 5 seconds and then she goes to lay down. 


Mom says I got four weeks until I get another play mate....


I don't know if I can wait dat long....


Anyone wanta play?

Time Flies....

When you're having fun....

Only four days left. Four very very short days. 

Texas: OMD what an AWFUL PIC OFME! TAKE IT DOWN MOM! TAKE IT DOWN!!!

Erin: Awwwww

Erin: please ignore the dirty floor. *shudders*

Erin: One of our first outings together! omw how cute was he!

Erin: Pompei's first puppy meeting to the fire station!

Erin: Pompei @ six months!

Erin: What a faker. Still six months 

Erin: Pompei enjoying a bone while on our disastrous camping trip

Erin: OH! GREEN GRASS!!! I MISS THIS! Oh yeah and Pompei's cute as well. 

This was soo funny!

Erin & Co.

Bad News

Dear Diary,

Now dat I'm a whole 11 months old, mom keeps saying stuffs like "IFT" and "puppies" and "dissapointments" and all sorts of other stuff dat I normally understand but not like how she is saying them.

Like da other day, she was talking to our neighbor about getting another puppy!? I don't even know what she meant by that cause I mean HELLO I"M Sitting right here!
Then she said that she didn't know when I was leaving for IFT but it would probably be in a couple of months.

So any ways i had ta get on the Doogle network (google for dogs..you hadn't heered about that?!)

And then I gots a lot of junk like Career centesr an annual meetings stuff, so I had to have mom help me. I did not even like what I found on there!! 

So apparently dis I.F.T. stands for : In Formal Training. And what dat means is dat I have ta go back to the school place that I came from ( a loooooooong time ago). And then I have to stay in a kennel place and have lots of doggie friends to play wit and then I gots to do like I do wit mom and go into stores and stuff butt this time i has to wear a harness thingy cause that means I'm trainin to be a guide dog.

I gotsta say that it does sound like a little bit of fun, cept for the leavin mom part, but if I stays wit her I won't get to have a joby thingy and if I don't stay with her then I gots to go away all by myself to a bunch of peoples I don't even know.

*sigh*

I thinks I'm going to sleep on dis.


G'Night.

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

MidDate: The end of Part 2

Today I got the official announcement that Midnight has been chosen as a breeder, for the Guide Dog Foundation.

I have a lot of mixed emotions right now. I know that its a great honor to have a dog chosen as a breeder, but really and truly I had nothing to do with her temperament. GDF really needs to be patting themselves on the back for breeding her parents!

In the long term, I know she will go far above that which she would be as a guide dog.
Maybe I"m just weird...or just jealous that someone else gets to love her like she's a plain ol' dog.

But whatever the case, I'm proud of her, she was a great dog! I can't wait to see/hear about her puppies!!

And no I will most likely not get to raise one of her pups. Which is another disappointment. But ah well!

I have to wait three months before I can contact her new people to see how she's doing! But I will fill you guys in of course!!


Erin
Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind
Proud Puppy Walker of:
1. Jake - Male Golden - Career Changed
2. Rei - Female Black Lab - Guide Dog
3. Midnight - Female Black Lab - Breeder
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Pets:
1. Bubbles - Standard Dachshund - adopted: November 15,2002
2. Texas - Miniature Dachshund - adopted: November 29, 2008

MidDate No. 1

Phone Call:

" Hi Erin, your girl did beautifully for her first flight, she even got a certificate saying that it was her first flight. She got to meet the pilot and get her picture made with him. So she's having a blast! Great job with her! Talk to you later."

So she's having fun...why should I be sad?

Step I: Completed {by Erin}

Weekend Recap:

Saturday: On the weekends I’m normally not allowed to bring my dogs to work with me, due to a smaller staff size; but this weekend was slow, and because they knew Midnight was leaving, she was allowed to come with me so we could have a little more time together. (Which was AWESOME.)

Over the past seven weeks, we have had obedience class from 9:30 - 10: 30, and its my job to either move the boarding dogs to another building, or keep them quiet outside while class is going on. This week, we only had three dogs spending the weekend with us, so **** allowed me to put them in the small dog yard, and watch the class! This week was the classes “graduation”, so they mostly played obedience games with the dogs; but we were able to participate as well.

Midnight and I walked around (her on leash) as a distraction to the other dogs; I didn’t put her in coat right away because I was pretty confidant in her. Unfortunately she proved me wrong. After we got finished with that exercise, I went ahead and put the coat on her, and took some pictures of her, in the office.

A few minutes later **** asked if I wanted to play another game with them...as they needed another person to balance out the team.
Surre, why not? This time we were playing a relay, where we had to balance a biscuit on a spoon and walk around dogs in a circle around obstacles, WITHOUT dropping the biscuit. I kept Midnights puppy coat on this time, and she was perfect, our team won the first round!! ☺
After class was over, one of the other trainers with ABC (Animal Behavior College), came up to me, and asked was I a trainer; when I told her “No technically I’m not”; she said that she was impressed with how I handled Midnight! So YaY for us! ☺ ☺
Our Kong Wubbas came in as well (YaY huh Cody?), and Midnight and attacked them with gusto!

Sunday: We went and visited our favorite neighbor so she could say good-bye, Midnight was pretty crazy, as my neighbor is a great source of excited energy, so she was Miss Spazzo tearing around all over the yard, jumping in and out of the kiddie pool full of dirty water; digging in the soft dirt. So basically she was a mess, when we got home. Bath TIME!!!

And today; I was pretty much numb all day, and then towards the afternoon it started to hit me harder; What didn’t help was, there was a certain one-eyed dachshund puppy there as well.....Tex Walker Walter Cotton Eyed Puppy. (ok so he doesn’t have a name yet, and all the staff has a different named for him Guess which one mine is?)

The plan was to meet my area coordinator after work, and I would take her puppy for a couple hours, and she would take Midnight; and then I would give her puppy to his sitters and go home. Weeeelllll as it turns out, Sam’s sitter was able to get him from my A/C right away, so we decided to meet at a store. But my brothers took Midnights puppy coat out of my car, when they were getting their “junk” out last night. So I had to go home get the coat, and then go meet her at another store. I went ahead and fed Midnight her last meal (with me), and watched as she did her familiar routine of carrying around her toys and stuffing herself into Bubbles crate. (sob)

When I finally deemed it time to go, I put on her coat, got her leash, and headed for the car.... except she didn’t want to get in for some reason; but realizing I wasn’t playing her game, she jumped in.
Once at the shop, my area coordinator pulled in right behind me. She jumps out, and I handed her Midnights vet records and Health Certificate, before getting Midnight out, giving her one last hug, and watching her prance off.

So far I’ve just been pretty numb. Looking at her empty bed/crate/toys has been enough to bring tears to my eyes, but its kind of unreal.

Midnight and I have bonded so much, that I’m having a hard time thinking of another puppy; just because I know it won’t be her. Yes Its that bad. But not bad enough to make me reject another puppy!!!!! I just wish it could be sooner.

My A/C has called me several times, since then to rave about her ☺ She’ll do fine I know.
And so ends the part 1 in Raising Eyes for the Blind: Midnight Edition

Stay tuned for updates from “College” , Puppy Number 4 news, and Bubble’s adventures...and maybe a second pet? Hope springs eternal!

Update: Well I showed my dad and family the pictures of ."Tex", and he has said we can bring him by to visit, if that’s ok with his foster mom; so I’ll see if I can get in contact with her, and go from there. This is not a yess.....but ....its close.... squashes hopes

Update II: Dad saw bigger picture on the pup and goes...I don't know, I'm sure someone will feel sorry for him and adopt him.... ...
So I'll need him to clarify his previous statement and see if he was speaking just because he wanted to see him; or because he wanted to see if he would blend with our family... who can figure out the minds of non-dog people?

I'm going to bed.

Midnight IFT - November 18, 2008

Its time for Midnight to move on to bigger and better things, she will be leaving with my area coordinator on Tuesday, November 18th 2008 - they will fly to NY, and Midnight will start a new phase of her life.
The bad thing about keeping oneself in a state of denial is when the reality comes, it feels ten times harder then it should have been. While I have already given up two puppies, it doesn’t get any easier. IMO. This time is especially hard, because I won’t have a new puppy to focus on. That really is the easiest way to puppy walk; just keep getting more! Oh, and have your own pet dog as well.
The reason I am taking a break now is because:
1. I refused to raise another puppy in the wintertime. (brrrrr)
2. My dad said that I had too...for my own good. But mostly because we are trying to sell our house and he didn’t want a puppy soiling the carpet.
3. We are moving and having a small puppy would be a little bit difficult
4. But mostly because of the cold...and my dad.
I’m just having a hard time imagining what I will do with my time for the next four months. No one to: walk, train, socialize, take to meetings, correct, play with, talk to, (well ok, with seven other people in my house, I have no shortage of people to talk to, but they all can talk back).
I know it’s hard for my family to really understand what raising means to me; because for the most part the dog is just a messy nuisance. I will say my mom has been the most supportive, she actually was the one who had the idea to start puppy raising. Before I could drive, she was the one taking me to all my meetings, taking the pup to the vet, watching the puppy when I couldn’t take it to school; etc..etc.. I LOVE YOU MOM!! Over the next four months I guess I will have to catch you guys up to how I began doing this in the first place. But I digress. What they don’t understand is I finally have my dream “job”.
When I was younger, I had many dreams and goals that I wanted to achieve when were got old enough to do so. For me; raising guide dog puppies is basically a dream come true. I’ve always loved dogs, and wanted to work with dogs when I was little. I can distinctly remember that I wanted to train dogs for somebody, not just obedience. And Now I am actually doing just that!

Just recently I had a first time raiser ask me some questions about turn ins, so I thought I’d share my answers with you all.

How did you feel when it came time to give your first dog up? “Jake was career changed/taken out of the guide dog program, at six-months-old, he had some things that GDF, didn’t feel were conducive in a guide dog. and placed with an adoptive family as a pet. We were shock and hurt by this, and I’ll admit to crying buckets for the three days it took, to find him a new home. But once I was able to meet his new family, I knew that he was going to be ok. And after my area coordinator assured me that I was eligible to receive another puppy, I felt worlds better. It still hurt, but I had something to look forward too.”
Since Midnight is your third dog, is it easier or harder to give her up? “ Both really and truly; its easy because I know what’s going to happen, and know what it feels like, to see the dog you worked with for a year, change somebody’s life...not once, but twice! But harder because I know I won’t be getting another pup right away, and so I’ll have to sit and wonder, how she’s doing, what she’s doing, is she sitting in a kennel? Is she out training?”
Does your relationship with the next ones get to be a little more "clinical" than the first one? “No if anything I believe it gets stronger...deeper... I know what to expect, how to handle different things as they arrive. I guess in away it does get more clinical at first, because I know we have to get through some things before the bonding starts. I try to go into each “relationship” with a clean slate, try not to compare the puppies with each other, because they aren’t. Each has their own quirks and things, and I’m always eager to see what the new one will be like.”

And just to make this long post, even longer.... today I found out that there was a lady trying to give away a four-month-old, dachshund puppy. Apparently its owners older dog, had bit it when it go to close to his food, and took out the pups eye; and now these “responsible” dog owners, are trying to find another home for the pup, because they don’t want it anymore. Now in light of recent events, you know what I’m thinking...how cool would it be..... And you can probably guess what my dad is thinking. Nope!

Sigh.

I was finally able to go a spend Midnight’s gift certificate, and I bought a collar for Bubbles and then two toys, for each of them. And of course Midi plays with both of them, and bubbles goes to sleep.

Sigh.

Does anyone have a dog I can borrow?

News {by Erin}

We have news!
Not really what we wanted to hear, but it is news nonetheless.
Midnight is going IFT sometime around the first week of November.
While this is a sad thing for me, Midnight is such a good dog,
I can't deny her the chance to change someones life.
I can't make her stay home all day when she could be keeping someone out of danger, giving them joy or a reason to live.
I just can't do that.
I also don' t know how I'm going to last six months without a puppy.

Also I have some news about Rei ...my last puppy in training..you can ready about that here -> {CLICK HERE}

In the meantime, we're going to enjoy the last couple of weeks we have togethor...which also means a lot of running around for me, as I try to make sure she sees everyone who has been in her life before she leaves. That should be a challenge.