2009 In Review

2009 is coming to a close, and wow have I had a busy year!!! Never would I have dreamed of all the different things to come my way this year!!

Dog's Trained: 8 - Timothy, Veda, Ben, Gideon, Daniel, Ira, Hope, Dublin
Dogs Fostered: 1 - Victoria
Dog Puppy Sitting: 6 - Jordan, Eden, Lydia, Mensa, Bishop, Ben (before he became a SD)
Total Dogs this Year: 15 not counting Bubbles & Texas


Foster Pups in My Group: Yiska, Gideon, Hope Ira, Noah, Ophel, Phillip,Yoda, Zach, Bishop, Abby, Casey, Felix, Reuben, Willow.

January

A hard month with so many changes, I couldn't see straight. Signed up for two classes with our community college in WNC. Bubbles, Texas and I moved to TN on our own, and I started working with Wilderwood Service Dogs. My first trainee was a bouncy 1yo Retriever mix, named Timothy. He was defiantly a challenge, but I didn't feel overly intimidated by working with him.

February 

I was home all day with this job, and bored out of my mind. No internet in my home, so I was stuck going outside, trying to find my way around an unknown city, and going to restaurants for internet. My friends really baled me out during this month, so I frequently visited their home, or went out with them. Bubbles and Texas acclimated really well to our new place (well except for Bubbles throwing up every day for the first week we were here) and we learned more about working with Mr.Tim.

March

My first Wilderwood Graduation was like nothing I'd been in for sure! I'd seen autistic children, but had never experienced it first hand, how their emotions are so easily effected by new environments, sensory overloads etc.. It was also hard, since I didn't know much about autism spectrum, or how to help the parents help the dog help the child. It was most defiantly a learning experience. I was soo thankful we got three days off afterward, and pretty much just collapsed! Veda arrived A week later, I was promoted to Foster Program Manager, and began, working with our volunteer foster families, answering questions, Running puppy classes, working on different training problems as they arose, and anything else that was required. 

April

I was settling into my new position as FPM. This was just one of those months, that you really don't recall much of, since it wasn't too much going on. School was close to wrapping up, My sisters, Veda,Texas went back across the mountain, to Chimney Rock's Bark in the Park. That was fun! Well after we got Texas to stop trying to bite anyone close to him... 

May

Busy, busy month, Ben was given to Wilderwood as a service dog, and came to live with me. (Speaking of Ben, I just heard that he is doing great with his new family! *sniff* I miss that dude)My sister was graduated High school, Finals were due, Rei and Kacie came to visit, which was AMAZING; 

June

2nd Wilderwood Graduation, with Veda and his brother Xerxes; since I knew what was going to happen, it was a lot easier in some respects, than my last one. Still was great to get to see the dogs and kids bond with each other. After graduation was over, we headed to FL, for a church event, and then a trip to Universal Studios!! When I got back, I was offered a position with the University of Tennessee Police Department, and I accepted it. Gideon came to live with me as my 4th trainee.

 

July

Started work at UTPD, added Daniel to my gang. Gideon and Daniel were defiantly an interesting combination...they on such opposite ends of behavior levels, that it was driving me crazy, so Gideon moved on to another trainer. Texas turned a year old! 

 

August

Daniel moved on to another trainer, and Ben came back for a couple weeks, before moving on to ANOTHER trainer, and Ira came to live with me. She defiantly kept me busy, puppy proofing, and then re-puppy proofing, and go back and RE-puppy proofing my house. If there ever was a dog with ADHD...she would have been it. Decided school wasn't going to happen this semestor :((

September

Graduation No. 3, 3rd verse same as the first, this graduation went the smoothest. Said goodbye to my buddy Ben, attended my first Knoxville Campmeeting while living in Knoxville. Next year vowing to board the dogs.

October

Wilderwood changed our flow system, so I was traveling to our kennel facility three times a week and training pups out there. Victoria came home with me, and Gideon arrived back and left again. We baby sat Mensa for a week...then brought Hope in around the middle of the month. I'm so glad she looks so much better now!! Its hard to believe she was once so gaunt!!

{Ira and Victoria napping}

{Gideon & Victoria laying in the grass}

 {Hope surrounded by leaves}

November
Moved back into my position as Foster Program Manager, and working from home. Celebrated the Anniversary of the arrival of Bubbles & Texas. Went out of town for Thanksgiving, and boarded Bubbles & Texas for the first time. They got great reviews bit sigh of relief from me! Hope moved onto the last stage of her training, and we enjoyed our time with Victoria. 

December

A mass of dogs,work, graduation, and trips. Well and you've all read about it here. Wow is it just me or are the years getting shorter??

Looking forward to next year, I've got a lot cooking just starting in January...STAY TUNED!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

#WetWednesday - Texas Speaks

Yo Guys!

Wow have we had a crazzzzyy weekend!! Mom has only told you about a little of it. But it was a blast!! We had like 5 dogs in here, and we played as much as possible!!!!

The black one is a guide dog, mom had at one time or another, and the orange one is Eden; he's part of the program Ben is in. He wasn't much fun at all, cause he just stayed under mom's desk for most of the time. He did come out a little bit on Sat/Sun and played for a teensy weensy bit.

Anyways they both left on Monday, and we were so tired we slept for like....ALL EVENING.

Tuesday was boring - Mom and Ben left for a while, and then came back and left again. Some dog related stuff.

Today all it did was RAIN! It stopped for a little bit and mom ran us outside for a quick walkie up the hill, to her parents house. Her dryer stopped working so she has to haul her clothes up there to dry them. But while we were there it started to pour!!

But the silly lady didn't just stay inside until it stopped...nooo she had to walk us ALL back HOME in the RAIN! We were all SOAKED by the time we got back.

Anyways as dried off, we broke out all the new toys mom had bought us! Cause when Rei and Eden were here, we all had fun tearing up every toy in the house...cept for the bones. Mom said from this point on she's not buying stuffed toys.

I'm just like whatever, cause these new toys are awesome, she's going to get some more, cause we're going to have some more visitors coming soon!

Note from Erin:
When I'm buying toys, I just by for the big dogs....Texas will haul around the biggest toys and have fun so...whats the point of buying little?

Texas's Motto:
If I look at it Its Mine
If I sniff it Its Mine
If I want it Its Mine
If you have it Its Mine
If you are having more fun with it than, I'm having with my current toy ITS MINE. (wow that one was long. lol)
And you know the drill.

As I was telling someone else, I don't make "specialer" allowances for Texas due to his size...mainly because he is the bully of the family!

Little Dog = Big Additude.

Friday

Today kind started fast, and then slowed, and then sped up again. We were supposed to meet with my A/C around 1:00PM, but she called around 9:00AM, say that she wouldn't be able to meet us, until later...could we come earlier?

So ok, we could do early. So we started rushing around, getting dressed, pottying and feeding all five dogs...etc..etc..
Only to get another call, and have the times be switched too later in the day...so we decided to go see the family.

Rei was overjoyed to see everyone, and they here; we stayed out and talked and took pictures for over and hour, while the other dogs ran around and played.

Happy to see everyone!

Eden was nervous around all the new people :(

After that we put Ben, Bubbles and Texas in the house, and loaded Eden and Rei into the car, for the long drive to A******e. We arrived around 2:30, and I drove Kacie by our "old-but-still-not-sold-house*, and tried to track down my neighbor, who so kindly let us use her yard, while Rei was a puppy. But she was out of a while, so we headed on to my A/C's house.

There we sat and chatted, while all six dogs ran around the yard.

Deacon - Vizla, SAM - Golden, Eden - Goldendoodle, and Astrid - Lab

Deacon and Rei

Once we were done there, we dropped by my old neighborhood once more, and this time was able to catch my neighbor; who was very happy to get to see Rei, and meet Kacie as well.

::Rei and Eden on the way home, Eden seems to be used as a pillow a lot::
It was a long, but fun day. I was pretty tired as was Kacie, but the dogs had all just gotten their second wind...and bounced and played, and tore into toys, and stole from each other and got on each others nerves...etc..etc..

*eye-roll*
Rei and Texas couldn't decide if they liked each other at first, but they got over it....sort of.... :D

Meet Eden

Meet Eden

He's a fluffy haired, lovable 8-month-old, Goldendoodle, who wants to be made into a Service Dog when he grows up. We at the TPR Pet Resort, are glad to have him visiting with us this weekend, while his foster family is out of town, for the Holiday!

He's slowly acclimating to our house, and was quite nervous at first, so he mostly just hung out under the desk with Bubbles.
But by the time, I came home from church tonight, he was wagging and greeting me like a long lost friend. His foster family has really worked hard with him, and it shows! He and my dogs demonstrate the "Wait/Stay" command.

He's not going to be a little guy, as you can see! In about two more months, he'll be entering his Advanced Training, and perhaps I'll have him for a time!

Busy Monday

As I've stated on my personal blog, life has moved into the left lane, and we are cruising along around 75 MPH!

Yesterday, started the trend......our church has a Vacation Bible School every summer, so we are starting to get stuff ready for that. So the first three hours of my day cutting rectangles. I was going stir crazy after a while, so as soon as I could, I left and went to check on my dogs.

Veda has really matured since I got him a month ago, and I felt comfortable leaving him and the dachshunds loose in the house. The proved themselves good...despite the tissues roll in the floor...untouched though!!

I put the dogs on their lines, to go potty, and all of the sudden, my porch was swarming with kids... :D So I took that time to teach them the basics of grooming a dog.

::Veda gets a brush down by Autumn and Brooklyn::

Now as I've mention, Texas has a tendency to be very territorial, but with a few corrections, he didn't growl/bark at any of the kids...even going as far as letting them walk him!

::Texas climbing on my sisters lap....he knows her, so which is why he's willing to climb in her lap::

After that, the kids wanted to walk the dogs....so....I said why not, and hooked them up and sent them out.

::I have no clue what was going on here::

After that, I had to get ready for a training consultation, so they walked them back to the house.
Veda and I then loaded up, and went to pick up this guy.
Meet Eden...he's a 7 month old Goldendoodle, who is training as a Autism Service Dog.

It took Him and Veda a couple minutes to figure out the seating arrangement....but they looked quite comfy in the end.

We were evaluating some things with Mr.Eden that thankfully were'nt as bad as we were thinking. so it was a successful trip.

Eden and Veda made themselves very comfortable on the way home.