Memoirs of a Puppy Raiser

Franky-Doodle is a D4D!

2009-11-18T10:47:00.000-08:00

So... I have been in contact with Cheryl, the head trainer at D4D, for the last few months. During that time, I have heard a lot about Franklin. At their birthday party, I simply went by "Franklin's puppy raiser", because everyone knew who Franklin was. All day I heard, "oh, we love Franklin". It was exciting to hear, even though I wasn't able to see him because his foster family wasn't able to attend the party. I was pretty disappointed, especially because there were other puppy raisers there that got to spend time with their dogs, but I was instantly drawn to another dog that I could tell had a Franklin-like personality, AKA- he was very relaxed. He was huge, and almost white in color. At first I thought it was blogging friend Burgess, but I knew that he was still in training at GDB. I then learned that the big boy was Bradley, previously known as Bracken, Burgess' brother. So I got to work with him the whole day, and it was really comforting just to cuddle with him.

I also got the news that Franklin had been ready to be matched with a diabetic person a few months before, and had caught on to the scent very quickly, but the trainers couldn't bear to give him up! But they said that he would be going into a class that started on November 2nd, and that they would be emailing me around the middle of November to let me know how he was doing. So, a couple of days ago, I got an email from Cheryl saying that Franklin had successfully completed training with his new partner and would probably graduate on February 10th. Yay for my baby boy!!!

Also, because Cheryl fostered him for a good portion of his time in training, she got some pictures of him. One of which, she showed me, is the desktop background on her computer. She is just one of the many that fell in love with my Franky! Here are the pictures she sent me.

For those of you with screen-readers, I hope this works! Please let me know.

Happy Birthday!!! -puts on black tophat-

2009-10-22T21:10:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the Frosty the Snowman referance... I couldn't help myself. XD

Anyway, today is Pilaf's birthday!!! My, how time flies. It seems like just yesterday I brought her home from the hospital, er, I mean, kennel. =P I am more and more pleased with P-Lilly every day, and frankly, I can tell she is starting to get bored. I have to teach her something new every day just to keep her occupied! She is a smart one, and a sweet one. Such a people pleaser...

This last Monday Pilaf got to go to the Monterey Bay Aquarium for Homeschool day. Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of her in the aquarium, but I got some great ones outside of it! I also got some cute pictures at Bubba Gump's, but they are on the wrong camera, so I will post them when I get them.

Here is my cutie!

Do you think any of these are good enough for a calendar submission? I really like the 4th and 5th from the bottom, but what do you guys think?

Wait for it... Pciture Spam!

2009-10-08T11:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I figured I would give you all a little update on my brown rice and fine watches.

Yup, Pilaf and Cartier are doing really well! Both of them have their little quirks, of course, but I love 'em anyway!

Also, just a quick little note. D4D is turning 5, and its B-day party is Saturday!!! I am going, and I am pretty sure Franky will be there. I can't wait! Hopefully I will have plenty of picture to show y'all.

Now on to the puppy pictures. That is what you wanted to see, right? Thats what I thought...

First, our outing to the Fire Station...

Pilaf was a little ervous and excited at first, but she got over it.

Showing off her new snap-around collar. I love these things! So helpful for exciteable dogs like P-Lilly.

Cartier wasn't quite sure about the whole thing, but he was a good sport!

This is little Finney. He is a 16 week old moose, weighing in at over 40 pounds!!! Our little Aussie boy, donated from a school in Australia. What a cutie!

Now for a picture dump of both pups from the past 1-2 weeks. =]

"Hi Mommy!" =]

Pilaf posing.

Pilaf has been at a puppy-sitters the last few days (a new girl wanted a dog to takr to school) so I have been having fun with just the boy and myself. Hence the following pictures...

"Can we stop these now..."

The fluffiest part of his body is his head. He lost his body fluff really early on. In fact, my CFR thought he was a 3/4 cross when she first saw him!

Practicing his sit stay. As you can see, he is already entering his leggy stage. =P

But even with the long legs, he can't get rid of his baby face. =)

Don't be fooled by this seemingly innocent face...

Lights, camera, action shots!

Moments before he runs headlong into you...

And here he goes again...

"Look mom, I can fly!"

"Did you see me mom, did you see me?!?!? I was flyin'!"

Thanks for reading!!!

~Taelor, Pilaf, and Cartier

Finally... an update!

2009-09-08T12:51:00.000-07:00

So yes, August was a very significant month for me! Fun Day, new puppy, 16th birthday, new york city! But I'll get to that later. To begin... Fun Day!

My parents and I were up by 4 and at the campus by 7 to set up our booth. Definitely a great time to arrive! Not many people are there, good parking spaces can be found, and it is a great time to meet individuals as there isn't too much confusion. I wasted no time in getting Pilaf adorned in a festive lei.

(in the kennel is another pup from our club, Cielo, who happens to be Cabana's brother! I would never have guessed, because they look nothing alike! =D)

I spent the day working at our booth (we were the club selling the white t-shirts with the surfing pup on the back [my design! =)] and the blue "priceless" shirts.), and having fun meeting people, getting Pilaf's pedigree, snooping for information about my golden (about whom I still hadn't heard anything), and enjoying looking at the parents of all of my puppies. I also got some news about Franklin! I asked the head trainer for D4D how he was doing, and she said that everyone adores him, and he is now being fostered by her through training. She said that she just loved him, and that they aren't having any issues. I was so pleased. I also looked in the breeders digest for his parents, and he looks exactly like his mom. It almost made me cry to see it, as it just made me miss him more. Please graduate Frankie, 'cause I really want to see you again!

We then went to Pilaf's puppy meet, and out of 8 siblings, 2 were there, as well as their momma, Ryka. It was great to see them, and it is hilarious how similar Ryka and Pilaf are personality wise. They were like 2 peas in a pod! Polo and Pilaf were pretty similar, especially in looks, but Persia must have been mostly like her father, because she seemed to be the odd one out. Darker and definitely more relaxed! (Pilaf getting super excited about her momma. No, she usually isn't this rambunctious, but I let her play a bit since I had been working her pretty hard all day)

(from L to R: Ryka, Persia, Pilaf, and Polo)

Altogether, Fun Day was a great day! I enjoyed meeting people (I saw and semi talked to you guys, Emily and Kelsey, but I was too shy to introduce myself. You are both really pretty, and Burgess and Tahoe were stunning! And I knew Burgess was big, but... wow. Shelly, I had a great time speaking with you! I hope you enjoyed your vacation. ;]) and spending time at my "happiest place on earth", GDB! God willing, I will be interning there next summer!

So, about a week later, I got a call from guide dogs saying that my puppy had just landed from The Guide Dog Foundation in New York, and I could pick him up anytime I wanted. His letter was "c". Of course, I convinced my sister to drive me down the next morning, and we arrived at straight up 9 o clock. I was so excited, and soon found out that everyone loved him because he was the only golden puppy in the kennels at the time. I saw his bag in the kennel kitchen, but I made myself resist the temptation of looking at the name. Pretty soon they found my boy and brought out my bundle of fluff. Introducing... CARTIER (Kar-tee-ay) Isn't that so very French? Puppy Raising thought that he might have originally been named "Carter" by GDF, but already had a Carter, so they changed his name to something similar. Here he is!

He is definitely a funny fellow, but I love him all the more for it. I will hopefully get better pictures of him later!

Oh, and my 16th birthday was on the 31st (Fun Fact: Megan's PIT Fullerton's birthday was the same day!), and my parents surprised me with a trip to NYC!!!! We went just about everywhere, and even saw the Broadway musical, Wicked. So fun. I have been wanting to see it for years, and it was even better than I thought it would be. Altogether a great month!

Ten Things About Pilaf!!!

2009-07-28T16:02:00.000-07:00

We were awarded this by Lisa and Ellie! Thanks guys!!! It gave me an interesting excuse for a post. ^_^

So, in honor of the award, 10 things about Pilaf:

1. Although she is a golden and lab cross, the older she gets, the less like a golden she looks. You wouldn't know she was a cross now unless I told you. =P

2. Even though she looks all lab, she couldn't act more like your steriotypical golden. Put her and the resident golden in our club side by side andthey act as if they were sisters!

3. She LOVES water, but not nearly as much as she used to. We are almost 100% positive now that her dangerous obsession with water was caused by an infection that she has had just lying away in her body since she was a young puppy.

4. Not only does she love water, but she loves anyone of the human race. She just loves people.

5. And because she loves people, she has figured out a most cunning way to draw them to her. She sits slightly in front of me, facing them. Then, she hunches her shoulders slightly, puts her ears all of the way back, gives a huge labby smile, and opens her eyes really wide. Then she stares them down. Ths, coupled with her small size and perpetually wagging tail, never fails to bring a human down. She wraps them around her little paws. XP

6. She is almost completely reliable around the house. Rarely does she pick something up off of the ground.

7. She has never made a peep while she is in the crate. Not even when she was a puppy! In fact, I am constantly afraid that I will put her in the crate and then forget about her, because she won't make a sound, no matter how long she has been in there. Kind of scary, actually.

8. She is very good at walking and staying next to me, even in situations that are stressful to her. And even though she is a very easily distracted dog, when you give her a little reminder, she will always give me back her focus.

9. She is barely 50 pounds, and so tiny. She is short and lean, but pretty long, and her tail is abnormally long compared to her body. It always curls up at the end, and when she walks, it wags from side to side with the curl always pointing upward. I hope that made sense, because it is really funny to watch her.

10. Even with all of her quircks, she is a sweetheart, and I wouldn't trade her for anything. =]

So there you have it! Pilaf in a nutshell. ^^

Now for some...

GOLDEN NEWS!

Basically, I know nothing. All we know is that he is a golden retriever that wasn't born at GDB because he is flying into GDB from somewhere else on the 17th. This could mean that he is from a different state, or a different country. We might not have any other information until he actually arrives on the 17th. I don't know if his whole litter was donated, or if it was just him. But I only know about him. We don't even know when he will be ready to pick up, because they have to tattoo him, make sure he is healthy, etc. So for now, he is Mister Mystey Golden. =D

News!!! =D

2009-07-24T11:54:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been pretty average in the guide dog world. Pilaf is doing amazing, we went to 4 movies in the theatre this month, and she was perfect in every one. Didn't eat anything off the ground once! She turned 9 months old on the 22nd, and is continuing to mature Although I do believe that she is one of those dogs that will be a puppy at heart for the rest of her life. =]

Okay, so now on to the real news that I am dying to announce to you all. On August 17th, a new individual will be gracing my life...

He is 10 weeks old...

Flying in from another school somewhere internationally (don't know where yet)...

And this ball of fluff will be landing straight in my arms for the next year and a half. =D

Yes, the day I have been waiting for has finally come. I am going to be raising a Golden Retriever!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This 10 week old little bundle of joy was donated to GDB from some other guide dog school in another country (vague, no? I thought so), and I will be picking him up the week of August 17th. And as of right now, that is all I know. I am just so excited!

When I get the pup, Pilaf will be almost 10 months old. A little younger than I was planning on overlapping (I was going to get a puppy in late September or October), but I do not foresee any issues. Needless to say, I have been screaming inside since my leader told me yesterday afternoon. Here comes puppy number four!

I will update when I know more. =]

She's BACK!!!

2009-06-30T15:33:00.000-07:00

Yes, my Pilaf baby is home! After spending three weeks in San Rafael, we went and picked her up this morning. She was declared officially healthy when her Urinalysis and blood test came back fine, but they never did find out what was wrong with her. XP

Anyway, everyone we met said that they loved her, and she was "just so friendly!" I am also very pleased to announce that her water obsession is completely gone! Not only is she leaving water in the bowl after she finishes drinking (something she has never done), but she is drinking normally, not all hunched up like she used to. This makes me think that the source of the problem was whatever medically was wrong with her. We also got to take a look at a bag in the kennel kitchen area that said that a little Black Lab Female named "Peeka" was to be picked up soon. So cute! All together a great trip!

Oh, and just because I thought you guys should see it, here is the design that is going to be on the top left shoulder of the Ts that our club will be selling at Fun Day. PLEASE NO STEALING!!!

Some News...

2009-06-17T05:42:00.000-07:00

Well, I do have some news for you guys. The veterinary clinic at GDB has decided that the antibiotics that she was on the few days leading up to her arrival at GDB had pretty much cleared up the virus. They also know that he has some sort of infection (WAY too high white blood count) but they can't seem to find the infection. They are basically giving her a sort of blanket medicine,that covers many different infections, and it seems to be working. She will have more tests done on the 25th, and if they turn out okay, she can come home on the 30th!!! A long time for a pup at the kennel, but as long as she is healthy, I'm not complaining! =D

However, with this medical issue, we have stumbled across a behavioral issue as well. Pilaf LOVES water, to an extreme extent. If you place 7 full bowls of water on the ground, she will drink everything in all of them. She "tanks up" on water, and will drink until you tell her to stop. She doesn't lose her head or anything, she just keeps drinking as if she is still thirsty. If you call her name however, or touch her or anything like that, she will immediately stop and come to you, but then she will go back to the water. She has done this since we first got her, and I always shrugged it of as a "golden thing," as did some other experienced raisers in our club. So from the beginning, I just limited her water and would fill up her bowl every couple of hours rather than leaving it full for her all the time. This tanking up on water isn't a good thing, as it can seriously hurt her if she drinks too much. So she is on several water protocols, and we hope they work!

On another note, I will be gone for the next 2 weeks to various camps. I am looking forward to catching up on your blogs when I get back!!!

So Pilaf and I went to the GDB campus today...

2009-06-11T18:21:00.000-07:00

... And I came back puppy-less. D=

No, my 8 month old puppy is not recalled, but she will be having a stay at the kennels.

My Pilafer is sick. I can't really go into detail, but she has had blood tests, a urinalysis, etc, and they still can't figure out what the heck is wrong with her, so the vets at GDB are looking at her. My CFR said not to be surprised if she is CC'ed for this. We just don't know at this point what is wrong. Whatever it is didn't really come on suddenly, and we think it has been growing, unbeknownst to everyone, for a while. It could be just a urinary tract infection, or it could be something as severe as diabetes. We are all just hoping and praying for good news.

Gnarlybones!!!

2009-06-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Yes yes, here are the lovely Nylabones that have been chewed by many a dog in my house. Chewed enough, I think, to be submited into Cabana's (and raiser's too, of course) contest!!!

So... here is the first, and less-chewed, of the two. This one is relatively new, as I got it as a present from our club for being an active member. =]

Before:After:

And the second, very dead, and almost too small even for a puppy- gnarlybone! =]

Before:

After:

And no, my dogs have never broken a piece off of it or something. It was just chewed that much! XD

My destructive puppies... *sigh*

-Is Excited-

2009-06-01T12:07:00.000-07:00

Wow... I have been doing a lot of blogging recently! o.O Very strange...

Anyway! Guess what guys... Franklin has been picked up by D4D!!! I really wanted to go to this previous graduation (where blogging pup Sherman graduated), but missed it, and later found out that my Franklin was there! One of our leaders went, and she said he is doing really well. Everyone was raving about him, and the whole staff is in love with him already. His foster family is wonderful, and can't stop raving about him. I am still very proud of my boy. ^_^

We also learned that the GDB staff had doted on him, and were considering him as a breeder until they found the luxating patellas. Kind of sad, because I would have loved a grandbaby. =D

Mixed Emotions

2009-05-29T12:21:00.000-07:00

So, today is a happy and a sad one for me. My first little baby hit the milestone of 2 years today.

Eagle was the pup that really started my passion for GDB. It is hard to imagine that I have only been puppy raising for the last 2 years, and not my whole life. =] Eagle wasn't quite meant to be a guide, as his knees just weren't cut out for it. Ironically, so far both of the dogs I have finished raising had knee problems, and I too have bad knees. Anyway, I hope that wherever Eagle is now, his owners are showering him with lots of love for his birthday. =)

And that is where the slightly unhappy feelings come in. See, I have no idea about how Eagle is doing, what his owners are like, or anything. I gave them all of our information, but we haven't heard anything from then. Do you know if there is anything I can do to hear about my pup? I just hate not knowing anything... :/

2009-05-26T11:28:00.000-07:00

So, I first want to say thank you to everyone's comments on my last post. Thank you SO much. They made me feel a lot better. =]

Secondly, I want to apologise a little for my last post. I guess it was a little bit of a rant, and a vent of emotions, because I posted just after hearing the news. Sorry if I came off a little (or a lot) strong.

So, since last week, we haven't heard anything "official" about Franklin. I see this as good news, because that means that they are still considering doing something with him. He would be the best Canine Buddy, because he absolutely adores children, but I also think he would be an amaing autism service dog for CCI. I also just talked to Cheryl (sp?), basically the co-owner of D4D, and she said that if GDB hasn't placed him anywhere else, than she will pick him up next week. But if none of these work out for him, then we have a friend of a friend who has been looking for a therapy dog to take to the hospital where she works, so Franklin will be working no matter what he does. I am really excited for his future.

Pilaf is doing very well. She is most definitely a female, complete with spazzy-ness, and is a steriotypical golden (Obsesses over water, and truly believes that every single person was put on this earth to pet her). I just love how different she is from my last two pups, but I have to say, I think I prefer my big yellow boys. I don't know though, I guess I'll just have to see. =P

...

2009-05-19T12:05:00.000-07:00

Gah, I don't even know why I get my hopes up any more...

I HATE this!

If you haven't already guessed, Franklin was CC'd. And check this out. It was for the exact same thing Eagle had.

We just found out this morning. Our leader said that the trainers said that they had delayed in CCing him because he was so good. Their exact words were "he was on his way to success." They said that he was one of the hardest working dogs they had had in a while, and that he obviously wanted to work. They were even considering moving him into the accelerated program.

But, after two weeks in the harness, he started limping. It wasn't a very large limp, but it was still there. And if he was limping after just two weeks, how bad would it get if he was constantly in the harness?

Two amazing dogs, both career changed for the same thing. That would make four dogs from our club in the last 12 months to be CC'd for Luxating knees.

One of these days I will get a dog without a medical problem... hopefully...

Woot woot!!!

2009-04-30T22:00:00.000-07:00

I know I haven't updated in a while guys, but guess what? My Frankie baby is in phase 3!!! Gosh, I am really excited. =D Eagle didn't even get a phase, he was CC'ed so early. I am just thrilled all of the medical stuff should be passed. Trust me, I am breathing a sigh of relief.

Pilaf is doing really well. She makes me proud every day. I won't say she is perfect (what dog is?) but she doesn't really have any issues, and that is something I consider a blessing. She is currently the best behaved dog in our club, and the oldest, and I know she will do well in the future. ^^

If I can get the camera to work, I will take some pictures of our puppy clubs annual feild trip to Old Sac this weekend. I'll keep you posted!

Goodbye...

2009-03-31T13:14:00.000-07:00

Sunday I had to say goodbye to one of my best friends. Let's just say that it wasn't easy.

I had a debate tounament in San Jose Friday and Saturday, as well as the weekend before, so I felt a little ripped off. I wanted to spend as much time as possible with him. Now I realize that being away probably helped me let him go.

I got home from the tournament at 2:00 Sunday morning, and at 8:00, I woke up and got ready to go. I decided at the last minute that I wanted to bring Pilaf with me, because I figured I would need something to cuddle with on the way home. =]

Needless to say, it was a tense road trip. It was my older sister, my parents, and me in the car the whole way down, dreading the time that we'de get their. Finally we pulled into the parking lot at about 12:45. By this time, I kind of just wanted to get it over with. We made our way across the campus, taking pictures about every other step. we were walking one of the many paths when we ran into a man who was in class with his second guide, Amazon. When he learned that we were pppy raisers, and bringing a dog back, he almost cried telling us how much he appreciated everything we do. It definitely brought the hole experience full circle for my whole family.

We then made our way to the kennel itself, stopping to "awww" at the puppies, of course. As the kennel was still on lunch break, we were just about the only ones there. One sweet lady (I can't remember her name) decided that she would just check us in, even though we were a little bit early. She could not say enough about how amazing Franklin was behaving, and so calm he was. She told us several times that if he became a stud dog, he would be living at he house like a spoiled rotten pet. =] That made us pretty happy!

We then put him in his kennel, and said our last goodbyes. It was really hard, and I won't lie, I cried buckets. We are all praying that he won't have any medical issues.

And so ends another era in my life...

On another note, our club's 2 yellow boys went back for training this weekend (Franklin and Fury, no, they are not related), and 2 new yellow puppies were picked up. a yellow female named Ingabore (crazy, I know, we are going to call her Inga), and a yellow boy named Robbie. If they were not different genders, you wouldn't be able to tell them apart! They are both very tiny, and have really short noses. We were all excited about the chance to have more pups in the club! That brings us to a grand total of 12 pups in our group, plus a few families that should be getting puppies soon!!!

Picture Post!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =D

2009-03-01T11:09:00.000-08:00

Here are pictures, from the Pilaf pickup to (almost) present!

The Pickup!

Pilaf sibs (I think Pilot is somewhere in here...)

I just love this next pic...

Christmas!!!

Explanation of the next pictures: We put this stuffed Santa out on the floor next to our couch for decoration, and Franklin fell in love. He would sleep curled up with it every day. He never chewed on it, just snuggled. I wish I had a picture with his vest on, one of these would be cute for the calendar!

My sweet babies, about a week after getting Pilaf. She already new down stay!

Franklin's Birthday, February 1st. He wore this ballon tied to his collar all day long...

Pilaf at the Vet

The pack of mini followers:

I just love this picture. You can't really tell by Frankie's face, but he adored this kid...
How they sleep in the car... all curled up around each other (we have a small car)
The most recent picture I have of them together:

Franklin and Pilaf had a BIG day yesterday. We woke up at about 5:00 in the morning, and started driving to Corning (a little town near Redding) for my brother's Awana Bible Quizing and Games day. It was a competition with kids from clubs all over California, Oregon, and Nevada. We first met at a little church for the opening ceremonies, where Franklin and Pilaf kenneled nicely together under a pew. Then, we moved into a really tiny and cramped gym, where the pups slept nicely for about 1-2 hours (i can't remember... lol)We then went to Subway for a quick lunch, and then off to a high school for games in the gym, where the pups got to work amidst all of the noise and chaos for another 1-2 hours. Then it was another long car ride, and off to dinner at a BBQ resteraunt in Woodland, before we made our way back home at about 8:00 in the evening. All together a long and exciting trip for Pilaf, but I was very proud of both of them! I have several cute pictures, but I can't post them until I clear of space on my computer so I can upload them! =P

~Taelor, Franklin, and Pilaf

Yes, I am still alive...

2009-02-27T16:07:00.001-08:00

My life is hectic beyond belief, but I am still here!!! XP

Well, as some of you might already know, I no longer have just one pup!

Yup, Miss Pilaf entered my life just a few days before Christmas!!! She is a female lab/Golden cross. My first little girl, and my first part golden! She is also Pilot's sister.
I have really enjoyed this beautiful little girl. As one puppy sitter in our club just said: "I love how she is like an on/off switch. When you want her to play, she always wants to, but when you want her to just lay down at your feet, she is happy to!" She is a definite Golden, and LOVES people. She truly believes that every human was put on this earth to pet her. She also is semi-obsessed with water, and as such has been greatly enjoying the rain we have been getting the last few days. =D Overall, she is very sweet and responsive.

But as I mentioned before, Pilaf is not the only pup in my care.

Franklin has grown up to be suh a great boy. He really is ideal. He knows all of his commands, and just wants to be with you. He will come as soon as you call him no matter where he is. In fact, we once had a puppy meeting in a field (fenced, of course) full of guide dog pups, and he came from clear across the other side. He is sweet, gentle, loving, smart... pretty close to perfect. Everyone in our club wants to work with him if we ever have any little fun "contests." =P He just turned 1 year old on February 1st, and he has a recall date for March 28th. We all think that this is really early, but honestly I know he is ready. I am rossing my fingers that there are no medical issues, because I know he will succeed in becoming a guide if he has good health. And if for some reason he doesn't make it as a guide, he will make the best canine buddy. We have 3 boys in our house with ages ranging from 4 to 12, and he lets them climb on him, ride him like a horse, practically choke him, anything! =P

Well, that is my little update!

And because it is short, I will amuse you all with a list of the current nicknames for each of them:

Franklin:
Frankie
Frankie-doodle
doodle
Danke
Danke shen
Bubba
Frank
doodle-bear

Pilaf:
Pilaffers
Peewee
Peepee (only my sister calls her this)
P-Lily
Pilafity
Little girl

Hope you guys are all doing well!
~Taelor, Franklin, and Pilaf~

P.S. I would post pictures, but for some reason blogger won't let me at the moment. Hopefully I will be able to post some soon!

Well... I have some good news, some bad news, and... PICTURES!!!!

2008-09-03T15:33:00.000-07:00

Let's start with the pictures:

No, this is NOT puppy in training!!! This is my family's new ShiTsu (sp?) puppy, Willy. Isn't he sweet? He doesn't bark much, and gets along great with the cat and the other dogs.

Now for the PIT!!!

Yup, this is Franky boy!!! No, he is not on our counter. Actually, he was at the vet's office because he had a MAJOR ear in fection. He had to have ear medecine, special cleaner, and oral medecine!

OK, now the goodish news first; D4D is evaluating Eagle at the moment, so we are hoping that they take him!!! If not, I am sure he will go to a home where he is needed.

The bad news is that I will most likely not be on blogging more than twice a month. My life has all of a sudden become hectic, and all of my time on the computer will be spent writing speeches and researching India! Don't ask.

Some news. I went to the graduation of Splash and Willy on the 30th!!! We got there, and my leader came p to me, hugged me, and said: "Brittany (Willy's raiser) couldn't come so you are going to present Willy, OK?" I, of course, was shocked. My other leader then told me that they had presented dogs before, and that this was the perfect experience for me (my leaders still feel really bad about Eagle being CC'd. and are trying to "make it up to me." It is kind of funny, actually!). So, I got to spend some time with Willy's partner, who happens to be from Canada, and presented him on stage. The speech I gave was only a few minutes long, but I didn't stumble or anything! It was great!!! My leader's were really proud of me! *blush*

Hopefully I will have some good news and time to share it with you soon!!!!

Well, this is NOT the next thing that I wanted to post...

2008-08-21T11:06:00.000-07:00

Well, I think you all probably know what I am going to say. Last night I got the dreaded call... Eagle was career changed. Obviously, from the short amount of time in the kennel (5 days) it was a medical issue. As it turned out, he has a genetic problem with his knee. They told us that it would go unnoticed if he was a pet, but it was so severe that it would blow out after working in the harness for only a year! They also said that it was too severe to become a canine buddy (something else they were considering, he loves kids) and D for D might not accept him. My CFR, Celeste, said that she was sooo dissapointed because he was one of the best dogs from her territory! I met quite a few trainers at the campus, and they were all looking forward to seeing Eagle at the campus, but I guess it wasn't to be. What is ironic is that I also have a genetic issue on the same knee!!! If he is not accepted by D for D I will not be getting him back. The deal from the beginning was that if I wanted to continue raising then I couldn't keep them. I know EXACTLY how Megan feels!!! He was my perfect puppy, and dropped for medical reasons. This also coplicates matters for his sister Eliza, who was going to be a breeder. Now she might not as there is a genetic problem in their lines.

Warning: the following is a vent of emotions, you do NOT have to read this if you don't want to. the rant will be in pink.

I don't know why, but I feel so... cheated. I mean... I worked sooo hard, and he was so good, and then he was only at the campus for 5 DAYS!!! They didn't even get to see just how good he really was. In a way I even feel that Eagle was cheated. Everyone around him could tell that he just wanted to work. He was MADE for it! And now he probably won't be able to do hardly any sort of work at all. I am still in shock. I don't really think that it has fully registeres yet. The worst part is that it was nothing Eagle or I could have changed. It feels like all of the work I have put into this dog is just wasted.

Okay. I feel sooo much better now.

On a happier note, this last Monday I recieved a transfer puppy named Fraklin. He is 7 months old, and was started by a raiser in our group. She was the one that raised Willhelm, who by the way is graduating with Splash on the 30th!!! I forgot to tell you guys that happy news... sorry! *sheepish grin* Anyway, Franklin is a MYL that has some issues. He does NOT like to work. In fact, he hates it! This is a good learning experience for me, because I was always working on toning down Eagle. With Franklin I am working on motivating him. He is content to sit and watch the world go by him. We think that he would be a great pet for an older couple!!! hahaha! He is a real sweety, and loves to cuddle up in your lap. I am currently working on food protocol (sp?) with him, because food is the only thing that motivates him at all. And it barely keeps him moving, at that. Everyone keeps asking me is he is sick, but it is just his personallity. Just yesterday it took me over 5 minutes to get him out of the car, and I ended up having to drag him. No joke. I will post poctures later!

Now I really am a Bad Blogger... :(

2008-08-18T12:06:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick note to tell you all that yes I am still alive, and Eagle went back on August 16th. I am re- doing my entire room these 2 weeks, but as soon as I am done I will make a HUGE post that will be a summary of the last couple months and rcall, complete with pictures!!! Please be patient and forgive me! =D

Bad Blogger, Bad...

2008-04-14T09:13:00.000-07:00

I know, I have put off posting for like 2 whole weeks!!! Well I only have a few things to update on. First, Eagle has been put in a chain collar just for the puppy meetings. He is having a dog distraction issue, but it is only around the dogs in our group. We think it is nothing really serious at the moment, just teenage intact male hormones, but we want to get it under control! So far it has made quite a difference!!!

So, I should probably fill out Erin's questionnaire! I feel like the last one on the block!

1.How many puppies have you raised?
Just Eagle
2.Why did you want to puppy raise?
I have wanted to raise since I was eight and saw a show about guide dogs on Animal Planet. I then had to wait until my parents said I was old enough.
3.How long have you been a puppy raiser?
I have been an official raiser for just about 1 year, but I have been in a club for almost 2 years.
4.What is one thing you have learned in raising?
Patience, responsibility, confidence, the true meaning of Fun, etc., etc., etc.
5.What have your puppies taught you?
I am still learning from Eagle, but so far he has taught me that all pups are different, and that sometimes when life is hard, it is nice to lay down and take a nap... (he is very lazy)
6.What is the strangest thing someone has asked/said to you about your puppy?
"Can dogs really get a tan?" Said when I did a puppy swap with Eagle's sister Eliza. They look a lot alike, but Eliza is darker. :P
7.Do you give your puppies real name out in public?
Yup, even though when I say his name a lot of people think I called him "Evil"
8.What is the most embarrassing incident that you've had with your puppy?
probably Eagle pooping in the mall. Thankfully, it was right imnside a candle store so no one could smell it!
9.What is the most proud moment you've had with your puppy?
When people comment about how well behaved my puppy is. When he went to the capitol and talked to Assemblymen all day and behaved like an angel! Once, when at a museum, a lady stopped and asked us about puppy raising and such. We talked for about a half of an hour, and she then said osmething about how refreshing it was to find a teenager these days doing something like this. Then she said "Can I hug you? I am just so proud of you!" Difinitely heart-warming!
10.What advice do you have for newbie puppy raisers/owners?
Well, that is a little hard, since I am a newbie myself, but I would say that yes it is a lot of work, but it is sooooo worth it!

I had a speech competition this last weekend for NCFCA in Santa Rosa. It was awesome, and I actually did pretty well! I don't really feel like going into the details, so if you are interested, just read this. It is an article about the competition. Eagle stayed at a puppy sitters house, and they said he was an angel and VERY well behaved. I was so proud!!!

~Taelor and Eagle~

Oh No...

2008-03-31T09:01:00.000-07:00

My little baby is TEN MONTHS OLD!!! I can hardly believe it! Double digits, the big 1-0. Wow... It really is amazing how fast the time flies. I'll post some pretty ten month pictures later today, if not tomorrow.

I forgot to tell all of you guys the big news for our puppy group. Two of our six dogs, Splash and Willhelm (we all call him Willy), were recalled for formal training this last weekend. Splash is a female german shepherd and Willy is a male black lab. Now we only have yellow labs in our group! One of our leader's family raised splash, and they picked up a golden lab cross male that's name starts with the letter "F". I don't know the name yet, so I will tell you in the next post after I find out tonight. Maybe I will even have a picture! Here are some pictures of the party that we had for Willy and Splash last weekend:

Here is a picture of the cake my sister and I made. Unfortunately, I had a few issues with the harness in the center. It looks like a dog sled.

The Splashy girl (with Eagle in the background). Sorry about those evil eyes!

Willikers. Isn't he handsome!

Almost forgot... Feel free to comment on any of my posts, even if it is not recent. I check most of them regularly!

~Taelor and Eagle~

Pictures!!!!! But sadly, no video yet...

2008-03-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

I am working on the video (or possibly videos), but until I get a good one, I will have to keep trying. Drat that camera! Just kidding. :P Until I post a few videos, you will have to be content with some Easter pictures!

Eagle did not like the mud all that much, but he really didn't like the river. Our leader said that that was relatively normal, and it would just take some time time to get used to it. He also suggested getting a kiddy pool for the summer months to help get him used to the water in general.

Our very muddy feet!

He was very excited, and was all wound up for some crazy lab laps! I got him under control, but who can blame him for being wild. After all, it was the first time he had ever seen sand, or this much water or mud, so he actually behaved relatively well!

contentedly sleeping on the short ride to my sister's house for a BBQ!

I don't participate in the hunt any more, but I still love dying Easter eggs. Isn't this one pretty!

His Easter Picture!

All tuckered out from the long day!

Eagle and Eliza. Do you see any family resemblance?

You can tell their different personalities just from these photos. I am holding Eagle pretty loosely, because I knew he would just sit there and look at the camera. He is also sitting almost perfectly straight. Eliza, on the other hand, I am holding pretty tightly because she did not want to sit still. She is also sitting really crookedly! Doesn't it look uncomfortable!

Another Quick Question...

2008-03-25T12:11:00.000-07:00

But this one is an opinion! I am really proud of Eagle's recall, and I wanted to video him performing the "come" command. So, since this video is really for all of you, I was wondering if you wanted me to put him in a sit, down, or stand stay. Got it? Good.

Oh, and Happy (late) Easter! I will update with pictures of Eagle later. I have to upload them first...

~Taelor and Eagle~

Just A Quick Question

2008-03-19T19:51:00.000-07:00

I think I have posted more times this week then I have in the last month! I have a quick question for y'all. I would really like to raise a golden after Eagle goes back, but I am not really sure what to do. I know that you should get on the list quickly if you want any chance of getting one, but I am not sure how to go about it. You guys have any ideas? What is the likelihood of getting a golden? I would greatly appreciate any input!!!

****Update*****
I knew that it would be SUPER hard to get a golden, but I met someone just a few months ago that waited only 5 months. So that was the inspiration for the question. And yes, I have definitely considered getting a golden/lab cross as well! :)

~Taelor and Eagle~

Happy St. Patricks Day!!!

2008-03-18T11:38:00.000-07:00

With that long last post, I completely forgot about the St. Patty's Day party! Last night, Our club had a party with games, AKC Canine Good Citizen obstacle courses, food, etc. Here are a couple of pictures!

Career changed girl Sarita. She is a great dog, and has some real herding instinct. She is currently working to become a search and rescue dog!

One of the games we played had the raiser in a blindfold and trying to put the vest on the dog. Here is how one of the boys thought it should be!

Ranger trying to take a nap. He just got neutered last Wednesday, so he is really tired. :(

Theodore, preferably called Theo, retired Guide Dog, now service dog. He is close to perfect!

My baby looking very majestic in his green Bow-Tie!

If you want to see some more pictures from the party, go to our puppy raising website!

~Taelor and Eagle~

Lobby Days, Long Car Rides, and Plenty of Naps...

2008-03-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

I know I say this every time, but Eagle and I have had a busy week! On Wednesday, Eagle and I went with a few friends to a Lobby Day at the capitol. We spent the time between 9:00 and 11:00 hearing lectures and learning about how different laws are made, some of the current laws that are in the senate, and a little bit about the laws we would be lobbying. We even heard a few assemblymen speak! Of course, Eagle slept almost the entire time. After a short lunch, we then spent another hour and a half talking specifically about the bills we would be lobbying. We then walked from the Secretary of State building (where the meeting was held) to the capitol, where we rode the elevator to the second floor. We walked from room to room, talking to the legislative aids, and even a couple of past Guide Dog raisers that are currently working in the government! Everyone loved Eagle, and thought that he was just the cutest thing. He was a great icebreaker when it came to talking about the different bills!

This weekend, my entire family drove almost 6 hours to Grants Pass, Oregon. We drove up on Saturday, arriving at our cousin's house at around 12:30, just in time for my cousin's Eagle scout ceremony at 1:00. Eagle again slept through the entire thing (pretty amazing considering that he slept most of the drive there!). we then went back to their house, and visited with our family, before going to see the same cousin's school play. Eagle slept through this as well. I was really very proud of my boy. that night, Eagle and I slept on the floor of my cousin's house. Unfortunately, they didn't have anything at all that I could hook the tie-down on, so I had to loop his leather leash around the leg of a (very sturdy) computer chair! We laid out his blanket, and he slept soundly the entire night! He has never slept anywhere exept for his kennel, so I was very excited for him! the next morning, we drove all of the way back to Sacramento, and Eagle didn't even put up a fuss!

Here are some pictures from the trip:

Eagle, still loking tired after the ceremony

This was the first time that Eagle had ever seen snow!!!

I had the cutest picture of the Eagle scout with Eagle, but I can't put faces on the blog. Too bad...

Here are a few of Eliza while we had her

One of the few days the girl decided to be cuddly!

On the scales at the veterinarian's office. She weighed 12 pounds less than Eagle!!

And here are just a couple of relatively random pictures of Eagle.

Just me having fun with one of Eagle's baby pictures!

~Taelor and Eagle~

2008-03-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

Guess who was at my house this week....

Eliza!!!!

We had a puppy swap, so I got little 'Liza May, and Eagle went to my leader's house! They said he was very well behaved, and ready to please, but he leaned into the collar a little too much. All together, a great report!!! I don't have any pictures right at the momen of Eliza girl. I don't have a digital camera, so I have to wait until my mom uploads the pics she took! urgh...

Sooo... since my poll is over, I guess I should tell you who all of those people are!

1st, Michael Hingson. Most of you knew this one! Mr. Hingson is a speaker for GDB, and was led out of the twin towers by guide dog Roselle. Roselle is now retired, but is having a good life as Michael's pet!

Next we have Lois Merrihew. She was one of the founders of GDB, along with Don Donaldson.

We then have Betty White... The Betty White. You know, the actress. She is a BIG dog lover, and also a big supporter of GDB.

And last, but definitely not least, we have Nancy Gardner, the current CEO of GDB. Iwas a little surprised more of you didn't know that one!!!

So here you go! Now I have to come up with another poll... By the way, if I got any of this info wrong, do not be afraid to tell me!

~Taelor and Eagle~

One busy week!

2008-02-29T20:46:00.000-08:00

Eagle is nine months old today!!! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. He has had a relatively busy week. Sunday we went to church and Awana. He loves Awana because there is this one guy that loves him, and Eagle is obsessed with his shoes. Don't ask me why, because he doesn't care about anyone elses shoes! Monday we went to our Guide Dog meeting, and we walked through Target, Raleys, and a thrift store. We puppy raisers had to find guide dog approved toys and food, find three things that were harmful to dogs, find three unique childrens toys that were potentially dangerous, and etc. One of our leaders had a puppy for the week to evaluate her. She is a transfer pup named Raylin. She is 6 months old, but is really tiny. She looked like Eagle at 4 months! Tuesday night a camera man came and interviewed me for a community service project I am doing. Wednesday morning I was interviewed again by the top local station, and by a radio station, and they both mention Eagle! Thursday I had choir. He has recently become distracted because he knows that people will love on him, so I pronounced this thursday a "no pet Eagle day". Everyone was a little mad at me, but I think it did Eagle good. Today we didn't do much, but tomorow Eagle will be coming with me while I give a speech at a competition. No pictures today, but I promise they will come later!

~Taelor and Eagle~

P.S. Sorry everyone! I did something to my template and had to redo everything on the side, so you will have to revote! Sorry for the inconvenience!!!

Another Poll!

2008-02-26T14:51:00.000-08:00

While I'm at it, I think I will add another poll.

This weeks topic is...

How many of these famous GDB people do you recognise? I will post when the poll is over to tell you all who they are!!!

~Taelor and Eagle~

P.S. Sorry to those of you in other organisations!

The Votes are In!

2008-02-26T14:34:00.000-08:00

My poll is over, and the votes are in!

Drumroll please...

And the winner is...

Labrador Retrievers!!!!

Well, no real surprise there. Because everyone knows

Labs are the best!! (I am only slightly biased)... lol

~Taelor and Eagle~

P.S. Just as a side note, I actually voted for the Goldens (don't tell Eagle!).

Baby Eagle!

2008-02-24T13:49:00.001-08:00

Here are some pictures of Eagle as a baby! I just recently found them on my computer!

Wasn't he adorable!!!

A little note

2008-02-19T15:25:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note. I have added a new poll for everyone! What is your favorite guide dog breed? Vote now *big grin*! Great... now I sound like a commercial... :P

Finnaly... A new post!!!

2008-02-18T11:52:00.000-08:00

Plus I have pictures!!! It has been way too long since my last post! Eagle is getting so big, and I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. Just think, he will be a year old in just about three months!!! I can't believe it! Here are some picture for all of Eagle's patiently waiting fans!

Eagle at the water district. he loved the river!

This would be Eagle taking a nap, one of his regular pass times.

My kitty kitty Angel bathing Eagle!

Brighton at his graduation. He is now working with Kenny in Texas!

Eagle all snuggled up like a bug in a rug!

My silly puppy

curled up around my dad's legs!

My pet dog, Cappucino, sticking his grumpy face out of the blankets (he doesn't like pictures)

the silly dog fell asleep with his Nylabone ring over his nose!

well, i think those are all of the good pictures to date. I hope my next post won't be quite so long in coming!

Hi Again

2008-01-09T11:07:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!!!
sorry it's been so long since i last updated. things have been pretty busy around my house. school, getting over the holidays, school... did I mention school, because that is a big one.
Eagle is doing pretty well. he hasn't changed much. still the cutest puppy in the world. :P he is already 7 months!!! the time has really flown.
I made a video/slide show for you guys. It just has random cute GDB puppies. hope you like it! :)

Yeah!!!

2007-12-17T08:56:00.000-08:00

Guess what. I got to go to the graduation on Saturday!!! I talked my parents into letting me go, and I was only about an hour late for the rehearsal. The graduation was awesome! Have you fellow GDB raisers heard that they are not going to use German Shepherds any more. well, I got to see the last two German shepherd puppies while I was at the kennel!!! They were adorable, but I am pretty sad that I never got to raise one. :( Brighton was such a good boy, and he remembered me! I got to walk him before the actual graduation. I can't post pictures right now, but I will as soon as possible.
Off the subject of dogs (unusual for me, I know), my choir has been invited to sing in Vienna, Austria next December! Auditions are going to be held, and I am SO trying out!
Pictures will come soon!!!

Hey

2007-12-11T14:41:00.000-08:00

Okay... so maybe I posted sooner than I expected, but I couldn't resist! Eagle had a puppy meeting last night, and he did very well. We went to Target and had a scavenger hunt, and that was pretty fun. It was great seeing the newest little puppy in our group, Ranger, and working with him. He is adorable!!!

I really want to go to the graduation on Saturday!!! Not only is my first GDB puppy love graduating, Fontana's breeder keeper is bringing her down, so Eagle and Eliza would be able to see their mom. (almost our entire group is going to the graduation, and Eagle and Eliza are the only two pups in the litter). I want to go so badly, but it starts at 1:30, and I have a choir practice at 4:00, and a performance at 7:00. Plus, we live about two or three hours away! I could probably miss the practice, but the performance... Anyway, just thought I should share the news!

Finally, Pictures!!!

2007-12-09T14:35:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't posted lately! My Internet access is down, so I have to resort to using someone Else's for the time being!!! I probably won't post much until my computer is fixed, so in case I forget:

Merry Christmas!!!

Here are a few pictures to tide you over the holidays.

Eagle and Eliza in the kennels. Eagle is the smaller one and that hasn't changed much :)

My baby boy!!!

Eagle and Eliza

Apparently they saw something :P

~Taelor and Eagle~

Thank You

2007-11-30T17:42:00.001-08:00

Thank you everyone for the awesome comments!!! They are greatly appreciated!

Hey!!!

2007-11-29T17:23:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Nothing much happened today. Eagle thought the day was pretty boring. All he did was lay around and sleep while I did school. :)

I do have some good news though. I learned Monday at the Guide dog meeting that a dog I puppy sat, Brighton, was in class!!!

Here is Brighton!

If all goes well, he should graduate December 15Th!!!

First Post!!!

2007-11-28T09:38:00.001-08:00

Hey Everybody!! I just started this blog, so I thought I should add a post. I am currently in the process of raising my first Guide Dog puppy, Eagle. He is a yellow Labrador retriever and will be 6 months tomorrow! He only has one litter mate, a yellow lab named Eliza. both puppies are in the same guide dog group, Western Sierra Guides.

Here he is, the first day I got him! he is looking pitiful on the scale in petsmart!

And here is a more recent picture of him. He is such a handsome boy, but I might be slightly biased! :P