Today's the Day!

Today's the day! 

After 5 months of training, Carrie is finally graduating!

I'm so excited to get the chance to meet her new handler and say hello (and goodbye) to my pretty girl before she leaves for Colorado!

Catching up

So, it has been a few months since I have updated you on Mr. Partner.

I need to fix that!

Basically, he is amazing!

He has been coming to college with me since the beginning of the semester and has recently started coming with me to my work- I work at a dog kennel and he is learning to stay calmly in a dog run.

He is still as confident as any of the Labs I have raised- something I have heard is rare with the Goldens.

We are working on loose leash walking still- he doesn't drag me but I would appreciate a "J" in the leash.

If I am focused on him 100%, he walks like a perfect angel, but if I am busy with something else he likes to pull. 

Just another fun part of puppy raising! 

I really can't believe this kid is already 8 months old! How did that happen?

At his 6 month evaluation, our CFR said that she loved his mellow and easygoing personality. She took him off on a walk and came back with tons of praise! She was actually so impressed with him that she took some pictures to send to the breeding department haha!

I would say that for an 8 month old puppy he is extremely well behaved! I can already leave him alone in the house for an hour or two and he has spent several nights loose in my room without any damage- so far! 

He hasn't really hit puberty yet so I suppose I should hold my praise!

FINALLY!

I'm so bummed with myself that I haven't kept this blog up! It has just seemed like so much work- but really, how long does it take to type a few sentences and post a few pictures?

Well... I am Finally posting! Yay!

And for good reason:

Carrie is in class!!!

Tuesday night on my way home from work I got a phone call! It was my Guide Dog group leader letting me know that Carrie has finally found a match and will be graduating on November 17th!

I am so incredibly proud of her! After 2 months sitting in phase 8, Carrie has finally found a match!

All About Equine Animal Rescue

This week's Guide Dog meeting was an especially exciting one! 

Our group was able to tour a large animal rescue called All About Equine!

Partner got a chance to go nose to nose with some horses, alpacas, goats, sheep and a turkey!

Phase Report...!

An exciting number appeared next to Carrie's name on the Phase Report this week!

Carrie is in Phase 8!!

Yay!!!

I'm so very proud of my pretty little girl!

Phase 8 means that she is going through all of her final testing to determine if the trainers think she will make a  safe and efficient guide.  If she passes these tests, she will be matched with her new handler. They will be "In Class" together for 2-3 weeks where they will learn how to work together as a team.

Good job Carrie! And good luck on your tests! Be good!

Carrie's Littermates:

Cameo, as it turns out, will not become a breeder. She was just NOT interested in the whole business behind that haha.  She will be spayed and placed into a string.

Cavalia is in Phase 4

Chip is in Phase 7

As far as I have heard, Cammie has been pulled for breeder

Group's Puppies:

Loomis has moved into Phase 1!

Spruce has still not shown up on the report. We're not really sure what's taking so long for him to be neutered and placed into phase 0... Hopefully he will be on the report next week!

Wordless Wednesday

Partner...

Come!

Good Boy

Partner's First Week of College

I was one proud Mamma last week! 

Partner made it through his first week of college classes!

He did incredibly well! 

He slept through all of my classes and had no trouble hopping up and going to the next one with a simple "Partner, let's go"

There were a few incidents where he was a little... errr... gassy 

Haha.

I have to choose my seating with that in mind-which I haven't had to do for a puppy before.  I have never noticed this about Partner previously so I am hoping that it was just the changes that caused it and it goes away for next week.

Other than that he was so super good! He likes school and trots around campus smiling at everyone we pass.  

I must say, I am pleasantly surprised by the difference in maturity level of the college students.  In High School I was used to getting several inappropriate jokes directed at the dogs on a daily basis but haven't received any so far.

 I got several compliments on how well-behaved he is and my teachers all like him

I can't wait to take him back next week!  

Good Boy Buddy!

**Carrie Update**

Carrie is still in phase 7 this week.  Again, I'm not sure if this is her trainer failing to update Carrie's paperwork (for the zillionth time) or if it is something that Carrie needs to work on that is keeping her in the phases.

Hopefully if it is something she needs to work on she can get through it! 

So hard not hearing about them...

Love you girly.

Wordless Wednesday:

 Smile :)

Quick Group Update

I would like to very quickly introduce 4 of our group's newest members.

Welcome to:

Britt-

Britt is being started by a fellow college student.  Britt is her 3rd puppy! When her raiser's summer is over, she will be finished by her raiser's parents.

Laurel-

Laurel was presented at GDB's San Rafael Fun Day! She is her raiser's first puppy!

Portola-

Portola is her raiser's 3rd puppy! Her raiser's 2 previous pups were full of energy but Portola is just the pokiest little thing! Quite the difference!

Taos-

Taos (Pronounce Taus) is his raiser's first puppy. He is enormous- weighing in at 25lbs at 10 weeks! 

It is always exciting when our group receives new members! We are like a big family and I wouldn't have nearly as much fun without them.

Good luck to all of the new puppies and their raisers

Ventana and Ruby Graduate!

Today, two of our group's puppies graduated as working guides at Guide Dogs' San Rafael campus!

Ventana and Ruby are both now official guides and will both be staying in California.

Graduates lined up

Ventana's head in the front right corner

It was a great day for a graduation- not too hot which is always nice.  Unfortunately, GDB is redoing their dorms and graduation stage so this graduation was set up in a relatively tight area.  It was very hard to see and I was unable to get any pictures during the actual ceremony (Except a few of Partner).

Handsome Partner

After the ceremony, it was totally chaotic with so many people in such a tight space so I was only able to catch one quick (and not very good) picture of Ventana. 

Ventana in her GDB harness

I couldn't even find Ruby!

But Partner did get some pets and loves in by a whole bunch of people. It always surprises me how calm he is when people greet him.

A group of people surrounding Partner 

Rough Pets

Good luck in your new homes girls! And congratulations to your new handlers!

Top 2 pictures borrowed from Stanislaus County puppy raisers :)

Phase Report!

I wanted to share the good news with you all that this week Carrie has jumped to phase 7! 

I'm so so glad that she has finally moved out of phase 5! Hopefully either she worked through whatever was keeping her there or, as Ashley said, it is possible that her trainer has just been behind on her paperwork.

Carrie's sister Cavalia is in Phase 2

Her brother Chip is in phase 5

As for the rest of our club:

Loomis:

Was removed from breeder evaluations due to a littermate having a luxating patella. 

He has been altered and transferred to the Oregon campus.

He is in Phase 0.

Cameo:

Carrie's sister Cameo has been pulled for breeder! Yay! 

Their other sister Cammie has been pulled for breeder as well!

Spruce:

Spruce was removed from breeder watch due to 2 of his siblings being diagnosed with some form of dysplasia. He will be altered and placed into phase 0.

Ventana and Ruby are both graduating this weekend!

I am hopeful I will be able to attend- If I do, I will be sure to take pictures and post about how Partner does!

Bad, Bad Blogger!

I want to take a moment to apologize for the lack of updates to my poor blog! 

I really have no excuse other than laziness but with school starting on Monday, I am hoping that I will be able to get back into a routine.

I'm not really going to try to play catch up- Partner and I have been SO extremely busy that there would be endless posts!

All I will say is that Partner has been dragged with me everywhere and has handled everything extremely well! 

He is over 5 months old now and I am beginning to expect more from him. He will begin college classes with me soon (I don't think I will take him the first few days just so I can give my teachers a heads-up  that a dog will be coming to class) and has already been to a high school class with my sister! I was told that he did very well and slept the whole time (2 hrs) so hopefully he will behave himself in my classes!

Miss Carrie has been moving through her phases at an awkward and frustrating pace!

Generally, the dogs are in each phase for a week. 

My silly girl, decided that she would stay in phase 2 for 3 weeks and then jump all the way to phase 5! Now she has been stuck in 5 for 3 weeks! Ugh! Haha. 

Hopefully this Thursday, there will be a higher number on her report and whatever is keeping her in phase 5 is something she can work through!

Thanks for reading! 

Crossing my fingers hoping I will remember to blog more often!

Pool Party!

Yesterday, our group had our annual pool party/ice cream social! 

I took like a million pictures

Partner after getting in to pool!

Ashland

Ashland

Fiddler wants to get back in!

Loomis was afraid of the water

Lipton 

CC'd Shawnee

Wes

Liton

Party!

Wes

Shawnee on the diving board

Wes

Fiddler in the pool

Spruce

Retired Guide Ricardo

CC'd Douglas

Loomis

Ashland

Ashland

Future raisers with Lipton!