puppy sitting

So what is one to do while waiting for a transfer puppy to come? Puppy sit!! This past week I had the joy of getting to watch guide dog puppy Shawn. For those who aren't familiar puppy sitting is when a puppy goes to stay with another member of the guide dog group while their raiser goes out of town. Shawn was a good boy. He was a great dog to take to class so my teachers could get use to the idea of a dog in the class. All my teachers love him. He just went under my desk (well under as best as a huge 10 month old puppy can) and slept. It was really hot this week so I limited the outings we took. It was really nice to have a leash back in my hands, and I look forward to the next time I have a puppy.

p.s. pictures will be posted of shawn once i get on my own computer.

update

sorry this update is a little late. As I posted before Medford is now a breeder. I was informed that last week Medford went to his breeder keeper family. After I got the call from Guide Dogs for the Blind I also got an email with the name of the family he will live with, where they live, and how to get in contact with them. I sent an email to his new family on Monday introducing myself. I haven't heard back but I hope to hear back soon. We also found out that Medford was being bred this past weekend. We are hoping to get a puppy from this litter for my parents to start for me. In the meantime I am hoping a transfer will come up that I can finish while I wait on a Medford pup. So far no news on a transfer. It has been weird not having a dog with me at school. This was the first time besides my first year of college that I started school without a dog with me since I started raising guide dogs.

It's official

It is official my baby Medford is going to be graduating as a breeder for Guide Dogs for the Blind. We will present him to his breeder keepers October 8 at the Guide Dog graduation. It is a big honor for a dog to be selected as a breeder. We are sad that we wont be getting him back, but happy that he will be doing what he was born to do. We have decided that if a transfer dog does not come up in the next 2 months we will apply to get a Medford puppy to raise. We look forward to seeing our boy again in October, and seeing him become a daddy to some great puppies.

funday photos

my friend kim puppy shawn worn out after a long weekend
puppy pile

polaris' dad taylor

Polaris in his "nothin' but a polaris dog" shirt

Polaris and 3 of his siblings

polaris/ funday

This past weekend was funday at guide dogs. It started out with me, polaris, my friend kim, and her puppy in training shawn all driving up to san fransisco area. Once we got there we checked into our hotel room at novato oaks. After checking in we rested and let the dogs play some then drove to Tiburon to meet my Bakersfield group for dinner. When we got there we realized that there was a street fair going on and that they were shooting guns off for sailboat races. Poor Polaris did not like all the noise so I ate quickly and then went and sat far away from the noise as I could till the others were done. The next day was guide dogs annual funday. We started out by going to polaris' littermate meeting where we met some of his siblings phillo padma and palero. After that we went to the fresno booth to help sale some stuff for an hour. After our shift we were able to do some shopping. Polaris started to show signs of stress so we left him in a crate at the booth and continued to shop. We then went into the kennels to look around. I managed to get a glimpse of medford. I was behind a wall so i saw him but he didnt see me. After that we went got the lunch they were serving and continued to look around. At 1 pm we went to a syminar they were holding on the new training they were doing with the dogs. 2 dogs I knew were demo dogs. The next day was my fresno group annual ferry ride into san fransisco. We rode the ferry into san fransisco then got off and walked to pier 39 where we were able to do whatever we wanted for about an hour. Some of us went to eat lunch during that time. after the free time we regrouped and went over to work the dogs near a fountain and then in a glass elevator in a hotel. Polaris had to miss this day since it would have been to stressfull.

Now for the news on polaris. As you might have noticed polaris is a very soft temperment puppy. It was decided on funday that polaris would be transfered from us to a new raiser. The reason he was transferred was because of being soft temperment there was worry he would notbe able to handle college with me. Our leader took him to his new raiser yesterday. However, the new raiser is only able to keep him for a month. our CFR has told us if he looks like he has made enough progress my Bakersfield leader could take over polaris for a few months then if he is ready for college I could get him back. He could also get ccd at any point too. We also have the option to say to transfer him again to someone else after the month is up and get a different puppy transfered to me. We havent made any decisions and are taking it day by day for now.

I will post funday pictures another day

medford update

I just got an email today about Medford and hes been....................




tentively pulled as a breeder!!!



They are waiting on the results of the last few tests. If he passes he will become an official breeder for guide dogs for the blind. He will go live with a family as a pet and go up to guide dogs when he is needed. Unfortunally we don't live in the required distance to keep a breeder so he will live with someone else. We are happy and sad about the news. We are sad that we wont be getting him back if he passes since him and I were so close, but happy that if he makes the final cut he could be having pups that will change many lives.

polaris update

Hey sorry I haven't posted in a while life has been crazy, and I haven't been doing to much with polaris. So far we've taken a trip to the jelly belly factory where a club was hosting an event there. Polaris did great. We were able to spend a lot of time working on his issue with children's toys.By the end he was doing great and would go up to them. Other then that we've taken him on small outings. Mainly I have been taking him to the mall to work with him on crowds, different noises, etc to help prepare him to go to college. This weekend Polaris got to go to a puppy sitter in Fresno while I was on a trip. He got a good report. I missed him a lot while gone. It is hard to believe he will be 5 months tomorrow. He is still pretty small ecspecially compared to the others i have raised, but i've always wanted to raise a small one so it's interesting. We are looking forward to Fun day (for those who aren't with GDB fun day is a huge event for puppy raisers that gdb has. Its a great time to meet other raisers and puppy sibs.).

Medford update he is still in breeder evals. Hope to hear some news soon on if they are going to pull him as a breeder and complete the last few test, neuter him and put him in phase training, or cc him. I am sure hes having tons of fun up at gdb.

update

sorry I havent written in a while life has been crazy. I dropped Medford off july 10th at guide dogs for the blind. It was a very sad day. My mom and I drove to san rafael but got there during the lunch break hours so we went to the mall across the street and had some lunch and walked medford around. It took everything I had not to cry in the mall. Around 1pm we went back to the campus and took some last pictures of him and I together. We then walked around some and got to talk to some of the people who work at guide dogs and of course medford worked his charm. The best part was when medford and I got to meet a guide named wil and his partner. I enjoyed watching medford and wil, both big golden boys, check each other out. After walking around we headed to the kennels to officially hand my boy over. Soon as I walked in I started crying. We were allowed to walk medford to his kennel and sit there and say good bye. Of course first thing he did when we put him in his kennel was go for the water dish (he sure loves to drink lots of water). After that my mom and I drove the long drive home empty handed. As of now hes completed his 2nd week of breeder evals.

Now to update on Polaris. Polaris is a sweet boy he is now little over 4 months old and weighs 33ib very small compared to my other pups ive raised. He loves water. His favorite thing to do is put his head in his water dish and blow bubbles and then try to attack the bubbles it is quite funny to watch. He is a very soft temperment puppy so we are taking things kind of slow with him to help build up his confidence. We laugh at him cause he usually is scared of things that you would think hed be fine with and fine with things you think hed be scared of. His one big fear is of talking toys ecspecally if they are smaller then him. guess I have lots of work to do with him.

Last day

Today is my last day with medford before my mom and I drive him up to GDB. I will post about dropping him off and post pictures when I get back tomorrow. Good luck Medford i am glad i was given the oppertunity to raise you. I love you big boy.

some lasts

This week Medford and I will be doing a lot of last things together before he heads of to Guide Dogs. Yesterday he had his last meeting with my Fresno group. The meeting was at a bowling alley, and Medford did great. He was very interested in watching people bowl but not so interested that he was distracted. I was presented my pin and certificate for raising Medford that day also. Medford and I also had our last drive from Fresno to bakersfield together. I am going to miss driving with him. Tomorrow Medford will have his last meeting with the Bakersfield group.

A quick update on Polaris he is almost 4 months old now and weighs 22ib now. Small guy. He has stared loosing his fluff and getting more short strait golden hair look now.he is a sweet boy who still has lots to learn.

count down

Well it has been decided that my mom and I will be driving Medford up to the Guide Dogs for the Blind campus on Friday. That means about 6 days left with him. Im going to miss him alot, and I know he will make me proud.

It's official!!

Sorry I haven't posted in a while but life has been crazy. Medford and I finished my 2nd year in college few weeks ago. It was bitter sweet. I was happy to be done with classes, but sad that it would be the last time I attended school with Medford. Well today we got a call(if your a puppy raiser you might know what call I mean). I was told Medford has been added to the recall list, and we will have to make arrangements about getting him to the puppy truck on its way back to the campus. I am very excited that he will be going off to doggy college, and look forward to seeing what path he chooses for his life. At the same time I am very sad to see my big boy go, because I love him so much. He will be on breeder eval so I won't hear anything about him for about a month. Good luck Medford

Hard to believe my boy looked like this one time

And then grew into this good looking boy.