Hello Friends, Christina here!
Sorry for the delay since my last post, it has been a very interesting 2 weeks... well at least it has been for me. There have been lots of adjustments going on for both of us, and a few temper tantrums (for Nicholas, not me!).
We started Puppy Kindergarten 3 weeks ago, and let me tell you, I couldn't wait to get him there! After the first week of having the perfect little puppy, things changed quick. Nicholas's personality came out seemingly overnight. He went from being quiet and cautious with new things, to rambunctious and fiesty. He would chase the cats, chew my clothes, chew my hands (pretty much anything that wasn't a toy). He was good in the crate and didn't cry or whine, unless he had to "get busy". But as soon as we would play in the kitchen, there would be little piddles all over the floor. Let me tell you, I had the cleanest floor from all the disinfecting I was doing!
Not only that, but Nicholas has endless energy. He's like the energizer bunny: he keeps going and going and going... I thought that playing with him and going for walks in my townhouse complex would do the trick, but apparently not. One afternoon, I timed him. He played with his toys for 2 1/2 hours before finally slowing down. Unfortunately that was the day of the monthly OCGDA meeting. Not only did he wake up when we got to the meeting, but he decided to throw a tantrum. He didn't want the toys I gave him, he wanted the chair legs. When I positioned him away from the chair legs he'd chew his leash. When I took the leash away and offered him a toy, he'd ignore the toy and start chewing on my hand. The only thing that would get his attention and keep him calm was a compressed rawhide bone. Thanks to my group leader Tammy for giving him one and saving my hands!
And the puppy kindergarten that we started? It was the same thing. There was no focus on anything except for chewing on me. I looked at the other puppies in the class. "Jeanie" calmly sitting or lying down and "Miles" chewing his toy or sleeping. Then there was Nicholas who apparently had springs in his feet. Bouncing up and chewing on me and the leash. Needless to say I was a little frustrated...
Never having a puppy before, I had no idea that what he was doing was NORMAL. Apparently all puppies go through stages like this. Nicholas just hit his stage early...like the week after he came home. Thank goodness for the support of my OCGDA group. Between email and the ever present Facebook, I was able to ask questions not only to my group, but friends in other GDA groups, friends and family who have had puppies before and some of Nicholas's siblings. That alone was responsible for saving my sanity, knowing that all his siblings were just as active and confident as he is.
Between all the tips and support and workign with him everyday, Nicholas is getting MUCH better. We are getting much better. He still chases after the cats and at one point actually pounced on Chiana. Poor girl didn't know what hit her until it was too late. She's fine. She was able to squirm away and get out of reach. Lucky for us both, Nicholas only wants to play with them. I keep hoping they will get tired of him and swat him once to show him whose boss, but they don't. They only hiss and slap him with no claws, so he keeps coming back after them.
One good thing about Nicholas (there are more than 1, don't worry!) is that he is really smart. He grasps onto the concepts of what I'm trying to teach him very quickly. He has mastered the Human words: "sit", "wait", "leave it", "no", "go get it" and "come" and we are working on "give", "down", "stay", and "stand".
He's smarter than me. I still don't know what he's saying...
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Co-Raising
Hello Friends, Christina here!
Alas, after 10 days of bonding with Nicholas, real life set in and I had to go back to work. Due to the nature of my job and the hours that I work, I can't have Nicholas all to myself to raise. The ideal situation would be to have Nicholas come to work with me but there are several problems with that.
First: I work nights. My shift is Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 6am. Not a problem, any dog would be able to adjust his schedule or just sleep at my desk like they are supposed to.
Second: My job is highly unpredictable. It could be a slow night with not a lot going on, or it could be extremely busy with hardly any time to take a break or eat dinner. Or even worse, it could go from slow to extremely busy in the space of a phone call. Not really conducive to having an active puppy around.
Third: Due to where I work, I would need approval from my supervisor, her boss, her boss's boss all the way up the chain of command.
Fourth: Well, you get the idea...
So you may be wondering, with my crazy schedule and unpredictable work environment, how am I supposed to raise a puppy? Well, it wouldn't be fair to Nicholas to leave him home on the days that I work. With the commute to and from work that would be almost 14 hours by himself. I can't leave him out alone and unattended, so that means he would have to remain in the crate. Not only is Nicholas really young and can't hold his bladder that long, but he would be alone the entire time without the benefits of the essential socialization. So, what is the solution? Co-raising!
Lucky for me, there is a great support system in the Orange County Puppy Raising group. I have met so many people willing to help me out with my work schedule and puppy sitting. So when I mentioned to my group leader Tammy that I wasn't so sure I'd be able to bring a dog to work, she mentioned that there was a family near my house that was raising their 3rd puppy and would possibly be interested in co-raising a puppy after he went In For Training (IFT). I didn't get my hopes too high since I had already waited 18 months to get my puppy. I just thought I would be one of those people who would always puppy sit and not raise one of my own. Little did I know, not only were they willing to co-raise with me, they thought it would be a fantastic arrangement.
Raising a puppy is a BIG commitment. Not only are there certain rules that we puppy raisers have to follow to raise the dogs, but there are outings, obedience classes, trips to the school for evaluations and boarding to go along with the daily hustle and bustle of daily life. For an active family with children, that is a lot of extra stress. So what better way to stay involved with the program and raise another dog and not have to worry about driving all over the place. It was a match made in Heaven.
So now when I have to go to work, I drop Nicholas off at his other house and he stays there the weekend while I'm working and I pick him up Sunday after lunch. It is an ideal situation, not only does it work for the both of us, but Nicholas is getting the socialization he needs. His second home has a nice yard he can play in and another dog to play with and teach him how to behave. There are children in the house so he can become accustomed to them and learn how to behave around them.
Sure I miss my little guy on the days he's not with me, but it works for us. I get to go to work without having to worry about what he's missing out on or getting into. It also gives me a much needed break. I am not ashamed to say that being a solo person raising a puppy is HARD WORK. The days when Nicholas is not with me are days where I can relax and not worry. I know he is in GREAT HANDS!
Alas, after 10 days of bonding with Nicholas, real life set in and I had to go back to work. Due to the nature of my job and the hours that I work, I can't have Nicholas all to myself to raise. The ideal situation would be to have Nicholas come to work with me but there are several problems with that.
First: I work nights. My shift is Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 6am. Not a problem, any dog would be able to adjust his schedule or just sleep at my desk like they are supposed to.
Second: My job is highly unpredictable. It could be a slow night with not a lot going on, or it could be extremely busy with hardly any time to take a break or eat dinner. Or even worse, it could go from slow to extremely busy in the space of a phone call. Not really conducive to having an active puppy around.
Third: Due to where I work, I would need approval from my supervisor, her boss, her boss's boss all the way up the chain of command.
Fourth: Well, you get the idea...
So you may be wondering, with my crazy schedule and unpredictable work environment, how am I supposed to raise a puppy? Well, it wouldn't be fair to Nicholas to leave him home on the days that I work. With the commute to and from work that would be almost 14 hours by himself. I can't leave him out alone and unattended, so that means he would have to remain in the crate. Not only is Nicholas really young and can't hold his bladder that long, but he would be alone the entire time without the benefits of the essential socialization. So, what is the solution? Co-raising!
Lucky for me, there is a great support system in the Orange County Puppy Raising group. I have met so many people willing to help me out with my work schedule and puppy sitting. So when I mentioned to my group leader Tammy that I wasn't so sure I'd be able to bring a dog to work, she mentioned that there was a family near my house that was raising their 3rd puppy and would possibly be interested in co-raising a puppy after he went In For Training (IFT). I didn't get my hopes too high since I had already waited 18 months to get my puppy. I just thought I would be one of those people who would always puppy sit and not raise one of my own. Little did I know, not only were they willing to co-raise with me, they thought it would be a fantastic arrangement.
Raising a puppy is a BIG commitment. Not only are there certain rules that we puppy raisers have to follow to raise the dogs, but there are outings, obedience classes, trips to the school for evaluations and boarding to go along with the daily hustle and bustle of daily life. For an active family with children, that is a lot of extra stress. So what better way to stay involved with the program and raise another dog and not have to worry about driving all over the place. It was a match made in Heaven.
So now when I have to go to work, I drop Nicholas off at his other house and he stays there the weekend while I'm working and I pick him up Sunday after lunch. It is an ideal situation, not only does it work for the both of us, but Nicholas is getting the socialization he needs. His second home has a nice yard he can play in and another dog to play with and teach him how to behave. There are children in the house so he can become accustomed to them and learn how to behave around them.
Sure I miss my little guy on the days he's not with me, but it works for us. I get to go to work without having to worry about what he's missing out on or getting into. It also gives me a much needed break. I am not ashamed to say that being a solo person raising a puppy is HARD WORK. The days when Nicholas is not with me are days where I can relax and not worry. I know he is in GREAT HANDS!
My sincere thanks go to the Lockman Family in Riverside, CA for helping me raise Nicholas. They have raised 3 puppies for GDA. Their first 2 dogs, Wendy and Persia are now working as guides and their 3rd dog, Rusty, has passed training and is currently waiting for a partner.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Hi everybody, Nicholas here. I've had a fun couple of days. Yesterday my Human took me in the car and we went to a place called Mission Viejo. Apparently we went to see these people called "Parents", but there were no puppies for me to play with. That's okay. My Human and her Parents played with me. She brought all my favorite toys and tossed them in the house for me to bring back to her. I kept running after the toys in the kitchen and the floor was so shiny that I kept sliding into the cabinets. My Human kept laughing at me, she thought it was funny. I just thought it was FUN!
I didn't have ONE accident at the Parent's house, I was very proud of myself! I didn't even complain when I had to "get busy". They have this really big yard covered in green stuff. My Human calls it grass. It smelled really good and was full of bugs. My Human even had one hitch-hike on her show into the house! It was just inching its way along the side and kept reaching up to grab at stuff. My Human's father even took me out and we were running around the yard. It was so much fun! That is until I got tired. Lucky for me, my Human brought my crate and I was able to take a nice nap!
When we got home and I was SO TIRED that I only got up once that night!
Today was also a fun day. My Human put me in the car and we went for a drive again! I kept trying to crawl to the back seat, so my Human had to tie an extra leash to the door. It is just long enough to let me lie down, turn around and stand up, but I can't go anywhere. Darn. She's learning as fast as I am! I like riding in the car. My Human always gives me my favorite chew toy filled with goodies. When I'm done getting everything out of it, I just lie down and snooze.
We went to a place that had really shiny floors and windows. I got to wear my new yellow jacket, but it was so big, it kept falling off! I kept looking at this really handsome puppy walking next to me. He even had a yellow jacket like me! But I couldn't smell him. My Human laughed and told me it was my reflection. Hmm... I'll have to figure out what that means too. There is so much to learn! We got into this box called an elevator. It ZOOMED up and down and was so much fun! On the way home we went to a place called "work". My Human held me while all these people came up and petted me and told me how cute I was. I like them! There were all these interesting ringing noises. They didn't scare me, but they were interesting!
My Human sat with me outside for a while and she put me in her lap and rubbed my belly. I think I fell asleep because when I woke up there were more people standing around me telling me how cute I am. I think I like this place called work.
When we got home, my Human said I had too much energy so she took me outside behind her house and put me on the really long leash. She tossed my toy and kept telling me to "sit" and "wait". I really wanted my toy, but she wouldn't let me go get it. But as soon as I stopped squirming she'd say "okay" and I'd run, get my toy and bring it back. That was a LOT of fun. I think we should do that every day!
My Human said I'm a Big Boy now because I ate my food dry. No more mush for me! Now I'm resting in my crate after a busy 2 days. I'm liking this place more and more. I just hope there is more to learn. So far I've learned to "Sit", "Wait", "Go Get It", and "Give". I'm going to bed now, I'll update you again soon!
~Nicholas
I didn't have ONE accident at the Parent's house, I was very proud of myself! I didn't even complain when I had to "get busy". They have this really big yard covered in green stuff. My Human calls it grass. It smelled really good and was full of bugs. My Human even had one hitch-hike on her show into the house! It was just inching its way along the side and kept reaching up to grab at stuff. My Human's father even took me out and we were running around the yard. It was so much fun! That is until I got tired. Lucky for me, my Human brought my crate and I was able to take a nice nap!
When we got home and I was SO TIRED that I only got up once that night!
Today was also a fun day. My Human put me in the car and we went for a drive again! I kept trying to crawl to the back seat, so my Human had to tie an extra leash to the door. It is just long enough to let me lie down, turn around and stand up, but I can't go anywhere. Darn. She's learning as fast as I am! I like riding in the car. My Human always gives me my favorite chew toy filled with goodies. When I'm done getting everything out of it, I just lie down and snooze.
We went to a place that had really shiny floors and windows. I got to wear my new yellow jacket, but it was so big, it kept falling off! I kept looking at this really handsome puppy walking next to me. He even had a yellow jacket like me! But I couldn't smell him. My Human laughed and told me it was my reflection. Hmm... I'll have to figure out what that means too. There is so much to learn! We got into this box called an elevator. It ZOOMED up and down and was so much fun! On the way home we went to a place called "work". My Human held me while all these people came up and petted me and told me how cute I was. I like them! There were all these interesting ringing noises. They didn't scare me, but they were interesting!
My Human sat with me outside for a while and she put me in her lap and rubbed my belly. I think I fell asleep because when I woke up there were more people standing around me telling me how cute I am. I think I like this place called work.
When we got home, my Human said I had too much energy so she took me outside behind her house and put me on the really long leash. She tossed my toy and kept telling me to "sit" and "wait". I really wanted my toy, but she wouldn't let me go get it. But as soon as I stopped squirming she'd say "okay" and I'd run, get my toy and bring it back. That was a LOT of fun. I think we should do that every day!
My Human said I'm a Big Boy now because I ate my food dry. No more mush for me! Now I'm resting in my crate after a busy 2 days. I'm liking this place more and more. I just hope there is more to learn. So far I've learned to "Sit", "Wait", "Go Get It", and "Give". I'm going to bed now, I'll update you again soon!
~Nicholas
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Hi! I'm Nicholas!
Hello!
My name is Nicholas and I am a Guide Dog Puppy in Training! I don't know what that means yet, but I hope it's something good!
I have been in my new home with my Human for 3 days now. At first I wasn't so sure about it. They took me out of my warm kennel and handed me to this person who put this thing on my neck called a collar. I don't like that at all. And to make things worse, it won't come off no matter how much I scratch at it! Then the person and took me and put a blue string on the collar called a leash and took me away from my brothers and sisters. I was put in this box that my Human calls a crate. It has a door and holes all over it so its nice and breezy, but I don't like it. I especially did not like the way that it rattled around in the backseat of her car. It was a long way to my new home.
When I got there, my new Human put me in this room called a kitchen. It has a nice cool floor that I like. It reminds me of my kennel back home with my siblings. Where are they, anyways? They should check this out! My new home is nice. I have 2 sister-cats called River and Chiana. They don't like me much. All they do is stare at me from the other side of the fence and hiss if I come too close. I just want to say Hi. Maybe after they get used to seeing me, they'll be friendlier.
My first night was kind of lonely. My Human put me in the crate all alone. I had no one to snuggle with or play with. I cried and cried, but none of my brothers or sisters showed up. I was lonely! Every now and then my Human would tell me "its okay" and to "hush", but that just made me cry more. I still miss my siblings, but I'm getting used to sleeping on my own now.
I'm not so sure about this crate though. All I can do is stand up, lie down or turn around. How am I supposed to go to the bathroom? So now I howl when I need to go. Now my Human comes and lets me out, puts on my leash and carries me outside so I can go potty. Every time I go, she tells me I'm a "good boy" and that I was getting "busy". Now I just have to learn to hold it until I get outside. If my Human lets me walk to the door, I don't make it. Then she tells me "its okay" and cleans up after me. I guess she's alright.
She likes to sit with me on my back in her lap and rub all over me. It feels good. She plays with my ears and my paws and rubs my belly. It feels so good that sometimes I fall asleep right there!
I think I'm going to like it here. Things are getting better and I'm learning lots! She already taught me to sit when she says so. For my food, for my toys when its play time or just whenever. She always plays with my ears and tells me what a "good sit" I have. She's a good Human.
Well, its nap time. I will talk to you all later!
Nicholas
P.S. I'll try to tell my Human to put pictures of me up here. I am really quite handsome, you know...
My name is Nicholas and I am a Guide Dog Puppy in Training! I don't know what that means yet, but I hope it's something good!
I have been in my new home with my Human for 3 days now. At first I wasn't so sure about it. They took me out of my warm kennel and handed me to this person who put this thing on my neck called a collar. I don't like that at all. And to make things worse, it won't come off no matter how much I scratch at it! Then the person and took me and put a blue string on the collar called a leash and took me away from my brothers and sisters. I was put in this box that my Human calls a crate. It has a door and holes all over it so its nice and breezy, but I don't like it. I especially did not like the way that it rattled around in the backseat of her car. It was a long way to my new home.
When I got there, my new Human put me in this room called a kitchen. It has a nice cool floor that I like. It reminds me of my kennel back home with my siblings. Where are they, anyways? They should check this out! My new home is nice. I have 2 sister-cats called River and Chiana. They don't like me much. All they do is stare at me from the other side of the fence and hiss if I come too close. I just want to say Hi. Maybe after they get used to seeing me, they'll be friendlier.
My first night was kind of lonely. My Human put me in the crate all alone. I had no one to snuggle with or play with. I cried and cried, but none of my brothers or sisters showed up. I was lonely! Every now and then my Human would tell me "its okay" and to "hush", but that just made me cry more. I still miss my siblings, but I'm getting used to sleeping on my own now.
I'm not so sure about this crate though. All I can do is stand up, lie down or turn around. How am I supposed to go to the bathroom? So now I howl when I need to go. Now my Human comes and lets me out, puts on my leash and carries me outside so I can go potty. Every time I go, she tells me I'm a "good boy" and that I was getting "busy". Now I just have to learn to hold it until I get outside. If my Human lets me walk to the door, I don't make it. Then she tells me "its okay" and cleans up after me. I guess she's alright.
She likes to sit with me on my back in her lap and rub all over me. It feels good. She plays with my ears and my paws and rubs my belly. It feels so good that sometimes I fall asleep right there!
I think I'm going to like it here. Things are getting better and I'm learning lots! She already taught me to sit when she says so. For my food, for my toys when its play time or just whenever. She always plays with my ears and tells me what a "good sit" I have. She's a good Human.
Well, its nap time. I will talk to you all later!
Nicholas
P.S. I'll try to tell my Human to put pictures of me up here. I am really quite handsome, you know...
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Preparation
It is October 21st. 1am, but still...
That means 4 days and 10 hours until Puppy Pick Up day. Just a little excited about it! In the last 2 years I have attended meetings, outings, events, and classes. I have stocked up on toys & supplies. All that's left is the puppy.
There are just a few final things to do at home and then continue waiting. You'd think that after 2 1/2 years the last few days would fly by, but just the opposite. They a going so slow! I'm hoping that by spacing out the things I have left to do will help the days go faster. On my agenda:
1) Finish puppy proofing! Getting down on my hands & knees and looking at everything that a curious puppy will see. Move everything breakable up out of the reach of a wagging tail & curious nose. I'm tempted to get those cabinet locks that keep toddlers out of dangerous areas. Heck, I already have the stove knobs (thanks to the cats) might as well make the set.
2) Bake cookies. Not because I'm bored, but as an "I'm sorry my puppy is crying & keeping you up at night" gift for the neighbors. Townhouse walls are well insulated, but if they get mad at me, I'd rather them have cookies to ease the anger.
3) Bake cookies - dog cookies. I have eight goody bags to make. Seven for each of Nicholas's litter mates & 1 for my friend's who are getting an "M" puppy. "Miles" will be going home that day too! I'm thinking some peanut butter & carob cookies, Pumpkin (it is the Halloween season, after all) & barbeque. A nice mix. Also going in the bag is a card with Nicholas's name, my name & email, our facebook page & blog page. I'd love to keep in touch with his litter mates!
Thats about it. Other than routine cleaning & prepping. Hopefully it'll makes the next 3 days go faster.
And Graduation on Sunday! The final product to 2 years of hard work. Congratulations to Kip, Loman & Brisco who will be such amazing guides! I can't wait to post pics from that day.
Till then... goodnight!
That means 4 days and 10 hours until Puppy Pick Up day. Just a little excited about it! In the last 2 years I have attended meetings, outings, events, and classes. I have stocked up on toys & supplies. All that's left is the puppy.
There are just a few final things to do at home and then continue waiting. You'd think that after 2 1/2 years the last few days would fly by, but just the opposite. They a going so slow! I'm hoping that by spacing out the things I have left to do will help the days go faster. On my agenda:
1) Finish puppy proofing! Getting down on my hands & knees and looking at everything that a curious puppy will see. Move everything breakable up out of the reach of a wagging tail & curious nose. I'm tempted to get those cabinet locks that keep toddlers out of dangerous areas. Heck, I already have the stove knobs (thanks to the cats) might as well make the set.
2) Bake cookies. Not because I'm bored, but as an "I'm sorry my puppy is crying & keeping you up at night" gift for the neighbors. Townhouse walls are well insulated, but if they get mad at me, I'd rather them have cookies to ease the anger.
3) Bake cookies - dog cookies. I have eight goody bags to make. Seven for each of Nicholas's litter mates & 1 for my friend's who are getting an "M" puppy. "Miles" will be going home that day too! I'm thinking some peanut butter & carob cookies, Pumpkin (it is the Halloween season, after all) & barbeque. A nice mix. Also going in the bag is a card with Nicholas's name, my name & email, our facebook page & blog page. I'd love to keep in touch with his litter mates!
Thats about it. Other than routine cleaning & prepping. Hopefully it'll makes the next 3 days go faster.
And Graduation on Sunday! The final product to 2 years of hard work. Congratulations to Kip, Loman & Brisco who will be such amazing guides! I can't wait to post pics from that day.
Till then... goodnight!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
In the Beginning...
I have been officially associated with Guide Dogs of America since January 2008, but have known about the program for many years before that. Actually, the first time I found out about the program, I was 10 years old.
I never had a dog growing up. For some reason or other, my Dad always said "no" when my sister and I asked for one. Begged, bribed, promised good grades. No matter what, the answer was always "no". But at least I wasn't alone. My best friend Michelle never had a dog of her own growing up either But both of us being avid animal lovers, we always wanted one...or more. So, when we were about 10, Michelle's mom told her she could get a dog. but not just any dog, she had to be a puppy raiser. "What's a puppy raiser?" I asked her. "It's someone who raises a puppy for a service organization and then gives it back after 2 years" she said. Well, of course being 10 years old, that was the worst thing possible for me. So Michelle enrolled in the 4-H program and I went back to begging my parents for a dog. As it turns out, Michelle never became a puppy raiser, her journey took her to raise livestock. But she did get a dog.
Me? Well... that's why I'm here.
Fast foreward a couple of years. As I pursued my dream of getting a dog, I did everything but won one. I read about them, went to dog shows, studied breeds and behavior. One day I even went to the Orange County Pet Expo. Wandering among the booths I saw isle after isle of pet products, beds, houses, collars, foods. You name it, they had it. Along with all those products, they had booth after booth of dogs. Dog adoption, dog breeds, dog rescues, and service animals.
It was the service animals that really intrigued me, especially the guide and mobility dogs. What I think amazed me the most was listening to a man speak about his guide dog and the freedom she gave him to go out and live. As he stood up on the platform and was speaking he removed the harness from his dog and watched as she turned from stoic and well behaved guide into a playful almost puppy like dog. It was almost magic how she transformed from one to the other with just the placement of her harness. So I searched out the organizations and the booths they had.
Guide Dogs of America and Guide Dogs for the Blind were both present. As I talked with the puppy raisers from both organizations, they had the same goals and basic instructions for raising a puppy. But with the Guide Dogs of America group, it was different. I was welcomed into the booth very warmly and was told I could actually pet the dogs. I think that was the biggest difference in the groups. GDA allowed us to teach the dogs to continue to work in case someone pets them without the owner knowing. They called it a "distraction". But since it was towards the end of the day and things were closing up, I was invited to attend the upcoming Open House in Sylmar. I was told it would give me a better understanding of what the program was about. So, in June I attended my very first Guide Dogs of America Open House. AMAZING! Working guides, puppies in training, puppy trials and my personal favorite...the kissing booth! Puppy kisses for $1. Who could say no?
And yet, I still was not able to have a pup of my own. Finally after 4 years I was finally in a place to commit myself to the program. I contacted Guide Dogs of America and was put in touch with the group leader for Orange County. In January 2008, I attended my very first OCGDA meeting. I can't remember what was discussed that day, but from the first time I walked into the room, I was hooked. It was love at first sight of all those wagging tails.
It would be almost another 3 years before I would get a pup of my own, but that did not stop me from attending nearly every meeting, training class and event. Building up my knowledge base for when my little guy comes home...
8 days and counting!
I never had a dog growing up. For some reason or other, my Dad always said "no" when my sister and I asked for one. Begged, bribed, promised good grades. No matter what, the answer was always "no". But at least I wasn't alone. My best friend Michelle never had a dog of her own growing up either But both of us being avid animal lovers, we always wanted one...or more. So, when we were about 10, Michelle's mom told her she could get a dog. but not just any dog, she had to be a puppy raiser. "What's a puppy raiser?" I asked her. "It's someone who raises a puppy for a service organization and then gives it back after 2 years" she said. Well, of course being 10 years old, that was the worst thing possible for me. So Michelle enrolled in the 4-H program and I went back to begging my parents for a dog. As it turns out, Michelle never became a puppy raiser, her journey took her to raise livestock. But she did get a dog.
Me? Well... that's why I'm here.
Fast foreward a couple of years. As I pursued my dream of getting a dog, I did everything but won one. I read about them, went to dog shows, studied breeds and behavior. One day I even went to the Orange County Pet Expo. Wandering among the booths I saw isle after isle of pet products, beds, houses, collars, foods. You name it, they had it. Along with all those products, they had booth after booth of dogs. Dog adoption, dog breeds, dog rescues, and service animals.
It was the service animals that really intrigued me, especially the guide and mobility dogs. What I think amazed me the most was listening to a man speak about his guide dog and the freedom she gave him to go out and live. As he stood up on the platform and was speaking he removed the harness from his dog and watched as she turned from stoic and well behaved guide into a playful almost puppy like dog. It was almost magic how she transformed from one to the other with just the placement of her harness. So I searched out the organizations and the booths they had.
Guide Dogs of America and Guide Dogs for the Blind were both present. As I talked with the puppy raisers from both organizations, they had the same goals and basic instructions for raising a puppy. But with the Guide Dogs of America group, it was different. I was welcomed into the booth very warmly and was told I could actually pet the dogs. I think that was the biggest difference in the groups. GDA allowed us to teach the dogs to continue to work in case someone pets them without the owner knowing. They called it a "distraction". But since it was towards the end of the day and things were closing up, I was invited to attend the upcoming Open House in Sylmar. I was told it would give me a better understanding of what the program was about. So, in June I attended my very first Guide Dogs of America Open House. AMAZING! Working guides, puppies in training, puppy trials and my personal favorite...the kissing booth! Puppy kisses for $1. Who could say no?
And yet, I still was not able to have a pup of my own. Finally after 4 years I was finally in a place to commit myself to the program. I contacted Guide Dogs of America and was put in touch with the group leader for Orange County. In January 2008, I attended my very first OCGDA meeting. I can't remember what was discussed that day, but from the first time I walked into the room, I was hooked. It was love at first sight of all those wagging tails.
It would be almost another 3 years before I would get a pup of my own, but that did not stop me from attending nearly every meeting, training class and event. Building up my knowledge base for when my little guy comes home...
8 days and counting!
Friday, October 15, 2010
Welcome!
Hello and welcome to Paws for a Cause! Over the next 16 months I will be chronicling the daily life of raising a puppy for Guide Dogs of America. Things are a little slow right now since I haven't received my puppy yet, but I do know some things about him. Yes, it is a boy and his name is Nicholas. He is a black Labrador Retriever and is 1 of 8 in his litter. He was born at the Guide Dogs of America facility in Sylmar, CA. He comes home to me on October 25th, and I CAN'T WAIT. Only 10 days left!!
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