Changes

I know, I know.  Its been 3 months since my last post and a LOT has happened in those 3 months.


Nicholas went in for his neuter in mid-April.  It didn't slow him down at all.  I went to pick him up at the kennel and he was as exuberant as ever to see me.  My instructions were to keep him quiet and prevent him from running and jumping for 10 days.  Yeah, right... Major surgery and having his boy bits taken away didn't slow him down at all!  But he did get to wear a funny cone for a few days.

*******

It was also decided in April that Nicholas was better off in a single home.  Due to my work schedule and the fact that I couldn't bring him to work with me, it was decided that he would stay with his co-raisers.  Co-raising can be hard on puppies and confusion and instability are the main reasons cited as to why co-raising does not work.  I'll admit, I was upset at the decision.  But ultimately it was best for Nicholas to stay in one home and while I wish it had been MY home, I understand the reasons why it was the way it was.

Nicholas was now 9 months old and was due for his evaluation.  While he wasn't in my care, I still liked to keep up on his progress and see how he did.  The week of Memorial Day was eventful and will always be memorable for me.

Nicholas went in for his evaluation on Tuesday May 31st.  On the afternoon of June 2nd I got a call from Yvonne at GDA.

"I just want to let you know that Nicholas had his evaluation and he is being dropped from the program.  Actually, his whole litter was dropped.  They are too 'sniffy' and too much dog to handle especially in harness for someone who is blind."

Those are hard words to hear.  I went through a whole range of emotions in those 30 seconds.  Disappointment that he had been dropped and relief that it was his entire litter and not due to co-raising.

"You have a couple of options at this point.  You can keep Nicholas as a pet, put him on the adoption list or have him tested for Search and Rescue."

"Test him."  I didn't even think about it.

"Are you sure?  Don't you want to think about it and let us know tomorrow?"

"No, I'd rather have him tested first."

"Okay... But I just want to warn you that it doesn't look too promising, none of them seem able to focus too well."

"Okay.  If he doesn't make it, then I'll keep him."

"Okay.  I'll let you know how he does tomorrow."

********

I was on pins and needles for the next 24 hours.  Starting at 10 am I kept checking my phone and looking to see if I missed calls.  I was distracted and nervous and anxious.  I knew I had to give Nicholas the option of testing for SAR.  He is so smart and funny and active and always has been.  Even back when he was 9 weeks old and he would play with his toys for HOURS without tiring I said he would make a great Search and Rescue dog.  I also knew that  the reasons he had been dropped were valid.

Nicholas was indeed a very sniffy dog.  His nose was always in scanning and searching for something.  Recently all our walks had been consisted of leash corrections with the verbal command "no sniff".  Even when he was resting I could see that black nose wiggling and sniffing in his sleep.  As to him being "too much dog", I had been saying the same thing for months!  While Nicholas would behave with me, he was smart enough to know what he could get away with when with other people.  Nicholas and I had a mutual affection and earned respect for each other so he never overstepped his bounds with me, but I could see where someone would have trouble handling him if they weren't firm enough.

Nicholas had been such a big part of my life for the past seven months, but it was never my intention to keep him if he didn't pass training.  With him being taken out of my care and the dropped from the program all within a few weeks, I really wanted to keep him.  But at the same time I wanted to pass.  I knew he wouldn't be happy at home being a pet.  When he would be home, he would lay on his bed and pout.  If I was working at the computer, he would come and place toys in my lap and then sit back smile and wag his tail.  If I ignored him, he would push them further into my lap and wait until I threw his toy.  If there was ever a dog that needed a job, it was my Nicholas.  He loved when his puppy jacket went on and he could go and work.  He was a big goof ball at home and always ready to play, but as soon as he got "dressed" and I'd tell him "let's go to work", he was all business.  He would focus on what we were doing and where he was going, his head scanning left and right, taking in all the sights.

So when my phone rang that afternoon while I was driving, I literally had to pull over to the side of the road to take the call.

"Hi Christina, this is Yvonne from Guide Dogs.  I just want to let you know that Nicholas did very well on his testing."

"Really?!"  My heart sank a little, yet at the same time I was very pleased.

Nicholas always loved his toys!

Yvonne went on to explain the testing process.  Apparently part of the testing involves his play and pray drive.  To test that they took a toy and hid it under a plastic baby pool that had been turned over.  Nicholas was digging and barking trying to get at it.  Another test they did was to take the same toy and put at the top of a chain link fence.  Nicholas climbed the fence to get his toy.  Yup, that sounded about right to me.  He was always very focussed on his toys and had energy to spare.  I was also told that of the six puppies in the litter only 4 were tested and he was the only one who had the drive and focus to go meet with the search organization.

I was so happy, my boy did well!  Perhaps there is a future for him as a working dog...

Needless to say I was floating for the rest of the weekend.  However, as the weekend passed, I grew nervous again.  Yet it was all for naught and Nicholas proved he is a true working dog.  He did well on his testing with the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation and is now in training in Central California.  Of the 4 dogs that were tested that day from GDA, Nicholas is the only one they chose!  He is doing very well with them.  I received an email just last week that he has moved on to advanced training - after only 2 months.  He has found his calling.

I miss my boy so much and looking at the pictures I have of him make me miss him SO MUCH, but I am convinced this is the best possible path for him and he make me SO PROUD!

*******

A bit of sad news, 5 puppies have gone in for formal training this past week.  Best of luck to Verick, Wriley, Yuki, Archer and Baron.  You guys (and gal) will do great things and we'll see you at your graduations!

*******

On a more cheerful note, I am going to be doing an interview this week with my employee association about Puppy Raising.  They are doing a section in their newsletter about employees who volunteer services outside of work.  They want to meet with me and a puppy in training.  When I originally set up this interview, I still had Nicholas.  Now that I'm pup-less, I'm going to borrow Dublin for the day.  You may recognize Dublin from the Puppy In Training website run by his puppy raiser Colby Morita. 

I'm hoping 2 things come out of this interview.  First, that we get more puppy raisers.  GDA has so many puppies right now and is in desperate need of people to raise them.  Second, I'm hoping that someone higher up on the food chain reads the article and realizes that raising a puppy for an organization like GDA is a good thing and that they will let me bring a pup with me to work.

I will keep you posted on the outcome of that.

Until next time, cheers!

*******

For further information on the adventures of Colby and Dublin, visit their website at: www.puppyintraining.com

For further information on the great work done by the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, visit their website at:www.searchdogfoundation.org

Happy boy is off on a new career path!

Rattlesnakes

For those of you who know where I work, we have been receiving an influx of calls for rattlesnakes showing up.  I have gathered some information that you may find useful and hopefully will never need.


~ Christina

*** THIS IS GENERAL INFORMATION ONLY AND NOT TO BE INTENDED AS A HOW-TO OR EXPERT ADVICE!!! ***  

As a reminder for GDA Puppy Raisers: we do not train our puppies for snake avoidance nor (as far as I know) do we vaccinate against rattlesnakes.  This is general information for dog owners everywhere. 

      

Rattlesnake season is upon us.  In Southern California it usually lasts year round (unless you live in snowy environs, in which case they hibernate during the winter) and tends to increase in the warmer months.  Where I work we have been getting more and more calls on 911 about people reporting rattlesnakes in suburban areas.  Most of these are along trails, in parks and open or woody areas, but they are starting to show up in neighborhoods and in people's yards. This is a very common situation for Southern California, these snakes are native to the area and in their natural habitat.  

With the recent rains and the grass starting to grow this means that the local rodents and rabbits will increase their numbers.  With the increase in a food source, the snake population is sure to increase as well.  Since the weather is starting to warm up and the days are getting longer, people in general are spending more and more time outdoors alone and with their pets.  If you happen to run into a rattlesnake, the best thing to do isgive it a wide berth and leave it alone.  Most of the time if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone.  

*******-********-********-********-********-********-********

Here is some additional information about living in snake country from Red Rock Biologics (www.redrockbiologics.com).  

The following information is from the pharmaceutical company that created the "Rattlesnake Vaccine".  I have never heard of a rattlesnake vaccine prior to now and this is not an endorsement in any way.  In my opinion, the best preventative is being aware of yourself and your dog at all times.  If you live in an area where snakes are known to live, talk with your vet and see what they recommend is best for you and your pet.

• Rattlesnakes live in a variety of habitats.

They are found in wetlands, deserts and forests, from sea level to mountain elevations. Rattlesnakes are most active in warmer seasons, from Spring to Autumn. In southern latitudes they are occasionally found year-round.

• Dogs are at risk for rattlesnake bite.

Dogs can encounter a rattlesnake anytime they are in rattlesnake habitat. You and your dog may live in rattlesnake habitat. Perhaps you travel through or frequently visit places where rattlesnakes are found. Maybe rattlesnakes are around when you take your dog hiking, camping or hunting. Like people, dogs may stumble over the location of a snake by accident. Curiosity or a protective instinct can place your dog at risk. In each case, vaccination helps to protect her.

• Damage caused by rattlesnake bite can be serious.

When injected into an unprotected dog, the toxic components of snake venom are very painful and can have serious consequences. Even if your dog survives the immediate effects of a rattlesnake bite, she can be permanently injured.

• Treatment of rattlesnake bite is expensive.

Treatment of snakebite may include anti-venom injections which can cost hundreds to thousands of dollars. Use of anti-venom is associated with an increased risk of adverse effects which can complicate a dog’s recovery. Other costs of snakebite treatment may include hospitalization, intravenous fluids or other medicines. Vaccination is safer than anti-venom treatment. Vaccination can reduce the overall effects of snakebite, reduce or eliminate the need for anti-venom, and decrease other treatment costs as well.

• Protocol for prevention.

The first year your dog is vaccinated, she should receive two doses of vaccine spaced one month apart. Subsequent booster doses are recommended annually in the Spring, or about a month before you take your dog into rattlesnake habitat.

• The vaccine stimulates your dog's own immunity.

This process makes vaccination safer than anti-venom treatment. Protective antibodies made by your dog in response to the vaccine start neutralizing venom immediately. On average, antibody levels in recently vaccinated dogs are comparable to treatment with three vials of anti-venom. This means vaccinated dogs should experience less pain and a reduced risk of permanent injury from rattlesnake bite.

• Snakebite is always an emergency.

Even after your dog is vaccinated against rattlesnake venom, she should be taken to a veterinarian for evaluation and care as soon as possible following snakebite. Even bites by non-venomous snakes can lead to serious infections and antibiotic treatment may be needed. A veterinarian can determine if your dog is sufficiently protected for the specific type of snake involved and the amount of venom injected, or whether additional medical treatment would be helpful.

• There are many different poisonous snakes.

Red Rock Biologics is developing a variety of vaccines to provide the best protection against poisonous snakes for dogs in each part of the country. Ask your veterinarian which available vaccine formulation is best for your dog

*********-*********-**********-**********-**********-********

I have attached the following websites for your information.  Remember the best defense against a poisonous snake bite is knowledge and awareness.

The first has basic information about most reptiles and amphibians found in California.  It has some great photos and audio clips on how to tell one snake from the other and photos of some defensive postures.  This site not only covers rattlesnakes but also lizards, frogs and non-venomous snakes.  Good information.

http://www.californiaherps.com/identification/snakesid/rattlesnakes.html

This site is the California Department of Fish and Game.  Includes additional information on the do's and don'ts of living and hiking in snake country.  

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/news/issues/snake.html

This is a pamphlet issued by the Pharmaceutical Department at UC Davis.  Most of this information is for those in the veterinary medical field, however it does give a good information as to how to recognize poisonous snake bites, treatment options and care of the animal after the bite and treatment.

http://www.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/vmth/pharmacy/pdfs/pharmnewsvol4-1.pdf

********-**********-**********-**********-**********-********

If your dog is bitten by a rattlesnake, contact your nearest emergency veterinary hospital immediately and let them know what happened.  Here is a list of websites for several after hours and 24-hour emergency clinics in Southern California.  I have not been to any of these clinics and do not know their procedures policies or whether or not they carry rattlesnake anti-venom.  Please call ahead and get the information for your local area. 

Name: Animal Urgent Care of South Orange County

Website: http://www.aucsoc.com/

Hours: 

Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri 6pm-8am

Sat-Mon  12pm-8am

Locations: Mission Viejo  949-364-6228

Name: Orange County Emergency Pet Clinics

Website: http://www.er4yourpet.com/common-emergencies/ 

Hours:

Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri  6pm - 8am  

Sat-Mon (and most major holidays) 12pm-8am

Locations:

Garden Grove  714-537-3032

Fullerton 714-441-2925

La Habra 562-690-2925

Name: Irvine Regional Animal Emergency Hospital

Website: http://www.iraeh.com/index.html

Hours:

 Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri 6pm-8am  

Sat-Mon and holidays 24 hours

Locations:  Irvine  949-833-9020

Name: Advanced Critical Care and Internal Medicine (where many OC police departments take their K-9's)

Website: http://www.accim.net/

Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Locations: Tustin  949-654-8950

Name: Yorba Regional Animal Hospital

Website: http://www.yorbaregionalvets.com/

Hours:

Mon-Fri  8am-8pm  

Sat 8am-6pm  

Sun 9am-5pm  

Staffed for Emergencies 24-Hours 

Locations: Anaheim  714-921-8700

Name: Veterinary Clinics of America (VCA) Aacacia Clinic

Website: http://www.vcahospitals.com/aacacia

Hours: 7 days a week, 24-Hours 

Locations: Corona  951-371-1002

Name: Mission Animal Emergency Hospital

Website: http://www.missionvet.com/Emergency.htm

Hours: 

Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 9am-8pm   8pm-midnight for emergencies

Weds, Sat, Sun  2pm-midnight

Locations:  Granada Hills  818-363-8143

Name: Animal Emergency Center

Website: http://www.valleypet911.com/

Hours:

Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs  6pm-8am

Fri - Mon   6pm-8am

Major Holidays 24-Hours

Locations: Studio City  818-760-3882

Name: Beverly Hills Small Animal Hospital (no emergency hours, but the site has good info)

Website: http://www.bhsah.com/

Hours:

Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri  7am - 6:30pm

Sat 7am - 4:30pm

Sun  Closed

Locations: Beverly Hills   310-276-7113

Name: Advanced Veterinary Care Center

Website: http://www.advancedveterinarycarecenter.com/veterinary-specialty.asp?spec=ms&specID=911

Hours: 7 Days a Week, 24-Hours

Locations:

Lawndale  310-542-8018

Tustin  949-559-0133 (no emergency services)

Woodland Hills  818-436-4630 (no emergency services)

Name: Emergency Pet Clinic of South Bay

Website: http://www.emergencypets.com/

Hours:

Mon, Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri  6pm-8am

Sat-Mon  12pm-8am

Holidays 24-Hours

Locations: Torrance  818-320-8300

If you are in need of a regular vet and don't know where to find one, check out the following site.  It lists several veterinary clinics and hospitals in your area.  Just select your city and state.

http://www.4vetclinics.com/directory/CA.php

**********-***********-**********-********-*********-********

POISON HELP LINES (from www.animalnetwork.org)

For Emergency Poison Information you can contact the following Animal Poison Control Hotlines.  There is a fee for each call.  

***If your pet is experiencing seizures, bleeding or trouble breathing or is unconscious go to a local veterinary immediately***

Pet Poison Helpline

24 Hour Help Line

1-800-213-6680

Veterinary Toxicologists Give Life-Saving Veterinary Medical Advice

The Pet Poison Helpline is made up of a team of dedicated veterinary health professionals and toxicologists to help veterinarians and pet owners to treat potentially poisoned pets, 24 hours a day. Registering a poisoned pet with the Pet Poison Helpline costs just $35 This fee includes expert treatment advice for a variety of pet species including: dogs, cats, birds, small mammals and exotic pets. It also includes follow-up consultations

ASPCA National Animal Poison Control Center

1-888-426-4435

Veterinary Toxicologists Give Life-Saving Veterinary Medical Advice

24 Hour Help Line

The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center is the foremost animal-oriented poison control center in North America. This facility is staffed by 25 veterinarians, 10 veterinarian technicians and 5 veterinary toxicologists, who offer specific treatment advice, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. A consultation fee of $65.00 applies

Early 2011

Once again I am playing catch-up with you.  The past 4 months have been a rush of training Nicholas, returning to school and working long hours.  

First things first.  Nicholas is now 7 months old.  He has progressed by leaps and bounds in the last 3 months.  From being a hyper, unruly puppy to the (mostly) well behaved juvenile he is today.  It was a long road to get here, but I am pleased with the progress he is making.  


January
Well, early January seemed to be a turning point for both of us.  I don't know what happened, but the 2nd week of January Nicholas just seemed to "get it".  It was almost as if a switch had been flipped in his little head that said "Hey, this is what she wants me to do!"  It was like night and day: no more mouthing, no more biting, no more chasing the cats, no more pulling on the leash.  It was a nice change.  Yet at the same time it was a little scary.  I keep looking at him and thinking "You look like Nicholas, but who are you and what have you done with my puppy?"

Doing his civic duty
at the court house.

January was also when Nicholas finally became "street-legal".  He received his final round of vaccines and was able to accompany me to more places.  This was also when his self-control kicked in.  This was a good thing because 10 days into the new year, I was scheduled to come in for jury duty.  I was a little apprehensive about how Nicholas would behave, but I had noting to worry about.  He was such a trooper, chewing on his Nylabone and Kong or sleeping at my feet in the jury box.  It was amazing for the 3 days we were there everyone would call out "Hi Nicholas!" and ask me questions about him the the Puppy Raising program.  While we didn't make the final cut for jury duty, Nicholas made me very proud.  


At the end of January he finally got to meet my sister.  She flew in from New York where she lives and stayed with us for almost 2 weeks.  He was his active self, but did behave when she was around.  He even came with me to the airport to pick her up.  Nicholas also attended his 2nd GDA Graduation and this time it went much, MUCH better.  While he did want to socialize with the other dogs, I made sure to keep him focussed on behaving.  We had been working on having him settle down and after 15 minutes or so, he sat down next to me and watched the people go by.  Well...actually I sat on the ground and he decided my lap was comfier than the concrete so he sat on me during the ceremony.


February
February was pretty mellow.  Nicholas passed his second round of Puppy Kindergarten and moved on to Basic Obedience with the older "kids".  Nicholas has some difficulty settling in because many of the puppies in this class are the same ones from Puppy Kindergarten and he just wants to play with them.  Also, since he is an early riser the 7:00pm-8:00pm class is just a little past his bedtime and he gets a little grumpy towards the end of class.


The Orange County Puppy Raisers did a group outing in Newport Beach in mid-February.  Since Nicholas wasn't yet 6 months old, he was not able to attend.  Instead, we went to San Diego and exposed him to a park full of people. 

Nicholas isn't a fan of organ music.

Balboa Park was host to the 1915 Panama-California Exhibition this later became known as the first World's Fair.  It covers 1200 acres and is home to a wide variety of gardens and museums, as well as the world's largest outdoor pipe organ at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion.  On most weekends the park is full of people having picnics, playing fetch with their dogs and strolling through the gardens.  It seemed an ideal place for Nicholas to get exposed to the public.  

Those are some BIG fish!

Once we got to the park, we headed for the Japanese Friendship Garden.  The cherry blossoms were just starting to bloom and the entire park was a contrast of deep green and pale pink.  Nicholas got to practice his sit-stays and down-stays.  He was fascinated with the koi fish and had a much better experience with them this time!  

Nicholas and his
new friend Bob Hope

After that we went to the Embarcadero where we walked along the water and visited the tribute to Bob Hope and the USO.  Nicholas got to practice his sit-stay while I took his picture.








March
March was spent working on more basics.  Nicholas has a naturally fast gait and it is hard for him to match my speed when I slow down.  If we are out somewhere and he has the goal of going places and "working" then he is fine.  However, walking around the neighborhood he tends to speed up and walk fast. He also likes to sit facing away from me while doing obedience.  Both of these are issues we need to work on as well as his distraction with dogs.  Whenever Nicholas sees another dog, he really wants to go and play. This is a distraction for him and one that I think we will be continuously working on.  

This was also a month of many vet visits.  Ever since switching to the adult blend of the ProPlan food, Nicholas has been plagued with stomach trouble.  Usually just soft stool or diarrhea.  Every 2-3 weeks since January I drove up to the GDA vet to have him checked out.  He was always active and never lethargic and all his tests came back negative for parasites.  We had settled into a pattern: Nicholas would get sick, we'd go see the vet and he'd be placed on a bland diet of chicken and rice for 7 days.  He'd recover and would continue eating the ProPlan food.  After 1-2 weeks, he would get sick again.  The entire process repeated itself 3 times.  The 3rd time he was actually vomiting.  Once again he was placed on bland food for 10 days and recovered.  

Sick Nick.

This time, however, Nicholas had his food changed.  Instead of being on the Shredded Chicken food, he was switched to the Shredded Lamb food.  I am pleased to report that he is no longer getting sick and has put on some weight.  While still tall and lean, he is now much healthier looking with a little layer of fat beneath his skin.  :)  


Despite what people think, being a Guide Dog puppy in training isn't all work.  Nicholas LOVES to run and fetch.  Once a week we go to a recently closed school and toss his Kong Zinger around.  As a Guide Dog pup, he is not allowed to play with tennis balls so tossing a ball for him to fetch is out of the question.  That is why the Kong Zinger is such a treat for him.  The little rubber rings bounce, zoom, zig-zag and always keep him on his toes!  It is such a joy to watch him run across the field after them!

Flat Nicholas after running at the park.

He is always such a tired puppy afterwards!








Stay tuned for more upcoming adventures of Nicholas - Guide Dog Puppy in Training!


For more information: 
Balboa Park: www.balboapark.org  
The Japanese Friendship Garden: www.niwa.org   
Salute to Bob Hope and the Military: http://www.portofsandiego.org/public-art/view-the-art-directory/778-bob-hope-tribute-by-eugene-daub-a-steven-whyte.html

RECAP

Wow... I am the world's worst blogger.  My last post was November 18th.  That was 2 months ago!  Please accept my most humble apologies... For those of you following us on facebook you have been able to see what Nicholas and I have been up to.  For those of you who haven't bee following us, you can find us on facebook under Paws for a Cause GDA.


Now back to business.


When last I posted, Nicholas and I were having some issues involving his mouthiness and his focus on mouthing and chewing on me and his activity level.  Well things have changed a bit in the last 2 months.  Here's a recap...


November
Nicholas had his good moments in November.  I found that the easiest way to tire him out was to take him places.  That worked for a while until he became too heavy to carry and I had to come up with a new solution.

Playing at the condo with his bone.

His first big outing was with me to meet a friend at the Harbor Patrol Office where we met with another friend who worked there.  Nicholas did his best to misbehave with me, but seemed to like my friend and lay quietly at his feet.  Hmm...  We then went out on the Harbor Patrol Boat where Nicholas enjoyed chewing on all the metal bits of the boat.  He did not like the choppy ocean water, however.  He tried to lay at my feet but kept bouncing about so bad that I had to put him in my lap to calm him down.  Once we were back in the calm water of the harbor he started to explore the boat again, then settled on the ropes and took a nap.  Later that night we went to puppy kindergarten where he again acted up and used my hand as a chew toy, chewed his leash, lunged and tried to play with the other puppies.  He did sleep well that night, though.  He didn't wake up until 7:00 the next morning!


Nicholas spent the week of Thanksgiving with his co-raisers on a road trip.  They took 5 days and drove to Northern California to visit their daughters in college.  Nicholas behaved well in the car and sat quietly on the floor of the front passenger seat, where a Guide Dog Puppy is supposed to ride.  When he would ride with me it was always such a chore to keep him on the floor.  He'd always jump on the seat and wiggle to the driver's side, right under my feet.  I ended up having to tie a knot in his leash and closing the door on it so he couldn't go anywhere.  I'm thinking he was so well behaved because he couldn't go anywhere with someone sitting on the front seat.  Only towards the end of the return trip home did he start to act up and get mouthy.  I think he was just bored.


December

Early December passed by in a blur of blood, sweat and tears.  I had blood dripping from my hands as he kept chewing on me; sweat from chasing after him and trying to reign in his boundless energy, and tears from the frustration of having such an active and mouthy puppy on my hands.  Heck...there was one night I had a dream he escaped his crate and was chewing on me in my sleep!  Yes...it was JUST a dream.  It was a little too much for me to handle in my little condo with nowhere for him to get out and stretch.  By this point, Nicholas was just 14 weeks old and still couldn't go for walks in my neighborhood since there are so many strays (if you are not aware of the Parvo outbreak, you can email me and I'll fill you in).  So what was I to do?  I got creative.

Hanging on his own bed
at my parents house

I temporarily moved back in with my parents in Orange County.  That was much, much easier on all of us.  Oh yes, that's right.  It wasn't just me and Nicholas, it was the cats and guinea pig too!  For the next 6 weeks we all lived in another house.  Nicholas had a HUGE yard to run around in.  We played fetch, explored the tall weeds, worked on obedience and leash skills outside and even went to the mall once he turned 16 weeks old.  The mall was a great place to go with him.  Lots of noise, slick floors, glass elevators, and so many people walking, talking and calling out to him.  A one hour trip to the mall would wear him out to the point he would have to take a nap after!  

Packed house! We had to
sit in the aisle.

Nicholas met his first child at the mall.  It was actually kind of funny because my confident and fearless puppy was terrified of her!  She must have been no older than 3 years old and just a little taller than his eye level.  Of course this was a great learning experience for him.  She must have come from a house with dogs because she was not afraid of him in the least.  In fact she came right up to him and tried to pet him.  Nicholas would back away and try to hide behind me.  So with a little encouragement I let him investigate the small human who seemed to like him.  It didn't take more than a minute for him to warm up to her and then he came up and sniffed at her and tried to jump.  She giggled and told him to "Sit" and he did.  I was impressed with both her behavior as well as his, it was very cute.  

Munching on his bone at the concert

The holidays were a busy time for Nicholas.  He attended his first concert at Mission Viejo High School where we met with some friends and went to watch the holiday band concert.  Nicholas did very well for such a new experience.  He showed some interest when the drums started to play, but other than that, settled nicely and chewed on his bone.  Outside, he was very interested in the clarinets that were practicing, I don't think he'd ever heard a noise like that before!  

Nicholas & St. Nick at the GDA
Party in Sylmar.

We also attended two Christmas parties; one at the GDA Campus in Sylmar were he won lots of cool toys at a raffle, and another for the Orange County Puppy Raisers at the Tayenaka's house.  Special shout out to the Tayenaka Family for putting on a SPLENDID shindig!  Nicholas did try his best to behave at both locations, but with all the festivities and puppies around, it was quite difficult.  He was very wiggly, but not as mouthy and he had no temper tantrums!

Nellie looking so grown up
with her partner!

Nicholas attended his first graduation at Guide Dogs of America.  December 18 was the middle of one of the heaviest rain storms Southern California had seen in a long time.  It was a heavy downpour from the time we woke up all the way through dinnertime.  Luckily the graduation was held in the new facility so we stayed nice and dry.  This graduation was special for 2 reasons.  First of all, there were enough trained dogs to graduate with an additional class of 10 students!  It was exciting for that reason, and also because 2 of the Orange County group puppies graduated: Rusty and Nellie.  If you remember my post from November 6, Rusty was the last dog raised by the Lockman family who are co-raising Nicholas with me.  I had previously met Rusty and had taken him out on several outings with the group.  It was so good to see him and Nellie all grown up and working!  Persia, the dog raised by the Lockmans before Rusty, was in the audience with her partner sitting right next to me and Nicholas.  

Rusty being a TRUE guide and
sleeping during his down time.

Unfortunately lying on the other side of Nicholas was another puppy in training.  Since Nicholas was so young at the time, he still would get a toy or bone to chew on.  Well the puppy next to us was already 13 months old and really wanted Nicholas's toy.  He kept sneaking over and taking it and sniffing and poking at Nicholas.  My poor boy tried so hard to be good and just chew on his toy, but after 10 minutes of poking and thievery he started to act up.  He wouldn't sit still and even jumped to try to get the ponytail of the woman sitting in front of us.  I finally had to pick him up and cradle him in order to settle him down.  It really wasn't his fault.  He was being so good before he was bothered.  


New Years Eve brought its own excitement when Nicholas threw up twice in one day while staying with the Lockman's.

Hanging at the house.

He was acting normal except for that, but anytime a puppy vomits, there is reason for concern (remember that Parvo I mentioned earlier?).  Of course the vet department was closed for the holiday, but there was someone on call for just such an emergency.  Nicholas was put on a regimen of chicken and rice with some Pepcid and if he continued to vomit, he was to go to a vet immediately.  Luckily he kept the food down and through a process of elimination (not his elimination!) we were able to surmise that he swallowed something.  He had recently developed an attraction to socks and liked to hoard them on his bed, as well as paper products (toilet paper, paper towels, napkins...).  We figured he must have swallowed something and it was blocking his food from reaching his stomach.


Needless to say, I made the trek to GDA the following Tuesday (4 days later) where the vet staff poked and prodded Nicholas and tried to take an x-ray.  He wiggled a lot, so it was a little hard to see, but there did appear to be a small rock in the lower part of his small intestine.  Other than that and an eye infection, he was given a clean bill of health and put back on normal puppy food.  He was VERY happy about that.


That is how we ended 2010.  A little excitement and activity.  It was nice to get him out and about some.  he was going a little stir crazy being cooped up in my place.  But he is settling in nicely and 2011 seems to be going very well for him so far!  Can't wait to keep you posted on that.


Until then,


Wags and licks!


Christina and Nicholas  

Nicholas took a liking to the plant at the Parent's House.
He pulled off a branch.  I came home from work and found
it on my bed!