It was interesting to drive back with three, vs. driving out with two. The jockeying for position, constant panting in your ear from the one who didn't score a window seat, and lots more potty/water/relief from panting dog stops were needed.
We took I-80 out to Colorado, it was quick, but cold and boring. (The trip back we took I-70, which was longer, but much prettier and warmer.) Once we got to Boulder we meet up with Tom's mom and had dinner, and then headed up to Nederland for sleep. In the morning we let the dogs run and have a great time (the house has a HUGE fenced backyard!). I think they would have stayed there if we would have let them.
The boys enjoying themselves in the backyard.
After that we headed off to Denver to pick up Sterling. We went into downtown Denver and walked around with Marley and Hugo.
Here is Tom with the boys outside of the courthouse.
Hugo, the boy that never stops.
True love!
Outside a really cool old church.
Tall buildings, which very much fascinated Tom! Big mountain, no problem, but put him in a city...
Right after we picked up Sterling. He loves Marley.
When we went in to get Sterling, he sniffed Tom, then me, and got really wiggly and excited! He started licking my hands and dancing all around my legs; I was so glad that he remembered me. There was a lot of excited whining when he got in the car, but the boys all quickly realized that they knew each other and settled back down to the important business of sleeping and/or looking out the window.
That evening we went to the Boulder Puppy raising group, where Sterling was welcomed with open...paws? Or maybe lots of butt sniffing. Anyway, he got to meet the very cute Angel and her wonderful raiser Emily, who had invited us to the meeting.
It was really cool to see the differences between how clubs run their meetings and interact. This was a much bigger club than we are used to (ours currently has 6 dogs, that is big for us!). They were covering dog-dog interactions, and I learned new things about dog behavior. In particular, I did not know that there are different types of hackling! It is not always bad, sometimes it just means they are really excited. It can also mean anger or fear, depending on how widespread the hackling is, and if there is any vocalization.
In the end, it was really cool to go to their meeting, and Sterling was a very good ambassador for Utah pups!
No Sterling! Drop it! (The things puppies find in mountain backyards!)And......
Drum roll please......
Sterling's new custom Guide Dog's for the Blind puppy...bandanna!
He doesn't seem to hate it as much as his jacket, but it still seems to bug him. For now we are not doing any outings other than going to work. (I have been warned that I will most likely get hassled anyway because of the bandanna, so why push it before I have to.) I am just trying to let him settle back in.I will try to take some better pictures of his vest, wait, no, bandanna, tomorrow.
5 comments:
Sounds like a great trip. Glad you got your boy back and man has he grown. :) I hope you have better luck with the bandana!
That's cool! I'm interested in seeing what they're planing on doing with Sterling to get him to where he can handle the vest again.
It was great meeting you! Sterling was indeed an excellent ambassador for Utah puppies :) I really love our leaders too... the one running that meeting is so knowledgeable about dogs, I always learn something too! I have actually known her for longer than I have been raising guide dog puppies... she used to work as the head trainer for the humane society and was instrumental in helping me help Maggie with her "profound fear." She was also our agility instructor. She has been raising puppies since she was a kid, and her mom is one of our other leaders! I think between the 2 of them they have raised something like 35 puppies...
Seems like you had an awesome time! Neat that you got to go to a different club's meeting. I love Sterling's bandanna, so cute! I hope it works for him, and helps him re-adjust to his vest.
Its great to have Sterling back! Sounds like you had a fun time on your trip. His bandana is cute! Hopefully he will be more comfortable with it.
I would love to hear the details of what types of hackling means what. That kind of stuff is facinating to me!
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