Day 1

Tell me, what is it you plan to do

With your one wild and precious life?

One year later...

Marley continues to be awesome!

 Paulson, my 6th GDB puppy, is two months away from his recall to formal training.

 Rafferty was career changed for cataracts and came home to be my forever dog.

 Becky was career changed and is now in training as a service dog.

 Rafferty is in training to be a search and rescue dog.

 I am still living at the Ranch (which the boys love!).

Change

I am still alive!  There have been some very big changes in my life over the past month and it is about time I did a post.  I am now living by myself and am down to *just* two dogs.  Marley and Rafferty.  Dante has decided to live in luxury with my parents and keep my mom company.  Hugo left with his dad for a different life path and Becky has headed to her very awesome high school raiser.  It feels so weird to only have two dogs after always having 3-4 for the last 3.5 years.   

What does this mean?  Well for starters I am no longer involved in training Hugo for Search and Rescue.   He has started down a great path and I wish him well!  I still plan to stay involved with SAR work, though I may take the winter off.   Marley and I are hoping to start tracking training this month.  Marley may not be the ideal tracking dog, but we will have fun and see where it goes.  Rafferty has 2 months left with me and then he heads off to college for his formal training.  I know he will have fun and be amazing at whatever career he chooses!  I do plan on getting another puppy when Rafferty leaves.

As for me I am taking this time to find myself and delight in the simple joys of life.  Work continues to be challenging and fulfilling, my place out in the country is perfect for me right now, and I have re-discovered and made some amazing new friendships.   I traveled to the GDB homecoming event last weekend and was once again reminded just how amazing these partnerships are...at every step of the way.  I will have a bigger post (with pictures) for the Homecoming event and Becky's new raiser.  

Always remember

Don't wait for the storm to pass....learn  to dance in the rain.

Rafferty with his shiny black coat and golden eyes pants after a hike.

All the Colors of the Rainbow

Rafferty, Snickers, and Becky sit in front of a stone wall.  They go in order from darkest to lightest...black, chocolate, and yellow.

Rafferty gives me pleading eyes as I take yet more pictures.  Rafferty, Snickers, and Becky all sit in a line.

Becky Update

While scrolling through old posts I realized I have not said much about Becky lately.  She is such a good girl and has been a blast to raise so far.  Of course, like every other puppy, she has taught me new things and made me happy to have a girl pup around again.  She turns 6 months in just 2 weeks, two days after our big evaluation with our CFR.  Becky is still slated to be transferred to the high school raising program at the end of September.  She is fun, resilient, and smart: this girl has a bright future ahead of her.

Some pictures from the past 3.5 months...


[Baby Becky, about 11-12 weeks old, hangs out in her crate, preferring to be under her mat rather than on it.]

[Barley legal Becky hanging out at the Farmers market.]

[Becky doing her frog legs sit]

[First Trax ride and Becky is stoked!]

[Becky tried after a big outing]

[Becky hanging out at the car dealership waiting for my car to be fixed.]

[Becky being such a good girl on an outing!]

Happy Birthday Rafferty

My baby boy!

First Bath!

Recovering from his neuter.  Just waking up!

Checking out the snow.

In Oregon for Millie's graduation.

A more rustic bath!

In San Francisco!

New Puppies!

Yesterday the very wonderful Guide Dogs for the Blind Puppy Truck made a stop in Salt Lake to hand out puppies to their new raisers. Our club has been pretty small for most of the year, but with two new pups we are starting to grow again in size.  Two wonderful raisers who had taken breaks after their last dogs got to find out their new pups names!

Introducing...

Rhyme (Simon/Melody)

and.....



Crosby (Jay/Noleta)

And of course my post wouldn't be complete without a quick peak at the newest celebrity in town.  Introducing.....

Snickers

He is being raised by Megan!