FunDay 2010!

Ok, ok, so I know it is still over 2 months until Funday...but I like to get my plans done EARLY!    We are driving out 2 days before and coming back the day after Funday.  I would LOVE to to a meet-up with any other bloggers/puppy raisers: you can leave a comment or email me privately.  We plan on doing 'Follow the Trainer', Muir Woods, Pier 39, and at least one beach trip.  If anyone is familiar with the area and can recommend any other activities (that would be good to do with 3 people and 3 guide dog pups) please let me know.

I am really excited for this trip as I did not make it out last year.  This year the theme is 'Western' and I am currently on the hunt for some nice cowboy hats for the dogs.  Already have a black one for Miss Becky...but Janetta and Rafferty need tan hats so they have some contrast.

A note on my posting (or lack there-of this week)....I have been meaning too...but with over 20 new animals in at work, plus SAR training and a new puppy, I have just been a little behind.  Hopefully I will start catching up and staying on target!

A big congrats to PARIS who is already in PHASE 1!!!!  At this rate I need to start blocking out Aug/Sept graduation dates for OR :)  Go PARIS!!!

Let me know if you are going to the San Rafael Funday...should be a howlin' good time!

California Day 1

Well the first day of our trip was very fun!  We did the follow the Instructor Activity with Guide Dogs where you follow guide dogs in training.  We saw three different levels, one who was just starting routes and learning the concepts of curbs, another who was in harness and learning more complex skills, and finally an almost finished dog who was just polishing off what they had learned.  It was very cool to see all these amazing dogs: and do they ever walk fast!!!   I also saw Angel, who was a beginning demo dog for another group, and we saw Sage, another beginning demo dog from the high school raising program.  Our almost finished dog looked just like Sterling, just the female version!  Her name is Fable.

Angel, doing an awesome job!

This was our first demo dog, notice the soft handle.  This is so the instructor can pick it up or drop it while working with the dog and not really effect their movement, just give them a sense of pulling.
Food reward at curbs!  Man they love the curbs!

Our beautiful second dog.  Already stopping at those curbs.

Checking out the intersection.
Praise!
Guiding.
She looks so much like Sterling!

After training we went back to Guide Dogs and picked up our puppies who had been boarding there while we did our activity.  Then it was time to go to the beach.  We went to Stinson beach which was absolutely beautiful.  After some initial hesitation, Sterling starting jumping the waves as hey came in and swimming in the water!  Tired pups and lots of bathes followed our wonderful time at the beach.

Funday 2008

Part of my raising group has decided to make the trip out to California for Funday this year. There will be 8 people and 6 dogs. I was wondering if anyone else is going to Funday this year, and if anyone has any suggestions, tips, or stories from previous years.

The pups going are:
Sterling
Shaw
Melrose
Lisbon
Mario
Cosmo

One of our rasiers will also be getting a pup at Funday! It is from the first litter her breeder sired! So the ride back should be pretty entertaining...14 hours in a car with 4 pups, one of them 8 weeks old!