Daily Blogging, Round 2

Well, May looks to be an eventful month.  One I am going to attempt to cover with daily blog posts.  Highlights to include: a recap of tonight's bowling send-off party for Paris and Jackson, coverage of two new puppies to Summit Guide Dogs, Marley's prep for Splash! Dogs, and Hugo's trip to Yellowstone for Search and rescue training.  Today's will be short but oh so sweet.

Procrastination and Puppies

Procrastination and puppies seem to be the common theme for all my blog posts this month. I find myself always posting late at night, just sneaking in under that midnight deadline. I am not sure why I do this...I always mean to post sooner. But then I get caught up playing with the dogs, or watching House, or talking with my family...and I just wait until the last minute.

Anyone else a procrastinator? I think it really makes things more exciting. The panic that sets in when you have a 20 page research paper due the next day has makes roller coaster rides seem tame by comparison. I think maybe it is that some people work better under pressure? I seem to, though I do not really enjoy it. Things come together in a way that they just don't during non stress times. Hmmm...now I think I am just rambling and trying to justify my procrastination.

Something I can't procrastinate on though is raising puppies. If you procrastinate on house training sooner or later you have a 6 month old dog who messes really are a BIG problem now. Can't train sit, down, stay, come, and loose leash walking in a day. Really not even in a month. not for commands that can be followed reliably in all sorts of situations. No, we have to start day by day to build up to those wonderful dogs we send back. I guess that is one of the really cool things raising has taught me: the wonderful feeling you get from small triumphs built up each day. The little things like learning to sit before dinner. Walking down the stairs. Or simply knowing what their name is. All the little things that hopefully will build to a tearful but oh-so wonderful passing of the leash at graduation. Something I cannot wait to experience.

Ok, now my battery is about to die, so that is my ramble for the night. What is something that raising meant to you?

Puppy Truck Heading Our Way!

Here is a picture that was posted on the GDB Facebook page yesterday. For all of you without Facebook, here is a look at some of the puppies heading to UT and CO today. All of our CFR's helped load up the puppy truck. Go Barb! That black pup on the right is one big boy!! Just a few hours until one of these guys is in my arms!

Puppy Delay...

Well it looks like I am going to have a break, albeit a short one, between sending Millie off to college and getting my new little pup. I had originally thought I would be getting my pup on the 29th and sending Millie back on the 31st, giving me two fun days of overlap. Instead Millie will be leaving (most likely in a training van) on the 21st, and my new pup will arrive on the 29th as the puppy truck makes its way to Colorado.

That will make for one sad send off as no one will be getting a cute little pup to cry into. I will probably end up watching another pup while I wait for my own to arrive.

No word yet on what I am getting though!

She is here!

My new pup has arrived....


Meet.....


Millicent!
8.25.2008
Bosworth/Tinella

I picked her up from my leader late afternoon yesterday. So far she seems to be a very sweet, if slightly naughty, pup. We are going to work on house manners and being calm inside. She loves the big toy box with all sorts of fun nylabones and Kongs to chew on. She is very confident and went over an open grate and up and down see through stairs (have to, as that is how you get inside my house!). She is a cousin to Bracken and Burgess, as Bosworth and Bingham were brothers.

She will be going to work with me today, and will have a nice mellow day hanging out with Sterling. She has also met Marley. Over the next week she will meet Dante and Hugo face to face, right now all sniffing is through baby gates. Living with this many dogs means gradual introductions!

I do have to say....her name is pretty awful! I don't know, it just makes me think of a great-aunt, maybe one with alot of cats? Millie comes out alot easier, and it seems to be what she is used to.

Pictures and more updates will hopefully follow later today. It is a dog rodeo for me, as Tom and his friend both went in to work at 6am to do avalanche control work, and Tom will not be off until 9pm tonight!

Millicent seems like a very sweet and confident (she walked with her vest on!) pup. I can't wait to see this girl grow and mature.

New Puppies

On Friday our club welcomed 3 new puppies.  Mario is a MBL being raised for the high school raising program. Lisbon is a MYL also being raised to be transferred to the high school program. Foxboro is a MYL, the fifth for his raisers.

This is Lisbon.  All the puppies were cute, but he was WAY cute!  He is a very dark yellow lab, with an wrinkly face.

New pup Foxboro, then Motown, and career change boy Brent.
Foxboro, then Lisbon, and little Mario in the back.  The M puppies were tiny!
Our club now has 8 pups!