Good-Bye Frankie

Alright, so this post is a long time coming. I've been waiting on pictures and I guess a little part of me didn't want to admit that there was a possibility that I would never see my Frankie-boy again. But I've got the pictures now so I really have no good excuse to not post about my final week with Frankie and our good-bye.

As some of you might have guessed, Frankie went back to the Guide Dog campus in Forfar to begin his formal training. He left on Monday, March 4th. It was sort of a surprise recall. He originally wasn't planned to go in until the end of March, but when he was in to check on his slight nose sensitivity after the mall incident they decided that he was not only handling the aftermath of the incident well but that he was totally ready for formal training. His last week with me was between March 15-19. I didn't want to take too much of his time away from his real raisers, but I also wanted a little time to say good-bye. I have to say, I'm so lucky to be friends with these wonderful people who share their puppy with me.

In our last days we did the good-byes things you normally do when you are ready to turn your dog in for training. We went to the park one last time for one last free run. We went on a walk by the river one last time. He attended his final University lecture and tutorial. I gave him his first and last bath with me...he may have fun under a garbage bag that had "bin juice" all over it in an attempt to follow me to the large dumpster outside the housing complex. We took our last trip into town and our last trip to the grocery store. He had his last day at the office. I really had to admit that he was ready. Obviously, he still has a few things to work on and he does need to mature a little, but he really is going to make a great Guide.

The 19th was a Tuesday and Frankie's last puppy class. So I took the day off of work to go and work with him at his last class. He was such a model puppy. Really and truly. He didn't go for the food on the floor and he knew his commands and didn't bother with the other dogs while we were working. To say the least, I was impressed. Of course, he wasn't perfect. As a part golden, he is pretty clingy to his people. So when I was working with him he was trying to get to his real raisers and when they were working him he was trying to get to me. Haha! Silly puppy.

He's been up at the campus for almost a week now. This first week is just welcome week where they get the pups use to kennel life and settle them in and have them meet their trainer. The amount of time this acclimation period takes depends on the dog. We could get a call tomorrow saying that Frankie has started his training or it could be a week or two from now. Like I said, he's a pretty clingy dog so not being around either of us could take him for a shock. But, saying that, he is also adaptable. So, it'll be interesting to see how long it takes for him to get use to the kennels.

At the moment, my friends are between puppies which means that I am too. They are waiting on a company to finalize the paperwork for sponsorship. This company also sponsored their puppy about four pups back, so they wanted to wait for them. I'm thinking that within the next month they'll at least have the assignment if not the puppy. But, I will post any and all updates I get on Frankie.

Frankie in front of he same bushes at the park as when he was 8 months old.

Frankie lying next to a character sheet and some dice at his last roleplaying game.

Frankie at the park with a goofy grin on his face.

Frankie in front of the arch on campus

Frankie at the King's College buildings. It's the super old building on campus.  

Frankie in front of a new statue called "Evolutionary Loop"

Frankie smiling in the sun in front of one of the statues on campus

Frankie looking over King's College

Frankie next to the "bug" stutue

Frankie sitting nicely in front of Elphistone Hall

Frankie in his last University lecture

Frankie sitting in front of the pond with the cool time dial. Please ignore the water on his jacket...it's not like he walked me into the pond or anything.

Frankie in front of the library

Frankie on our last bus ride to work

Frankie's last day at the office. His head is resting against the desk.

Frankie and me on the steps at the puppy class. 

It's pretty exciting to think that I have a puppy in formal training again! ...even if he wasn't really my puppy...