No Pup Yet

I'm having some real trouble staying focused. It's so hard to concentrate on things like Psychology and Dr. Faustus when I still don't have much information.

I got an email from Graham yesterday (because I sent him an email asking when I could expect to know anything) and he said that puppies had not been allocated to Scotland yet. He did say he was poking and prodding the person who is in charge of allocating the puppies to get on Aberdeen. *smile* I'm just a little impatient I suppose. Haha! OK...I'm a little more than just a little impatient. I'm just so ready to know whether or not there's a puppy in the kennels for me.

I've decided to take this time in reviewing the puppy manual. They do things a little differently here and use a few different commands. I still haven't found the equivalent for "that's enough" for GDB back home. As long as it distracts me from thinking about getting an email from Graham. I'm sure I'll find time to study in there somewhere.

Also, good luck to Mandy and Saxon today. Saxon is going back in for training today and she's getting her new little puppy. I can't wait to hear who she's going to get. Teesha and Stuart are also going back in for training today. They're being driven up to San Rafael today instead of puppy them on the puppy truck that came through yesterday. I'll be thinking of them all today.

Sixth Phase Report

Rocco 4Y13 LAB M 4

Rocky 4Y14 LAB M 4

Hooray for Rocco! He caught up to Rocky! I'm so excited that they're half way through their training already. It's really hard to believe that that goofy boy I left back in April is on his way to becoming a Guide. Belle puppy Eaton was still in Phase 1 this past week and Belle puppy Eli should be back on the campus now.

A shout out to three of Hilly's littermates. Havasu is on this next recall and we wish her luck in her training. Halette and Hanalei are on the Fun Day recall. Good Luck to both of them as well. Hilly and I are so glad we get to see them before their formal trianing begins.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

Pictures of Recall Day...

Rocky, Regis, and Rocco
They stopped Fresno on their way up so Rocco could say "Hey" to his Fresno brothers.
Lance, Colorado, Lunar, and Rocco

Can't tomorrow get here already? :D

The End of the Beginning

Well, he's up there alright. Lynn drove him up yesterday with his brother Rocky. It's a bittersweet feeling and I won't say that I wasn't sad yesterday, but I spent my few hours sad and crying and now I'm all ready for him to just get through that training. I'm not sad about him being gone anymore (though I am still a little apprehensive since I don't know what's going to happen). But I know that he'll do fantastic once he passes his medicals and that he'll make all of us proud. Gone is the sadness, in comes the impatience.

I don't have pictures of the day yet, but I'm sure I'll get some soon. For now though...I'm going to catch up telling you guys a few things that I've left until after Rocco's recall.

Oh man! Now it's going to seem like Thursday never comes (for those of you who don't know, Thursday is the day that the phase report of every puppy up at formal training comes out).

Last Day

Today is Rocco's last day as a puppy in training. And I for one am glad that the rapture held off for the time being. Not only would the rapture mean no formal training for Rocco, it would also mean no new puppy for me. Yep. Pretty happy the world is still going.

So, I don't have any pictures for today nor do I have much left to say on the subject of Rocco and his recall. What I can say for today is this. I hope he's having a wonderful last day as a puppy in training and that he hasn't chosen today to exhibit a new and strange behaviour.

I can tell you all now that tomorrow is going to be really hard for me. Thankfully, I'll be out most of the day. But in those few moments when I'm home and have my thoughts to myself...well, I'm going to cry.

16 Things at 16 Months

*written by Rocco*

Hey Guys! Did you miss me? Well, I sure missed the blog, but I've been having so much fun and I've been learning a lot. I know Momma has told you, but I'm going to announce it anyway. I'm going to Dog College! Yippie! I'm excited about going, but all my Moms seem sad. They're getting all emotional and sappy about it. I keep telling them that I'll see them again and that they shouldn't' cry, but you know what Moms are like.

Anyway, today I am 16 months old! And for this months post I am going to tell you 16 things that excite me the most about going off to College.

1. All the Other Dogs. My moms are telling me that up at school there are a lot of other dogs and you know how much I like to play. This is going to be so much fun!

2. My brother Rocky. Rocky and I are heading up to college at the same time! (Erin: Something we all joked would never happen because Rocco was less mature that Rocky. He matured up within the past month apparently). I'm hoping that he and I get to be roommates.

3. A Roommate. If it's not Rocky, I hope that I have a fun roommate.

4. New Stuff to Learn. My moms are also telling me that I'm going to have so much stuff to learn. They keep saying that it's gonna be a lot of hard work, but it sounds like so much fun. Momma says that I get to be clicker trained and that I'll get to work in a Harness just like my Big Sister Freya.

5. Graduation. I'm really excited about graduating. I know I can do it and I can't wait! I had so much fun at Freya's graduation and I really want to do it too. It'll be so much fun to have all 3 Moms there telling me what a good boy I am (which I am).

6. Kendrick, Pauli, and Amici! Amici is one of my best friends. I know he went back a little sooner than I did, but I'm sure we'll still get to see each other. I hope I get to see Kendrick too, but I hear he's almost finished with college so I don't know if I'll get to see him. I just hope the four of us get a chance to play together at least once.

7. The TOYS! I love toys and I've hear that they use toys in the play yard that we aren't aloud to have at home.

8. The Play yard. Can you imagine it? It's going to be like a dog park. I've never been to a dog park and I so excited to see what it's like to get to choose who to play with from that many dogs at once.

9. The Harness training. I'm so ready to stop with the whole "jacket" thing. I mean, I love my jacket don't get me wrong, but I get to work in a harness.

10. The food. I hear the GDB has excellent food service and serves food that received "5 paws".

11. My blind person. I'm really excited to find out who I will eventually get paired with. I'm hoping my person does something cool like...like...flies airplane! Ok, maybe not fly airplanes, but I'm sure I'll have the coolest person ever.

12. The blindfolded tests. Momma told me that when I got good enough I would have to pass a test where my trainer would be wearing a blindfold. I'm really nervous about that, but it sounds exciting too.

13. The trainers. Everyone tells me that the trainers are really, really nice.

14. Fun Day. I was there last Fun Day and I got to go into the kennels and see all the older dogs who were at college there. I knew then that I wanted to make it to that point. :D I hope some little pup walks through and sees me and says that's what I wanna do. I'm also hoping to show off a little so I can be a dog at "Follow a Trainer". That would be so much fun.

15. The Drive up to Campus. Mommy Lynn is driving me and Rocky and his mom up to campus to see us settled into our new dorm. I love long car rides. Momma always said that I was one of the best car companions ever.

And finally...

16. Going Home. I can't wait to go home with all the new stuff I learned up at school. No matter where that home might be.

Now, Momma made me put in some pictures. I chose a whole bunch of me playing because all the others that she wanted to put up where a little embarrassing.

I got to go to card game days with Momma all the time.
Since I don't have opposable thumbs though, I couldn't play cards.

That backyard was a lot of fun.

I love the Jolly Ball.
See? Apparently even when I'm just chewing a bone it's a photo opportunity.

Momma and I were playing "Tug" and she decided to break for a photo.
This is when I got back to Momma's for Christmas. I ran round and round the couch with Rosie following me until she gave up.

Auntie Arwen. She really was a great mentor for me.
This was at a puppy meeting in January when I got to see Rockford again.

Finally, there's this picture. You guys want to know what I'm staring at? See that spot on my paw? It's actually a fly. Momma said I must have been the only dog in the world who was fly distracted. Well, I'm not sly distracted anymore.

Thoughts Before the Big Day

I've been thinking a lot about Rocco's recall day today. I mean, I think about it a lot anyway but today it seems to be something where my mind keeps turning to. Which is inconvenient when you are trying to revise for exams, but I digress. I'm not sure why I'm thinking about it so much today. I would have thought that tomorrow makes a much better day to think non stop about the Boy. Perhaps it's the anticipation of tomorrow that's making me think so much today. Here's what I've been thinking about.

First off, why am I so sad that he's being recalled. Surely some of you (those of you who aren't puppy raisers I bet) are thinking, "Erin, you've been away from Rocco since January. He was transferred in September. You've already had to leave him 3 times! Why are you so sad?" Well, I haven't come up with an answer for that one yet. I have no idea why I'm taking Rocco's Recall hard. He made an impression on me to say the least I guess. However, if I had to guess (you know, if there was someone pointing a gun to my head telling me to tell them why I was sad) I would have to say it's because I don't think I gave him a proper good-bye in April. At least, not one that could be considered a good-bye for a recall. It's hard for me because I've realised that if he doesn't graduate in August...April will be the last time I saw or see Rocco...and I gave him a terrible good-bye. (You listening Rocco? Graduate in August pretty please.)

I'm also thinking about what Rocco meant to me. For me, Rocco was a break. Oh, he was hyper and bouncy and playful and silly. But for those of you who knew Freya as a PIT know that Rocco can only be considered as a break compared to Freya. He had his issues (I still remember getting no sleep the first few months) but they were easily solved and he was so eager to please and happy-go-lucky. So, I guess, for me Rocco was a dog that I could see both as a pet because he dearly loved to snuggle and some the happiest faces he's pulled was when we decided to stay in for the day OR as a Guide Dog because he loved working. Freya could only be a working dog. She wouldn't have been happy as a plain, old pet. Rocco, I was never sure which he would prefer. Perhaps that made me want to keep him more (I know, I know...he's a male yellow lab. I'm not to have fallen in love with him.)

Contemplation...Processing...Saddness. People who don't puppy raise don't understand why recall day hurts the way it does. They assume it's hard to leave your puppy, but they don't really understand. Even my dad, who is not emotional or sensitive, was sad when Freya left. He didn't have to say anything, but I knew (18 years living with a person and you start to be able to read them). I tell people all the time "It breaks my heart, but how could I not give them up?"

My heart is breaking...

Pictures taken at Christmas this year.

Play Pictures

Rocco was a really good boy the last 3 weeks of school as he came with me as assistant to the Student Director for our school play, Seussical the Musical. He kept me company when I didn't have anything to do. He was the best buddy to have there.

He was still pretty young and yet he sat through the rehearsals like a champ! 9 Days...

Week Stretch

We're a little past the "it's a week exactly" mark, but we're still in the week long stretch. I can't believe his recall is this weekend. It seems like such a short time ago that he was a chubby puppy being placed in my arms in the GDB kennel kitchen.

Rocco really enjoyed baseball when he was with me. He loved the attention he got from the fans and I think he really enjoyed getting to sleep outside instead of inside while people around him cheered on our team. I hope when he graduates he goes to someone who also love baseball.

Play Pictures

Rocco was a really good boy the last 3 weeks of school as he came with me as assistant to the Student Director for our school play, Seussical the Musical. He kept me company when I didn't have anything to do. He was the best buddy to have there.

He was still pretty young and yet he sat through the rehearsals like a champ! 9 Days...

So Soon? (Not so Wordless Wednesday)

When did THIS puppy

become a big boy?
I mean really? When did I miss that? Why didn't I see that he was no longer a little guy (as if he ever really was a "little guy")?

Rocco's recall is set for May 21 or 22. I still don't know how to feel on this. More tomorrow. Processing now.

Beeper Egg Hunt

So, I surprised my group and came home for a week. I don't know how Mary and I were able to keep it a secret for as along as we did, but everyone was surprised to see me especially Rocco. He was so happy to see me. He jumped and almost knocked his new momma over. He's really matured a lot since I last saw him in January. We got to spend "Gotcha" day together (well really, the day before "Gotcha" day) because the Egg Hunt was on the 9th. He did such a good job with all the children who petted and loved him and then snuggled with me during the picnic afterward. He's got evals today with Jim and he will be 15 months really soon so this is sort of that eval where Jim decides if he's ready for formal training. I know he's gonna do great when he is ready! His new momma says that she thinks he needs another few months out to mature still, but he might go back in at the end of this month. But enough of that, here are some pictures for you.

Rocco and Me with a visually impaired child. My mom is the one in the background.

Of course there had to be a picture of him giving me a kiss.

Rocco wanted to love on his "grandma" more than he wanted to take a picture.

Rocco in the car on the way to the picnic.

Rocco cuddling with me at the picnic. You can see, if you look real closely, that he's licking my leg.

Right now I'm puppy sitting Snyder. He's one of our newest little guys. And he's so cute!

Canes

First off, the recall list for April came out and Rocco IS NOT on it. Hooray! But, Pauli and Amici are both on it. Looks like Kendrick is going to be getting some of his friends up at GDB soon. :) Since Kendrick was in evaluations until recently he's going to be in 0 until the new recall kids come in so all 3 of these boys might be graduated at the same time! Good for me at least. Anyway, as most of you know I am trying to convert this to not only my Guide Dog Puppy blog, but to a blog that is following me trying to become and O&M Instructor and learning more about blindness and people who are blind. Hence the Blog's title, A Study in Sight. Yesterday I got to talk with one of my friends who is blind. I've known her since I was real little. Of course when I was little she was just blind and I didn't think anything of it. But now that I'm considering a career path in blind rehabilitation, I talk to her from time to time about different blind things. We ended up talking about White Canes yesterday. I was considering purchasing a cheap one to take with me to Guide Dog talks at elementary schools and other things, just to teach the kids the modes of travel available to blind people. She told me that straight canes were generally used for kids, though you could find some tiny folding canes if you really wanted to. Straight canes are canes that don't fold. She told me her O&M instructor as a kid threatened to take away her folding cane and give her a straight cane if she didn't start using the cane at school. I remember walking home with her from school and she always used the cane then. I asked her why she didn't like using the cane when she was younger. She told me that blind children are often made fun of and as a kid she didn't want to use the cane so that she wouldn't be made fun of as often. If the fact that kids will tease other kids about being blind, a condition they have no control over, she told me that if the sighted kids were particularly bad they would sometimes take the cane away from the blind child. Was Erin enraged a little by this realisation? YES! I mean, I was teased often as a kid. I am blond so there was an endless stream of dumb blond jokes in my general direction. Besides that I have very large teeth and I had an overbite. This cause my two very large front teeth to stick out when I wasn't paying attention. It made me look like a bunny rabbit or a squirrel and the kids picked up on that. When I was older and my face grew a little longer I looked more like a horse...I was also teased about that (all I can say is thank god for braces). I'm tall and gangly, as a young girl I was more interested in dinosaurs than princesses, and I wear glasses. I was teased plenty, but I never had my glasses taken from me...or my retainers or anything like that. I say it's high time to visit around to elementary schools and educate the little monsters some (I say this and I really do love children). She says that now that she's an adult she doesn't mind walking with her cane, but she does prefer travel by dog. After talking about the cruelty some children can inflict she told me about the different kind of canes. There are aluminum ones which she says are good for children. Then there are fiberglass and graphite canes. She said she loved the fiberglass canes when she first got one, but by far her favourite is the graphite cane. She says they're a lot lighter and you get better "tactile information" from them. As a mostly sighted person, I am not able to explain how a cane gives you tactile information, but she did promise to show me the difference between the canes when I came home. She also that she doesn't like it when people call the cane a "stick". Hear that people? Don't call it a "stick". We also talked about guide dogs and the puppies in my group. It was just what you imagine two people who love dogs would talk about. Next time she said we would talk about different cane tips and that that could be another blog post. I think she was joking, but being the nerd I am, I'm actually interested. I'm also interested in her take on either a folding cane or a telescopic cane. I hope you enjoyed the different flow of today's post.

Kendrick's in 0

Hooray for Kendrick! The training department liked him so much when he went in for evaluation about a week ago that they decided it didn't matter if he drooled a lot for food. They've given him the chance to be a Guide! Hooray! This week he is in Phase 0! He's just gonna zoom through his training! He's such a good boy.

(Kendrick is littermate to fellow blogger Kyle)

14 Months

Yesterday Rocco turned 14 months old. How time flies. I know that they haven't heard anything about his recall date yet. I'm not too sure when I'm hoping it will be. If he gets recalled between April and June there's a good chance that he will graduate before I leave California to come back to Scotland (I know, I know. Going to California for the summer then back to Scotland for the winter doesn't seem like a good idea, but I'm working with what I'm giving.) Then there's always the possibility that his recall won't come until the middle of June when I'm home for the Summer Holiday. I would love to be there for his recall, but that could possibly mean that I won't be able to see him graduate. If I had to choose between recall day and graduation I would choose graduation a million times over. As soon as I know his recall date, even if it's a tentative one, you will know. Below are some pictures from the meeting at the airport this past Tuesday. His new puppy group, my group, and the other group in our town got together at the airport to teach the puppies how to go through security. Rocco didn't get to go through security, but he was interviewed by local news stations. :-)

What Guide Dogs has Taught Me

You know, I think I'm a stronger and better person now that I ever was before because of Guide Dogs. Not only have a learned to give myself selflessly to a cause and to donate my time and energy into something that will better some one's life, but Guide Dogs has also taught me how to say good-bye. Something that a lot of people still can't do. So, thank you to Guide Dogs for teaching me how to say good-bye with dignity and grace.

Pictures to come of another last meeting tomorrow.

November 18: Royalty News

I'm glad to see that I started a tradition in my puppy group that whenever a puppy leaves or is CC'd (I would have made some for Tomales and Colorado if I had been there) we have cookies. I generally make too much. But at least I have fun doing it. Mary sent me this picture of Royalty's cookies that she made for Tuesday for her last meeting.

Very pretty. :) Perhaps I won't make as many the next time I'm able to make cookies. Though I think the next puppies we have leaving will also leave while I'm here in Scotland. So, oh well. :) Anyway, Royalty unfortunately didn't get to enjoy her cookies. Why you ask? Because she went back into season again on Tuesday. That girl has been in season 3 times since being in the group from 4 months old on. I hope this means that she's meant to procreate. Mary said that it might put a snag in the cogs of our plans for me to start a Royalty puppy over the summer. But I don't think so. Not with the way that she keeps going into Season. :)

Anyway, Good Luck Royalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

November 16: This is Getting Hard

This is getting a lot harder than I thought it would be. I mean, I knew doing a post a day on this blog would be difficult because I'm not raising a puppy at the moment, but I thought it would be a little easier than this. I wish I had more to post for today, but I still don't have much news about either of my pups.

Oh! I am starting to get my application together for a puppy this summer. I'm really excited. Props to anyone who can guess what I'm asking for. When the time comes closer there will of course be a contest with possible prizes. :) But for now, I'm just getting started.

In other news tonight is Royalty's last puppy meeting before heading off for college. It's getting so close.

November 13: Recall

Well guys it's official. Royalty is on the November 29th recall and the Puppy Truck is going through my town on the 19. :( Erin is sad that she doesn't get to see Royalty when she goes home for vacation.

You won't be seeing Royalty show up on the phase reports for a while as she is going in for Breeder Evaluation. I have high hopes for her as a Breeder. She's such a nice dog. Even the All Knowing Jim says that she's just a wonderful pup. I'm hoping this is a sign of good things to come. Because I have a plan!

Step 1 of my plan is for Royalty to become a breeder. Step 2 is for her to be bred almost immediately. Step 3 is for Royalty to have her puppies about 8 weeks before I come home for Summer Vacation. Step 4 is for me to start a Royalty puppy over the summer. I like this plan and I think it has potential. Now the only problem is for me to be able to get GDB to cooperate with me. But I think that's possible too. :)

Anyway, that's the news for today. Tuesday is Royalty's last puppy meeting and then she's heading to GDB on Friday the 19th. Time sure flies.

First Meeting...

Without Winston (aka Mr. Wiggles or Sir Wigglesalot). I didn't show it, but I was sad. When Mary asked who was missing my first thought was, "Where's Winston!?" Then of course I remembered where he was and why he wasn't going to be at this meeting or the next. And then I was sad. I got a little sad when Crenshaw and Zack and Harvard left, but nothing like this. I am legit upset people! Why? Because I think I always thought that when Winston left it would mean the end of an "era" if you will. When Winston left, I would have to leave and now Katlynn's leaving and probably won't be there when I get back for Winter Holiday. This is why I am sad. It's not because he's gone per say, I'm excited for him and happy for Katlynn, but both of us are kind of done with GDB (at least for now). That's why I am sad. Because I realize now that I am done...