tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-189931672024-03-14T03:20:07.713-04:00"Not My Dog": Tales from Puppy RaisingAn optimistic meditation on puppy raising for Guiding Eyes for the Blind, and other adventures in chaos.
Murphy (Wella x Farrell), the first pup we raised, is a male black Lab who graduated in June 2007 and is working as a guide dog in Wyoming.
The second pup, Nettie (Quarry x Evan), a female yellow Lab, arrived in mid-February 2007 at 6 months old and stayed with us for a year. She graduated in August 2008 and is working as a guide dog in Kansas.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.comBlogger198125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-3444984386716019552009-06-06T07:52:00.003-04:002009-06-06T07:54:36.624-04:00Why I love TwitterYou can't imagine how happy I was to read my email one morning and find out that Nettie is following me on Twitter.<br /><br />I always said she was smart, and she's so smart, she can tweet. :-)<br /><br />Rachel's pretty busy, but she tries to tweet now & then to let me know what's up. "Nettie" sent me Mother's Day wishes, for instance. I also hear about their doings via Facebook. Rachel went to China & Japan, but poor Nettie had to stay home -- too much red tape.<br /><br />Isn't technology grand?Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-21782992501112425212009-05-29T23:51:00.003-04:002009-06-06T08:02:30.860-04:00I'm baaack .. with a happy face this time!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-Lg6OREY8-aotUTFdkRNJUvWbJBgUitWO7hO9UdR278zt8DdOLcpx1lSK1GxH1OAduKy9q74iDNgbA7_EBf2izQ5lWlxOSMHYGoTrwJWkrQRKOFZC0hK4gUgySSspjqkTA314A/s1600-h/murphy&lance.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1-Lg6OREY8-aotUTFdkRNJUvWbJBgUitWO7hO9UdR278zt8DdOLcpx1lSK1GxH1OAduKy9q74iDNgbA7_EBf2izQ5lWlxOSMHYGoTrwJWkrQRKOFZC0hK4gUgySSspjqkTA314A/s320/murphy&lance.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344183759573269330" /></a><br />OK.<br /><br />Wow. A lot's been going on. My livelihood has been <a href="http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=258067&ac=PHnws">up in the air</a> for 14 months now, and forgive me, but it's starting to wear on me. However, if I get laid off, I'm on the phone ASAP to the GEB RM to get a pup to raise. <br /><br />Anyway ... <br /><br />In the "Gone, but not forgotten" category:<br /><br />Bob took Andrew to the pediatric dentist on Thursday; as they cleaned Andrew's teeth, he admired the hygienist's photos of her Labs. They chatted, he mentioned we raise for GEB, and she asked if we go to Edgewood Animal Clinic. We do -- so does she -- and that's where she'd seen Murphy & Nettie's graduation pictures.<br /><br />Murphy, she told Bob, was "the most handsome Lab I've ever seen."<br /><br />And I can't disagree. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />More to come later ... I'm resolved to keep this going even without a pup. And my big consolation is that if I become involuntarily unemployed, I'm going to raise a pup again.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-35521526656002521222009-02-17T23:59:00.006-05:002009-02-18T00:23:41.959-05:00Churlish, so very churlish"Blind faith."<br /><br />I picked up my issue of O Magazine right before bed, and found an article headlined <a href="http://www.oprah.com/article/omagazine/200903_omag_trust_blind">"Blind Faith". </a> It's written by a longtime GEB volunteer, who fosters a brood. She interviewed four of the people who got pups from her dog's (her phrase, not mine) A-litter, about their lives, about the "blind faith" they put in the dog each day.<br /><br />I should be elated, but I'm sorry to say, that was not my first reaction. I am feeling churlish, purely churlish, and here's why. <br /><br />So you foster a brood. Well, good for you. Good for the four people who got the A puppies. <br /><br />The article talks about the pups being born, then jumps to their lives with their partners. And in between, almost as an afterthought:<br /><br /><em>"At eight weeks, they go to puppy raisers, volunteers who train them at home before giving them up for the important work they will learn to do."</em><br /><br />Sure, that's a fair summary, but it missed a few points.<br /><br />Volunteers who housebreak those 8-week-old puppies, sacrificing sleep to be outside late at night and out again at crack of dawn.<br /><br />Volunteers who agonize and fret over these pups, worrying about their progress, probably almost as much as we do over human children.<br /><br />Volunteers for whom training that pup becomes their hobby, what they do with large chunks of their free time.<br /><br />Volunteers who love that pup fiercely, who believe in it with all their hearts, who do this knowing that it is not their dog and, if they do their job right, never will be.<br /><br />Volunteers who, more often than not now, are doing this for more than a year. <br /><br />Volunteers who watch the dog graduate with smiles and tears, who know (or come to learn) that they almost always will never hear of it again, and who accept (or come to accept) that this is the way it's going to be. <br /><br />Reading the article for a second time, I see that the author mentions having been a puppy raiser, so I'm somewhat surprised she seemingly glossed over that process.<br /><br />I'm sincerely not downplaying the role of raising a brood. It is commitment. It is work. It is important.<br /><br />But, it is easier. While technically the dog belongs to GEB, it lives with you. When it retires, it often stays with you. You don't have that mental countdown looming, that seeming endless procession of 'lasts' as IFT day draws near. <br /><br />I didn't feel those 'lasts' as keenly with Murphy. With Nettie, I cried in the car after our last trip together to Target, the scene of our highs (the Saturday before Christmas! Flawless! Unruffled!) and lows (the only time she ever pooped inside, and it was totally my fault.) <br /><br />So yes, raising a brood is important, and don't get me wrong: GEB couldn't function without the people who do this work. <br /><br />But you want to know what "blind faith" is?<br /><br />Blind faith is talking to your 7-year-old about why Mom wants to raise another GEB pup, instead of getting one of those yellow lab pups advertised for sale on the flier at the vet's office. Blind faith is hoping with all your heart that you're not hurting him, as he says wistfully, "but I'd kind of like a forever dog this time."<br /><br />Blind faith is figuring out how -- or if -- I can train another GEB pup, and do the job right, with a toddler in the house and an increasingly precarious job situation. <br /><br />Blind faith is believing that I can kickstart myself again and try to be a more accepting person and get over my bad self in this fit of churlishness. Blind faith is that the next time around, I'll believe in my own self, the way I can believe in a pup, and silence that inner voice that tells me that no one really wants to read what I'd write about raising a dog that isn't mine. Blind faith is that it's ok to pour our my emotions tonight, raw as they may be at the moment. <br /><br />Blind faith is still wanting to find a way, when there are so many reasons it would be easy not to.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-5141347816300359992009-02-05T21:53:00.001-05:002009-02-05T21:55:02.751-05:00Puppy raising pop cultureOn "30 Rock" tonight, as Liz and Jenna discuss whether Liz's neighbor is too perfect for her. Liz thinks he might be: "He trains Seeing Eye dogs at home!"<br /><br />My husband is preening as we speak.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-65916096890641932622009-01-08T22:50:00.001-05:002009-01-08T22:53:00.813-05:00A beautiful storyI came across this <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/living/story/1118953.html">beautiful article </a>online about the experience of a reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram as she retired her first guide and got her second. <br /><br />It resonated with me -- both as a fellow journalist, and because both Murphy and Nettie were the second guides for Lance and Rachel, and I know it was a bittersweet time for them.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-91590169086227816822009-01-04T15:19:00.004-05:002009-01-04T15:38:11.327-05:00Still alive here!It's really hard to blog about puppy raising when you aren't raising a puppy.<br /><br />We did survive a key test: We puppy-sat for a weekend in December, and it went really well. Winston is a handsome 16-month-old boy who's going IFT in March. He is so calm and well-behaved, lovely house manners. He was wonderful with the kids, even though he's not normally around small ones. My husband was ready to steal him and not give him back to his raiser!<br /><br />The weekend we had him, we even got snow -- about 18 inches over the course of the weekend. It was so much fun to be outside romping in the snow with a Lab again ... even if Winston managed to lose not one, but two toys in deep drifts! Ah, well, they'll turn up again. <br /><br />Here's Winston and the kids.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vs27g5XGQDjVYuq7DxQDn0MQuq7d7wZ3BcxThRuNF9kwiXozD6iXl4ZwbSzht01UONSZZcxwyTEivN2z-hIkS1Y_yupkoFsjtdRrkhgxovjSNHg-n71TSN6hoH3Y-mAgNz7ANw/s1600-h/kids-winston1208.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1vs27g5XGQDjVYuq7DxQDn0MQuq7d7wZ3BcxThRuNF9kwiXozD6iXl4ZwbSzht01UONSZZcxwyTEivN2z-hIkS1Y_yupkoFsjtdRrkhgxovjSNHg-n71TSN6hoH3Y-mAgNz7ANw/s320/kids-winston1208.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5287537006859952466" /></a><br /><br /><br />So husband is now talking about next puppy around May .. we shall see. There's a lot up in the air right now, including my work situation. Hopefully we will have some answers by March. <br /><br />I'm still staying involved in GEB; I do the Maine region website, and I may be mentoring a new raiser, if she decides to go ahead and get a pup. <br /><br />Oh, my other thing to share: Cool Christmas present! My husband got me a red fleece vest with the GEB logo. Very warm and stylish, and very handy for working a pup!<br /><br />My other plan for 2009 is to do a better job at keeping up with everyone else's blogs.<br /><br />Happy New Year to all!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-20237360664628187192008-10-01T21:48:00.002-04:002008-10-01T21:51:48.593-04:00Maine GEB on TV hereThe local TV station did a feature on puppy raising, focusing quite a bit on one of our raisers whose son is with his second guide dog from GEB. Unfortunately they got my friend Nina's name wrong, and I would have liked to have had them talk more about the socialization aspect of training -- I think it would have been good to educate the public about why we're bringing the pups into places, and how they ought to behave when they encounter us! Oh, well - there's my media criticism. :-)<br /> <br /><br /><p><object id="embeddedplayer" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=9,0,0,0" height="305" width="320" classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000"><param value="http://gannett.a.mms.mavenapps.net/mms/rt/1/site/gannett-wcsh-wlbz-3332-pub01-live/current/articleplayer/singleclip/client/embedded/embedded.swf" name="movie" /><param value="true" name="allowFullScreen" /><param value="always" name="allowScriptAccess" /><param value="noscale" name="scale" /><param value="LT" name="salign" /><param value="#000000" name="bgcolor" /><param value="window" name="wmode" /><param value="playerId=articleplayer&referralObject=874560780&referralPlaylistId=playlist&adServerBasePath=http://gcirm.gannett-tv.gcion.com/RealMedia/ads/adstream_sx.ads&adPositionId=x25&adSiteId=video.wcsh6.com&gpaperCode=gntbcstwcsh&marketName=Portland, ME&division=broadcast&pageContentCategory=articleplayer&pageContentSubcategory=articleplayer" name="FlashVars" /></object></p>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-20650042721869382772008-09-02T21:02:00.003-04:002008-09-02T21:06:58.988-04:00Careful what you teach them....When I go blueberry picking, I can be kind of annoying.<br /><br />I don't know why, but I find it hard to leave a blueberry patch. Every bush, I see what might be the most perfect berry I've ever seen. And then another. And another. And so forth.<br /><br />This is to the great consternation of my junior berry picking assistant. On Monday, he was READY to go HOME. (All caps to convey the eye-rolling.)<br /><br />I insisted on stopping again, and then I hear my son making the cluck cluck noise my husband calls "the all-purpose animal call" and saying, "C'mon, mommy, c'mon!"<br /><br />"What," I asked him, "are you doing?"<br /><br />"I'm jollying you along, Mommy."<br /><br />So I've been reduced to being compared to a pup that won't stop sniffing.<br /><br />The boy may have a future in dog training.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-82499828199372700432008-08-21T22:39:00.003-04:002008-08-21T22:43:05.688-04:00Weird coincidence<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDDxGw0vnm9LQr0ECMyvsCvwU5K-goqIfepEM3X_AjmFE8FfOrWBNUN97l-XxQ5QLZEEw0Xb_KNPHB2d_3MsZhSIdGEDZvuXA0L4laDMzSSh-9uEooUVWf0l2g0Q5LdksAW6szQ/s1600-h/pph-guide.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDDxGw0vnm9LQr0ECMyvsCvwU5K-goqIfepEM3X_AjmFE8FfOrWBNUN97l-XxQ5QLZEEw0Xb_KNPHB2d_3MsZhSIdGEDZvuXA0L4laDMzSSh-9uEooUVWf0l2g0Q5LdksAW6szQ/s320/pph-guide.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237167015146953506" /></a><br /><br />I forgot to mention this below... While we were waiting to have our portrait taken with Nettie and Rachel, my husband Bob noticed a photograph that looked strangely familiar in the display case... It's the Portland Press Herald building, where I work (for now, anyway!)<br /><br />Many, many times I have walked Murphy and then Nettie right where the man and his guide are.... Too funny!<br /><br />(I couldn't get a good shot without the glare and I didn't realize until we got home that I had captured Bob and human puppy's reflections as well. .. One other thought: I am so glad Bob came along -- I knew Rebecca would not get a good morning nap, and she did not, and I knew she'd screech during graduation and she did! ... Our RM, Bessie, told me that she would have taken Rebecca out for me so that I wouldn't have missed it, but I didn't know she'd be there. )Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-29736528159537018792008-08-21T22:21:00.004-04:002008-08-22T09:12:55.794-04:00Wow ... Whew ... Better late than never?I feel like I'm almost all talked out about graduation, having sent lots of emails to friends about it and posted an account on our <a href="http://brooklynreview.typepad.com/wicked_good_guide_dogs/">Maine GEB website</a>, too. <br /><br />For the first time in three years, we aren't preparing for a pup, we don't have a pup in the house and we don't have a pup at GEB in training. <br /><br />It's different. <br /><br />I am very happy about Nettie and her match. Rachel is a wonderful, really neat person and I wish her the very best. Nettie, I think, will thrive in a college setting. I was thrilled that she remembered us -- and equally thrilled that, as we sat and chatted in Rachel's room, that it was Rachel that Nettie would check in with as she took a break from playing with her toy or wandering around.<br /><br />(Nettie, however, did keep staring at Rebecca, as if she was thinking "Just what is that, and when did you get it?")<br /><br />I didn't cry. I did at Murphy's graduation -- tears of pride, of course. Tears that we had accomplished our goal, that he had made it.<br /><br />I don't want anyone to misinterpret this, but Nettie's graduation was almost anti-climactic. Perhaps I had gotten arrogant, but I always believed in my heart that Nettie would be guiding. I was momentarily rattled when she was pulled in July*, but I always expected her to make it. Murphy is a wonderful dog, but there were times where I didn't know if guiding was his destiny, so his graduation was a little more emotional.<br /><br />(* as for the pulling her from class in July ... Rachel had a very interesting observation. She said Nettie seemed a little sad when she got her, and very, very eager to show her that she knew how to do what she was supposed to do ... We both thought it sounded like it was a little rough for Nettie to get pulled, too.)<br /><br />Anyway, here are a couple pictures. <br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEKeWkjRQ1BtfLgGYSkgzdlUBsJPpSeRzuxrcKQxfQRz_xK9jktJzad14DhTyIDJX5CmkE1w6A9OrI3b6CzWskLgZEIMWghOQ3qFXdmyELVXj3X7ftR7F3g0blu_WKOu-tvOLpA/s1600-h/Aug+16+2008+-+Rachel%26Nettie.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbEKeWkjRQ1BtfLgGYSkgzdlUBsJPpSeRzuxrcKQxfQRz_xK9jktJzad14DhTyIDJX5CmkE1w6A9OrI3b6CzWskLgZEIMWghOQ3qFXdmyELVXj3X7ftR7F3g0blu_WKOu-tvOLpA/s320/Aug+16+2008+-+Rachel%26Nettie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237164275083949602" /></a><br /><br />Rachel and Nettie in the ceremony<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tDw4g_uZxxptxsdyXSjsvOm5G6buMhrEiKo8A778yuu_TYy_Gs36mGbzfga6H-KFqnKyGWG9pUa5qQhoPabnqWXF36s2bFZSmfXR_Z2NRDv3nu1bEu4NUZTZEC8-WXylnFfbdA/s1600-h/Aug+16+2008+-+nettieandrew.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5tDw4g_uZxxptxsdyXSjsvOm5G6buMhrEiKo8A778yuu_TYy_Gs36mGbzfga6H-KFqnKyGWG9pUa5qQhoPabnqWXF36s2bFZSmfXR_Z2NRDv3nu1bEu4NUZTZEC8-WXylnFfbdA/s320/Aug+16+2008+-+nettieandrew.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5237164518761387938" /></a><br /><br />Nettie greeting Andrew afterwards .. note, the four on the floor!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-38223774570687727032008-08-15T07:56:00.002-04:002008-08-15T08:31:10.344-04:00And we're off!No late pullback this time from GEB ... looks like the match is a go! It had better be -- we'll be on the road in a few hours. <br /><br />Random thoughts:<br /><br />-- Having not done a road trip with an infant in oh, nearly 7 years, I had forgotten how much stuff you have to pack for them. It's even worse than hauling along puppy gear! (Just make sure you're set with diapers or poop bags, depending on the species.)<br /><br />-- I have the sweetest husband in the world for rearranging his schedule to come along, to save me from a solo road trip with infant and 6-year-old. A big MWAH to him. (Although part of me thinks he's just paranoid that Andrew and I might come home with a puppy from the CDC tour ... just kidding, honey.)<br /><br />-- From the how not to behave file: Our RC sent an email reminding everyone to not grab the dog and take off with it for a walk. What?? Yes, sadly, apparently at least one raiser has done this at graduation. Yikes. I'm trying to be charitable here, but wow. <br /><br />-- This time, the scrapbook for Nettie's owner has been done for several days. Longtime readers may remember that Murphy's got finished at 1 a.m. on the day of graduation, on the hotel room bathroom floor while my son slept in the room. :-) You do get wiser as you get older.<br /><br />-- Mostly I'm just excited for Nettie and her owner. Nettie was such a pleasure to have in our lives -- well, almost all of the time, but that's true for any pup or kid.<br />What always stood out about Nettie was how much she liked to think and to work. We believed from the time we first babysat her that she was probably going to be a guide, and it's a thrill to be proven right and to see it happen. <br /><br />I'm still taking the Kleenex, though.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-38545585479022661902008-08-10T11:22:00.003-04:002008-08-10T11:31:32.380-04:00Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention!Nettie is in class and may graduate on Aug. 16 if all goes well. She is currently paired with a woman from Lawrence, Kansas. I can picture Nettie working at a university setting, and I think that she would be very happy doing so! She was always happiest out working. I am excited and proud for her. Now, just have to hope that human puppy will cooperate and be good during graduation. Older human puppy is far more easily bribed -- a new book and Gummi bears will do the trick.<br /><br />(Actually, we used to play a training game with Nettie in which Andrew would also do the commands -- down, stay, sit, bow -- along with her and his 'kibble' would be fruit snacks. Fortunately, I never goofed and fed the wrong kibble to the wrong one.)<br /><br />Back to topic. Another of our Maine dogs, Fiera, also is in class, and hopefully will be making friends with Princess Coral really soon! <br /><br />I really enjoyed puppy class last Saturday. I took Rebecca along and actually ended up getting a chance to work Genevieve, a wonderful 5-month-old pup. Yes, you can work a smaller pup with a baby strapped to you in a Baby Bjorn. .. not saying I would do it on a day-to-day basis, though! I also experimented with shooting some video for our Maine GEB website. I really like some of the new work with the dogs on a long line.. I used to do that with Murphy & Nettie and it was always fun and effective with them. I also love the new "get dressed" command for the collar!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-90353651242922116462008-08-04T22:57:00.003-04:002008-08-04T23:00:09.333-04:00The waiting gameI went to puppy class on Saturday, and our RM said that I should know by Thursday whether Nettie will be in the August class. I have my fingers crossed! <br /><br />Princess Coral, welcome to reading the blog... We have at least four dogs from Maine who are class-ready, so if Nettie doesn't wind up with your friend, maybe one of her buddies will! <br /><br />Will write more on thoughts from Saturday's puppy class, doings, musings on graduation, etc, but human puppy has only decided to go back to sleeping through the night recently .. and my uncooperative time clock has still been waking up at 4 a.m. even when she doesn't!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-76987777661814362472008-07-16T22:45:00.003-04:002008-07-16T22:48:07.292-04:00Nettie pulled from classI got word today that Nettie has been pulled from class and won't be graduating on Sat. Our RM said that her pace didn't match with the person she'd been placed with.<br /><br />I can't help but be nervous, though. I'm not sure why this decision was made so close to the graduation -- I would think this would have cropped up sooner? So I hope that it's not that they're thinking she may not make it.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-61447405598432486542008-07-13T20:07:00.003-04:002008-07-13T20:15:54.209-04:00The proper etiquette? DiscussThe Pup Who Shall Remain Nameless had me thinking: How do you handle it if you sit for a pup and it displays bad behavior?<br /><br />PWSRN's raisers seem to be very conscientious people who are trying hard, but seem to be having difficulty. When they arrived to collect PWSRN, they asked if she had barked much .. and it was obvious from the tone and semi-furtive glances, they knew already she probably had. Ditto on the jumping. I tried to be honest, while not dwelling on all the gory details. ("Yes, she did bark in the crate when no one was in the room" was what I said vs. "She finally quit barking after three hours when I came and slept on the couch in the room with her.")<br /><br />Was I being too nice? Discuss.<br /><br />Other question of the week: We get our picture taken with Nettie and her person. Clearly, Andrew will be in it. (I took him to get a haircut today so he would look presentable, and he told the Supercuts stylist all about going to graduation for a dog that isn't ours. She was very confused until I clarified.)<br /><br />But the baby? I'm of two minds. She did not contribute to the raising. In fact, one could argue that she notched up the level of difficulty, by making me nauseated, very tired and top-heavy at varying stages. I'm tempted to hand her to a bystander if the opportunity is there. (Husband cannot come to NY.) <br /><br />The polls are open.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-76657628101022713522008-07-12T03:14:00.002-04:002008-07-12T03:20:29.369-04:00Not all Labs are created equalI am babysitting tonight and tomorrow for Pup Who Shall Remain Nameless, in order to protect its reputation.<br /><br />Nettie, it turns out, was an amateur when it came to barking. <br /><br />It is now 3:15 and Pup Who Shall Remain Nameless has been at it since 1 a.m. I have come down to sleep on the family room couch, to see if having someone in the same room will make her be quiet. (Apparently at home she sleeps in crate in daughter's bedroom.)<br /><br />Fortunately, husband and both children can sleep through pretty much anything, and have not stirred from this commotion. But tomorrow should be fun -- this pup is also a real bad jumper, and I'm not thinking I'm going to be able to trust her around the kids.<br /><br />I think the next time, I may ask a few more questions before I agree to sit ... Pup Who Shall Remain Nameless is a year old and doesn't have jacket yet ... hmm. If I'd known that, I might have been busy tomorrow.<br /><br />At least I didn't agree to keep her for a week.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-84770454699402977932008-07-07T21:41:00.002-04:002008-07-07T21:44:24.221-04:00Coincidences continue ...Our regional manager told me today that Nettie is going to a woman who lives in a town about 15 miles from Lexington, Ky., which is where we lived for nine years! I know that Nettie is her first guide dog and that's it at this point.<br /><br />Still, I'm blown away by the coincidence. We still have lots of friends in Lexington, and my parents don't live that far away. I am trying not to get too hopeful, but I really am hoping that Nettie's owner might be open to keeping in touch after graduation.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-55177188109083433832008-07-06T09:54:00.002-04:002008-07-06T09:58:54.625-04:00It's a small world after allI now know Nettie's partner's name. She is going to a woman from Kentucky -- which is very cool because we lived in Lexington, Ky for nine years! I covered higher ed and politics when I was a reporter there, which means that I have visited practically every part of the state at one time or another. So I have a feeling I will be very familiar with wherever she goes.<br /><br />Now to get cracking on the scrapbook that Carol started for Nettie. I intend to finish it well before I finished Murphy's -- which was at 12:30 a.m. the morning of graduation!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-13266650224198957832008-07-02T20:16:00.002-04:002008-12-08T22:09:34.097-05:00Nettie is in class!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZtlHTRm-LFxFTp31OrQcyboWgcibFDTIj0sAmJ-JS7oBXv94zIX3xx3-86l7I4A_ZlGhOaFSGCRdBDvDfgGU6enbr5b_VWPAuunYp7d9gJUvfW1oEXGx1ThKaiJHh6T4rC3yuw/s1600-h/nettieferry0307.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBZtlHTRm-LFxFTp31OrQcyboWgcibFDTIj0sAmJ-JS7oBXv94zIX3xx3-86l7I4A_ZlGhOaFSGCRdBDvDfgGU6enbr5b_VWPAuunYp7d9gJUvfW1oEXGx1ThKaiJHh6T4rC3yuw/s320/nettieferry0307.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218579410078922562" /></a><br /><br />I got word today that Nettie is in class and scheduled to graduate on July 19! I truly was not expecting this yet -- I honestly wasn't sure she'd make it after the last report. I don't know much more yet, but will write much more later.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-88051864914343669722008-06-24T22:58:00.002-04:002008-12-08T22:09:34.287-05:00How quickly time flies<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2jJEX8iM97VN7HwP5ODbVo7XKgTUdQB1PHCGcWQ6DRLrT_F1XHr-WhipNGpUNDwrN2ZB33O7WP_oxeyclrfnKs-lY2MmfKB9ay8zwcF-jZBZGbrSqPv2ZAzz-C_dlft5iLlSmg/s1600-h/murphyguide.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW2jJEX8iM97VN7HwP5ODbVo7XKgTUdQB1PHCGcWQ6DRLrT_F1XHr-WhipNGpUNDwrN2ZB33O7WP_oxeyclrfnKs-lY2MmfKB9ay8zwcF-jZBZGbrSqPv2ZAzz-C_dlft5iLlSmg/s320/murphyguide.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5215649185235510498" /></a><br /><br />I realized this morning that yesterday was the one-year anniversary of Murphy's graduation from GEB.<br /><br />Good boy, Murph-Murph. I hope that your year of working has gone by as fast as life this past year has for me.<br /><br />And as I wrote in the first newspaper piece I did about raising, I hope your owner loves his dog at least half as much as I did.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-34154237173781845462008-06-07T16:08:00.002-04:002008-06-07T16:11:45.417-04:00Nettie's Phase 3 reportWow, I have been off the blog for a while, haven't I? <br /><br />I have been doing GEB stuff -- we actually puppy-sat for 5 days while I was still on maternity leave, and I'm doing other stuff for the program. It's just been crazy since I went back to work! I will catch up retroactively, but here is Nettie's Phase 3 report. As you'll see, she's showing some stress, so I think the next few weeks will help determine what she's going to do with her life.<br /><br />Here's Nettie's Phase 3 report:<br /><br />GUIDING EYES FOR THE BLIND<br />TRAINING REPORT - PHASE THREE<br /><br />Dog Name<br />Nettie<br />Report Dates<br />4/26/08-5/23/08<br />Trainer's Name<br />Michelle Tang<br /><br /><em>Some dogs progress right on to phase three, but most have some overlap with lessons from phase two or they may have already spent at least a month on phase three skills but are not yet ready to continue onto the next level. In the third training period the dogs continue, of course, to review and reinforce the basics and the lessons they have already begun to learn, but there is more responsibility placed on the dog. Phase three is the time when the dogs are asked to perform learned tasks on their own initiative. For instance, the instructor gives the left turn hand signal and voice command and begins to move her body into the correct position. The dog is expected to back up and swing around 90 degrees without the instructor helping the dog. Praise and repetition are the keys to a confident and reliable guide dog. Each lesson has to be repeated hundreds of times in different situations before the dog really understands what is expected and can respond reliably to the cues provided.<br /><br />It may seem like a slow process to you as you wait eagerly for news, but think how difficult it must be for your dog to figure out that he must stop at the usual curb stops, handicap ramps, junctions of grass and pavement and concrete and pavement junctions as well. Some streets have a corner right across on the opposite side but others are offset, requiring the dog to locate the corner and head for it, even though it is not directly in front of them. All of this learning takes time!</em> <br /><br />Training<br /><br />During the third phase the trainer works the dog in Peekskill and in White Plains, a larger city with all of the distractions found in Peekskill as well as large buildings, restaurants, revolving doors and shopping malls.<br /><br />( P:Poor F:Fair G:Good F/G:Fair/Good, etc. ) Being worked on<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Steady pace and pull.<br /><strong><br />G</strong><br />Turns, down curbs and street crossings.<br /><br /><strong>F/G</strong><br />Remedial problems being worked on to build confidence or obtain proper response on situations such as stairs, under footings, control with distractions, concerns with noises, people or objects, over-friendliness, etc. (See Notes.)<br /><strong><br />G</strong><br />Clearances - Guide dogs actually are introduced to the concept of swinging around obstacles in their path in phase two. The instructor sweeps a hand in the appropriate direction and guides the dog around the obstacle with the leash. It is in phase three, however, that formal instruction of this most important function of a guide dog is fine tuned. Specific routes where there are many parking meters, trees, signs, garbage cans and other obstacles are selected. The dog is instructed to go forward and when an obstacle presents itself, the instructor guides the dog around it with the leash. The dog can go in either direction if safe, but must take the width of a person into account so they will both clear the obstacle. After a short time, the instructor will bump into the obstacle, often slapping it with her hand. This , of course, creates a jerk on the harness handle since the dog was continuing to move forward but the instructor ran into something. It also provides an audible cue for running into an obstacle. The dog notices and is then heeled back a distance from the obstacle. He is then told forward so the situation can be reworked. When the team gets close to the obstacle, the dog usually swings away. If he does not, or if the movement is not sufficient to clear both handler and dog, the instructor guides the dog past with the leash and provides a hand command. Much praise follows and the situation may be reworked again. Over time, the dog learns to anticipate the upcoming obstacle and begins to use its own initiative to move around the obstacle ahead of time. Later, the dog must learn to clear not only stationary obstacles but moving obstacles, such as pedestrians, as well.<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Walking up and down stairs is among the most frightening of things a blind person needs to be able to do with a guide dog. Initially, dogs-in-training are socialized to stairs while wearing a harness. If they show any concern, the harness handle is dropped and the dog is allowed to go up and down the stairs on a loose leash. Once the dog relaxes, the trainer teaches the dog to walk attentively at the handler's pace and to stop when asked. The dogs are introduced to solid steps first. When they are comfortable with solid stairs, the trainer will introduce open-backed stairs.<br /><br /><strong>F</strong><br />Platform work - Guide dogs must learn to pull the blind person away from a platform edge or other drop in elevation that could be dangerous. This is usually taught at a train station. The instructor tells the dog forward and the team moves right toward the platform edge. The dog will usually stop at the edge and is praised. The dog is again told to go forward but is praised only for turning away from the platform and moving the handler far enough away from the edge that they will not fall off. Platform work requires the use of "intelligent disobedience" where the dog is told to do one thing but must make a decision to disobey that command if it places the handler in danger. It takes a self-confident dog with a great deal of initiative to intelligently disobey commands.<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Revolving doors -- This type of door is difficult for the dog to maneuver as the space is triangle-shaped and very tight. The door is also moving, often at a pre-set speed. Revolving doors can be nerve wracking for the dog especially since the dog is in the tight corner of the triangle and there is a glass wall directly in front and behind. The dogs are taught to work on the leash through revolving doors rather than with the harness handle being held. When the handle is dropped, the dog is not responsible for guiding and is only required to heel next to the handler. It takes repeated exposures for some dogs to gain the confidence to calmly enter and walk slowly through revolving doors.<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Escalators - As a puppy, we hope you gave your pup the opportunity to observe escalators. Guide dogs begin their exposure to escalators by being helped on by the instructor. Most do not really want to get on because they are unsure. This uncertainty is overcome by the trust relationship that has developed between the dog and the trainer. After the dog is encouraged to step onto the escalator, the instructor supports the dog by holding the back strap of the harness. Most dogs are crouched and a bit nervous on their first ride but soon realize after many repetitions that it is not so bad after all. Just as with revolving doors, the dog does not have to be responsible for anything but heeling. Dismounting the escalator is taught in a specific way so the dog does not get its toes caught in the metal teeth.<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Most raisers have exposed their pups to riding in elevators. The dog learns to help find the controls for the elevator and when the door opens, to guide the handler in quickly, finding an open space to stand. The dog turns the handler around so they are facing the door and ready to leave when the elevator stops. The handler has to know which floor they are on and where they want to get off.<br /><br /><strong>F/G</strong><br />Indoor malls and stores -- Working inside malls, food courts and tight narrow isles uses the concepts of straight-line, steady pace and pull, and obstacle clearances but it poses new challenges since there are so many paths to take. The dogs are taught destinations to instill the concept that they are going into the building for a purpose. Guide dogs are taught to find the door openings and bring the handler to a door knob or push bar which can be challenging in a mall with a glass front where only one or two panels are actually doors. Once inside, the dog is taught to "shore-line," which means to stay near the corridor wall. The instructor selects a store to enter and the dog is commanded to "find right" or "find left" in order to help find the door. Much praise follows. The blind person would either have to know the approximate distance the store is from the entry door or ask someone. Once in the store, the handler will stop and "shop" while the dog lays or sits quietly. The dog is then instructed to find the door and will lead the handler out of the store. Of course, in the beginning, the dog is helped by the handler but, just as with all training, repetition and praise eventually lead to understanding.<br /><br /><strong>Notes on training and reaction to the environment:</strong><br />Nettie has done well during this training period, working in Peekskill, White Plains, and at the Jefferson Valley Mall. She continues to hone her skills in all of the basics of guidework. In addition, she has learned some new skills. She has learned how to travel through a revolving door, and is comfortable doing so. Nettie completed her preliminary blindfold during this training cycle. Some stress/worry has begun to surface with the added pressure and responsibility of the work.<br /><br />We also proceeded to extensive indoor training at the Jefferson Valley Mall. Nettie works well indoors and targets stairs and doors well. She did very well working on the stairs, and was comfortable in the elevator. She had her initial exposure to riding the escalator, and has become comfortable doing so. At this point, she needs some minor fine tuning on the escalator.<br /><br />Nettie completed prephase and phase 1 traffic as well during this training cycle. These lessons can be very stressfull and Nettie initially showed some displacement behavior such as sniffing and whining. This was a way for her to deal with the stress of the lessons. Eventually she did demonstrate a good back up away from the moving car, but showed considerable stress and worry. Nettie also took a trip to a local train station for platform work. Again, this can be stressfull for a dog. Nettie did show some worry, but was able to show the handler a good backup from the edge and turn to the right to block her handler from the edge.<br /><br />Nettie has also had initial exposure to wearing the Halti and booties, while out of harness. She is adapting well to these items. Soon she will proceed to wearing them while working in harness.<br /><br />Nettie has developed a strong handler attachment over the past few months. It is not uncommon for a dog who lacks some confidence to build this attachment and turn to the handler for support as more pressure is put on. Nettie will benefit from being worked by other people in order for her to learn that guidework is her job and that she needs to perform for any handler. Nettie will now be worked by my partner Woody for the next 5 weeks. In addition, our class supervisor Miranda will be working with Nettie as well. I will miss working with her, but ultimately this is best for her.<br /><br />Nettie is currently living with Annabelle BLF. She is super sweet and affectionate. She loves playing with her sister Nia YLF during community run.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-90738540615349165912008-04-30T16:57:00.001-04:002008-04-30T17:00:00.120-04:00That's my girl!We got Nettie's Phase 2 report today. I keep reminding myself that anything can happen during training, but I feel encouraged by this report. (And, my darling husband has shown me how to copy the form for posting. :-) )<br /><br />So here goes:<br /><br /><strong>Training</strong><br /><br /><em>Phase two is a time to fine tune the previous lessons, to continue working on obedience, to work on any residual behavioral problems the dog may have such as scavenging for food, distraction with animals, over-friendliness with people, emptying on route or concerns with the environment. It is also a time to use the learned lessons in Peekskill, a moderate sized town with added distractions such as traffic, stores, pedestrians, other animals, and unusual under-footings like grates or metal plates in the sidewalk. These distractions add extra challenges for the dogs as they continue to work on reinforcing basic obedience, guide dog commands and the straight line concept that they learned in phase one. New lessons will begin to include making turns, crossing streets and stopping at down curbs.</em> <br /><br /><em>(P:Poor F:Fair G:Good F/G:Fair/Good, etc. ) Being worked on</em><br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Application of guide-work basics: straight-line, forward, hup-up, wait, obedience.<br /><strong><br />G</strong><br />Right and Left Turns - Using hand signals, verbal cues, specific foot movements by the handler and leash cues, the instructor teaches the dog to make 90 degree turns. The right turn is fairly easy but the left turn requires the dog to back up and then swing around 90 degrees to the left. At first turns are done in areas without obstacles such as poles but later the dog will have to adjust the turn to clear the handler from hitting objects or people standing nearby.<br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Stopping at Down Curbs - Dogs first learn to stop at the curb before stepping into the road or when reaching the end of the sidewalk or path. This is a crucial lesson since stopping will serve as a means of orientation for the blind person, providing a signal that the team has come to the end of the block. The blind person then decides to continue forward and crosses the street or to make a right or left turn or even an about turn. Much effort goes into training the dog to walk quickly up to the stopping point and to maintain a steady pace. The dog must stop with its toes right at the edge of the curb so the blind person can extend a foot and tap to determine that they have reached the end of the block. If the dog slows down before reaching the curb in anticipation of stopping, the blind person will interpret this as the dog indicating a narrow space or rough terrain. <br /><br /><strong>G</strong><br />Street Crossings -- The dogs are taught to cross quickly from one curb to the opposite curb and never to cross diagonally. Just as with every lesson, the dogs are first shown what to do with verbal cues and leash guidance while the harness handle is held.<br /><br />Michelle's comments: <br />Nettie is progressing nicely with her training. She has been working mostly in the town of Peekskill working on her curbs, turns, and street crossings. She is a very willing dog and has proven to be very smart as well. She has relaxed considerably since my last report. She has settled into a comfortable moderate pace.<br /><br />Nettie also took a trip to a local mall during this training cycle. Nettie works well indoors and on stairs. She is relaxed and settled.<br /><br />Nettie is currently living with Annabelle, YLF. She loves to play with her sister Nia YLF. They are adorable.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-70102037170956632152008-04-29T12:33:00.002-04:002008-04-29T12:38:51.890-04:00The TV guide dog recapWell, if you suspended disbelief, it was a pretty funny episode. My observations:<br /><br />1) Although there's a reference that Carlos went to "school" to learn to work with Roxy the guide dog, it appears to have been for a very quick period of time!<br /><br />2) Roxy growls at Gaby whenever she yells at or is mean to Carlos. I'm pretty sure that, however admirable the loyalty, that personal protection is not part of the training regimen.<br /><br />3) Neither is fetching the remote and the other tasks Gaby was so hoping for. Although I think she also mentioned licking up spills ... and I would say that the pups I've raised, Murphy especially, probably could tackle that job if asked.<br /><br />4) The dog following Gaby home after being dumped back at the guide dog school? Um, yeah. Right.<br /><br />The dog was definitely a golden, I'd say, and the harness looked pretty close to real. <br /><br />But otherwise, as they say, that's entertainment.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-44742534650010532962008-04-23T09:32:00.002-04:002008-04-23T09:34:13.652-04:00Comedic reliefAnyone out there a fan of "Desperate Housewives" ? That show is one of my guilty pleasures. Well, anyway, in next week's episode, Carlos is getting a guide dog. I can hardly wait to see how comedically inaccurate this is going to be ... One of the promos showed the dog in bed with him, with him saying that the trainers told him to do this to "bond" with the dog. The dog looks like a golden, from the brief glimpse I saw.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18993167.post-37263036236333497842008-04-11T16:26:00.003-04:002008-04-11T16:32:09.587-04:00Nettie's Phase 1 reportWell, I'm finally getting around to posting Nettie's Phase 1 report, which we got two weeks ago (on the day Rebecca was born, hence the delay.)<br /><br />I'm having trouble copying the form, but the headline is that Nettie got a "Good" on every category she was evaluated on: Obedience, Introduction to Harness, Forward Command, Hup-Up Command, Wait Command and Straight Line Concept.<br /><br />She also got "Good" in Community Run, Kennel Behavior, and Body Handling. (I was a little surprised on body handling because, for me at least, she was always a pill about having her nails clipped. But maybe I'm just not good at it!)<br /><br />I was thrilled, to say the least!<br /><br />Here is Michelle's comment portion:<br /><br /><em>Nettie has been very busy over the past month. She has learned to pull in her harness and passed her 'forward' test two weeks ago. We have been working on self control with Nettie, she is so eager to learn and please that she can sometimes lose focus. She has done very well when her handler is low key and clear with commands. Nettie has moved on to working in Peekskill, focusing on the straight line concept, curb work, and turns. She is a smart dog and has done well with her lessons.Nettie is currently living with Nate GLABYM, and Razzle YLF. She has a lot of energy and enjoys playing with the big boys during community. She is a very sweet dog and I enjoy working with her.</em>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18244165421092036609noreply@blogger.com3