Dylan is Back...

Dylan came home yesterday after spending a full week up in Sylmar.  This was after spending 4 days with a puppy sitter up by LAX airport.  All to give me an opportunity to see what damage was done to my left knee.  Plus, it gave Dylan a chance to be with her GDA mates up in the kennels.

First my knee.  After X-rays and an MRI, it was discovered I had a "minimally depressed fracture of the anterior quadrant of the lateral tibial plateau".   As well as a small tear of the mid zone of the lateral meniscus.  No surgery, but 4 to 6 weeks staying off it and keeping it wrapped.  Ugh...

Second, Dylan handled the away time very well.  I picked her up in Redondo Beach as a volunteer for GDA goes and works in the kennels but comes home around 1 P.M.  She was no worse for wear and was as energetic as ever.  Bailey was very glad she was home.  Someone to romp with...

Wednesday night is our training night with the other dogs in our group at a local park.  Chris and I took turns working with Dylan and I must say that she did well considering we had not worked with her for two weeks.

Me with Dylan in a down/stay while Brian bounced a ball to distract her.

And Chris working with Dylan on her "formal come".  Just a slight adjustment to get her sitting facing forward.

Her long line leash comes were not so good.  I didn't get any video of this but she was all over the place.  The idea is to be about 30 feet away and call her.  She is on a long line and is suppose to come directly to you and stop in front of you.  Sort of like what I was asking her to do when she did come right to me, only she never stopped.   Ouch!

Going forward, our biggest concerns revolve around walking her one to two miles a day for her exercise.  With my knee and Chris' back, this will be a challenge.  But we have the pool so that's what we'll do in the mean time.  Doggie time in the pool, anyone?

Dylan is Back...

Dylan came home yesterday after spending a full week up in Sylmar.  This was after spending 4 days with a puppy sitter up by LAX airport.  All to give me an opportunity to see what damage was done to my left knee.  Plus, it gave Dylan a chance to be with her GDA mates up in the kennels.

First my knee.  After X-rays and an MRI, it was discovered I had a "minimally depressed fracture of the anterior quadrant of the lateral tibial plateau".   As well as a small tear of the mid zone of the lateral meniscus.  No surgery, but 4 to 6 weeks staying off it and keeping it wrapped.  Ugh...

Second, Dylan handled the away time very well.  I picked her up in Redondo Beach as a volunteer for GDA goes and works in the kennels but comes home around 1 P.M.  She was no worse for wear and was as energetic as ever.  Bailey was very glad she was home.  Someone to romp with...

Wednesday night is our training night with the other dogs in our group at a local park.  Chris and I took turns working with Dylan and I must say that she did well considering we had not worked with her for two weeks.

Me with Dylan in a down/stay while Brian bounced a ball to distract her.

And Chris working with Dylan on her "formal come".  Just a slight adjustment to get her sitting facing forward.

Her long line leash comes were not so good.  I didn't get any video of this but she was all over the place.  The idea is to be about 30 feet away and call her.  She is on a long line and is suppose to come directly to you and stop in front of you.  Sort of like what I was asking her to do when she did come right to me, only she never stopped.   Ouch!

Going forward, our biggest concerns revolve around walking her one to two miles a day for her exercise.  With my knee and Chris' back, this will be a challenge.  But we have the pool so that's what we'll do in the mean time.  Doggie time in the pool, anyone?

Since the Fall...

Since Thursday I have been hobbling around with my bum leg.  I had X-Rays and a half cast applied on Friday.  By Sunday I was through with the half cast and just had Chris wrap my leg.  Monday night was our monthly meeting night and our puppy sitter, Kathi and her husband Dennis, were going to be at the meeting with Dylan.  It was also the night of skills for the dogs and Kathi was gracious enough to work with Dylan.

Kathi working to brush Dylan while blindfolded.

While I watched Dylan going through each skill, it was plain to see how much Kathi loved being a puppy sitter.  She had raised a GDA dog prior and knew exactly what to do.  Included in the skills were cradling, jumping in the back of a van, sit stays and down stays as well as the formal come.  Then it was off to the hall for some refreshment and prizes.

Us with Dennis and Kathi

While staying with Kathi, Dylan has gone to stores and friends houses.  Also she has been going on long walks.  Like Kathi told us, a tired dog makes for a happy puppy raiser.

Nice Sit...At Whole Foods.  Where else?

Back to their home.

Ahh...

Then the prerequisite computer training:  All guide dogs must be able to use the computer...

or not...

And finally some window gazing time...

Thursday morning, our area leaders Nancy and Brian will be taking Dylan up to Sylmar for a week long kennel stay.  While we miss our puppy so very much, knowing that she is in great hands makes it a bit easier for us.  One of the many great things about GDA is the support they give all the puppy raisers.  I can't think of another organization that supports its people and dogs so well.   

As for me, I had an MRI today and will find out results on Friday.  Stay tuned...

Dylan - More Powerful than a Locomotive

We discovered during our new training sessions that Dylan still doesn't always come when calling her name if she is distracted.  This is a concerning trait that must be corrected.  She'll start to come  but then turn away and go on about what she was doing when we call her.  Working with her when she is not distracted is much better during the "recall".   The other night she seemed to understand all too well when I called her she must come.  The sad story is I paid a somewhat steep price for her understanding.

Dylan had gotten loose and was running around and decided to cross our street when she heard our neighbors dog barking.  This is a big NO NO!  I had been in the backyard  and heard Chris calling her in a somewhat panicked voice so I came to the front and saw what was going on.  I remembered  being told to use a happy voice to call her and not the angry voice because you're pissed she's running off leash.  She started to come back to me, but turned around and ran back across the street.  Again, I called her using my "happy voice' and she ran full speed across the street back towards me.  Ahh, success!

It was when she was about 10 feet from me I realized she was not slowing down.  Not having time to move, I tried to brace myself to catch her.  Her 60 pounds hit the side of my  left knee at full speed.  The crunch sound along with the pain was simultaneous.  So, for now, I'm in a half cast until I can see an orthopedic doc and possibly get an MRI sometime next week.

Dylan is very eager to learn and she is doing s very well in her training.  This is just a small setback for us but a valuable lesson learned.  Teach your dogs to come when called, every time you call them.  That is on us and all puppy raisers to instill in their dogs.

We are also working on her positioning.  She is supposed to sit and lay down facing the same direction as her handler, straight, not hunched or crooked.

How's this?

 Chris & Erin took her to the mall for some distracted walking and when asked to sit, this is how she looked.  Think we need to work on this too!?