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!?

In with the Treats...Out with the Crate

As we continue on our path of making Dylan ready to be a guide dog, we have been given training ideas to help us achieve her success.  On coming when called; Dylan probably rates a 2 out of a possible 10 in this endeavor.  During her evaluation, this was noted by the trainers, but they failed to attach the guide on what we were supposed to be doing to correct this behavior.  Well, they finally sent it to us.  It is every dogs dream.  Call their name and when they come running, give them a treat.  That's it!  No "atta girl" or "good job" just give them the treat and walk away.

Now the thinking behind this is to do it 25 times a day for a week with a treat.  The second week, give treats about 75% of the time.  Week three, 50% and so on until they come when called when doing things like chasing Bailey around or bounding out of the pool, without hesitation.  A blind person can't be chasing around their dog because it won't come when called.  The problem is this, a certain other dog that resides here, also comes a-running when Dylan's name is called.  Plus, they know when you have treats in your pocket.  So they're always following you around sniffing your shorts or pants.  So to counter-act that, we have placed treats all over the house.  In the bathroom, call "Dylan" and she comes a-running for her treat, along with Bailey.  Outside, call her when she's in the house, she comes a-running, along with Bailey.  See a pattern here?  We will see how week two works out when we reduce the number of treats.

At the Hollywood Bowl.

The other big news is we have removed Dylan's crate from our bedroom.  She now sleeps on the pads without the crate, but we have to put up a kiddy door to keep her from roaming around the house in the middle of the night.  The other two dogs aren't real thrilled about this, but we give them the option when we go to bed.  In or out?  Maggie is always in.  Bailey keeps looking for that treat.  Once they decide, we close up shop and turn out the lights.  No whining!

Pet Sounds - Not what you think.

Sunday night we took Dylan to her first Hollywood Bowl concert.  It featured Brian Wilson, of Beach Boys fame, doing his iconic Pet Sounds album in its entirety.  Dylan had spent 6 days at the Sylmar Kennels when we picked her up on Sunday.  It was also graduation day for 9 new Guide Dogs and their handlers.   This is our third graduation that we have attended and I must say it is such a great experience seeing how these wonderful dogs change their handlers lives.   For some, this is their second, third and for one, their 6th dog.  Three graduates were first time recipients of these life changers.  There wasn't a dry eye in the house as they related how guide dogs have made such a difference in their lives.

When Dylan goes up for kennel stays, we never know what to expect when she first gets home.  Of course, she picked up an ear infection.  Last time it was a hot spot on her neck.  The kennel assistants told us she wasn't eating the last two days of her stay.  Seems the dogs get a bit of "kennel stress" which changes their behavior.  Leaving her for six days was a long time.  In talking with our area leader Brian, he indicated it is not unusual for dogs to experience this behavior.  We also conferred with Brian as to taking Dylan to the Bowl.  He told us that it would be a good experience for her.  Nineteen thousand people is one thing, but when it's all feet and knees, we didn't want to stress her out any more.  She handled it like a trooper.  Even the bus ride up and back was easy-peezy for her.

Now it's back to training and working on some of her problem areas.  Heeling without pulling seems to be #1 along with her reactions around other dogs.  This week we will also be attending an advanced skills class with Brian.  All with the hope she makes it and becomes someone's guiding eyes.

Her first Bowl experience!

With friends Kate and Charles - Their first time to The Bowl.

Such a great venue 

Turning One + Evaluation

Going back a few weeks, June 11 was Dylan's one year birthday.  It so happened we were in Sylmar for obedience training with all her siblings.  Dozier's human had made birthday bandanas for them all.  So we naturally had to get a picture.  After many attempts with handlers in the pictures, we were encouraged to see if they could all sit/stay for a picture without us...Ta Dah!   Lets see L to R we have Dinah, Daisy, Dozier, "?", Dylan and "?".  Been so long ago, I can't remember all their names.

Demonstrating a sit stay in synchronized fashion

We left Dylan in Sylmar for her 10 month evaluation that was delayed due to her going into heat.  They kept her five days along with about 10 other dogs so it took a few weeks to get back the report on how she was doing.  Here are some of the highlands from the report.

Kennel Behavior: Overall, good

Walking in unfamiliar areas 

  Response to people: Good

  Response to dogs:  Needed correction to pass

  Response to animals, birds squirrels: Good as she heeled.

  Response to other (stairs, kids, sniffing): Good on stairs, can be sniffy as a diversion.

Basic obedience:
Was progressing, but her training needs to be more consistent.  Pulls on leash and when that isn't          allowed she reverts to sniffing.   Needs work on her sits and downs as far as positioning.   Does not come to her name off leash.  Her "formal come" is coming along but need work.  

Not recommended for re-evaluation at this time.   (this means she passed)

All this means she is coming along ok, but we have to step up our game as puppy raisers.  Her energy level is very high and neither Chris or I can match it on walks.  So our pool comes into play.  With permission, we have been allowed to work with Dylan in the pool.

At first, she would not go in.  Sitting on the top step was as much as we could get her to do.  You would think instinct would kick in here, being a water dog and all.  

Nice sit, but not what we're looking for here.

With some coaxing and the use of a football, she got it and it was love at first splash.  Important to teach her how to exit the pool by finding the steps.  After a few attempts, she was excelling in true Lab fashion.

In a short month, she's been evaluated, learned to swim and gone to her first concert in the park.

Kicking it at the park

With the 4th of July right around the corner, we'll see how she handles the noise of fireworks.  Not a good time for dogs leading up to the 4th with all the explosions going off.  All dog owners can agree to this.

Apologies for not keeping up with my blogging.  I will do better going forward.

Time for Evaluation - GDA Online Auction

This is what your donation will support.

This coming Saturday, June 11, Dylan has her one year birthday.  She will also stay in Sylmar after obedience training for her 10 month evaluation.  You may remember that 3 days before she was to be evaluated in April, she went into heat.  They want to be sure to do the eval before she goes into a second heat.  There, they well see how she has progressed in the areas of sitting, staying, the formal come, and heeling.  They also evaluate her temperament and her ability to adapt.  Then they will evaluate if she would make a good breeder or decide to spade her and make recommendations how to fix any areas she may be deficient.

GDA is also having its annual online auction to raise money.  As you may know, GDA is self funded and receives no money from government sources.  Just one dog requires about $42,000 to raise and maintain for it's blind handler.  None of these costs are paid for by the handler.  I don't ask very often for donations for this or that, but I am asking you go online and see if something might interest you and bid on that item.  GDA and the blind handlers would be so very grateful.

Please visit www.guidedogsofamerican.org or click on Silent Auction

Meet Rebecca & Corra

“Corra is the best thing that has ever happened to me!” said Rebecca Mendez, who graduated with guide dog Corra in January 2015. Mendez was born blind, but that has not kept her from accomplishing everything that she has put her mind to. “People had always asked me if I had ever thought about getting a guide dog. After college, I wanted to be more independent. I was starting to feel like my cane and my blindness were a barrier and felt like something was missing in my life,” Mendez said. “I had a lot of friends but I didn’t like to go out and ask for assistance. I just felt I need to change this and decided it was time to get a guide dog.” Three days after arriving at GDA for class, she met Corra for the first time. “The trainer came into my room with her and there’s this beautiful dog and I’m holding her leash,” Mendez said. “She came right to me and she put her head on  my lap from the very start.  At was then that I realized  Cora was going to need me as much as I needed her," Mendez said. Mendez said that the first time she took the harness in her hand “it was like magic.” “I felt normal again. With a cane I felt like I stood out.  With a guide dog I stand out but in a different way," said Mendez. “I’m not hesitant to go and talk to people or ask for assistance.  I feel like I can do everything that everyone else can do.” With over 300 items, we hope you can find one thing (or more) you would like to bid on. Thanks so much for your support.