Puppy Truck

Our day started with two bus rides and a mile walk to get to Littleton. The occasion was the annual regional meeting and workshop for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Our hosts were the Eye-Paws puppy raisers in Denver.

In the morning, we learned some tips to help Buddy walk on a loose leash and tips for greeting other dogs. The sessions were beneficial, but the conversations with other puppy raisers was invaluable. The camaraderie of the group was infectious and we realized how much we miss having regular interactions with our OccuPaws team.

The ultimate test for any puppy - lunch. The dog distractions (at least 100 dogs) were combined with food and children moving quickly. Buddy was tempted often, but the greatest temptation was his neighbor. He wanted to play with a puppy sitting next to us. Actually, he only wanted the puppy's toy and was willing to do whatever it took to get it. Other than this brief lapse he was well behaved.

After lunch, anticipation and excitement filled the room as the puppy truck rolled in from California with eleven new puppies and the introduction ceremony began. Eleven puppy raisers met their new charges for the first time. The highlight of our day was being given the honor of walking the last puppy into the room to meet his raiser. After the ceremony, pride and sadness replaced the excitement as the dogs that have passed through basic training were loaded in the truck for the return trip to California and formal harness training.

Buddy was allowed to greet a few of the newbies before we said farewell to our new friends in Colorado. As the new raisers received some initial training, we walked back to the train station for a ride downtown to the hockey game. Buddy seemed happy to finally get some rest. He spent most of the game curled up in a ball sleeping and trying to stay warm.

We returned home via two bus rides where Buddy received pets from many of the passengers. He's warming up to the idea of this mass transit stuff. However, this vacation stuff is wearing him out.


There is only one smartest dog in the world, and every boy (or puppy raiser) has it. - Louis Sabin