Poker for Paws Pictures

I had a great time at Poker for Paws - I had lots of people to love on me :-)

Woof, Harley




So did I!! Nanny Nanny boo boo!!




Love, Wilbur

Click here for more pictures for Poker for Paws and if you have pictures from there, send them to mark@occupaws.org and they can be added to the facebook album.

Poker for Paws.

First, Promise was a good pup and went to vote last week. The polling place was getting ready to close, so no excitement there.


























Yesterday was Poker for Paws, and the pups all had a grand time. Promise enjoyed seeing all her friends and was wiped by the end of the day.










Promise and her new friend Moby resting. As you can see, Moby was all wags.

Graduation

Woof, Woof!

Congratulations to Tino and Lilly. Friday Night was a graduation party in Johnson Creek for the newest CVCD team. All the humans had a good time. I got to see all my old friends there...Lilly and Moby and Deegan and Promise and Bodie plus some new pups I didn't know.

Everyone stood around and blah blah blah...boring for a while. Then they got to eat worms!!! Mmmmm but none for us. Then the lightening started. Everytime the people stood up and smiled...flash flash flash. Talk talk talk, flash flash flash, clap clap clap....yawn. Silly humans. Did I mention the humans also got cake!!



They took pictures of humans who donate dogs (Lilly)

and pictures of the humans who raised puppies (Lilly)

and then it was time for all the humans to get in the picture!!

and finally here are the three graduated teams.

and my gall, Miss Lilly!!!

All for now,

Slick

Picnic!!!

Installment II

Sunday was a picnic day...for the HUMANS. We just sat around while the HUMANS ATE!!!!

and Marley waited...

and Cinder waited...

and Divit and I waited...

BUT NO FOOD FOR US

Then we got excited. They finally got out a food bag for us but only let the new puppies near it. I think they were setting up a Circus act cuz every time this would happen...

Ready.....

Set....

Scatter!!!

Silly humans will never learn

Then one of the little guys tried on Reggie's harness...he/she has got a lot of growing up to do.

Slick

C5

Cinder turned five months old on Friday and the entire OccuPaws organization celebrated. We had a pizza party with cake and balloons. Well that's what we told Cinder. The celebration was actually the graduation ceremony for our first two children's companion dogs, Bodie and Moby. It was a great opportunity to remind everyone of the true purpose of our blood, sweat, and tears.

It is truly an amazing example of the difference that these dogs make in the lives of their visually impaired handlers. Two shy, fearful, and often panic stricked boys have been transformed into confident, outgoing, and humorous boys. Every time you see the team working together it brings a smile to your face and a tear to your eye.

The celebration obviously included the family and their dogs, but it was also an opportunity to show appreciation for the breeders, puppy raisers, and trainers. Here is Moby with his proud "mom", puppy raiser Tina.

It takes a pack to raise a guide dog.

Hopefully our charge, Cinder, was inspired to someday have a job. She did very good reacting with the mass of humans and canines.

After "her party", we forced her to make another trip to the grocery store. Since it was late, we were able to took a few photos.

Mounds Dog Fest

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures

All for now,

Slick

Two 4 Two

OccuPaws launched a "first of its kind" program a few months back called "Children's Visual Companion Dogs". Because of your support, OccuPaws was able to train and place two dogs with two very special boys. Tyler and Tanner Ward are visually impaired and they are the first two children to receive an OccuPaws Children's Visual Companion Dog.


Moby was placed with Tanner, and Bodie was trained for Tyler. These two dogs have made significant changes in the boys' mobility and independence. They have both proven to be priceless additions to the Ward Family.

Jog for Dogs Pictures

Woof!!

A great day yesterday. We had a family reunion!!!

and we got to meet some firemen and listen to sirens and horns and stuff.

and then some human blah blah blah and for some reason humans like to make each other cry... a lot.

and lots of people just walked around and watched and ate.

and then a strange fruit started dancing and singing...I didn't know Chiquita's could talk?

there were lots of things for sale and raffles...

and the strangest black lab I have ever seen...definitely a bad hair day!

and a talking cow!

but the bestest part of all was Deegan came home with Lilly n me and we played and ran!

Slick

Training Day

Bodie and Moby Here,

We saw Lilly gave a report about training her humans so we thought we would mention our work as well. Pretty much the same routine as Lilly is doing, but we have two dogs and two humans to train - lots of walking. We had an O & M Instructor today to teach our humans sighted guide work, which will be similar to guiding with us.


Everyone was doing sooo well that we each had a very brief session with both children.


They are both using the canes nicely as we move, and not hitting us :-) Why, they even used a thing called shorelining along a curb.


We were quite impressed. As I understand it, Mark and Barb will be coming back several more times - the next time at the mall.

Wheee, food perhaps.

We'll keep you pups posted,

Moby and Bodie

Busy busy

Hello fellow pups,


It's been a busy couple of days - Moby and I got to meet up with Tyler and Tanner Tuesday night.



We got pet while the humans spent the entire evening blah blah blah blah blah and then more blah blah. Finally we both got to demonstrate when Moby, Lilly and I have been learning. How to walk on the right side while a child (who cannot see well) holds our harnesses with their left hand.



We took several spirited walks and then the counselors blind-folded the parents and we took then for walks. It was great fun. Finally we posed for some family pictures.


Tanner had quite a good hold of old Moby.

Then today, before Lilly left our pack, she and I went to Menard's to practice those scary open stairs again. Lilly had done it before and was quite the showoff.


I was smart enough to refuse momentarily before finally summoning the courage to begin my ascent. What I was not told was the open sides are somewhat disconcerting.


I did, with the help of rymthmic breathing, settle myself and continue the walk.


Lastly, we spent the ENTIRE afternoon in the kennels whilst the counselors took Miss Lilly to her new home to begin her career as a Canine Visual Companion Dog for a young lad who has lost most of his sight. For now, they are just learning to be pals and will begin the task of training the parents later this month.


I have also been told, Moby and I will be returning to the Ward Household to each begin our CVCD life with Tanner and Tyler. I am certainly looking forward to the reunion.


All for Now,

Bodie