Fun at Camp

Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah,


Here I am at Camp Granada

life is very entertaining

and they say I'll have some fun if it stops raining.






I went hiking with Joe Spivy.

He developed poison ivy

You remember Leonard Skinner

He got ptomaine poisoning last night after dinner.

All the counselors hate the waiters







And the lake has alligators







And the head coach wants no sissies

So he reads to us from something called Ulysses.


Love,

Deegan

I'm tough

Rrruuuff,


Hi. This is Promise. How are you? I am fine! I are a tough girl!





I am the mostest sweetest girl too.





do you think I am sweet? This is my frist time getting to typ at my new Mom and Dad's compuuter thing. I am doing swel, huh?







I getting tried and sleep now so OK goodbye humans.







Promise

A new week

Hi All,

We're writing this short note together. Today Echo, Roxie, Deegan, and Slick all had their hips and elbows X-rayed to make sure we were in good bone shape before continuing our service dog careers. and the good news is all of us passed with Very Good or Excellent all around.

So because we all passed, this crazy rotation is going to continue!! Echo and Roxie are going to Nikki's, I, Slick am going to Marlene's and I, Deegan am going to Mark and Barb's. Here is a picture of us (Slick and Deegan) - can you tell which is which???

I, Deegan, settled into my new digs for the week with a little exercise out side with a Jolly Ball, a tasty dinner, greetings with the Pack - Reggie, Stitch and Promise.

The greetings were uneventful as expected - a sniff here, a lick there, a puppy nibble down there....

They just woke me up from a lazy nap by the fireplace (feels soooo good on a cold night) to put in my two cents.

And I, Slick will report more tomorrow once I figure out why in the heck humans insist on having two doors to go outside.

Nite Nite,

Slick and Deegan

No Worries

Woof there!

I just finished my rotation with Ernie. Marlene told Mom that I was not much trouble most of the time, but it seems that I liked to try to go thru their screen door. Mom and dad don't have a screen door, so that was a new experience for me! It smelled and sounded like outside...how was I supposed to know I wouldn't fit through those little holes??

Ernie also said I was a little lazy. Oh, well, (yawn) all this rotation round and round gets me tired!

Slick

Last Day of this rotation

Greetings fellow pups!


It's with sadness and also joy that I tell you I'm leaving here for another evaluation week with Nikki. They tell me after a couple days of "settling in" that I am a great pup, well behaved, and an asset to OccuPaws...whatever the heck that is.

This morning I had a chance to play with my pal Promise. She like to "pester" me when I'm resting by grabbing my collar or ear and pulling. I don't mind, in fact I hardly notice.





Then later today lots and lots of people came to the house. I watched them from my crate for a while, but then they let me loose to see if I learned to behave myself. Well folks, everyone said what a nice dog. I went around to each person and greeted them politely and then just camped out under the table waiting for food to fall, but none did...sigh.





Then they said I had to pass another test so they put a small human called Evan on the floor next to me. This time I learned not to run past him cuz tiny humans are not as stable on two feet as we are on four. Anyhow we became pals as Evan loved to hug and kiss me. I only kissed him back once.





Then he decided to scoot up on his back and wrap his legs around my neck and hug me. I just let him hug away and just laid my head on his tummy. It was very relaxing.





Tonight will be my third night of sleeping "in the open" and tomorrow off I go. I'll try and send reports next week.


Echo

Bones

Hello again! It's me, Echo.

Barb and Mark, my temporary mom and dad helped me meet some very nice visually impaired kids and adults on Friday at East Towne in Madison. There was a girl who was about 7 or so that was so nice, she liked to pet me. I was very good. A boy about 14 was there too… mom and dad helped Dale take the boy for a "test drive" to see how he might like working with a guide dog. Mom and dad led Dale around, and the young man held onto the harness. The young girl also walked with Dale. Promise was there too! Promise of course was the hit because she is cute. I used to be cute too!

Then yesterday, Dale, Nikki, Promise and I went to Michelle's house where we practiced down, sit, down, sit, stand, stay, stay, stay, stay. Moby, and Bodie, their mom and dad, and Marlene were there too. (Promise did not stay, sit, down,,,she was just being her usual puppy self..) Michelle showed us her rat terrier too! He ran around the building a lot.

Of course, there was a lot of human "blah, blah, blah".

And I guess I past another milestone, I think. Last night I got to sleep in the bedroom with Stitch and Reggie (I shared a blanket with Stitch). It was pretty weird cuz they were not very neat - shoes and socks and clothes were on the floor and I guess they were happy since I left everything alone - go figure. And I didn't move or make a sound until the puppy woke us all up about 4:30 to go potty. I didn't have to go, I just went back to sleep. It's amazing how happy humans get when I just sleep quiet.

I understand that I am going to have pictures of my bones taken on Monday. I wonder if I need to put on make-up for that? Maybe I don't need that, because, I am naturally HANDSOME!

Hope you have a good Easter!

Echo

Happy Girl

Hello!

This is Lilly! As some of you know I have been placed as a CVCD(Childrens Visual Companion Dog) with a young boy that is losing his vision. This was my first week with my new family. I had a blast, and I absolutely LOVE my new charge and my new digs - right in his room.




Barb and Mark came today to talk to my new family to see if there were any questions and to show them more obedience exercises with me. We walked along a bike path and I showed them how proud and happy I was to be a part of my new family's lives.

They are going to come for more human blah blah blah and walks for me next week.

Lilly

Where's Slick??

Folks have been asking about Slick, so I (Echo) thought I would write down what I heard.

He went to Theresa first. From what I heard he did pretty well. But, he did have an accident at the Dawg Zone when he went to class. Oh, well.

He then went to Chris' house where he did pretty good, except that he pulled on other dogs - - which she worked on correcting. From what I understand he grew on her.

He is now at Ernie's. Ernie just got him Tuesday night, so we will have to wait and see what kind of report he gets.

Slick (along with some other pups) will have his hip and elbow X-rays done on Monday. Let's cross our fingers for ALL of the dogs in training….I want them to have PERFECT pictures.

Hopefully mom and dad will be able to take some pictures when the X-Rays are taken, so you all can see him again.

Echo

Milestone

Hello everybody!

It was a beautiful day outside today.

First of all, I went out with mom and dad for breakfast

Mom and dad were curious how I would do in the outdoor kennel, so they put me in "prison" for several hours. I LOVED it! I had a tasty bone to chew, I did not have to be a "good" dog, and could just do my own thing.

When I came inside, they told me that I was the best behaved EVER! Initially I did not have the urge to bring them toys, I just relaxed in the living room while Promise tried to get me to play but I just laid there watching her. What a milestone!

That's it for today.

Echo

Settling in too!

Hello again! It's me, Echo!

I had a fun day today. First of all, we played "find it". Mom hid my favorite toy, the Jolly Ball. Then she asked me to find it. At first I did not understand that I was supposed to find it AND bring it to her. But, we figured that out now. WOW was that fun! She hid it in every room in the house, but I always found it. Waiting for her to say OK, find it was easy.

Bringing it back, bringing it back....

Then, we went to thousands of stores, in the car, out of the car, in the car…


We were delivering pieces of paper that said "Culver's on the Beltline", and then something about a fund raiser on April 20 from 4 - 7. I guess she wanted everybody to know about that. We even ate at Culver's…



It looked yummy, but, alas, no food for me! Mom said I was very good and did exactly what she asked me to.

To make the day complete, my little buddy (Promise) and I play tug with rope and other tug toys too!


She pulls, and I just stand there and hold the toy in my mouth. If I pull too hard, she falls over!


Sometimes I watch her play with Stitch. Stitch, a Golden Retriever, rolls over on her back, and Promise jumps on her. More fun. Here she is pretending to be a rabbit - I recall being a little too interested in rabbits so she's helping me.



The one thing that I seem to have trouble figuring out though is that Mom and Dad don't like it when I bring them toys (after toy) after playtime is over. I don't understand, I bring them toys, get really close, pant at them, and say (with my eyes) "please take this, and throw it so we can play some more". When I continue to do that after mom or dad say "no" they will sometimes put me on a "down/stay", or worse, put me in my crate. I am very persistent, and REALLY want them to play with me… after all, I am a Labrador RETRIEVER… Get it RETRIEVER, Labrador…… I guess you just have to be here to understand.

That's all for now,

Echo

Settling in

I had a great day today! I met all sorts of people in wheelchairs! They thought I was sooooo cute! (Well, I think so too.)

Mom carried me most of the time because she was afraid that I would forget where to potty! - - Silly mom, I know where to go, I just forget sometimes.


Mom also has been doing a new dance with me… I whine, and she walks me to the front door to go outside potty. It is a lot of fun watching her get up and down, and down and up. Sometimes I fool her, go potty outside and then come inside and go again. Mom and dad don't like that as they have to take something out called the "spot bot". It makes lots of noise and gets the floor wet…


She also has added a "name" to me sitting on my backside - - it is called "sit". Then a name for the sleeping position, "down". Doesn't she know, she does not have to tell me to go to sleep? I'll do that when I am tired.

Humans can be so silly!

She even thought this looked comfortable while she ripped out my toenails :-(

I'm learning how to play with the big dogs too!!! I'm getting pretty good at it.


I think Echo is weakening here and I'm winning.

Sometimes a loong day of play takes a lot out of a pup...zzzzzz

Promise

Speaking for myself

Hey everyone, it's me, Echo saying "Hello again"! I can't believe I'm getting to do the talking!!!

I am going to stay a week or two with Promise at the Schultze's house. I took advantage of the ride to their house, and took a nice long nap.

Yesterday was my first day at the Schultze's, and I am learning the ropes. I already knew about staying off of counters, or beds or couches, so that part was easy. I also already knew that I have to be quiet in the house - no barking, more easy stuff. I love all the bones and big dog chew toys they have. it is Paradise!

I really like their back yard because they have a large Jolly Ball! I can carry it all around the yard , toss it in the air and catch it! My foster mom, Barb, says it is a great toy because I can't swallow it and irritate my tender tummy.

I like to play with the other dogs that live here too! Their names are Stitch, Reggie, and a little tiny dog named Promise….She is just a puppy.

Yesterday during the day I just could not find a place to lay down and settle. This house is just not like Jeff and Lisa's house…. But I was able to sleep last night in a crate in the kitchen and be very quiet. This morning I went to breakfast at Shelton's with them and was VERY, VERY good. I'm a different dog with my vest on - I know when it's business. I went under the table and stayed. Mom and dad were very happy with me.

Mom and dad did have to remind me not to go thru any doors without permission. I have to sit and wait until permission is given to pass thru the door. That part is really hard! I KNOW that is what I am supposed to do, but I forget it sometimes. It's pretty tempting to just want to run and play. I also wanted to lick mom to show my appreciation when she leaned over to pick up some socks off of the floor. She reminded me that was NOT permitted no matter how sweet.

Overall, I have had a pretty good 24 hours here. I'm much quieter tonight so I just have a little more adjusting to do. It really helps when the border collie Reggie runs and runs with me and if I do enough puppy bows I bet that Golden will run with me more too!!

Echo

Promises, Promises

Hi!

My name is Promise. I am a black Labrador, and have been told that I am destined to help somebody see. I was donated by Mike & Desirae Pausma of Neverest Labradors. Yesterday, I came to live with somebody named "Barb" and somebody else named "Mark". They also have three other dogs, Stitch, Reggie and another Occupaws dog named Echo. (Mom says that Echo is only going to be here a week or so….) All these names - - so confusing. Mom and dad tell me that I am VERY CUTE!

I like to play with the big dog named Echo. He is so gentle with me. We exchange bones. Mom is especially pleased with me because I have asked to go outside to poop two times today! But, I DO forget to pee outside… oh, well, I am only eight weeks old!

I have not gone to any "places yet", but mom says that will come with time. In fact, I might go visit a nursing home on Tuesday…I'll let you know how that goes! What are there, a group of nurses running around a home?

Well, that is all for now.

Promise

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