Alfie's World

In Praise of Snow Boots

2012-01-19T12:45:00.000-06:00

When it snowed last week, I thought Alfie would be cold and maybe even avoid going outside. I know he's got long fur, but when the wind blows it can part it right to the skin -- brr! But, basically, Alfie proved that he's a lot tougher than me when it comes to cold weather. He loved the snow.

He snorfled in it and ate it until his whiskers were white...

...went exploring the whole yard as if it were new, digging up sticks and leaves to play with...

...even (gasp!) lay down in the snow for a little snooze!

All day he was in and out, in and out...never wanting to stay inside too long. Reminded me of a little kid! Well...if any of you readers have experienced this, you'll know what it led to: snowballs developing in between his toes. I'd clean them off every time he came in, then he'd go out and get more. Ack!

Time to get out the snow boots! When we bought these, the weather was warmer and they were on sale. They're nothing fancy or professional, just basic and functional.

One thing you must know about me: I am not, repeat not, a person who enjoys dressing up my dog! So this was all about keeping his feet snowball-free. I'd gotten them remembering the blizzard we had here last winter...this winter has been much milder, but hey, a dog has to be prepared! Here he is, all dressed up:

Snazzy or silly? Time for some product testing...

We put them on inside first. He pranced around high-stepping for a few minutes, then seemed to settle in all right. Out he went into the snow, and it took only a few moments for him to realize, wow, he had really good grip with them on! If he liked the snow before, he loved it now -- he zoomed around the yard faster and faster in giant circles, zigzagging and bounding through the snow. It was hilarious! They stayed on really well with their velcro closure and were clearly a big hit. So -- yep -- these boots get a resounding 4 paws up from the Alf.

But wait, there's more! Alfie loved the boots so much, in fact, that he didn't want us to take them off when he came back in. The whole main level of our house has hardwood floor and he's never been able to run around without skidding. With the boots, though, he was unstoppable -- he circled through the kitchen, careened past the dining room, raced through the living room--around and around again, with the greatest of ease. Show-off! When we finally did take them off and left them behind closed doors in the sunroom, he asked to go out -- only to run in to the sunroom, grab his boots, and bring them to us so we could put them back on again! Finally, to stop him incessantly asking to go out, I brought the boots inside the kitchen to dry, putting them on the top of the fridge. Charissa and I were watching tv a few minutes later when we heard a strange scrabbling sound accompanied by some rather pathetic vocalization...went in to the kitchen to investigate, and sure enough, there Alfie was on his hind legs, looking longingly up at the top of the fridge!

...And, nope, I'm not getting anything from EthicalPet for this endorsement, although I think I should!

Think we'll get any more snow this winter?!

Sous Chef, Revisited

2011-12-19T10:45:00.001-06:00

Last night Charissa and I were baking, and just as I got my yummy pumpkin-oat-nut muffins in the oven, I realized--oops--not enough flour left for Charissa to make her World's Best dark-chocolate-mint-chip cookies. Rats -- time for a trip to the corner store. Grabbing our coats, we dashed out the door. This should've been just a quick trip, but you know how it is...you get to the store and, wandering down the aisles in quest of flour, you see just the perfect gift for this person...something else you'd forgotten you needed...and on and on. Perhaps there is no such thing as a quick trip to the store, especially at Christmas!

Only as we were checking out, which was rather too late, did it occur to us that the muffins were probably going to be wayyy overdone (read: torched) by the time we got back. The timer I'd set only beeps once -- no second chances. Sure, Tim was home, but he'd be the first to tell you he's not known for his kitchen skills. Plus, if he'd been in another room, he probably wouldn't have even heard it go off. I hadn't thought to call him, and now there was no real point. Bemoaning our muffin losses, we headed back.

Walking in, though, a delicious (as opposed to burnt) smell greeted us, and we saw two dozen beautiful muffins happily cooling on the counter.

"Oh my goodness, Tim, you did take them out! I thought you wouldn't hear the timer!"

"Um, yeah, I guess I must've heard it, but it didn't really register that it was your kitchen timer until Alfie ran over to the stove and barked..." Apparently Alfie, who does rather have a way of insisting, made it quite clear that this was Something Important and Tim should Do Something!

Good Dog.

Saving the world, one muffin at a time.

Will accept medals of honor, treats, and tummy rubs...

Oh What Fun

2011-12-11T15:03:00.000-06:00

This year, decorating for Christmas felt extra-special: due to our move, it had actually been two years since we'd gotten out all the Christmas things. Everything old was new again, and we found some things we'd forgotten we had!

Like these curious little musical toys:

...when you wind them up, the little rides start spinning, and they play Christmas music. Okay, cute. But Alfie found them totally amazing.

He carefully watched us wind one of them, tilting his head first to the right, then to the left...when the music started to play he was surprised and very excited. We set it down where he could see it and it seemed as if he wanted to play it himself, first flipping the toy over with his paw, then nibbling at the key to try to get it to work! This went on for quite a while, until I fear the tiny Victorian people on the ride were getting a great deal more excitement than they bargained for. We laughed til we cried, then I finally thought to take a little video before we had to take the toy away:

Enjoy your Christmas season -- in the midst of it all, Alfie reminds you: don't forget to let go, play, and have some fun!

...and take time to snuggle with someone you love...

Two Years Ago...

2011-11-25T14:54:00.001-06:00

...on this very day, we brought Alfie home for the first time! Little did I know that that tiny ball of fluff and puppy breath would grow up to make himself a permanent part of our lives, bringing his special blend of humor, mischief, and affection with him.

What a personality he's proved to be! Perhaps one of Alfie's most amusing traits is his natural curiosity. I have never seen a dog as interested in every detail of our daily lives as Alfie. For example, the first time Tim did some work in the crawlspace beneath the house, the rest of us nearly died laughing as we watched Alfie trot alertly from room to room, tracing Tim's route by snuffling into the heat registers on the floor. Then, one day, I helped Tim up into the attic to check on the insulation -- Alfie, who of course was watching these proceedings, gave an unexpected and valiant attempt to follow right behind him! I had to hold him back, much to his irritation. As he heard Tim's footsteps above our heads, Alfie followed his progress around the house, looking up at the ceiling with an occasional excited bark. From time to time, he would just stop and look at me intently, as much as if to say: Well, aren't you going to do something about this? When Tim finally reappeared, Alfie greeted him as if he'd just gotten back from the moon, or perhaps some mysterious fourth dimension. What an adventure!

Life is better with a friend by your side.

Right by your side!

Thankful

2011-11-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

Thanksgiving week -- and there's so much to be thankful for! I'm not so sure that Alfie understands the concept of thankfulness, as we know it. But there are many things that make him happy, most of them very simple:

Games of fetch

Games of find

All games

Learning new skills

Showing off old skills

Friends and family

New people

Walks

Dinner

Breakfast

Anything that smells funny

Anything that smells

Squirrels

Rabbits

All other animals

Morning

Night

...so, you get the picture, he's happy pretty much all the time! There is very little, in fact, that makes him unhappy. The three main things:

Being ignored

Being left behind

Having to skip a meal

Enjoy all the little -- and big -- things that come your way this week, giving thanks for them all! As G.K. Chesterton said, "When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude."

Happy Thanksgiving!

First Flurry

2011-11-17T10:28:00.001-06:00

Yesterday evening as we headed out on our walk, it felt colder than usual...sure enough, before we were halfway along our route, tiny snowflakes were stinging my face. Our very first snow of the season! Okay, so it was just a teeny bit, but it was still exciting. Couldn't resist taking a picture of Alfie with a couple of tiny white flakes on his face...

Sous Chef

2011-11-16T11:30:00.000-06:00

Hi again blog friends -- Alfie's World has been quiet lately as I've been investing time and emotional energy in other areas. Some big decisions have been brewing and we're excited for that. But in the meantime, who keeps me grounded, makes sure I laugh several times each day...oh yeah, and makes sure I get my exercise?

I'm considering the title 'personal assistant'...

Alfie may no longer be a service dog, but that doesn't keep him from helping me out with many important things. Sometimes I admit they are only important to him (such as alerting me that Hey! Look! The neighbor's dog is out AGAIN!); sometimes, though, he does help out in ways that are actually important to me. He is a very alert and curious boy and not much gets past him.

One very minor inconvenience in our new home is the old electric stove...I'm still trying to get used to its quirky performance and miss some of the conveniences of the newer model I used to have in Texas. I'll turn the oven on to bake something and keep having to go back to check it...it doesn't have a little beeper to let you know when it's up to temperature, and the guesswork can get frustrating.

That's where Alfie comes in -- twice now, he's actually come and alerted me when the oven was up to temperature. Apparently he hears the little click when the heating element switches off. Then he rushes over, gets my attention, and dashes back to the stove to show me what's going on. Of course he got lots of praise and a nice treat for that -- I can use all the kitchen help I can get, so I want to reinforce the cool new trick he's teaching himself!

Last night, I'd made us a yummy casserole (shepherd's pie with lots of mashed potatoes...mmm...), set the timer, and popped it in the oven. With a long time to wait while it baked, I went upstairs to work on the computer. Alfie was napping on the rug near my feet. Long before the timer was set to go off, though, he sprang up suddenly with a grrrUFF! and, making sure I was coming after him, raced down to the kitchen. I opened the oven door to find that the gravy in the casserole dish had just boiled over. Yikes! I think Alfie must have woken up when he heard the first drops sizzling on the bottom of the stove. Needless to say, I was glad he heard it when he did, saving me what could've been a very nasty cleanup job!

All in a day's work. PS -- Can I have some??

Funny Face

2011-09-29T15:53:00.000-05:00

I have tried for sooo long to catch this photo. Now, I know it's not great quality or anything, but it's too funny not to share. Probably someone out there needed a laugh today. Probably someone out there was just thinking: "It's been a horrible day. I'm really down and need something to make me laugh. I need a picture of Alfie's Deranged Pig Impression!" If you are that person, what can I say -- it's your lucky day!

...Mwahaha!

He actually does this a lot. Do you think it looks comfortable? No, me neither! But he is not explaining why he does it. Your guess is as good as mine.

In the meantime...yeah, we've moved! Alfie's been busy supervising. Of course.

No, actually, the Borders box should go on top. Let's do this right!

I think he wishes this sleeping bag were still on the floor, like it used to be when we were at Grandma's house.

Hey, where's my air mattress? It should be right here, with my sleeping bag...what do you mean, of course it's my sleeping bag...

No place like home!

New Friend

2011-09-08T11:24:00.000-05:00

On our walk yesterday morning, Alfie and I met this friendly horse.

This morning, as we approached the pasture, the horse was way off on the far side...but oh, how Alfie wanted him to come over and say hello! He sat politely and snuffled the air, hopeful.

Sure enough, the horse saw him and pricked his ears...then cantered over to investigate. So fun to watch them touch noses. Somehow I wasn't quite able to catch it with the camera, but you get the idea!

But what really made me laugh was that after a couple minutes, the horse put his head down to crop the grass by the fence. Alfie, seemingly intrigued by this, started to do the same thing! They grazed together like a couple of old friends.

What can I say? I hadn't had my breakfast yet!

All Better

2011-09-07T21:21:00.000-05:00

Well, the bee sting took just a few hours to get over. However, the vet instructed us to keep Alfie on a home-cooked diet of brown rice and chicken for a few days, then slowly switch back to kibble.

Oh. My.

Alfie's discovered a new raison d'etre: DINNER! He's gone from being a good eater to being downright greedy. No wonder...his food smells really good. One morning the kids came out to the smell of it simmering on the stove and were all like, "Oh, Mom, you're cooking us breakfast!" Nope, I sheepishly had to admit...it was for the dog...

All I can say is: Wish us luck switching back!

What Not to Do With a Bee

2011-08-30T09:09:00.000-05:00

Don't eat it.
Don't chew it.
Don't even taste it.
...It bites back!

Poor Alfie, he already didn't feel good; then we noticed that he was acting strangely and his whole snout started to swell -- fast. It scared me that his breathing didn't seem normal, so I called the vet -- only to find that he was out until Wednesday! Ack!! We got in to see another vet and pretty soon Alfie got a shot to bring the swelling down.

Turns out he had an insect sting right inside his mouth -- pretty nasty. The weird thing is that since Alfie's been sick, we've been supervising him extra carefully outside, and no one knows exactly when he got stung -- he didn't yelp or anything like that. The first indication we had that something was wrong was him wiping his face with his paws, and rubbing his head on the furniture indoors. With his furry whiskers, we didn't see anything wrong at first. But when Charissa took a closer look, she let out a little involuntary shriek...poor dog, his nose was all swollen up on both sides and hard to the touch. By the time we got him to the vet, poor boy, he was pretty bad off! Thankfully, the shot worked quickly!

We also got something to help with the tummy issues he's been having...he's had to fast 24 hrs., and now he'll be on boiled rice and chicken for 3 days before transitioning back to normal food.

Home-cooked meals? Can't be all bad!

Droopy

2011-08-29T10:08:00.000-05:00

Alfie's just not feeling quite himself today. He woke me up at 2:00 a.m. by walking over and licking my arm -- it took me a minute to realize he needed to go outside and be sick. Poor guy. This morning he was sick again...I'm keeping a close eye on him.

Dogs are pretty resilient, though; I'm sure he'll be fine in time. Right now he just wants to curl up and snooze as I work at my desk. He always keeps one paw just barely touching my foot. Companionship + rest = good medicine. Get better, buddy.

Being There

2011-08-27T14:43:00.000-05:00

Last night I'm cooking dinner and go to grab an onion out of the little mesh sack in the laundry room. Alfie's sprawled out by the backdoor, seemingly asleep. As I pull out the onion, an involuntary gasp of disgust escapes me -- ewww, the onion has rotted and my thumb is sinking deep into brown mush! BLEAH. Before I have time to actually say anything, throw the onion away, or complain about having to wash stinky onion goop off my hands -- bing! -- there's Alfie, right by my side, checking it out.

I swear, I don't believe it's actually physically possible for a dog to move that fast, or transform so quickly from dead asleep to on-the-alert-high-tailed-snuffly-and-by-the-way-do-you-need-me-to-teach-that-onion-a-lesson? But there he is, so I guess I have to believe it.

Today, I go to clean our toilet. Hmmm, our bathroom's out of toilet cleaner, so I go to Mom's. I knock over a bottle and -- bing! -- Alfie's wet chin is pressed in the crook of my elbow, bright eyes straining to see what's up, are you okay, what fell over, is it good to eat, is it dangerous, can I help? Pleeease?? And here I thought he was in the front room playing with the kids!

He's not what I'd call clingy; he's just got this way of instantaneously materializing. A handy trick -- I wish he could teach it to me!

If friendship means being there for someone...yeah, Alfie's earned the title of "best friend" paws down!

[yawn]...It's nothing, just my special doodle magic...

Hellooo out there!

2011-08-27T14:28:00.001-05:00

So, to start by stating the obvious...haven't updated in ages! Time to fill you in on what's been going on -- and a fresh look on the blog to go with a new season.

Hey, anyone out there still remember me??

The purchase of our new home went through smoothly. Now we're proud owners of a great house that, due to much deferred maintenance, falls squarely in the "fixer-upper" category. There's a lot to be done before we can move in: new heating and air, new floors and paint, as well as various exterior repairs. By the time we're done it'll feel like a brand new house! The great thing is, since it's just a couple of doors down from Mom's, it's easy to supervise the repairs from here.

In the meantime, I've also been busy doing freelance editing work, as well as getting in gear with the new year for homeschool. Things are hopping!

I love the neighborhood -- very friendly. Of course, people are always more friendly when they meet you out with your dog, don't you think? This is the first time I have met all my new neighbors, including those across and down the street, before we've even moved in! Alfie loves his dog neighbors: Missy the toy poodle on one side, Baxter the Norwich terrier behind us, and schnauzers Winston and Bosley, the self-appointed neighborhood watch, rounding out the field. Across the street there is little Molly...she looks a lot like a bichon to me although I can't say for sure. Anyway, you know the type: a sweet, smiling ball of white fluff. Alfie mainly meets her out on walks, and he is absolutely smitten! Two doors down we have Reesie, a sweet but shy Jack Russell terrier who was rescued from an awful life caged as a puppy mill breeder. It's so great to see her now, happily going for walks and playing in her yard -- what a difference!

Went to the doctor for a checkup recently and they asked me, Did I exercise? I said yes; I walk just about every day. For how long, they wanted to know?...Well, I explained, about 45 minutes to an hour every day -- see, I have this dog...

The nurse grinned as she scribbled on my chart. "You have a lot to thank that dog for! You better keep him."

Smile. Couldn't agree more.

Big News!

2011-07-16T21:27:00.001-05:00

Read that sign carefully and you'll see two of the most beautiful words in the English language where Tim and I are pointing: Under Contract !

It's been a long time coming!

As some of you readers may remember, way back in the mists of time (last November), our family moved to Missouri from Texas to be near family while Tim pursued his Master's. In February, Alfie joined us, and everything just felt "right," having him around again! We've been enjoying staying with my Mom while working through the whole process of selling the Texas house and hunting for a new place here.

We love Mom's place -- it's a wonderful home in a fantastic, friendly neighborhood. Besides that, it's near miles and miles of walking trails, and is less than five minutes' drive from my brother and his family. And as if that weren't enough, we've got an aunt and uncle and other friends nearby, too!

So when a deal on a house in another part of town fell through and an opportunity opened up to buy a home a couple doors down from Mom...we couldn't pass it up! Maybe it was just meant to be.

The girls are excited because they'll each have their own bedrooms now -- unlike our last home, where they had to share a room. Alfie will love playing in the nice fenced yard. It needs fixing up, but we're even excited about that! With closing scheduled in just a couple of weeks, we're all thrilled.

I can still come visit Grandma, right?

It's Nice to Be Loved

2011-07-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

Migraines -- oh, how I hate them! I'm only an on-again, off-again sufferer, but when they do hit me they hit hard. Last night's migraine kept me awake, and I knew that if I ever DID get to sleep, I'd need to sleep in if I were to beat it. So, around 2:30 a.m. (almost unbelievably, about the time my dear husband is getting UP for his workday!), I left a note for Charissa to please take care of Alfie for me in the morning, and explained what was going on so she wouldn't worry.

But how does one go about leaving a note for a dog? It didn't really occur to me that he might worry too.

When I stumbled over and groggily opened the bedroom door a little before 10 a.m., I nearly tripped over Alfie, who scrambled up, tail a blur, then proceeded to check me all over, lick me, and bound around as if he'd just won the lottery or something!

The girls came over and told me that although they'd taken care of him as asked, after his potty break he insisted on coming back to my door. They tried to feed him, but apparently he walked away, and even after they did coax him to eat he'd left half of his breakfast untouched (a claim I wouldn't have believed if I didn't see the kibble myself! Alfie is all about food!) Not even his favorite bones and toys would cheer him up. Instead he lay at the door, yawning nervously, obviously...what? Concerned? Unsure? At a loss? I wonder if, like Dakota the diabetic alert dog (sidebar), he could even smell some sort of changes in my body chemistry and somehow suspected that all wasn't quite right with my world. Wouldn't surprise me too much.

But although I may not totally understand what dogs feel at times like that, it's clear they understand something, and they do care about their people! Even more clear was his joy at seeing me again. As if to underscore that, he dashed off down the hall...

...only to return a moment later with a toy for me to throw for him! Everything's back to normal.

And, yes, I suppose it IS nice to be loved!

Happy First Day of Summer

2011-06-21T18:28:00.000-05:00

On a beautiful summer afternoon, what could be better than going to the lake? The Ozarks are full of lakes, and right now, they're full of water from recent rains. Most places require dogs to be on lead, but Alfie's long line gives him plenty of freedom to play without getting into any trouble.

Alfie enjoyed wading in deeper...and deeper...his favorite thing was grabbing little twigs and leaves floating on the water!

Dog-paddle! (Sorry, I couldn't resist the pun...)

Magical day.

Enjoy your summer, everyone!

It's Official!

2011-06-14T11:26:00.000-05:00

Alfie, what have you got there? Something you want to mail?

Oh, look -- it's to Guide Dogs of Texas!

Here's what's inside...

...yeah!! Okay, I know Alfie's really been ours since February. But somehow in all the flurry of activity we didn't get an official owner agreement on him until just now. Larry Gelvin called me to let me know he was sending it...now it's signed and on its way back to Texas. Feels great!

Let's celebrate!

Bark In the Park

2011-06-11T21:22:00.000-05:00

This morning Alfie, Charissa and I enjoyed a visit to Springfield's Bark In the Park, a fun event for dogs and their people benefiting the local dog park.

On the way, I enjoyed stopping by some of the Master Gardener demonstration gardens. I'm trying to learn more about gardening in this zone, in hopes of having my own garden soon!

Okay, okay, I'll pose in front of the flowers...

We weren't really sure where to go at first so I let Alfie lead, figuring he'd sniff out the excitement sooner than we could. Sure enough, as we topped a little hill we saw it all set up...a bunch of vendors, a stage, some music, and a whole lot of dogs of all different shapes, sizes and colors.

Shaggy dogs...

...silky spaniel dogs...

...sweet dogs!

There was a little talent show where people and their dogs were going up on stage to perform, but apparently not too many had signed up so one of the organizers went out looking for participants. On the spur of the moment, Charissa and Alfie joined in too.

It was so fun watching the dogs on stage...I don't think any of them quite did what their handlers wanted right off, but hey, it was a crazy distracting situation! They were all having fun and that was the main thing!

Love that smile...

And this guy was a real ham too!

Alfie's turn!

When Alfie and Charissa got up on stage he looked out on the audience and had his usual "ohhh...cute..." effect on the crowd. Major distraction! He didn't do what Charissa wanted right at first so she improvised, having him "stand high" and finishing by putting him in a down stay, sprinkling treats around, and having him "leave it." That is not a trick per se, just good doggie behavior, but it got an approving round of applause from the onlookers!

All in all it was just a lot of silly fun and a chance to meet a bunch of new friends. Cool!

After all that excitement Alfie was pretty worn out on our way back to the car.

Think I'll go home and take a nap!

Critters

2011-06-10T13:36:00.001-05:00

Here's a cute little critter we encountered on last night's walk (Alfie's latest word: bunny !)

Can you spot him?

(Hint: toward the left, right next to the tall grass.)

Enlarged so you can see the little guy!

Wait -- where'd he go?

Yeah, I know, he's super hard to see. Alfie didn't see him at first, just smelled him. Mr. Rabbit was stock still til we got right up next to him, then jetted off with a flash of white tail...I said, "Bunny!"...and since that moment, I cannot say that word (b-u-n-n-y) without Alfie going on High Alert.

Then, the other day we were in a new park and I saw a giant lump of brown next to a pond, which I at first took for a stump. Charissa said she thought it was alive...turned out to be a ginormous woodchuck. Honestly, he must've weighed more than Alfie. I'm glad he lumbered off into the woods while we were still a long way off!

Much smaller and cuter are the tiny spotted and striped ground squirrels, which seem to be everywhere around here.

And of course, you can't have small mammals without their predators...I've enjoyed watching some amazing hawks, and, if I'm up early enough, owls. Less appealing to me are the snakes. Last night Alfie spotted a (harmless) garter snake slithering in a panic across our path, where he'd been sunning himself. While house hunting recently, the girls saw a stunning red milk snake -- you know, the ones that look almost exactly like the deadly coral snake? So we're standing around reassuring ourselves with, "Hmmm...'Red on black, venom lack/red on yellow, kill a fellow'...that IS how the saying goes, right?!" The Missouri Department of Conservation assures that the coral snake does not live in this state -- out of the 40-odd species of snakes here, I only really need to worry about the cottonmouth, the copperhead, and 3 kinds of rattlesnakes. How comforting...? Ah well, good reason to look where you're going.

Out of all the critters so far, though, the most annoying have been ticks. Alfie's on tick preventative/repellent, so they don't "bug" him (I comb him to make sure)...it's US they like, aarrgh! Thank goodness for Deep Woods Off.

Ticks or no ticks, there's nothing like a walk in the woods!

Life With Alfie

2011-06-02T15:12:00.003-05:00

Having Alfie means...

Always having someone to keep an eye on me -- almost literally! When I open my eyes in the morning, he's standing there, wagging, watching me...when I come out of the bathroom he's sitting at attention. Okay, it might drive some people crazy, but it makes me laugh.
I know someone is always listening to what I say. I don't mean to say that he obeys every single word, at least not immediately (he has amazing obedience skills, but also a healthy mischievous streak!) Still, it means that he's constantly picking up new vocabulary: kitty, neighbor, buffalo, and Grandma's room are some of his latest. More to the point, he understands things without my saying them: like that I'm about to get up from the table, put on my shoes, or make a phone call. It's quite uncanny!
Resigning myself to reclaiming stolen items from him several times a day. He has still not outgrown this! I've learned that a single stern look usually does far more than the verbal command, "drop it." He's just doing it for attention...but really, really doesn't want me to be mad at him!
That if something needs my attention, he'll be sure to tell me. Whether the kettle's boiling on the stove, the kids are having a spat, or a bottle of detergent fell over in the garage...he'll rush up to me, poke me with his nose, and make sure I check it out! Funny dog.

Every puppy I've raised has been a real individual, but Alfie takes it to a whole new level. He's so smart and observant that he has easily been the most challenging of all my puppies: not difficult to train, because he learns things with few or no repetitions; the hard part is keeping him from learning the things you don't want him to learn! But by the same token, he's bonded to me like some kind of canine crazy glue. He is intensely curious about everything we do and just wants to be in the middle of everything, all the time...participating, giving his opinions, working his hardest, and just enjoying life.

In other words...no, he's not a "perfect" dog...just the perfect dog for me! He makes me laugh, keeps me company, and probably teaches me just about as much as I teach him. A pretty good arrangement, wouldn't you say?

First Aged Trail

2011-06-01T14:55:00.000-05:00

So far Alfie and I have been working "runaways," where he actually watches his target run off and hide, and "fresh trails," where he cannot see the target run off, but still goes right to work on the trail as soon as the target is hidden. Today was our very first "aged trail," where the target lays the trail and then we wait, allowing the scent to "age" before allowing Alfie to work it. For today's assignment, Charissa was our target and we allowed the trail to age just 20 minutes before we began.

Alfie knew we were up to something but was very puzzled when Charissa left the house alone and I went back to my other activities. Twenty minutes later, I harnessed him up, took him out, and gave him the scent item with the "smell" command. He was definitely up for the challenge and responded to the "find" command by practically dragging me across the lawn! (Mental note: check with Charissa to see if she actually crossed the front lawn, or is Alfie taking shortcuts?)

Soon he slowed down and began to work much more carefully. He decided to lead south, but kept glancing west across the farm road with increasing frequency. We came to a church parking lot, which he gave a cursory check before definitively crossing the farm road west, into a cemetery.

After that he seemed puzzled, sniffing the ground in wide circles, then totally stopping to air-sniff. I figured it was time for encouragement: stopping him, I showed him the scent item again and excitedly cheered him on with, "find this!" That was just what he needed -- with typical Alfie enthusiasm, he not only sniffed the little gauze scent pad, but grabbed it and licked it and tossed it around before beginning to circle purposefully once more with a "We can do this!" sort of attitude. He widened the circles more and more until...yeah!!...he settled in again, leading me right to where she was.

Good dog!

...And, yes, she crossed the front yard. And went pretty much exactly the way he led me. What a dog. We're having so much fun!

Found You!

2011-05-17T15:11:00.000-05:00

This week, Alfie got to find his very first canine "target": Hickory, a spunky and adorable mini dachshund. We started off by using gloved hands to rub a sterile gauze pad all over Hickory to get a good scent sample. Then off he went to hide with his handler (this time, Charissa), while I covered Alfie's eyes.

After several minutes, I snapped the tracking line to Alfie's harness, his signal that work (or is it play?) is about to start. Then I give him the scent item and the "smell" command. At this point in training, that's a little superfluous...Alfie had already seen AND smelled Hickory and is smart enough put two and two together! Still, keeping to the procedure is important for later, when I'll ask him to trail a target he's never met before. Finally I give the "find" command...again it's hardly necessary, but hey, I like to feel like I'm doing something!

A brisk breeze made conditions challenging and caused Alfie to work slowly, circling and weaving as he went along. He did not follow their exact path, often preferring to trail along a hedgerow where their scent had no doubt collected against the windbreak offered by the vegetation. After about a quarter mile across a field, a path, and through a semi-wooded area, he plunged sharply left through some brush to find Hickory in a cement drainage culvert. Yeah!

Learning to Read

2011-05-12T11:47:00.000-05:00

Talk about a new challenge! While I'm trying to teach Alfie what I'd like him to do (follow a specific scent trail, to the exclusion of all other distractions), he has something to teach me too: how to read his body language. Although there are whole books written on that subject, the key thing seems to be that all dogs are different, and you have to learn to read your dog. So I've been trying to consciously take note of all the little signals Alfie sends while working.

In general he looks focused and intent while on a trail -- loose tail, nose twitching, ears and eyes moving, mouth open. Normally, when we're just out for a walk, he's easily distracted by every admiring passerby -- not when we're on a scent! He ignores them like they don't exist. Once a man tried to pet him in harness and Alfie just gave him a half-wag and an apologetic look like, "Hey, sorry, I'm kinda busy right now!" So funny, given Alfie's usual life-of-the-party personality!

He always seems to know the general direction to take right off, but depending on terrain and wind, he'll then start to "cast" in loose s-curves right and left to help narrow down an exact route. The interesting thing is that while doing that, he'll start glancing in the direction he favors, even while casting right and left of it. That glance is really key for me to notice because it usually seems to be correct -- he knows that's the way he needs to go, but is just making sure and narrowing it down.

When he starts getting close to the subject of our search, he doesn't look (to my eye at least!) more "excited"; but he does gain a ton of confidence, moving much faster and leaning -- hard -- into the harness! When he "finds" successfully he dashes right back to me for a yummy treat. I have a feeling that once we start finding actual DOGS he'll be so focused on them that the treat will become superfluous!

Quick Update

2011-05-04T13:12:00.001-05:00

So here's the deal: if you don't hear from me on the blog for a while, you know it's not that nothing has happened...on the contrary, it's that everything has been happening and I haven't had time to write about it!

The big news is that our Austin home finally sold -- hooray! Now we're starting to take the first steps toward getting our own place here in Missouri. Alfie has already put in his vote: It needs a big, fenced yard!

And yes...Alfie's been learning many new things...not the least of which is his trailing/tracking work. Doesn't he look happy?

Now, in all honesty, Alfie has always been a super-enthusiastic worker for me...but I have never seen him work so wholeheartedly and eagerly as he does with his scent work. It's almost like he can't believe I would really ask him to do something so fun! All his scent "problems" have been very short and easy so far, as I just want to build on success. We'll have to wait and see how he does as he goes along. But for now, we're having a blast!

The Great Big (Crazy?) Idea

2011-04-20T11:20:00.001-05:00

Like most Great Big and Quite Possibly Crazy Ideas, this one has a story behind it.

Rewind to the end of last year, just after we'd moved and before I had any hint of what would happen with Alfie. My brother Paul and his family went to Florida over the holidays to visit family, and asked if I'd care for their menagerie -- border collie Jamie, mini dachsund Hickory, an assortment of cats, and a hamster called Reepicheep (who doesn't really enter into the story, but what a cute name!)

Jamie -- seen here, as usual, with a ball!

Everything was going great until New Year's Eve. When it came time to feed the dogs their supper Hickory came trotting up happily but...no Jamie! The gate wasn't open and nothing was obviously wrong, so it was hard to figure out what had happened. The girls and I searched and called...first around the house, then widening the circle, on foot, to the neighborhood.

Of course I was immediately overcome with guilt. HOW could I have left her outside that afternoon? (Never mind that it was a pretty, sunny day; she had water, a cozy shed with bedding for shelter, and her buddy Hickory; and it was normal for her to spend an afternoon outside even when her family was home!) We called friends and neighbors, but no leads. I was forced to call Paul and give him the bad news...then we resumed our search, in the car, in the dark (I know it sounds crazy, but I was desperate!) The sun having set, it was well below freezing by this time but we crawled through the neighborhoods with windows down, calling til we were hoarse and, at last, had to give it up for the night.

After settling the other animals in I turned to leave for home -- and was pretty sure I heard something! A whine, a bark? It was very brief -- from the neighbors' yard? The neighbors weren't home so I hoisted myself up and peered over their fence with a flashlight. Nothing. Frustrated, I turned to go again...and again, just as I was leaving, I definitely heard something. More looking, STILL nothing. But this time I was sure of what I heard -- it was definitely Jamie, and very close by. Disregarding the frozen mud, I flopped down on my belly and squirmed up to a hole leading under the back deck. Eureka! Sure enough, she was there, as far back as she could possibly get. We'd actually been passing within inches of her for hours without knowing it! When she saw me she flopped her tail halfheartedly, but nothing...and I do mean NOTHING...could induce her to come, despite the fact that she's normally very loving and friendly.

To make a long story short, Operation: Free Jamie took a good deal of that night and much of the next day as well.

At first I tried digging/crawling my way under the deck, but all I got was...

...muddy!

With Paul's permission, we finally tore up some of the deck, reached in and pulled her out. She seemed disoriented at first, and it took her a while to warm up, eat, and return to her normal self.

Gently pulling her out, with hot dogs for encouragement.

Success! We warmed her up with towels heated in the dryer.

Fortunately there were no lasting ill effects, except to the deck! My best guess is that something (possibly some early New Year's fireworks?) scared her into that hiding place, and she suffered some sort of panic attack. She was quite literally unable to move -- physically OK, but immobilized. Still, all's well that ends well and I'm happy to say she's quite a normal girl again!

But the one thought that kept recurring to me that day was: Oh, if only I'd had Alfie there, I would've known she was under that deck much sooner! Maybe I'm dreaming, but with Alf's flair for finding things, I'm pretty sure he could've alerted me to her presence somehow and we could've gotten Jamie out a lot sooner -- saving us hours of useless searching around the neighborhood, and her a night of dangerous exposure to the cold.

OK, back to the present! Since adopting Alfie as a permanent part of the family, I've wondered what our next project should be. Some have suggested therapy work -- but although I'd enjoy it, I'm not entirely sure Alfie would enjoy it that much. He does love people, but he's much more of an "up-and-doing" kind of dog.

I'll admit that ever since helping start diabetic alert dog Dakota on his scent training a couple years ago, I've been fascinated by scent and the teamwork between dog and handler in any kind of scent-related work. I've been reading all I can, and just enjoying learning about it, at the same time idly mulling over Alfie and what we might enjoy pursuing together.

After the Jamie incident, though, I found myself noticing lost-pet fliers everywhere and thinking: This happens to people all the time, and most of the stories probably don't end as well as ours did. Then the two thoughts kind of merged: What if I could train Alfie in scent work/trailing and we could work together to help locate people's missing pets?

My research indicates that training a dog to any level of competence in this area would take time and effort: likely at least a year of focused work would be necessary. Am I up for that? At first I thought of joining a local tracking class but come to find out, competition tracking is a completely different activity than the air-scenting that I would need Alfie to learn for search work. So we're sort of on our own, yikes!! Then to complicate the issue further -- I have found that although there are a few reputable "pet trackers" or "pet detectives" out there...there are also many who seem to be using it as a way to scam distraught pet owners out of a few bucks. Hmmm, not something I want to be associated with in any way! So, as you can imagine, my feelings went back and forth.

But it's hard to get the idea out of my mind. I love, love, love the idea of helping people! It's far more interesting to me to do something like this than to simply take on a dog sport for fun -- just the way I'm wired I guess. And secondly, what do we have to lose? At the very least, Alfie and I will have enjoyed a new type of training discipline together. I feel like I want to give it an honest effort -- at the same time giving myself permission to quit and change my mind if it doesn't work out for some reason. I'd love your feedback, especially any of you who have experience in scent work of some type. Tips, resources, experiences?

At the moment we're still in limbo, waiting on our Austin house to sell and (hopefully) relocating to a place of our own soon here in Springfield. So for now Alfie and I are playing a lot of scent games, and doing some short "runaways." But as things settle down I plan to start him on more serious work and we'll keep you posted as to whether he seems to be a good candidate or not. In the meantime, happy trails and wagging tails!

Miss Me? (by Alfie)

2011-04-13T15:13:00.000-05:00

Well, if you've missed me here the last couple of weeks, it's 'cause I've been super busy taking care of Mom. First she goes and steps in a mole hole and twists her ankle despite the fact she's only got 2 feet to keep track of! Poor clumsy thing.

She got better and I knew right off I had to get her back going for walks again. With the weather nicer, we've been going all kinds of places.

Can't believe she let me sit on this bench!

Oohh...tadpoles.

It's hard to look noble and inspiring when your paws are muddy.

Duck-watching!

Sometimes when you get real happy...you just have to dance!

Just when things were getting back to normal she gets sick again! This time a sinus infection. I took good care of her though. When she's sick she just lays there so I figure she needs entertainment. I try to provide this by bringing her things...socks, my ball, a pencil, gum out of Grandma's purse, whatever I can find! I've heard that people need lots of mental stimulation to keep healthy so I try to provide that for her.

Whew, Monday she said she was feeling better! Uh-oh...guess what that meant?

Let's put the camera away, shall we?

And the very NEXT day...out came the clippers! I guess she really IS doing better.

Then TODAY...off to my new vet! Unlike some people I know -- according to the vet I'm "the picture of health." Woo hoo! I took full advantage of the chance to make a bunch of new friends -- people, dogs, and cats. Some of the dogs in the waiting room were not quite as happy as I was about being there, I wonder why? When I sat nicely on the scale to be weighed the vet tech just sighed and said, "Wow, I wish ALL my patients were that good." I gave her a big kiss for that! Since I was so nice for my exam and shots, she asked Mom if I could have a treat. Mom said yes, and I tried to help matters along by sitting nicely as soon as I heard the word "treat." That sure made the lady laugh! If there's one thing I can tell all you young pups, it's this: Do what you have to, to impress the people with food!

That's it for now, I've gotta check and see if Mom needs another walk.

Wag. Walk. Repeat!

--Alfie

Surprise!

2011-03-28T09:18:00.000-05:00

Here we are in late March, officially spring, with daffodils, redbuds, and tulip trees in breathtaking bloom...and what should greet us when we walk out this morning but fresh snow!

As you can see by Alfie's whiskers, his initial response was classic dog: How fast can I eat it all?

I'm happy to say it's already melting...no snow visible on the grass anymore, and just a hint still lingers on roofs and bushes. I'm ready for spring!

My, What Big Ears You Have...

2011-03-22T13:37:00.001-05:00

...not literally, of course. Alfie's ears are pretty standard-issue medium floppy dog ears. But he sure listens well with them! And you don't have to be talking to him, for him to listen. He's a confirmed eavesdropper. I've got tons of stories but I'll just share a few.

Currently, we're staying at my Mom's house while waiting for the Austin house to sell (good news: it's under contract again, should close by mid-April. Yeah!!) All that to say, our living arrangements are a bit makeshift. Charissa's bunking in Mom's office, where she's got a nice air mattress set up on the floor. One night she was talking to Tim, Alfie resting a few feet away, seemingly asleep. She remarked that although Alfie's really good about staying off normal furniture, she thought it was cute how he liked to curl up on her air mattress since it was on the floor...he always puts his head on the pillow, just like a person would. Now this may be a coincidence -- but at that, Alfie stood up, looked at her, and quietly walked down the hall to the office, nudged the door open, and curled up on her bed...head on the pillow...as if to say, What a good idea! Let me demonstrate! Tim just shook his head and said: "Umm..that's creepy!"

Ah...this is the life! Maybe when we move I'll get my own air mattress with pillow and stuffed bunny rabbit...

Then one day I was talking to someone -- can't remember if it was Mom, or Tim maybe -- and mentioned that "Paul's coming over." Immediately Alfie, who loves my brother Paul, jumped up, tail high and wagging, and proceeded circling expectantly at the door...my attempts to explain that I didn't know exactly when Paul was coming over fell a little flat and in fact, only resulted in getting him more excited!

On another occasion, Alfie was being naughty and stole one of Katharine's stuffed animals. We were doing our level best not to reward him with the attention he desired, and I told Mom, "Just don't look at him, he'll drop it when he sees we don't care." So we were ignoring him totally, and Mom remarked to me, "Well, it's sure a good thing he never grabs books! We have books everywhere, and if he got one of those we'd have to get it back from him." Ohhh noooo...that was SO the wrong thing to say. I wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it with my own eyes, but Alfie just looked at her...then this mischievous gleam came into his eyes as if, Oh what a good idea! I'd never thought of that! He trotted to the other room...and pranced back triumphantly with, oh YES, a BOOK. And I do believe that is the very first time he'd stolen a book!

So, all I'm saying is, if you ever come to visit me just watch what you say. Don't say how great it is that Alfie doesn't chew socks, or steal the remote. One more thing: tell me exactly when you're coming, so I don't accidentally mention it to Alfie an hour ahead of time! I promise, we'll all be much happier...

Kissin' Cousins

2011-03-18T09:11:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, the girls got to have cousin Lauren over for the day -- much to Alfie's delight! Lauren's super sweet and really enjoys dogs. In fact, she shares an interest in dog training -- she's training her own dogs at home as part of a science project! Charissa showed her the new commands she's been teaching Alfie, and Lauren enjoyed practicing them with him. He did really well for her! They spent most of the afternoon just hanging out in the spring sunshine, laughing and talking and playing with the dog. What could be better?

Find!

2011-03-15T15:19:00.001-05:00

If there's one thing that Alfie misses most about being a guide dog in training, I'd have to say it's the privilege of being able to go everywhere with me. If he's along on an outing and I have to stop by a store, he doesn't understand why he has to stay in the car with one of the kids instead of coming with me!

At least they don't make me wear that jacket any more!

But probably his favorite aspect of the work itself was the "finds." Happily for Alfie, he doesn't have to stop "finding" things! I want to do further training with him on scent discrimination, but for now we play fun games that have to do with him "finding" various items -- or even people! -- around the house and backyard. We're experimenting with hiding things in "hard" places as well as "easy" places...sometimes we'll hide a toy where Alfie actually can't reach it, so he has to "show" us where it is, and then we reward him by giving him the toy to play with.

One really great thing about the "finding" game shown in the videos below is that, as long as the kids help hide his toy, I don't have to do anything at all, except sit with my ankle propped up -- yeah!

[Video description: First video shows me holding Alfie with my hand over his eyes so he can't peek while Charissa hides his toy. Then he has to sniff around til he finds it behind the entertainment center nearby (it takes him about half a minute to find). Second video shows the end of one of these games, where Alfie finds the toy stashed in the space between the fridge and the wall, behind and on top of a folded TV tray. When he catches a whiff of it he sort of "points" to it, then grabs it. That was a tough one -- he's pretty excited about getting it!]

The Trouble With Moles

2011-03-11T14:08:00.000-06:00

...So, everything was going great. I was so enjoying my daily outings with Alfie (see last post!)...walking and even jogging for miles each morning and getting into the best shape I've been in years. Ahhh...that was Tuesday!

On Wednesday I was running around in the backyard with Alfie and Katharine, playing a new training game, when I stumbled into a mole hole -- rolling my ankle to the side with my whole weight on it. (Note to readers: Do not try this at home!)

I've heard of molehills, but here the moles only seem to make little burrows...

Pop, pop -- ooohhh, that can't be good, I thought -- but surprisingly, it didn't hurt too bad. Not one to let a little incident like that slow me down, I went through the rest of my day normally. Up and down 3 flights of stairs at my brother's office more than once...cooking dinner...running errands...all you other moms out there will understand!

That night I went to church as usual, but unlike usual, I had a tough time concentrating because all of a sudden, all I could think was: OW, my foot hurts! By the time church was over, it was quite swollen and I was in such pain I had a tough time driving home. (Husband Tim wasn't with me and Charissa's not quite old enough for her drivers' license, alas...) To make a long story short, the doctor confirmed my suspicions on Thursday: torn ligaments that'll take a while to heal.

How to explain this to a certain brown dog I know? He's been sniffing my splint, sniffing my crutches, and you can tell he's trying to understand what's going on and why I'm acting so strangely. Poor boy, now he has to wait for his walk until the kids are done with school. He's got far more energy than he knows what to do with...never a good thing! Like most dogs, he tends to get into mischief when bored and frustrated.

Who, me?

His favorite attention-getting device is to grab something he knows he shouldn't have, then parade with it in front of us in an attempt to get us to chase him (the best approach is usually just to ignore him!) He did this so much yesterday, that today he's on leash at Charissa's feet and seems more or less resigned to being good.

Both Charissa and Katharine have been spending extra time playing and practicing obedience with him, though, and they're really doing a good job. There's nothing quite like watching them work together, or the pure joie de vivre of them playing a round of fetch in the backyard.

Practicing "wait" at the steps...

Nice "heel"!

"Watch me!"

For extra credit...practicing "down" on a little wall!

Let's just hope they don't step in a mole hole!

Simple Joy

2011-03-05T10:44:00.000-06:00

There's absolutely nothing like an early morning walk. I love the cool, invigorating air; the birds; the sky; and just the way it makes me feel glad to be alive (not to mention the exercise)! Somehow, though, without a walking buddy it's hard to have the discipline to take time for myself like that. I think of all the things I have to do for everyone else, my agenda fills up, and I figure I'll squeeze a walk into my afternoon somewhere...maybe!

Why is it so easy to put off doing something you know is good for yourself? That's the great thing about Alfie: he gives me motivation to get out there first thing in the morning, totally guilt free. Good dog.

Awesome Blogs -- Awesome Nose!

2011-03-03T12:20:00.000-06:00

Many thanks to blogging friends Lisa, Ellie, and Hosta AND L_Squared for this award! I'm passing it on to some more awesome dog blogs you'll enjoy: Raising Ruby, Assistance Dog for Autism, Ours for a Lifetime, Service Dogs: A Way of Life, and Southeastern Guide Dog Puppy. Tail wags all round!

The Awesome Nose Award, however, I can take no credit for. I'm awarding it personally to the Alf for his latest little adventure. Last Saturday morning I was walking him at the local cemetery, taking a path I hadn't taken with him before. As we rounded a bend, Alfie hit the end of the leash pulling hard -- very uncharacteristic for him. Curious to see what bird or squirrel he might have in his sights, I followed along. He led me at a brisk dash across the grounds, past a good 25 to 30 markers...straight to...my Dad's grave! There was no question that was exactly where he was headed, because when he got there, he stopped and thoroughly examined Dad's headstone, sniffing and licking with great interest. Then he looked up at me with a satisfied smile and a wag, and sat down! Now -- to explain -- Dad passed away 5 years ago so nope, Alfie never knew him. But I do come out and visit Dad's grave from time to time, and each time I do, I'll stop and rest, spend a little time in prayer, and wipe the marker clean with my hands. So my thought is that Alfie was responding to my scent, or maybe even scent from other family members, accumulated at the site. The only catch: I haven't been there for weeks, since before our huge snowstorm! And, after asking family about it, it seems I was the most recent visitor. While I know that cool, damp conditions are favorable to scent survival, I was still incredulous that Alfie seemed able to detect scent that old. Of course, dogs' noses are incredible -- I've learned that firsthand in the process of training service dog Dakota in his diabetic alert work.

Have any of you ever come across similar situations with your dogs? Leave a comment -- I'd love to hear about it! Hats off to all our dogs...and all their amazing abilities!

The More Things Change...

2011-03-02T10:50:00.001-06:00

A little over a week has passed since Alfie came home. One change you'll notice -- his cute haircut.

I left about an inch of curly brown fur to ward off the spring chill, but overall, I think he feels better, and looks neater. He's certainly easier to brush!

But in most ways, Alfie's exactly the same as I remembered him. He still loves attention and petting more than anything. He loves people...

New friends, awesome!

...and people seem to love him!

Just like I remember from his guide-dog-in-training days, Alfie loves to learn new things. One difference is what he's learning! As a service dog, Alfie wasn't allowed to do "tricks"...however, now that he's our dog, Charissa is enjoying teaching him fun and cute little things. So far she's got him to "shake hands," "spin," "roll over," "back up" and "bow." It seems like every time I turn around, Alfie's doing something new for her!

Look what I can do, Mom!

Another thing is still the same, too: Alfie retains his ability to surprise me! Last week we had guests over at Sunday lunch and, wondering where my nephew was, I asked Alfie to "find John." I wasn't actually expecting him to do it -- after all he'd just met John the day before, and I didn't think he'd remember him by name. He did, though -- trotting straight over to John, nosing him, and then giving me a pointed look to make sure I noticed! When we all laughed, my sister-in-law asked what happened, and could Alfie please do it again? All 9 people gathered around to watch -- and to be honest, I didn't know if it wasn't just a fluke! So I had Alfie sit, "watch me," then I told him again to "find John"...Alfie literally pranced into the living room (show off that he is), threaded his way through all the other people and around all the furniture, going straight to John and giving him a definite nudge. When spontaneous cheers broke out at this little achievement, you'd have thought Alfie had won the doggy lottery or something! For an attention-loving guy like him, that was better than all the liver in the world -- he smiled, twirled, wagged and was ever so pleased with himself. Funny boy!

Home to Stay

2011-02-19T15:45:00.000-06:00

Yes...Alfie made it home!

Alfie wriggled and licked my face so hard he knocked my sunglasses off!

Doesn't he look happy?

Alfie was thrilled to see the girls again.

He just leaned into them, snuffled, and wagged himself silly.

Many, many thanks to Larry Gelvin and all those at GDTx who helped make Alfie's adoption possible. We appreciate you ALL so much! Alfie's a special boy and we're so happy to have him!!

At home in Missouri.

A couple of days into his new life with us, he seems to be relaxing and settling in well. Our days usually start off with an hour's walk/jog through the surrounding neighborhoods, woods, country roads, and even a nearby cemetery. He's still good about keeping a loose leash, which is nice, although we no longer stop for every overhanging branch and manhole cover in our path! For the most part I am very thankful for his guide dog training and plan to keep it up. There are several areas, however, that I've loosened up on -- much to Alfie's delight. One of those is that now he's no longer working, I've started allowing him to greet people who want to pet him on our walks. He loves this new attention and has been very well mannered about it. This morning, we had a nice chat with an elderly gentlemen who wanted to pet him, as he'd just recently had to put his golden retriever to sleep. Alfie seemed to know that he just needed some extra love and laid his head gently on the man's knee. Sweet...

He has also discovered the formerly forbidden toy...RUBBER BALLS! Guide dogs aren't allowed to play with them but in his new civilian life, Alfie has discovered that they're great for chewing and fetching!

It's interesting that although we're in a new house in a new state, Alfie remembers all our little routines and seems to be picking up right where he left off. For example -- when I put the kettle on for a cup of tea, he will come nudge me with his nose to alert me right before it boils. I've always thought he just must not like the sound of the whistle, who knows? Funny boy!

Alfie seems happy and relaxed, even at grooming time. I pick him up, put him on the grooming table, and go to work...he just flops down and closes his eyes. He's not asleep, just relaxed. Nice, because there's a lot of fur on this dood! The next pictures you see, he will be sporting a shorter haircut...

...For now, we're just glad to have him back!

Lovin' my new life! Woof!

Thursday!

2011-02-14T09:05:00.000-06:00

If all goes as planned we'll be bringing Alfie home this Thursday. You can imagine the excitement around here! And yes -- in response to the inquiries I've been getting -- I promise there will be pictures taken!

Mine.

2011-02-09T10:44:00.001-06:00

Today I will begin at the end, because it's a happy ending and we all love happy endings.

Alfie's coming home with us -- yes, this time, to stay!

Getting to the end can be the hard part, though, and I've had few harder days than when Larry called to give me The News: Alfie would have to be released from the guide dog program. The reason was unexpected, to say the least. It turns out that in a freak incident, Alfie committed what I call the "unpardonable sin" of service dogs: he bit his handler. Unbelievable. Since I wasn't there and am only hearing about this third-hand, I don't want to second-guess or discuss the circumstances; in any event, it happened. Thankfully she wasn't seriously hurt -- the skin wasn't broken -- but a dog who has bitten at all, under any circumstances, can't be a service dog. It's pretty cut-and-dried.

To say I was shocked and upset -- well, that doesn't begin to describe how I felt! I grabbed my coat and scarf and tore out into the cold with no clear idea other than an urge to somehow escape what I'd just heard. Sick to my stomach, I found myself walking down a lonely country road, angry and sad and in pain all at once. The frost-silvered hills, so hauntingly beautiful at any other time, seemed harsh and forbidding. One lone cow bawled mournfully under a bare oak, who knows why? It seemed fitting, somehow. I walked furiously, crying, until the road came to an end. Sadly, I had to stop and turn toward home.

Home.

Where would Alfie's home be? At the end of our call, Larry had asked me if I'd like to consider adopting him. That goes without saying, I thought, yet I wasn't sure how we could manage it. We've had what some would consider a string of bad luck lately: first, the sale of our Austin house fell through; and although I've been working a few hours part time, Tim had so far succeeded only in finding temporary work. I don't remember exactly what I said to Larry, but I tried my best to explain our situation honestly. Then I just sort of ran out of words and had to hang up. The timing of it all tortured me; had this happened just a few weeks later, I kept thinking, we'd be in more of a position to take Alfie. As it was...well, I just didn't know. I couldn't even think straight. Seemed like all I could do was cry.

It wasn't until much later that I checked my email and saw a message from Larry. I read it slowly, and as I read, all of a sudden I realized: this is what it means to have friends. The staff at GDTx must've understood how I felt about Alfie: they actually pulled together and donated all I'd need to get started. Food...supplies...Larry was even offering to drive Alfie up to us, an amazingly generous gesture! I could scarcely believe it. There really aren't enough words to express my gratitude! I knew deep inside that I'd always regret it if I didn't adopt my buddy Alf.

We originally planned to get Alfie last Thursday, but due to the severe winter weather, we've postponed til mid-February. We can hardly wait. We'll drive to Tulsa to meet Larry, and Alfie will start his new life with us!

To answer the questions I've been getting: Am I disappointed? Yes, very. Alfie is among the brightest and most eager dogs I've ever met, and I was looking forward to following his service career. But to balance that out...now I get to keep him, and who can tell what adventures we'll have together?

Am I worried he'll bite again? I did consider that; after all, I'm a mom and have my family to think of! Was Alfie changed from the dog we'd known and loved? The training staff assured me that he wouldn't be released to me as a pet if they felt there were any concern and, having discussed the incident fully with Larry, I'm inclined to agree.

The truth is, these things happen. It's part of the reality of the service dog world that many dogs will be career changed for various issues. As a puppy raiser, of course, you never want to think of it happening with your puppy. Yet it can, and does, and somehow you deal with it and go on.

So...mixed feelings, definitely. But one thing's for sure: the happiness will outlast the disappointment.

I think Alfie will be pretty happy too, don't you?

Updates

2010-12-13T12:42:00.000-06:00

Family update:

We made it to Missouri...guess what, it snows here! We're settling in and enjoying my Mom's hospitality while waiting for our house in Austin to close (looks like it'll be before Christmas). Soon we hope to start looking for a place of our own. Everything has gone really smoothly so far, and we've got a lot to be thankful for!

Alfie update:

I hear from Larry that Alfie's been having quite an adjustment period with his new raiser! His new family has kids, an older dog, and an assortment of other animals, from what I understand: cat, birds, tortoise, and a miniature horse if I've got it right. Sounds like he's had some issues with settling down and determining his place in his new family "pack". Some readers may remember that when he went on puppy swap before, he "forgot" some of his training (finds and things), and that's been happening again. Larry said he thought it was Alfie's way of reacting to the stresses in his new environment. However, Larry says he's settling in much better now and seems to be getting more comfortable with it all. I know this is going to be such a maturing experience for him and certainly appreciate all the work his new family is putting in!

Larry also said that the assessment, previously scheduled for January, is now being delayed until the spring. Maybe some extra "growing-up" time is a good thing though, given all the adjustments Alfie's undergoing! He has tons of potential and I'm really expecting good things from him as he goes along.

In the meantime, I'll leave you with an Alfie picture. All my good Alfie pictures are on a computer that's still packed away -- oh well! This one's framed funny but I love his expression.

Be a good boy for me, Alf!

Goodbye, Alfie

2010-10-28T23:06:00.000-05:00

Alfie's gear was packed, feeding instructions written down, and Alfie himself received a thorough grooming. Monday came, our goodbyes were said, one last picture was taken...

...and I handed over his leash for the last time. I did better than I thought I would; I managed not to break down and cry or do anything embarrassing.

That came later.

I had to run to the store for something and as I pulled up to the traffic light the random thought broke into my consciousness: This was the first intersection where we crossed 4 lanes of traffic together. I remembered Alfie's aplomb despite his young age and the busy traffic, as well as his polite tolerance of a toddler who patted his head as she walked the opposite direction with her mama. Sure enough, tears start to well up.

OK, OK, calm down, I think as the light turns green and I head for the store...impossible not to remember, though, the many times I'd been here with Alfie: how well he knew his "lefts" and "rights" (better than many people, actually)...how much he enjoyed finding the counter...how impressed people were that I could drop his leash anywhere and he'd relax into an automatic down/stay, always smiling at what I'm sure he took to be his adoring public. No point in fighting the tears any more, so I just let them come!

Somehow I manage to get my errand done, but the scene replays daily in various forms no matter where I go:

This is the store where some kids came racing around the corner and ran right into us...
We went and saw a movie with Alfie at that theater...
I remember working those steep stairs there...
That's where we rode the bus the first time...

...And on and on. At some stores, the staff even miss Alfie and ask about him! I went to pick up a prescription and was greeted with, "Where is your dog?" He's become, in some ways, almost a part of me.

But there's a sweetness to the sorrow, too: If he already means this much to me, imagine what he'll mean to his partner as a fully trained guide. That's what it's always been about, I remind myself.

Larry promised to update me on Alfie, and I'll post any news I get to this blog just in case there are still any interested readers out there! My own life is opening a new chapter and I'm excited about what it may hold...who knows, maybe I'll continue blogging in some form later on, once I get settled. This blog has been a fun journey for me, and seems to have taken on a life of its own!

I wake up to an oddly silent room in the mornings now. No crate beside my bed, no questioning Grrr? coming from inside. I used to flop over and unlatch the door with one hand, and he'd come out sleepily, yawning and leaning into me with a sort of Wawagaaa and a big whiskery kiss on the face.

Now there's just a crate-sized square of mashed-down carpet at my bedside...and, forever, an imprint on my heart.

Love you, Alfie.

Take Time

2010-10-23T18:31:00.000-05:00

Dogs are great for reminding us: Take time out. Go for a walk. We'd all been working hard Friday and needed a break. I thought that since Alfie's just here a couple more days -- and our family's only here in Texas for a couple more weeks -- we needed to get out and enjoy meandering around the capitol building one last time!

Find the seat, good dog!

As usual -- it was gusty.

Funny little story: We waited in line quite a while to get in, due to the new security measures and metal detectors. I thought going through a metal detector would be a great new experience for Alfie! I asked the officer if he wanted us to go through separately, or together. He said together -- and that if the detector went off, we'd just have to get "wanded" by another officer. We went through together and Alfie was fine despite the LOUD beeping when --yes-- we set it off. I obediently went over to get "wanded." The lady there said (no kidding): "Oh, you don't have to come here unless you set it off. Did you set it off?" Seemed to be on the honor system! I was oh so tempted to say no and avoid the hassle, but of course I'm too honest. She used her metal-detecting wand on Alfie and that DID make him jump -- it seemed a very threatening gesture, plus it beeped too (collar and tags). She shrugged and said, "go ahead," and off we went. I guess we just don't look that suspicious, hehe!

We worked lots and lots and LOTS of stairs. Then we found elevators...and bathrooms. With bathrooms on so many floors, the capitol is a great training location. I did my best not to give him any hints so that he could practice finding and decision-making on his own. Fun!

Loved this big live oak...

...and the peaceful, manicured grounds.

Couldn't resist this shot! Plus, a chance to practice down/stay in the presence of pigeons and passersby.

And to close, another thing I'll remember about Alf: when in the car, he's usually good about curling up in the passenger-side floorboard. But the moment I turn the AC on "outside air"...he's up and resting his chin like this, drinking in the smells. There's just enough space for him to stand comfortably between the seats. He can't see much but I don't think that matters -- he can smell it ALL!

Random

2010-10-22T14:25:00.000-05:00

Alfie's always enjoyed water: walking in the rain, sticking his head under the gushing downspout during a storm, or (as above) fording a creek. I've only allowed him to do this a couple of times. On the day pictured above we were hiking a trail, he was in jacket, and had already done some nice work indicating changes of surface and such. We came to the water and he sat obediently, assuming he wouldn't be allowed to get wet. When I took off his jacket and let him follow me across he was thrilled!

While working, Alfie's usually been pretty good at remaining calm under pressure. The ballistic kitty shown here didn't want to let us pass -- she growled, hissed, and spat. You can tell Alfie's interested! But he "left it" really well. We had a similar incident Tuesday when we stopped by a used bookstore...as I opened the door to walk in, we were "charged" (albeit in a friendly way) by a black standard poodle. The big guy was wearing a leash, but still escaped his person in his frenzy to greet us (and NO, we were definitely not expecting to see another dog inside a bookstore!) I stepped on his leash and he was reclaimed, with apologies. Alfie was QUITE EXCITED. Still, he was able to get back "in the zone" reasonably quickly and worked all right for the remainder of our bookstore visit (he did air-sniff a lot, but who can blame him?)

He's funny when I leave him with the family...apparently, while I'm gone he pretty much remains "on watch" near the window the whole time. Last night I had to attend a meeting at church and he stayed home with the kids. I was happy to see him bouncy and playful as I left. When I got back though...it turned out that the moment I left he'd flopped down and showed no further interest in doing anything during my absence. When I got back I was surprised to find him happily standing in front of the door, tail waving. The kids said that about four minutes before, he'd jumped up from where he was lying, barked once, and went to stand at the door...and, yes, it so happens that four minutes is approximately the time it takes me to drive home! Do you know, I have NEVER believed those weird animal stories before, but am beginning to wonder...what do these dogs sense that we don't understand?

Although I'll miss him, I know he'll settle in to his new place just fine. In fact, he'll bond much more closely with his future partner than he ever has with me. That's just the nature of the working team! And if so...what a team they'll be, don't you think?

It's All Happening So Quickly

2010-10-21T16:38:00.001-05:00

So, as I announced yesterday, our family's moving to Missouri and since our school happens to be Guide Dogs of Texas...Alfie's going to leave us and stay with another raiser until advanced training. I spoke with my supervisor, Larry, on the phone today and it looks like things are arranged for Alfie to be picked up Monday. BIG SIGH...

But today, I don't really want to dwell on goodbyes. I'm excited to hear that GDTx' first pick of raiser for Alfie said yes! I don't believe I've met her, and don't even know her name. What I do know is that she's not only raised puppies successfully for GDTx (before I started volunteering there), she's also an experienced animal trainer of another type: she used to work with marine mammals at Sea World. Sounds like a great place for Alfie, don't you think?

From dolphins to doodles!

Things have been incredibly hectic around the house. One of the reasons I went ahead and arranged for Alfie to leave so soon is that he's been picking up on all the stress and upheaval as we pack, meet with realtors, etc...nothing severe, but he's been having some tummy issues. Poor guy, he has no way to know or understand what's going on! That tends to make me feel guilty, which he also is probably picking up on...a vicious cycle. Also, although he's been going places with me, I obviously haven't had the time to devote to his obedience work and training like I normally would.

I was clearing out a cupboard today and prepping it for refinishing (hence the dust on the floor)...came back and guess who was inside?

They'll have trouble selling this house: Severe doodle infestation under the sink!

So many fun Alfie memories. Two stand out today:

One of the most entertaining (and useful) things about this guy is how naturally good he is at finding things. When we misplace something, he can often find it for us. Wednesday night Charissa was getting him ready for our walk and noticed his leash wasn't hanging on its peg. After asking Alfie where it was, she thought of looking in the garage and opened the garage door. Alfie darted in, threaded his way through piles of boxes (you can definitely tell we're packing!)... then he turned around and pointed his nose up to the top of a particular stack...the leash was way at the top of a stack of 4 boxes. There was no way for him to see it -- I'm guessing he either smelled it, or remembered its being left there earlier. I'm sure it would've taken us forever to think of looking there if it hadn't been for Alfie's help!

Alfie can also get very excited during play and will occasionally chase, and catch, his tail. I used to worry that that meant he was too high strung...but as time went on I realized that he seems to be mainly doing it to make us laugh! I imagine he'll outgrow that eventually. I've always wanted to catch it on video but when I get the camera out he stops! Go figure.

Now for the BIG News

2010-10-20T11:46:00.000-05:00

As some might remember, Alfie's scheduled evaluation date is January 2011 -- the same time as Bob, Celia, Petey, and Piper. So "goodbye" was always just around the corner. But recent events have accelerated that timeline...our family is moving out of state early next month, and so Alfie will be moving to another raiser home for his last couple of months as a puppy-in-training.

Yes, we're looking forward to our new venture for many reasons! I'm so proud of my husband Tim, who is going to be focusing on finishing grad school (the main reason behind our move). The whole family is excited that we'll be living in Springfield, MO -- near my Mom, my brother's family, a dear aunt and uncle, plus other friends! The only hard part, of course, is saying goodbyes: to family here in Texas, to our wonderful church family, to friends, to GDTx...and, yes, to one special doodle.

It's tough for me to let go of Alfie: somehow, with each successive guide dog pup I've raised, it seems that the bond has been deeper. Alfie has such an uncanny way of "reading" me, and quite a flair for 2-way communication! Aside from my emotions, however, it's also hard to turn over a "project" in which I am so invested. Maybe that's just my perfectionist/controlling streak...I'm sure that another raiser will do their best, just as I have, and Alfie will turn out fine.

The GDTx team is working on selecting Alfie's new raiser home, and I'll keep you updated! I don't yet know exactly when he'll leave. But until he does, I thought it would be fun to do a few posts on what I'll remember most about my time with Alfie. Stay tuned!

We Now Interrupt Your Regular Alfie Programming

2010-10-19T12:17:00.002-05:00

...to present to you: Poppy's puppies!

This is the very first GDTx-bred litter. Pretty historic! Poppy comes from excellent guide dog lines and was imported from the UK. She had a bit of a rough start, as her plane was delayed by the Iceland volcano, then when she finally did arrive it took her a while to adjust to our way of talking here in Texas (not kidding about that -- even dogs notice the difference between a British accent and a Southern drawl, y'all!) But she has settled in beautifully, has a lovely temperament, and is the picture of everything you could want her puppies to be.

I also love the fact that the puppies' dad, Fire, is a brother to our 1st GDTx pup, Willie! Well, okay, so they're half brothers, but still it's pretty cool. Willie's now a working guide and we are so proud of him...if these puppies inherit that same drive, intelligence and work ethic they'll be amazing.

Gratuitous Willie picture below for your enjoyment! That's me in the blindfold, probing forward with my foot to investigate the GIANT curb he's indicating for me. Doesn't he look pleased with himself? Yes I AM prejudiced, but you must agree, this guide dog is terrific!

The kids and I got to visit Poppy's brood this past Saturday, when they were 10 days old. We got to snuggle them...

...help weigh them...

...and just enjoy them!

The puppies are in a window of vulnerability to some doggie virus or other that Mama doesn't have immunity for. So that's why we suited up like we were in an ICU: better safe than sorry. Don't worry, they won't have to live in a bubble forever!

I saved the best pic for last: right before we left we were sitting around a table cuddling puppies and chatting with Tracy (who really deserves a MEDAL for all her round the clock effort!!) I looked over at Charissa's puppy and...

...its eye just opened! So precious!

Alfie's A Winner!

2010-10-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

...And here he is sporting his winnings: a custom-made collar from Mimi and Cabana's birthday giveaway! We've enjoyed following Mimi and Cabana's journey on their terrific blog, Ours for a Lifetime. Mimi is also a talented crafter with a delightful online boutique, Sheekoo (very fun to check out, by the way!) Which is probably why she can do amazing things like effortlessly whip out adorable dog collars!

Even working dogs have a fun side...how 'bout this sporty orange collar?

Here's a better picture of the collar from the side...sturdy nylon webbing with accent material stitched on top.

It also has pretty heavy-duty fittings, all nice and secure. The pattern's great for a boy dog, all trucks and stuff, and there's even a dog riding in the back of one of the trucks...

We like the orange. When we got Alfie as a baby puppy he wore an orange collar and they called him "orange boy!" Plus, with Austin being the home of the UT Longhorns, you just can't go wrong with that color. So...maybe it's not quite regulation...but he's enjoying it for the time being!

...Thank you Mimi!

Is someone getting tired of posing for pictures?!

Good Thinking

2010-10-06T18:29:00.000-05:00

I LOVE to work!

Had to laugh during today's walk when I noticed Alfie was paying better attention to our work than I was! We were working at a new location (Sports Authority) and came to the section where they had row upon neatly arranged row of bikes for sale. Great place to practice turns and "watch me." So we were working our way through this rubber-tire-smelling maze and Alfie was doing great when I asked him to turn left into the next row. He snorted loudly and refused, giving me one of his...well...looks. I thought he was just being stubborn and repeated my command. He refused again, this time sitting down rather decisively to emphasize his point. That's when I actually took the trouble to look down that aisle...to see that way down the opposite end of that row, someone had pulled one of the bikes out into the aisle and it effectively blocked the path. Since the aisles were so narrow (no room to turn around), I'd have either had to roll the bike out of the way, or we'd have both had to back out the way we came. I had to laugh out loud at myself for missing that...and was pretty happy with Mr. Alf for avoiding the obstacle!

I can't say that all Alfie's mental activity is quite that commendable, though. One of the things I worry about is his poor tolerance for boredom. I was down with some type of virus for a couple of days and was treated to such attention-getting pranks as this...

Heh heh, look who's got your Chips Ahoy now!

He didn't actually try to chew the can of cookies open or anything, he just wanted to flaunt it at me so I'd notice and play with him. Not exactly what you want when you're in bed snuffling and sniffing...sigh! So for the next day or so Charissa gave him some extra backyard training sessions, and we made sure he was stocked with chew toys to keep him busy. That seemed to work pretty well.

So yeah, ups and downs...but overall I think he's coming along!

In the GREAT NEWS category for GDTx...their 1st ever brood, yellow lab Poppy, gave birth this morning to a fantastic litter of 8 gorgeous puppies. 5 girls and 3 boys, the "A" litter is getting the GDTx breeding program off to a great start!

Happy Birthday!

2010-10-02T13:51:00.000-05:00

A year old already? Seems like just yesterday we were bringing home this little guy...

...and now he's getting so grown up!

My birthday wish for Alf? That he'll have a long and happy life working...and playing...with someone he loves!

What Happens...

2010-10-02T13:01:00.000-05:00

...when the Live Music Capital of the World meets the Guide Dog Capital of Texas?

You get this!

http://www.planetrth.com/

...a giant hip hop concert (downtown Austin, Oct. 23) benefiting the GDTx Pawsitive Approach Prison Program...

http://www.guidedogsoftexas.org/pawsitive-approach.htm

All proceeds go toward a very good cause!

Mixed Feelings

2010-09-28T22:08:00.000-05:00

After a fantastic week out of state with family, it was good to get home...even nicer to see my buddy again!

Nice to be home...how about a walk?

Of course we were all excited to get Alfie back. My supervisor Larry was nice enough to bring him over in the morning and Alfie nearly wagged himself in two when he got in! Sounded like he did pretty well on his vacation too. Apparently he started off the first few days restless and testing the limits (why does that not surprise me?!)...but then he settled in, and since the Reimers said he was welcome to come back I assume all ended on a good note! Larry told me that when he met the Reimers for a training walk one day, he was very happy with Alfie's work. Yay!! It turned out when they arrived at the mall for their walk, some of the guide dogs in advanced training were already there working. Larry said that Alfie was distracted at first, but then settled right in and worked well despite the other dogs' presence. That was good to hear! He also did well working past a security guy on one of those segway vehicles...sounded like a pretty good outing for him! It really meant a lot to me to hear that he did so well working for a different handler.

After Larry left I settled down to a game of fetch with Mr. Alf and a couple favorite toys...and I suddenly realized how very much I'd missed him. Yet it was ever so slightly bittersweet, because of course I know he'll be leaving for good before too long. I was thinking about that, and then comforting myself with the thought of what a great help he'll be to some lucky person as a guide dog...then I thought, oh well, I think I'll do something nice for Alfie to make myself feel better. I thought: I'll fix him a kong, and have him go to his "place" (doggie bed), and sit and wait for it...then I looked at Alfie...and he was halfway to his bed already. He just sat there waiting calmly, like, I know what you're going to do! I seriously don't know how he does stuff like this. I mean, I know he reads my body language and facial expressions all the time, but this one really puzzled me (as he often does!) It's not a routine I have to randomly fix him a treat after a game of fetch; I didn't get up or even look that direction. Alfie just seems to have this knack for guessing my next move. As usual, it had what was probably, for Alfie, the desired result: it made me laugh!

Love you, Alfie, you rascal!

I'm Going Too...Right?

2010-09-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

No, Alf, you're not going on vacation.

But I fit so well in the suitcase!

OK buddy, I take it back, you ARE going on vacation, just not with us.

Is that a good thing?

Yes, Alfie, very good. You're going to stay with veteran puppy raisers Wes and Mary Reimer. Not to mention you'll get to play with their certified therapy doodle Mason! You'll really enjoy that much more than a 600+ mile road trip with us...trust me...

OK but if it's all the same to you...I think I'll nap in here for now!

We'll see you when we get back, Alfie...please try and be a nice guest for the Reimers, okay?

You Call That Clean?!

2010-09-15T09:00:00.003-05:00

So...I was doing laundry today, which for me means hanging lots of things to dry (I've had too many clothes shrink in the drier!) That's when I noticed Alfie paying an unusual amount of attention to some jeans of mine. He laid his chin affectionately on them while they were waiting to be hung up...I walked over to get a hanger, came back, and he'd stuck his whole head (up to the collar) inside one pants leg! Ummm...I just took them out of the washer, but if Alfie's that interested, something's gotta be wrong! Okay, okay, let's see what it is.

Finders keepers! Mmm!

Er...yeah. Soggy kibble! I'm normally a treat pouch kind of person and now I know why... Has this happened to any of you before? Any other dogs turned personal laundry assistant?

Of Doodles and 'Dos

2010-09-14T15:22:00.003-05:00

As much as I like Alfie's cute-teddy-bear look, it was still time for a trim. His soft, curly coat doesn't shed at all, but grows fairly quickly -- sort of like our hair does. It would get sopping wet when we walked in the rain and took "fur"-ever to dry! He seemed hot in our summer weather...and his training jacket was even starting to get tight!

I'm not fat at all - I swear, it's all fur!

As you can see from the photo below, the fur was even starting to block his peripheral vision.

I know where this is headed...sigh...

A couple hours and a lot of clipping later, I discovered THIS skinny little puppy hiding somewhere underneath...

Betcha don't recognize me now, heh heh!

I'm having a hard time getting used to his short look...oh well, it grows back fast! And a bonus -- right after a haircut, his hair goes from its normal soft texture to supersoft, like velvet. Fun!

Soft fur = more petting, right?

Rainy Day

2010-09-07T12:13:00.000-05:00

Our days have been so full lately...work, school, training...but today, had to take time out for a bit of fun in the rain.

With the rest of his fur plastered down, those long eyelashes really stand out!

Alfie loves to wander leisurely around the yard snuffling when it rains...even when it's really pouring. He doesn't mind getting wet at all. He'll even stick his head under the down spout where the water is gushing off the roof...funny to watch! Everything must smell better to him in a rain shower. I know for sure one thing that smelled very interesting to him in the rain today: a dead bird. Actually what happened was, I saw him with something under a big bush...thinking it was a toad (despite their nasty venom/poison/whatever, he still likes to pick them up)...I asked him to "fetch" it to me. When he got closer I could see...EWWW, SOGGY DEAD BIRD and involuntarily let out some exclamation about how disgusting it was! Now Alfie was all set for me to PRAISE him for bringing it and when I reacted negatively his tail went down and he started to back off, like, "Oops, never mind, I'll just keep this since you don't want it and I do!" I caught myself just in time, squelched the gross-out feeling, and put on a big show of how HAPPY I was, decomposing birds are AWESOME, and GOOD BOY, FETCH IT!!! ...Which brought him cheerily indoors where he dropped it happily and lay down for a nice treat! What a good dog, he got lots of liver in exchange for the deceased, which was hastily double bagged and put out in the trash...no pictures, I'll leave that to your imagination!

Such a thankless job I have!

Mom keeps all my best finds to herself!

As a tropical storm meanders across the state, I understand the rain's not going anywhere soon...we'll definitely have to go for a walk in it this afternoon, a good training challenge!

Can I come in and roll on the rug now? Pleease??

Alfie Does a Little PR

2010-09-01T17:06:00.000-05:00

Alfie and Piper working hard!

Today we had a great opportunity to do some PR for GDTx and have a great training session, all in one. The Office of the Attorney General hosted its annual State Employees' Charitable Campaign fair, and basically one big room was lined with booths from all kinds of great charities for employees to visit.

Since I knew the Pawsitive Approach guide-dogs-in-training would be there too, I thought it would be smart to give Alfie a little free run first to get the wiggles out and help him settle down. So our first stop of the day was the dog park. Alfie split his time between dogs and people, ran around, and generally had a blast. After that it was back to the car, a once-over with damp washcloth and comb to get him looking nice again, and off to the SECC fair.

I was so glad I did that! When I arrived I found that not only were our guide dogs there, but also the Humane Society had a booth with an adoptable dog ambassador. As we walked in the Humane Society dog leaped up, barked, and licked Alfie's face -- normally that would be a huge distraction, but having just had 30 minutes of doggie play at the park, Alfie responded pretty calmly and we got past without much fuss.

At our booth we met up with Larry Gelvin (Puppy Raising Manager), Kim Zielinski (Development Director), and the Pawsitive Approach crew, who brought Piper and Travis. Piper is the yellow lab puppy pictured above, and Travis is a big black lab with adorable sad eyes, ready to head in for advanced training. After some initial excitement, all three settled in and did very well -- we put Piper at one end of the table, with Travis between her and Alfie, as she was quite excited to see Alf and wanted to play!

Alfie enjoyed meeting all the visitors to our booth, especially since we were allowing everyone to pet the dogs (a treat he doesn't usually get on our training walks!) It was a great experience for him meeting all kinds of people, and many seemed genuinely interested in our mission of providing mobility for visually impaired Texans. The #1 comment people made on meeting him? "He's so SOFT!!"

Just don't call me a softie!

Nothing Escapes Them

2010-08-30T20:05:00.000-05:00

Our dogs are so tuned in to us, it seems...sometimes I think Alfie almost knows more about me than I do about him! Any of you ever get this feeling from your dog?

Yes, I can read your mind: "Going to buy the dog a bone!"

This seems to be true of everyone in our family. He always seems to know where we're going to go and what we're going to do. Today Charissa wanted to practice whistle recall with him (he needs to have solid recall with both the Come command and the whistle). Now, mind you, she didn't tell him this, though it goes without saying that he was watching her. She went to get his whistle off the rack and it wasn't there. So she asked me where it was, and I told her to look in my car. Off she goes into the garage, rummaging around unsuccessfully...when Alfie pops in behind her, bumps her with his nose til she finally looks at him....and after getting her attention he noses the seatback, where my lanyard (whistle attached) was sort of squeezed in the crack under the headrest. I REALLY hope his future owner can put this personality of his to good use! Dogs are so fun!

"Come!"

2010-08-26T15:56:00.000-05:00

Charissa was practicing Alfie on his recall today...her pictures were so funny, I had to share!

C'mon, there's a treat for that...right?

There's A Treat For That

2010-08-25T17:59:00.000-05:00

Ever seen those commercials selling apps? That's what comes to my mind whenever Alfie does something really good. He just looks at me with this proud, expectant expression: "Hey -- there's a treat for that!"

He doesn't get a treat every time. He'll almost jump over the moon just for "Good dog!" in that happy "high voice." But every so often, and when he's done something especially good, I'll give him a dog treat. We had a couple of those moments today. One's pictured below...Charissa spotted the animal crackers on the store floor so we set him up to practice "leave it." I gave him the command pre-emptively and he did great.

I'm leaving it...leaving it...leaving it...

Yay! There was a treat for that.

I guess I lowered my guard after that, because at the end of the aisle we unexpectedly met up with more animal crackers...he scarfed one...aaack! DEFINITELY no treat. Bad dog! Bad raiser for not noticing it before he did! So it was go back and rework so he'd get it right. Sigh.

A few minutes later he was standing at my side, I was distracted doing some price shopping, and he got "surprise-attacked" from behind by a little 2nd or 3rd-grade kid. Alfie flicked his ear to acknowledge the hit-and-run petting on his rump...all the time keeping his position, eyes locked on me as if to make sure I noticed his self-control. Wow, it actually surprised me that he didn't try to lick the boy's face! You're right, Alfie, there's a treat for that!

Where's My Dinner?

2010-08-24T12:26:00.000-05:00

Thankfully, Alfie's feeling better and everything seems back to normal. He made it (and WE, amazingly, made it too!) through 24 hours of food deprivation -- but not before telling me exactly what he thought of my neglect! Poor dog...

Tummy Trouble...and, New Favorite Place

2010-08-20T11:06:00.000-05:00

Tuesday night Mr. Alf actually had an accident indoors -- a sure sign something's wrong in the tummy department, as his housetraining has always been great. He tried to wake me up, poor guy, but I just couldn't quite get him out in time. Wednesday I thought he was better but then Thursday I could tell things still weren't normal so I called Larry (puppy supervisor). He confirmed what I'd guessed -- time for our first line of defense, withholding food for a short time to let Alf's system rest and work out whatever's bugging him.

Let me just say: Alfie's NOT going to like this! Although his...er..."output" isn't normal, he's quite as bouncy and happy as ever, and his appetite hasn't suffered. With our first puppy, Willie, we had to do this any number of times and he just moped around resignedly until it was over. Dakota, our 2nd puppy, was a bit of a poor eater and the time or two we had to withhold food he actually seemed relieved: "Oh thank goodness, they aren't going to make me eat that stuff tonight!" But Alfie is another personality entirely and there's no telling what he'll try when he thinks we've forgotten his dinner. So wish us luck!

On another note...is this an odd place to sleep or what?

His coat kind of blends in with the dark floor, especially when he's sound asleep and not moving...it's ever so slightly creepy to think you're alone in the bathroom and then notice this...

...or worse, not notice until a tongue licks your foot...yowza! He seems to think that teeny little space between tub and toilet was designed just for him!

Downtown Again

2010-08-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

Sorry, no action shots today, so here's a random cute Alfie picture for you!

Alphini and I spent the morning working in downtown Austin today. It's neat to see him starting to grow up a bit, acting responsibly, and doing much of his curb work without needing constant reminders. There was a lot of construction going on downtown today...the stench of hot tar combined with deafening machinery for a nasty sensory overload. I don't think he liked it, but he was calm, and actually seemed curious about what the workers were doing. We practiced a bunch of finds and got to work on "overs" and "ins" as we negotiated signs propped up in the middle of the sidewalk. His crowd work was pretty good today, and he didn't do anything really wrong although we had an embarrassing moment when he sat on a candy wrapper and it stuck to his rear end! I had to help him get it off, poor guy. As we worked back to my car we approached a coffee shop where we've stopped before. I told him to find a seat, thinking he'd get me the bench on the sidewalk. Instead he wanted to take me to a seat inside the coffee shop! Maybe he thought the air conditioning in there would be nice, I don't know. Of course I made him go back and take me to the nearest seat instead (like he's supposed to). He's still a bit too assertive about thinking he gets an equal vote in where we go!

But though I tend to focus on all the little areas that could use improvement, I'm actually starting to see that my little pup is growing into a nice dog. Of course that strikes me the most when we're out around other (pet) dogs, like the other day at the dog park. Alfie was playing and socializing, when some of the dogs started to chase a squirrel. He's never been allowed to chase anything, so I don't think he quite understood what the excitement was about, but all the same I called him to me and he came right over. I praised him, and off he went again. Then later he picked something up in his mouth and I asked him to drop it, which he did immediately. A lady who was watching nearby just gave me this amazed look and said, "Wow, my dog would NEVER do that!" The dog park is the only place I seem able to go "anonymously" so I didn't let on about Alf's secret identity as a guide dog and the countless hours of work I've put into making sure he will do just that! I also have a healthy awareness that we're far from perfect...sigh...but wow, it's nice when you can see some of that effort start to pay off!

Escalators

2010-08-13T23:24:00.000-05:00

Different schools may have different policies when it comes to escalators, I'm not sure. At GDTx, puppy raisers don't take dogs on moving escalators. Alfie used to try to go on them when he was little, and I had to stop him!

Looks fun, let's go!

Still, there are times when the escalators are stopped and you can use them like stairs. We were at the mall with puppy raising supervisor Larry last week and the escalators were stopped, so he had us work them. Here's what Alfie thought at first:

Um...now that I'm older and wiser...that thing looks dangerous!

Charissa was with us, so we had her walk up the escalator first, followed by Larry. When Alfie saw they were getting on okay, he was willing to try. His face looked tense and his tail was down, but he gave it a brave effort despite the odd footing. All the praise and attention he got for it must have made it worthwhile though, because the second time around he went on with much less reluctance. By the third time, his head and tail were high again and he seemed quite pleased with himself. He's a showoff and shameless attention seeker -- when he learns new stuff he seems proud and wants you to make a fuss. That can be good or bad, depending on the situation...on this day, I just thought it was funny!

Here's how it's done, folks!

What's Wrong With This Line?

2010-08-10T12:00:00.001-05:00

We're at the grocery store. I've gotten the three things on my list and am ready to go so I ask Alphini: "Find the counter." This he does, and he's all wagging and proud of himself for getting us right up to the edge of the counter -- his objective. There's only one shopper ahead of us in this line! The only hitch...it's a mom with two kids and approximately half the store in her cart. Hmmm. I wonder ruefully if GDTx has tips for teaching the concept: Express Lane ? Just a thought!

Picky, picky! I say, more time to relax!

Day at the Museum

2010-08-09T12:02:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend we enjoyed a delightful time with family...Tim's cousin Kristin and her husband Greg happened to be visiting on business all the way from Manhattan! Fortunately their schedule permitted some time with us, so we decided to stop by the Texas State History Museum -- an Austin icon and, just as important, a place where you can walk around and visit in air conditioned comfort. In this 100+ degree summer heat that's a must! Naturally, I hoped Alfie would be on his best behavior...maybe even show off a little of the great work he's been doing lately. But it was not to be!

Alfie got his own admission sticker -- how cool is that?

You see, the evening before, Kristin and Greg had come by our house for dessert and gotten acquainted with Alphini. Naturally he loved them both, but for some reason he went kinda nuts over Greg. He adored Greg! The feeling was mutual, and they were best buds for the evening. Then when the next day came along and we met them at the museum, Alfie lost all focus. He didn't actually do anything outright bad, like bark or jump or lick...he still obeyed (most) commands (eventually)...but his concentration was completely shot. He panted excitedly and pulled like crazy...and Alfie NEVER pulls! As we worked our way through the exhibits, I was kept constantly advised of Greg's location by which way Alfie's nose was pointing. Alfie may think he's a big dog, but I was reminded that 10 months is still very much adolescent territory!

Can you spot Alfie?

A nice "sit." One of the few things he was doing well.

Still, he didn't cause any major disruptions and all in all I think it was an extremely valuable experience for him. Greg did a great job of ignoring Alfie, which was just what he needed! I did have an interesting moment when one of the docents approached me and kindly warned me to be very careful, as the footing throughout the exhibits was uneven (it was uneven, with many different surfaces, and even artifacts embedded in the floor!) It wasn't until she walked off that I realized what had happened and asked Kristin, "Oh -- did she think I was blind?" It's always an odd feeling when that happens...

I was pleasantly surprised at Alfie's behavior in the theater. They've got a little 20-minute Texas history show complete with all sorts of special effects: billowing smoke for the war scenes, thunder that shakes the seats and strobe lightning effects throughout the seating area, talking figures, seats that "pop" (to simulate a rattlesnake strike -- yikes!)...not to mention water misters that spray all over the audience as Galveston gets ripped apart by a hurricane. Alfie was fascinated by it all. He sat erect at my side watching and sniffing with intense interest but no real signs of alarm. I guess he figured that as long as we were enjoying it, he might as well enjoy it too!

We rounded out the day with a trip to Amy's ice cream...ahhh. By this time, Alf was too pooped to do anything but lie on the cool floor and pant. He even ignored dropped spoons and bare toes walking past...good dog!

His reward? Taking off the jacket for a last goodbye hug from Kristin and Greg. Thanks for all the fun, guys!

Big Dog?

2010-08-04T14:43:00.000-05:00

I think I like the sound of that: "Big Dog."

I always think of Alfie as somewhat on the small side. He's smart and strong and big enough to do his job just fine. Still, at 36 pounds soaking wet, Alfie's much smaller than the 50-70 pound labs and shepherds at GDTx. But today, I stand corrected!

We were rounding a corner at a thrift store when a little girl squealed: "Oh Mom, look at the little dog!" "Oh no," her mother corrected, "That's a BIG DOG."

I went on with my shopping and didn't think much of it until our next stop, the grocery store. As we worked our way through the frozen section, a little boy behind us excitedly pointed us out to his mom: "Wow, look, a puppy!" Her answer? "Oh no, that's not a PUPPY. He's a BIG DOG, look at him working!" (This was also significant for the fact that she called him a boy...I've learned that to most people, poodle mixes are all "girls"! )

Made me chuckle... Hopefully, if people call Alphini a "BIG DOG" it means he's not acting quite as much like a puppy, right?

Even big dogs have to practice obedience, though!

Back to the Post Office

2010-08-03T15:58:00.001-05:00

Who's afraid of the Post Office?

Well, after my last two trips to the post office , I was rather dreading having to return. But today I needed to pick up a parcel and ship something, so there was nothing for it but to take a deep breath and face my fears. After all, I hadn't done anything wrong!

We started off at an office supply store to purchase a box, which gave me a chance to practice some obedience, finds, and straight-line work with Alfie. He did a good job of listening and working through the store, even in fairly crowded conditions. We've been working on his distraction around children, and today he did well -- interested in them, but still able to focus. I paid for the box and we worked our way back out to the car, where I realized that I was short on tape as well. Rats! Oh well, all the more practice for Alfie.

Back we go to the store, find the door, right, left, right again, guide around the display in the middle of the aisle, GOOD BOY! OK, down/stay while I look for tape and answer questions from a clerk...nice job Alf! Up-sit, let's go, find the counter, steady, watch me, GOOD boy for not licking that little kid right in front of you, sit, down, wait while I pay. Time to go now, but first answer more questions from the nice lady behind us, then find the door, and out we go to the curb. GOOD BOY for that automatic sit at the curb, let's go! GOOD dog for indicating the step up, LEAVE that grackle alone, find the "bus" (my car), good dog for sitting, get in the bus, treats for the good dog. I think Alfie was hoping I'd forget something else so we could do it all a third time, but thankfully that wasn't necessary.

With that nice warmup, we headed to the Post Office. Leash in my left hand and giant box in my right, I walked in and joined the line. It was very busy, with clerks at each of the four stations. As I entered, four heads snapped up...turned in my direction...and just as I cringed for the worst they all went back to work without a peep. One of the clerks even smiled at me! I could scarcely believe it. They were not only polite, but downright friendly...such a pleasant surprise. It made me wonder if they had received some kind of memo about ADA law since my previous visit! The clerk who helped me got to chatting about Alfie, and I mentioned being questioned about him before. He said he could tell he was a service dog with his jacket, and was very welcome, but did remark that they've "had some problems lately with people bringing in their pets." All in all, things ended on a very good note.

All's well that ends well.

Adding Up

2010-07-31T00:13:00.000-05:00

No big news today, no access-related drama. Just a good day working with a good puppy...nice for a change.

As we walked today I was thinking of how so many extraordinary things are achieved through small, daily effort. My wonderful Grandma crocheted each of her granddaughters an heirloom-quality tablecloth or bedspread as a wedding present. The tablecloth Grandma made me is among my most treasured possessions. But I cherish almost equally the little piece of paper in her handwriting that she gave me along with it: a log of how many stitches...and how many hours...went into her labor of love. I was thinking today that these ordinary little walks with Alfie are like that...each one a little "stitch" helping to build the valuable gift I hope he'll become. It all adds up!

Have a great weekend!

Rough Day

2010-07-27T22:06:00.000-05:00

It's been a long time since a business has tried to deny us access. Today, to make up for it, we were challenged twice in one day...at the same place!

We were at the post office getting ready to mail a package and as we waited in line, a postal employee came out and announced loudly: "Miss, you'll have to take your dog outside." I politely pointed out that he was a guide dog in training, and the guy just sort of went back to wherever he came from, not bothering to reply. I went on with my business and the folks at the counter were courteous as usual...after all, Alfie was in his work uniform and I've been taking various pups in training to the post office for a long time now!

As it turned out, we had to go back again later on in the afternoon. This time a different man told me firmly that dogs were not allowed inside. Again keeping my tone polite and cheerful as possible (despite the knot in my stomach -- I hate confrontation!), I pointed out that he was a guide dog in training. The postal employee replied, "Well, are you blind?" I responded that no, I wasn't blind, but I was his trainer and then offered to show him my ID badge and a copy of the Texas state law which grants access to service dogs in training (it's actually printed on the reverse of my badge and boy, was I happy I had it!) Again, he just sort of grunted and went on with his business, never answering me. Sigh!! I was allowed to stay, but I admit it gave me an unpleasant feeling.

As I waited, though, a nice gentleman in front of me in line turned around and gave me an explanation for what was happening. He said that he'd been in the post office last week when a man brought in a dog and claimed it to be his service dog. Some kind of incident ensued, and the customer said the dog's handler wound up angry and cursing everyone, making a huge scene. It probably didn't help that the dog in question was a large pit bull...I really wasn't sure if the dog was behaving badly, or just his master! At any rate, it has my local post office turned against me. Rats!

That really made me sad, and illustrates how the poor behavior of one dog and/or its handler can have such a negative effect on those of us who have a legitimate reason for bringing a well-behaved service dog (working or training!) into a public area. It's such an important part of a puppy's training to get used to all kinds of surroundings and all kinds of people, and this is something you can only do (in my opinion, and the opinion of our school) by working the dog in public environments. At the same time, it's a huge responsibility not only to train the dog, but to make sure it is well-behaved and not an annoyance to people in public...a responsibility I take seriously!

How did Alfie take all this? He behaved perfectly, following every command. But I could tell he felt my tension. He scarcely took his eyes off me. After all that, we ended the day on an "up" note with a trip to the library, which is like visiting the Alfie Fan Club. Hooray for friendly faces!

Always "On"

2010-07-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

One of my responsibilities (aside from dog training!) is cleaning our church every weekend. Alfie usually tags along, keeping me company while I work. He doesn't wear his jacket, and he's not officially "working." Yet this is a common sight:

This should score me a kibble!

Yep. He's indicating that "step-up," and definitely hoping for at least a "good boy" for his efforts! He'll sit at the down steps too, if I'm anywhere near close enough to notice. I think he's pretty proud of himself. Makes me laugh every time!

Expect the Unexpected

2010-07-22T16:34:00.003-05:00

I've gotta be prepared for anything these days!

Strange things have been happening to us on our walks lately. Yesterday I was at Hobby Lobby and as I got my card out to pay I put Alphini into a down/stay and dropped the leash, pretty confident he'd just take a snooze til I was done. As I waited for my receipt, a lady walked by, distractedly talking on her cell...with a flexilead attached to a little dog who was, shall we say, "flexiwalking" about 6-10 feet from her (yes, inside the store)!! Alfie saw this too, and was at least as surprised as I was. He picked up his head, looked at them, then looked at me, with "??" written all over his face! What a good boy, he never got up or anything despite it all.

Then today, we were off to pick up some items at Target and as we headed toward the counter to pay, 2 kids somewhere in the 5-7 age bracket careened around the corner, racing full tilt toward us. The little boy wasn't even looking up, but down at a toy in his hands...before I had time to think "where's your mother" we'd collided, while his sister screamed at the sight of Alfie and dashed to the other side! Now that was a real test, even for a well-trained dog, let me tell you! But this is where not only training, but also Alfie's good temperament, came to the rescue: his typical response to the odd, unexpected, or even frightening things that pop up on walks is a great one -- he stands still and just sort of watches, taking it in and I suppose, trying to figure it out! That's just how he's always been, and I love it. Pretty soon Mom and Grandma had shown up with effusive apologies...phew!

After that came an episode I'd rather not go into, but suffice it to say I found it odd to encounter what seemed to be an entire bag of Doritos spilled on the floor of the bathroom stall at the library! Hmmm...talk about a training challenge...

Then at the store this afternoon I had a rather unusual exchange with my checker, who wondered (in a sincerely concerned voice) why I talked to my daughter as if she were a dog (you know, giving little commands, kissy noises, etc.)...only to find that, really, I was talking to my dog...oh dear! It's been quite a day.

The good news is that with all the strangeness going on, Alfie's been a real trooper. Larry from GDTx came to visit and do a short walk with us and was very pleased with his progress...hooray!

On that note, let's walk into the sunset...

Some Things Never Change

2010-07-20T12:18:00.000-05:00

I've shared this video before of Alphini at about 12 weeks, settling down to what he seems to think is a gourmet dinner...

[video shows Alf as a tiny puppy, lying down all relaxed to eat his dinner while people walk around, chat, and play music in the background]

...and here he is today, at about 9 1/2 months.

[Alfie's a big boy now, but still enjoys his dinner lying down...]

...Well, if being relaxed is good for the digestion, at least he never ought to have any tummy issues! Is it just me, or is this a little unusual?! How does your dog eat?

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

2010-07-16T18:05:00.002-05:00

...We're talking about Alfie's respect for Katharine, which needed a little shoring up. He's always tested her more than the rest of the family, possibly because she's the youngest and he thinks he might just get away with it! We started off earlier by putting her in charge of his meals (including the obedience routine he does before each meal). This helped him tune in to her, but I could tell more work would be good. So Michelle decided to have us meet her at the mall for a training walk...only this time, Katharine would be walking Mr. Alphini! As Katharine put it, "I feel like an underage driver!"

Although Katharine's pretty familiar with the whole puppy-walking drill, it's different to be the one actually holding the leash. Michelle gave her a few helpful tips and they were off. I mainly bit my tongue (the urge to shout out random things to your puppy like, "No, leave it, in, steady, watch me!" are surprisingly deeply ingrained)...and avoided making eye contact with him. Katharine needed to be in charge, and Alfie needed to get his information from her. At first he kept glancing over his shoulder at me, like, "Hellooo back there, help me, is this OKAY?!" ...but with Michelle's coaching, Katharine coaxed his attention back to her. They did surprisingly well!

Hmm, think she'll let me cruise over and check out the food court?

And below, 5 seconds of gripping action footage! Grab your popcorn!

You could tell they were both tense, not in an antagonistic way, but just because they were unused to communicating on this level. We walked and walked...at one point, to give them a break, I took over the leash and they both got a little breather. There was a train in the mall -- first time we'd seen that!

Alfie: Are trains allowed in here?

Train guy: Are dogs allowed in here?

Katharine worked Alfie some more...taking a break and putting him in a down every so often. It was very cool for me to see Alfie do so well with her...following her commands, "checking in" with her, and wagging that tail like crazy when she praised him.

Aaahh, a well-earned break.

At the end of one full tour around the mall, Alfie was more exhausted than if he'd walked several miles with me. Such a good mental workout for him! Katharine is committed to ongoing obedience mini-sessions with him outside the home, which should help keep him tuned in to her. Relationships are always better the more you work on them, don't you think?

Katharine's pretty fun!

Again With the Otters

2010-07-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

Some of you readers may remember Alfie's affinity for otters. From certain angles, I even think Alfie looks a bit otter-ish himself. Something about the round whiskery snout...what do you think?

...So anyway, the kids were watching Nature on PBS Sunday night, featuring among other things, otters. Alfie slept through the early part of the show and the various noises the otters made. But when one of the otter pups got separated from its mother and siblings, Alfie snapped to attention. Something about its cries must've been like a universal animal SOS. Alfie looked up, looked at the TV, then trotted nervously to the back door and the front window, in full alert mode! He didn't quit this anxious patrol until (thank goodness) pup and family were reunited. The funny part was that none of us humans could really tell a difference between otter noises that meant "help" and their normal play talk. But to Alfie the difference was so pronounced it woke him up! Aren't animals interesting?

All Clear

2010-07-08T19:26:00.003-05:00

Tests? Not sure what the big deal is...

Yes! We just got Alfie back, and his eyes, elbows and hips are ALL CLEAR. Excellent news!!

From what I hear, he enjoyed his time staying with the Pawsitive Approach unit and they gave him very positive reviews...not even any jacket issues...more good news. He also enjoyed spending a little time with Michelle's dogs at her home. (No burs this time!)

So much promise in this dog!

Missing This Face

2010-07-05T18:36:00.002-05:00

Most of all, it's the eyes...the way that whenever I look down his eyes lock on with this excited "What's next?" look, making me chuckle every time! Alfie's zest for life is quite contagious! Yes, I have enjoyed a little break -- I needed it. But as Amanda said in her comment, the left hand feels empty somehow without that leash.

And Alfie? Haven't heard anything since Friday, when he was so busy playing with Jethro I don't think he could possibly have missed me! I love how dogs live in the moment. But since I'm not a dog, I do miss him...and look forward to Thursday!

Bye Again

2010-07-01T13:20:00.001-05:00

Feels like he's barely settled back in and now Alfie's off again...

What was that? Off where?

This time, it's just for routine tests. All future guides must pass eye exams and x-rays. The way the scheduling worked out, today was the best day for Michelle to pick him up for his appointments in San Antonio next week. Due to the holiday, though, those appointments are pushed back to Tuesday and Wednesday...so, we won't see him again 'til next Thursday. All the same, it sure beats the alternative, which would be me driving him clear down to San Antonio for 2 early morning vet visits...bleah! Thanks, Michelle, for taking him!!

While he's gone, he'll be staying at the Dominguez Pawsitive Approach unit, along with their dogs (Petey, for one!) It'll be a good experience for him I'm sure. Have fun, be good, and get all A's on your tests, Alfie! In the meantime, I get a little break from puppyraising...time to relax!

Experimenting

2010-06-28T10:41:00.002-05:00

Alfie's always been the type to experiment. I'm not talking chemistry sets or anything; it's just that from time to time he'll try some new mischief on for size and see where it gets him. As a friend said about kids, "They're just runnin' it up the flagpole and seein' if anyone salutes." Alfie reminds me of my days teaching elementary and junior high school. He's like that smart kid who can get all his work done in 5 minutes, then spend the rest of the time engineering a spitwad factory or something.

Just testing the system!

Our latest test has had to do with his jacket. Although Alfie loves the walks that go with the jacket, he's never been a big fan of the uniform itself. Just lately, though, he's been utterly refusing to come get it put on before walks. If I set it in the car to be put on at the training location, he won't get in. Let me hasten to add, he's not AFRAID of it (I've seen puppies who are, but believe me, he's not). His goal is to get me to chase him around with it while he dashes about laughing...well, dogs don't laugh but if he could this would be the time...thus accomplishing his twin dreams of being the center of attention and being in charge. Not quite what I have in mind though!

Michelle and I talked recently about the situation and we implemented a few changes to the routine which have helped somewhat, such as feeding him in the jacket and taking it with us all the time when we go outside, not just before walks (keeping him guessing!) More obedience sessions and the maturing process in general have resulted in very nice home behavior overall. But he hasn't totally given up on his anti-jacket schemes.

So Friday, after coming in from doing his business he noticed me getting everything out for a walk...my ID badge, some dog treats, keys, etc. Before I could even reach for the jacket he'd dashed off, tail high, with this look of "Catch me if you can!" I wasn't even chasing him but he was clearly taunting, dodging this way and that. I just kept getting ready, since previously ignoring these antics has brought him around. Not this time. I told him to get in the bus and he trotted cheerfully to the garage...only to veer off at the last minute, the rascal! But in the garage he was easy to catch, and I just walked up calmly without a word, grabbed his collar, marched him to his crate and locked him in. A few moments later I was driving off...yes, WITHOUT him...to the accompaniment of outraged barking.

He did not bargain on getting LEFT!

While Alfie's perfectly fine about being left home alone in his crate when there's no expectation of a walk, he KNOWS the difference between that and what had just happened. Normally he gets left with a kong or something to chew, and maybe I'll leave the radio on. He never gets worked up about it. But when I get his gear ready, he's amped up and ready to go! My hope was that since I know he wants to work and actually it's the highlight of his whole day, perhaps leaving him behind would get through to him. As usual, this great idea came not from me but Michelle...ah, the joy of having tech support for puppies!!

The results surprised me! I had to drop Katharine off at church, just a 5-minute drive from home, so I was back in about 10 minutes. I decided to give him another chance. Without any fanfare I walked up to his crate and was met with the most submissive-looking face I believe I've seen Alfie wear. All I had to do was open the door and say the word...he was so relieved to come. Wagging and subdued, he seemed to realize he was going to have to play by my rules if he wanted to come along at all. A few moments later he was calmly seated in the car, leash and jacket in place. Ah...that's better!

Didn't see that coming!

After putting me through all that, it's only fair to add that Alfie went on to do one of his best walks ever for me! He truly enjoys his work and it's so fun to watch him thinking through little obstacles and "problems". Admittedly, I've got perfectionist leanings and a strong tendency to "tell" him what to do so he "gets it right." Lately, though, I've been trying to dial that back (again, thanks to Michelle!) and let him figure things out on his own -- making his own decisions and learning from them. If he messes up, no big deal, we just go back and rework it. He doesn't mess up the same thing twice in a row, I've noticed that!

Cozy

2010-06-25T22:48:00.000-05:00

Alfie loves to curl up in little cozy spots. While I'm sitting in this old green chair, he loves to squeeze himself right underneath...

...but under the bed is also nice. He always leaves something sticking out though, like a paw...

...or his nose.

But when I sit down on my bed with a book he somehow knows I'll be there a long time. Then he puts himself to bed...

...sweet dreams!

Where does your dog like to snooze?