Showing posts with label puppysitting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label puppysitting. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

I'm Going Too...Right?

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

Alfie's lying down curled up with paws under him inside an old suitcase that's barely as long as he is; his head's up and he's looking up with a curious expression
But I fit so well in the suitcase!

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

He's in the same suitcase but now he's standing up looking over his shoulder with a questioning look; he's taller than the suitcase & doesn't look like he can fit in it very well
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...

Alfie's actually asleep in the suitcase now and is really squished with his head, legs, tail and all somehow mashed inside; it's hard to tell which end is which, it's just a mass of brown curly fur
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?


Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Happy Homecoming

closeup of Alfie's open mouth, panting in the car on the way home
Hey, Alf, we missed you!

Alfie's back home now after 3 1/2 days at the Greenwood School with Tracy.  It was a great experience for him.  When I came to pick him up, he was out romping around the playground with a bunch of little kids, and everyone was just having a great time.  I really enjoyed seeing him interact with them.  Besides the kids, he also got the opportunity to practice being in a different household with new people...go to different places on his walks...Tracy even worked him around her chickens!  (No chickens were harmed in the making of this guide dog...so I'm told!) So thanks to Tracy for a little puppy boot camp.  Hopefully Celia's experience with us has helped broaden her horizons as well!

We're off to church with Alfie...looking at him right now, I'd say we have pretty good odds of him actually sleeping through it for once.  He's exhausted!  And as all you puppy raisers out there know, a tired puppy is a good puppy.  Hooray!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Sweet & Silly...Celia

Meet Celia!  We swapped puppies with fellow raiser Tracy this weekend and so we've had this little for the past couple of days.  Here we're going for a walk...you can tell she's very eager to please (not to mention food-motivated -- she knows I've got kibble in my pocket!)

black, glossy-coated lab puppy in blue jacket, looking intently up at me

She did well, although smells were a distraction. 

I'm walking on the sidewalk; Celia's pulling to the side to sniff the grass
OK, we're walking, not sniffing!

Celia's pulling to the side again, this time to sniff some leaves
...NOT sniffing...

At home, she's very mellow and easy.  I've never seen a puppy sleep this much!  She'll play with a toy for a couple of minutes, then you look over and she's out cold.  She doesn't get into any puppy mischief...she's too busy snoozing.  I think she must be in a growth spurt or something!

Sometimes her reactions to new things take us by surprise.  Her first night here, she was sitting in the living room when Tim walked into the kitchen.  From her puppy's-eye-view, Celia looked up and all she could see behind the bar separating the rooms was his head.  All of a sudden she let loose with the deepest, most ferocious barking.  "Attack of the floating head!  Red alert!!"  Tim walked out from behind the bar and she was all surprised like, "Wait -- was that you all the time?!"  Funny !  We had a good laugh over that one...

Then when I didn't feed her on time one evening, she came and sat in front of me and let out this high-pitched, shrill BARK -- I know it doesn't sound like much but I'm telling you, this has sonic warfare down pat!  One bark was all it took!  My ears started ringing...I couldn't even hear out of the right one for a minute...I just looked at her in shock and said NO BARK!!  Well, that devastated her.  She melted into this adorable little apologetic heap, as if to say she was so very very very sorry and could I please just find it in my heart to forgive her?  (lick, lick, wag)...pleaaase?  How could I stay mad?  (Although I did NOT feed her right away...didn't want her repeating the performance!)


closeup of Celia's face while she sleeps
Sweet dreams, Celia!

closeup of Celia's black paw
 Puppy paws...they'll go far one day!

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Home Again

closeup of Alfie's face as he watches alertly

We're back from our trip, and so is Alfie!  When Michelle dropped him off this morning my first reaction was:  He's so big!  Amazing how a puppy can grow in just five days.  He's starting to be quite a handsome boy and is built fairly square and sturdy, taking more after his lab heritage in that regard...a good thing for guide work. 

Of course like any parent I was extremely concerned about how my charge did while away from home!  Apparently he was quite vocal -- since he normally doesn't bark much at home I don't know how much I can do about that.  Hopefully it was just due to all the excitement, plus having another dog in the household.  But it did sound like his work was good, even with a new handler...great news!  A big, big thanks to Natalie for puppysitting!

Sadly, we returned to a broken furnace & no heat except for space heaters...so I've been stuck at home waiting for a repairman and can't take Alfie for a walk.  We've played quite a few rounds of fetch though, and done a bunch of obedience work, so all in all the day hasn't been wasted.

Alfie in the backyard
How about a walk already?!

Thursday, January 7, 2010

...And He's Off!

Alfie walking briskly along in his puppy jacket, head and tail high

...off to college, that is!  While the four of us head to California for a short family trip, Alfie is going to stay with Natalie (http://puppyraisingescapades.blogspot.com/).  Pretty soon she'll be getting her own GDTx puppy to raise, and who knows, maybe we can return the favor and do some puppysitting for her sometime!  In the meantime, though, Alfie's going to make sure she's all practiced up.  Since Natalie's college classes start back next week, it looks like Alfie will get to join her...wow! 

closeup of Alfie's face looking rather thoughtful
Please oh please be a good boy, Alfie!