Dakota's Tails

To Be Continued

2009-11-23T19:07:00.000-08:00

How do you like these fun "before" and "after" pictures of Duckie? He has turned out to be quite a dog. But really, Dakota's story has only just begun! You can follow the further adventures of Ben and Dakota at:

http://dakotastails-thenextchapter.blogspot.com/

They are so awesome!

...And, is anyone just a teeny bit curious to see who our new puppy will be? Well, it's...

(Drum roll please!)

...Wait, you don't really think I'm going to tell you right here, do you?! Of course not! Because I want all that pent-up curiosity to force you to click on over to:

http://alphinisworld.blogspot.com/

So hightail it on over there! Update your bookmarks, become a follower, leave us some comments. We're just like our puppies: will work for praise!

Tail wags to all, and thanks for being such a terrific audience!

Then and Now

2009-11-19T16:48:00.000-08:00

You gotta love this...Dakota as an 8-week-old puppy (above, on van) and now, an all-grown-up service dog.

He & Ben have been hard at work lately.

They've practiced going all kinds of places together.

...Actually, that looks like fun!

Keep on wishing them well as they continue their training together!

Off to a Great Start!

2009-11-17T08:58:00.000-08:00

When we puppy raisers turn in our well-trained (we hope!) dogs at the end of our time with them, there's a pretty normal phenomenon that they seem to go through to one degree or another...we call it "regression." The dog can seem to go backwards in his training, as if he's "forgotten" what he had earlier done so well. As I understand it, a lot of this is due to the stresses of the transition, and the dog being a situational learner just takes a while to get back up to speed. So, to be honest, although I was confident that Dakota "knew his stuff" I didn't really expect to see much out of him for a bit...it seemed only realistic that he'd take a while to transition to his new handler & new surroundings.

Now you know why you could've knocked me over with a feather when I got a call from Michelle early yesterday afternoon saying that within 20 minutes of being handed over to Ben, his new owner (yeah! I got permission to tell you his name!), Duckie accurately alerted him to high blood glucose levels. GO, DUCKIE!!! :-) I was literally choking back the tears (of joy!) in Wal-Mart (which is where I was when I got her call)...I'm sure everyone thought I was a bit odd but hey, I'm sort of used to that by now! I thought I couldn't be happier until...

...later in the afternoon, I got the email that...Dakota did it again!

...AND...a note later on that he'd done it again! Can you say WOW?!

Now, I know that as a team they've got a lot of work to do, and I'm sure Dakota still has much to learn. But you really can't ask for a better start than that.

Michelle & Ben's Dad have sent me a few photos & said they were OK to post so...meet Ben!

What a great team, don't you think? Yeah, I think they were pretty much made for each other. Duckie needed his very own person to look after. He's going to get to go to school with Ben & everything. Way cool! Here they are getting ready to go on their first walk...

Notice the awesome reflective tape on the chest piece of Duckie's jacket. I love it!

...Just chillin' , waiting for the day's work to start...

I think Dakota has finally found his niche. Keep up the good work, Ben...you guys will do great!

Gone...Never Forgotten!

2009-11-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Fittingly, the day we gave Dakota back to GDTx for final training with his partner was November 14, World Diabetes Day. We are so excited that we were able to prepare him for his career as a diabetic alert dog and look forward to hearing about his progress (more on that later!)

This has definitely been a family effort!

Our last week with Duckie was pretty relaxed and normal, and we made a last visit to many of our favorite spots.

A walk in the woods is fun this time of year!

Just hanging out with the kids...what could be better?

Of course, Duckie had to help me run some errands and do a little shopping, just like always.

Just a dog doing his job!

Dakota loves to "find the counter" when it's time to pay for our purchases. 95% of the time he also finds me the shortest line -- what a talent! I think that's because he's aiming for the counter itself and just wants to get me as close as possible...he certainly doesn't mind waiting as much as I do!

Of course, we spent plenty of time just relaxing at home and playing with his favorite toys (yes, Julia, he still loves the tire!)...

Guide dog puppies are NOT supposed to "shake hands"!...and, I promise I did not teach him this! I mentioned it to Sarah, Willie's trainer, once...she said, "Oh yes, all our doodles have done that! We call it 'the paw of love.'" Then she gave me some helpful tips for how to discourage it. After all, if you couldn't see, you really wouldn't want your dog doing this randomly. He could spill your drink...knock you off balance...who knows what. But eventually, when Dakota left the guide dog program, I just gave up. So here he is, giving me his solemn pawshake that he'll do his best and make us proud!

Probably the top question/comment that we puppyraisers hear is, "But how do you give them up?" or just flat, "I could never give them up!" Of course, they're right, it's no cakewalk. But honestly, how many worthwhile things in life are easy? The people who eventually receive these dogs are amazing individuals who have decided not to let their physical setbacks define their lives. They inspire me...and I am so happy that I can help!

We'll definitely miss Dakota, but I'm not the slightest bit sad for him. He's got a fabulous, loving home, a family who needs him, and a job he loves. He'll do great! It's bittersweet. But we're so, so very proud.

When Michelle came to get him he was ready...brushed to within an inch of his life and all bursting with excitement.

"OK, Michelle, what are we waiting for?"

A last pat from Katharine...

...and he's off! We love you, Duckie!

Starting Monday the 16th, Dakota embarks on a 3-week intensive training program with his new handler. The first portion is in residence at the GDTx center. Then they'll move on to work in his home and daily routes.

I've withheld personal information about Duckie's new family in order to respect their privacy...BUT...there is a rumor going around that his new partner might be starting a blog of his own!! If so, I will most definitely post a link here so that you can keep up with them. They'll be quite a team, that's for sure!

Also, Michelle all but promised me a few photos from their training, so you certainly need to keep checking back for that also...

...AND...of course you'll want to stay tuned for new doodle puppy updates!

And so life goes on. The house seems empty and I miss the squishy doodle nose in my face every morning. But I wouldn't have it any other way, and Dakota's doing what he was born to do. That's what it's all about!

Improvise

2009-11-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

Improvise, roll with it, go with the flow. Pretty good mottoes because, let's face it, I have yet to meet the day that turned out just as I thought it would. Case in point: Michelle had asked me to take Duckie on a bus this week for one of our walks, as his new schedule will include regular bus rides. No problem, we know the drill, so I just went online, grabbed the city bus schedule, drove downtown & parked near a bus stop where we'd be able to catch a familiar route -- a convenient loop. Of course, assistant trainers Charissa & Katharine were along just for fun.

But alas, on arriving at our stop we saw a sign that bus schedules had been cut back, and the one we'd planned on taking wasn't running til the evening. So, yeah, those online schedules aren't all they're cracked up to be! Not to be so easily deterred, we figured that as long as we were downtown, by george, we were going to ride a bus. Any bus. After all, it's not like we were actually trying to get anywhere! Here we are, 3 people and a dog who are all fond of walking, so I just decided we'd get on one, ride it as far as we were willing to go, then walk back to the car if we had to. And that's just what we did.

Duckie was bursting with eagerness to board, and once we'd found a seat he tucked in nicely. People's reactions to him were interesting. As usual he created quite a sensation, which as usual he ignored, settling in for a relaxed ride. Good dog! The guy across the aisle struck up a long, and I do mean long, conversation about service dogs and other assorted topics. Amazing how with Dakota along, I never have a shortage of people to talk to! In the end, though, I was just ready for a break so finally at an opportune stop I nodded to the kids, stood up, and we all exited.

Serendipitously, it just so happened that we got off right at Chipotle, one of our favorite places to eat. Couldn't have worked out better if we'd planned it!

Who, me, bring a dog in the restaurant? What dog?

Oh...that dog!

Fortified by chicken tacos, the girls and I were ready for the long trek back to the car. Busy traffic, a construction zone, folks walking their pet dogs, and of course the random person making silly noises at him...Dakota took it all in stride. All in all, it was a very fun day, and a good exercise in improvisation.

Dakota is due to leave our home for the last time this weekend, and then it's on to official classes with his new person! He's definitely more enthusiastic about his scent work than ever. When he alerts he gets very excited and proud, more so than with anything else we've taught him. I know it'll take time to transfer over from working with scent samples to real life work, but he's ready for the transition.

And it probably doesn't take too much to figure out what the next step is for our family. Of course, another guide dog puppy! We got to meet these six adorable puppies at Dixie's Doodles for their 5-week test last Saturday (forgot my camera, can you believe it?!) Here's a link where you can see them all...which one do you think is volunteering to be the next guide dog?

http://www.dixiesdoodles.com/2009_chessy_october/2009_chessy_october_week5.html

We won't know for sure which one it'll be until after their 7-week test. But if all goes well, one of them should come home with us after Thanksgiving! We are so excited. I'm sure the new puppy will have potential and personality all its own for us to discover. I have a feeling we'll have plenty of new opportunities to improvise!

Hi from Dakota

2009-11-05T09:21:00.000-08:00

So, everybody, what have you been up to lately? Whatever it is, I bet I can top it! First off, I spent a day working at the training center with all the other guide dog puppies. We had to do a bunch of obedience work and training exercises to help us pups get used to doing our work even with other dogs around. Mom said I was way too excited and needed to settle down...and I (eventually) did!

The first game was kind of like musical chairs, only with hula hoops. We were given a limited time to go from one hula hoop to the next, trying to ignore all our doggy buddies, and get ourselves sitting politely before time was up. Tougher than it sounds, believe me!

Next we had to practice "tucking in," like service dogs have to do in buses and other tight quarters. It was a lot easier for me than some of those big guys, but we all did it...even giant Jethro!

We also practiced getting on and off a "bus," which was really just chairs set up in close formation. Other than poking the person in front of me with my nose (for some reason people don't like that, go figure!), I did pretty well.

The most challenging real-life situation was at lunchtime, when the puppy raisers had to go through a buffet line and fix their plates with one hand, while keeping us dogs under control with the other. When I saw Twist on the other side of the table, I was tempted to just make a grab at her, but Mom was pretty determined that wasn't going to happen. Oh well!

The other pups got to play when we were done, but since I start class with my new human in just a few days, there was NO way our boss, Michelle, was going to take a chance on something happening to me. I had to sit out. As if those dogs could even catch me! Believe me, I was pretty upset about that. But I forgave her when she gave me a bunch of new treats. She says they're supplements for healthy joints, but she's gotta be confused...they're definitely dog candy!

Look what else is new...I've got a brand new designer outfit! Since I'll be doing diabetic alert work instead of guide work, I've got a wardrobe of tan jackets that say "GDTX SERVICE DOG" on them. Pretty awesome, don't you think? The webbing is a nifty desert camo print, and a chest piece is being designed to go with it that will say, "I'M WORKING." Plus, since they're custom-made for me, I've finally got clothes that fit! I used to embarrass my family by scratching at my old jackets in public...but you would scratch at your clothes too, if they were made for someone twice your size!

I don't have any pictures of the whole next week, because my family went on vacation without me and I got to visit different people while they were gone. I started off at the good old Greenwood School with my friend Tracy...she doesn't have a guide dog puppy of her own right now so I filled in as best I could, helping her stir up -- wait, I mean look after -- all those cute little munchkins who come over every day.

Next, it was off to Michelle's house. Let me tell you, that Michelle lady works...hard! It was go, go, go all the time. She really kept me busy. We had work, and walks, and meetings, and I even got an "assessment" from our head trainer (I couldn't tell it from a regular walk, but they seemed to think it was important!) Then, when we got home to her pet dogs, I had to take them all in hand and show them who was boss. A tough job, but someone has to do it! By the end of each day I was really exhausted. Fortunately someone must've given Michelle the memo that I sleep on people beds now, so I didn't have any explaining to do.

Michelle is a very discerning person -- almost as smart as a labradoodle, I'd say. She finally figured out what I've been trying to explain to my family all along...I much prefer eating from a plate! Sensitive doodle ears like mine HATE annoying noises, and the tinny jingle of my kibbles rattling around a ceramic bowl is just like nails on a chalkboard to me. Who can eat with all that racket? One night she just poured my food out on the floor and I ate it all up and even wanted more! So now I get to eat out of paper plates. They're nice and quiet, and my ears don't touch the sides. Finally, someone who understands me!

But let me tell you, it was great to get home yesterday and see my family again. I've got one last week with them before I head off for my new work and new people. But first...

...time for a looooooooooong nap!

Counting Down

2009-10-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

Just a few more weeks to go until Dakota graduates from our house to join his new family. They'll train together at the GDTx center, followed by more customized training in their home location and daily routes...just like any client receiving a guide dog! I'm so excited about that.

I'm less than excited, I'll admit, about the actual goodbye! Dakota's last week here will probably be the first week of November, and since we have some family travel planned between now and then, his time with us is even shorter. It really seems to me that the more ups and downs you share with a puppy, the more invested you are in his future and the tougher it can be to turn over the leash. We've been through so much with this guy...remember back when he was a guide dog puppy? That just seems ages ago now! In the last couple of months our lives have changed so much as we've researched Type I diabetes, diabetic alert dogs, and scent training. We've learned a lot in such a short time, kind of like Dakota!

But despite goodbyes, I'm so eager to see him at work in his new job that honestly, I'm looking forward to it too...albeit with butterflies in my stomach! And while we're counting down here, I imagine his new handler is counting down too. I can't imagine what that must feel like!

It's a bird...it's a plane...no, it's Super Duck!

Distractions

2009-10-13T08:42:00.000-07:00

**Sorry, no pictures this week -- our photographer is on a trip. We miss you, Charissa!**

It's a cool, cloudy evening and as shadows begin to close in, people gather at the shopping complex. Small children run squealing through the playscape as their parents sit chatting. Pet dogs are there too, and an occasional bark rings out. The mouthwatering aromas of food pour out of restaurants as couples stroll toward dinner. On the patio, rowdy cheering erupts as people root for their favorite teams on the big screen. But we're not here for any of that. "Team Dakota" is on a mission!

So far we've gotten Duckie to alert us to the scents associated with high and low blood sugar, giving us a distinct signal for each one. But he needs to practice this work in a real-world setting. Will he still be interested in playing our little game when he's surrounded by all his favorite distractions? This is the perfect place to find out.

I wait for the kids, Dakota at heel, to disappear around the corner and then I open the cooler with its containers of scent samples. Grabbing one from the "low" jar, I stuff it in a pocket and head off by a different route to meet them at a predetermined spot.

As I arrive, it's clear that we've accomplished our first goal: Dakota is definitely distracted! He's so engrossed in the antics of a large golden retriever that he scarcely acknowledges my arrival. Charissa practices obedience work with him and he cooperates, but you can see his focus isn't really up to par. We circle around, chatting, and still nothing from Dakota. So we decide to sit down at some picnic tables...

...when all of a sudden, Dakota's head snaps around, sniffing. As if magnetized to that special scent, he leaves Charissa's side to snuffle loudly at my pocket and then he just STARES at me. Still, I don't do anything, waiting for him to give a definite alert. He looks at me as if to say, "Hey, I know, and you know I know, so what's the big deal?" I suppress a laugh and attempt to act like I haven't noticed anything. "Oh, all right!" you can almost hear Dakota say. He rears back on his hind legs and deliberately plants both forepaws on my leg -- our signal for "low." "GOOD BOY!" I praise him, probably much too loudly for public decorum. I'm sure this looks really great to other people...here I'm actually praising a dog, a service dog no less, for jumping up on me?! I just hope I don't have to try and explain this one! But we're elated. It's a definite success!

Dakota gets his well-deserved liver nugget, but I think he's equally excited about all the fuss we make over him. As he prances around happily, he seems to be glancing about to see if anyone's noticed how great he is! Probably a bit disappointed not to be the center of the world's attention, he settles back in to people-watching...and we get ready to repeat the whole procedure.

We practice a couple more times, varying the type of scent and where it's hidden, then meander to a nearby movie theater. Again, the Friday evening traffic, crowds, and popcorn work as strong distractions. Dakota's definitely interested in his surroundings...but time and again, he shows that he loves his work too and enjoys doing it in various situations. His reaction time varies but he never keeps us waiting too long. The more we play, the more alert he seems to get...we're making progress!

More Museums

2009-10-05T17:45:00.000-07:00

This week brought a special visitor: Grandpa! It was a great excuse for the whole family to get out and enjoy ourselves a bit. We spent a day visiting the Texas Natural Science Center at UT.

A whole museum full of bones...for a dog, what's not to like? We all had a good time. I like this picture of Dakota and the dinosaur bone.

"Why don't they come this size at Petco?"

Outside, there were even seats made in the shape of dinosaur vertebrae. Duckie & I thought that was funny!

Big sabertooth kitty only looks fierce...we're not scared!

...And back at home, we're playing a lot of scent-related games for Dakota's diabetic alert training. They're so much fun for him, though, I've never quite broken it to him that this is actually "work"! In one of our games, I secretly hide a scent sample somewhere on my person while someone else distracts Dakota by playing with him outside or in another room. When he returns, he has to first of all notice the scent without a command from anyone; then alert me appropriately. Today I've hidden it in my pocket. He's supposed to alert by jumping up and placing his front feet on me (something he is not allowed to do under other circumstances!)

Making progress! This is a big job, Dakota's far from done, and there's lots for him to learn...but I think he's come a long way in a short time. He has definitely gotten wise to my sneaky ways of hiding scent samples while he's gone and now he's gotten suspicious...he'll usually come "check" me as soon as he comes in the room to make sure he didn't miss anything. Of course, I'm sure that's exactly what his new owner would want him to do, so maybe that's a good thing!

Busy Days

2009-09-28T10:23:00.000-07:00

As we've been introducing Dakota to scent work lately, it's occurred to me that his guide dog experience is a terrific basis for the new work. Guide work, even just the basic work that we puppy raisers do, really teaches the dogs to think for themselves. Guide dogs know lots of commands, but what really sets them apart in my mind is that they do the bulk of their work "on their own" -- they must make appropriate decisions without commands from the human partner. Sitting at curbs, slowing down for changes in footing, avoiding overhead obstacles -- it's all up to the dog to negotiate using his own judgment.

In the same way, right now we're teaching Dakota to recognize the scent associated with "high" and "low" blood sugars, and linking a distinctive alert to each one. But the key is that eventually those scents will become their own cue for an alert -- he'll have to decide to give the alert with no command from his handler. Having seen his ability to handle basic guide work in this way, I know he's got it in him...it will just take lots of work and practice. I'm really thrilled that we get to be involved in his basic training and we're extremely excited with his progress!

In the meantime, we're keeping up lots of obedience work and socialization, as usual. With October just around the corner, Halloween displays are everywhere. Dakota didn't know what to think of this sinister-looking character. He was so curious and wanted to sniff her, but...what a scary cackle!

Art Appreciation for Dogs

2009-09-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

Dakota's scent training for diabetic alert work began this past Thursday, and we're thrilled with his response. He's naturally curious and eager to please, and so far we're also impressed with his nose...keep up the good work, Duckie!

Switching gears a little...Dakota celebrated Austin's "free museum day" by going along with us Sunday to Austin's beautiful Blanton Museum of Art. The folks at the Blanton were very welcoming of him as a service dog and radioed ahead so that none of the docents would be taken by surprise when we walked in. We enjoyed the wide array of exhibits while Dakota sat politely and people-watched. He pretty much ignored the two-dimensional art, but the sculptures fascinated him. His favorite was a larger-than-life piece entitled, "Dying Gaul." The subject had apparently gotten the worst of a skirmish with Roman forces and was kind of lying on one side, arm outstretched, on a platform that put him just above Duckie level. Put yourself in Dakota's paws, though, and he was...obviously...trying to reach out and give a tummy rub! Dakota got quite excited and wanted to sniff and lick his hand...I had to discreetly walk away into the adjoining room! Overall, though, Dakota did just great, especially with all the crowds. I was pretty pleased with him.

This particular piece of "art" was not featured at the Blanton, but it's so quirky-Austin that I just had to get a picture. It's designed to encourage responsible dog ownership, as you can see! Apparently the pile of dirt in the background represents the amount of waste generated daily by Austin dogs...wow....

"Hey, I always have clean walks, it wasn't me!"

Have a good week, everyone, and wish Dakota luck as he continues his new training!

Dakota's a Winner!

2009-09-21T08:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you to Erin & her crew ( http://gdfpuppyraiser.blogspot.com/ ) for this fun award! Took me quite a while to figure out how to post it, so I don't know how much of a blogger I really am. If you like great pictures of adorable dogs, you've really got to check out Erin's blog featuring the escapades of two dachshunds and an ever-changing array of service-dog-in-training sidekicks.

Way to go, Duckie, we always knew you were a winner!

Career Change?

2009-09-11T19:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, Dakota's had a change in his career path. Kind of like when you start college and switch majors midstream, it means some retooling and extra work, but it's all worth it in the end! The family he met last week thinks he's a great match so all systems are go. Now, instead of training to be a guide dog, he's training to be a diabetes alert dog.

I can hear it all the way through cyberspace..."A what?" Since I've been answering that question about Dakota all his life it just doesn't faze me any more. In fact it seems almost fitting! (Passerby: "He's a what?" Me, for the thousandth time: "A labradoodle...")

Dogs have this amazing sense of smell, as I'm sure you know. In fact, guide dogs use their sense of smell for some of their "finds" ("find the trash can, " "find the boys," "find the girls" -- for the men's and ladies' restrooms). I remember my surprise when I was working Willie at a new strip mall and he suddenly "lost" his ability to find me a trash can. Later I realized that since it was new construction, the trash cans had no trash in them yet and he just didn't recognize them without their characteristic scent!

At any rate, Duckie will soon be training for a new scent "find" -- only this time he'll be using his nose to detect a drop or spike in his partner's blood glucose levels. He'll then learn to give an "alert" to his person, who can do a quick test and take appropriate action to keep the levels in the target zone. To the uninitiated it might almost seems superfluous to have a service dog for this purpose. But what I've learned is that many type I diabetics can become unaware of the physical symptoms of their "highs" and "lows." These swings can be fast and dangerous. In these cases, specially trained service dogs can be a real life saver, as they can often learn to alert long before the situation reaches a critical point. Think Dakota's up to it?...Yeah, I do too!

So far, we've had to retrain him in two areas. The first one was teaching him to walk at heel (right by my side), rather than in guide position (a little ahead). That took...well...all of one walk. He really seems to get the idea. I'm the one having trouble remembering! Old habits die hard, and I guess I'm older than he is, so there you go!

The second (get ready to laugh): we had to teach him to sleep on the bed! Again, this is much harder for me than for him. We have never ever ever let him on the furniture...AT ALL! Guide dogs don't do that. However, one of the times he'll be needed most will be nighttime and we want him close to his new person, should a blood sugar drop occur in the middle of the night. SO...(and I can hardly believe I'm saying this)...he's been getting to sleep with Katharine. Of course they both love it! The first time we asked him to get on the bed he dashed around it 2 or 3 times, like, "You're kidding, right?!...Oh you aren't?...well, here goes!" ...and with one leap he was up. He's never looked back, and seems to feel it's only his proper place now. So all you puppy raisers out there, let this be a lesson to you. All those months of careful training can be undone in just about ten seconds! Thankfully he's smart enough to get the difference between a bed and the other furniture and has never attempted to get on the couch or anything else. And here's the funniest part: the very next time I told him to "Go to bed" (our normal command for him to go to his crate)...guess where he went? That's right, the people bed! He just looked at me like, "Well, this is my bed now!" Funny dog...perhaps a bit too smart for his own good...

We may call it a career change, but to Dakota it's nothing short of a promotion!

It's All About the People...

2009-09-05T15:27:00.000-07:00

Dakota's such a people-focused dog. While we're working, his eyes and ears are on me. If we go out to eat or something and he's under my chair, he always positions himself so he can people-watch. But when the jacket's off and he's actually allowed to socialize with people, he couldn't be happier. Well, the jacket came off and he got to meet some wonderful new people on Thursday!

It was what we call the matching visit, where a potential client and service dog meet for the first time, get to know one another, and get a feel for whether and how this whole thing is going to work out. Normally, puppy raisers don't get to be a part of this at all, so I was thrilled that Dakota's prospective new family wanted to visit him in his own home. We were so excited! I can't say much else yet, but things did seem to go well and for Duckie it was obviously love at first sight (first sniff?...first lick?)

And really, when all's said and done, that's what this whole puppy-raising thing is about: the people. At first, it seems like it's about the dogs. After all, that's the side of it that we work on -- transforming our adorable but totally uncivilized little puppies into well-mannered, highly skilled guide dogs. But seeing a guide dog at work with his partner (especially when that dog was once your puppy!) truly reminds you that it's about the people. There's a synergy, a bond between the two that is quite amazing. Any disability just seems to melt away and all you see is a confident person getting on with and enjoying her life...with the help of a very special dog. It's a great feeling to know you've been able to contribute toward that cause.

Although Dakota will be a different type of service dog, that's essentially what his life will be about too -- his person. And I don't think he could be any happier! We're excited to see what the future holds for him and his partner.

What's Your MPH?

2009-08-29T17:21:00.000-07:00

No, we're not talking about miles per hour! It's just become a family joke that Dakota gets very low mph, or "miles per hug." A big cuddler, he needs (or at least wants!) constant refills of hugs and pats to keep him going. Of course since no one seems to mind obliging him, I guess you could say it works out pretty well!

After a hectic week accompanying us everywhere from the orthodontist's office, to the mall, to the grocery store (and all points in between), Dakota got another brand new experience on Saturday: attending a GDTx speakers' workshop.

No, we're not teaching him to "speak" -- that will be my job! There were at least half a dozen other dogs in the classroom when we walked in -- all working guides. Dakota was so excited that he began to pull and whine and even barked a couple of times. I took him to the back and we did a little obedience work together, which helped to settle him down. Then we found a seat, and he was really quite good for the rest of the two-hour meeting, apart from a little more whining at the start when a guide dog and his person came and sat right in front of us. But he settled in with the help of occasional reminders from me and a few well-timed pieces of liver! Afterward, his reward was getting some hugs and attention from several of the folks who had come to the meeting. It was fun to see some of our GDTx friends and get to know a few new people as well.

One more picture for you to enjoy...just look at the beautiful GDTx vehicle with all those handsome guide dogs emblazoned all over it!

...and who might that be, larger than life, right on the door in front?

You bet, that's Dakota! He was a pretty cute baby, you have to admit. Of course we got a huge kick out of seeing OUR puppy driving up! Hopefully this vehicle gets better fuel economy than Dakota's famously low "mph"...although Katharine has pointed out that to make up for it, Duckie's mpk (miles per kibble) is extremely high!

Dog Days of Summer

2009-08-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather news says we've logged somewhere around 60 days of 100-degree-plus weather here in Central Texas, but hey, who can keep track any more? After a while it all just runs together in a sort of feverish blur. Here are a few tips from Duckie on keeping cool:

#1: Pant. Pant a lot.

#2: Find a cool place to lie down and rest.

#3: See #2. (This is Dakota's patented cool-down pose, "The Roadkill.")

#4: Try to stay in air-conditioned places. The dairy aisle is great.

#5: When your people are looking the other way...sneak out and run under the sprinkler! With any luck you'll get a bit muddy and they'll have to hose you off before bringing you back inside...heh heh heh!

Happy dog days, everyone!

"Is He Real?"

2009-08-16T13:15:00.000-07:00

...that's the question I keep hearing from people. You'd be surprised how many times we hear it, from both kids and grownups. In fact, just this week three different people asked us that. This is not a question I ever heard while raising Willie (yellow lab)...not even once! Apparently, Willie was "real." Dakota? Hmmm, that's another question!

I always just answer, "Yes," (I mean, obviously!) but to be honest I'm a bit puzzled by what they mean. I should just ask them next time. Here are some options the kids and I came up with -- feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you think!

1) Is that a real guide dog? (Or, are you just dressing up your pet?)

2) Is that a real dog? (Or...I don't know...a very convincing stuffed animal?)

3) Am I seeing things? Is he an optical illusion? (Maybe there are some really philosophical types out there!)

And now, something we were glad wasn't "real"! One of the new places we visited this week was a sports store. I was looking for some exercise equipment. We rounded the corner and came face-to-face with...

...possibly the meanest-looking man Dakota had ever seen! Dakota was really put off by the angry look on his face (a bit hard to see from this angle)...at least, that's what I think it was. Mannequins don't normally throw him for a loop, and I don't think the missing arms had anything to do with it. When I touched it and showed him it was all right, he consented to sniff it but you could tell he was still suspicious. I gave him a treat for being brave, but as you can see in the picture, he ate it without ever letting his eyes off that guy. Finally, as we were moving away, some little boys came up behind us and started punching another punching bag...and then the "mean man." Dakota looked back as much as if to say, "There, see? They agree with me! That guy is dangerous!"

Moving On!

2009-08-11T08:52:00.000-07:00

The great thing about going through a tough time is that you realize how wonderful friends can be. Thanks to all the friends and family who've been so sympathetic about Dakota's situation. You're the greatest!

Meanwhile, life moves on, and we're happy to move on too! I have to say that the more I learn about Dakota's prospective new service dog job, the more excited I am about it. I really think his temperament and training make him very well suited to the new work. And while some of his guide-dog-specific skills won't be needed, all the obedience training will really pay off. He already knows so much about being a service dog, and working in public in all sorts of situations. He'll have to adapt to a new handler and new skills, but I'm sure he'll enjoy the challenge.

Since we've still got Dakota for the time being, we're keeping up with his training and our routine is pretty much the same as usual. He still goes just about everywhere with us, and enjoys it immensely. He's matured a lot. This is the fun part of puppy raising, and it goes by way too fast...getting to enjoy the nice, well-behaved dog you've worked for all this time!

Okay, everyone loves a funny story, so here's one from this week. Saturday morning, we headed to the airport to pick Tim up from a business trip. I saw him walking out of the terminal from a distance, but Duckie's view was obstructed by a low wall. Motioning "shh!," Tim sat down on the wall, very still, back to Dakota, so that we'd walk right past him. When we got up by him, Duckie was being so good at paying attention to me that at first he didn't notice Tim at all. Fighting back a chuckle, I told Dakota to "sit," and all of a sudden his little nose started twitching overtime! He jumped up and started wagging his tail in circles (that's what he does when he's really happy), still not looking up, just sniffing. I let him turn around and he followed his nose until he ran--bam!--right into Tim's legs. Ooh, he was excited! It was pretty funny to watch!

Not sure if they were laughing with me or at me...but, hey, who cares?

Heartbreak...and Hope

2009-08-03T08:48:00.000-07:00

Absolutely nothing could have prepared me for the news we received on Saturday.

Michelle came over and tried her best to break it to us gently;

but there is really no way to soften the blow delivered by the
news that your wonderful puppy has just completely failed his

hip x-rays. There was nothing borderline about it; Dakota's

hip scores were way beyond the acceptable tolerance, putting

him at high risk for developing dysplasia. Guide work in harness

is a physically demanding job and it would not be fair to expect

him to do this.

Utter disbelief was my first reaction. I had to be assured that there had been no mistake -- in fact, multiple opinions had already been obtained from specialists around the country on his results, and no, the lab didn't mix up his films with someone else's. But it still seemed implausible to me. After all, Dakota has never exhibited any of the lameness or stiffness associated with hip problems. He runs like a deer and is one of the most agile and athletic dogs I've seen! His breeder goes above and beyond what many breeders consider the standard requirements, thoroughly testing all breeding dogs for a variety of inheritable disorders -- hip problems included. But sadly, human knowledge can only go so far. Despite everything we've done to stack the genetic "cards" in his favor, Dakota just chanced to draw a poor hand. It can happen, and it's really nobody's fault. Now it's up to us to help him make the most of what he's got.

It really is, for me, a kind of grieving process -- a sense of loss. There just aren't words to express how I feel! Dakota is such an exceptional dog and a real joy to train. He's quite good at what we've trained him to do, and so of course it's sad that he can't do it. But the main thing, to me, is just that I don't want anything bad to happen to him.

As it happens, however, this exceptional nature may be the ticket to his future -- a very different one than what we had planned and prepared for, yet a good future all the same. Dakota's natural abilities combined with his extremely easy-going, people-centered personality make him a prime candidate for different, less physical, service dog jobs. He is currently under consideration for this type of "career change" and, since everything's still in the very beginning stages, I can't say any more than that right now. But it's pretty safe to share that, should he succeed in his new task, he would be at least as highly valued and indispensable to his new family as a guide dog is to its partner. With proper veterinary care, a loving home, and a job to do, I think Dakota's future can still be a bright one. Who knows, perhaps he is the answer to someone's prayers!

In the meantime, someone forgot to forward to Dakota the memo that he has bad hips. After working very hard to cheer me up Saturday afternoon (I'm sure he wondered what all the tears were about!), he blew off some steam by going on one of his high-spirited racing sprees, tearing around in giant circles, leaping over obstacles in a single bound, coming back for a quick pat, and then charging off again.

"Do I look like this is gonna stop me?"

At the Garden Center

2009-07-31T19:04:00.000-07:00

With an afternoon cool enough to contemplate an outdoor walk, I thought it would be fun to take Dakota to a nearby garden center. Here are some lessons we went over...

No matter how good things smell, I'm still expected to focus.

Wind chimes are annoying, but okay.

Not every container with water in it is for me to drink out of.

Trying to walk faster than Mom is pointless because she never seems to get tired of making me "heel"!

I may be the guide dog, but she still gets to decide where we go.

No matter how big a noise it makes falling over, a potted plant can't hurt you.

Work is fun!

And, to finish up, here's one Dakota has really mastered:

At the end of a day's work, the best place to relax is with a friend.

It Takes All Kinds

2009-07-25T09:23:00.000-07:00

Just like people, dogs have such interesting personalities. That's a big part of what makes puppy raising fun. And, just like with raising kids, you find that one size definitely does not fit all when it comes to training methods and motivation.

Dakota enjoyed having his friend Twist over last weekend, but stayed very busy making sure that she understood he's the one in charge around here! Dakota is quite submissive to people but likes to be top of the pecking order when other dogs come to visit. This is the opposite of the lab puppy we raised, Willie. He didn't care who was top dog as long as they would play with him! Duckie doesn't let his smaller size bother him, and in fact, sometimes he uses it to his advantage when playing with someone bigger. Twist didn't know what to do about this clever little tactic:

The picture below is cute, but the funny thing is that Dakota really didn't want to share Tim's lap with another puppy. He's accustomed to posing for the camera so all was sweet and quiet until the picture was taken...but as soon as the camera was put away he chased Twist off!

We got a new box of dog treats last week, the kind with a bunch of different flavors. Dakota is very funny with them. He'll take one from your hand ever so politely and delicately, then retire to a quiet spot where he can sniff it and lick it. You really wonder what he's thinking: Hmmm...bacon again? And here I was hoping for chicken! If we have another dog visiting, he'll eat the treat right up. But on his own, he's much more leisurely about it. He'll carry it around the house and play with it as if it were a toy for quite some time before finally eating it. The one below lasted from 8:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Pretty amazing! Twist, on the other hand, has been known to swallow these treats whole. So again, it takes all kinds!

Well, yes, we have done more this week than lie around the house eating milk bones and playing! One of our more interesting outings was downtown. We worked on all kinds of things: going up and down stairs...

...practicing "finds"...

"Do I get bonus points for finding you the shady seat?"

...not to mention all the quirky little unforeseen obstacles, like this steep ramp that dumped us right into a crosswalk. It was a good place to practice "steady," and was tricky to negotiate even without having a visual impairment!

Distractions ran amok. The sound of sirens, brakes, and engines filled the air. Pigeons flapped around. Enticing smells poured out of the shops we passed. But, as usual, Dakota's biggest distraction was all the passersby. Although many people understand that he's working and leave him alone, many others try to talk to him or pet him. We just have to work through it as best we can. Practice makes perfect, or at least, that's what I'm counting on!

Keep up the good work, buddy!

On the Road Again

2009-07-17T13:59:00.000-07:00

Yep, Thursday's training walk involved a road trip. We drove down to meet Michelle for some work at a San Antonio mall. Dakota was very happy to get going...perhaps too happy! When excited, Duckie tends to get ahead and also go "wide." Once he's settled down he does better. Here, he's gotten ahead of me and I'm bringing him back into position with a "heel."

That's better!

Nice job on the stairs, buddy! Dakota indicates a "down" step by sitting.

Next stop: a little tour of Build-A-Bear. This is a great place for Dakota to practice manners and self-control around crowds of kids. There's a birthday party in progress, as well as several families shopping, so it's crowded.

Whatever they're doing over there, it looks like fun!

After hanging out for a while, it was time to go. Nice work, Dakota!

Moving on, we reach some "up" stairs. Dakota's demonstrating good form by stopping with his toes on the edge. His partner will be able to feel from the harness how high to step. Way to go!

Coming around the corner, we had a little surprise planned. Guide dog puppy Jethro (Twist's brother) was relaxing at Starbucks with his handler.

All the excitement was a bit much for Jethro, who gave in to a little barking fit. After all, he's only 16 weeks old! Michelle settled him down, then settled down the security guard who had come to investigate. After that we carried on with the walk, taking turns leading and following. Dakota much preferred leading.

Open stairs like these can be intimidating, but Dakota took them in stride.

He's also quite calm about walking near the edge of a 2nd floor overlooking ground level, like in this photo. He seems to know that he's safe and doesn't have an undue fear of heights.

I saw the sign for the restrooms and wondered if Dakota could "find the girls'" for me in a strange mall. Sure enough, he went straight to it, even though it was around a corner and down the hall. Scent finds seem to be the easiest for dogs. I don't know about you, but I'm sure glad I can't smell the restrooms that far away!

Jethro sits calmly just a few feet away. Isn't he a handsome boy?

Finally, with both dogs tuckered out, we headed outside. Dakota and Jethro got to sniff noses but by this time they were so worn out they didn't even try to play.

Dakota talked his new friend into giving him a little tummy rub. Funny how he always manages to do that...

But there was more in store for the Duck today. Before getting back on the road to Austin, we had to stop off for an appointment with Dr. Bonney, an ophthalmologist for dogs. He had to dilate Dakota's eyes and screen him for any eye problems. Of course, Dakota took the opportunity to make several more friends. I promise, you could never hope to meet a more friendly dog than this one!

The receptionist wondered what color she should call Dakota on his records. His original puppy chart says "red," but the color has really lightened up since then. I suggested "caramel," but I'm not really an expert. What do you think? At any rate, the appointment went well, and Dr. Bonney gave him the "all clear." Cool!

Nothing wrong with these eyes!

A New Twist

2009-07-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

It's been an eventful week. Wednesday evening, Michelle came to pick Dakota up and take him down to San Antonio. He had an x-ray screening scheduled for the next morning, one of several tests all guide dogs must pass to ensure they are physically sound enough for their career. As the test involves some pretty serious joint manipulation, dogs get an IV with anesthesia for their own comfort. Remembering how sore our last puppy was afterward, I was naturally concerned for Duckie -- but I needn't have worried! When he bounced back into the house on Thursday afternoon, he was as spunky and lively as if he'd just had a day at the spa. What a guy! Official results won't come back for quite a while on the x-rays, but I don't anticipate any problems. Now Dakota sports a funky new 'do on his right foreleg where the IV went in.

Thank goodness hair grows back, right?

He brought back a new pal with him too..."Twist," a beautiful 16-week old German Shepherd. Her puppy raisers needed a sitter, so Tracy and I are splitting puppysitting duties between us. Twist will be in and out of our house a couple of times in the near future. She's sweet and bouncy, with the most adorable little "worry wrinkles" on her forehead.

Everything's more fun with a friend!

Life With Dakota

2009-06-30T11:51:00.000-07:00

Dakota's loving work, as usual. He's never been a big fan of the jacket, but he loves what it stands for: a walk! He used to roll around on the floor when we put it on, but now he kind of does a happy dance interspersed with...well...what would you call this?

Pretty funny! I don't know if we're actually supposed to let him do this or not. But usually he stops in a couple of minutes and runs to sit nicely by the door and wait for me. If I don't get ready soon enough, he gets a bit depressed, like in the picture below.

"Aren't we ever going to leave?"

In other news, Duckie got another haircut. Poor puppy was just way too hot. I'm not the best doodle trimmer but his jacket covers the little mistakes!

"I don't need much fur to be cute!"

I had a proud moment this week when we had to go downtown to wait in line at the passport office and Dakota accompanied us. Actually it was more than a moment...more like an hour and a half or so! It was a teeny little room jam-packed with people and Dakota was a trooper through the boredom of the wait, resisting the urge to lick toes or play with kids. We had the chance to chat with quite a few interested (and no doubt bored!) people. The presence of a well-behaved dog seemed to distract folks from the frustration of the wait and I actually think he had a bit of a calming effect on the room! Comments were interesting. "He looks just like a teddy bear!" seemed to be the consensus.

Hope everyone had a great 4th. With it being Independence Day, it makes me happy to think of the increased independence and mobility Dakota will one day bring to his new partner!

Happy Birthday, America!

P.S. When I posted this blog, Duckie must've been eavesdropping. He heard the "ready to go for a walk?" from the video clip and rushed up in great excitement. Poor guy, he's a bit disappointed now!

Summer School

2009-06-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

Well, folks, the word is that Dakota's slated to head in for advanced training sometime around the end of this summer! Like an anxious parent with a kid headed for college, my mind is full of questions. Is he ready? Has he learned what he needs to know? What holes does he need to fill in between now and then?

With the weather so incredibly hot (we've had 13 days in the triple digits so far this summer), Dakota has been getting plenty of indoor training...shopping malls, big box stores, office buildings, and the like. So, naturally, I'm concerned that he also gets enough work around the distractions of neighborhoods and city streets. To cover those bases while avoiding heatstroke, you pretty much have to be out walking before 8 a.m. or after 8 p.m. Today, we're out in the evening.

After indulging in his usual "Oh-we're-going-on-a-walk-I'm-SO-EXCITED!" rolling and snorting all over the living room rug, Duckie calms down enough to wait by the door for me. I get my liver treats and i.d. badge, and we head off. It's nice to have such an enthusiastic student!

Right off we have a bit of overhead work. Duckie doesn't yet reliably stop for overhead obstacles, such as these branches, on his own. But he's quick to stop, sit, and "watch!" when I point them out. Sometimes I get the feeling he thinks I'm a bit compulsive with pointing out branches all the time.

"I know, Mom, I've seen that before! Let's get on with walking!"

Now we're back on our way. I'm happy with his relaxed attitude and responsiveness.

What was that? A loose dog across the street playing with a bunch of kids is a huge distraction. We practice "sit" and "down" (left, below) until I know he's listening to me again. Then we move on. He walks nicely, but you can tell in the picture (right, below) that his head is still pointed toward the group across the street! Well, as long as he's behaving, I guess that's okay.

Next obstacle: a car parked at the end of the drive, blocking our path. Of course Dakota knows we have to go around. There's not enough room for both of us to the left, so he goes right. Good move.

As we get around the car and head back to the sidewalk, Dakota remembers to wait with his toes on the curb for me to step up. Good dog!

We reach the end of the street and turn on a busy road. It's important that guide dogs be able to take traffic in stride, and I think Dakota's doing pretty well with that. He doesn't love the noise or anything, but it doesn't alarm him. We practice more obedience with cars, trucks, and buses whizzing by.

...well, it's not exactly glamorous work, is it? But piece by piece, I think his training is coming together.

I'm going to sign off today by saying thanks to the great folks at the Austin Public Library, especially the Pleasant Hill Branch! We're in there fairly often with Dakota, and they're always so positive and encouraging toward his training. Hmmm, looks like Dakota even picked a book to check out while we were there! Let's see...what's that title?

...Do you think he's trying to tell us something? Keep up the hard work, Dakota, and maybe we'll believe you!

Making Progress

2009-06-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

Before today's walk with Michelle, our Puppy Program Manager & training guru, Dakota had to get a nice grooming. We comb out every-
where...
trim hair between pads...

do his nails...

..and of course his whiskers. What a pampered life! Now we're ready to go.

We meet at Petco. Dakota notices all the adoption dogs out front and is moderately excited. Then he notices...ZEKE! Tracy Schagen and her guide dog in training, Zeke, are meeting us too.

This is almost too much for Duckie to handle. He wants to play so bad! He KNOWS he can't play with the other dogs, but Zeke is his buddy!

After a couple corrections I thought we were calm enough to circle back around and come a bit closer. Oops, not so fast!

Duckie made a quick left turn and flying leap. Not quite what we're supposed to look like, is it?

We have a little heart-to-heart and work on attention. Like most of puppy raising, this takes time. Lots of time! Slowly, we move forward.

...It takes a while, but look what we achieved! Two calm dogs, relaxed, right next to each other without any whining or silly behavior.

Time for a little distraction work. Tracy does her best to get the puppies excited...they're interested of course, but are learning self-control. It's so important for these dogs to learn to focus and ignore tempting distractions in harness. Someday all too soon, someone's safety will depend on it! Both Zeke and Dakota are eager to please so that helps.

Now for the walk-by. Do you think Dakota can walk by Zeke calmly on a loose lead without trying to lunge at him, lick, bark or whine?

Way to go! Dakota, we knew you could do it!

My homework assignment is to keep my commands and interventions to an absolute minimum so that Dakota is making the choice to do the right thing on his own. It's great to see him starting to grow up and, hopefully, take responsibility for his work!

Calling All iPhone Users

2009-06-12T10:30:00.000-07:00

Have I got a deal for you! You know you've always secretly wished to be a puppy raiser like us...but don't relish the idea of all those sleepless nights and long training walks.

Well, here you go! Get on that information highway, head over to the iPhone App Store and download Pocket Puppy Raiser. It's all gain, no pain...for just $2.99 (less than the cost of a single puppy toy) you get your very own virtual guide dog puppy, guaranteed not to chew up the furniture. Guide Dogs of Texas gets a dollar for every download. What could be better?

Have fun and feel free to leave Dakota a comment on how your virtual guide dog puppy is faring!

For more information, check out this link to a news story on the web app and its development: http://www.wacotrib.com/search/content/news/stories/2009/04/23/04232009waciPhoneapps.html

Dakota's had a busy week. While our family went out of town for a few days, he got to stay at the Travis County Jail as part of the Pawsitive Approach Program. I think he wore himself out playing with Travis, the other puppy there....he's pretty wiped out! But we're settling back in now and getting back to work.

Tail wags to all!

Chicken Run

2009-06-06T11:28:00.000-07:00

Today we took Dakota back to Tracy's house to work on his behavior around chickens. First we let him have some playtime with the other dogs to run off his excess energy. In addition to Zeke, another guide dog puppy-in-training, Tracy was taking care of Jazz, a working guide dog. And of course Dixie the dachshund was there to supervise.

After a while, we headed out to the chicken coop.

I was prepared for the worst, but the whole event turned out a bit anticlimactic. The chickens took one look at Dakota and were having none of that! Probably they were all having flashbacks to his last visit... One brave soul ran past us to the dish of corn, but the rest skirted behind the coop to the bushes, so there was really no close confrontation. Dakota was excited, but remained responsive to "sit" and "down," so to me it felt like a step in the right direction.

After that, Tracy let the chickens out in the yard and we experimented with putting Dakota on a 26-foot flexi-leash. That way I could practice recall and obedience while giving him a bit more freedom. He tried to chase, but quickly saw that wasn't going to be possible. He became responsive again and hung out with us in the shade, content to watch the chickens --perhaps a bit too alertly -- from a distance.

I still think it would be crazy to trust him off-lead around chickens, but I was happy to see that on the leash his behavior seems to be manageable. We'll have to keep practicing, but I'd definitely call it a good day!

Here's a picture of all 4 dogs practicing obedience with a "down."

After putting the dogs on "down," Tracy walked around the group, treats in her hand, while they waited nicely. Can you tell which ones in this bunch like their food the most? They're riveted on those treats, aren't they? Duckie's kind of staring into space, waiting for the "go free" command.

Have a great week, everyone, and remember to think of us the next time you have chicken for dinner!

Thank You, Highland Park Elementary

2009-06-02T11:51:00.000-07:00

Dakota would like to give a shout out to Dawn Bohls and the awesome Fifth Grade Safety Patrol at Highland Park Elementary in north Austin! You rock! We had a really fun time sharing about Guide Dogs of Texas with the group, and afterward they asked some of the best and smartest questions we've heard so far about guide dogs and puppy raising. Thank you for letting us come!

It was a really great training experience for Dakota, since he has never been inside a public school before. He was very excited by all the children (he loves children!) but aside from a little extra pulling on the leash I thought he did well.

Here he is in the office waiting for me to get signed in. Doesn't he look like a bobblehead in this picture?

He really wanted to go to the nurse's office and cuddle with the kids in there, but I told him that might not be such a good plan. He just smiled at them instead.

Have a great summer, everyone!

Happy Birthday to Me!

2009-05-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Hi all, today's blog is brought to you by Dakota.

Yep, it was my birthday yesterday! I'm one whole year old! The whole family was very excited and started getting ready to go somewhere....THEN they told me to "go to bed," and said they were leaving me. On my birthday...can you believe it?! Something about going to see their last puppy, Willie, working with his new owner. Of all the nerve! I was so disappointed that I did not eat any treats or touch the bully stick they left with me in my crate (normally one of my favorite treats)...as if I could eat at a time like this. Well, Willie must have done a great job because when they came back a couple of hours later, they were very happy and proud, and told me that one day they'd go watch me work too. Of course I forgave them right away. Then they gave me a nice new toy for my birthday and we all went for a walk together to make up for it. I'm going to work very hard at my job so they can be proud of me too!

Here we're practicing the sit command and its implied corollary command, don't eat the giant stuffed animal even though it looks like lots of fun!

Here I'm practicing down while Mom and Dad do some shopping. Sometimes I wish they weren't such comparison shoppers! It sure can take a while. And once they start reading labels...you may as well just get comfortable. You'll have time for a nice long nap, believe me! If I get bored, they just tell me how good it is for my training to learn to wait patiently.

...All the same, there's nothing I like better than going on walks, no matter where. I get all ready and then wait at the door for everyone else. They need to get organized, like me!

Y'all have a great weekend...this is Dakota, signing off!

Just Look At This Face!

2009-05-23T08:20:00.000-07:00

...what does it look like to you? "Cute," "sweet," "cuddly"? How about "dangerous killer"? If not, then I'm guessing you're not a chicken!

Tuesday, I needed a puppysitter for a few hours and Tracy kindly let Dakota come over to the Greenwood School for a visit. We thought it would be a nice day for him to play with her guide dog puppy, Zeke. That afternoon when I came back to get him and asked how he'd been, Tracy answered, "Well, I think the chicken will live..." Ah, those are words you just never want to hear! A glance outside revealed little fluffy white feathers strewn far and wide. Apparently Dakota was just too fast for the poor bird...luckily one of the Greenwood teachers arrived in time to save the day by wrestling it from his mouth. BAD DOG!!

SO...we've scheduled a return visit for Dakota in a couple of weeks. This time I'll be with him, he'll be on leash, and we're going to hang out in the chicken coop doing obedience til he realizes that chickens are just no fun at all. After that, I think Tracy & Zeke are going to join us at the park doing obedience and feeding the flocks of pigeons until the pups get the concept that BIRDS ARE BORING...and chasing them only gets us in trouble!

Dakota's smart and really doesn't enjoy making me mad, so I'm pretty optimistic about this. Wish us luck!

Meanwhile, you can see he's not suffering a bit from all this. Aaah...what a life!

At the Bookstore

2009-05-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

With graduations and weddings coming up on the calendar, it was time to hit the shops for a few gifts. Thursday found us at the bookstore.

Dakota did a good job of finding the door and negotiating it. We're still working on a straight sit at doors -- he tends to want to sit at an angle facing the opening. But we're getting there.

I think I need that one right behind you, Duckie.

After I found a book, I needed somewhere to sit down and look it over. So I asked Dakota to find me a seat. I knew from shopping here before that there was one around the corner -- but he didn't. You could almost see the little wheels in his brain moving as he went to work on the task.

Hmmm...nothing over there...

We moved off slowly until we came to the end of the row and he saw what he was looking for.

Target acquired! Off we go!

He was pretty proud of himself when we got there.

We had a nice chat with an employee working in the card section. She was very nice and seemed interested in what we were doing.

Dakota found card shopping pretty boring....

...until we got to the musical ones. This graduation card played the Hallelujah Chorus, which was something new for him!

Shopping done, it was time for Duckie to find the counter so we could pay for it all.

...what a good job. Now it's time for Dakota to go home and relax in his favorite place!

He's Baaaaack!

2009-05-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Puppies, water, food, and lots of friendly folks...
splash day was great!

No sooner had we entered the doggie play area and let Taxi go than we were enthusiastically greeted by a sopping-wet, sand-encrusted Dakota! He's the same sweet boy as ever. He'd already been playing hard and clearly enjoyed the water. He'd go run around with the big dogs for awhile, then come hang out with us and the Reimers before dashing off again.

The other dogs were bigger and stronger, but Duckie was the fastest!

"Okay, boys, take this game some-

where else!"

"Catch me if you can!"

Taxi enjoyed goofing off with new buddy Floyd.

By the end of the afternoon, the labs looked like wet labs. Duckie looked a little more like something we'd picked up off the side of the road. His fur was full of sand, grass seeds, and bits of weeds and debris. Puppy raiser Aron helped him into the pool for a little rinse. Just look at the brown cloud that explodes around Duckie in the water!

Well, after a bath and several grooming sessions, we're still getting mats out. Also, Dakota's pretty tenderfooted now -- the combination of wet paws and running on rocks really tears up those pads. But it was worth it for all the fun, and everyone's happy to have their own puppies back again!

"I think I could sleep for at least a week!"

At the Movies

2009-05-01T07:33:00.000-07:00

On Monday, our family went to see the new movie, Earth. We humans enjoyed watching the incredible cinematography and learning about the amazingly intricate behaviors of animals all over the world.

Taxi's enjoyment of the movie, however, was at a much more primal level: he liked the chase scenes. Every time a wolf went after a caribou, a cheetah ran down an impala, or a shark grabbed a seal, he was riveted. He would sit facing the screen, nose between the two seats in front of us, mesmerized...and I don't think he was rooting for the cute baby caribou either! Well, I guess I can understand that. He's a dog, after all!

The rest of the time Taxi was pretty bored. He would stand in front of me, looking around at the other moviegoers, probably wondering why we were there in the first place. He did lie down once or twice, but not for long. I was proud of him for not whining, though! In fact, he was better behaved than some of the little kids there, who started roaming the aisles two thirds of the way through. That provided a little extra entertainment for him.

Things did get a bit dicey right at the opening scene, which featured two polar bear cubs emerging from a snow cave. They were making that squeaky little baby-animal-sound that absolutely no dog can resist! Taxi snuffled and strained excitedly toward the screen, but I managed to keep him from charging over the seats in front of us. He's probably now under the impression that polar bears smell like popcorn!

"Hey, can I still get the child's ticket if I'm over 11 in dog years?"

In other news, I just learned something obvious this week: never use a leash to restrain a dog with separation issues. I know, I know. What was I thinking? I was weeding in the backyard, and the kids were busy doing something with bugs. Taxi's nose was just a little too much into both activities. So I tied him to the fencepost (which was, I might add, within 5 feet of me and in plain view!), supplied with plenty of chew toys. Not good enough for Taxi. Clearly, he thought, a terrible mistake had been made....he'd been excluded from the pack! He didn't whine, bark or pace -- just lunged to the end of the leash, snapped it easily, and ended up all over me in a big happy pile. Couldn't figure out why I wasn't equally pleased! Soon I was making a chagrined call to the training center for a new leash. Sigh...well, live and learn. Taxi, you big sweet goofball, you're going straight to the crate next time!

Puppy swap back is just a week from tomorrow, and to celebrate, we'll be having a "splash day" at the K9 Country Club in Bulverde. It'll be lots of fun for the dogs, playing and swimming together, and the people get a bbq. Something to look forward to...and we can't wait to see Dakota again! But I'll say this: Taxi has earned his special place in our hearts. A slobbery, cuddly, silly place, but it's there. He's going to be a great working guide one day soon, and I know he'll enjoy the job description...especially the part about being with his person 24/7!

Spring Training

2009-04-24T17:23:00.000-07:00

Spring is here! For a switch from all our indoor work, I've taken Taxi on a couple walks this week on hike & bike trails nearby. It's a great place to work on dog distraction...smell distraction...squirrel distraction...children distraction...anyone noticing a theme yet? All this great outdoors business is incredibly exciting to Taxi. So we start out with the "pushups" game, which helps him give me his focus. He'll do almost anything for food!

...And on to our walk. Doesn't he look happy?

On Tuesday, we met up with Michelle for a training walk at Cabela's. That's almost as good as being outside...all those animals everywhere! The first stop was the aquarium. Taxi seemed to enjoy watching the big fish float by.

Then we visited some other displays. This African savannah exhibit freaked out poor Taxi boy. I'm not sure if he was afraid of the animals, or just worried he'd end up as a piece of "Taxi"-dermy.

As a reward for surviving Africa, look who was waiting for us upstairs! Puppy raiser Tracy Schagen was there with her swap puppy, "Zeke," demonstrating a very nice "down-stay." He and Taxi are buddies already, so it was tough for them trying not to play, but I thought they behaved well.

The gallery had a howling coyote...Taxi found that quite interesting! There was also a talking deer head above the door just outside and we were all proud of Taxi for looking up to try and see what was making that noise. Since guide dogs have to be alert for overhead obstacles, it's always nice to see them scanning above as well as below.

In another display area, Michelle found this trophy duster that looked eerily like a squirrel tail. She used it to help the dogs practice "leave it." Taxi would be real still for a while, then when he figured my guard was down -- bam! -- he'd make a lunge for it. I learned quickly to brace myself against the rail. He did settle down eventually. Zeke did so well that by the end Michelle was able to touch him with the duster while he lay nicely on a loose lead. I can't say that Taxi got quite that far, but hey, he's younger...that's my excuse, anyway! It was good training for the dogs, although funny to watch!

Meanwhile, Dakota looks as if he's having so much fun that I don't know whether he'll ever want to come home! The Reimers, who have him during the puppy swap, raised the first GDTx labradoodle, Mason (now in his advanced training). They've had Mason over for a couple of weekends, so Duckie has gotten a lot of playtime in.

...And here's a picture of all three GDTx labradoodles: Dakota, Mason, and Trixie. What a great group! Really gives you a good idea of the size range labradoodles come in, too. Thanks to Dixie Moore of Dixie's Doodles...and to Mary for the pictures!

Cruisin' With Taxi

2009-04-17T19:35:00.000-07:00

Well, two weeks into the puppy swap, Taxi is settled right in here. Every morning as soon as he can tell I'm awake, he greets me with the THUMP-THUMP-THUMP of his happy tail hitting the sides of the crate. I keep asking him if that doesn't hurt, but he just gives me a silly grin and ignores the question.

"I'm just a morning person!"

We've been having lots of fun on our walks. We try to take Taxi to lots of different places and he seems to enjoy the interesting new experiences. There are only a few exceptions...for example, although he enjoyed going to Petco, the rodent section really scared him. He tucked his tail, leaned up against my side, and was very eager to leave. On our way out, though, we picked up some dog treats and he forgot all about his fright.

"Ooh, liver flavor!"

For such a large dog, Taxi can really "tuck in" well when we sit down. Since he likes to sit on our feet, it doesn't bother him at all to smoosh in tight places. The cozier the better for Taxi, as long as he's with his people! It's funny sometimes to hear people's reactions when they see us leaving a restaurant, not having noticed he was there until we got up to go.

"Aha! If I sit on her foot she cannot move without setting off the finely tuned Taxi Alert System!"

Meanwhile, what about Dakota? Well, I haven't heard anything recently, but early reports were that he was settling in well too. I expect he's taking things in stride...and, knowing him, making friends wherever he goes! The Reimers sent me these pictures of him in his new digs (er, perhaps I should say surroundings...guide dogs are not supposed to dig...) Thanks, Mary & Wes!

New Puppy, New Problems

2009-04-09T19:21:00.000-07:00

Saturday the 4th dawned bright and sunny...a perfect day to drive down to the GDTX center in San Antonio for their 20th anniversary celebration/volunteer appreciation day.

Dakota loved the entire day but was waaay too excited. There were so many wonderful people and dogs there, and he just wanted to meet them all! Not only were all the puppies-in-training there, a number of clients came with their working guides. Amazing the difference that a little (well, OK, a lot!) of training -- and some growing up -- can do! Those working guide dogs were calm as could be. The puppies, on the other hand, were...puppies! This cute little black puppy, "Travis," sat right in front of us. Doesn't he have the sweetest sad eyes?

Dakota had a blast. This clip pretty much sums up what he felt about the day.

Of course he liked it best when he was the center of attention!

Meeting new friends is so much fun.

This was also the day of the puppy swap, where we puppy raisers all pass our pups to a new handler, then take home a different one for the month. It's good for the puppies because it gives them lots of different experiences. Plus, it's just fun. So...here we go!

Dakota went to Mary and Wes Reimer, who have raised several guide dog puppies already. He's in great hands. We'll miss you, Duckie!!

"Taxi" is our new puppy for the month. He's a lab/

golden cross, and a really sweet natured guy. I know, he looks all grown up on the outside, but he's only 12 months old and there's plenty of puppy left on the inside! His handler, Charlie, is raising him through the pawsitive approach prison program (http://www.guidedogsoftexas.org/pawsitive-approach.htm).

We had a great afternoon with Taxi and he seemed to settle in once we got back. He did keep very close to me all afternoon and seemed upset when he finally had to go to his bed for the night.

Little did I know how upset he was! He cried, barked, howled, moaned, scratched, and whined all night long. And yes, I do mean literally all night! It's a good thing I'm not a violent person because I got VERY mad that night. I thought of just letting him out, but during the afternoon he'd been so anxious that he'd jumped on the bed several times and I was afraid he'd wind up there again. Or worse, in his current frenzy, I thought he was fully capable of some major property damage. So we left him crated, but finally around 4:30 I escaped to the kids' room for an hour or two of rest before church next day.

Here's how I felt about Taxi in the morning:

In desperation and frustration I called Michelle for some puppy 9-1-1!

At that moment, I would've been happy to give him back and never see another dog in my life. In the afternoon, fellow puppy raiser Tracy came to the rescue and kept Taxi for a few hours while I got a nap and regained some sanity. Michelle gave some useful advice, but just as important, was a sympathetic listener to my ranting. That really helped.

Sunday night, doped up on benadryl (the dog, I mean, not me!) and a little more settled in, Taxi slept all night long. After 8 hours of rest, I was a new person too. I'm happy to say that he's crating well now, even without medication. Which is good, because I would've been the one needing medication otherwise! He does fuss a bit, but he realizes now that it's not going to get him anything, so he gives up after a couple of minutes.

We're actually getting on well together now, and I'm getting pretty attached to him. Maybe that's because he's decided to become so attached to me! Taxi likes to be as close as possible to his people (preferably touching) at all times. If he were a person, he'd be the one always saying things like, "Let's all hold hands!" or, "Group hug!" He likes it when everybody sits together and he can lay on all our feet at once.

Our walks are going pretty well too. He's a big, strong dog and can really pull if he wants to. But so far he feels more comfortable encountering new situations close by my side.

We've worked on overheads...

encountered barking dogs...

...and braved plenty of screaming children.

I think Taxi's going to do just fine.

Just Having Fun

2009-04-03T18:57:00.000-07:00

Who says guide dogs don't have fun? Some-
times people I meet say they feel sorry for Dakota, having to work so hard. What they don't realize is how much he loves his work. He's such a smart boy, and he's very proud when he learns new things! You can see it in his wagging tail and jaunty trot. He gets to go everywhere with us...but at the end of the day he can play just as hard as any other dog. Today after work he enjoyed some time with the kids at the church playground.

"Watch out, I'm comin' after you..."

"Tag, you're it!"

"Helloooo down there..."

For Duckie, any game that involves liver treats is a good game.

The tunnel is a nice cool spot to rest.

"It's not time to go yet, is it? We're still having fun!"

If we all enjoyed our work and our play as much as a guide dog, the world would probably be a better place!

All Better Now!

2009-03-27T09:40:00.000-07:00

What a week! Although for a while he seemed to be feeling better, Dakota's tummy issues continued through the weekend. And guide dog work does not mix well with tummy problems. At all costs we try to avoid what we call "dirty walks." (I'll just let you figure out what that is!) So, Tuesday found me driving across town to the vet's with, shall we say, a "sample."

Tests were run, and as it turned out, an antibiotic was in order to clear up Duckie's problems. By this time it was late in the afternoon, and Dr. Boggs was good enough to offer me an alternative to another cross-town trip through insane afternoon traffic by calling in the prescription to a local pharmacy. "You mean...what kind of pharmacy?" I wondered. "Oh, any pharmacy, a people pharmacy...they'll have it." Okay...

So, here I am at the pharmacy facing a tired clerk. "Prescription for Lord," I offer, hoping I don't have to give more detail than that. "Date of birth?" he wants to know. Oh bother...I wonder does he want the dog's birthday or mine? "5/28/08." Nothing comes up, so I tell him to try mine...now he probably thinks I'm crazy since I can't even remember within forty years when I was born! Throwing discretion to the winds, I admit: "Well...it's for the dog." "Oh, the guide dog? Why didn't you say so?" When I don't have Duckie with me, I kind of think people won't remember me, but nope. I am doomed to be "the dog lady" for life I think!

Now he's really trying hard to find it, but somehow the prescription just won't come up on the computer. We look for it under Dakota's name...my name...the vet's name...we try "Guide Dogs of Texas"..."dog"..."k-9"...no results. He gets another clerk to help him search the shelves. They really did try! But it's no good...maybe the vet called it in to the wrong pharmacy? At last I turn to go, and just then the pharmacist herself emerges. "Hey, is this it? We never filled it because we didn't have the patient's date of birth!" Sure enough, that was it. We went and did some shopping while waiting for it to be processed. Before long the loudspeakers ring out: "Would 'Dakota Lord' please return to the pharmacy. Your prescription is ready." Poor Dakota Lord is at home in his crate...suppressing a laugh, we pick it up for him.

On the way home, Charissa starts reading me the label. Not a good idea for someone as prone to worry as me. To start off, they gave him an arbitrary birthdate just so something would be in the computers. So now, according to Wal-mart, he's officially 8 years old. Amazing how an illness can age you overnight! Charissa reads, "'CAUTION: DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL with this medicine,' ...well, that shouldn't be a problem....'POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS: stomach upset' " Wait, isn't that what we're taking this to cure? "'...headache...'" I wonder how Duckie would tell us if he had a headache? "'...or a metallic taste...check with your doctor as soon as possible if you experience numbness, tingling, or burning of your hands or feet' ...or paws?...'may cause drowsiness. Use care when operating heavy machinery'"...or guiding a blind person, I should think!

But you'll be happy to hear that Dakota has been taking his medicine like a trooper, has apparently tolerated it well, and seems to be fully recovered.

If he has a headache, he hasn't complained.

"Oh, my tingling paws!"

Ups and Downs

2009-03-20T17:34:00.000-07:00

Dakota likes his walks (apart from his puppy jacket -- which literally rubs him the wrong way!) He loves to be working, remembers commands well, and usually has a lot of fun.

But I'll be the first to admit, he's got a ways to go when it comes to that all-important guide dog skill of waiting patiently. That's why he has such a hard time at church. I mean, here he is, surrounded by people whom he already knows and loves (since many of them have been to our home)...and I tell him he can't go over and say hi to them? What's all that about? He's really frustrated by this. I spend half my time surreptitiously reminding him to be quiet...the other half, reminding him to lie down! No wonder we're in the back pew. Tonight's service is just a business meeting...maybe he's bored.

I come in loaded down with a ton of treats, and dole them out at an alarming rate. The first half hour goes pretty well...

...then he gets increasingly restless and whiny...

He'd better watch out. I know I have connections at this church, but if he doesn't shape up he'll get himself banned! By me if no one else...out of sheer embarrassment. But at last, he stretches out and starts to fall asleep, just in time to...

...wake up, it's time to go!

I'm sure he'll grow up and this will all get easier eventually!

On a different note -- we had some cause for mild concern this week when Duckie developed symptoms of tummy upset. At Michelle's advice, we gave him a couple pepto bismol to help him get over it. At first I was worried he wouldn't take them, but after sniffing them cautiously he ate them right up and by next day seemed to be feeling better. The funny thing is how Duckie reacted the next time one of the kids needed the pepto bismol.

Yes, he's sitting politely, tail wagging, waiting for his turn! This really cracked me up. He's probably wondering why she's getting into his dog treats!

Just another one of life's little ups and downs.

Dakota's Doings

2009-03-10T09:27:00.000-07:00

Well, things have been a little crazy around here as we got new flooring installed last week. Dakota and Trixie (another labradoodle guide-dog-in-training, back at the center now) were very good during all the noise and chaos. Still, everyone's glad to have things back to normal. Dakota's really loving the new hard floors...plenty of cool places to stretch out and sleep.

Speaking of keeping cool, we gave Dakota another trim this week to help him stay comfortable in our warming temperatures. Texas seems to be skipping spring this year and going straight from winter into summer weather! You can see how much we took off here -- the paw on the right is "before," the left is "after."

Hmmm, maybe we should do this outdoors next time! What a pile of fur!

Training walks are coming along pretty well. Dakota's always a little silly at first when we get out of the "bus," wiggling all around and trying to adjust his jacket. Here he demonstrates what we call the three-legged walk. "Yes, I can walk and scratch my jacket at the same time!"

...But once he gets the goofiness out of his system he's a good little worker. Here I picked up a piece of cardboard lying on the ground and asked him to find me a trashcan to throw it away.

To help the puppies with their "finds," we're supposed to use the item each time they find it. So when Dakota finds the trash, I throw something away. He finds a seat, and I sit down. He finds a door, and I go through it. He finds the girls' restroom...never mind! I do plead guilty to having faked throwing something away when I'm out of trash. I've even thrown out a doggie kibble before, but I don't think Dakota approves!

He really dislikes squeaky shopping carts, like the one going by here, but at least now he seems to know they're just an annoyance, not a threat.

"Hey, what's wrong with these flowers? They don't smell at all!"

"Mom likes to shop but for me it's all about people-watching!"

Most of the time on our walks, he's pretty relaxed. Like here, I got down on his level to look at a picture and Dakota instantly assumed it was cuddle time! You can't help but like this guy.

Have a great day everybody!

Big Pawprints to Fill

2009-02-27T12:30:00.000-08:00

Thursday bright and early we loaded Duck and Trix, Charissa & Katharine, and both us parents into the van for a trip to the Guide Dogs of Texas training center in San Antonio. You know there's gotta be something special going on to warrant this kind of large-scale migration!

Willie, our last guide dog puppy, has successfully completed his training and been matched with a client. Imagine my excitement when Michelle asked me if I'd be interested in coming down, seeing Willie, and doing a blindfold walk with him! After all the sleepless nights with him as a puppy, all our ups and downs in training, and countless walks together, it was an incredibly moving experience to work with him in harness, trusting that he would do his job and see me through!

Sarah, Willie's trainer, has done a fabulous job with him and I was so impressed. She came along with us the whole way -- for my sake, not Willie's! Willie knows exactly what his job is. I, on the other hand, am not very good at being blind! Here Sarah starts off showing me how to hold the handle and leash together.

"Wait, Sarah -- I can't see a thing!" I learned quickly that "blindfold" is a eupehemism for "total face mask." My eyes were open the whole time but I couldn't see at all, not even light. It became a challenge just to keep my balance, much less walk in a straight line! All of a sudden, I was thankful for Willie in a whole new way. But since he can't talk, I was pretty glad Sarah was there too to explain it all!

I may as well come clean and admit that I did fall down. In fact, it was the very first thing I did! Willie didn't steer me wrong or anything -- I just sort of lost my footing all on my own. I found the darkness disorienting and kept sticking my right hand out for balance. But I was fine and the rest of the walk went well.

Along this stretch Willie kept my head from hitting low branches, as well as steering me around the bushes that you can see hanging across the sidewalk a bit.

As we came to a curb, Willie sat and Sarah explained how to slide my foot forward while holding my arm back -- I think they call this "position two." There were so many things to think about at once!

In the insecurity of not being able to see, I constantly felt as if we were cruising along at breakneck pace. As you can see from this little clip, we were actually doing more of a geriatric stroll. I'm sure Willie wondered how I got to be such a slowpoke.

Here Willie stops at a step-up and waits for me to figure out how high it is. Good boy!

This next little maneuver may not look like much, but let me tell you, it was TERRIFYING! Leaving the sidewalk for a rougher and (to me) more unpredictable surface is hard to do. But as you can see, there was a reason. Willie carefully guided me off the sidewalk so I wouldn't scratch my face on the bushes, while keeping enough to the center so that I didn't hit any overhanging branches from the other side either.

Isn't this just the BIG-

GEST curb you have ever seen in your life?! Notice how Willie stops way far back and

stre-e-etches to reach the edge with his tippy toes. That gives me a whole dog length to stop safely so I don't trip on the edge and go flying. I could really feel in the handle how he was stretching up, which helped me know it would be a tall step.

Here we're making a turn...

...and crossing a street where the corners are rounded. Just everyday obstacles, but they take on a whole new significance when you can't see. Sarah took us on a pretty challenging course (at least for a beginner like me!) and we really got to encounter it all...crowds of kids, barking dogs, and all kinds of other situations. It was an amazing feeling to experience first-hand how all the pieces of our training have come together to produce this amazing dog who just loves his work and does it so well. He makes me so proud!

Meanwhile, Tim and the kids followed along in the training van so they could watch without distracting Willie from his work. It was a great experience for all of us.

And what, you may ask, did Dakota do while all this was going on? He and Trixie got to hang out with Sandy, the head trainer, in her office. I understand he escaped over the puppy gate...twice... but nevertheless managed to have a lovely time and even got some special doggie treats out of the bargain! Well, he certainly has something to live up to now! He is such a smart and confident little guy, and already does so well, that I know he'll make us proud too. Here's a doggy kiss -- see ya later!

Double Doodle

2009-02-20T17:20:00.000-08:00

That's right, it's double trouble around the Lord household these days! That's because we're temporarily keeping Trixie, another GDTx puppy-in-training from Dixie's Doodles
( http://www.dixiesdoodles.com/index.htm ). Don't be deceived by her small size -- Trixie is actually older than Dakota and is just making the transition from her puppy raising stage to advanced work at the training center in San Antonio. Like Dakota, she's smart as a tack and enjoys her work.

Look at that nice double "down!" These two are hilarious together because they're a lot alike. Very competitive. At first, Trixie wasn't so sure about doing "sit" and "down" in front of Dakota, probably because it seemed too submissive and she really wants to be top dog. But pretty soon she noticed that he was getting all the treats and praise and...well, that was totally unacceptable! So now they've started trying to outdo each other. It's like having two kids trying to be your favorite all the time!

The two of them play til they're tuckered out, take a long nap, and then hit it again. By the time I get around to taking them out for walks they're pretty mellow. Trixie lets Dakota win some games, but he has learned a couple of things: don't mess with her food, and don't mess with her kong! It may just be a piece of red rubber to us, but in Trixie's world the kong is sacred! She lives for the joy of kong-fetching and kong-chewing.

Since Trixie is starting her advanced training, she gets to wear a leather harness in place of the blue puppy jacket. Here we are at the Post Office...I think she's pretty proud of herself.

In the meantime, Dakota's thinking, "Hey, wasn't this blog supposed to be about me?" So I'll close with another picture of him just to keep the peace. We're proud of you, little Duckie!

Don't miss next week's edition -- I have something special to share with you!

Stylin' for Success

2009-02-12T12:25:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, we headed downtown to meet Michelle for a training walk. The great thing about downtown walks is that you never know what you're in for. At various times we've encountered protest marches, tour groups, heavy machinery, emergency vehicles, and of course other dogs. You can almost always count on running across a street musician. And then last week, while we were sitting nicely at a curb waiting for the walk signal, a man riding a bike leaned over and patted Duckie on the head as he whizzed by! Go figure.

Dakota adores Michelle and got a little too excited when we met up, as you can see! But we stopped in at Starbucks before heading out to walk and while the people got caffeine and sugar levels up, he worked on calming down. After that, things went pretty well.

One thing Dakota really needs to work on is his "overheads." It will be his job not only to guide safely around street-level obstacles, but also to avoid any overhanging obstacles (tree limbs, etc.) which would be a hazard to his blind partner. This is a pretty tall order for a dog currently only 18" at the shoulder! He's really going to have to watch ahead and develop the habit of looking up. We were talking about it with Michelle, and decided that he could use a haircut to help clear that peripheral vision a little. His cute bushy doodle fur hangs around his eyes so that he'd have to kind of crane his neck to see up. Here are a couple of "before" shots.

Getting a little shaggy there!

This isn't Dakota's first furcut, and he's learned to tolerate it, but it's not his favorite thing. I decided to be conservative with the trimmers at first, being kind of new at this dog clipping thing, and figuring it'll be easy to go back and cut off more if need be.

All done! It's not drastically different, but I can really see his eyes a lot better now. Hopefully that will make his work a little easier for him.

Time to go outside and play!

Doodling

2009-02-07T15:49:00.000-08:00

There's a lot more to puppy raising than the training walks. A lot of Dakota's growing up happens right here at home. And he's been giving us an education of sorts, too -- in doodling.

doodle -- vb To live with a labradoodle.

Okay, so you might not find that one in your Webster's. But what else do you call it? There's sure a lot about Dakota that's new for us.

His attitude toward food, for example...Our last puppy, Willie, just lived to eat. I don't know, maybe most labradoodles do too, but this one just doesn't care very much about food one way or the other. In fact, it took him quite a while to take any treats at all on his training walks. At this age, the guide dog puppies are still supposed to be on two meals a day, but a while ago Dakota just up and decided he was done with breakfast. After some trial and error we figured out that we can still "trick" him into eating breakfast if, instead of giving it to him in his dish, we have him do some obedience work in the morning and give him his food as a "reward." Strange but true! At dinner time we feed him his meal; he leisurely eats about half of it; then he comes and tries to cuddle up to someone with his soggy beard before going and finishing the rest. He's perfectly healthy...I guess he'll just never have to worry about his weight!

Another interesting thing about Dakota is that he is much more touch-sensitive than our lab was. Maybe it has to do with his fleecy fur. We'll be walking along on a breezy day when the wind lifts a corner of his jacket and kind of flaps it up and he'll just whip around and nip at it. Or, more often, if I don't get the jacket adjusted just right before the walk, Mr. Sensitive starts kicking at the strap with one hind leg, all the while trying to keep up with me on the other three legs! I've tried to explain to him that this does not help people to take him seriously as a guide dog, but I think he actually enjoys it if people laugh at him! Let's hope he outgrows this little stunt.

Dakota's pretty sensitive to sounds, too. He wears a tag silencer over his dog tags (see right) or I think he actually might lose his mind. Come to think of it, I love the silencer myself so I'll have to agree with him on that one.

But his most dominant personality trait is that he just adores people. He lives to cuddle, love, snuggle and all that good stuff...and absolutely 100% wants to please you. Now if we can just channel that desire I think we could have a pretty good guide dog here! What do you think?

All In a Day's Work

2009-01-30T16:16:00.000-08:00

Dakota got to visit the airport for the first time this week. What an exciting challenge! The noise of the parking garage was the biggest obstacle for him -- doors slamming and engines starting just seemed magnified by the cave-like echoes and he was kind of jumpy at first. But once he figured out the noise didn't bother us, he decided it was okay. By the time we got in to the terminal he'd settled in to his work and did well. He enjoyed walking up and down, finding things for me, and working stairs. As usual, he attracted lots of attention!

Here he's licking his lips nervously under the glare of the orange garage lights as if to say, "I don't know about this..."

...But now you can see he's relaxed and hard at work again.

So much to see around here!

This week's new experiences included not only the airport, but also a farmer's market and some new neighborhoods. Of course errands take us to familiar places as well. I think the employees at Walmart are finally starting to get used to seeing us.

Dakota didn't care for the crashing of a long line of carts being returned to the store and stopped in mid-stride.

We waited and watched the men finish their job so he could see everything was all right.

Here Dakota finds the trash can and a seat...

...But guide dog work isn't always exciting. A big part of it is just learning to be patient. Here Dakota waits quietly and watches passersby while I do a little price checking.

It's all in a day's work!

Steady!

2009-01-23T18:38:00.001-08:00

Today we headed off to the mall with Dakota for an after-
noon's training walk. The mall is a great place for training with its many distractions and loud, unexpected noises.

After starting off with some basic obedience, I decided to see if Duckie remembered how to find the elevator.

...Well, my main problem was just holding him back so he didn't mow down the lady in front of us in his excitement! "Steady," our command for slowing down, is practically Dakota's middle name these days. But I was happy with him for finding the elevator so confidently. This elevator is an interesting one because its glass walls allow you to look out as you go up and down. That takes a little getting used to when you're just a pup! Really, he did just fine.

Here Dakota
"finds the button" so we can go for another elevator ride.

Then it was time to walk around some more and do a little work on stairs. Again, the operative word is "Steady."

Dakota's got a lot of enthusiasm, but just needs to slow down and take one stair at a time. Life is so exciting for him right now that "steady" just doesn't come naturally. But he'll get there!

A Busy Week

2009-01-16T18:58:00.000-08:00

Dakota has had his paws full this week! Tracy needed a sitter for Sammy, so he's been spending some time at our house. Dakota seems to think he should be top dog, despite the fact Sammy is almost double his size. The two spend all their time either play-fighting or cuddled up next to each other asleep. Cute.

We've also gone to lots of new places, and some old ones, for walks. The moment Dakota sees me reach for the leash, or hears the words "go" and "walk" used in the same sentence, he's thrilled! He's really fun to work with.

Here Dakota demon-
strates the
"Watch
me!" com-
mand.
Good boy!

In this picture, a distracted Duckie just hit his head on the yellow plastic thing at the end of the aisle and got a bit scared. We went back, I let him sniff it, and he figured out it wasn't going to attack again. Whew!

Here we're tempting him with a cat toy in a repeat of last week's exercise. You can see he's not falling for it this time! He's much more focused on my yummy liver treats.

And at the end of the day...play, play, play. What could be better?

Fun at Petco

2009-01-08T12:40:00.000-08:00

Today we met up with Michelle Pelletier, puppy program manager, and Ernie Landy, Guide Dogs of Texas volunteer coordinator, at our local Petco. Petco and Natural Balance foods are partnering to help promote GDTX -- very exciting for us! While Ernie met with the manager, we took advantage of the opportunity for some training with Michelle.

Repeat with me: I will not pounce on the cat toy...I will not pounce on the cat toy...

...And here we are, learning not to chase the mice. Dakota did pretty well, I thought. He's quick to catch on once he knows what you want.

This cheeky little sparrow outside the store didn't know what was good for him. He kept swooping down and pestering us, hopping right in front of Dakota's nose. I was so proud of Dakota for not going after him! I know he wanted to. Self-control is an important skill for a guide dog. We're getting there!

Those of you who have read last week's post will be happy to hear that Dakota's little problem is all sorted out now. I steeled myself against his cute little face, put on my best "mean" voice, and told him, "No! Get in the bus!" That was it. Why didn't I do that sooner? Just look how well he gets in the bus now! Good job, Dakota.

Get In the Bus!

2009-01-02T11:16:00.000-08:00

Dakota is only too happy to go anywhere at the drop of a hat, and loves to "Get in the bus." (The "bus" is whatever vehicle we're riding in.) Here's the problem:

...he invariably leaves a paw out! I started off being "nice" and putting it back in for him...then I turn my back and it's out again. I put it back, and then he puts his nose out! I've come within an inch of slamming body parts in the door I don't know how many times! Scary.

Finally this lightbulb went off in my dim brain: It's not that he's too dumb to know I'm going to close the door. He's doing it for attention! We always laugh at him in our exasperation and he thinks he's being cute. He's made up his own little game with this trick. So next time, no more Mr. Nice Guy! I will update you next week but I'm willing to bet that one real verbal reprimand and he'll shape right up.

It's been a great week and I'm really happy with Duckie's progress! Here's wishing everyone a tail-waggin' New Year and many long walks!

A New "Find"

2008-12-26T12:05:00.000-08:00

Well, Dakota was back to work today, the day after Christ-
mas! Of course, since work is one of his favorite things, he didn't mind.

Today's walk was at the Texas State Capitol building. This is a great place to practice Dakota's "finds," where he leads me to certain objects on command (trash can, elevator, and seat, to name a few). On my agenda for today was to teach Dakota the new "find," "find the girls." This is the command for finding the ladies' restroom.

We warmed up with some obedience work, practiced on stairs, and did a few "finds" that he already knows. There were quite a few tourists today and plenty of distractions, but for the most part he settled in and did his work well in spite of it all.

To teach his new find, I took him to within a few feet of the ladies' room, told him, "Find the girls!," walked him to the restroom door, praised him and gave him a treat. He gave me a happy look of, "Oh! Is that all you want?" Of course part of the lesson is that each time we must actually go inside and use the facilities. After that, we repeated the process on the next floor. I stood within sight of the ladies' room, gave him his command, and his tail just went to wagging as he proudly took me straight to the door. He seemed to understand just what I wanted. The Capitol has restrooms on every level so we got lots of practice. I wonder if some of the tourists thought I had incontinence issues? I'll admit it was a bit embarrassing but hey, I was too proud of him to care much.

After all that work, it was time for some fun. Dog park here we come!

Just to add a little extra excitement to our day, Duckie had to throw up in the car on the way home. Don't worry, he's not really sick -- just drank lots of water at the dog park, and that combined with the running around was a little much for him. He's all back to normal and snoozing happily at my feet!

Let's Get This Straight

2008-12-19T10:50:00.000-08:00

Well, I thought you might like to see what we've been working on. Here's the issue:

Okay, I know it doesn't look too terrible to most of us, but this is what we call a "crooked sit." When a visually impaired person is relying on her guide dog, she will "line up" with his body. If I did that with Duckie right now, we'd walk right off the curb! So, we're trying to straighten up and fly right.

Dakota!! Are you even trying?! Actually, here he got distracted by a dog across the street and is trying to position himself for a better view.

Third time's a charm. What an improvement!

...And here we are getting ready to cross at the crosswalk. Duckie is doing his best to demonstrate the proper sitting technique: toes on the edge, at right angles to the curb. That way we'll cross straight -- and safely -- over.

After all that hard work, Dakota was ready to relax under the Christmas tree. Merry Christmas, y'all!

Brrr!

2008-12-10T07:37:00.000-08:00

Look what greeted Duckie this morning when he went out! A sleet shower left a light blanket of white over everything...a big novelty for us here in Austin. After spending a few minutes in a futile attempt to eat it all, Duckie gave up and decided it was better for playing and rolling in. What fun!

A day at Cabela's

2008-12-09T16:29:00.000-08:00

Today was a big day for Duckie. We got to meet Michelle for a training walk at Cabela's. I thought all the animal displays would be scary for a little guy like Dakota, but he surprised me and took it all pretty much in stride. What did give him pause was...strange to say...the kayaks! So what is it about a kayak that's scary? The fact that it's so big...makes a funny noise when tapped...or is it just how the hanging ones creak in the wind? I wish I knew! Here's Michelle helping Duckie get over his suspicions. Some reassurance and dog treats worked wonders and pretty soon he accepted them...cautiously!

The aquarium really captured Dakota's attention. He loved watching the giant fish. But what he loved even more was when...surprise...his best friend Sammy (Tracy's guide dog puppy) showed up to join us for the last half of our walk! It was a great chance for the pups to learn that although they love to get together for play, this was work time and they needed to pay attention and be well behaved. Duckie didn't want to believe this at first! He was so excited to see his buddy that all he could do was dance around, whine and bark. But after a while they both settled down (more or less) and we had a good walk together. When we were done, we sat down at the cafe upstairs and the people had a soda while the dogs more or less collapsed in excited exhaustion! It's all part of growing up.

Shopping

2008-11-12T13:37:00.001-08:00

Do any of you out there like shopping? I love to shop! All those new sights and smells...all those people...the only thing I don't like is squeaky shopping carts. I think they should be banned! Here I am at the store today, helping to pick out party supplies.

Today while we were looking at some toys, one of them came to life! It was a giant yellow puppy, bigger than me, and it started barking! Can you believe it...barking in a store? I definitely know better than that! After making sure it wasn't going to attack us or anything, I decided it was nothing to worry about.

Until next time, happy shopping!

Sammy

2008-11-05T13:40:00.000-08:00

Dakota had a friend over today -- Sammy, Tracy's new guide dog puppy-in-training. He is a golden retriever and just a wonderfully sweet, mellow boy with velvety-soft fur. We called him "The Velveteen Puppy." He's going to be a BIG dog -- he's a month younger than Duckie but already bigger! The boys had lots of fun running, playing, and being crazy together. In fact, they played so hard that within the first half hour or so, Dakota lost 3 more baby teeth. Well, they needed to come out! A good time was had by all. Thanks Tracy for sharing your puppy!

Democracy & Dakota

2008-11-04T12:09:00.001-08:00

Hi everybody, this is Dakota. Guess what? I got to go "vote" today. The main thing I know about voting is, you get to go to a big room where a bunch of people sitting at tables are waiting to meet you, say how cute you are, and ask questions. It was totally awesome! My mom went and pushed some buttons in a booth -- not sure what that was all about, but she seemed to think it was important. On the way out, I got to practice some "finds" -- that's where I find handy things like the trashcan, the door, or a seat for my mom. I had so much fun I think we should go again, but my family says there's a rule against that. Wonder why?

Well, everyone, make sure to go and vote today -- and get your sticker when you leave so you can look cool, like me!

Training walk today

2008-10-31T15:28:00.000-07:00

Today Dakota got to go on a training walk with our puppy program manager, Michelle Pelletier. She asked what issues we'd been dealing with and I mentioned how Duckie likes to chase blowing leaves. Look what we ran into on our walk!

...Well, OK, so it's pretty hard to see, but in the background by the giant orange is...a man with a LEAF BLOWER! Oh boy! So Duckie got 2 distractions in one: a big scary noise and lots of exciting leaves blowing by. To my surprise, after just a few corrections from Michelle, Dakota treated them both as perfectly normal and controlled his urge to chase the flying leaves. I was so proud. So thanks, leaf blower guy, you were a big help today!

Look what else is new: Michelle brought us a new, bigger puppy jacket! Hurrah! Dakota's old one was getting so tight it was hard to keep it on. This one looks a little like a horse blanket on him...but hey, there's room for growth! I think Dakota's already bigger than his dad, who is a mini doodle. We'd love him to take after his mom, who is medium-sized.

So, all in all, we had a great day. Happy Halloween, everyone!

Dakota: "This is NOT a Halloween costume, it's my work clothes! Take me seriously, people!"

Squeaky Clean

2008-10-28T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today was Dakota's second official bath. He's got this wonderful soft fleecy non-shedding fur that...well, gets dirty from time to time! And although I think he's still too young for his coat to change from puppy fur to adult coat, something does seem to be going on because I'm actually getting a little red fur stuck in the brush in our grooming sessions -- something that didn't used to happen.

Anyhow, it helps that Duckie loves baths. We try to keep everything calm and controlled so he doesn't go too crazy, because he LOVES water.

Here we are midway through...he looks so small when he's wet! I know, maybe I'm a little crazy to use the kitchen sink, but the sprayer came in handy for rinsing! I'm sure he'll outgrow this venue by his next bathtime.

...And here he is all done, dry, and freshly brushed, with my fearless assistant Charissa.

"Aaahh...clean again!" (Actually, he's probably plotting his next roll in the mud...just so he can get another bath!)

Dog Park!

2008-10-11T16:38:00.001-07:00

Hey everybody, I discovered the most awesome place today! It's called the "dog park." I had a great time meeting new friends. Here I am with some of my pals.

My family laughed because I had a hard time deciding who to hang out with -- the people or their dogs! They say it's good for my "socialization," but I really think that's an excuse to go have fun. You should try it sometime!

Growing Up

2008-10-11T10:58:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy month, and while our family took a week's vacation out of town, Duckie got to stay with the Weldon family, soon-to-be puppy raisers in north Austin. This was an exciting change for him. The Weldons have three active boys...AND a cat! Dakota got to have lots of exciting experiences with them, going all kinds of new places. They did such a good job with him. Thank you, Minda & family! Can't wait to see you get started with a guide dog puppy of your own!

In fact, when we got back from our trip, we all noticed that not only had Dakota gotten noticeably bigger in just a week, he also seemed a little more "grown up"! He's been more confident and attentive in new situations and around loud noises.

To make life more exciting, he's losing his puppy teeth! Right now he's lost all but one tooth on the front bottom, and the top front teeth are starting to drop too. Every spare moment is spent chewing as Duckie works on getting those new teeth grown in.

We're loving the gorgeous fall weather here in Austin. Dakota gets distracted by the blowing leaves, so that's something to work on! Here he's checking out the display of pumpkins at the grocery store.

Upstairs, Downstairs

2008-09-11T14:04:00.000-07:00

An important part of any guide dog's training is learning how to negotiate stairs properly. When we come to stairs leading down, Dakota is supposed to indicate the step by sitting with his front paws on the edge. He's already starting to get this idea.

Next, we go down the stairs in a more or less smooth, steady manner. I say "more or less" because, as those of you who've had a puppy know, "smooth," "steady," and "puppy" aren't really words that go together! All those paws and steps kind of just get tangled up somehow. Never mind, we manage to make it down, and now it's time to go up again!

Dakota will eventually learn to indicate a step up by standing with his front paws resting on the first step. Right now, I'm just trying to get him to slow down a bit. His first inclination at "up" stairs is to attack them all at once and get it over with, bolting up two or three at a time! It's great to have an eager learner though, and I can already see a lot of improvement.

Here we are working stairs together.

"I don't know...those steps look awful steep!"

"Oh -- is that liver you've got there? Why didn't you just say so?"

"This is actually MUCH harder than it looks -- believe me!"

"That was a good day's work well done, don't ya think?"

Lessons from Frankie

2008-09-02T15:42:00.006-07:00

Hi all -- Dakota here! I had so much fun over Labor Day weekend. I got to have a friend over for the weekend -- Frankie, one of our older guide dogs in training. I think he is SO COOL. He taught me lots of stuff:

Good manners pay off. I was amazed at how much treats & praise this guy got! But he showed me it was just because he knew how to sit instead of jump up; be quiet instead of bark; and play nicely with others. Wow, who knew? He would look at me as if to say, "Watch and learn..." and you better believe I did!
Good friends share everything. EXCEPT their food. Some things in a dog's life are just too important!
Chewing shoes is SO not cool! All the big dogs know better than this!

I'm signing off for now. Smiles and tail wags to everyone,

Dakota

School Days

2008-08-21T13:26:00.000-07:00

While many kids are still enjoying their last few days of summer, our homeschool has been in session for almost two weeks now. Dakota finds the school day pretty boring and spends his time taking naps, chewing on toys, and GROWING! Here he studies a chew toy while Charissa studies language.

"Isn't it time for recess yet?" he seems to be asking.

But pretty soon it's Dakota's turn...time for a walk! Here he's waiting for the command, "Out of the bus." That's his signal to get out of whatever vehicle we're in and get ready for the walk. Now, this is the part of the school day he loves!!

Then it's back home to do what puppies do best...sleep. What do you think he dreams about?

Birdbath blues...

2008-08-13T12:23:00.000-07:00

Of course all birds love birdbaths. This Duck is no different! But constantly downing gallons of water when our backs are turned can play a bit of havoc with housetraining. Here's how Dakota looks when he gets caught. He's thinking, "Uh-oh...busted again!"

"He's a what?! No way..."

2008-08-06T07:05:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is people's top response when they find out that little Dakota is a labradoodle, and a guide dog in training. Coming in a close 2nd is, "He looks just like a teddy bear come to life!" ...And 3rd, "I want one!" So maybe this would be a good time to note that if you're interested in labradoodles, you owe it to yourself to do some real homework. They're a complicated subject! Dakota's biased, but he recommends http://www.dixiesdoodles.com/, his breeder's website, where you'll find a bunch of info & educational links.

The funny thing is that in just one week of training with Dakota, I've been asked to show my guide dog ID more times than I was asked in just about my whole time bringing up Willie! People just can't seem to believe that this cute little ball of fur could do such a big job! On my part, I've been pretty impressed with Duckie's confident, bright, happy-go-lucky approach to any and all new situations. Nothing seems to faze this guy.

Yesterday was our first trip to the mall. After getting stopped by security and creating a bit of a bottleneck at the entrance as everyone crowded around to get a look, it was off down the halls for a quick jaunt past the shops and a fun ride in the elevator. Dakota took everything in stride, smiling and wagging his tail at passersby as if he deserves all this attention. He's going to get a big head fast at this rate!

The Doodle Has Landed

2008-08-01T11:58:00.000-07:00

That's one small step for Dakota...one giant leap for the Lord family!

On Wednesday, our family brought Dakota home from The Greenwood School, where friend and fellow puppy raiser Tracy Schagen has been kind enough to keep him for his first week. Thanks Tracy!!

Dakota will be our 2nd puppy to raise for Guide Dogs of Texas. Willie, our 1st, is now at the GDTX training center in San Antonio, starting on his advanced training. Here's Willie and me at the Capitol.

As you can see from the picture Willie was not a labradoodle! So this will be a big learning curve for us. I'm sure Dakota will be happy to show us the ropes. We're excited about the new experience and have been trying to do a lot of doodle research to get ready.

I'm happy to report that, after wearing poor Tracy and her family to shreds, Dakota seems ready to settle in here. Our first night he slept almost too well -- I kept waking up because it was so quiet, afraid something had happened to him in his sleep! Last night we all had a good night though. Dakota made it from 11 pm to 5 am without a whimper. After a quick trip outside to "go busy" (guide dog code for "potty") I had to break the sad news to him that no, I wasn't feeling playful yet. He resigned himself to another hour or so of shuteye and then I, too, was ready to face the day!

We have been enjoying our first training walks immensely. We're keeping things pretty short and simple at this point. Our main goal right now is to give Dakota a lot of positive experiences in many different surroundings. Guide dogs have to be confident in all sorts of situations...and if there's one thing this guy's got, it's confidence! That, and a cute face. He's winning friends and influencing people everywhere, I'm afraid.

I'll leave you with a picture of Dakota checking out the westerns at the library. We kind of thought that fit with his name. That's all for now folks!

Lord Help Us...

2008-07-31T12:44:00.000-07:00

I've been saved by a Lord. Beth Lord came and picked up The Duke of Destruction. Beth, good luck. Be sure and call Ann if you need a sitter. She still thinks the duck is cute. I suppose you will be available to keep Toby while I'm on the cruise in January. He is missing Duckie so much he needs Puppy Prozac. The Greenwood kids were furious that Duckie was gone. They apparently didn't get the memo about him being a temporary guest here. Even Roel had misunderstood the situation. He came by in the afternoon and couldn't believe Duckie was really gone. Maybe I was a little hasty in having Beth drop her unpacking and rush over immediately with the entire family to gather up their Duck and all his belongings. Duckie took to the Lord family immediately. Every time Toby got close to them, he barked and snarled with all his seven pound might. Toby was totally entertained by the display of gnashing puppy teeth. Toby could not believe that they drove away without him. Greenwood is quiet again. Duckie, keep up the good work. You will rule the Lord kingdom in no time. This is Tracy Schagen signing out of Dakota's Tails.

For my final photos and videos of Duckie, go to http://good-times.webshots.com/album/564219932xqwFbb You'll see Duckie at the vet and Dukie with fellow puppy raiser Sharon.

Duckie, Duke of Destruction

2008-07-31T05:46:00.000-07:00

Puppyhood can be so hard. After a morning of tearing Toby limb from limb and chasing a chicken the size of a small goat, “the little duck of death” shipped out to Ann Beardon’s house for a playdate. You know things are getting rough when the sitter hires a sitter. The car ride over was scary for Duckie Duke, but he pulled himself together, bit at the tires and then got all vulnerable for Ann. She thinks he’s cute. I suppose he is cute as long as he is having things his way. Apparently she managed to see to Duckie’s comforts during their visit, because she was all giggly and sweet to him when I picked him up. The duality of this duck is amazing. If I complain a bit about him, people look at me like I’m cold hearted. They just can’t see through the fluff. There is a spooky quality about how the hair on his head never gets messed up. I see that round fluff head in my dreams at night…then I hear the scream, the groan…as he gnaws savagely at the bars of the crate. Two a.m., three a.m., four a.m. When I finally go open the crate, the big round head rises up at me...the big round eyes stare expressionless at the latch. He jumps out of the kennel with pathetic little whines of delight at being free. He quickly makes his way to the grass in the front yard to pee. Then he grabs a piece of trailing ivy from the garden and rips it away from its mother plant and runs out into the darkness. That’s when I remember that he needs to have on a leash. I check my pockets for treats… no pockets in my pajamas. I’m relieved to find that I don’t sleep with dog treats. I stumble back into the house for the leash. Ducky’s eyes pick up the glow from the porch light. His eyes follow me inside. He dashes for the door and beats me inside. For a moment, I imagine that he wants to lock me out of the house. Instead, he viciously seizes a sandal that was left by the door. He runs under the table with the sandal, daring me to come after it. That’s when I realize that I have no idea where my other two dogs are. Did they go out? Are they sleeping through this nightmare? I stagger over to the counter to get some dog treats. I whistle and call. Both my dogs come sleepily out of their beds to see what wonderful midnight snack we are having. They are not impressed with the puppy kibble I give them. Getting no attention for sandal destruction, Duckie decides to come lunging out from under the table and grabs Toby by the foot. Toby looks at me for permission to deal with the perpetrator. I turn and leave the room. Moments later, I hear Duckie yelp for mercy. He comes running to me as if he thinks I care what the monster Toby did to him. I scoop him up and gently dump him in his kennel. I wonder how long the howls will last this time. Toby drops his head and walks toward his kennel. He looks over at the puppy who is tuning his instruments with soft groans. He turns and goes down a dark hallway to the laundry room to sleep. I turn and go back to my room with my dachshund. I can only find one earplug. Ducky will poop earplug confetti in the morning.

Duckie's Revenge

2008-07-26T18:57:00.000-07:00

Today Duckie got Toby back for all the batting and squashing. Roel held Toby down and let Duck beat up on ol' Toby for a while. We caught it all on tape, so go see the video at webshots. http://community.webshots.com/album/564219932xqwFbb
Duckie is doing great on the leash. He loves to explore anywhere anytime. Even after a long day of play and yard work, Duckie walked on the leash for about a hundred yards. Then he was tuckered out. It takes a lot to get him tired enough to nap. He cat naps all day, but jumps awake anytime a person, pet or phone makes a sound. His most favorite napping spot is the hot back porch. He can sleep there by my shoes, all alone, not even a whimper. I'm a little worried that a hawk or vulture might fly off with him, so I've been making Toby nap outside with him. He doesn't seem to mind. Duck had three full meals again today and about a hundred little poops to go with his five hundred pees. No indoor accidents today, but we were doing yard work most of the day. He took one nap in the kennel with only twenty minutes of pre-nap hysteria. He had two breaks during the night.

8 Weeks going on 8 months

2008-07-25T21:00:00.000-07:00

Ducky is ready for anything. He does not want to miss the action, so he is pretty much in the middle of everything around here. Since we are both too tired to think about this day, I'll leave it up to webshots to tell today's tail. I'm uploading some video clips and photos of Ducky's first full day of preschool. http://community.webshots.com/album/564219932xqwFbb The day included chicken chasing, tug-o-war with Toby, an outdoor concert, first daytime nap in the puppy crate and Yeah! an entire cup of food! Ducky is turned on to kibble! Nothing like chasing kids and chickens to stimulate a duck's appetite.

First Stop: Greenwood School

2008-07-24T13:11:00.000-07:00

Duckie just arrived at The Greenwood School. He will be here until August 2nd. He is adapting well. He's a bit road weary, however, very sweet and tolerant of all the dogs, children, teachers, guinea pigs, chickens and roosters. He is not sure where he stands with children. He seems to be willing to play with one at a time, but two is a bit much. He is uninterested in food, but quite playful. His choice of sleeping place is under the office desk and therefore near the castors of the office chair. We’ll see how that goes. Toby, a rather large guide dog puppy, batted and squashed Duckie at their first meeting. Duckie is steering clear of the big guy now. He would like us to have a policy change about kennels. He’s pretty sure that doodles should not be kept in kennels.
See more photos at Dakota’s webshots album http://community.webshots.com/album/564219932xqwFbb

Welcome Dakota!

2008-07-22T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hi, I'd like to introduce you to Dakota, the latest guide dog in training for Guide Dogs of Texas. This blog will be dedicated to the first 3 years of little Dakota's life as he learns to be a guide dog for the blind.

Dakota is a labradoodle from Dixie's Doodles in Georgetown, TX. He is the third doodle to join the guide dog family. Mason was our first (masonstalestails.blogspot.com) and Trixie is our littlest doodle and our first girl, and now Dakota!

Please join us on this journey as we endeavor to make Dakota a great guide dog!

wag wag wag