Random Pictures from the recent past

At the Little League field, so many distractions!

On our "Treasure Hunt" at class, finding new surfaces and new steps.


At Salisbury University, where we got to watch the Pepsi man unload his truck and deliver soda. Big noise!




Swimming with mom. I really like water.


If I had to go live on a deserted island and could only take two things, I think they would be the hose and my little pool.

Size comparison

If anybody wants to see the size difference, here goes.

First picture, April 5th, 2008.
Second picture, July 25th, 2008.

Like a weed, I tell ya.

My mom made a comment that I believe to be true.

"Richard never looks happier than when he's with that puppy."

Agreed.

Pictures

We wanted to get some decent pics of us with the dogs. I had almost none of me with Fina (due to the fact that I hate my picture being taken!), and I had wanted to update the one of Richard sitting on the front porch with her.

We came home from the night-before-the-anniversary-party-dinner (whew) and since we were halfway dressed up, I said "now's the time" and we headed outside with both dogs.

Do you remember those commercials where the family is trying to take pictures and the baby keeps running away, and then the dog keeps running away, and there's lots of pictures of people heading away from the camera, chasing things?

That was kind of how it was. Below are the good ones.

Now, here's the rest. I'm making them a bit smaller so I can put them all together.

All in all, we got the shot. I really would love a picture with Richard and I and the dogs. Maybe someday!

Catching Up

Wow. More people than I knew read this drivel that I write! People, let me know you're out there! Comment, tell me I'm crazy, tell me you love me. But no more excuses or apologies, I'll start writing and "reporting" again.

The summer has been extra busy, with raising Miss Fina and having the 50th Anniversary Party for my in-laws (now we can say something about it!); the sun has been shining all the time so the yard work is endless. The garden is huge, with corn, tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers...in spite of the puppy.

We've been hosting play-dates at our house, and having big fun with the pups.

The first one was when Robin, who was sitting, brought over Hawkeye.

Hawkeye and Fina went in the little pool, and the big pool. In the first picture, Fina seemed to be showing Hawkeye how to do it! They played for a little over an hour, and went home absolutely exhausted.

Our next playdate was again with Robin (God bless her!) who had Fabio for the week. Fabio is Fina's brother, and I was curious to see if there would be anything special between due to the fact that they are littermates.

Fabio seemed a little shy and unsure of himself at first, but after awhile, he relaxed and enjoyed the play. When the hose came out, he and Fina had a wonderful time playing in the water. They would then go and roll in the dirt. The cycle was repeated many times.....but ended with getting washed down with the hose and toweled off!

When I look at the two of them side by side, I can see the resemblance. But I think Fina is the one that looks like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth :)

Our most recent date was with Elton, the big boy Linda K. is raising. I love Elton. He's big and goofy and funny, and I think he's going to be a great working dog.

Fina and Elton got along like two peas in a pod. Elton didn't have any water experience, but by the end of the afternoon, he was in the little pool like a koi.

It was such fun having everyone come and play; hopefully Ink and Debbie will be coming soon.

Linda and I talked about having a end of the summer bbq for all the pups and raisers, plus Barbara, Randy and Gretchen. Hopefully we'll get that idea up and running soon.

Now I'm off to accomplish things while puppy naps.

How I Beat the Heat by Miss Fina

Other than kibble, squeaky toys and children, water is Miss Fina's favorite thing. She's not too confident in the big pool, but in her little pool, with the hose as her "fountain", she's in heaven.

Oh, to be a dog. Such simple pleasures!

The Horse Show Outing et. al.

Fina had her first encounter with a horse, or, as she saw it, a very large dog. The horse show was down at the equestrian center this past weekend, and, in need of some out-of-the-neighborhood training, we took a ride over there. Miss Fina didn't want to go (more on that later), but once we got there, she was fascinated.

We started out across the street from two horses that were tied to a fence. She was so curious, and wanting to pull, so it took a very long time to get across the street. (The more she pulled, the further away we got.)

Miss Fina was all courage and bravado....until we got close. I think that this was the first time I actually saw her retreat from something....when the horse put his nose down to sniff her, she lost her nerve. The horse was great though, very friendly, and an excellent candidate for Fina's first horse exposure.

Walking through the park and the different rings was another story. We kind of stayed back and observed, under a tree and in the shade. Too much for her. She kept trying to run with the horses when they would run by in the ring. Plus there were children (ooh, my favorite), other dogs (ooh, my favorite), and lots of people (ooh, my favorite). As a training experience, it was a good thing to do, but we still have so far to go when we're out in public.

In the past few days, Miss Fina has decided she does not like to get into the car. We go out the front door, and when she realizes we are not going for a walk, but going into the car, she plants herself on the ground, either sitting or laying down. No toy, no treat, no lure can move her. I actually have to pick up this 50 pound puppy and put her into the car. I don't know where it came from, or what made her decide she was done with car rides. Unless she's guiding a blind agoraphobic, car travel is a big necessity. I'll have to address this with Barbara.

We're starting bi-weekly classes this month. With gas at almost $4.00 a gallon, it's going to be a good thing.

I've been so lax in posting....will post some videos and photos that we've taken over the past few weeks.

Trying to get back on track here.......almost miss the days when there was almost no obligations. But then again, I wouldn't trade Miss Fina for anything! :)

Miss F....where she came from, where she's going....

Miss Fina is HUGE. She's also becoming quite the young lady, and I'm starting to see the kind of adult she will be. We still have so much to learn, and we have a bit to correct, but I'm seeing the result of practice, practice, practice.

Of course, all this practice makes us very very tired. She fell asleep with her head in one of her favorite toys....one of Roxanne's old food bowls.

Upon perusing the GEB website, I found pictures of her Mom and Dad, Zola and Merwin. What beautiful parents. I can't decide who she looks more like. If I remember correctly, Zola was raised up in Maine, and is a superior dog, a great girl. I haven't heard anything about Merwin (I love his sort-of-nerdy name).

Merwin Zola

Aren't they something? I think she's got her Mom's eyes, and her Dad's coloring.

I must apologize to all for my lack of postings. Twenty lashes for me. My moons haven't been in the seventh house, and all that...it's been a couple of tough weeks. But we move forward.

I promise that I'll update more. I didn't realize how many people read this....but I've heard from them on my lack of postings!

Onward and upward, puppies!

The Lange Foundation

I'd want to write about a wonderful Mother's Day gift I gave. Not to pat myself on the back, but to hope to get the word out about this place.

It's called The Lange Foundation. It's a phenomenal program that I saw on the Oprah Winfrey show, the show she did highlighting puppy mills. Someone gave this gift to Oprah, and when I saw it, I knew it would be something that my Mom would love. The following I took right from their website.

Every year in Los Angeles County, several hundred thousand pets are taken to animal shelters, simply because they drastically outnumber the homes available to them.

They are alone, they are voiceless, and most of them are euthanized. As their lives silently end, several hundred thousand more pets are being born.

The Lange Foundation was founded in 1993 by Gillian Lange, recipient of the 1980 City of Los Angeles St. Francis of Assisi Award for her rescue work with impounded pets since 1974. She founded Amanda Foundation in 1975, and to date the two Foundations have rescued and placed over 13,000 cats and dogs who would otherwise have been destroyed at shelters.

Lange Foundation is dedicated to saving impounded companion animals, and preparing them for a journey to a new, safe, loving world.

The dogs we rescue come to us in all shapes, colors, sizes and ages. Some are victims of abuse or neglect; others starving strays; some are purebred and some are obedience trained. Owners who take their pets to the Shelter mistakenly believe good homes will be found for them, but , because of lack of space, most are kept for only five days. The pets we are able to rescue are cared for at our "Half Way Home Haven" in West Los Angeles, where their personality is evaluated and they are given T.L.C. by our staff and volunteers. Once adopted, we assist with training in their new homes if they have problems not easily solved by their new owners. We stand behind those we place.

The shelters continue to be over-crowded with cats. The kittens' chances are slightly better than adults...20% of those impounded find homes. Only 1% of adult cats are chosen for adoption, even though among them are many Siamese, Himalayan, Persian, Manx and All-American purr machines. The ones we are able to rescue are tested for FELV/FIV, sterilized and given health care as necessary. They are placed only in indoor homes.

They have a gifting program. For $75.00, the Lange Foundation goes to a local kill shelter, and takes an dog or a cat off the death list. They take the animal to their own no-kill shelter, and keep it until it is found a forever home. The recipient of the gift gets a photo of the dog or cat that was saved in their name, and a letter with information about the animal.

Since being highlighted on Oprah, the Lange Foundation has been flooded with donations; it takes about two to three weeks to process the gifts. That's the best backorder I could think of.

My Mom called me yesterday in tears; she had gotten her gift. I don't think that I've ever gotten her something that meant so much; we always agonize over the perfect gift. This was so simple. As the saying goes, there is beauty in simplicity.

On a further note, there was a poem included with the package, and it was referring to dogs "in retirement". My Mom said it was like a sign for her; there is a 13 year old Golden Retriever available from a rescue group who needs a home; the owner relocated to Europe and the dog would never make it through quarantine.

Guess who's taking the dog.

He probably doesn't have a whole lot of time left. But his time will be made special by my parents. And my parents time will be made special by him.

What a great thing.

We decided yesterday that this is going to be the birthday gift. The Christmas gift. The anniversary gift. The everything gift.

Let's see how many dogs we can save.

Getting Big?

Has she grown? You tell me. The first one is from yesterday, 5/6/08. The second one is from about three weeks ago.

Like a weed.

Kennel

I've had lots of comments about Fina's first video regarding her kennel.

Thought you'd like to see the progress we've made!

And we progress!

Update

We've been progressing nicely...Fina is growing like a weed! We had class last week outside at Bicentennial Park, and it was a challenge. I think that next time I'll take Miss Thing for a long walk before we go, just to get her a bit tired. She was feeling her oats, for sure!

Yesterday we went to the vet for our shots, and she's now almost 24 pounds. Weight is perfect...I'm so happy. We're very careful with measuring and all, but it was something that I was worried about. Other than a little ear infection, a clean bill of health.

And, best of all, Healing Hands Animal Hospital (of Salisbury, MD) is going to donate all her office visit fees. They are the nicest people, and I'll gladly promote their business.

Today we had our first bath. We were not happy.

Somebody forgot to tell her she's a water dog.

Puppy Poop and the Roomba

Note to self:

Make sure that puppy has been outside and/or is not gastrointestinally challenged before cleaning rug with Roomba.

Yes, that is a wheel-track mark of puppy poo.

One Small Step for Fina, One Giant Step for Mom

She went in the crate by herself without a lure.

I can't tell you how many times we've tried this over the past week, and she's done it.

It was almost zenlike.

Video from the Playground

She's not only smart, but funny too!

Working at the Playground

It's a tough job to be a puppy in training. You have to go to the playground and try new things!
The slide:

The sandbox:

Being a puppy is tiring.

Fina Howling in the Crate

Lunch

I met Maggie at Pizzaria Uno's on Friday, after driving around town looking everywhere for a place that had outside facilities. The weather hasn't been that warm, so nobody was set up, and/or people had gone out of business when we weren't looking.

Fina enjoyed it.

Pictures from Class

Just a few shots from class....including puppy pandemonium!

The Delmarva Region Grand Opening

We had our big grand opening party the day after the puppies came. It was a huge deal, with the Governor of Delaware in attendance (she said she was promised some puppy-holding time, and who could resist that!)

Barbara and Randy worked their butts off for this, and did a wonderful job. The local newspapers were there, as was Channel 7, WMDT. (Once I figure out how to get the video off of my DVR and onto a CD, I'll post the news story). Here's a bit of the story from the Milford Beacon:

Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region off to a great start
By Jennifer Robinson
Staff Writer
jennifer@milfordbeacon.com

Barbara Byle, the regional coordinator for Delmarva, has been busy setting the foundation for Guiding Eyes’ Puppy Raising Program.

The focus for the past few weeks has been for six new puppy raisers to attend pre-placement classes at Byle’s home.

“They’ve come every week for two hours for our pre-placement classes,” Byle said.

In addition, Byle has been visiting the homes of each of the puppy raisers to ensure that it is safe for their new arrival. The puppies are already equipped with kennels and supplies, thanks to a generous donation from All-Span Inc.

“I go there to help determine the best way to keep their puppy safe in their home because every home is different,” Byle said.

Kramer, the Labrador puppy that Byle is raising has also been a vital part of the training. He will remain with the couple for 14 to 16 months so they can teach him basic obedience and good manners.

“He’s doing really well,” Byle said. “He’s been the puppy we’ve used in classes and he makes me look good every time.”

Soon however, Kramer will be joined by his sister, Karleen, and two other puppies from the Bay Region, as well as Byle’s Labradors, Faulkner and Promise, for the training. One dog will be placed with each of the puppy raisers so they can sit for it and truly get a feel for the adventure they are about to embark on.

“Everybody wants to take Kramer home, but unfortunately we only have one Kramer,” Byle said. “It really is to give them a chance to see what it is with the commitment they’re going to make. It’s all to help them make an informed decision because it’s not your typical volunteer job.”

An opening ceremony will be held for the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region at 1:30 p.m. on Friday, April 4, at Bicentennial Park. If weather prohibits the ceremony from being held at Bicentennial Park, it will be held in the banquet room of Smith & Co. Restaurant. Five of the six puppy raisers will receive their puppies there. Sen. Gary Simpson has accepted an invitation to the ceremony, and commissioners from Kent and Sussex County and the Milford City Council have also been asked to join in the event.

“What we are doing is welcoming Guiding Eyes to the Delmarva Region,” Byle said.

Classes will continue the first and third Wednesday at 7 p.m. at Bicentennial Park. Anyone interested in becoming a puppy raiser or becoming involved in the effort is asked to come out.

“People are welcome to come out and observe,” Byle said.

Those interested in the program should have a love for animals, high energy and be able to attend class twice a month. Potential candidates should also be able to provide a loving home. Guiding Eyes pays for all veterinary care, and the puppy raiser is responsible for food and any toys. The next series of pre-placement classes will begin in June.

“We encourage anyone interested in puppy raising to fill out an application online and attend those classes,” Byle said.

Those interested in helping may volunteer in a variety of other ways if not as a puppy raiser. Other opportunities include becoming a puppy sitter, helping with fund-raising, public relations, presentations for community awareness, recruitment, sponsorship, or by working as helpers or instructors in class. Volunteers are also needed to help find sites for classes and quarterly evaluations, as well as those to help track vests that designate the puppies as dogs in training. They are also in need of sponsoring vets. Haven Lake of Milford, is a sponsor for Kramer as well as one of the new puppies.

After the puppies complete their time with their raisers, they will return to New York for Infortraining. If they pass, they will then go on to more formal training to become a guide dog.

Dogs that do not make it as a guide dog do have other opportunities to work either through ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) for arson and bomb detection or for a new program through Guiding Eyes for autistic children.

For more information on the Guiding Eyes for the Blind Delmarva Puppy Raising Region, call Byle at 422-3522 or visit www.volunteer.guidingeyes.org.

“People are welcome to join us,” Byle said.

It was a smashing success; it also was a last hurrah for Pat Clark, who has retired. I was happy to be able to give her a big hug and a thank you for picking out Fina for us.

I'll just post some pictures from the event..


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And finally, exhaustion after her big day!