Breakneck: likely to end in a broken neck

Even though Banta can run at breakneck speed that isn’t what this is about. Banta is a master at playing tug and she knows how to use all of her resources to the best of her ability. She has this incredible way of using all her weight and just the right timing to whip her head. Sometimes if you are not prepared it feels like she is going to dislocate your shoulder. If she had to be a hunter to catch game for her children she would have no trouble at all dispatching what ever she caught. With one shake of her head that poor creatures neck would be broken.

[photo 1: close-up of Banta with her teeth showing as she grabs hold of a red canvas tug toy that is shaped like a bone with a handle on one end, photo 2: Banta low to the ground playing tug with the same toy, photo 3: Banta playing tug with Lisa Monson – Banta at the bottom of the stairs in our family room and Lisa sitting on the stairs]

Brash: impertinent; impudent; tactless

Banta has some unique ways of sitting. One of her favorites is to rotate so far back that she is sitting on her spine instead of her hips. When she does it her hips relax and she looks so slouchy.  Another favorite way is almost the opposite. She sits with her weight shifted forward and her knees tucked in with her feet out to the side.

[photo 1: view of Banta sitting from behind with her tail stick straight out the back and her back legs spread wide – in the background are several other puppies in training – the was Banta’s last puppy meeting it was taken in our living room, photo 2: close-up of Banta sitting with her back legs tucked tight into her sides, photo 3: front view of Banta sitting on her dog bed – she has rolled so far back on her tail that her back legs are sticking out in front of her and her belly is in full view]

Bow: to bend or curve downward

Banta has a cute little thing she does sometimes when she wants to lay down. It looks kind of like a bow. It all starts with a stretch of her back legs. She extends them back in such a way that she ends up with the top of her back feet on the floor. If you are familiar with yoga positions it looks a lot like “up dog.” From here she slides her back feet away from her front feet until she belly flops on the floor.  There she lays for a second or two with her legs stretch straight out in front and in back of her. Then she shifts to lay on her side. I was never able to capture this process on film because I never knew when she was going to do it.

[photo 1: a side view of Banta on our landing with her front paws out in front and her head low to the ground and her back end up in the air, photo 2: Banta laying on the landing looking down the stairs, photo 3: close-up of Banta with her head tilted to one side]

Boundless: infinite or vast; unlimited

Banta’s future has so many possibilities. She has so much to offer. She has grown-up to be an amazing puppy. We are looking forward to seeing what the future brings for her. She is an a smart dog who can do wonderful things if she decides that is what she wants. We are proud of her choosing to be a guide dog for Mark.

[taken along the Jordan River – photo 1: side view of Banta’s head looking off into the distance with snow and a river in the background, photo 2: Banta looking back with snow and river reeds in the background, photo 3: another side view of Banta with snow and rocks in the background, photo 4: Banta looking slightly back over her shoulder with snow and the river in the background]

Bonded: to connect, hold together

Banta is good at making connections with others. She is of course bonded to us as her puppy raisers. She loves to have snuggle time either taking a nap or curling up between you legs while you sit on the ground.

Banta would get very excited in the evening when she would hear the garage door open. She would run to the window to look out or run to the door to wait for Bill to come in. At her last puppy class before leaving for San Rafael one of the other raisers commented on how bonded she is to us. I know that she will make that same kind of bond with someone else in her future.

[photo 1: Bill sitting on the floor of our family room with Casey and Banta curled up together in his lap, photo 2: Banta looking out our front window to see if Bill is coming home, photo 3: Bill kneeling on the stairs with Banta on the top reaching down to give him a kiss on the cheek]

 

Bold: courageous and daring

Banta came off the truck a very confident and bold puppy. We introduced her to Apex, our first puppy in training who was going back to Guide Dogs for the Blind a couple of days later, and she jumped right up and started biting his neck. The only thing she was cautious about was heights. She is still a very adaptable dog, who handles new situations with confidence and curiosity.

[Banta is 8 weeks old in all these photos and Apex, black lab, is 16 months old – photo 1: Banta on the grass nose to nose with Apex with a very focused look on her face, photo 2: Banta at 8 weeks and Apex sitting side by side on the grass – Banta looking up at Apex and Apex with his head turned slightly away, photo 3: Banta chewing on Apex’s tail laying on the grass, photo 4: Apex laying on the grass with Banta standing in front of him trying to chew on his face]

Blonde: woman or girl with fair hair

I often called Banta my blonde girl. When she was very young she was a platinum blonde. As she grew she darkened into more of a beautiful strawberry blonde.  When she was about five to six months old she also had a curl in the fur of her tail that made her tail look like a corkscrew. Her corkscrew tail went away as she finished growing up.

[photo 1: very close-up shot of Banta curled up showing her creamy blonde fur, photo 2: close-up of Banta’s legs crisscrossed and curled together, photo 3: close-up of Banta’s tail with the curve at the end, photo 4: view of Banta from above showing the darker color of the fur down her back]

Blink: to open and close the eyes

Banta has a very penetrating gaze when she wants something but other times when she is just looking at you she will blink but with just one of her eyes, so it actually looks like she is winking at you.

[photo 1: close up of Banta with both of her eyes squeezed tightly shut, photo 2: Banta sitting facing forward with one eye closed and the other open, photo 3: Banta standing with one eye open and the other side shut]

Birthright:  privileges entitled by birth

Banta’s genetics are the result of many years of careful breeding by Guide Dogs for the Blind. A raiser who does serious research into Guide Dogs for the Blind breeding said this about Banta. “I can definitely see why Banta is being evaluated for breeding, she carries some of the finest examples of GDB breeding and would make a fine ‘ambassador.’”

Banta’s siblings have also lived up to this birthright; Bailey (F) – guide, Bandit (M) – career changed for joint problem, Baxter (M) – guide, Bella (F)  – wheelchair guide and Brannan (M)- guide.

Banta’s Pedigree Chart:
Parents: Jenkins & Sunrise
Grandparents: Kentucky & Trinity, Kentucky & Joette II
Great-Grandparents: Signal & Regent, Tiburon & Lilith II, Signal & Regent, Wallace II & Mavis II
Great-Great-Grandparents: Nevin & Anita, Lapper & Heidi, Tex & Ricotta II, Klondike & Whimsy, Nevin & Anita, Lapper & Heidi, Ferris & Jalisa II, Roddy & Ann III

[photo 1: Sunrise, yellow lab, and her 4 day old puppies, all yellow labs, in a blue kiddie swimming pool with newspaper in the bottom – the photo is taken from above and Sunrise is looking up at the camera – the puppies are sleeping scattered all around the pool, photo 2: Kentucky, yellow lab in his old age with a blue bandana around his neck, laying on a wooden deck]

 

Benevolent: goodwill or kindly feelings

Even as a young puppy Banta had a sensitive, kindly side. She really showed this when Casey, another puppy in training, joined our family. Banta was so patient and kind. Casey was shy and fearful but with Banta’s mentorship she blossomed into a confident puppy.

When Casey started teething Banta’s ears where her favorite “chew toy.” One day Casey chewed on Banta’s ear while she was loosing a tooth and Banta’s ear ended up coated with blood.

[photo 1: Casey and Banta in our kitchen eating their dinner side by side out of stainless steel bowls. Banta was in season so she is wearing a pink pull-up diaper, photo 2: looking down from above on Casey and Banta chewing on the same sterilized bone by my desk, photo 3: side view of Casey and Banta laying alertly side by side next to each other looking in the same direction, photo 4: Casey and Banta snuggled up with each other on a patchwork quilt, photo 5: close up of Banta’s ear covered with Casey’s bloody saliva]