Category Archives: Guide Dogs for the Blind

11 Months Old

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Casey holding a GoughNuts stick and a Nylabone ring

Our sweet Casey is 11 months old today. She is growing up into a really good dog. We are amazed at how confident she has become since those early days. We went to Cabelas today and she actually paid attention to the taxidermy bear they have on display. She would stick her head through the railing to get as close a look as possible. Then she let out one of those deep low barks that means “don’t mess with me.” I gave her a correction for barking but it was rather funny. Since she is 11 months old lets see if I can come up with 11 things that I enjoy about Casey:

  1. Calm – she is still the calmest dog we have raised or even puppy sat
  2. Loves walks – I think all dogs love walks
  3. Belly Girl – she loves to lay on her back with her belly to the sky
  4. Chewer – since January she has become a very effective chewer (note the chewed off end of the GoughNuts stick in the photo)
  5. Double toys – she loves to pick up two toys at once (see photo)
  6. Chunky – we have been cutting back her food for several months now and I think she is finally slimming up a bit
  7. Social – she is great at giving people just the right look to get them to interact with her
  8. Gentle – she is amazing with little kids even babys
  9. Tug – she plays tug in her own unique way – I call it virtual tug because we take turns letting each other win
  10. Crazy – she has this wild and crazy side that she likes to show sometimes by tearing around the house – she especially likes to do this with Bill when he makes a little play faint at her
  11. Caring – she is a natural at being a therapy dog and is sensitive to those who need some comfort

We are really enjoying raising Casey and look forward to see how she will mature in the next few months that we have her here. There is a puppy truck coming on May 13th and puppy #4 might be on that truck. We should find out in the next couple of weeks. I sure hope we can continue the trend and get a “D” puppy.

Phase 6

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Banta

This phase was an extra week in coming. I’ve wondered what she might be having trouble with. Maybe body handling or distraction issues. I’ve also heard about some dogs with kennel cough. That would slow down her training too if she were sick. But whatever the delay our Banta has finally made it to phase 6. Way to go girl!

Phase 6 – Urban Challenges

  • Obedience and Distraction Training
  • Advanced Guidework Training
  • NEW! Sidewalkless Technique Introduction
  • NEW! Platform Edge Intro and Exposure Work
  • NEW! Light Rail, Subway systems
  • Obstacle Course Progression
  • Pre-Matches for Select Clients
  • Socialization Programs
  • Leash relieving exposure on cement begins.

Clifford Sleepover

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Clifford and Casey

Clifford came to stay at our house for a few days while his new family went to St. George. He has been to our house for sleepovers before while he was a puppy in training. It has been fun to have Clifford part of my extended family since my sister adopted him. Clifford was career changed from Guide Dogs for the Blind for cataracts. They are still searching to find the right training so Clifford can help her boys as much as possible with their challenges.

Casey and Clifford has lots of fun together. They are rather kindred spirits in that they are both rather calm laid back dogs. They can even go for walks together without any trouble. We really enjoyed having Clifford stay with us and it is so great to have another dog in the family, especially one as special as Clifford

Phase 5

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Banta along the Jordan River Trail

The phase reports are put out on Thursdays and all week long I look forward to Thursdays. Then I anxiously check my email through the day to see if it has come in yet. Then I almost hold my breath to see if Banta has made it to the next level. This week she did it again. Another week another level.

PHASE 5 –Traffic Training & City Work

  • Advanced Obedience and Distraction Training
  • Advanced Guidework Training
  • City Routes (San Francisco/Portland)
  • Intensive Indoor Mall and Store Training
  • NEW! Escalator Introductions and Training – Boarding/Riding/Exiting
  • Notable Accomplishment – Formal Traffic Training
  • NEW! Total Barricade Training
  • Obstacle Course Progression
  • Body Handling Acceptance
  • Socialization Programs
  • Vet Meeting – Review of Health

Phase 4

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Banta

Our girl just keeps on moving through the phases. She is now half way thorough the phases!

Phase 4: Intelligent Disobedience

  • Formal Harness Training
  • NEW! After preliminary testing, more extensive work inside buildings begins.
  • Notable Accomplishment – Traffic Conditioning (Exposure)
  • Body Handling Acceptance
  • Physical Agility Programs
  • Obstacle Course Progression – Intelligent Disobedience Training Begins
  • NEW! Some clearances now require a stop.
  • NEW! Addressing errors is now introduced for basic clearance work.
  • NEW! An overhead clearance is any obstacle that is above the dog’s head.
  • Socialization

Phase 3

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Banta with nylabones and Goughnuts

 
Banta is moving right along to phase 3! Keep it up girl!

Phase 3: Preliminary Testing

  • Notable Accomplishment – Preliminary Obedience Testing
  • Obedience and Distraction Training
  • Notable Accomplishment – Preliminary Blindfold Testing
  • Difficult Distractions
  • Body Handling Acceptance
  • Guidework Training
  • Pattern Training
  • Up Curb Exercise # 3
  • Physical Agility Programs
  • Obstacle Course Progression

Phase 2

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Banta in our backyard

Banta has moved on to Phase 2! Bill is sure she is doing just fine in training but I worry more. I tend to focus on her challenges and not her strengths and that isn’t a good thing. The trainers know what they are doing and they will do everything they can to teach her to be a wonderful guide dog. Below is a list of what she is now working on and learning in phase 2.

Phase 2: In Town and Responsible Lead

  • Obedience and Distraction Training
  • Body Handling Acceptance
  • Kennel Adjustment and Routine
  • Wearing the Harness
  • Pattern Training Progression
  • Planned Distraction Route NEW!
  • Physical Agility
  • Responsible Lead Session NEW!
  • Obstacle Course Progression

Phase 1

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Banta

The phase report came out today and Banta is now is phase 1. I was afraid that she might be in phase 0 for a few weeks do to some glitch or that she would be transferred up to Oregon but she is staying in San Rafael. And she is actually starting to learn how to be a guide!
Here is a short summary of what she is learning in phase 1:

  • Food Reward and Clicker Techniques
  • Obedience Responses and Teaching Focus around Distractions
  • Formal Obedience (sit, down, heel, stay and come)
  • Food Refusal Protocol
  • Socialization (introduction to the training van)
  • Body Handling Acceptance
  • Introduction to the Harness
  • Treadmill Training
  • Pattern Training (a method of introducing guidework behavior in a positive manner.)
  • Up Curb Exercise #1
  • Dog Agility Walk
  • Back Up Chute
  • Obstacle Course

Change of Plans

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I got a call today from GDB breeding department with some unexpected news. The will not be using Banta as a breeder so she will be spayed and put into training to be a guide dog. Wow! I wasn’t expecting that. I had called earlier in the day to find out what was happening with her because we had expected to hear from them, after last weeks news that she was cleared to be a breeder, and left a message. It seems that this week she decided to react badly to having blood drawn and to wearing the sensitivity harness that they use on the harder to handle breeders. I can just imagine her deciding that she doesn’t like something and turning it into a battle. So I’ve come to the conclusion that Banta had everything they wanted for her be a good mother but she didn’t have what they need in a breeder in actually being happy in going through the whole process of being a breeder.

Banta

So what is next? She will be spayed in the near future and hopefully show up on the phase reports in the next couple of weeks. With her strong will we expect her to either fly through training and totally enjoy being a guide dog or Banta will be difficult to handle and hate training and be career changed before she gets to phase 8. So now we switch to watching for the phase reports each week. Go Banta!

Officially a Breeder

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When I got up this morning and check my computer the last email to come in said “Fw: 48W2 – Banta” in the subject line. I got so excited, finally some news on Banta! Here is what the email said:

DOG: 48W2 – Banta F\LAB\Yellow – BRD\BRD  DOB:7/26/2009
LOCATION:  SR
DISPOSITION: Breeder – No Keeper
NEW CURRENT STATUS: BRD
NOTES: Breeding clearances in – status change to BRD

For those not familiar with all the Guide Dogs for the Blind terminology I’ll translate it.
DOG: 48W2 – Banta F\LAB\Yellow – BRD\BRD  DOB:7/26/2009
48W2 is Banta’s tatoo # and/or unique identification #
F stands for female
LAB for Labrador Retriever
Yellow is her color
BRD/BRD is Breeder/Breeder (not sure what all that mean) my guess is that the second BRD would change to retired or something when she is no longer a breeder
DOB: is date of birth

LOCATION:  SR = San Rafael, California

DISPOSITION: Breeder – No Keeper
This means she is a breeder but does not yet have a home within 50 miles of San Rafael where she will live while she is a breeder other then when she comes back to campus for actual breeding and to have her puppies.
NEW CURRENT STATUS: BRD
This means she has just been changed to officially be a breeder.
NOTES: Breeding clearances in – status change to BRD
This means that whatever they were waiting for to confirm Banta as a breeder is all taken care of.
Banta

We should be hearing from the actual breeding department in the near future. Can’t wait to talk to someone who has actually been around Banta is the last 14 weeks since we put her on the truck. Also can’t wait to go to San Rafael for graduation and see Banta and meet her new family, whoever they will be.


Our Community Field Rep was in town tonight so we turned in our application for our “D” puppy. In a perfect world they will name Banta’s first litter with “D” names and we can raise a grandpuppy next.