Pupdate – Zodiac’s in home training

Posted on August 16, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Zodiac, David and Michelle on their first “walk” down the driveway

Zodiac’s been in Missouri all week training with his new partner David. I was so excited yesterday when we got the photo above. This is our first glimpse of Zodiac in harness. Doesn’t he look so good! I’ve chatted via email and Facebook with David’s other half Toni. It has been so much fun to get to know them and learn a little about Zodiac’s new life. I think that GDB has made another amazing match and that David and Zodiac will have many wonderful years together.

Zodiac on his new dog bed

Zodiac’s new brother Ringo Star

Zodiac Book – Zoic

Posted on August 16, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Well since Zodiac is actually an animal he certainly is zoic. He has just two siblings, Zenith (male black lab) and Zulu (female yellow lab). His brother Zenith has a white spot on his chest, while Zodiac has just a few white hairs between his toes called Bolo marks, named after an English dual Champion Banchory Bolo because he produced many of these marks in his offspring and future generations.

Zodiac Book – Zippy

Posted on August 15, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Zodiac has an odd quirk that he picked up after he was neutered. He loves to rub on people and couches much like a cat. Only problem is he is much more energetic and lively than a cat. So while a cat rubs gently against your leg, Zodiac tends to zip by with a not so gentle shove. I wonder if it is his way of scratching an itchy spot? It seems kind of fitting for his name since the U.S. Navy call their rubber rafts, zodiacs, I figure that Zodiac is our rubber boy.

Candy Window as a Story Project

Posted on August 14, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Things are finally starting to move on this years candy window. And I decided it would be a good test of my Doable Approach to a story project. I’ve not thought of my candy windows as story projects before but they really are. Good windows tell a story, even if it is a simple one. The telling of the story is what makes the window more interesting. Plus the reason I do the candy windows is because of the joy I felt when I went to see the ones ZCMI did years ago. It was a favorite Christmas tradition and story projects are about family traditions too. So I’ll start by outlining what I’ve done so far.

Step One: Decide

This step happen many months ago when I committed to do another window and the theme of “Christmas Movies” was picked. I did a bunch of research and decided to use “A Charlie Brown Christmas” as my inspiration. I checked it out from the library and watched it. Then I gathered some images from the internet of the parts of the movie that inspired me.

At this point everything go put on hold, because I didn’t know which store window I would be in. Today I was able to move forward again.

Step Two: Organize

With the window location picked, I could look at my options and see what I have to work with. My original layout was for a landscape shaped window but the one I have is vertical. So I adapted my design for the space. I’ve got my colors and a basic list of what I’ll need for the project. Now I need to look through my candy stash and see what I have that will work for this project. Then I’ll be ready to move on to Step Three: Analyze.

Recent Candy Windows:

Zodiac Book – Zion

Posted on August 14, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Even though Zodiac is far from perfect, you always know where you stand with him. He has a pure heart with no concept of deception. He loves with all his heart and is always happy to see an old friend or make a new friend. This trait will serve him well the rest of his life, no matter what the future brings.

Zodiac Book – Zingy

Posted on August 13, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Zodiac has had the best of relationships with two other puppies in training. First was Yakira (puppy #5). When Zodiac was young she was his guardian and mentor. As he grew older their relationship evolved into buddies. Through it all the two of them had many lively and exciting romps. When she returned to GDB for training he truly missed her.
A few months later Dune (puppy #7) came on the scene and Zodiac got to be the mentor. Yakira taught him well and he did many of the same things that Yakira had done for him. Though Dune’s personality is very different from Yakira’s, Zodiac and Dune have just as close a relationship. They can run full tilt around the house and a few minutes later be snuggled up together for a nap. Dune is going to miss Zodiac when it is his turn to return to GDB for training.

Zodiac Book – Zillion

Posted on August 12, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Since Zodiac is now officially “in class” it is time to step up the pace on posting the pages from his book. I’d like to get all the finished pages up by the time he graduates. So I’ll be posting a page everyday until I’m finished.

Zodiac is on in a zillion. Though he looks pretty much like many other black labs, he has a unique combination of personality traits that we have come to love and usually appreciate. He has this adorable way of looking up at you without really moving his head. This makes it so the whites of his eyes show. He has a slightly scruffy coat and really thick toenails. Zodiac is curious about everything and always wants to help when you are doing something usual. He loves to supervise me when I’m vacuuming. He is an excellent traveler and enjoys seeing and doing new things. Though he is the sixth puppy we have raised for GDB and he won’t be the last he is the one and only Zodiac.

Pupdate – Zodiac

Posted on August 9, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Zodiac in the kennel kitchen

We got to see Zodiac today! He has grown-up so much that he recognized us before we recognized him. He was very excited of course. The last three months of training have added lots of muscle to his chest and his back legs. Bill commented that he now moves like a panther. It is easy to imagine him pulling in harness with the way he moves. His body is starting to fill out to match his over-sized feet.

We had lots of fun walking around campus, taking photos and hanging out in the paddock where Zodiac and Dune got to play. That was my favorite part, just hanging out together on the grass enjoying being together for a little while. Too soon we had to make the move to return home, but we are secure in the fact that Zodiac is doing great. I can see improvement in his impulse control and paying attention to collar cues in just the little time that we spent together. I think he is going to make a great guide dog for his new partner.

We brought home a young retired guide named Santini to her puppy raiser in Utah. Dune enjoyed having another dog in the car for the long trip home.

Zodiac like most labs has his wild moments when he dashes around the house. Some times I’ve heard this called labby loops. With Zodiac it is more of a zigzag than loops. He runs full speed one direction then abruptly changes direction and then changes direction again. He does this for just a couple of minutes and then he is back to normal.

Another Zodiac Pupdate!

Posted on August 5, 2013 by tellingfamilytales

Zodiac

I got a call today that Zodiac has been chosen for in home training. This means that instead of the blind person coming to the campus in Oregon to train with Zodiac, Zodiac will be going to the blind person’s home in Missouri so they can training together. Zodiac will be flying to Missouri this weekend with a trainer. The trainer will work the Zodiac and his new partner until August 20th. We will be heading to Oregon later this week to say good-bye to Zodiac before he starts this new adventure. He won’t be present at a formal graduation though he and his partner will be mentioned and an upcoming graduation ceremony. We are excited and happy that Zodiac is going to be a guide dog.