Books about the puppies we have raised for Guide Dogs for the Blind
Waffle has a fun way of interacting with the world. When we first got her she was such a busy-body getting into everything. She is curious and loves games and finds ways to play them anytime she can. She tries to start games with our cat and he usually plays along. She is very smart and perceptive.
When Waffle is tired she is tired and her favorite way to sleep is on her back. I’ve learned that dogs only sleep this way when they feel safe and secure in their environment. It sure makes her look like she is dead to the world. Sometimes I wonder what she has done to make herself so wiped-out by the day. Probably it is just growing up.
Waffle’s pronounced under-bite got her pulled from breeding watch but it is hard to imagine her without it. The first time we took her to the vet for shots he pointed it out to us thinking that we already knew about it. Now that we are aware of it, it is there it is obvious and adds to her charm.
Waffle has a very well-developed willful side. When she doesn’t want to go somewhere she will dig in her heals and do everything in her power not to move forward.
When she wants to go somewhere that you don’t want her to go she puts all her weight into it so that she actually is leaning way out from her legs. When she was little it was a standard part of her relieving. Now it only happens some of the time. She often does this on slick tile floors with her toe nails out. Then when she gets a correction for pulling Waffle slips and falls on the floor. Silly girl!
Like most labs, Waffle has moments of wildly racing through the house. She has one funny habit. She is a toy collector. There is a spot in the living room that she likes to collect most of the dog toys. And her favorite thing is to have two toys at once. One to chew on and another toy underneath to hold the toy up to make it easier to reach.
Waffle has a unique way of sitting. It is almost like doing the doggy splits. It happens most often when she sits on slippery surfaces but she even does it sometimes on carpet. I don’t know how she gets her legs spread so far apart.
Her lean and lanky frame makes Waffle the picture of power and health. She is very athletic and we have yet to see how tall she is going to be. She passed up Casey in the height department before her 7 month birthday. Though Waffle was still a few pounds lighter but I’m sure she will pass her up on that too before much more time passes.
Waffle was on the reserved side with how much she wagged her tail when she was little. She always had a happy little tail wag for any stranger but she didn’t seem to have one for me. Maybe it was just that I was always around. She is much more liberal with her tail wagging now and when she gets excited her tail actually goes in a circle.
I had a really hard time trying to get a picture or her tail wagging. As you can see I didn’t succeed very well. Every time I pulled out the camera to get her tail she would spin around so her head was facing me or she would sit down.
Waffle loves to play and she will find ways to push another dogs buttons in an effort to engage them in play. Her favorite tactic is to steal whatever toy Casey is chewing on. She also likes to chew on the Casey’s legs or other body parts to get her attention.
Waffle had wet ears many of the days she was in our home. Casey has a weakness for puppy ears. She loves to suck on them. She just can’t seem to help herself. The only thing that helps is bitter apple. But that only lasts a day or two and then she is back at sucking on Waffle’s ears.
Waffle is very patient about it and in some ways actually seems to enjoy it when Casey sucks on her ears. Sometimes even the top of her head gets all slobbered on. So Waffle with wet ears is a common sight.
telling family tales 