Waffle can be wary of new or unusual situations. We did a photo shoot at a studio and she wasn’t at all happy with the situation. She was good and patient about it but she didn’t like it.
The first time we went to puppy class she was not at all sure about going into a strange house. She soon learned about new houses and now has no trouble.
Waffle is never wary about people. She loves to met new people and she thinks that everyone she meets is just as happy to meet her.
Yakira at the top of our stairs with Zodiac in the background
We got word this week that Yakira is being spayed and will start training to be a guide dog when she has recovered. So, while I’m a little sad that she isn’t going to be a momma dog and we won’t be raising one of her puppies, I’m excited to have weekly update on the phase report. I know she could make a wonderful guide dog, as long as that is what she wants. Here is hoping that we have another graduation to go to in Oregon, probably around the first part of the year.
When Waffle is asleep it takes her a long time to wake up. She has gotten better as she as grow up but she is still slow. Part of her challenge with learning to relieve on command was just getting her awake enough to actually be aware of what was going on.
In the mornings after a full nights sleep and once Waffle is actually awake she is such a happy bouncy girl. She can’t seem to help herself from doing a bouncy kind of walk-run to the kitchen for breakfast. She is definitely a morning puppy. It is her highest energy time of day.
Waffle is very good at waiting until she is called. Most puppies once they realize you are going to call them to come down the stairs can’t help themselves and they come running before the words are out of your mouth. Not with Waffle. She just sits there. When it is time to go outside for a potty break she will just sit at the top of the stairs and wait until you come get her or open the door. She has great self-restraint in this area.
Waffle can be one wacky pooch. She enjoys life to the fullest in everything she does. When she is sleeping she sleeps with complete relaxation. When she is awake she give it all she’s got. Her under-bite gives her face a unique look. Usually it is a very cute face but sometimes when she is laying on her back it gives her a kind of crazy look.
She loves to run around doing labby loops and it sounds like thunder. She likes to leap down the last four or five stairs. Yet sometimes she doesn’t want to jump out of the car or step off the curb. We love our wacky Waffle.
Zodiac waiting to get out of the car
Today we took a walk along the Jordan River. This trail is one of my favorite places. I use to take our pet dog, Shadow there all the time. I even learned to roller blade on that trail a few years ago. I don’t get down there much lately. Since Apex, none of our puppies have had so much energy that a neighborhood walk can’t take care of it. The weather was beautiful this morning and there were lots of runners and bikers on the trail too. I prefer to go during the week when it isn’t so crowded. I’ve walked that trail in all kinds of weather from hot summer days to stormy ones with snow and cold wind. It is a little slice of nature running down the middle of the Salt Lake Valley.
Bill holding Zodiac and Yakira on the retractable leashes ready to hit the trail
When we lived in Provo, Shadow and I often frequented the Provo River trail. It is an awesome trail too. I think I should make more of an effort to get out into nature more. In the past it always helped me deal with the stresses of life. Even though I have a lot of things on my plate these days maybe taking time out to be in nature once a week or even every couple of weeks might rejuvenate me and help me to handle my to do list better. I’ll have to give this some thought. Do you have favorite places that you haven’t been to in a while?
Yakira enjoying the Jordan River Trail
Shadow
About 16 years ago we adopted a lab mix from the Humane Society of Utah. They said his name was Kiwi but he didn’t seem to know that name so we picked a new one, Shadow. He took to that name right away. Shadow was a part of our family until 2007 when he got cancer.
So this week, to celebrate my 50th year, I drove back to the Humane Society in honor of Shadow and the start to our involvement with dogs. The place has changed in some ways and is the same in others. They’ve added on to the building with a vet clinic and a really nice place for the cats waiting for adoption called Kitty City. It is such a contrast to the space they have for dogs. The dog area hasn’t changed other than they have put some elevated dog beds in each the kennels. It was a very sad place to visit. The poor dogs with no family to love them. I’m sure that most of them would make wonderful pets with the right love and training. But there they are abandoned to their fates.
Humane Society of Utah
When I drove up I saw a man taking a large white and black dog in. The poor pup had no leash and the man was tall enough that the dogs front legs where off the ground. It was such a sad sight. If that is the way he treats dogs, than that dog is probably better off at the Humane Society. Such a contrast to the loving treatment that all the puppies that are part of the Guide Dogs for the Blind family. They come to us with no baggage. They really think the whole world loves them because they have such a sheltered life. No mater what their future brings there will be someone there to make sure they have a safe and loving home. This is one of the things that I love about Guide Dogs for the Blind, they truly love each one of these puppies.
Yakira in the birthday bandana
This week marked Yakira’s first birthday. This is a big milestone in a puppies life. Now we switch her over to adult food. So I got out a bunch of small storage containers and measured out all the food for the next week so that she can make a smooth transition without any digestive upset. I like to do it this way instead of trying to keep track of how much of each food she is supposed to eat each day. Plus it makes it easier for Bill, who usually feeds the pups their breakfast. Usually we are also finishing off the last of the puppy food so then once it is all measured out I can tell when to actually start the transition and not end up with a bunch of puppy food to store until we get the next puppy. With Zodiac here I didn’t have to worry about that.
The other side of Yakira’s birthday is that her time with us is coming to a close. She will probably head back to guide dogs in two months. It could be longer depending on the timing of puppy trucks and what the needs of the breeding department is. Last year Casey’s return was delayed a couple of months because the breeding department had too many dogs to evaluate already that they didn’t want her yet. Yakira is a sweet and wonderful dog and she is “very well put together” as the CFR (Community Field Representative) put it when she evaluated her in July. Because of this she sent a note to breeding to keep an eye out for Yakira. That put together with her diverse lineage from outside of GDB, I’m guessing they would really like for her to be a breeder if she passes all the other tests.
So we have entered the final leg of raising Yakira. I’m sure the time for her to get on the truck will be here too soon. At the same time I always look forward to finding out what the future brings for our dear sweet Yakira. Plus in many ways I am looking forward to being a one dog household again.
Waffle as a young pup in a basket (from Lisa Thompson’s photoshoot)
Yesterday we got a bit of news on Waffle. Her official “Dog Drop Notice” came. Here is what it said:
DOG: 50B7 – Waffle F\LAB\Yellow – PRP\REL DOB:2/27/2011
RELEASED DATE: 7/24/2012
PLACEMENT: Pull for K9 Buddy evaluation.
SUMMARY: Waffle is a sensitive dog with a history of confidence issues. She has shown sensitivity to heights with some improvement seen with use of the food protocol. Her general demeanor on outings is subdued and although she has made progress in some areas, she continues to lack the confidence needed to enter formal guide training.
Waffle displays very good house manners and is a wonderful pet. She is snuggly and enjoys people of all ages. She may have potential as a K9 Buddy or other Community Placement.
RELEASE REASON(S): 21301 – BEH: Fearful Behavior Environment Generalized
LOCATION (if applicable):
IMPORTANCE: Primary
I had no idea they were considering her for the K9 Buddy program. I’m so excited. This program places dogs with blind kids who are too young to have a guide dog. The kids get a chance to learn about taking care of and handling a dog so they are better prepared when it comes time to get a guide dog. Here are a couple of videos on K9 Buddies.
Nearly Blind Boy Gets Furry Friend
A few months ago there was a really fun blog post about the jargon that goes along with puppy raising and training guide dogs. It was originally posted here on No Bones About It: The only official blog of Guide Dogs for the Blind but I thought it might be helpful for those who are following the progress of my puppies but are not directly involved with GDB. I hope you enjoy this.
Jargon, Jargon!
By Steve Grunow
Dog Placement CoordinatorLike many organizations, Guide Dogs for the Blind has a culture and jargon of its own, especially when talking about the dogs. Out in the kennel complex the eyebrows of the uninitiated might be raised when overhearing bits of conversations like the ones that follow. The “Guide Dog Speak” words and phrases (in bold font) are defined at the end of the sample conversations.
Veterinarian: “This Lab, Buddy, has (1) hips to die for, but his (2) ears are really ugly. I’m hoping for a (3) good bite when I open his mouth. Today is his birthday; hopefully we’ll have time to (4) shoot him later.”
Instructor: “Gee, I don’t know about that new dog. When he gets (5) jacked up he can be pretty (6) rampy. He acts like he thinks he’s here (7) on a date. On top of that he is a (8) CF5, and he can be kind of (9) sharky in (10) CR.
Kennel Staff person: “I can’t come to that meeting right now. I’m right in the middle of a (11) whelp”.
Instructor: “Watson had an (12) experienced raiser who should have known how to feed him right, but Watson had to be kept on on (13) sawdust and peanut shells for a while after he was (14) recalled.”
Instructor: “Zeus is (15) a lotta dog. He’s (16) loaded on the clicker but he still (17) plays keepaway. He’s (18) high end and a little (19) mouthy. He has a problem with the (20) layover. He seems (21) to have his own agenda. And he isn’t very (22) responsible. He’s (23) from the outside. Those other (24) N dogs on his (25) string are like that, too. Some independence seems to be (26) in that pedigree. He does some (27) keying on (28) workouts. Maybe we’ll put him on the (29) food protocol for attentiveness. “
Instructor, in response: “That’s too bad; I (30) dropped him this morning before eye exams and he was an angel about it. I think that he’s scheduled to be (31) cut next week and maybe he’ll have a better (32) work ethic a while after that. “
Instructor: “Flora is a pretty (33) honest but I don’t know how (34) sound she is.”
Kennel Staff person: “Trapper is (35) in the dryer on low. He’ll be done in about half an hour.”
Instructor: “Daisy’s stools today were just (36) beautiful today! We still have to get rid of her (37) happy tail before we can do much with her, though. And Daisy is still a (38) garbage mouth – and her (39) roommate drives me crazy when he keeps (40) finger painting in their run.
Instructor, in response: “I know what you mean. And Daisy has also been (41) tanking a lot lately, too.”
Breeding tech: “Harvey is still (42) intact. We’ll need a couple of (43) straws because we’re going to (44) collect him a couple of times this week if we can. Harvey (45) loves his job but he doesn’t seem to do well when he’s been (46) frozen.”
Instructor: “Mikey is such a (47) smooshy marshmallow! Any unusual thing happens and he immediately becomes (48) wet mouth.”
Instructor: “Darn! Spike is finally (49) bombproof and now we have (50) to pass him back!”
Instructor: “Tulip keeps going to (51) hot spots and she’s so active that last week we had to (52) musher’s wax her.”
One puppy raiser to another: “I (53) started that puppy. But somebody else will have to (54) finish him off. He still does lot of (55) counter surfing. He can also be a little (56) doggy. He’ll be my first (57) transfer puppy.
Instructor: “When Fred first began training, he had a really bad (58) recall. So we did a lot of (59) FIR’s with him and now he’s almost a (60) Velcro dog.
Instructor to apprentice: “Some challenging dogs do a lot better in a (61) GL.”
DEFINITIONS
1. Has hip X rays showing that the head of the femur fits firmly into the socket in the pelvis, indicating that there is almost no chance that the dog would have hip dysplasia2. Dirty, infected, needing treatment (common in many floppy-eared dogs)
3. Teeth straight and regular with the top incisors just overlapping the bottom incisors (as opposed to an overbite, an underbite, or a wry – crooked – bite in which the teeth are not positioned properly)
4. Give the dog injections/ vaccinations
5. Excited/ aroused
6. Rowdy/ impulsive
7. To be bred
8. The most challenging “type” of dog to handle and control on a “control factor” scale (of 1 to 5) which assesses a dog’s activity level, physical toughness, distractibility level, and assertiveness, in order to later help select an appropriate handler to match with that dog
9. Plays roughly, “dominantly,” often nipping at the neck area of other dogs
10. Community run (periods of time when groups of dogs run together for exercise and for their interactions with other dogs to be evaluated)
11. A mother dog’s act of giving birth (“whelp” can also refer to a puppy, or “to whelp” means for a dog to give birth)
12. A puppy raising volunteer who has raised at least one previous puppy for Guide Dogs
13. Diet/weight loss dog food
14. In this context, returned from its puppy raiser home to one of the Guide Dogs campuses to begin formal guide training, usually after having spent about a year in the puppy raising home
15. Big, strong, active, assertive
16. Has received treats paired with hearing clicks from a hand-held training clicker enough times that the dog has learned that the click indicates that a treat is forthcoming/ the dog has learned that a click from the instructor indicates that the dog is performing the appropriate behavior
17. In the context here meaning that the dog doesn’t come when he’s called; instead, runs and tries to get people to chase (undesirable behavior in a working Guide Dog)
18. Very active, assertive, often inattentive, challenging to restrain or control
19. Puts mouth (not biting down) on people or on other dogs, sometimes in play, sometimes in excitement or greeting, sometimes in protest of what that the person is doing or directing the dog to do (not desirable in a Guide Dog)
20. Having the dog lie down and gently rolling the dog over onto its side, for example to check the dog’s abdomen
21. To be independent, inattentive, friendly but not very eager to please
22. Capable of continuing to following commands/working without needing moment-to-moment observation/supervision by its handler; seeming to enjoy doing its job
23. Purchased or donated – not from Guide Dogs’ own breeding stock dogs
24. Each litter of puppies is assigned a letter of the alphabet and all the pups in that litter are given names that start with that letter (so dogs which have names starting with the same letter and which are at Guide Dogs at the same time, are often litter siblings)
25. Group of dogs assigned to an instructor/team
26. Pedigree = family tree; so meaning a trait(s) that are evident in other dogs of the same lineage, so those characteristics are often assumed to be highly influenced by the dog’s genetics
27. Staring tensely at something or someone in the environment with which the dog is apparently uncomfortable (undesirable in a Guide Dog)
28. Training sessions
29. A structured plan for rewarding a dog with food treats when the dog is paying attention to the handler
30. Put eye drops into the dog’s eyes
31. Spayed or neutered
32. Be more attentive, less distractible, more focused on work
33. An eager-to-please dog that tries hard to do as directed (if the dog makes mistakes it is usually due to the dog’s not understanding what is expected, or being afraid or unable to follow directions – as opposed to being overtly ”disobedient”)
34. Confident, outgoing, unlikely to panic in new situations
35. In a crate in the bathing room with a blow dryer aimed at the dog in the crate to dry the dog after a bath
36. Normal, solid, well formed, usually said of a dog which had previously been having diarrhea
37. When a dog’s tail gets sore from the dog wagging its hard against the bars or the walls of a kennel run
38. Serious scavenger, loves to “vacuum” the floor or the ground for food or other items which are interesting to chew (not desirable in a working Guide Dog)
39. When two dogs are paired in a kennel together
40. Stepping in feces then tracking it around the dog’s kennel run
41. Drinking a lot of water (can be related to boredom, stress, or a potential medical problem)
42. Unspayed or unneutered, an animal capable of breeding
43. Containers in which semen can be stored to do artificial inseminations
44. To get semen from a male dog, often to be frozen to be used for later artificial inseminations
45. Breeds easily and readily and without much human assistance (surprisingly to some people, some dogs do not seem much interested in breeding)
46. When previously frozen sperm from this dog is thawed and used for artificial insemination, the conception rate is often low
47. A temperamentally “soft” dog, sweet, easy to handle, affectionate, loves being touched
48. Drools, often as a result of stress (not desirable in a working Guide Dog)
49. Outgoing, confident, able to handle any situation that might come up (very desirable in a Guide Dog)
50. A new Guide Dog is fully trained, but there currently isn’t a suitable student in class that seems like a good match for that dog, so the dog needs to remain in the kennel until the next class begins
51. Skin sores that can begin with a small irritation and then get steadily worse if the dog chews or scratched at the sites
52. Put a product designed for sled dogs on the bottoms of the dog’s feet to keep the feet from being irritated by running on concrete
53. The raiser who began to raise that puppy immediately after it came from Guide Dogs, usually at about 8 weeks old
54. To keep, train, and socialize a puppy until it is old enough to be returned to Guide Dogs to begin formal guidework training (usually at about 15 months of age)
55. Putting front feet on counters to see what is available, and maybe to steal off the counter if the opportunity presents itself – common in dogs (not desirable in a Guide Dog)
56. Extremely interested in other dogs, sometimes in a way that involves attempts to bully, dominate or threaten the other dogs
57. A puppy which goes from one volunteer puppy raiser’s home to another raiser’s home until it is old enough to begin its formal training at Guide Dogs; sometimes transfers are pre-planned; sometimes dependent on circumstances
58. In this context, the act of a dog coming to its handler when the dog is called
59. Food induced recalls (rewarding the dog with a bit of food when the dog comes when called)
60. A dog that voluntarily often sticks close to its handler – often a needy, less secure, more demanding type of dog
61. A Gentle Leader (like a halter on a horse, used often to make dogs easier to manage and walk)
telling family tales 