Tag Archives: Guide dog

Banta and the Furry Scurry

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Mark and Banta

Banta and Mark participated in the Furry Scurry Fund Raising walk recently. His retired guide Prestwick was also there. They had lots of fun and as usual Banta was a little superstar. She didn’t do much guide work on the walk because there were over 7000 dogs there. She was really good and got a lot of attention. A local news crew interview them at the end of the walk but their interview didn’t make it on the news. They news crew said they hadn’t seen any other guide dogs at the Furry Scurry but they did see a companion dog. Banta had struggled with a sore shoulder but it is doing just fine now. I love it when we get photos from our graduated pups. Banta looks so happy and healthy.

Walking at the Furry Scurry

International Guide Dog Day

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Banta on her graduation day - May 2011

Today is International Guide Dog Day and I would like to pay tribute to all the wonderful canines in the world who make life better for their handlers and enjoy the work they do. I am so blessed by my association with a great organization like Guide Dogs for the Blind as a puppy raiser. Being a puppy raiser is truly a win-win situation. Today I am especially proud of Apex and Banta the two puppies we raised who are now working dogs. They love their jobs and both are happy, loved and rather spoiled pooches. Give your dog and extra bit of attention today in honor of all the guide dogs in the world, past, present and future.

Apex - January 2011

I recently read “Thunder Dog” by Michael Hingson and then recommended it to my local book club. Many of the book club members enjoyed it so much that they shared it with others. Roselle is a great example of how amazing guide dogs are. Have you read any books about guide dogs that you enjoyed?

50 for 50 #7 – Walking Dogs for “Ski for Light”

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One of the working dogs I walked for Ski for Light

I forgot that I had walking dogs for Ski for Light on my list of 50 for 50, so I actually got two things done this week. I’m sure being ahead will come in handy in the next few weeks. When ever Ski for Light comes to Utah I jump at the chance to walk the guide dogs while their handlers go cross country skiing at Soldier Hollow. When I’m there I can’t help but remember the first time I helped. It opened my mind so much to what working guide dogs were really like. We were raising our first puppy, Apex, at the time and I had it in my head that Apex need perfect behavior in every to make it as a guide dog. Then I saw that these dogs weren’t perfect in every way. Many of them went after stuff on the ground just like Apex did when we were on walks. It was one of those Ah ha moments.

We were short-handed two of the three days that I walked dogs. The last day we were really short and my friend Tricia got to walk a Golden Retriever to help get the dogs done. That day Jeanne gave me several dogs that needed long walks so I really got my exercise in.

On Friday Karen, another puppy raiser, and I took our puppies in training (Osaka and Yakira) down to Provo to meet two of the women we know from GDB Lounge (a yahoo group). They really enjoyed meeting the puppies but their guide dogs weren’t so sure about two energetic and forward little puppies. It was a very fun but tiring week.