Skateboards

OK, so I don't like skateboards.  It's hardly my fault, though.  Someone came flying up behind us several weeks ago - startling Mom and me.  Now every time I hear a skateboard I'm a wreck until I can see it leave.  So today Mom's coworker, Cherie, brought one of her son's skateboards to work.  Mom was playing with me and Cherie rolled it along and I got scared!  Mom went over to it and showed it to me and called me over.  I came but made sure Mom was between me and that sneaky beast!  Mom petted me lots and that helped.  Eventually I didn't go nuts as it rolled but I didn't want to go any where near it.  Mom put my favorite toy on the skateboard and just kept rolling it away from me so I could watch it and chase it.  I didn't chase it but followed from a distance.  Finally I was able to go up and sniff it and got LOTS of praise.  She gave me my toy and told me we would see this skateboard again sometime and put it away.  I'm glad we ended while I was still brave!

Merry Almost-Christmas!

Mom has kept us hopping!  This post will be tons of pictures and explanations of each to try to catch up.



At church being adored by everyone



I love this place!  This is at church.  When Mom agrees to a break all the kids come over and pet me.  Once in a while someone will pull on my paws to see if my toes are really webbed but it's OK, I don't mind.





Waiting for the tram.



We also went up the Palm Springs Tram for their annual Christmas tree lighting.  It was fun!  Something called snowballs flying around.  The tram was easy as long as you stayed away from where the tram was rotating to take in the views.  I pretty much slept through that.  There was a reallly big group of us up there.  The last count was 22 people, I think and 17 dogs.  Here's a group shot with a few of us in it.



Miss Gwen, me, Marilyn, and Dusty in
the front.  Cooper, Patrick and Dolce in the back.





After the tram we went to Billy Reed's restaurant.  All I really got to do was curl up on the floor but that was cool with me - at least we were in where it's warm!  I got to lay next to Cooper and we got along fine.



At Billy Reed's restaurant.







 
 
 
 
 


Just hanging out at the park with Mom.

Once in a while we go to the park to hang out with friends.  There wasn't a seat in the shade so we planted ourselves on the sidewalk.  I USED to fit in Mom's lap!  I don't when she got so small but I certainly don't fit any more...



The "We were there" shot.



Another place we've been to recently was the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA.  Every year they do a huge light show.  We weren't guests at the hotel so we couldn't go in to the coolest lights, but we got to walk around.  Very crowded!  And big white things called horses pulling carriages in the street.  I wanted to play with the but they ignored me.  Also something like a dog with horns that ignored me.  Mom called it a reindeer.



Every month Mom sends in a report to tell my sponsors how I'm doing.  It includes pictures so here are a couple that she's probably going to send in.  The blue thing on my collar holds my tags to keep them quiet.  Nice for sleeping but not real pretty in pictures.  She needs to take it off for pictures, don't you think?



With my buddy!



Christmas Toys

Mom got a box of stuff I can't look at but it sure smells good!  Maybe if I wait until she's not looking...

Poor Lowe!  Whatever will he do??  I got a bunch of dog toys but haven't yet decided which ones are for Lowe and which ones to save for doggy gifts.

Here's the list:

Skinneeez Squirrel

Nylabone Rhino

Nylabone Dura Chew Plus - Bacon

Nylabone Wishbone

Nylabone Dinosaur

Lowe already has a dinosaur and I have an extra Rhino ball so I'll probably save those along with the rest of the stash I've been collecting.  He's going to love Christmas!  My daughter (OK, me too) wants to give him a new one every day!

Yes, I Can!

Time for more picture taking!  We went to Lowe's where I demonstrated my sit-stay and down-stay - successfully!

We got to board my friend, Kiko, for a few days.  She's a working guide and it turns out that we are the same size!  Well, we were at the start of the week but I'm bigger than she is now.  I got to go to the hospital with her to visit her mom and I was very good.  Mom was worried about my having an accident while we were heading back and forth to the sixth floor but no problem.  It was more challenging to walk with both of us, I think.  Kiko on the right and me on the left.  I wanted to play so Mom was tripping.  After a couple of those it finally got through that we were both working.  After that it was no problem.  It's good I can figure these things out quickly, right?

We went to some friends house for Thanksgiving dinner.  There was no parking immediately available so we parked across the street.  Mom took a shortcut over the dry weeds to get to the sidewalk.  I tried to follow but OW, OW, OW!!!  Mom calls them 'goatheads' but I call them painful!  It was a whole sticker patch, not just dry weeds!  Mom felt awful!  I held very still while she pulled them out of all four paws.  Some of them had broken but Mom was very patient and made sure she got every single one before we went anywhere.  I admit it took a couple of days before I would willingly jump out of the car again.  Wow, that hurt!  The good news was that I was a good boy at dinner.  Even when I was in the kitchen and someone dropped a turkey bone on the floor!  Mom growled and I left it alone.

Mom is starting to let me have little bits of freedom here and there inside the house.  I'm good at tie down now but I prefer to be in my huge kennel because I can move more freely.  Tonight I played fetch up and down the hall.  That was fun!  Mom hasn't let me do that in a very long time (something about peeing in her kitchen) and I'd forgotten how much fun it can be.  Remy, the little poodle who lives here, is very bossy and doesn't always let me get the toy but I just wait for a minute and grab the toy when he walks away. 

Book Fair

Last night Mom took me to Barnes & Noble for a book fair.  It was SO crowded!!  At first I was constantly having to be reminded to 'leave it' but I caught on.  I accidently knocked over a little display with my tail wagging but it was quite exciting to see everybody.  The place was so crowded that Mom would try to put me between her and a bookshelf to avoid my getting stepped on.  All the kids wanted to say 'hi' but only one asked nicely so the rest of the time I did my best to keep my nose clean.  Ha!  One of the customer service people came and asked questions about what kind of dog I was and made sure to mention that training dogs and service dogs are Always welcome there.  That was nice of him!

Mom also took me to her daughter's parent/teacher conference.  That was tougher than the book store because there were food crumbs on the floor near enough to sniff and I couldn't touch them!  Argh!  Eventually you just have to give a big sigh and take a nap until time to go...

On Tuesday we went to the Olive Garden restaurant.  Oh boy do they have some yummy stuff on the floor!  Mom did her best and wound up having me lay down so she could put her foot on the leash to keep me from grazing.  I found out just how far my tongue can reach but had to finally give up.

Do we have pictures of any of this?  No!  Mom forgot!!

Time to Catch Up

Mom's going to post yet one more picture of me in my Halloween costume.  Please feel free to scroll on by!

Since it was the end of October Mom weighed me to see what to report on my monthly evaluation that she sends in to the school.  I weighed in at 48 lbs.!  Not bad for almost five months old!  Then she arranged for me to go stay with my friend, Cali, for a few days while she went on vacation.  Cali is a black lab who's a few months older than I.  When she would board with us Mom wouldn't let us play together because I was too small.  This time we got to play for an hour every day.  Cali plays rough but then she met me and rolled right over every time!  Play time was SO much fun!  I had to 'sit' and 'stay' at the door to go out but I was running in place on the hard floors trying to get out the door.  Of course all good things come to an end and Mom came to pick me up.  I was very glad to see her - and so was Cali! - but I miss playing with my friend.  I think Mom needs to arrange a play date!  Mom was happy to see that finally all my baby teeth have been replaced by my adult teeth.

Sunday was graduation at the guide dog school.  I got to go down and see my sister, Lexie, again.  I got to see Cali, too, but we were working so no playing this time.  It was my first time out with my big-boy working jacket but it looks good.  Mom also talked to the trainer about my tendency to try to pull her where I want to go so I got introduced to a training collar.  Wow, that'll get my attention!  Luckily it's only used when I'm working or being difficult.  I'm learning to be good, though.  Last night when we went for a walk I got lots of extra praise because I stopped at the curb without Mom having to show it to me.  I don't know what the big deal is but now I know what she's looking for.  Walking clear to the corner and pausing and then turning is now normal for me but I've noticed I'm the only one doing it.  I'm sure Mom has a good reason.

I found out one of my brothers was at graduation.  I didn't get to see him!  He's about the same size I am and is really bouncy.  The child in my family got to pet him with Dad there and she reported to Mom later.  Mom and I were both wishing we could have seen him too!  Maybe next time.  I'm told they live a couple of hours away so we may have to wait until next graduation.

OK, you're all caught up!  Now we need to get more pictures to post...

Not Forgotten!

Mom asked me to let you know that I can type more in the next day or so.  She's trying to get caught up after being on vacation.  And I got to go stay with a buddy!!