Off to Grad School!

Today was a very sad day for my foster mommy. Trainer Heather told mommy that today was the day I had to start Grad School for my final training...and mommy had a very hard time taking me to the kennel. She cried a lot. Princess Linni (my foster sister) did not cry. I think she is very glad not to have to share any attention with me any more.

Ms. Tiffany was at the kennel when I arrived and told my mommy that the plan was for me to go to a "forever" family in St. Louis. They have a special little boy (around 10 or 11 I think) that needs me as his new pal. Wow! I've never been to St. Louis, so this is going to be a real adventure for me.

I have my own space at the kennel and a new bed that foster mommy bought for me. There are other pups here training, so I have a host of new friends to play with. There is a great big yard for me and my friends to play in...and it has MUD! This should be great fun!

I will be here for 30 days with Trainer Heather, then I will go spend some time with my next trainer, Sarah. After that, I should be ready to go! If I do really good, I will get to meet my forever family around late August. I can hardly wait!

I am posting my "big boy" portrait that foster mommy had made so that you can see how a real "official" service dog looks. Pretty impressive, huh!

Well, off to Grad School. I have a lot that I still need to learn before I go to work as a service dog. Wish me luck!

Me...the Wilderwood Representative!

This is me....hogging the air conditioner after a very exhausting walk! Foster Mommy and I represented Wilderwood Service Dogs at the annual "Walk for Arthritis" today. It was posted to be a 5K walk but when we finally got back to the starting point we found out that it was a 5 MILE (actually 5.4 miles!) walk and we were very, very tired and hot. They said there would be water along the way, so we started out without a water bottle for mommy and a water dish for me. At the first water stop we found out that the water was being served in dixie cups (very small dixie cups) and my big snout did not fit into that tiny little cup. Mommy tried pouring it into her hands, but that didn't give me much water! I am a pretty thirsty dog when I walk!

At the fork in the trail we had to choose between going on the "one mile walk" or the "three mile walk" and we decided that we could certainly handle three miles. We are used to walking together. We walked and walked thinking that the trail would lead us back to the starting point...but we finally reached the "half way/turn around point" point instead. Mommy was a little concerned about the length of this walk at that point because it seemed we had already walked a good distance...and we were obviously more than two miles away at this point.

With a big storm coming from the west, we decided we better get back to the church where the "walk" started. We came upon a very sweet lady named Annie who has arthritis. She was having a very hard time finishing the walk, so we walked with her until a nice policeman came along and gave her a ride back to the church in his "go-cart". There were several hills on this path, so I am glad that he was able to help her out. Another nice friend gave mommy a larger cup for me to drink from, so I was able to get a good bit of water down into my tummy to help me finish the walk.

We finally made it back to the church and everyone with pedometers said we had walked over 5 miles...not 5K's. That explained my very tired paws. I was glad to get back in the car for the ride home. I was really glad that mommy turned the air conditioner on "high" and pointed all the vents right at me! I kept my nose very close to them all the way home!

I'm A Big Boy Now!

Wow! A lot can happen in 5 months! Here is my before and after picture with Gavin...my very good buddy! I was such a wee little pup when I first came

to be a part of my foster family. Now I am such a big dog! I would also be a lot hairier, too, but foster mom keeps my hair about 1 1/2" long so that she can keep me groomed easier...and see my eyes so that she can tell when I am paying attention. It has been alot of fun growing with Gavin over the past few months and I am really going to miss him calling me the "crazy dog".