Puppy Sitting Birdie

Future Leader Dog Birdie spent the weekend with us. She's about 4 1/2 months old.

Charlie thought it was great to have a friend his size to play with.

Three goldens

Everyone got along great!

Snow Day!

We had a blizzard last night that dumped a foot of snow in the area. Here's my kitchen door when I opened it at 6AM...... and again 3 minutes later after the dogs went out.

Later, after the snow was swept up, we went out to play.

Charlie made snow angels.

Wilma likes to lay in the snow.

Something caught Wilma's attention over by the fence and she leaped over there like a deer. She buried her head in the snow and then looked up at me with a snow face.

Shopping

One thing my foster puppies have all had a lot of experience at is shopping. In the 3 weeks I've had Charlie, he's already been to Jackson Crossing Mall, Walgreens, Pet Supplies Plus, Menards, and Meijer. Here he is today at Meijer. He took in all the sites, sounds and smells and he got lots of attention from shoppers.

Our cashier loved seeing Charlie come through her line. She told us about assistance dog Fugi that regularly shops there. She loves the working dogs!

Bath Time

Charlie got a bath this week. First he tested the water.
Next he got all soaped up.
Are we done yet?

Time to dry off.

Look at those clean fuzzy ears!

Leader Dog Gentry!

Gentry started life as the smallest of Wilma's 11 "G" pups. But she played, ate and fought for her spot among her almost twice as big siblings. She didn't know she was so small.
Gentry grew up in Indiana where she kept puppy raiser Deb and her family entertained. Deb says the Gentry was a smart, funny girl.

Gentry's original career plan didn't work out and she was career changed to Leader Dogs for the Blind. She recently graduated and is now working in Minnesota for a blind woman named Kathleen. Congratulations to Deb for doing a great job with Gentry! She was born to be a working dog and with Deb's help, she is making life easier for someone who needs her. Wilma and I are so proud!

Charlie and the Basement Stairs

Charlie is still a little guy weighing just over 9 lbs at 9 weeks old. So a 15 step stairway must seem huge to him. Wilma, Kramer and I went into the basement and I left Charlie standing at the top hoping he would follow.

Although he wanted to, the long stairway seemed to be too much for him.

After some coaxing, he did make it down a few steps, but then he turned and ran back up (must be easier to go up!)

So I carried him down towards the bottom, where the end wasn't so far away. After some hesitation, he made it to the bottom!

After sniffing all around the basement, he decided he likes it better upstairs and climbing all the way up and snuggled against the door.

The Next Trainee....

Macy has graduated rom Leader Dogs and is a career girl now! She is working for a woman in Lansing MI. The woman contacted me and Jennifer right away to say how much she already loves Macy and how much she appreciates what we as puppy raisers do.

So onto the next trainee.....

This is Future Leader Dog Charlie. He's an 8 weeks old little golden fluff ball! I picked him up last Friday from the Leader dog school in Rochester Hills, MI. He weighed 7.1 lbs....so tiny! Wilma's little pudges were almost twice that size at the same age!

Charlie's parents are Abby and Buddy, both from the Leader Dog breeding stock. (Wilma's mom is named Abby too!)

Charlie plays hard and then sleeps soundly.

He wasn't too interested in eating the first few days, but suddenly Sunday afternoon he decided his food wasn't so bad after all and has beem a little chow hound ever since. He loves to carry his food bowl around. I've never had a puppy do that before!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone!

America's Next Top DOG Model

Today Kramer and Wilma participated in a photo shoot to model a dog fitness vest. The photos will be used for marketing and advertising Laguard Dog vests.

These vests are used to add weight to your dog, so a 20 minutes walk with the vest gives the dog the same amount of exercise as a 60 minute walk without the vest.

These vests are also used in physical therapy and conditioning for dogs. Wilma is demonstrating how to stretch in the vest on an inflatable egg physical fitness ball.

Madison and Kramer worked together to show that all breeds of dogs, even poodles, need to exercise.

Macy is a Leader Dog

Macy is a working girl now! She was delivered to her new handler on Wednesday!
Jennifer and I drove to Rochester on Tuesday to see her and wish her luck in her new career. At first, she didn't seem to even notice us, but then after a few sniffs she seemed to all of a sudden remember us and started wiggling all over.



Macy is working somewhere in Michigan! So we'll be watching for her everywhere we go!
Good Luck Macy!!

Happy Halloween!

Here are the kids dressed up for their Dock Club Halloween Party. This year, the Cat in the Hat had his sidekicks Thing 1 and Thing 2 with him.

The party was complete with a costume parade, dog games (Wilma won the Peanut Butter Lick!) , a scanvger hunt in the woods (where we found a pumpkin with dog bones tied to it!), and lots of good food and dog treats!