I'm baaaaaack!

Hello followers!

Yes, it has been almost a year since you have heard from me. My mom has been very busy raising another puppy for Guide Dogs of America. About a month after I was released from Guide Dogs of America, Mom brought home Baron, a male yellow lab to raise. Baron was raised in our house for one year. Well, Baron went in for Formal Training training yesterday to become a Guide. That means that Mom has double time for me now.

A little update on a couple of my litter mates: Westin and Wrangler became Guides! I am so proud of them. Westin graduated a few months ago, and Wrangler graduated last week. I get updates on Westin from time to time, and he's doing great. He even got to take a vacation and go visit his Puppy Raisers!

As for me, I have calmed down a bit in the last year. I still don't settle very well, but I'm much better. I had to learn really quick that I was not going to be wearing the yellow jacket anymore. In the beginning of my Career Change to lazy dog, I had to become backyard worthy or I was going to be spending a bunch of time in the kennel. I love my kennel, but not that much. I had to learn the words "no plant". I spend my days in the back yard, and have learned to enjoy them. Mom still says no to staying in the house while she's gone, unless I'm in my kennel.

You see, I swallowed more socks. I'm very sneaky, and when Mom was in the laundry room with her back turned to me, I would quietly slip my snout into the laundry bin and pull socks out. Well, I swallowed a couple and had to have surgery. It was a really hard surgery to recover from, and it cost my parents major bucks. I tested the waters one more time after that, and my loving Dad got so mad at me he scared me AND Mom, and I dropped the sock in fear for the first time. I have not touched socks since, and hope not to ever again.

I found out I love to swim. One time when I was in Arkansas, I slipped into the lake and just took off. I now swim in my friend's pool and I love to go to the beach. Mom's interested in taking me to a Splash Dog event to see if I'm interested.

I also love to travel. I have been traveling across America in an Airstream. Last year, I logged 15,000 miles. Baron and I had a nice setup in the back seats of the truck, a twin sized foam bed! We just snoozed the whole day away, and before you knew it, we were in another state. I'm getting ready to take another road trip This time I won't have my buddy Baron, but I'll have the whole back seat to myself.

In a nutshell, that is what I have been up to this last year. I'll be checking back in regularly now, so come back soon.

Winter

BIG UPDATE!

Wow! It has been way too long since I have updated my blog. Plenty has happened since my last post. Let's just get it out of the way. Ummmmmm, hmmmmmm, wellllllll, uhhhhhhhh, you seeeeeee, OKAY, I WAS CAREER CHANGED! Released, rejected, whatever you want to call it. Unfortunately, I am not the right dog to become a Guide Dog. Guide Dogs are exceptionally well behaved, and I just could not stay still or quiet. Which meant going to church was really hard, and so were the board meetings, oh yes, and class, and all of the elementary schools. I made many people uncomfortable, and I also made people laugh at my antics. When it comes right down to it, I got an "F" for Forever Dog. I am now the proud Owner of Tina and Brian. Yes I said that right. That's what I like to think anyway. My Raisers/Owners have been so patient with me. I'm still working on obedience, and learning to be still and quiet. I have a long way to go.

BUT!!! I have help now. Do you know what my Owner's did? They got another dog! YES! I have a playmate. His name is Baron, and he was born in April at Guide Dogs of America, and he is now 15 weeks old. He came to live with us when he was 7 weeks old. We play every day, and he has helped me to settle. Baron is the calmest dog I have ever met, and nothing bothers him, not even me :) He gets to wear the yellow jacket now, and be the Puppy in Training of the house. I really like having him around. At first, I thought, "When is he going home?" I thought he was just visiting, but now I know he's here to be my buddy for awhile, and I get to be his Big Brother.

There were many other siblings in my litter from Guide Dogs of America. If I were still a Puppy in Training, I would have to be turned in on Saturday back to Guide Dogs of America for Formal Training. Baron went to a Guide Dogs of America Graduation last Sunday and saw my litter mate Westin. I wish Westin and all of the "W's" the best in Formal Training, and congratulations on your next step to becoming a Guide.

As for me, I'll still continue my blog, and you can also follow raising Baron on Facebook. His page is Bringing Up Baron.

The Gondy Ride

Winter has met Winter at Mammoth Mountain, California. On Christmas Day, I turned 10 months old, and my puppy raisers decided to spend the Holiday in the snow.

I've never been in the snow before. There are so many different textures for my puppy paws to experience. There was soft snow, crunchy snow, ice, salt pebbles, asphalt crumbles, dirt,,,,,all of these textures are good for my paws, because it toughens the pads up. When I go "In For Training", I should have some awesome tough paws to train with.

After every walk, I would get a little mini spa for my paws. They would get washed and checked for any injury. With the ice, it's possible to cut a paw pad, and little pebble could get stuck in between my pads too. My little big paws got burrrrry chilly, but the nice warm water bath after my walks was super duper nice. I was in no hurry to get out!

Today I got to ride the "Gondy", aka Gondola! But first, to reach the Gondola I had to walk about a 1/4 of a mile very, very gingerly for my handler. The last thing I wanted to do was take her down. The snow and ice is very slippery for her, not so much for me. I have claws ;-)

We got up to the Gondy and it said NO DOGS. Hahahaha. Fortunately for me, I was dressed and ready to work. I sat and watched the Gondy cars go by for a few, before I decided to get on one. I was curious how this contraption worked. I've been on many car rides before, not one in the air!

I walked right up to the Gondy car and hurried on, with a little jump and I was in! Now what? Hmmmmmm. Not too sure about this. We are all sitting in a circle looking at each other, and uhoh, zoom,,,,,,there goes the gondola. We are in the air! Climbing, getting higher. The ground beneath me feels funny. My handler had me jump up on the seat so I could see out. Wow, what a view.

Now we are getting closer to the Lodge where we have to get off. A few bumps later and we are at load-out. The door opens and out I go. And the crowd goes wild. "AWE". "Mommy, look a puppy and he has clothes on." "What's his name?" ..."Winter" AWE!!

I had a really great time escorting my puppy raiser, Tina, to the hill and back home. I can't wait to do it again tomorrow. She said she would take me to the top of the mountain, over 11,000 feet on the Gondy if I get used to it. We'll see.

Are You Kidding Me?

Leave it.

(heart shaped peanut butter treats)

OK, fine, I'll just chew on my toy then. (Good Boy)

Winter and the Italian

When NASCAR was in town, my dad took my mom and I along with him on a very important dinner with our friend Richard and race car driver Max Papis. Max is Italian, so we went to an Italian Restaurant in Newport Beach on Lido Isle. I had to be on my best behavior, and table-up! I did, no problem, it was past my bedtime. Afterwards, my mom and Max talked about each other's charities. He was going to Children's Hospital in Long Beach the next day. I hope I get to meet Max again someday to tell him more about where I came from and what I was born to do, be a Guide Dog! He's a really nice man, and a great race car driver. GO MAX!

Winter and the Hollywood Bowl

MY FIRST CONCERT! It all started about a month ago, when mommy Tina joined the Jason Mraz fan club on Facebook. Jason's fan club had a pre-sale, and 10 minutes after they went on sale, all of the tickets were sold! Tina happened to get two tickets, but..........they were not together. How can I go to Jason Mraz, my first concert and not sit with both puppy raisers? One ticket was in Garden seating and the other ticket was in the Terrace. Dad was worried, mom was not. A dilemma indeed.

The day before the concert, Tina called the Hollywood Bowl and introduced me as "Winter" a Guide Dog Puppy In Training. She asked if there was an area that we could be moved to that would have a little bit more room for me to dance! They were tickled pink, and happy to accommodate......just look at the face I gave them! So, we traded in our tickets for two seats next to each other and away we went.

The gates were not open yet, so we decided to go to the Hollywood Bowl Museum, located on the grounds and free to the public. You can learn about the history of the Hollywood Bowl, and about the artists that have performed there. They also have larger than life musical instruments to experiment with. Here is a picture of me conducting with Esa Pekka Salonen=)

After the museum, my dad Brian took us around to the super secret back entrance that is open to the public, but the public doesn't know! Hence, we were the first in line to get in, and when the gates opened we immediately bee-lined it for the restaurant. (Speaking of bees,,,,I'm okay after my bee sting. Nothing that a weeks worth of Benedryl can't handle!) After enjoying a wonderful "table-up" with my puppy raisers, we headed for our seats. WHAT A SURPRISE! FRONT ROW RISER, STAGE RIGHT! It was not even traditional seating. It was more like, my own yard, but shared with six 12 year old girls, and it was their first concert too! Here is my view!

I had such a great time, and I can't wait for another concert! It was a long night, and I really tried to stay awake, but with two opening acts, Brett Dennen and G Love and Special Sauce,,,, and then when I had to "get busy", it was a really long walk out of the gate and then back in,,,,well I conked out.

Until next blog friends......I have a "table-up" date with a famous race car driver!

The Sawdust Festival

In the Summertime, I went on an excursion to the Sawdust Festival. Yes Sawdust!!! Sawdust here, there, everywhere! No sniff, no sniff, no sniff. I was just shy of 6 months old then (now I'm 8 months old). This place would make a great backyard. It was so full of fun, foliage, water, bridges....oh, I was happy here!

Here is our group picture.....well a series of pictures to get to the group picture. You see, it took us awhile to get just the right shot. The puppy raisers were laughing. They all thought it was funny, but somehow I felt if I stepped off of the bench without being released, it wouldn't be funny, so I just STAYED!

"Hey, where are you going?"

"Get back here!"

"There you are!"

"Now we are all here." And look I stayed the whole time! I'm so proud of myself.