Monday, August 17, 2015

4 Years Later!

Hello everyone!

I can't believe it's been four years since I have blogged.  Life got very busy for my family, and I have so much to update you on.

I am 6 years old now! I guess I will start filling you in where we left off in July, 2011.

                                                                        WINTER

At that time, I had to say goodbye to my buddy, Guide Dog Puppy in Training, Baron.  Baron entered formal training and after a few months, graduated as a full fledged Guide Dog in April, 2012.  He was paired up with a wonderful young man named Chris, and they live in Kentucky.  Chris is married and is attending his third year of law school! Baron is 5 years old now.

                                                                       BARON

Momma decided she wanted to keep puppy raising for Guide Dogs of America, so she was handed 7 week old Stryker in September 2011, a black lab.  Stryker trained as a Puppy in Training until 14 months old, afterwhich he was deemed a breeder!.  Stryker has sired three litters up til now, and has had a handful of his offspring graduate as Guide Dogs!  Stryker is a gentle giant, very easy going, and tolerates anything! Momma is what's called a Breeder Keeper, which means that she takes care of Stryker at our house and is on call with him. Stryker is 4 years old now.


      STRYKER

After Stryker was deemed a breeder, Momma still had the puppy raising itch, so she signed up again to raise another puppy for Guide Dogs of America.  This time she was handed the ever-loving beautiful labrador-golden retriever cross named OTTO!  OTTO became our family's 4th dog to raise for Guide Dogs of America.  OTTO was named after a retired Marine.  OTTO had a sponsor, and wouldn't you know it, she is from Kentucky!  Well, that was all Momma needed to hear, and she put all of us furkids in the Airstream trailer and took off to Kentucky!.  She picked up Baron the Guide and off we all went on vacation.  Baron's Dad and Mom went on a cruise out of the country, so Baron got to hang around with us! OTTO made it though all of his puppy training and formal training, and is a Guide Dog in Colorado now for a very nice lady who likes sci-fi conventions!



OTTO's Sponsor


OTTO


Momma still had the bug to puppy raise after OTTO.  Now at this point, I'm thinking that I'm getting too old for this puppy raising, big brother stuff, but you know what, Stryker has become the active canine in the house to foster GDA brothers, so it's not all that bad.  I just hang out and do my own thing while those guys ruff it up!

After OTTO, Momma did sign up again!  She decided to raise Nav, but things didn't go as well for Nav, and just two days before he was to come home with us, he broke his wrist!  This disqualified him from the Guide Dog program (Career Change). We decided to make him a member of the family and adopted him.  We saw him through his broken wrist for a few months, and then, yes, there is an "and then"!  Then, a friend of ours, who had just lost his dog, fell in love with Nav.  Momma made the heartfelt decision to let David adopt Nav.  David decided Nav should be named Scully, after Vin Scully! Momma was sort of sad to see Nav leave, but at the same time, she was happy to see David have a buddy again!  Besides, while this whole broken wrist thing happened, Momma took in his sibling, Georgie, who was also Career Changed due to medical.  There were 5 dogs in the house for a bit!  Can you say controlled chaos!

                                                                            NAV

So, now we have Georgie at the house.  Georgie is 1.5 years old now.  He and Stryker play all day long, while I just hang out!  With all that said, there are three canines in the house.  Me, Styrker, and Georgie.  It's a happy medium!

                                                                         GEORGE

Momma isn't going to puppy raise anymore for Guide Dogs of America.  My parentals have made the decision to move to the countryside out of state, where we can run and run and run!  We are really looking forward to moving to the country house!  I LOVE THE COUNTRY HOUSE!  I can get in trouble for sneaking out to the lake for a swim.

Until next time, tail wags and doggie licks!  Winter.


No comments:

Post a Comment