Happy Holidays!

Thinking of Dutch this holiday season. Wasn't he a cutie-pie?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

ONE AND ALL!

FLD Dutch, December 2012.

Hugs

Before we left our Christmas celebration, my niece Natalie wanted a picture holding FLD Dutch.

Dutch reaches back to give Natalie a smooch.

He was more of a fuzzy handful than my previous Future Leader Dog puppies at that age. (See my post October 11, 2010 when Nat held a growing Gus.)

The next day when we packed up the van to head home to northeastern Michigan, Dutch wanted to make sure that we didn't forget him...

Dutch plants himself in the pile of dog beds that are going home with us.

Happy New Year!

At 14 weeks, everyday brings something new into the life of Future Leader Dog Dutch.

FLD Gus on Christmas Eve at our family gathering.

If he could make a New Year's resolution, I think it would be something like, "Try something new everyday!"

He might add, "If it's not fun, try something else!"

After his encounter with Peanut-the-cat, Dutch was intrigued by Jen's treadmill. We turned it on to the slowest speed.* Lured by bits of kibble, Dutch took a few steps. And a few more.

He paused. We gasped. Just before his back paws went off the end of the tread, he stepped forward. Good boy, Dutch! He got another treat.

He seemed eager to experiment. What happens if I jump off the side? He jumped back on. What if I stop? He plopped off the end, then stepped back on and kept walking.

Less than two minutes later, he hopped off in search of another adventure.

Dutch on the treadmill at Cori's.

At my family's Christmas gathering the next day, I found out that my niece Cori had a treadmill in her basement. You guys, come see what Dutch can do! I said. We turned it on; Dutch jumped on and took a few steps to get a treat. He jumped off. Been there, done that.

Dutch headed for the stairs. Never mind that the staircase was partly open and that the shiny tile surface on the steps was a new texture for the pup. He was on a mission. The spread (chicken, lasagna, spinach pie, cheese and crackers, cookies, and rum cake) was UPstairs.

Dutch! I called when he reached the landing. Time to practice name recognition as a pre-cursor to the "come" command.

FLD Dutch looks back at me from the top of the stairs.

He raced down. Good boy Dutch! I handed him a piece of kibble. 

Dutch, heading down the stairs.

He gulped the treat, turned and bounced back up the stairs.

Dutch, heading back up the stairs.

Dutch! Down he came. Good boy!

Back up he went. Down. Up. Down. Up. Down.

Dutch heads back up the stairs as someone else comes down.

Who knew stairs could be so much fun?

May your New Year be filled with fun new experiences!

*Disclaimer: Dutch was not forced to work out on the treadmill. He was exploring the surface when we turned it on to the slowest speed. He readily walked on his own and quit after a minute or two when he became distracted. Leader Dogs for the Blind does NOT endorse "forced" exercise (running, treadmill, biking) for puppies. 

Close encounter of the feline-kind

Gus lets out a long, deep WOOF! He bounds down the stairs with Dutch hot on his heels. At the doorway Gus puffs up and stops dead at the edge of the carpet. Just beyond, Peanut is dozing on the treadmill.

Dutch careens around Gus. His feathery paws hit the tile floor as he spots the old cat. He backpedals, but slides beyond the protection of his 65-pound buddy. What is that?!

Dutch skids past Gus when he sees Peanut-the-cat.

Gus bounces forward with another bark. Peanut hisses and lashes out like Muhammad Ali, her declawed paws popping Gus's muzzle from every direction.

He retreats.

Dutch can't contain his curiosity. He ducks his head and inches closer. Peanut meows a warning. Dutch calmly stares her down.

Peanut-the-cat and Dutch have a stare-down.

Before long, Peanut curls up in her cat-bed at the front end of the treadmill; Dutch ventures onto the rubbery surface to investigate.

Peanut-the-cat keeps a keen watch from the safety of her bed. Meanwhile, Dutch sniffs out the scene.

Cat and puppy truce.

Peanut-the-cat lives with Andy's daughter Jen and her husband Jeff. We visited them over the holidays.

And to all a good night...

FLD Dutch wishes everyone

a very

Merry Christmas!

May you find fuzzy love under YOUR tree!

Happy Holidays!

Gyps, Gus, and FLD Scout pose in front of our Christmas tree.

From our house

to your house,

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

FLD Scout waits on the "mat" for breakfast. Gus lays near by and Gypsy relaxes over by the tree. We had to put up the x-pen to protect the lower ornaments (and the tree from morning "puppy-rips").

Cookie-Bake Tired-Puppy Recipe

Cousins Sofia, Claire, and Natalie--sugared out at our annual family cookie-bake.

 

INGREDIENTS

one puppy

one Lab

six kids + six "big" kids

cookie-dough

powdered sugar and sprinkles galore

• send puppy and Lab out to the fenced-in yard for a couple of hours of hard Lab-wrestling
• bring inside to chill

• mix six big kids with cookie-dough of various types
• let six little kids decorate cookies with sugar and sprinkles

Russian tea-cakes get powdered.

Elaina gets powdered, too!

Logan attempts the closed-eye technique with spritzer cookies. Zoey is skeptical.

Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!!!

• allow puppy to wander underfoot

FLD Scout gets floured and sugared!

• bake

no need to clean floors afterwards

Sugared cookies.

Candy-cane cookies and "Belgium" waffles.

Just before my camera clicked, Scout's chin was flat on the floor between her paws, eyes slammed shut.

Tired puppy dreams of sugar-crumbs.

My cookie-bake FIB:

holiday mixings

two

Labs

six kids

cookie-bake

extravaganza

no need to clean floors afterwards

What Dogs Do

What two tired puppies do...

FLD Scout squeezes into the dog bed with Gus.

...when I'm baking cookies.

Christmas cookies cool on a rack with the lighted Christmas tree behind. See those two silly puppies still sleep in the bed?

Snowboarding Gus

In Green Bay, WI, the snow is deliciously deep.

Under the glistening glow of holiday lights, Alec and his dad, Chris, practice snowboarding down the snow pile in their yard.

Alec hitting the slope.

Snowboarding must be similar to skateboarding, so Chris offers FLD Gus a turn.  (See pictures of a very young Gus on a skateboard--my post of October 8, 2010.)

I barely set the board down and Gus leaps aboard and glides off.  He's a natural!

Gypsy gets excited when FLD Gus glides.

Gus has such a blast he grabs the board by its handle and drags it back to the top of the hill for another run
.

FLD Gus grabbing the board.

YAHOOOO!!!

Snowboarding FLD Gus!

Tuesday's Training TIP: SURVIVING HOLIDAY TRAVEL

The holidays mean treasured time with family and friends, and sometimes travel and unfamiliar accommodations for you and your puppy.  This change in routine can be stressful (for you and your puppy) and at times even dangerous--decorations in easy reach, stray gift wrapping, bits and pieces of children's toys, unknown pets in strange homes.  

With proper planning, it is possible to successfully bring your puppy along on an extended trip to visit out-of-town loved ones.

BRING FAMILIAR ITEMS

Not only will you need all these things, but bringing what you use at home will lend a bit of familiarity to your puppy.  Be sure to pack:

• crate
• bed (if your puppy uses one)
• food and dishes
• appropriate toys (Kong or Nylabone)

CONTROL ARRIVAL

• Try to give your puppy exercise before driving (or flying), and after your arrival, prior to entering your host's home.  (For TIPS on driving with your puppy, check out my post from October 12, 2010.)
• Keep your puppy on-leash initially, especially if there are gifts or snacks within reach.
• If there are pets in the home, introduce your puppy to  them slowly.  Use this opportunity to work on down/stays and settling exercises. 
• If your puppy will play with another dog, make sure this happens in an area that has room--outside or in a basement, for instance.  In our case, the resident pups are outsized by FLD Gus and there is no room to romp safely; Gus stays on-leash or in his crate while inside.
• Establish parameters--grant freedom gradually as your puppy learns the house and "park" arrangements.

MAINTAIN DAILY ACTIVITIES AS BEST AS POSSIBLE

• Maintain your puppy's feeding schedule, even if there is a time change.
• Get daily exercise (a walk is wonderful!) and don't forget some obedience work, although this is inherently integrated.
• Take the opportunity to work on distractions, down/stays, and commands such as LEAVE IT or MAT, both at the home and in unfamiliar restaurants or stores in the area.
• Don't be afraid to add crate time, if you give your puppy enough exercise and mental stimulation first.
• Get enough rest--both of you!

BENEFITS

• New distractions to work with your puppy.
• Excellent socialization--in group settings, with different ages, and parties!
• Educate your hosts and the public in establishments you visit with your puppy.

This Christmas is FLD Gus's turn to travel with us to Wisconsin to see Andy's grandkids, Keegan and Alec.  Last year, FLD Mike made the trip.  With planning, I am mentally prepared to attend to my puppy,  expose him to a stimulating environment and assortment of strangers, and still enjoy the family gatherings.  As an added bonus, my step-grandkids get an education about raising puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind!

Holiday Travels with FLD Gus

FLD Gus travels restfully, as long as he can get out of the van periodically to "park."  Everything works out because we need to stop every hour and a half so Andy can walk around (in avoidance of future blood clots).  This routine lengthens our northern-route-drive through the U.P. to Green Bay, Wisconsin to visit Andy's grandkids, but we don't mind.  Little traffic, snow-covered woods, and ice flows lapping the waters of Lake Michigan make for a beautiful journey.  A snow-squall here and there south of the Bridge is the only menace to road conditions; sun and blue skies bless us west along U.S. 2.

We stop at a family restaurant just outside of Manistique for lunch, where we were welcomed with FLD Mike last summer during our family camping trip.  The long and narrow dining room is cheery with homemade Holiday decorations.  Scissor-cut snowflakes dangle on fishing line from the ceiling, sparkly stars are taped to the Christmas-light-ringed windows, and green or white mini-pine trees stand guard next to crafted wood condiment holders at each table.

I worry that FLD Gus will keep me busy settling him after five hours in the van, but, as usual, he surprises me.  This scary-smart puppy always seems to know that when he's working, he has to behave.  Gus lies down at my left side as soon as we take our seats at the small square table in the middle of the restaurant.  He is the main attraction to the few diners and staff this quiet Sunday afternoon.

"Do you know how hard it is for all of us right now?" the waitress says as she brings us our menus.  "We are dog-lovers here and we all just want to get down on the floor with him and snuggle him up."

I'm not anxious to ruin FLD Gus's good behavior just yet.  You can pet him when we get ready to go, I respond.

"Oh no," she says.  "I know he's in training.  We want him to be a good dog for someone one day."

Over 400 miles from Leader Dogs for the Blind downstate in Rochester, Michigan and we find an educated public!

We decide to stop at Green Isle Park and hike the East River Resch Family Trail with Gypsy and FLD Gus before arriving at Chris and Rachelle's, who not only have two boys, Keegan and Alec, but two small dogs as well.  Remember my post  "A Tired Puppy is a Good Puppy?"  We don't want to start our visit with a bad first impression!

A mile slug through typically deep Green Bay snow and we succeed.

Chris meets us in the snow-blown driveway with a trembling Brecker nestled in his arms.  Brecker is a black, three-year-old Cockapoo.  Inside the front door, Rachelle cradles Chloe, an apricot 13-year-old Malti-poo.  "What should I do?" Chris asks as I put a rearing FLD Gus into a tenuous SIT.  Give me a hug! I reply, and just ignore him for now.  Merry Christmas greetings for all the humans; after a few moments, FLD Gus settles and we enter, both dogs controlled on leash.

Big and little dogs hold a wary distance, and no incidents mar the rest of the evening.

Merry Christmas, Everyone!

FLD Gus and I wish everyone a safe and wonderful holiday!

It must be Christmas...is that Gypsy almost touching FLD Gus?!

Christmas Eve 2010

A nice family picture (missing only the Green Bay family).

Someone got the bright idea to throw the wrapping paper scraps when the self-timer clicked on my camera...looks like our timing was off!  Gypsy went chasing...

...finally got the timing right.  Sorry Andy, we blocked your face!  A good time was had by all.

Gus!  What are you doing?  "Hey, I'm just helping clean up!  Gypsy showed me how."

Gypsy-doodle, AKA "shredder."

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVE!!!

 

FLD Gus, Family Christmas

For us, the holidays seem to be a month-long affair--Noel Night the first weekend, our annual cookie-bake the Saturday after that, and my family party the week before Christmas.

FLD Gus was a trooper at Noel Night, and did just fine with the mayhem at my family Christmas.  I opted against taking him to the cookie bake, but seeing how well he behaved at our family get-together, I'm sure he would have been a welcome addition at the cookie-bake, too.  Oh well...

Here are a few pictures!

FLD Gus hamming it up under my brother's Christmas tree.

FLD Gus weighed in at 35 pounds last night at puppy-class.  Getting big!  He is very familiar with my nieces Natalie and Sofia, but this was his first meeting with Claire.  Gus didn't seem to mind the attention!

FLD Gus giving Claire a side-long glance.

Natalie loves puppy ears!  And FLD Gus is tolerant.

Christmas Shopping with FLD Gus

FLD Gus balks at getting out of the van.  It's his after-dinner-crap-out-in-Gypsy's-bed time, and we're making him go Christmas shopping with us instead.

Come on, Gus, let's go! I encourage with my very bestest "we are going to have soooo much fun (if you'll only get out of the van)" voice.  At last.  He does.  Good boy, Gus!

FLD Gus lags through Sam's Club as we wander the aisles looking for ideas for our "white elephant" gift exchange with the Andersens.  Andy's kids have shared in this bit before, but this will be the first year he and I are part of the action.

What is a "white elephant" gift exchange?  We all buy and wrap a silly generic $15 gift; all the gifts go in a pile, then the first person picks one and opens it.  The next person can either "steal" the first gift, or select another one to open; then the next person can "steal" either of the first two, or select another one; and on around.  A gift can only be "stolen" two times; then it stays with that person.  Sounds like we'll have fun with this!

FLD Gus, on the other hand, is not interested in games, or turning down aisle after aisle.  I tap my leg and say Gus, right (or left) at each turn.  He ducks his head and looks up at me, revealing half-moons below his eyes.  I know, Gus, we're keeping you up.  Come on, let's go!  At the checkout line, Gus slides into a down each time we inch forward.  He perks up when we make the last turn for the door.

Don't get too relaxed, I tell him as he jumps into the van.  We're going to Target next! 

When we arrive, I have to coax him out of the van again, but once inside the brightly lit store he bounces along at a livelier pace.  Maybe it's us...we know what we want here and take care of business right away, no meandering up and down aisles.

Wait a minute, I say to Andy as we're heading to check out.  I want to look at something.  I turn down the pet aisle and pause to check out the dog beds piled up on the shelves.  Out of the blue an excited BARK erupts from mild-mannered FLD Gus and he's raring to go.  What was that about!?

Andy is laughing behind us.  "He wants to curl up in that bed right there!"  I look where he's gesturing--on the lower shelf there is a very nice bed to fit in a large crate, and Gus is on point.  I reach down, take the bed off the shelf and place it on the floor.  Gus dives on it, but I pull him off when he goes for the price tag.  Ok, let's go home, I say.  Gus, heel.

FLD Gus has other ideas--shopping is suddenly fun after all!  With some persuasion, Gus heels regretfully away from the dog beds, but at the turn his legs lock and his feet slide askew on the slippery floor.  Oh no, it's the dog food aisle!

TONIGHT'S LESSON:  When you take your Future Leader Dog puppy Christmas shopping, stay away from the pet section!

 

Rochester Christmas Parade

According to Leader Dogs for the Blind, the count was 47 on Sunday.  Future Leader Dogs that is, (and their puppy-raisers) who braved the cold to march with the Lions Club float in the Rochester Christmas Parade. 

FLD Gus and I marched.  Luckily this year, we gathered at Shield's Pizza for pizza and salad first, giving our Future Leader Dogs excellent experience in a busy restaurant--and with lots of puppies!  Then it was wait, wait, wait at the corner for the Lion's Club float to arrive.  It was a cold wait, but the cheer-filled walk down Main Street warmed us all up.

A big surprise for FLD Gus--we met his mom, Sienna!  Gus's tongue whipped faster than his squiggly lab body wiggled.  Sienna was happy to see him, but I'm guessing she was happy to send him on his way, too!

Enjoy some of the pictures I snapped of all the fun....

FLD Gus, settled under the table at Shield's, checking to see if I'm paying attention.

FLD Misha, rarin' to go!

FLD Aspen wants to go too!

FLD Gus, shivering while we wait for the Lion's Club float.

FLD Doug, embarrassed again!  Remember him and his tutu from Puppy Days?  Didn't he get big?

FLD Gus meets Sienna (mom).  Sienna looks up at her host Mary, Is this really Mr. Blue?

Sienna thinks, Yep, it's him alright!

Sienna adds,  He sure got big!  He's not coming home with us, is he?

FLD Gus can't stop licking mom Sienna.  I miss you mom!

No Christmas parade would be complete without Santa Puppy!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!