My Christmas Goodies...

I’m finally taking the time to tell you guys all about my furry cool Christmas goodies! It won’t take to long, since my raiser didn’t go “all out” on me (oh well…) but she still did get me some furry cool things!
Here’s a picture of my wonderful goodies...

Picture of Brandon's Christmas goodies, including dog treats, his full stocking and some stuffies beside the stocking

My stocking was full of lots of fun stuffies, all for MYSELF! And then I also got a huge selection of doggy treats! (Including greenies, duck breast treats, carob cookies, and lots of other various yummy treats).

I got a furry cool pink pig stuffie...

Picture of Brandon with the pink pig stuffie he got for Christmas, you can see some of his other gifts in the background

Of course I got a fun bottle crunchy toy...

Picture of Brandon playing with his bottle crunchy toy, his other Christmas goodies are surrounding him

I got a fun (furry soft) Christmas lamb stuffie...

Picture of Brandon playing with his Christmas lamb stuffie

My raiser even got me a furry cute calipiter (?) stuffie...

Picture of Brandon playing with his cute "calipiter" stuffie

As you can see, I got lots of furry fun things for Christmas! My raiser wasn't able to spend much money on me, and I would have only gotten a few things for Christmas... but my raiser was given the opportunity to do a review for a store (coming up in a later post) and ended up getting me FREE doggy treats :)  I just love all those treats she picked out fur me!
I huge furry thanks to my raiser fur getting me all those wonderful things! 
I hope you enjoyed learning all about the goodies I got for Christmas!

- Brandon

My First Christmas!

I hope you guys are having a furry good Christmas, spending the time with your loved ones and eating lots of sweets (or yummy dog treats)!

My raiser gave me LOTS of furry cool goodies, but I will share about them in a later post (complete with lots of pictures...)

Fur now I just want to wish all my blogging friends a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

- Brandon

Picture of Brandon with some of his Christmas goodies (Brandon also has his tongue sticking out!)

Pictureless Wednesday

I was planning this furry nice post, complete with LOTS of pictures from our Monday shopping trip... all for me to find out that my raiser FURGOT the camera :(  We went all over the place Monday doing Christmas shopping (my longest shopping trip yet) and we even passed lots of furry cool mirrors, yet we couldn't get a single picture, cause she furgot the camera.
Humans, you just can't count on them.
So instead of showing you how the shopping trip went, I'm just gonna have to tell you all about it.
I of course did wonderful, throughout the entire shopping trip (don't I always!), but I did have to remind my raiser a few times to "ignore it" when she found some things she really liked. (Were not Christmas shopping fur yourself, you know).
My raiser said I walked perfectly beside her while shopping, and whenever she stopped to look at something, I just laid down beside her feet, until I was told "forward" again.
I met lots of people while out shopping, everybody wanted to pet me (duh...) but my raiser had to make sure I held a sit-stay while I was being petted (which I did quite well at), remember the saying "four on the floor" (no jumping on people).
I even met some furry nice people while in Target, and one of the humans I met, said his first dog was named Brandon, what can I say... it's a furry good name!
My raiser has been furry busy with Christmas shopping, but she did tell me that she didn't furget about me, and that I'll be getting LOTS of gifts on Christmas.
I'm furry sorry there are no pictures in this post, maybe next time...

- Brandon

Christmas Shopping 101

Since all of you guys are most likely trying to finish up your Christmas shopping, I think I should give you a few tips to make shopping WAY more fun.
To start of with, make sure to ALWAYS stop for mirrors when out shopping, you never know how cute you may look:


Picture of Brandon and I in the mirror

 Moving on; when you (or your shopping friend) comes across something that you (they) REALLY want, look at the price tag first - can't afford it? Just look away... (this is when the "ignore it" command would be useful - more fur the humans than us pups!)


Picture of Brandon laying down beside the purse section at Belk - he's completely ignoring the purses

 After shopping for a while, make sure to stop at the food court and get a little "fuel" in you - of course, that doesn't ever help me AT ALL, since I'm not allowed to eat any of that human food...

Picture of Brandon in a sit-stay under the table at the food court

And when your raiser (or friend) has her (or his) hand full of shopping bags and wants to go into yet ANOTHER store, just give them this furry cute look...


Picture of Brandon in a sit-stay giving his "puppy face" look to the camera!

Trust me, it ALWAYS works!!
I do hope you will be able to take some of my "advice" and put it to good use on your next shopping trip!
Just remember to use that "ignore it" command on something you really don't NEED :)

- Brandon

Wordless Wednesday - Double Me!

I just love shopping when mirrors are involved!

Brandon



Picture of Brandon sitting beside a mirror



Rudy's Sixth Report Card!

*(Written by Brandon's Raiser)*
I've just received Rudy's sixth report card and also included in the email, was a short message from my Area Coordinator:
"Rudy's just waiting for the right partner now!!"
I know Rudy was in the "last phase" when I received his previous report card, but that little message made me start thinking, Rudy could really graduate ANYTIME now! He's just waiting for the perfect match, so for all I know... he could graduate next month!
Keeping my fingers crossed that his training continues to go well, and that he'll be able to find the perfect match, sooner than later!

Comment from Rudy's trainer:
"Rudy is a sweet boy.  I have only had him for a short period but he is a fun dog.  I look forward to working Rudy and getting to know his personality. J  We are working on some of his distractions and tendency to rush."
Just a few things that Rudy needs to "touch up", but it sounds like he's doing wonderful! I really miss my sweet boy :)

Brandon's Raiser


Copy of Rudy's Sixth Report card

 

The Girl Did it...

Yes the title of this post is furry important, but before I go into detail on what happened... let me start out with what I was going to do on Saturday:
This WAS my furry cool agenda for Saturday:
10:25am: Arrive at puppy meeting
10:30am: Obedience training during puppy meeting
10:45am: Play with other cute puppies
11:00am: Head into the assisted living with the puppy group and meet elderly people

But a little female puppy decided to ruin my wonderful plans. My raiser was allowing me to play (on leash) with another little guide dog puppy, it was a female Lab that was 10 days younger than me (and about half the size). I was being a very calm boy and making my raiser proud and then all of a sudden my raiser noticed blood all over both of us puppies. She soon found out that the other little puppy bit my ear, and gave me a 1/4 inch tear on the tip of my right ear.
So instead of heading in to meet elderly people, my raiser had to take me to a local vet, and I ended up having to get 4 stitches in my ear.

**Raiser's note: Please know that it wasn't a "serious" injury and there wasn't blood gushing everywhere, but the bleeding wouldn't stop completely, and our Area Coordinator said it would be best if we head to a vet and go ahead and get it stitched up. And please do know that the puppies were not playing rough, but the little female lab accidentally grabbed his ear, which then didn't turn out well!**

But I'm totally fine now, and though I didn't enjoy the "rest" I had to have on Saturday, I'm back and "bouncing" around now.
Just make sure you guys realize that it wasn't MY fault, the girl did it...

Brandon

Brandon doing a "loose leash" walk beside me, during our obedience training outside the assisted living place

Brandon doing a wonderful sit-stay with me in front of him

Close up picture of Brandon walking on a "loose leash"

Picture of Brandon sleeping in my sister's lap in the car, while we are on the way to the vet

Picture of Brandon sitting on the medical table at the vet office

Close up picture of the 4 stitches that were put in the tip of Brandon's ear

Sleepy Tuesday

I've been furry busy doing a lot of sleeping lately...
- In the crate
- During my raiser's college classes
- During Church
- While my raiser is studying
- In the car
BUT, my raiser is making sure to spend time playing with me and work on obedience training (which is coming along nicely).
I'll be attending a puppy meeting this weekend with my raiser, and we'll be visiting with elderly people!


Brandon

Picture of Brandon laying down cuddled up with his eyes closed

Picture of Brandon cuddled up sleeping

Happy Thanksgiving!

Just doing a a "quick" post to wish all of you guys a furry HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This is my first Thanksgiving, so I'm kinda new at this "thankful" thing... but I'm gonna give it a try.

I'm thankful fur many, many things - but there are some main ones I need to highlight:

I'm thankful fur...

• All my awesome friends out there!!
• My AMAZING furry cool raiser
• Fun toys
• Tasty treats
• A wonderful home

Since I said this will be a "quick" post... I better stop writing, but I can't end a post without any furry cute PICTURES!!

So have a furry Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy the cute pictures below :)

Brandon

Liberty spent her Thanksgiving like this...

Close up picture of Liberty's face - she's laying down all comfy like on her memory  foam doggy bed

I WANTED to spend my Thanksgiving like this...

Picture of Brandon chewing on a doggy toy

 BUT my raiser had different ideas...

Picture of Brandon in my lap while I file down his nails

AND my raiser thinks if she "sweet talks" me, it will all be okay...

Picture of Brandon in my lap while I file down his nails - I'm also talking to Brandon at the same time

Of course the humans get all the good food...

Picture of yummy doughnuts!!

almost Wordless Wednesday - Furry New Friends

Picture of Brandon with my sister, our friends from GA, and I; we (including Brandon) went to stay with them for a few days.
Brandon's Raiser

I've got such cool friends in GA (see above), and fur some reason while the photo was being taken, my raiser WASN'T holding me!?!? (she's the tallest one... in the back).

AND a furry EARLY Happy Thanksgiving to all you guys :) I'm thankful fur all my awesome friends and my amazing raiser!

Brandon

My First Puppy Meeting

I attended my very first puppy meeting last week, and though I didn't know many of the commands... I still enjoyed my first meeting!
My raiser was impressed with how well I did at the meeting, and she liked how I maintained myself when I was near other doggies (meaning - I didn't go crazy like some of the other doggies did).
I'm looking forward to my next meeting, and my raiser hopes that I will have a understanding of a few more doggy commands, I told her I that I'll learn them in my own time!
Furry kisses to you all and thanks fur stopping by!!

Oh, BTW - enjoy the furry awesome photos below!!

Brandon





One of the first pictures of my sweet (and awesome) Raiser with me!!




The End...

Vet Visit (First post by Brandon)

Hey guys!
I know you have been looking forward to this post fur a very long time(at least... you better have!!)... and you guys are probably tired of my raiser writing on the blog fur me.
So I'm FINALLY doing my very first post; and you know what my first post is going to be about?
My first vet visit!
(first post - first vet visit, get it?)

Since I was picked up 1 week early from the guide dog school, I was still in need of a few certain shots, so once I settled into my raiser's home, we were off to the vet.
I welcomed my vet with slobbery kisses and behaved well when he weighed me (17.5 pounds!) and all the stuff they do at the vet place.
I did wonderful (as my raiser said!) during my first vet visit; and even tried to jump off the table by myself (for some odd reason, my raiser wouldn't let me).
I hope all of you guys enjoyed my very first post!

Brandon

Rudy's Fifth Report Card - LAST PHASE!! (also - Meet Hunter)

I have just received Rudy's fifth report card this afternoon... and found out some exciting news...
Rudy has now moved into PHASE THREE (polishing & blindfold walks). Which is the last phase of training down at the school.

He still has lots more to learn; but I'm so glad to hear he's in his last phase of training!
Seems like Rudy is still working on a few things; see the comment from his trainer: "Ok we are still working on some things. Still wayyy to excited coming out of the gate. We are also working on slowing him down a little. Longer routes don’t faze Rudy one little bit. We went to the marina in Sarasota. “No Rudy you can’t swim with the fish.” Tampa this month, not too crazy about the big city. Rudy – “Revolving doors, are you serious?” He didn’t like those, not too happy with the narrow escalators either."
Wow, doesn't that sounds just like a lab?

The best of luck to Rudy; and to make this post even better... the raiser that picked Brandon up for me; also stopped by the training kennel and snapped a quick photo of my "energetic" boy...

And of course... the wonderful report card!

Before I end this post (yep, I'm gonna make it even longer!); I would like you to meet Hunter

During the week of November 7-11 (yes - I waited till the last day to participate!), Mayzie is going to be honoring her Grampa J that passed away earlier this year by having "Rescue Me Week". For everyone that participates in this event will have the opportunity to win $100 which will be donated to your favorite rescue (shelter). Mayzie will be having a drawing the following week and 5 different blogs will win. That's $500 going to help homeless pets!!

When I happened upon Hunter, I decided he was the perfect dog to feature in this post... Not only because he was a black Lab mix (same as Rudy) BUT he's also got a little issue with being "energetic" (sound like someone we know?).

Hunter is about a year & a half old Labrador mix. He needs a family that will be able to handle all of his wonderful energy. He likes to run around and when it's time to come inside, he runs straight to his crate and gets in without running off. Hunter is neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and on heartworm preventative.

I do hope Hunter is able to find that perfect home, he sounds like a wonderful boy & reminds me so much of Rudy.

Thank you for taking the time to read my lengthy post!!

Brandon's Raiser

Wordless Wednesday - Brandon at College

As you can tell, Brandon truly enjoys my college classes...

Brandon's Raiser

Shopping

Brandon has been quite busy lately; and has a WHOLE lot of updating to do - but fur now I'll update you on Brandon's shopping experience...
For just having Brandon for a little over 1 week, he has really been busy going places. Not only did he attend college classes with me; and some random stores around us - he took a trip with (some) of my family & I, to go surprise some awesome friends of ours, that were a few states away.
Brandon & I stayed at their house for a few days (he did GREAT!) and we did a LOT of shopping while we were there. He went to a HUGE mall with us, and went in about every store imaginable! Of course Brandon is a little young to be doing lots of walking, so he was carried from store to store - but once we went into a store, he was put on the ground to do a "little" bit of exploring. Leaving all the distractions alone, Brandon did amazingly well!
We also went down-town shopping were our friends lived, and Brandon got to visit cute jewelry shops, clothing stores, museums and much more!
All in all, Brandon is doing wonderful with his training, and has met more people than I can count!

Brandon's Raiser

Name Game WINNER (a very Wordy Wednesday!)

If you remember when I announced the (five) winners of the Name Game contest; I noted that I would be posting the WINNER (that will be receiving the prizes) sometime this week.

Our "Name Game" winners were:
Raiser Erin (#1)
Lisa, Ellie and Hosta (#2)
Cantrix (#3)
Sugar the Golden Retriever (#4)
Elijah and Hobart II (#5)

Each blogger was given a number (seen above by their name) based on which blogger commented first (1-5).
I decided to use random.org (since Brandon didn't want to pull a "number out of a hat"!) and the winner is...


...#4 (Sugar the Golden Retriever) Furry congratulations to Sugar; and I will be contacting you shortly!
Thanks to everyone who participated in the contest; and I do hope to host another giveaway/contest come Christmas time :)
Brandon will be "running" the blog shortly; but fur now, he's learning all the "behind the scenes" stuff.

Brandon's Raiser

Irresistibly Cute!

Brandon is doing great, his house training is coming along wonderfully and he attended his first college class (slept right through it!) with me this morning.

But on to the furry cute PHOTOS...

I did take Brandon outside (with a camera!) yesterday and took a few nice pictures; he really didn't care to "sit still" for long, but I managed.

I will be doing the drawing with the "name game" contest winners (hopefully!) tomorrow; don't think I forgot about it!
Enjoy the furry cute pictures below, and don't worry, I've got lots more to come :)

Brandon's Raiser