Toby's THRID Report Card!

*(Written by Rudy's Raiser)*

Wow, seems like just last week I was saying good bye to Toby, dropping him off at the school - and having the thought that I'd never see him again (still have that thought!).

Now Toby has been down at the school for almost THREE months, and I've already received his third report card!
So far, he's doing real well with training - most of his "W's" (Working on) are just on new things he's started learning. He still is having trouble with the harness, but we all know he'll expect it in his own time.

Each day I worry. Wondering if I'll receive a email - with bad news in it. Each day, when opening our inbox, I sometime wish I'd just stop and walk away.

But for now - Toby is still IN training down at the school, it doesn't matter to me how quickly he jumps through training, as long as he's fine, and doing well.

I wish him the best of luck, and know all you guys do the same!

Thanks to all who follow this blog, through our ups AND downs, and sticking with us no matter what happens.

We hope to keep passing on great news about Toby to you all. But we all know everything never turns out perfect.

Thanks for following, Rudy will be posting in the next couple days!

Please note that all the W's (which stand for Working On) in the report card are mostly on new things he's just started, he's not having much trouble with things he already knew - which I'm real happy about, as he's learning lots more, and I know he'll do great!

Rudy's Raiser

The human that has a dog with a blog

The Report Card says:

TRAINING REPORT

DOG: Toby
Tattoo: 3B09
Date: July

Training Phase: Phase 1

+ - meeting expectations W=working on


Accepts harness W
Forward +
Straight line concept +
Left +
Right +
Down curbs +
Up curbs W
Clearances W
Traffic W
Indoor mall W
Off curb Travel W
Left, Left +
Right, Right +
Stairs W
Escalators W
Underfootings W
Food scavenging W
Obedience +
Distractions:
Scent +

People +
Small animal +
Dog +
Children +
Kennel behavior +

COMMENTS: Toby is a sweet boy. We are working on his harness acceptance. He is learning new things quickly and is fun to work.

Wordless Wednesday

(Taken April 5th)

Toby's Raiser

The human without a dog that has a blog

I've been tagged!

One of my newest friends "Lola" tagged me to play this pawesome photo game.
Rules:

1). go to your 1st photo folder.
2). find the 10th picture.
3). post the 10th picture and tell everyone about it!
4). tag 5 other doggie blogs so they can have some photo fun, too!!

Well we have 2 different photo files - one "all" photos and another "just guide dog" one.

This one is from the guide dog section -



It's a photo of BRAX (My Raiser's first dog), I'm NOT in it!
Brax is with another doggy - Rei (we met with her & her Raiser in 4-H back in 2007!).
They are both in a down -stay (not looking at the camera).

This is from the "all" photo section (yes, it just so happens to be dog related too!)

It's a photo of BRAX (why not me? How does Brax get to be in both?).

He is sitting in front of the guide dog booth my Raiser made at a fair back in 2007 - a third place ribbon is tied to his collar!

Kind of funny how both are of Brax - from 2 different sections...

Now, for the people I'm tagging -

1. Khyra
2. Erin & Pompei (this is also Rei's Raiser)
3. Bunny
4. Dory
5. Mimi & Cabana

If your name is above then TAG!

I really don't know who has/hasn't done it. So if I just tagged somebody who's already been tagged - sorry! (I have heard some of my friends are already tagged - I hope some of the above aren't tagged!)

I also just received some pawesome awards - I plan on posting them tomorrow in my BIRTHDAY POST! (which won't be posted 'til night, as my Raiser will be doing Easter petting zoos - and I'm going with her!)

Toby
The dog with a blog

Letters From Camp - and goodbye Duchess!

Hey blogging buddies - this will be my LAST POST before I leave... I will NEVER get to post on this blog again :( I hope all you guys miss me!

Tomorrow morning I will be leaving with my handler to meet up with my raisers and the family Toby is with - so we can all switch back! Finally I will be HOME!
My handler put together a slide show for you guys; it's kind of short, but it goes through some various photos she has taken of me (most you have seen, but some were never posted on the blog). I hope you enjoy it!
Toby's swap family sent a "photo email" today... with lots and lots of pictures. My handler didn't want me to post them all - but said to pick a "couple". (You may also notice in some of the pictures, that Toby has a raw spot on his nose - that somehow got there when he was in the crate at the swap family's house, no idea why).

I had fun blogging for the "almost" 3 weeks I was here, and really hoped you guys enjoyed reading my pawesome posts.

Enjoy the slide show of ME, and the pictures of Toby below. (please note that my handler tags all photos, but all will have words beside them - as that was what Toby sent along with them)

Duchess

The dog with a blog

This free digital photobook created with Smilebox

"Neighborhood boys just LOVE me!! They play rough like me!"

"I just ADORE people... particularly the ladies...!!!"

"Another party... I didn't care about the cake... there's that cat on the porch...again!"

"Why do these little guys get balls... and raw hide... and stuffed animals??? No Fair!!!"

"My camp mom took a picture of my nose... she was REALLY worried about me... and it..."

"Waiting for a train in Summerville....(it didn't come!!)"

"Such lovely smells... EVERYWHERE!!!!"

"Wouldn't I make a good guidedog puppy action figure???!!!"

"Insurance Rocks....well sort of!!"

Wordless Wednesday

Duchess

The dog with a blog

Something's missing...

AND IT'S ME!

Notice in the pictures below, I'm not in ANY of them! My handler went to some "4-H" camp thing, and LEFT me :( She thought it would be better to leave me since I would be bored and such. (and the possibility of me coming into heat)

BUT, she came back home today!

I did hear something about me leaving Friday... back to my raiser's! I think we may be "swapping" back - so in 5 days you will have Toby back & blogging! All for him to leave in just a few weeks... :(

I did have a blast while she was gone, of course I was quite happy to see her come back.

Hope you all had a Sunny SUNday!

P.S. My handler will be taking some pictures of me with some animals (joy oh joy...), so before I leave I'll be doing a animal post.

Duchess

The dog with a blog

Wordless Wednesday

Duchess Day!

Hey guys, it's Duchess here.
I finished up my studies on blogger world, so I should be a pro at this!
Toby's Raiser has been busy with introducing me to EVERYTHING!
Somehow she thinks I should meet some animals...
Yesterday I met some mini pigs, a new baby goat, chickens, a llama, alpacas, bunnies and SO MUCH MORE!
I didn't like the alpacas to much, and that pig freaked me out!
My handler took many pictures of me meeting animals & such, so make sure to check out the pictures below (she even tags them!).
I got to help set up for a 4-H yard sale yesterday, and today it opened, so we went up to help "man" it. I got to lay there and be bored for HOURS; but my handler told me I did very good :)(P.S. Toby's Raiser will be called My handler, because she isn't my raiser/trainer).
Tomorrow I will be attending a guide dog puppy meeting. I heard something about it being at a police station...
More updates later, enjoy the pictures!
Please leave comments, as I want to know how my blogging is...Thanks!
Duchess
The dog with a blog

Letters From Camp... PICTURE TIME!

A few words from Toby-
"here's a few shots! More very soon!
~Toby~"
I also got an email update from the family he's staying with-
"Toby is a very smart boy...knows his commands nicely...
Distractions are many for his brain at the moment...(so much to see !!!.. so many things to sniff, to mark, to paw!!!) We are greatly enjoying him...

Hubby is off tomorrow and is planning for a full day of exposures and tooling around stores, etc.... I will give ya the lowdown on their day...

Did a bit of nail trimming just now.. he was so polite...
No issues with eyes/etc. so far - so good
More soon!!"

You may notice in the pictures Toby gets to meet their new puppies (rescued 3 week old Lab mixes).

More updates soon, enjoy the pictures! (Some Toby sent with words beside them, but all are tagged by me).


Toby's Raiser
The human that has a dog with a blog








"No one loves this blankie more than me!"












"There's a party going on-- but I see a cat in the woods!!!"









"Puppy love??? No...They look like squirrels- or cats...or..!!"

Wordless Wednesday

Duchess

The dog with a blog

Library Assignment

Hey guys, Toby here. (really quick!)
My Raiser, her father and I are getting ready to head down to FL. I'm going to ask my Raiser's mom to publish this post for me, and check my spelling and such. (I'm SO tired, my eyes are like half closed).

I had a "blast" at the library yesterday. There were many kids for me to not play with, and they all asked questions about me!
After play time, all the kids got a chair, then brought it over near me & made a circle for story time. The teacher read out a book called "Mouse's first Christmas", it was sure funny!

My Raiser even stood up for a couple minutes & talked about the guide dogs.
I enjoyed "helping" my Raiser make a edible craft afterwards (don't worry, I really didn't!).

I did fine with all the noise & singing, and behaved like a perfect dog.
Please enjoy the pictures & movies!

Toby
The dog with a blog

(Movie of me not paying attention to the kids signing a song & dancing around, I'm knocked out and didn't move AT ALL!!)

(Another movie of me watching the kids sing, I moved a little in this one, but that was because I wasn't quite comfy)

Wordless Wednesday

Wordless Wednesday

Toby

The dog with a blog