Rudy's Fourth Report Card (September)

Just received Rudy's fourth report card today; and I'm very happy to announce... Rudy has moved to phase 2!!!
Since there are only 3 phases over all - this is a huge step for Rudy, and wonderful news for me to hear!
As you can see from the comment left by Rudy's trainer... he still likes moving at top speed, and is a very "happy" dog (sounds like my boy!).
I've also got some more exciting news, regarding a new guide dog PUPPY... but I will save that for a different post.
Hope all of you are doing well, and enjoy reading Rudy's newest report card!

Rudy's Raiser

Behaving during a Meeting = FUN Afterwards!

I attended a Naval Academy Event with my furry cool raiser/family; where they would be packing boxes to send up to all of our "groups" mids. (I just slept...)
Doing what my raiser asked of me; I did a down-stay during the meeting, somehow managing to fall asleep, with all those people talking (see movies below).
But the one thing I didn't know my raiser was planning... was IF I behaved well during the meeting, then before we left - she'd let me have a short "playdate" with Biscuit (a yellow lab who lived at the house we were doing the meeting at).
Funny thing was - since Biscuit was outside in their fenced in yard; I didn't even realize a dog was there! (I did smell a furry cool creature... but I didn't know fur sure if it was a doggy).
since I behaved SO WELL during the meeting, my raiser & the owner of Biscuit had both of us doggies on the leash - and let us (slowly) meet.
My raiser was told that Biscuit doesn't always like strange dogs - but fur some GOOD reason, she fell in love with me... and we played for over an hour!
(Biscuit is a 6yr old, SPAYED female)
My raiser took many pictures and videos (see below), I hope you enjoy them :)
Furry Monday kisses!

Rudy
The dog with a blog


Behaving during the meeting...


(Movie of Rudy in a down-stay; you can hear the people in the background talking... quite loudly. Near the end of the movie; the chair beside him, gets pushed into his head... all he does is move his head to a different place! Good distraction training)


(Movie of Rudy in a down stay - in coat/harness, people are talking in the background; and many people are walking by/stepping over Rudy. He isn't fazed at all by the distractions/shoes/people.)


Equals; FUN afterwards...

(Movie of Rudy & Biscuit playing on the deck)

My Distraction Training...

My raiser said "distraction training" helps me with my path to becoming a guide dog.

But I don't see how in the furry little world "ignoring" a yellow jacket (that smells like 7 cats...) is going to help with my training.

(Movie of Rudy in a down-stay with a yellow jacket sleeve hanging 1 inch above his nose... and the owner of the jacket does own 7 cats. Rudy did ignore the jacket - and doesn't even acknowledge it's there)

I think if she let me smell it... lay on it... lick it... chew it... and play with the jacket... I'd be much better off.

Whatever, at least she said "you passed that test".

Rudy - The dog with a blog

Working Rudy 2

Back in August, my furry fun raiser posted a Working Rudy post. Complete with a couple movies of me doing some basic commands inside the house (and at YMCA).

I'd like to share some more "Working Rudy" movies with you.

Yesterday, after my raiser finished doing her own "photo shoot" (taking photos of me outside - which she will be posting soon!), she took a couple movies of us working on a couple commands.

I decided to post 3 of them below - for your viewing pleasure :) I am working out of coat, on leash; outside. You may notice a few cars driving by from time to time, my raiser was happy they DIDN'T distracted me! I don't know if I did that great in the movies, but my raiser said I did furry good!

Enjoy,

Rudy - The dog with a blog

(Movies below are all based on the same commands, just taken & done a little differently. Some of the commands done below are; sit-stay, come, heel, switch, & forward. With some cars driving by as a distraction in some sections.)

Working Rudy

(Written by Rudy's Raiser)
Rudy is doing so well in his training, I decided to let him show you a couple movies of a few easy commands he knows.
Just so you can see what he's been up to lately! (and to make up for those farm camp pictures... that got deleted!)
So enjoy the movies - please note Rudy thought it was play time, so he wasn't to "perfect" in a couple ones!!
The following movies are all very basic commands - and are focusing only on - "down", "sit", "stay", "come", "go get it", "give", and "leave-it". Most were taken inside the house - but 2 are at Zumba class (at the YMCA)

**Upcoming obedience movies of him working in coat on leash - very soon!**

Rudy's Raiser

The human that has a dog with a blog



(Movie of Rudy doing a "sit", "down-stay", "leave-it" to a stuffed animal, then a "come" - still ignoring the stuffed animal)



(Movie of Rudy in a "down-stay" at Zumba class in the YMCA last week. You can see people dancing/moving in front of him)

(movie of Rudy in a "down-stay" at Zumba class in the YMCA last week. The camera was sitting down so it isn't too shaky! You can see people behind him doing Zumba - the only reason he's in a different spot then the last zumba video - is he was "out" of the camera being so close up... so I moved him a little for the movie!)

(Movie of Rudy doing a "come", "sit-stay", "leave-it", and "go get it". In the movie he comes running to me - before going to pick up the toy (which I gave him permission to do) - and it looks as if he may have jumped on me... but really he was so excited - he just ran to me - and did some tight little circle - than ran and grabbed the toy!)

(Movie of Rudy doing a "down-stay", "leave-it", "come", then a "go get it". He did it so well - and knows I was very proud of him!)

(Movie of Rudy in a down chewing on a bone - I use the "give" command, put him in a "stay", throw the toy... then tell him "go get it". He runs after the toy - so cute!)

Toby Update - Once More! Report Card Style!

***NOTE: (Haven't read my last post? Please back up and read it before continuing on - as I heard GOOD news about Toby yesterday!)***

So, Toby's my first pup that I will be getting "report cards" on.

Starting last year each month you will be sent a short and simple report card on his training.

Of course since he was just moved to the training kennel - and still needs to be neutered, his training isn't that great (and he has only started with a couple commands).
But I'm excited to be able to "hear" how is training is going through out the months!

Note to my sweet boy:
Dear Toby;
You made it through the first little bit of your test - the medicals. But now it's really time to shine, show all the other dogs what I taught you and become the BEST guide dog you can.
And please watch your grades - I don't want to get a phone call that you've been expelled.
Thank you,
Your Loving Raiser

Any updates I receive on Toby, I will be posting.
Name Game Rules coming soon :)
Have a awesome Friday and give you furry friends a hug for me!

Toby's Raiser & Tracker's Sitter
The human sometimes with a dog that has a blog








*Please click on picture to make bigger*

An Icy update...

Toby and his siblings siting on ice-

(left to right) Cassie, Rocky, Spike, and Toby
(Toby's other sister Duchess had already left)

Hey guys,

Saturday I was taken to an ice skating rink... for puppy class!!

We arrived about 30 minutes early, so we just wandered around watching the ice skaters, and meeting new people.

Once everybody arrived, we headed outside (yes it was COLD!!), and started obedience.

We did some "right rights", "left lefts", "sits", "stays", "stands" and lots more!

After all of our trainers/raisers were frozen we headed back inside.

We then worked on "down under" (going under the benches inside), my trainer told me I did very well.

When I thought we were done, my trainer took me into a room called "The Puddle", which I than found out pretty quickly was a small ice rink... and all of us dogs were taken on it.

For the first little bit I wasn't to sure about the ice, but soon I was comfortably on it, and so were all the other dogs:)

We had 10+ dogs & puppies on the ice, we had fun!

My trainer even got someone on ice skates to take me for a "ride", she could skate fast!

Before leaving we decided to get a group picture - but the only ones my trainer has are blurry :(

However; she did manage to get pictures of me & my 3 siblings (one had already left), without the trainers/raisers in the pictures!

And I won't even start the story of what happened on our way home from the ice rink,

Lets just say the policeman & paramedics were quite nice...

Enjoy the pictures,

Toby

The dog with a blog

(Toby sitting on ice, beside person on ice skates)

(Toby & his 2 siblings on ice,

Rocky laying down, Spike standing up licking Toby's face, & Toby sitting)

(Toby running after person on ice skates)

(Toby & me on ice, both standing)

(Picture of random dogs on ice, Toby's face in right bottom corner)

(Toby jumping onto ice)

(Close up of Toby running happily on ice)

(Close up of Toby's cute face, while he is doing a "down under")

(Toby sitting beside bench- getting ready to do "down under")

(Toby laying down under bench, staring off at a cute little puppy that's not in the picture!)

(Black & white picture of a little girl petting Toby, while he is in a sit stay)

Puppy class- Sat 17th

I had a fun puppy class Saturday afternoon. We even had a trainer from SEGDI in FL leading the meeting!(who even took time off her vacation to come to our meeting).

She gave many good tips & suggestions.

We worked on recalls (come & heel), stays, & many other things- our trainers even had us walk on a flat crate!

Enjoy the pictures!! (my trainer is the one wearing a pink & green shirt)- and the cute little black puppy is not in our group- but her trainer comes to our meeting once in a while, isn't she so-o-o cute!!

Toby

"The dog with a blog"

"Karen" - the trainer from SEGDI

Toby is awesome!

Look what my trainer made for me in a program called "paint"!!

(the first one is my name with different colors "sprayed" on it, and the second one is my name, with "the dog with a blog" under it, and many different words about me - such as, "guide dog, training, Lab, cute, blog, friendly, playful, trainer, woof, food, bark, treats, toys, quite, etc".)

Let me know how you like it!!



Toby
"The dog with a blog"