Happy (almost) New Years!! *and 2011 goals!*

I hope all my furry awesome followers have a very Happy New Year!

2010 was a GREAT year for me, to start off with...

1. I was BORN this year :)

2. I met my raiser this year

3. Our blog participated in the FIRST ever Global Animal Blogging Event that Twinkie set up!
3. I started training to become a guide dog this year, and... I met all of YOU guys!

Hope all of you had a furry cool 2010 like I did!

Now for my 2011 goals:

What, dogs have goals?

Yep! My raiser let Toby (her last guide dog puppy) come up with some goals he'd like to reach before heading back down to the guide dog school. So I decided I want to come up with some "goals" too.

I'd like to "reach" them before I head to the school for future training (date unknown; but will be after May 2011).

Rudy's 2011 Goals:

1. Have over 300 followers on my blog (current: 233 followers)

2. Get more comments on my blog posts (normal around 5/12 per post - would like 15/20 per post)

3. Continue posting often

4. Do very well with training and obey my furry cool raiser

5. Hold more giveaways on my blog for YOU guys!

(Updates on my goals will be posted later on in 2011)

Fur now I hope ALL OF YOU enjoy New Year's Eve and have a very Happy New Years!

Many updates coming in 2011 :)

Furry last 2010 kisses,

Rudy

The dog with a blog

My 2010 cuteness...

Disney World Fun and CSN Stores Review

Hey furry friends!
My raiser has been quite busy around here - and not had anytime to let me do a blog post. (She's been clipping goats - and giving them a whole new hair do for the goat show coming up soon!). But she's taking a break from that right this second :)
This post is a little about my raiser's Disney World trip - she told me all about it, so I could do a fun short post (with a couple pictures too).

Disney World 2010 - WITHOUT the dog :(
My raiser (and her family) went to all 4 parks (Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom & Hollywood Studios), and both water parks (Blizzard Beach & Typhoon Lagoon).
Her favorite water park was Blizzard Beach - and though she loved all 4 theme parks, she likes Hollywood Studios the best (due to the awesome rides they have!).
She loves riding roller coasters, so at each and ever theme park... she got on the roller coaster... and enjoyed it very much!
At Disney Quest (in Downtown Disney) she really liked building her own roller coaster (and getting to ride it!).
Of course, knowing my raiser... she shopping... a whole lot!! She didn't buy too much, but she made sure to pick up something for the giveaway winner - and runner up! And a couple cute things for herself... !
She met some new friends while down at Disney, and also got to meet some cool characters (Including Pluto, Mickey, Minnie, Donald - and more).
though this really doesn't tell much about her trip - it does give you a "little" bit of information about her vacation. But I'm not nice enough to let her get all the spot light!
I saved some time on this post.... to give a shout out to CSN stores, as they are letting me do another review on my blog! And I'm furry sure my raiser will get something for me :)
Of course, I saw her searching the sites - and not only was she looking at pillows, wall items and bed sets, she was also looking at dog toys... so maybe... just maybe... she'll get something for me!!
Thanks so much CSN stores! Make sure to check them out (if you haven't already!),

Enjoy the photos below,

Rudy
The dog with a blog










(My raiser celebrated her 16th birthday while down at Disney - she even got a free marshmallow treat!)



Okay - I know she was doing a photography class assignment and all - but why getting a photo from "a worms eye view" I think it makes no sense...

Last Chance!

TODAY is your last chance to get your guesses in for the Name Game.
So far - NO ONE has guessed it (out of all 48 comments... not a single person has guessed the name!).
You have 'til Midnight TONIGHT (Saturday May 22nd 2010) to get your guesses in. That is in TWO HOURS.
Hop over to the Name Game post to learn more. (clue - the name is FOUR letters long)

Tomorrow the blog's name will change... you will never see the title "Toby's life... as a guide dog in training" anymore. It will change. It will be hard deleting Toby's name and replacing it with the new puppy's name, but tomorrow it will be done.

PUPPY COMES TOMORROW! :) :)

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

He's Here!

Remember the "new puppy" I would get on May 19th?
HE CAME TODAY!

Tracker showed up this morning at 8am, he's the cutest 8 week old pup I've ever seen!

I introduced him to the guide dog coat, took him on some puppy outings, then brought him back home to rest.

Oh wait... this "new puppy" isn't mine... he's not even in training to be a guide dog...

Sorry, had to trick you guys!

Tracker is a 8 week old Black Mouth Cur puppy. My neighbors just got him last Friday.

He came right when the owner was scheduled to have back surgery, so I offered to watch him.

She's having the back surgery today, so Tracker came over this morning. I will keep him all day today and tomorrow, FUN!!

I also plan on helping out with Tracker over the next couple weeks (before my new puppy comes), so you guys may be seeing a lot of cute puppy pictures!

Toby's Raiser & Trackers Sitter

The human with a dog (for now!) that has a blog

Vet visit, an award, and Zumba!

You read the title correct - I did go to the VET.

On Sunday I stopped eating my food and started having diarrhea - this went on 'til Monday, when I had skipped 3 feedings, my Raiser called our Area Coordinator and got permission to take me to the... VET.

The vet couldn't find anything wrong with me, but gave me a shot (which is when I fell off the table...) and sent me home with pills to take.

The following day I had my appetite back and my diarrhea gone!

We don't know what was wrong with me, but some say it might have to do with the "pollen" or maybe a stomach bug. I'm just glad I'm feeling better!

On to a happier thought - Mayzie passed along the "Beautiful Blogger Award" to me!

Thanks Mayzie!

I've seen some different rules with this award and don't know which to follow, so I'm going to just say THANKS!

I'd like to pass this award on to ALL of my followers!

On to Zumba:

Tonight was one of my last times at Zumba (a 1 hour class at the YMCA - they "exercise" to music), after Zumba my Raiser got a picture of her, the teacher, and me together. I'm sure going to miss the Y!

Toby

The dog with a blog

I thought I had 2 weeks :(

But now I only have 4 days...

We just found this email from our Area Coordinator this afternoon -

"Puppy Raisers for Toby, Rocky, Spike, Duchess & Cassie, I regret to inform you that your dog has been called back EARLIER then the IFT date set- their new date is for next week, Monday April 5th - Wednesday April 7th. If you are unable to return your dog in those dates please email me directly"

WHAT???
I THOUGHT I HAD 2 WEEKS?!?

Oh wait, forgot this part...

"April Fools Toby!"

*(Please note: This email was NOT sent/written by my area coordinator - it was written by me for a joke - none of it is true).

Oh, jee thanks mom -tell me AFTER I write the post :(

Happy April Fools everybody!

If you haven't already please make time to enter our giveaway - all you have to do is leave 1 comment on that post before April 18th! The prize is for some lovely homemade goat milk soaps!

Enjoy the pictures below of me "helping" with spring cleaning :)

Toby

The dog with a blog

Your help...

...is needed!!
Some of my newer followers may not have seen the post I did back in December, with the goals I hoped to achieve BEFORE returning back to the school.

My top 5 were -

1. Get 100 followers on my blog (!!)
2. Get over 20 comments on 1+ posts (20 comments from 20 different blogs)
3. Update my blog frequently
4. Obey my trainer and learn as much as possible
5. Become the BEST guide dog I can!

YOUR HELP is needed for the first 2, if you are a current reader that isn't following my blog, please do so. If you are one of my pawesome followers and you LOVE my posts, please leave comments.


I would love to fulfill most (if not all) of my goals - you may not be able to help with me obeying my raiser, but you CAN (and hopefully will!) follow me & leave comments!

Updates on my goals:
1. I have 88 followers, only 12 more to go!
2. The most I have gotten on a post is 15 comments, please keep commenting!
3. I have been very busy with blogging lately, adding Wordless Wednesday posts on too.
4. My Raiser said I'm doing a GREAT job with this one, and learning as much as possible!
5. I'm trying... I guess will find out in a month!

If you can help me at all with reaching my goals PLEASE DO!!

All comments I receive from you guys are greatly appreciated :)
THANK YOU!

Enjoy the 2 photos of my shopping trip today, I had some more comments on what a great "GUIDE dog" I am... :)


Toby
The dog with a blog

It's snowy, with a chance of fun!

Hey everybody!
I did enjoy the snow, for a little while, but all to soon I was doggone BORED with it.

Thank goodness for the sun, because I now have "some" grassy spots in my yard! (see pictures below)

And where there's snow, it's soft, (not crunchy hard like it was earlier this morning!).

Though I do have to admit I had a BLAST when my trainer took me sledding with her, later on I found out I was the ONLY dog of hers she has sledded with; I must be a pawsome awesome doggy!

On to the "fun" part of this post though...

I heard that some contests have started the voting on their blogs. I would love your vote (unless you already gave it to another doggy) for the following 3 contests -

Niamh's contest just started today, voting will continue for 3 days, scurry over & cast your vote!

(Entry photos can be viewed here)

Tucker's "sit-stay" contest started off yesterday, voting will continue for 4 more days, stop bye & vote for your favorite photo!

(Entry photos can be viewed here)

Mango's contest is off to a great start, the first class "cat dogs" has already finished, and for today "hound dogs" are being judged. Stop bye his blog and vote for your favorite "hound dog".

(I am entered in his contest - but I'm in the class "hard workers", which isn't available for voting yet).

Please don't feel like you have to vote for me in those contests, just make sure to stop bye & vote for your favorite!

I'm gonna go take a nap, have a happy Monday & first day in February :)

Toby

The dog with a blog

(Picture of Toby's head, with patches of

snow/grass in the background, all you can

see is Toby's face & a little piece of his red

leather Disney collar)

(Picture of Toby's full face & neck, with patches of snow & grass in the background, you can see 1 Mickey mouse head on Toby's red leather Disney collar)

(Picture of just snow & grass, their are various patches of grass mixed into the snow, you can see many boot/paw marks through out the snow also)

(Picture of Toby snuggled up on his bed, his leather red Disney collar his very visible in the picture)

White... SNOW!!

(Black/white picture of Toby's head with
snow in the background, you can also see
his leather collar & black leash)


SNOW, REAL SNOW!!
You may remember the post I did back in December 2009, how I only got "ice" snow, (all you could do was slip & slide!).

Well yesterday it snowed, yes SNOWED, no fake snow like before, real flaky white snow!

Today (Saturday) my raiser's plans had been canceled (as the weather was too bad), so she took me way out back to go sledding! Taking the camera with her too!
She got her sister to take some videos of her & I sledding together (yeah...), I mostly just pushed her down the hill, and then ran "somewhat" beside her! She did have to remind me that the sled is NOT for chewing on, though I think it tasted pretty good!

I was wearing a long red leash while out playing, so she didn't have to worry about me running away (we were in a fenced in area too), not that I would run away (...) my raiser just likes to be on the safe side!

Please note that I was NOT pulling my raiser at ANY times with any of my pawsome strength, (though it may look like I am pulling her down the hill, I'm definantly not!!).


After some fun sledding she let me play "fetch" (for me it's "go get it", don't worry I'm not learning to "fetch" like real dogs!). My raiser thought it was really funny to watch me catch a piece of snow she threw, and then me not be able to find it; I just thought it was plain fun!

Enjoy the many movies & pictures my raiser attached below, (You may notice that I'm wearing different collars in different pictures, the one's of me wearing my pawsome red leather collar were taken up at the house, the ones of me wearing a pink collar were taken down where we were sledding)

Did you get any snow? Feel free to comment away!

Have a pawsome snowy weekend:)

Toby The dog with a blog

(Picture of Toby eating snow, you can see his long red leash in front of him, and a happy face on him!)







(Picture taken from the side, you can see Toby's head & pink collar (yes pink...), Toby's looking straight ahead at my sister who's sledding)





(Picture of Toby & I, Toby's in a stand beside me, I'm laying down on a yellow sled, we're both looking at the camera)





(Picture of Toby eating snow, his red collar & black leash are also very visible in the picture)





Above, (Toby following me down the hill; he is running beside the sled, which I am on, you also notice to the left side there is a "round metal thing" we sometimes use it as a "tunnel" to sled through)

Above, (Toby "fetching" the snow I threw for him, he was really enjoying the "icy treat"!)

Above, (Toby in a sit-stay on a blue sled, I am pulling the sled, while holding Toby's lead, we are going VERY slow. You may notice that Toby comes 1 sec before I called him... he didn't like the idea of sledding very much!)

10 months!

*(Written by Toby's Raiser)*

Wow, Toby turned 10 months yesterday, really TEN MONTHS!

It's quite hard for me to believe, it seems like just last week I was carrying him in my arms, cuddling his little head in my lap.

He has grown so much since then!

At times he may do something "wrong" but he is my baby, my spoiled dog (well I wish, but alas he's not allowed on my bed, the chair or the drivers seat!).

Toby is really doing well with his training, he enjoys the harness and thinks it's wonderful that he gets to wear it in public!

I would like to include some words about Toby, so here goes -

10 words for 10 months

Toby (Kinda obvious!)

Energetic (For the days he makes 30 laps around the INSIDE of the house...)

Nosily adorable (For his cute nose always being their to cheer us up!)

Mainly the same (Though he's grown large & more obedient he really is the same dog)

Obedient (He really trys to please me with his obedience!)

Neatly Nice (He gets more compliments than I do when we are in town!)

aTtentive (At times he may "ignore" me, but for the most part he is an attentive dog)

Handsome (Many compliments from the public for this one)

Silly (Every dog has their "thing", Toby's includes being "silly")

Now to prove you just read the above "10 words for 10 months" you should be thinking something along the lines of "Where is the tenth word for the tenth month?".

Am I right?

If not then you did just go back and count the words, right!?

You wanna know why?

I tried to figure out what ten words to list for this post, when Toby turned 8 months I used the letters in "Guide Dog", which equaled 8 words.

I didn't want to do just random words, so I thought about using "Ten Months", then noticed that it was only 9 letters.

I decided that 9 letters will have to do.

So the tenth word is "invisible" (you may have figured it out by now!), while in public if Toby is under a table, in a rest room, or in a store many people never noticed Toby. 'Til he walked right in front of them.

I had 1 person that was sitting behind us in a class room, and not once for the whole hour did they realize a dog was under the table!

At our house "invisible" is something we NEVER see!

I hope you enjoyed the "ten words", I enjoy figuring them out!
Toby had his 10 month pictures taken today (so really they would be 10 month & ONE day pictures!).

All the below pictures (besides Toby & the car) were taken with my awesomely cool gorillapod, it is quite helpful when I can't find a person to go with me and take pictures!

Please enjoy all the pictures!

And I would like to wish Toby and all of his siblings (Rocky, Duchess, Cassidy & Spike) a HAPPY TEN MONTHS!!

Toby's Raiser

"The Human that has a dog with a blog"

For the following pictures Toby is in harness, and the background is the sky & trees, both of us are sitting in the grass)

(Close up black/white picture of Toby & I sitting, I am looking at the camera while Toby is "gazing" off)

(Black/white picture of Toby & I, Toby's in a sit, and I am crouching beside him, both of us are gazing off to the right)

(Black/white picture of Toby "kissing" my chin, he is in a stand, while I am crouching in front of him, I am peaking at the camera, and he is looking at me)

(Black/white picture of Toby & I, he is in a stand looking at me, while I am crouching down looking straight at him)

(Black/white picture of Toby & I; Toby's in a stand, I am crouching down beside him and we are both "smiling" at the camera)

(COLOR! Picture of Toby & I, Toby is in a stand beside me, I am kneeling down, we are both looking at the camera)

These last 2 pictures are of Toby with the NEW car.

Yes the NEW CAR, we just got a lime green Honda Element today!

(Close up of Toby's front legs & face, he is beside the front right tire of the green element, he is gazing to the right)

(Toby in a stand in the front of the green element, he is staring at the camera)

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)

Wow, 2010!

Hey everybody!

I hope you guys are having a pawsome 2010:)

I sure am!

(Picture of Toby's face/front 2 legs upside down on my sister)

I have now chewed up every new dog toy that I got for Christmas, besides the stainless steel bowl, and I'm very proud of myself.

(Picture of Toby tearing up a toy- with stuffing laying beside it)

I am enjoying the cold outside, it means my trainer now does my obedience training inside more than outside!

I'm also quite happy about getting pills for the medical issues I've been having - as my trainer dips them in peanut butter! (which is a dogs BEST friend). I should be off my antibiotics in about 1 week.

My trainer's sister had a friend over, so they all had a slumber party, and pulled out their sleeping bags, then when they went to bed I got locked in the crate!!

Please enjoy the pictures of how I spent MY New Years:)

(You may notice that in ALL the pictures I am on someone else's bed- aka human sleeping bags, which are quite comfy!)

Toby

The dog with a blog

(Toby cuddled up on OUR purple sleeping bag)

(Toby chewing on his bone, while laying on OUR sleeping bags)

(Toby looking straight at the camera, while laying on our blankets)