IFT Time

As most of you know, Rudy returned to the guide dog school this past Monday (5-30-2011) for IFT (In For Training).
I've been putting off doing a post on his blog for days, as I can't handle to think about him.

Obviously I really hope he does well with his training, and can make it as a guide dog; but I keep having this feeling in the back of my mind - that he's going to get CC due to allergies/such.
Please keep him in your prayers, not only for him to do well with training - but for him to also pass his medical exams.

Since I don't have another puppy at the moment, but I'm really wanting to keep this blog updated - I will be "drawing out" the pictures and such. So this post will only have pictures of the acutely "drop off", but the pictures taken on the way down, will be posted later.

We arrived at the guide dog school a little before 10am on Monday morning. Showing up a little early, as I wanted a couple pictures in front of the guide dog sign.
Rudy was quite interested in the dog scent that was everywhere - but did obey his sit-stay for the photos.
We were turning in Rudy on Memorial Day (as we were unable to attend the IFT date), so they had very few staff there; which ended up being quite nice...

Normally, once you hand over the dog - it's just taken away (heading to the IFT kennel). And we don't see them again (for now).
But since they didn't have a trainer there to take Rudy, they allowed me to walk him to the IFT kennel (which I've never seen!) - while a kennel assistant escorted us.
I was quite happy to be able to have Rudy for those few extra minutes, but the second I handed over that leash - I was in tears.
Did Rudy care? Not one bit!
Maybe after a little while he started wondering where I was, but he's quite dog distracted... and thought he was in doggy heaven.

When people ask what's the hardest thing to do with puppy raising - the "IFT Time" is always my answer. Giving up a pup that you've had since a young age, while keeping in mind that you may never see him/her again - is what I call hard.

I will be posting some more pictures soon, and Rudy also wanted me to let you guys know the "surprise animal" we picked up down in FL (still not a new puppy - or kitty).

Rudy's Raiser

Last Post

Hey everybody!
Furry thanks to all who've left goodbye comments fur me, I've really enjoyed reading them - and I know my raiser is really thankful to have all you wonderful followers out there, leaving her some nice words.
Just wanted to do a quick post, to let you know I've made it to FL - and we'll be heading to the guide dog school tomorrow morning.
My raiser did have a surprise, that we picked up on the way down here - which I knew nothing about... (nope, it's not another guide dog puppy). She'll be sure to tell you all about the new little animal, once she gets back from FL.
I do have to say that she is very cute - and I'm so glad I got to meet her!
Thanks again for all the comments you guys are leaving - I know this is going to be really hard on my raiser to give me up... and the comments mean a lot to her (and me!).
Hugs & Slobbery kisses to all!

Rudy - The dog with a blog

GoodBye to All

If I don't get a chance to post tomorrow (once I'm in FL), this will be my LAST post.
I'm leaving it picture free, as you will then have more to see later on, once I'm gone.
I've yet to see my raiser cry, about me returning to the school - but I know she'll be in tears, once she hands that lead over.
I know I'll miss her terrible - but I don't know how she's going to live life without me.
I really hope a wonderful trainer down at the school, will happen to snap lots of pictures of me - so then my raiser will be able to see how well I'm doing.
I can't believe how soon these posts I'm doing will be coming to a end. I'm going to miss running a blog, and I know I'll try with all my might to get my new owner to let me run a blog.
A furry tearful goodbye to all, and I'm sooo sorry I've not been able to stop by your blogs lately - I've been trying to save my time for my wonderful raiser.
I do hope to blog tomorrow while in FL, but if not - Goodbye!

Rudy - The dog with a blog

New Plan

*(Written by Rudy's Raiser)*
It's almost like Rudy and I have been riding a 'IFT roller coaster'...

First off, we thought Rudy would be heading IFT ('In For Training' - back to the guide dog school for further training) June 13-18. We found out a week ago, that the IFT date was moved, and is know set for June 4th.
Not only is that 2 weeks sooner, but I also won't be able to make it - so I was just planning on another raiser taking Rudy down for us.
Plans have changed again though, and Rudy will now be leaving on May 29th/30th. But there is only one reason for that... so I can take him back.
So though Rudy is heading IFT even earlier, I will be taking him back myself - instead of another raiser dropping him off for me.

Rudy has a lot of "saying goodbyes" to do before he leaves, and 1 week from this coming Sunday... we will be on our way to the guide dog school in FL to drop him off.

I'm excited to have a dog at the guide dog school, so I can follow along with his training/report cards - but I'm not looking forward to giving Rudy up, and I know that day will be filled with many tears of sadness...

Rudy's Raiser

My Pizza Cook (and a sad GOOD BYE to Big Al)

(Written by Rudy's Raiser)
For all my current readers, you know that Rudy has been participating in a "puppy swap" in our guide dog group. (for 2 weeks - all the raiser's swap dogs, which helps with the dogs training and much more!) .

Rudy will be coming back tomorrow (after our guide dog meeting) and Al will be heading home.

**I've got many more pictures of Al, that I've not had time to let Al post... so we will be doing a couple more posts about him, next week, complete with pictures!

Onto my awesome Pizza Cook helper...

Tonight, is PIZZA NIGHT at our house (we make our VER OWN pizza) and Al has decided to "help" with some things...

He was a great helper... by NOT tasting AND ignoring the pizza/dough!

But he did seem to get a "little" bit of flour on his face (trust me, it was an accident... but makes for very cute pictures!).

Please make sure to leave a comment saying good bye to Al - he does leave tomorrow morning and I know will miss all of you!

I'll miss him for sure, but I will be doing a couple posts with pictures of him next week (Um... I never got the time to post all the pictures of Al!)

For all who have (or MAY) enter Rudy's Valentine's Giveaway (which was going to end tomorrow), please note that we are postponing the ending date... Till the FIRST of March 2011 (This coming Tuesday). Due to the fact that I'm REALLY, REALLY busy :)

And with the huge banquet and auction coming up this weekend... I know all of us will be quite busy!

So make sure to head over and enter Rudy's Giveaway... which now ends 3-1-2011.

Wishing Al a very happy but tearful Good-Bye - we will miss you dearly (and I know all of our furry awesome followers will too!), but we sure enjoyed the time you were here... and know you are dying to get back with your very own raisers!

Rudy's Raiser and... "Big" Al's Puppy Swap Handler

Liberty will sure miss you!

See You Soon!

Hey furry friends, I'm about to head off to the puppy sitters house, just wanted to say a quick bye to all my furry fun blogging pals - and have a blast without me here!
My raiser will be heading out soon with some of her family to the fair - so she can show her dairy goats. Do to the fact that she will be WAY busy, she has to leave me behind... with a puppy sitter. I'm fine with that though, it sounds like this sitter will be a total blast! (aren't they all!?)

I'll be blogging when I get back, but fur now - I leave you with a picture of me "helping" my raiser shop for her Sweet Sixteen Birthday party,

(For those who didn't get a chance to read the post my raiser wrote yesterday, please make sure to stop by and read it, as it has some sad news about Toby (her last dog she raised) in it).

Rudy
The dog with a blog

Wordless Wednesday

Rudy's Raiser

The human without a dog that has a blog

Good Bye!!

*(Written by Rudy's Raiser)*
Hey guys, (most) of our family is heading out tomorrow for a wonderful trip down to Disney. I'll be gone for another week or so - but I'm hoping to get some posts written for a scheduled time of posting for next week.

Just thought I'd let you know - just in case I don't get any back up posts written!
I'll be back before you know it (and so will Rudy!).

I'm off to call Rudy's puppy sitter (he's staying with another guide dog raiser while I'm at Disney - I'll pick him up when I get back!).
Thanks to all who comment while we are gone - sorry I can't stop and visit you!

Rudy's Raiser
The human without a dog that has a blog

USNA...

****Warning! Very long post ahead****

Hey furry friends! I'm finally back from the short furry fun "vacation" we were on.
So sorry for the warning at the top - but thought I should let you guys know... that this post will be a "little" long!
If you have time please read about the fun trip -I know you will enjoy it - I even mention a cannon in the update :)

Thursday
Back on Thursday, we left the house. To drive hours & hours on the road. (Getting to the hotel around midnight). I don't have much to tell - as we were just driving... so no fun update on Thursday. But...

Friday
I found out what we were doing. We were up in Maryland... visiting? My raiser's brother, who's at the Naval Academy (USNA). I've met my raiser's brother a couple times (back in May/June). So I was furry glad to see him again - and see some of his friends!
The family got to eat lunch with him (in the dining hall where all the other's eat). And I sat quietly on the floor, like a good dog!
We all went to watch the parade - which I really enjoyed, 'til I heard the band playing. My raiser had to make sure to keep me quite - because I really wanted to join in! What we didn't realize they were going to do was... Fire off a cannon... not once, not twice... but over 7 times! My raiser was so shocked I didn't even bark!
After hanging out for quite awhile we headed to some place where they go running - but since there would be obstacles on the way, I stayed back with my raiser's mother. When my raiser got back from running - she went on and on about how fun it was climbing & jumping over things. If it was so much fun... she should have taken me!
We headed to someones house that night to eat dinner (our family and some others made pizza), getting back to the hotel late at night I was soo sleepy! On

Saturday
My raiser, her mom & me headed downtown for some shopping. While the others went to the Navy football game. Little did I know that downtown was also called "dogtown". More than half the people brought their dog along! I saw and ignored soo many dogs, from little hand held dogs - to dogs that are taller then our family dog Liberty! (who's an English Mastiff!). It was a fun time in downtown, and we even went into the store called "The Black Dog". While in there we did have some families ask if I was "The Black Dog" - nope, I'm just a very cute black puppy! But I was soo happy they thought I'd be "The black dog!". After the football game ended we all headed to someones house for a cookout! I really enjoyed getting all the awesome attention. And later on I even got to "help" play volleyball... but my raiser made me stay on the sidelines :(

Sunday
After church we headed to the mall for some lunch, I slept quietly while they ate, and pretty soon it was time to say our goodbye. My raiser's brother went back to the Naval Academy - and we headed on home. I enjoyed the hours of sleep on the way home, and was so glad to see Liberty when we walked through the door!


Now that my update about our trip is over, please enjoy the pictures (and movies!) below, I most likely left out something important about our trip... but I'm off to sleep some more... so enjoy it how it is... :)
Someday soon I'll stop by your blog!

Rudy
The dog with a blog

(Movie of Rudy playing with the balloon we were given at the hotel)



(Movie of Rudy watching the band at the parade)


(Movie of Rudy listening to the cannon)

(Movie of Rudy watching the parade - as people march by)

Furry Kisses

Hey furry friends!
I'm doing a quick post to let you know that my Raiser, some of her family & I are headed out... bags are packed and we are going... somewhere... I'll find out where, when we get there!
Pictures and a fun update will be coming soon when I return.


Please don't miss me too much... but I know I'll miss all of you guys!
Enjoy the cute pictures taken Tuesday, and giveaway (hopefully) coming next week!

Furry fun kisses!


Rudy
The dog with a blog

Switch It Up...

Hey furry friends!
My raiser has been hogging the blog lately - due to "updates" on Toby, (like he's more important than me! NO WAY, I'm much cuter than him in a long shot).

I thought I'd give you guys a short update on me real quick... as you won't be seeing many posts next week.

This Sunday I will be leaving... Not for long! Just 1 week :)
My Raiser will be going to some week long "4-H Congress" event, and thinks I'm "too young" to attend it with her. But she hates going dogless to events, so she's doing a "puppy swap" with my furry friend Sparkie. (We puppy sat him last month).

Tomorrow after our puppy meeting we will be swapping - I'll go to Sparkie's house, and he'll come to mine!!

I know we are both going to have such furry fun, but I'll sure miss all you guys! I told Sparkie he could do a post or two - but he's leaving with my Raiser on Monday. So I don't know if he'll have time.
My raiser might "schedule" a post or two to publish while she's gone - just so I don't leave you guys completely!

So long furry friends, and I'm leaving you with 2 furry cool pictures of me!

P.S. My Raiser wanted to let all who commented on the last post know that the picture of Toby may have been sad - but he's really enjoying himself down there, and she wants to make sure you all know it's really heaven in the kennels at the school - so Toby doesn't think he's in "prison" or anything!

Furry Kisses!

Rudy
The Dog With a Blog

(almost) Wordless Wednesday - Are You Gonna Miss Me?

This photo (and movie) was taken of Toby the day before he went IFT.

In the picture and movie he is saying goodbye to my horse (Bella). He's so cute, I miss that face!

Toby's Raiser & Tracker's Sitter

The human sometimes with a dog that has a blog

(Movie of Toby giving Bella "kisses" on her muzzle!)

A Goodbye Is Never Easy

I may have raised 3 dogs - but turn in is NEVER easy.

Toby left me yesterday morning. I will never forget that moment, handing over a dog that I've raised for the past 10 1/2 months, who went everywhere with me, never leaving my side. And then having the thought in my head that I would possible NEVER see him again.

You are correct that was NOT easy. Of course Toby didn't mind - he just "trotted" off with the SEGDI trainer like he didn't care.

Toby isn't mine. I remember signing papers stating that this is a temporary home - he doesn't belong to me.
I am okay with that, I know that Toby has a job to do, whether it's leading a blind person, helping a disabled girl, sniffing out drugs, or maybe even being a sweet pet to a lonely family. He has many choices and I know he will pick the right one.
I will always miss Toby, I still stop at the doors waiting for him to "find the door", does he? No, because he is down at the school finishing training... taking the path that he wants, choosing a career and sticking with it.
Good luck Toby, you will always be in my heart, I love you and will NEVER forget you. Have fun with all your buddies down at the school and PLEASE listen to your teachers - college isn't just a party!

Toby's Raiser
The human without a dog that has a blog

Goodbye and PUPPY NEWS

It's time... to say goodbye.

I will miss you guys and remember you for a long time.

Thank you for following my adventures as a guide dog in training - now it's time for me to go and take the "in training" off and become the best guide dog I can.

Though you are saying goodbye to me you will be saying "hello" to something new...

Yes, my Raiser got an email today, she is bringing home a puppy NEXT MONTH! (May 19th!).

I don't know much more but the email did include that it is a male black Goldador and it's mom's name is Ginger.

My Raiser has taken many pictures of me today, I will include 2 in this post, the rest will be published later when my Raiser has time.

I will be turned in at the guide dog school around 11:30am (along with my 2 sisters). This is when I will say goodbye to my Raiser and hello to my new furry friends.

I hope you guys will miss me as much as I will miss you :) I loved this blog and hope to convince my new owner to start a blog for me!

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

Good bye... and hello!

I kind of forgot to do a post before I left last week... my trainer & her family went out of town Wednesday morning & I went with them!!! I had soo much fun! We were in the car all day Wednesday- driving to Ohio. We also stopped at a store in WV, and they had some really cool (life sized)carved animals - which I wasn't too sure about...(a wolf wearing a sheep coat!?!?- and hunting dogs that don't smell like dogs??) My trainer made it all better though, because when we left she bought me 4 iced dog treats!!!

I found out the family we were staying with had a release CCI dog!! He was a VERY obedient dog! His name was "Hayden", and he was a black male lab- who will be turning 2 soon. He and I got along quite well - of course since I am a still a little "hyper" sometimes I had to stay beside my trainer the whole time, but during movie time at night we both shared the same bed, and bone!!

We also went to a college in Ohio, and a Muesum in Kentucky - but my trainer told me to do them in another post since she got WAY too many pictures! And didn't want this post to be "too" long:)

She took 190 photos... I told her I wasn't going to use them all!
Please enjoy the pictures, & comment too!

Toby

the dog with a blog

"Sheep wolf"

In Tamarak, WV

"Hunting dogs"

At Haden's house

(in my grandparents backyard- Sunday)