neads... spring graduation

NEADS spring graduation... Sunday April 10th....we were all excited to go.. this is Danny's graduation day!!! I haven't seen him since he left us in February 2015... so I couldn't wait to meet up with him again. I was happy to be able to tell Jeff all about his puppy raising and living with us on the farm......

Kathleen, Bernice... Linda, Logan and myself.....

As we were just heading into the "meet and greet".. one of the neads officials came with the sad news. Danny and his owner were not going to make it there for graduation. Ugh!!!  such disappointing news!!! I didn't realize how much I was wanting to see him, until this news arrived.... just one of those things that can't be helped.. but.. we puppy raisers really do look forward to seeing our babies this one last time....

Logan, on the other hand, took it all in stride. And though she wasn't able to meet up with Danny, she did find another service dog who lives in Maine and made fast friends with her... a "Ginger" to be exact... so, even though we didn't have Danny's owner to talk with, we did have some time to meet and talk with other clients and their dogs. 

After Logan got to say hello to some other puppies, she was good and happy to just lay quietly while other people came to meet her. This is one of her neatest qualities.. she can turn it on and shut it down so easily... a very good thing for a service dog (aka puppy in training) to know....

They had a nice turn out of clients, dog, raisers and guests, as they usually do..... the little puppy book I had made for Danny, I gave to Annie (our new trainer) and she will mail it onto Danny's people. I sure hope they enjoy it and I have to say, I hope that I might get a little card or note back from them. But, if not... that's they way it is.... they're not required by any means to keep in touch with us. 

We moved to the auditorium to enjoy the rest of graduation....

 Logan snuggled under the seats.. just where she needed to be....

And even though they didn't make it.. they did send a message that was read during graduation.. and so, the rest is "Danny's Story"....

Part of the graduation ceremony was to talk about the dogs that are out there doing the work. One of them highlighted was Rylie!!! She wasn't there, but it was so nice to hear about her and all the good works that she and her Mom are doing at Boston Medical.. I especially enjoyed seeing the photos of her at work.....

So, another wonderful graduation, another puppy off into the world... and that makes an official five graduates that I have helped along... Chester, Ginger, Rylie, Debbie and Danny!!!.... I always tell my babies.. "it's all about the RED vest".... and Logan seems to be on that track as well.......