national service dog week...

In keeping with "National Service dog week" Rick and I (with puppies in tow) found ourselves out at the mall in Manchester for another "awareness event". This one was organized by Sandy (center) and her NEADS service dog, Cece. Even though it was a weekday (and the middle of the week) the rainy weather brought people out to the mall.








We had a pretty good number of folks stop by to ask about the dogs and learn a little more about "what service dogs are about". (which is exactly what this week was intended to do). Course, you know, Otis always has the spotlight!!!!










Cece is a well seasoned service dog.. you can tell she has done many events like this. Actually Sandi is very involved in legislator and has been working hard at changing some of the laws with regards to service dogs...so Cece has seen this sort of thing before.







The one annoying (yet constructive thing in an odd way) was we were "parked" next to a toy vendor. I still am not sure what this guy was trying to prove, but he would take all his wind up, (annoying) toys and place them right near the dogs. At first, they would have been very happy to grab them up and play with them, but once we said "no" they obeyed and just laid there watching these things hop and pop around them. Good training, but really quite rude as well.....

This lovely lady and her service dog (a Gordon setter) came by for a little visit. I have to say, what a handsome dog he was and they made a very nice team working together.

Otis - Ginger.... "it's all about the RED vest!!!"

One thing for sure, this "adventure" of service dog raising has taken me places that I would have never thought to venture out to. I have also had the great pleasure of meeting many wonderful people.. truth is, yes I am doing a "wonderful thing raising a puppy"... but what these puppies have brought to me.... makes every moment more than worth while!!!!

SD's by the sea

All this week, the service puppies are busier than usual... it's National Service dog awareness week, and they (we) have been asked to several events in celebration of it. One such evening was spent at the beach... puppy raiser Lynn, had put together an evening of service dogs in her home town. Now, the cool thing, Lynn lives right on the beach, so she invited us to her house for some supper and beach time before the night's activities. Ginger loves the beach.. so it was a grand night for her....







Otis can certainly put on the "baby charm"....













But, the truth is, he's growing quick and next to Ginger, he isn't so small anymore!!!!











Ed, Sadie and Abbie came along as well. Abbie had a great time on the beach with the dogs. And anytime someone made a comment about them, she was right in there to give her side of the story!!!









Inspecting the water's edge....













and pretty sure these two would be in that water if they could have (but we said no... didn't want them to be wet the whole rest of the evening)

There weren't as many people attending as we had hoped (several other activities were going on in town), but the folks that came were very interested and I think had a pretty nice time.











Lynn had asked if I would give a little speech about puppy raising. Since I have no fears about talking in front of people, and love talking about service dogs... I was more than happy to do so.

Suzan also took the floor and talked about the "rules and regulations" with regards to service dogs. (I really enjoyed listening to her, because I am still unclear about some service dog laws.)

We showed the videos that NEADS put together, had a question and answer time, and mingled with the "crowd". It was a fun night, and I look forward to doing it again next year (with another puppy)....

if you ask...

Ever since I lost my dear little Beeker, I have thought that sometime, I would like to have another silkie chicken. I have been looking in the local feed stores, but because they really aren't a good laying bird, silkies aren't there. You can order them, but it's a bit too late in the summer to do that now. However, living in a small town, word gets out fast, and it's pretty well known that I was looking for a silkie. Well... I didn't get one... I got FIVE!!!! A rooster, two hens (for sure) and two little ones (don't know "what" they are yet).





Roger (who is the overseer of the landfill) raises birds, and on one of our dump runs, he asks if it's true... do I want some silkies. I say - yes, one or two would be nice, but he has a small flock that must go together. Well.. let me think about that, and then I hear, "I have your birds here at the dump, come get them".... ya, OK Roger.... guess I have some birds.







Silkies come in all colors and feather type, other than the handsome black rooster, the others aren't as fluffy as Beeker was, but they are silkies. Beautiful blue ear patches, five toes and feathered legs... black skin and some fluff.. and friendly... you can pick up each one....







We're still picking out names for them.. and they aren't hard to tell apart due to their colorings. The two little hens are laying already, and the younger ones may lay before the summer is over (unless this one here is another rooster).... and who knows, we might even get some little ones ourselves... but either way, silkies are back on the farm, and I may have another Beeker!!!!

enjoying summer

Oh my, the summer is fading fast, and I don't think I have done even half of the things I dreamed about last winter. It seems as though every weekend we are doing as much as possible.. not that we aren't enjoying it, but there are just too many fun things still to see and do.

The next town down we went and saw this water skiing show. Boy, we're they good!!! I appreciate anyone who can stay up on skies, but the tricks that theses folks could do!!!!







I was pretty impressed when they pulled three people....











And then, they added more (it was a pirate theme just in case you couldn't tell). They did jumps and flips, carried more people on their shoulders....











and ended the show by pulling 10 people.












The next evening we had a big cookout at the farm with all my friends from the "service dog world". We thought that a cookout would be more fun that our usual "puppy training night".. not that we don't have fun there... but this was fun with good food!!!!

As usual, we had a nice big crowd. I wished our back deck had been done, but everyone seemed to have fun on the front lawn. It was my dream to have Tonka and Duke give some hay rides... sadly, they had other ideas.... oh well, maybe next year!!!!

We shared stories and talked dogs, and another evening went zipping by.....

A few stayed a little later, so we moved inside ahead of the bugs. Otis had the "job" of entertaining Abbie, who now has figured out how leashes work. Poor dogs, we have to hide the leashes, or they find themselves being towed all around the house by Abbie....

Nothing "better in the world" than tired kids and puppies!!!!!

really --it's been a year?????

Just for the record... we have been in the house for a year.....

just get movitatved..

Abbie and I head up to the barn... and find.....














Empty harness hooks!!! Which means.....












Rick has arrived to "play" with horses. Now as painful as it is for me to admit - I will be honest here, and tell you that I have not worked our horses nearly as much as they should be. True I am busy, but there are times where I could be (should be) out with horses and chose not to. And the sad thing is, the horses were one of the reasons why we made this life switch... and I haven't followed thru. Some of it is motivation, and I just need to "do it". But, we did "do it" today... and started out with some ground driving (Rick took Duke and I took Tonka)

And then Rick decided "enough of this walking business" and put Duke in the cart and off they went. Duke was a bit fussy to start, but once Rick got him off the farm and really working, he said he settled in well, and they had a good time on the road. (Even stopped some traffic and picked up a few compliments)

Since Tonka had been so good for me, we put him in cart next. Rick took him for a short run up the driveway, and then I hopped in and off we went. On the road, Tonka wasn't nearly as quiet as Duke had been, but he was listening. We headed down by the post office, pulled into the parking to turn for home, and Tonka decided to pitch a fit!!! Fortunately, Rick is calm (and a very good horseman), but I admit, I made my exit from the cart and let them alone to work (and to be there in case Rick needed a pair of hands from the ground). It took him sometime and lots of circles, stops and standing to bring Tonka's head around again. But, one thing for sure, this horse needs a ton of work, and the only way that will happen is.... for me to get out there and do it!!!! So, somewhere, if I want a nice driving horse, I have got to find the time!!!!! We did get Tonka back to the farm without too much fussing.... but it will be awhile before he is road ready.



After all that work, the horses were in need of a shower and cooling off. Rick took this time to bring Otis around for horse introductions. Duke was ll for it, but Otis had a different ideas of this.....

Abbie tried to tell Otis that everything is OK.. that horses really are nice....

and that she loves to kiss them...... (Mocha just loves it when Abbie pays a call).....

Later that evening, we met up with Kas and all the Flaggs.... Abbie was exited to learn that it (tomorrow) is Nate's "Krunkels" birthday!!!!

And she gives him the best gift she can...

a hug just for Krunkle!!!!

Happy Birthday NATE!!!!

big city work

Now, if you are thinking "what, she's writing about going to NEADS again"... well, the truth is, another month has gone by. And yes, here is yet another story about us heading to NEADS for our check in. We swapped our puppies back, loaded into the vehicles and headed south. The July check in with Dave. And, dear reader, this also means another thing - Ginger and Leo will check in in August, and then September.... turn in, but that will be another story.

We did our usual "question and answer" time with Dave, and then right into the city. By now the dogs are getting pretty used to this, which is exactly "what" the point is. Maybe I am getting a little used to it too.... but who knows....

We went to our favorite place, the hospital. It really is such a good place to work, Dave can find all sorts of things for us to do. Remember that silly game we played at puppy night - fit your dog into a laundry basket - well, here is where it pays off. Ginger, quite nicely, I might add, tucker herself under this little chair and "disappeared". She is such a good girl, and you know, I am going to miss her very much!!!!!

We do the down stays all over the place. Now only is it good work, but it gives the dogs a few minutes to rest and just take in the sights. What sights......

Well, the groups of people that they attract for one. Many of the hospital folks are used to seeing the NEADS puppies working around... but none the less, they still draw alot of attention....

and why not... any way you look at it, five dogs doing a down with "tons" of people around... is impressive....

We rode on those glass elevators a "million" times. Leo and Otis gave up and had the "again??" attitude... T, Ginger and I had more of the "oh no - AGAIN" attitude. I might get used to the city, but those elevators... never. I will raise a hundred puppies and still "hate" the ride!!!!!








And another day zooms by... Dave with his last words of wisdom, and home we head. And even though the day in the city is always fun, there is something grand about pulling up to the farm.. where the crickets are the loudest the sound that you will hear....

the "great" puppy swap

One thing that Dave has been encouraging the puppy raiser to do.. is swap puppies. Now, we all thought that would probably be a good idea, but actually doing it.... we all love "our" puppies and the idea of handing the off (when we have such a short time with them) was hard - for the humans (for me!!). But, being the good raisers that we are, we made the swap one evening after puppy class - for three days!!!! Bernice got Otis, Rick got Leo, Kathleen got Ginger...








and I got "T".











He was fun to have around, but Abbie was even funnier. She got up the next morning and found T in the house... her first question... "where's Ginga"... so, we tried to explain to an almost two year old, that we had T instead.










Dog trainer in "training".. Abbie loves to make Ginger do her little commands, and Ginger does listen to Abbie with sit, down, go, and touch. So, she tried it with T... but poor T doesn't really understand "baby"... he had kind of a hard time working for her.







Just the same, though, he was very good with her, and Abbie became quite fond of him. She loved the idea that she could say his name, and when she found out that he was a poodle... she called him.. "T the pooda"....



so, T the pooda, hope you had a good time with us!!!!!