Guide Dog Training Day 1: Getting Comfy

As you can probably guess by the title of this post, I have successfully made it through my first day of guide dog training. The first day of any guide dog training program I know of is guide dogless. The day is spent orienting yourself to your surroundings so that you can provide consistent and reliable instructions for your new dog. The hotel we've been put up in is incredibly nice and all of the staff have been more than accommodating. There is a 20 metre pool, gym and I think the bathroom alone in my room is bigger than my bedroom in my flat.
The guide dog trainer picked me up shortly after nine this morning and then we went off to the bus station to pick up the other student. The other student is a very nice woman who is now training with her fourth guide dog who happens to be a black Labradoodle.
Arriving at the hotel, we sat in our little "lounge" which is a bedroom with table, chairs and a small love seat that has been set up for our use. The bed's been removed to allow room for seating. There is always tea, coffee and cookies available and this is where our dogs' food will be housed during our stay. This is also the room that we will use to have "lectures" of sort.
After a quick coffee break we headed to our rooms to unpack. Unloading my suitcase made me realise just how purple my stuff is. I have purple Wellies with purple liners, purple jammies, scarf, purse, socks purple Etc. The trainer took us each individually around the hotel in order to show us the various rooms we would need to know. I even got a quick tour of the gym facilities.
We had a tasty lunch of soup and sandwiches in the little cafe type thing and then it was back to learning routes around the hotel, including the area where we'll take our dogs to relieve. My dog uses grass so my relieving spot is different from that of the Labradoodle's who will be using a "spending pen." This concept was foreign to me as all of Leader Dogs' dogs go on leash, but I think the idea is that the dog is just let into the pen and does his/her business off leash. If I'm incorrect, I'll let you know once the dogs arrive.
 I may have fallen asleep briefly on the very large, comfortable bed for a moment or two. My nap was short lived as we had another quick run through some routes, a brief meeting about some housekeeping items such as getting photos for our guide dog ID cards then the other student and I sat and chatted for a while. We retired to our rooms to freshen up for supper and then it was back down to the cafe thingy for a very tasty pasta dish. We can order pretty much anything we want on the menu and judging by tonight's meal, we're in for a real treat. The food is quite good.
It doesn't seem like a whole lot when written down like this, but I'm glad we didn't have our dogs already. Learning the ins and outs of this place was enough for one day. The hotel is quite old and there are a lot of nooks and crannies one could get lost in. I'm not exhausted or anything, could be due to that nap I had, but I'm definitely ready to put my feet up and relax.
In fact, I'm off to have a bath and then it's sleepy time. We have another busy day with an early start and our dogs arriving after lunch.

The count Down is On

It's only seven short/long days before I go into intensive training with my new guide dog. Short because there is still quite a bit of stuff I need to get done before going, like laundry, but it's also long because when you're excited for something like this the days usually seem to drag. However, this guide dog experience is a bit strange for me.
The last two times away training there was only me to think about. This time I am leaving at husband and three other dogs at home. It's kind of odd because although I am so excited, part of me is kind of sad because I'll miss them all; especially the husband of course. I'll be in the hotel for only two and a  half weeks and Mr. K is allowed to come visit, but leaving him behind for that amount of time, even though it's not that long, makes me miss him a little bit already. That's a good thing, right? ;)
So that is how it's different this time around. I had never really thought about it before-having to go away to get a dog and having family still at home. The last two times, all I could think about was the upcoming adventure and question what kind of dog I would get. This time around, I already know who my dog is. Another difference. Not bad, just different. In fact, knowing who SHE is makes it all that more exciting.
Woops. Did I say she?
Since training dates have been confirmed, I figured I could at least tell you that I've been matched with another girl. I always thought I was better suited to work with females and so was excited to find out I had been matched with a girl. I've seen her three times now. The first was to do our initial harness walk to see if we were in fact compatible; the second to have her meet the fuzzy family; and the third was completely by chance. Her trainer has been bringing her into our neighbourhood as promised and so one morning when out relieving the dogs, I ran into the pair going off to train in the rain. The trainer said that they were reviewing the route to the vet and the previous morning they had already gone over the route to the gym. It would appear that everything is moving right along. Now, I just have to get myself ready by getting that big pile of laundry finished so I'll have clean clothes during training.
We won't have laundry facilities on the site unlike the other training centre I've been to before. So, having enough clothes to last nearly twenty days is going to be a necessity. I also have a few essential toiletries to pick up such as toothpaste. I probably shouldn't make off with the tube that Mr. K and I share. The trainer said we could pick up anything that the other student or I may forget, but the more prepared I am probably the better. Besides, who wants to get caught without toothpaste?
Other than getting those little details taken care of, I'll spend the next week enjoying my family, fuzzy and non, and just let time do its flying/dragging thing that it does when one is excited.
PS: So: I told you she was a girl, but can anyone guess what type of dog she is?

Confirmed

Two posts in one day. I'm out doing myself. ;)
But, this one couldn't wait.
I got the call this afternoon to say that I'll be going into training with my new dog on February 11th. So exciting!
The trainer will pick me up that morning and we'll go to the bus station to get the other student. I'm assuming she's not living in Edinburgh. Then, it's off to the hotel to learn our way around and to get settled in. I'm sure I won't sleep all that much Monday night because Tuesday the dogs arrive. Again, so exciting.
It's still just under two weeks away and so somehow I'll have to keep my excitement under wraps or I'll drive myself nuts before the 11th. That said, it's so nice to have a date because now it feels like it's actually happening. :)

Guide Dog Training Update

So just as the title of this post suggests, I'm here to give you a guide dog training update. Things have been a bit nuts with us originally thinking we were going into class on the the 25th of February, but the other student is apparently going on a vacation smack in the middle of the training session. So, the training dates may be moved up until the 11th of February instead. Since we're discussing dates, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this dog and I will be trained together and hopefully turn into a working team. This is all very exciting.
One concern the guide dog organisation had was the number of dogs in our flat. The concerns they expressed were logical, such as us having a space shortage, but it had me worried for a while that getting a guide dog was going to be a problem. There's a lot I could say about the whole thing, but in reality there's no point. I'm going into class and everything should turn out fine. It would just be interesting to know what people with children are told who are attempting to "qualify"(AKA graduate) with a guide dog.
So, I'm sure you'd like details of the new dog, but the problem is I was so wrapped up in the issue of having too many dogs that I forgot to ask if I could talk about HER. That's right: I'm getting a girl. I figure I can tell you at least that much. It's about time too: Hermione and I are outnumbered right now. ;)
Other than our little dilemma, the meeting on Wednesday went well. All of the dogs got along just fine and the trainer and I spent some time going around the routes that I'll be taking. If there is time, he is going to show her the routes in order to make the transition from training in the hotel to our area easier, but if the training dates are moved up to February 11th, there won't be the time to go through that process. Her trainer is also one of the only ones in this area target training his dogs. I really appreciate this skill because it means that she can find light poles and other helpful objects.
So, all in all, despite the one glitch, the meeting on Wednesday went pretty well. I saw her only for a brief few minutes and spent the rest of the time showing the trainer around, but it was good to be able to ask some questions and get to know the trainer a bit more. I don't know when I'll see her again, but I'm supposed to hear from the trainer on Tuesday to confirm the dates that we'll be training.

Happy Days!

I got the call. Wednesday afternoon my cell phone rang and on the other end was one of the Guide Dogs trainers letting me know that they had a potential match for me. He wanted to meet up Friday to see if the dog and I would work well together. He said that we were perfect on paper, but that was just paper. The trainer that I've been working with up until now had gone to see the dog and told this trainer to call me. That in and of itself was encouraging. So, we agreed to meet Friday for a walk and a chat.
Friday afternoon came much too slowly in my opinion. I was very excited Thursday night and didn't sleep well. The trainer picked me up just after 1 and drove me out to the area that the dog's been training in. We chatted on the drive about the process ahead and the sorts of things that happened during training if we got there. At the training area, the trainer unloaded the dog from the back of the van and put the harness on. He explained that we'd be walking along both quiet and busy streets and that he'd have an extenda leash clipped to the dog just in case I needed him. I still was incredibly nervous. I was so worried that things wouldn't work out and I'd have to keep waiting. I was also worried that I'd decide that we were a good match and be wrong just because I didn't want to wait anymore. I had told myself the night before to try to be aware of anything I might not like and to mention them. I wasn't going to go down the same path as I had taken with Glacier. I had noticed things in training and had mentioned them to his trainer, but was brushed off. I was determined not to be brushed off again.
The first part of the walk took us along side a park. The dog was very focused and despite other dogs running off leash in the park, the dog kept us moving forward. Little reminders to "straight on" helped, but the dog was very easy to re-direct and re-focus. "Straight on" was a new cue for me, so I had to keep reminding myself to say the right cue. Leader Dogs uses just "straight" and so sometimes I'd almost forget the "on" part. At the first curb we came to, we hung a right and began walking along a busy street. My left arm/hand was very tense and the trainer asked me if I was okay. I told him that it was a bit scary since I hadn't done this in a while. I made a conscious decision to relax. I knew that the dog would be able to pick up on my uncertainty and nervousness which would make the dog uncomfortable.
The trainer warned me of a bus stop that was coming up. There was also a pole in the proximity of the bus stop that required the dog to navigate me carefully through. We approached the bus stop and I could hear people waiting for the bus and just as we walked up the bus arrived. I was a bit concerned about getting through the crowd, but the dog moved cleanly through, leaning towards the bus door as if to say, "in here?" A "straight on" was all that was needed to keep us moving forward.
The walk carried on from there with many obstacles for us to work around. It was garbage day and so there were a lot of bins/bags/boxes out on the curb that we had to avoid. Not to mention, your every day pedestrian traffic, other dogs, birds and at one point the sea. Along the section where the sea was on our left, I had to keep reminding the dog "straight on" and gave the dog one small collar correction when the temptation of the sea was just too much, but again, re-directing the dog was so easy. There was no heavy corrections needed, no harsh tones either. The dog seemed to respond well to calm, quiet cues and this is how I like to work. I also didn't have to play cheerleader the whole time we were walking.
When Glacier and I used to go out, I'd have to praise him the whole time and keep talking to him or he'd lose confidence and stop working. Thankfully, this dog doesn't need that. Jett had needed harsher tones to keep her focused; not agressive ones, just a sharper tone to "leave it" or "straight." Anything less and she didn't pay attention to me. Again, none of that was necessary.
We moved between parked cars, around a van blocking the entire sidewalk and past three dogs without incident. To be honest, I didn't even know we past the dogs until after the walk and I asked if there had been any dog distractions besides the ones in the park. Suffice it to say, I was very impressed.
I also learned a few more new cues and some new body positioning. The body positioning is very particular when you're crossing streets with regards to your foot position as well as when you need to go down a side street and the dog is in the way of turning that way. The trainer had to keep on me about relaxing my arm and remind me about foot positions at crossings, but none of those issues were with the dog itself. My biggest fault was the tense arm and I had difficulty remembering to slide my right foot behind the left before telling the dog to "forward," but that will all come with practice.
 The trainer has even trained the dog to "find the pole" at particular crossings. I'm so glad he's done this because it means that it is a transferrable skill to other areas/objects. When the dog is told to "find the pole" the dog walks up to the pole and touches it with its nose.
When our amazing walk came to an end, the trainer asked me what I thought. I told him I was blown away at how easily the dog listened to cues and at how responsive the dog was. It was also very obvious that the dog loved working and that was a relief to me. The trainer had warned me that this particular dog liked to anticipate and sometimes would rush because of this, but that wasn't really hard to deal with. I just had to remind the dog to "wait" at curbs sometimes and only twice I had to bring the dog back into a "sit." I like that the dogs here are taught "wait." It was something I later taught Jetta and Glacier, but it's nice that it comes built in already with these dogs. :)
The sitting at the curbs was something I had to get used to, but to be honest, I think that it was beneficial. Before now I didn't think having your guide dog sit at curbs was a good idea and perhaps in most cases it's not, but for the way I work and the way this dog works, it's a good thing. It keeps the dog from rushing and makes me feel more relaxed at crossings. I feel like I can take my time deciding if it's safe to cross.
We talked a bit more about how the walk felt and then the trainer told me that he had unclipped the extenda leash in the last half of the route. I had had my suspicions because he'd leaned forward once and then was walking in a different position than before, but I was too busy paying attention to the dog and trying to read the dog's body language that I hardly gave it any thought. Knowing that he felt comfortable enough to let us fly solo, so to speak, made me feel so much pride in our work. It also made me hopeful that this dog was the one.
I brought the dog into the heel position at the back of the van and the dog sat. Then the trainer instructed me to remove her collar and with it, the leash. The van door was opened and the dog was told to "wait." After a few seconds the dog was told that it was all right to get in. I can't quite remember what the wording was because my head was buzzing with a million questions and replays of the walk, but it was something like "in you get" or something like that.
The humans then hopped in the van to get warmed up and the trainer asked me if I liked the dog. Of course I said yes. He asked me if I liked working with the dog and of course I said yes again. Then he asked me if I wanted to go into training with the dog. I laughed and said, "yes please." He laughed too and said that he thought we were a good match and that he wanted us to train together. So, it was decided that I'd probably go into training some time at the end of February if everything went as planned.
The trainer took me to meet the volunteer that the dog is staying with during this phase of training. This too is different than most North American schools as the dogs usually stay in kennels during harness training. Here, the dogs stay with a volunteer family so that the dogs live in an environment that is as real as possible. After that, we headed over to the hotel where we will be staying during our training together. This is also different from most North American schools as well.
When I got Jetta and Glacier, I stayed in a very large, purpose built residence building on the campus of the guide dog school. In Scotland, they use hotels. This particular hotel is very nice and all of the staff that I met were very friendly and seemed helpful. I definitely won't mind staying in that hotel for two and a half weeks.
After the hotel tour it was back home we went. We made plans to meet again on Wednesday to have the dog meet my crazy family of Hermione, Otis and Roscoe. We'll also show the dog the flat and then we're going to discuss routes that I would take on a regular basis. The idea behind that is to teach the dog as many of the routes that we will be taking as possible. I'm so lucky to be training locally so that the trainer can start early on our routes. It should make the transition for both of us a lot easier when we come home after our two and a half weeks of training at the hotel. Once we return home, the training will continue for another week or so with us living at home. I think this is so that the trainer can help with any settling in issues as well as go over local routes.
So, the point of this gigantic rambling blog post is that there is finally light at the end of the tunnel. I have met and liked my potential new guide dog. I have to wait a month while the trainer works on polishing skills with the dog, but from what I saw on Friday, I'm going to be a very lucky woman come end of February. I'm not going to share any of the dog's details just yet as I'm not sure that I'm supposed to. Besides, I don't want to jinx it. :) Maybe after our meeting Wednesday I'll be able to tell you more.

Going, Going, Going!

I'm not entirely sure where the time has gone since my last post. I thought it had been only a few days, but in fact it's been over a week; at least. It's funny because some days seem to take forever, but in the grand scheme of things, this last little while has just disappeared. I've got a few things on my agenda right now and that may be where my time and energy has gone.
My parents are coming over for Christmas and the last time I did a count it was a month to go. Today, while out for a walk with Carmen and the pups, I realised that it's just over three weeks. So exciting. I've been browsing the internet for fun things for us to do while they are here and so, that is where part of that time went.
I've also noticed that every day things always end up having an element of adventure around here. I think I should have
"never a dull moment"
tattooed on my forehead.
Just the other morning, for example, I was heading on to the university campus for the entire day. I took everyone for a quick off leash run to release some of their energy so that Mr. K could get some school work done himself. I was nearly back to the flat when I realised that Hermione and Roscoe had run off. I began to panic after I stood calling them for over five minutes. Not only was I going to be late to my meeting with my professor, but I had just lost two of my dogs; despite Hermione wearing a bell. Eventually, a neighbor came down, still wearing her jammies, and was calling them with me and when she spotted Roscoe I felt a bit better, but it was short lived because Hermione wasn't with him. Mr. K came out because I had called him and just as he arrived so did Hermione, panting and frothing at the mouth. I still have no idea where they went. Surprisingly, I made it to my meeting on time.
It was on the heels of that incident  that Roscoe pulled a similar trick today. Again, nearly home after a long off leash run and romp in the park with other dogs, he takes off. It had started to rain on our way home and we were all soaked. Carmen had stuck Otis down the front of her water proof jacket because it was raining so hard. After I realised that Roscoe was gone, I leashed Hermione, who had thankfully stuck around this time and we spent the next ten minutes wandering up and down the cycling path calling for him. Mr. K was called again and he came out too. Roscoe must have been closer to him because when he called Roscoe, the big black fur ball came running. Mr. K said he thinks Roscoe was looking for us. I don't know if he got ahead of us in the wooded part and then didn't realise we were behind him or what, but he got home safe and sound. He did have a small cut on his paw that was bleeding a bit, but Mr. K put him in the bath and Roscoe and his injured paw were washed thoroughly. I think it's time for some obedience and recall refreshers for Mr. Ranger Roscoe. Wherever he went was very muddy. All we were trying to do was go for a walk!
On top of the usual doggie stuff, like Hermione having the crap scared out of her by some dog that chased her all of the way home-that's another crazy story-I've been researching for/writing essays, intermixed with group project meetings, classes and everything else you could  possibly do for school.
I also have two personal projects on the go: fundraising/training for my big run from Edinburgh to London next November and working on the logistics of setting up an online doggie boutique complete with bakery. Each project is big enough on its own, but put everything together and time just gets away from me and so does the laundry/dishes/all other house work that needs to be done.
Admittedly, some of this time escaping is my own doing in that I've taken on a lot, but on the other hand, the random weird happenings of my life, like having an entire bottle of dog shampoo bust open on the bathroom floor when I am trying to clean and making an even bigger mess, is not. I know I'm clumsy, but sheesh! Give a girl a break! :)
So what's on the agenda for tonight?
Well...I've got a load of laundry in the dryer and another in the washer...oh and one folded already. I've finished cleaning the kitchen, but still need to vaccuum the flat. That may need to wait until tomorrow though as my neighbors may not appreciate the noise. So, that scratches house stuff off the list; except for the laundry I have to finish.
I do have research for essays to complete and I probably should write some more, but I already did some today and I'm not quite in the mood. Besides, it's Friday night, right?
To be honest, there's a whole lot I could do and probably should do, but tonight I'm putting it all on hold to sit down with my puppies, probably a husband, some wine and either a good book or a movie. Tonight I am not "doing" anything else-except the rest of the laundry. Tonight I'm taking the night off which means I should stop writing now. ;)

Just Say No!

Somewhere between finding Otis on Friday and going to pick him up on Sunday, the Greyhound rescue phoned me to say that they had found a Hound. Apparently Flick had done well with her introduction to small, bouncy dogs and the rescue thought she'd be great in our home. I panicked. I didn't know what to say.
Here Mr. K and I were off to buy new things for a new puppy and the rescue was telling me that we could be foster parents. Actually, we were buying new things for Hermione and new puppy would inherit her old things until he outgrew the teething stage, but that is neither here nor there. I was so torn.
I have wanted to foster for so long and just have never done it because I was afraid of how my guide dogs would have reacted. Foster dogs would take attention away from a working dog and I did not want to adversely effect my working relationship with either of my now retired dogs. Yet, we were bringing home a new little dude and Hermione and Hamish were going in on Tuesday to be spayed and neutered. All of that on top of a foster dog would be lot. Not to mention, all of my class work that I needed to get done.
I had the brains to ask the woman if I could call her back, but all brains flew out of my head once I hung up the phone and excitedly told Mr. K about Flick. We were literally walking to the pet store and so I think we both weren't thinking straight or really paying attention. He knew how excited I was about this whole fostering thing and so he said that if I wanted to do it that I could say yes.
And so, I said yes.
The next couple of days passed in a blur. Sunday we were traveling all day, meeting and picking up Otis. Monday was spent settling in and also going to class and Tuesday started early with Hermione and Hamish going to the vet for 8.30 AM. My day continued on from there with a quick breakfast and then I hopped the bus to make a meeting dedicated to accessibility issues on campus and within my courses, which, by the way, went very well. The head of my program is amazing, but that is a whole other story. Two hours later it was time for a quick lunch, two hours of class, break and then two more hours of class. By the time I got back home, I was absolutely exhausted and ready to sink on to the couch with a cup of tea and  cuddle my poor  baby girl.
The problem was, somewhere in all of that, I took two phone calls from Mr. K and returned another to the Greyhound rescue, confirming that dropping Flick off the next day was fine. The phone calls weren't the problem, agreeing to take on a "raw" dog from a kennel the day after having a crazy day and only 24 hours after Hermione was spayed was the problem. I was so excited to meet Flick and so frazzled from the overload of information that I had gotten that day, that all sense flew out of my head...again.
"Drop her off between 1 and 2? Of course. That is perfect."
And so began my demise as a foster parent.

Welcome Flick

We got the news today that our first foster Greyhound will be coming to live with us by the week's end. If you haven't already guessed by the title of this post, her name is Flick. She is a young, small, Brindle girl who had previously lived in her trainer's home. So, she should be house trained. Most X-racers never get home comforts or even see the inside of homes. So, the fact that she lived in home is slightly amazing and a bonus for us with regards to house training.
Apparently, she's sweet, bouncy and loving. They don't know much more about her because, as the foster co-ordinator said on the phone, it's up to the fosterers to tell them more about the dog  in order to get the Hounds re-homed.
Flick was small dog tested earlier this week and was non-reactive to three or four small, bouncing dogs. She did react to cats though, so I either have to stay away from them completely or try to teach her that cats are friends, not food. I don't know anyone with cats and I'm not sure strangers will allow me to use their cats as training tools. So, Flick may stay a "non-cat" kind of girl. However, I do know a few flats that have cats hanging around outside . That means, Flick and I may be going for a walk past those flats, muzzle on and a pocket full of cookies.
To be honest, I had thought that we basically weren't going to be able to foster because of Hermione being classified as a "small fuzzy" and the nature of Greyhounds to chase "small fuzzies," but the sanctuary really worked hard to find us a dog to foster. I really want to give this little girl a good chance of finding her forever home. So, I am going to do everything I can to help her learn all about the world of being a pet as opposed to a racing, working dog. With all of our crazy adventures in our life/home, I am hoping to be able to teach her to be a well rounded girl who will fit into nearly any good home.
Since that is all the sanctuary was able to tell me about Flick, I'll leave it at that for now, but will definitely fill you in once she has arrived. I have other exciting news, but I'll tell you about him tomorrow. ;)

Back to School

Yesterday was my first day back at school in just over two years. My MSc Performance Psychology course will run from September 2012 until August 2013 when I turn in my dissertation.  It was such a weird feeling to pack up my laptop bag and head off. Settling down into the little squishy desks was a familiar feeling and sitting through two hour lectures was also very familiar. Despite the cramped, uncomfortable desks,  I love it.
Monday night's class is Understanding Research Methods, another familiar thing. This will be the fifth research course I've taken over my university/college career, but I am thinking it will be a welcome refresher.
Today was a bit of a longer day with two classes, each running two hours with a two hour break in between. This means I leave the flat at 1 and don't get back until closer to nine, but again, both classes are interesting and I am really enjoying the content so far.
My only issue has been navigating the campus. Tenie had run me through the various buildings once when the head of the program gave us a tour, but I think I probably should have gone a few more times. Thankfully, Mr. K has been amazing, and since he still has the only  working guide dog, in our family he accompanied me these past two days and helped me find where I needed to go. "Two heads are better than one." I know today was a long day for him as he had to sit and wait through the two classes. I can't fully  express how much I appreciate his help. We really are in this together.
As for the work load, there seems to be quite a bit of reading, so I think Hermione and I will be spending a few hours a day holed up in the local cafe, drinking coffee and reading. Hermione will be sitting in the front window people watching. My instructor tonight suggested that we should be spending about nine hours a week on each class. To be honest, I'm not sure if he's going to get that many out of me, but I'll give it my best shot. That is a lot of time as a sighted person, imagine trying to do all of that listening to a screen reader yammering on at you. Completing course work takes at least half as long for a blind student as it does for a sighted student. Nine hours a class could very easily turn into closer to eighteen. I know the blind folk going to law school would probably mock my aversion to 27, or in blind time 60ish, hours a week of class work, but that is why I'm not in law school. That, and I'd be a horrible lawyer.
 I have one paper due in my Performance Planning class in twelve weeks that is 4000 words and another 1000 word paper for the Stress, Anxiety and Coping class. Plus, other various assignments and another larger paper. It's really not that bad and since it's a subject I enjoy, I think it will be easy to get it all done.
So, with a fairly long day behind me and a lot of reading/writing to do tomorrow, I think I shall "hit the hay," as they say.
Good night, all.
PS: We got another update with regards to our potential foster pup today. We were told her name, but I will keep that a surprise just in case she gets to move in with us.  She is a small female who is still in kennels and she is being small dog tested this week. If she is classified as "trainable" she will be moving in and I am so excited. So, keep your fingers crossed that F**** will come to be our first foster hound. Any guesses as to what her name may be?

Can't Contain Myself

Two posts in one day! Should you be so lucky?
Because I know you are all sitting at home waiting in eager  anticipation for the next literary masterpiece that I shall bestow upon ye.
Okay, anyway...enough of my smart a**ness.
I wasn't going to write about this until tomorrow because it's not happening until later today. Also because then I'd have more details for you, but I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself.
Later this afternoon, Mr. K and I are getting a home visit from the Greyhound rescue we've been in contact with. They are coming in to get to know us and to see if we'd be an appropriate foster home. Other than that, I have no other details. Do you see why I should have waited? There's not much to tell you. Although the person checking on us did say,
"I'm not coming over to see if you dust or Hoover. I'm just coming to get to know you.
*Vocabulary Note: for North Americans, "hoovering" refers to "vaccumming" here*."
At least the woman has a sense of humour. Actually, everyone I've been in contact with have ben super friendly and quite funny. I really hope we get approved because I think this rescue would be a good fit for us and vise versa.
I have had a few people give me some logical and sound advice on perhaps holding off on the fostering, such as, getting Hermione into a reliable state before my new working dog comes home and that I am starting university in the fall, but Mr. K and I talked about it and think now is a good time.
Well, maybe we've convinced ourselves it's a good time. Or more accurately, I've convinced myself it's a good time. We're both incredibly excited-if you can't tell-and I think this will be a great experience for us.
Now, all we have to do is wait for our home visit and hope that we are what good fosterers are made out of.

Up, Up, UP!

Yesterday afternoon Tenie, Carmen, Roscoe and I climbed Arthur's Seat. Hermione was not invited as there is no way her little puppy legs would have gotten her to our destination. Arthur's Seat is a gigantic dormant volcano that can be seen for miles around Edinburgh. We can actually see it from my flat window, despite us being kilometres away. Since arriving in Edinburgh, I have wanted to climb the summit, but we've just never had the chance yet. So, when Tenie said it was on her bucket list of things to do before leaving Edinburgh, I was very excited.
We had a tasty lunch at The Haven, a little cafe that has the most amazing food, and then hopped a bus downtown. Roscoe came along as a non-working dog and I think he thoroughly enjoyed his time. The only unpleasant part of the whole excursion was this crazy, little yappy dog on the bus to Arthur's Seat who was snarling and snapping at people, babies and Roscoe. Of course the owner wasn't interested in doing anything about it and just kept saying, "oh, he's harmless. He's just a puppy. He's just noisy."
That dog was not a puppy and there is a difference between being noisy and lunging for babies' faces. I'm surprised the bus driver didn't ask the woman to get off the bus. I would have been mortified if any of my dogs behaved in that manner.
Tenie took Roscoe and walked him so that Carmen could guide me. The 255 metre above sea level climb took us just under an hour and it was quite enjoyable. The sun was out for the most part, which is a rarity in Scotland, and there was a light breeze. There were a lot of other people climbing the peak, including a tour group from Italy who cheered when each of their members reached the top.
The climb itself had various parts that proved challenging in their own right. The first part wasn't bad, just a gentle slope with stairs cut into the side. We then walked along a road that gradually climbed upwards. It was after this road that the part that demanded a bit of fitness came along. It was a fairly steep incline up a grass covered hill. It was here that Tenie unleashed Roscoe and he took off like a shot, running as fast and as hard as he could. He charged right over to some Australian tourists and introduced himself enthusiastically. They loved him and rough housed with him a bit. He then found his next victims; some people having a picnic. He tried to take a sandwich and so he went back on leash for the rest of the climb up, which was fine because after the grassy slope, the terrain turned quite rocky and we didn't want him to injure himself running about like a maniac.
We picked our way over rocks and used man made foot holes to propel ourselves up. In places the rock was quite smooth and finding the correct place for a foot became tricky. We just went slowly and I felt with each foot before planting it. Tenie and carmen were also good at watching where my feet were going and would often help by saying, "move left" or "right and up a bit."
As we got closer to the top, the rocks became even smoother and I found myself doubled over feeling with my hands before stepping forward. There were sheer drop offs on one side and so I thought this style of climbing was safer.
Once at the top, we stopped for more photos and then found some weather smoothed stones to sit on and have the oatmeal cookies Tenie had brought along from The Haven. It was amazing being up so high. Of course I didn't get the benefit of the view, but you could hear noises from down below that you otherwise wouldn't have heard due to noise pollution. For instance, there was a marching band playing lively tunes that kept floating up to us. At one point, it began to sprinkle, but the sun was still out and going down would have taken another hour, so we weren't in a hurry to go anywhere.
After hanging out at the top for a while, we slowly made our way back down, carefully picking our path. The climb down included a lot of me squatting and sliding from one rocky out cropping to another, but once we made it back to the grassy slope, it was smooth sailing. We let Roscoe run again and he bolted straight for another tourist, but thankfully she was excited to see him. She took a lot of action shots of him bounding through the tall grass and running on the straight stretches. We were all very impressed by his athleticism. He definitely had to be brushed free of the grass seeds that attached themselves to him during his mad galloping.
The bus ride home was not nearly as eventful as the one to Arthur's Seat and when we got home, we all pretty much flopped on to the couch and didn't move. Roscoe was still tired today, sleeping in late and napping for most of the day. If only Hermione could have come and been that sleepy.

The Evil Stick

Glacier has been officially retired for ten days now and although I wasn't working him much before his retirement, I had not been out with a white cane in nearly ten years. Up until now, I haven't had the need to go anywhere that would require me to venture out on my own, or perhaps more accurately, I avoided things that required me to venture out on my own, but Sunday morning I was scheduled to go for a run with a local running group and I didn't want to start missing practices just because I was terrified to leave my flat without a dog or sighted guide.
So, I mentally steeled myself as I left my flat, giving myself a pep talk and convincing myself that this was a necessary evil. I reminded myself that this was the first walk without a dog I'd done on my own in a very long time and that there was a lot of room for improvement. Knowing that I can always improve upon something is very encouraging to me and so I gritted my teeth and stepped out my front door; wanting very badly to turn around, go back inside and text my guide runner to say that I wasn't coming.
Two things kept my feet moving though: 1. Finding guide runners has been extremely difficult. If I start blowing them off, especially in this early stage, it is highly possible they will think I'm not serious/interested and will move on.
and
2. fear has never stopped me from doing anything before, why should it now?
For those people who are not optically challenged, I'm not sure how to explain the difference between working with a dog and a cane. For those of you who have used either one of the other or both, you may be able to relate. But for those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, let me try to clarify a bit.
Guide dogs are impressive creatures who, at the end of the day, are still dogs. It is important to know that I do not say to my dog, "dog, go to the store" or "dog, take me to the gym." That is not how things work. If I am setting out, I need to know where I'm going in order to give the dog cues where to turn, which streets to cross and what doors to find. The dogs do the work of making sure I avoid obstacles, line up straight with curbs and get me across the street from one curb to another. In using a dog for the last ten years, I have lost some of the skill of walking directly from one curb to another without drifting one direction or another and this is where my mistake came from.
I set out at a slow pace, thinking that if I hurried I would be more likely to make mistakes. I also left with a lot of time to spare to account for any mistakes and for my much slower pace. As I walked along my street, my confidence began to rise and I started to relax a bit. I began to talk myself into the fact that I could definitely do this; I had to do this.
As I neared the end of my street, I quickly realised that something was wrong. The traffic noise was in the wrong spot and I could hear cars driving over cobble stones. Somehow, somewhere I had drifted down a side street. If I had gone where I should have, there would be no cobble stones and the cars' noise should have been coming from my right. I began to feel the first  flutters of panic begin to rise in my stomach. I took a few deep breaths and turned back around. If worst came to worst, I'd just have to back track. The problem was, at that particular moment, I didn't know where I had gone wrong. As I turned myself around, an older gentleman approached me and asked if I needed help. I must have looked completely freaked out because as I explained where I needed to go, he said he'd just walk me to that crossing. As he guided me along, we began to chat and I explained that this was my first walk without my guide dog. A sudden and surprising throat tightening made me stop as I felt the tears well up.
I missed Glacier. I missed working with a dog who wanted to work. I was more terrified than I had allowed myself to believe.
The gentleman got me to the crossing and I let him chat on, trying to calm my frayed nerves. I was closer to home than to the gym, maybe I should just go home?
My stubborn pride would not let me and the thought of potentially losing a guide runner. It was to be our first run together and I didn't want her thinking I was flakey.
He joked that his wife would think he had run off as he guided me across one more crossing. He teased me that I should have picked a route that was just a straight line and his good natured humour released some of the tension I was feeling. I thanked him and promised him that I would be fine from there on in. My voice sounded confident, but I didn't believe myself. At least he did and he went back the way he had come, ensuring that I was facing the right direction first.
I carried on, making one crossing easily, but completely freezing at the second. There are tactile bumps at the corners to indicate where to cross and for some reason, I had it in my head that they were shaped like a square and I was looking for the central spot in order to align myself with the curb across the street. I quickly found out that they are more cone shaped and until I figured that out, I felt the panic returning. I stood for what felt like an eternity on one corner debating if I was supposed to cross there or not. I even thought about going home, but there was just as much likelihood that I'd get lost on the way home as there was if I finished my journey. So, I went forward.
I crossed a few more streets, but because I was so frazzled I forgot to count the streets and ended up passing the entrance to the gym. I walked a bit past it and found a wide open area. It was possible that I had passed that open area with the dog and not known it, but my commonsense told me that it may be  the parking lot for the gym. So, back I went and was relieved to find I had made  the right decision as I walked down the sidewalk to the gym's entrance.
Eventually, I found the gym door and went in to find my guide waiting for me. I was just so relieved to have finally arrived that I could have just sat down and not gone on the run at all. I checked the time as we passed through the security gate and was shocked to discover that it had taken me a half an hour to walk to a place that should have taken less than fifteen minutes. Good thing I had given myself the extra time: at least I had made it in time to go for the run after all.
The physical activity of pushing myself over the 5 kilometre distance helped to unwind my nerves, but upon returning to the gym, I began to get worried about the trip home. I know I'm not helping myself at all and I'm sure things will get easier, but independent travel  with a cane is absolute torture for me: it is terrifying. I give props to those blind and low vision people out there who choose the cane over the dog. Of course each mode of transportation has its pros and cons, but for me personally, the cane is definitely not what I would choose.
Luckily for me, my guide runner offered to walk me home and to continue to do so until a dog can be found for me. I really appreciate her help and I will probably take her up on it, but at the same time, I also need to get used to using a cane and I also need to get better at it. Starting at the end of September I am going to have to navigate a university campus on my own with a cane and the quicker I get over my fears, the better off I will be when the time comes to go back to school. That said, my instinct is to light the cane on fire and throw it as far away from me as possible. Judging on how I did on Sunday, I might be better off without it. Then again, I'd then risk ploughing into obstacles, people and traffic.
So for now, I suppose I must accept my fate and somehow conquer the evil stick.

Feels Quite Right

Have you ever noticed when something is right you just seem to know? I've been experiencing that a lot lately, including with my difficult decision to retire Glacier. We're still working and will continue to until a suitable replacement guide is found. I have had my moments, but I am growing more comfortable with my decision every day.
But, even though Glacier's retirement has been weighing heavily on my mind, another small life change is going on and it is most certainly "quite right."
Sunday we were given the keys to our new flat. We had a walk through, just exploring everything more thoroughly and I couldn't have been happier. We sat in the living room for about twenty minutes just chatting and it felt so comfortable. I was very happy that it was much quieter with regards to traffic and we could hear song birds instead of Sea Gulls. One of our neighbours downstairs also seem friendly and the building itself seems quite quiet.
There are so many little quirks about the place that we didn't notice when we walked through at our viewing that I love. For example, the bathroom door has a pane of textured glass in it that definitely gives it character. The taps on the sink and bath tub are the old ones that have a separate for the hot and cold, but the toilet has definitely been replaced and is quite new; much nicer than the one here.
The main bedroom has textured walls, which is tastefully done with small leafs and vines. There is a shelving unit that runs beneath the main window and we are going to turn that into my work station for school. It will be nice when the sun shines through those windows and I'll also be able to open up the window for some fresh air while I'm working.
As far as we can tell, the communal garden is fenced in and there is a park about a five minute walk away. The cycling path right outside our flat door leads to so many places, including the park, that we could probably walk all the way back to the old flat without having to walk on the noisy city streets if we didn't want to.
I'm really impressed with our new living space and can't wait until we are completely moved in. We are still staying in the old place because our big furniture, such as our bed and dryer, can't be moved until Friday. We also don't have internet or phone at the new flat yet. Actually, our internet was supposed to be disconnected from this flat last Friday, but it seems to still be working.
Later today I'm going to head over and unpack some things in order to have empty suitcases to refill. The cafe on the corner serves the best breakfast at the most reasonable prices we've had/seen since moving here and I may stop in for a scone. Apparently, according to a review I read about the place, they also have the best scones in Scotland. While there on Sunday, we also discovered that it's dog friendly, which made me happy because that means that Hermione can come along if I take myself for a coffee.
There is another pub not far down the road that sits on a pier out into the water that is also dog friendly. It's actually a really cool place because if you sit on the patio, you can hear the waves hitting the breaker wall and we all know how I feel about water. ;)
Despite it taking me a bit longer to get excited because my mind was elsewhere, I am super excited now and in love with a piece of real estate. The internet is supposed to be turned on in the new flat on Thursday and once that happens, I promise to be better about posting more regularly.
Happy Monday :)

A Fond Farewell

Of course things are changing around here again. Nothing ever stays the same, which is probably why it's a good thing I keep a blog. If I didn't, I'd probably lose track of my own life. ;)
Seriously though, our family has changed a bit and we're also moving...again. But, let me start with our family changes.
First of all, we lost two of our Sugies. Both Fiona and Plato have gone to the rainbow bridge, both quite suddenly and quite unexpected. We're not sure what happened at all, but we've decided that perhaps Sugar Gliders do not do well in our household. So, with that in mind, Mr. K contacted Gus and Fiona's breeder to see if Yoda could be of any use for her as a neutered male. She is a fantastic breeder and I would tell anyone looking for a Sugar Glider in the UK to purchase their Sugies from her.
She responded saying that Yoda would be great in assisting one of the mating pairs with raising the joeys. Sugar Gliders live in colonies in the wild with numbers anywhere near 16 Sugies and so it is not unusual for them to help each other out. Because Yoda is neutered, he won't fight the other male for his wife and all will be well. We thought that was a great idea and were so happy and thankful that Yoda would be going to live with an expert and that he would have a very happy life playing nanny.
So, we packed him up with his cage, toys and other accessories and he moved out on Saturday. It was sort of bitter sweet. We were sad to see him go, but we know he's in a much better place. The breeder will be able to use the cage for more Sugar Gliders and we are glad that it will get some good use. He apparently has settled in well, with Candy and Tom accepting him, and his name has been changed to Dale. We wish Candy, Tom and Dale all the best.
 So, our family has shrunk by three members in a course of a few months. We think Fiona may have gotten sick, but Plato just sort of died randomly. We don't know if he choked on his food or had a heart attack, but whatever happened, everyone is much happier where they are now.
Despite our family getting smaller by three, we had another member join our fuzzy ranks. Enter Hamish the Lion Head Rabbit. That's right, we have a bunny. He is about 12 weeks old and the fluffiest little dude ever.
We heard that he needed to be re-homed due to a family's allergy and we offered to take him on. Mr. K had bunnies growing up and he always wanted another rabbit. So, Hamish came to live with us. He seems to be warming up to us and isn't afraid of the dogs at all. Hermione wants him to play with her; Glacier wants to mother him; and Roscoe could care less. So, I think Hamish is fitting in just fine. We've talked about getting Hamish a friend because bunnies like having bunny company, but we'll see how much room we have when we move.
That brings me to my next point; our move.
Just over a month ago our flat started falling apart. Actually, it's been slowly falling apart since about February, but we decided that it wasn't anything major and that we'd be fine until I was done with my university program, but things got worse. One of the window frames broke off in my hands when I was trying to close it because it had dry rot and it hasn't been fixed properly. There is a piece of wood nailed over the hole. The other windows also have dry rot, so it is possible they will crumble into little bits at any time as well. Our heat stopped working and our gas makes horrible squealing noises if it is left on too long to heat the water. Don't even get me started on the water not staying heated properly. The list could go on and on. So, Mr. K started looking for two bedroom flats, thinking that if we were going to move that we'd get a bigger place.
I took up the search as well and fell in love with a two bedroom flat that is only a ten minute walk from where we live now. We viewed it  and I was convinced. We put a deposit on it as soon as we walked out of the door from the viewing and finally signed the lease last week. We get the keys on the 15th of July and I am so excited. Not only do we have more room, but we also have a communal garden at the back, a cycling/walking path right across the street and a little cafe just on the corner of our street. We also have moved closer to the sea and that always makes me happy. The icing on the cake was that it was only 25 quid more than the place we are in now, which means we get all of those great things without breaking the bank. It's also on a quiet residential street, which will be nice as well.
Mr. K and I have both agreed that we are not moving any time soon after we move into that flat. We had originally moved in here thinking that one day we'd move out to find a bigger place, but we are both sick of hopping from home to home. It's time to put down some roots.
As you can see, there have been and are going to be a few changes in our lives, but you know me, I probably wouldn't have it any other way. Well, except for the moving so often part. :)

Let's Go Walkies

Part of my desire to get a puppy was not only for its undeniable cuteness, sleepless nights, sharp teeth and sweet, sweet puppy breath, but so that when she grew up big enough, I'd have someone to take for a walk. Now, I know what you're thinking: you're thinking "Jess, you walk a dog everywhere you go." Okay, so I sort of do, but I'm not really walking Glacier as we're walking together; big difference. In a way, it's almost better to have someone to walk with, but it has its downfalls.
When Glacier and I are out walking, AKA getting from point A to point B, we are on a mission. We have a specific destination. Glacier is also not allowed to greet other people and/or dogs, nor is he allowed to sniff, pee, chase leaves Etc. Now, I'm all for good leash manners, especially when you have a steam roller of a puller like Glacier, but there is a sort of segregation between you and other dog owners because, in essence, your relationship with your working dog is not the same as theirs with their pets. This distinction and distance is good: it is what allows Glacier to do his job. It is for these reasons, that I've wanted someone to take for walks and Hermione is now that someone.
This morning we went on a very long and enjoyable walk. Glacier's work was quite impressive, especially since I asked him to guide us through a local park, full of frolicking dogs, cyclists and people just walking in general. It was a pretty busy place for 7 AM on a misty, chilly Tuesday morning. The walk probably took us about 45 minutes or so and that's with stopping twice for Hermione to meet another dog. It also included me asking someone for directions to ensure I was on the right path. Once inside the park, I lose all of the signals I use to keep Glacier moving in the right direction; traffic flow, sidewalk, curbs Etc. We were walking down a paved path, but it has branches and sometimes very subtle turns that I would not notice. Accidentally wandering down one of these branches would put me at the complete opposite end of the park. Turns out we were moving in the right direction, which made me very happy.
Hermione did a great job with her forward momentum. Walking forward has been something we've been working on because she initially wanted to prance every direction, sniff every sidewalk slab and eat everything in sight. For the most part, she kept her paws pointed ahead and her nose up. I was impressed with this latter feat as she is only three months old and technically a part of the "gun dog" category; AKA hunting breeds. She did very well meeting two other dogs, which I was also very happy to see. It is very important to me that Hermione is socialised with as many dogs as possible, not only because she is going to be a therapy dog, but because I think it is a very important part of being a responsible dog owner and having a well rounded adult dog. Prevention is the best method of training and teaching your puppy/dog to play nice with others is the first step in ensuring your animal doesn't have dog sensitivity issues.
This morning's walk was the first in many to come. I've made it my goal to walk Hermione at least twice a day in order to ensure she gets the stimulation, exercise and socialisation she needs. It's been something I've been working up to, going on shorter walks every second day or so, but I think she is big enough now to be able to handle the physical activity. Besides, her energy level in the flat as of late has been through the roof. This tells me she is ready for more frequent and longer walks. I really enjoyed myself and I think both Glacier and Hermione did too. They both passed out when we got home and Hermione devoured her lunch. I think there are a lot of benefits for everyone involved, including me, to be out and about. I even feel better just from that one walk. I've also decided that we need to try to go early in the morning.
First of all, I'm more of a morning person and more apt to do the longer walk early in the morning. Second of all, there are a lot less children out that early in the morning. Not that I don't like kids, or that I don't  want Hermione exposed to them, it's just easier because there aren't any little ones trying to interact with Glacier; or parents with kids in "prams" everywhere, but my anger towards prams is for another post. ;)  I've also noticed that the people out walking their dogs that early in the morning are actually quite friendly and happy. I don't know what it is, but people out with their dogs early in the morning are in a much better mood than a lot of people later in the day. Of course I am generalising, and this observation does not apply to everyone. Lastly, it's because you never know when it's going to rain here and it seems that the likelihood of precipitation is lower that early in the morning. It had begun to drizzle just as we walked the last two blocks to our home and it's been pouring ever since. I'm determined to do our shorter walk tonight, but I may need to invest in rain gear for both dogs and a pair of good Wellies for me.
There's something satisfying about starting a new goal; especially one that is just so enjoyable for me.  Have you set yourselves new goals lately? Do you have any kind of routine with your dogs that is enjoyable for you?

Back in the Kitchen

Ever since I started fundraising for Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland, I've been experimenting with ways to make healthy, tasty dog treats. It's not always easy as most recipes call for flour or other wheaty things that a lot of dogs are allergic to. I'm really trying to find ingredients that shouldn't bother most dogs, throw them together and hope they make good cookies. So far, my banana/peanut butter/yogurt/cinnamon cookies turned out really well and today I tried another made up recipe, which I think was quite successful. The only thing I'm worried about is that these treats aren't pretty.
In the grand scheme of things, that's not a big deal if I was just feeding them to just my dogs, but trying to market these things is difficult when there are so many other treats out there in fun shapes, pretty packaging and fancy decorations. My treats don't even have a uniform shape. They are healthy and tasty and definitely low calorie, which means dogs can have more than one, but they don't look like anything a person would buy from a professional; not even if it's for charity. I don't know how to remedy this. I don't want to sacrifice quality, taste and health for shape, colour and visual appeal. The whole point of under taking this was to produce a treat that was worth eating, not a cookie that is just corn glossed over. Okay, that was a bit pretentious, but you know what I mean.
Let's take my recipe from today, for example.
Ingredients: butternut squash, cinnamon, honey...oh, that's it. Simple, identifiable ingredients all with nutritional benefit for your dog.
Nutritional value, for me, means that I selected each ingredient because of what it can positively contribute to the dog's diet. Since there are only three ingredients, let's examine each briefly.
Honey: a small amount of unpasturised honey contains anti-bacterial properties. It seems to help battle yeast infections. Roscoe has mild allergies to wheat, corn and perhaps some environmental allergies, but when he is eating a teaspoon of honey a day, his allergies stay pretty cleared up.
Cinnamon: I can't say enough about this spice. It helps regulate insulin levels, so it is good for diabetic dogs, and people too. It also acts as an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-inflamatory agent. A lot of "antis." It is also thought to assist with heart health. There is a word of caution with cinnamon though because it does assist with thinning the blood, and, could potentially cause uterine contractions in pregnant dogs. So, if you are going to administer cinnamon as a daily  dietary supplement, research it first. Basically, cinnamon is good for dogs with arthritis, Diabetes and allergies.  A little bit on a treat, in my opinion, very good.
Butternut squash contains anti-oxidants, a good source of vitamin C and an excellent source of fibre. It too has a multitude of health benefits.
So, what do you get when you combine all three ingredients together?
A very "super food" type treat that looks...well, ugly.
The treats are made in my handy dandy dehydrator and so the butternut squash ends up curling up and twisting all around, but not in a pretty twirly or curly Q fashion. Oh, no. They ugly! I tried one and they are tasty and Glacier, Roscoe and Hermione all thought they were great, but they are just so visually unappealing. Because I can't see, I have no idea, but I suspect the dehydrating process probably discoloured the butternut squash as well, or perhaps the honey and cinnamon turned it a funny colour, but if it did turn a strange colour, how do I sell shriveled up, brown dog treats that are supposedly a "super food?" I'm just saying. :)
Would you like to know how to make these super food treats? That way you can see for yourself how UGLY they are.
Step 1: slice butternut squash in to pieces. Depending on what kind of treat you want, your treat will be either sliced thinly or thickly. I made both because I have big dogs and a little one. The thicker pieces are meant to be something for Glacier and Roscoe to work at, while the thinner pieces are for Hermione. These are probably more of a treat rather than a "training" reward kind of cookie because they take too long to consume.
Step 2: sprinkle thin layer of cinnamon over each slice.
Step 3: spread thin layer of honey over cinnamon.
Step 4: put in dehydrator and let dehydrate until it reaches the consistency you want. The longer you leave them in there, the tougher they will be.
So, there you have it: my recipe for my super food treat that is UGLY.

Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?

So, as all of you know, thanks to Hermione, I spent some time in the   kitchen attempting to make some hypoallergenic, gluten/grain free treats for my pups. Surprisingly, they didn't turn out too badly and, as was requested, I will share the recipe with you. It's more of a "sort of do this" thing than an actual recipe. So, bare with me. :)
(I don't have a name for these. Any suggestions)?
Ingredients: bananas (how many bananas you use, depends on how many cookies you want. I used two bananas and got about a dozen or so treats), smooth peanut butter (natural if you can manage it), plain yogurt (I used organic), cinnamon.
Instructions: chop banana into slices Aprox. a quarter of an inch thick. (You can cut them however you want, but just know that the thicker they are, the longer it will take for them to dehydrate).
Spread thin layer of peanut butter on to each slice of banana. On top of thin layer of peanut butter, spread thin layer of plain yogurt. Sprinkle cinnamon on top and place into dehydrater. Let dehydrate for Aprox. 10 hours or until all ingredients have become hard.
Note: if the peanut butter is spread too thick, it will not lose its moisture and remain slightly oily and sticky. This is fine. The texture can be whatever you want it to be. If you want softer cookies, take them out of the machine sooner.
Bananas were used for flavour and potassium. Peanut butter was used for flavour and smell. Plain yogurt was used to encourage good intestinal health and cinnamon was used to promote good circulation.
***
My boys loved them and swallowed them in one gulp. So, these would be good training treats for big dogs. However, Hermione took hers off into a corner to chew on it. It took her about five to ten minutes to consume the small treat. So, these would not be good training treats for smaller dogs or  small breed puppies as it would take too  long for them to consume.
They are a healthy, low fat treat that your dogs should love. Enjoy. :)

Da Mama's in Da Kitchen!

Herro everyones,
Dis is Hermione writing my first ever postie and I am writing you a big warning...beclawse..da Mama's in da   kitchen.
I haven't lived heres very long, buts I already knows that da Mama should not be allowed in da kitchen. Hers and da kitchen haves a loves hat, erm, hate...yes, hate relationshop...no, relationships. Da mama wants to loves da kitchen, buts da kitchen just doesn't loves hers back. My very ver very very big brother Glacier says that once da Mama, he calls hers him girl, lit the stove thingy on flames. Da Daddy hads to tell hers that hers was on fire. Oh, wait. No, hers wasn't on fire, the stove thing was and hers was standing right in front of it and didn't even knows. So, hers should never be allowed in da kitchen.
Rights?
Well, this morning there was no mopping her...I mean, stopping hers. Hers was on a commision, um, mission and no matters hows much I pulled on hers pant leg with my very sharp puppy   teethers, hers was not budging. Glacier even tried to push hers out, buts hers was defurfmined...determined. Glacier stopped trying to shove hers out when she told him "out of the kitchen" and pointed.
"No, no, Mama!  no!" I was screaming, buts hers didn't hears me. "You should be getting out Mama. You are da one getting out of the kitchen! You are Lordess of the Flames!"
Buts hers told Glacier that hers was making dog cookies and him told me that hers could stay in da kitchen. I was not as sure as him was, buts he is the very very very very big brother and so I listened to him.
And do you knows what?! Him was rights!
Da Mama made dog cookies, buts hers didn't use the stove thingy, so there weren't any flames!
Best morning ever! No flames   and cookies, for us! All for us!
Hers said she was using some weird defrightening machine to make them. Oh, Glacier says it is a dehydrateor not a defrightener.
What do I knows? I'm only threes months old.
I tried to snoopervise, buts I am much too short and so Glacier and Roscoe tolds me that there were some pretty yummy thingies that da Mama put in our cookies.Roscoe said him saw bankers..wait, bananas. Yes, bananas. Glacier said him saw bee nut putter, erm, peanut butter and I smelled sinn o men...Spell Check says it is "cinnamon..." And Glacier's pretty sures there was some yogurt too! Can you imagines? all of those yummers mixed togethers to make cookies just fors us?!
Wow. If da Mama wants to cook like that, and there's no flames then I votes hers kitchen privileges be re-inflated...erm, you knows what I mean.
The only pawblem nows is that we haves to wait for a long time for our cookies to be ready.
What's that all abouts Mama? I am a puppy and don't knows how to wait!
******
Are theys ready yets?!
*****
Still waitings!

My Latest Endeavor

It's been a busy couple of days. Roscoe had a great birthday, complete with frozen peanut butter stuffed Kong and a hamburger patty chargrilled just for him. No, we normally do not feed our guide dogs human food. If we give them stuff we eat, then they will think that that stuff is always for them. This could be problematic in a public situation and so, it is a good rule of thumb to keep the human food for the humans.
However, on his birthday we went out for supper-Tenie, Carmen, Mr. K and I-and we told the server it was Roscoe's birthday. I'm not really sure how it came up, but then he was asking if Roscoe and Glacier could have a meat patty. He assured us  it was just meat and no extra sauces. They make their burgers by hand and so we said it was fine, but the boys had to wait until we were finished eating and ready to leave. So, Glacier and Roscoe ate burger off of a plate, in a restaurant! What have I become?!
Anyway, aside from Roscoe's birthday, we celebrated Mr. K's yesterday; I gave someone a massage on Sunday and we had a great Easter dinner as well that day; and much much more. That is why I haven't been here to tell you all about it.
Not only have we been celebrating birthdays and eating burgers, but I've taken on a new fundraising effort for Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland; the organisation I volunteer with. It's been something I've been thinking about for a while now and the details only fell into place on Saturday. I've been blowing up the LRRS Facebook page with announcements and also the dog trainers' Facebook page I've been invited to be a part of.
So, what exactly is it that I'm doing?
The fundraiser is twofold. First, I will be making fleece tug toys for dogs. The tugs come in a variety of colours and sizes and can come with  or  without tennis balls. I had made a small one for Hermione and when I saw her and Glacier playing tug-of-war with it, I realised just how sturdy it was and that it would be a good item to sell as a fundraiser.
Tug toys are not the only product available for dogs. I am also making gluten/grain free treats. These treats are good for training as well as just a treat and are totally natural. These cookies also come in a variety of flavours.
Of course there are goodies for humans too. Hand made soaps, bath salts and foot soaks are all available for purchase in a variety of fragrances and sizes.
Thus far, the tug toys have been the most popular item, with fourteen orders coming in within the last two days. All of the profits made from the products will go directly to Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland to assist with medical care of rescued Labradors, food and boarding until they can find their new forever homes and whatever else that is needed. I'm really excited about this project and can't wait to start making all of the items. I just have to wait for my materials to come in now. I've been trying to think of ways to spread the word, as I'd like to raise as much money for LRRS as possible, and so far, Social Media has been a big help. I've also thought of contacting the local pet food store where we buy all of our dog stuff from, to see if they would be willing to sell the tug toys. I think the treats may be a no go in the pet store as there is probably some kind of packaging/labeling requirement. Do you have any suggestions?
Well, with that in mind, I must be off to buy fleece and tennis balls so that I can get started on making my first order. I hope everyone had a wonderful Easter. :)

A Little 411!

Just a brief update to bring all of the citizens of Blogville up to speed.
Two more pages have appeared on this blog-aside from The Kissing Booth, Yummers Fur Your Sweetie, King and Queen Vote, Pawsome Raffle Prizes  and Loved recipients of Yummers-and they are important too.
First thing's first. The page entitled, "PAWTY Central" has all of the links for the other pages on it in one location. That means you can get to any of the activities from that particular page.
Second of all, there is a page entitled "daily results," which will keep you up to date on who kissed who and how the voting is going. The exact number of votes for particular individuals will not be released as we want the result on February 14th to be a surprise, but it will give you an idea and hopefully get a little bit of good natured competition going.
Also, don't forget the check out the "Loved Recipients of Yummers" page because it too is getting updated multiple times a day.
And last, but certainly not least, another exciting, or not so exciting depending on your point of view, activity  is going to be happening in Blogville. The details of this will be released at a later date, but can we say "Sarge" and "police work?" ;)
That's all for now. Make sure to check out the new pages to stay up to date on what's happening with the Blogville PAWTY!