Friday, March 24, 2006

Pack Order Firmly Established

The roommate was hanging out with us last night just after I got home from work. This is Lomax's nutty time, when he's off leash and out of jacket, and free to zoom around the apartment with wild Labrador abandon.

So Amy was next to the dog toybox, into which Lomax was sticking his head.

"Can I give him something?"

"Sure."

"What does he like?"

"He likes everything. Anything'll do."

"What do you want, boy?" She pulls out and tosses the Holee Roller ball. "You want this?"

No good. Lomax stares at her and wags slightly.

"How about...oh wait, I know...." It was the springy, rubber "DNA" double helix toy he loves carrying around the apartment. "THIS!"

Not so much. Puzzlement with wrinkled brow and another slight wag.

"How about the man?" She tosses the little fleece squeaky-person.

Nope.

"I don't get it! What does he want?!?"

"To control you."

Tuesday, March 21, 2006

Happy 1.5 Year Birthday!

Lomax (and all his littermates, of course, including sister Kandy and brother Liam) will turn 18 months old today!

Last Saturday I took him to Liam's house for a brother photo-op as well as to meet Voight, a working GDA guide whose partner is on vacation for a few days in a dog-inconvenient locale. Voight's staying with Liam and his puppy raisers; they raised Voight, too. I remember when Voight was just a pup...I had just started coming to GDA meetings. And now he's a grown up guide dog! We're all very proud of him.

He looks great in his harness, as though the mantle of maturity and experience has settled upon him. The L Brothers want to be just like him when they grow up.

Here's the serious "GQ" shot, with everybody looking handsome:



And here's the personality shot:

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Where's Lomax?

I haven't posted much lately. Things have been busy, and quite frankly, it's hard to get a good picture of Sr. WiggleBuns in action because both my hands are usually quite occupied. You know, controlling the wiggling.

He's doing well. We're past the month mark (mark! ha ha!) with the...neutering, and he seems to have calmed down a tiny bit. Or perhaps that's me seeing what I want to see? He hasn't once walked away from his food bowl mid-meal since the snippage, he's cuddlier, and he's less likely to get up and try to wander when he's under the desk at my office. Also, he's been very vocal in the mornings when I give him his first hugs and kisses and scratches of the day; he makes this terrific, joyous "moooof MOOF-moof mmmmmoooof" grunting noise that makes me laugh (hence the nickname "Mr. Moof").

However, there's still some pretty crazy dog distraction happening, and some people distraction as well. I've called the trainer from the GDA puppy department, and scheduled an appointment for her to come work with us at home one day next week. We'll let you know how that goes.

We're down to about two months before Lomax goes IFT ("in formal training"). I can't believe the time has gone so quickly, and I hope we can get this distraction thing worked out before I send him off to college!

Sunday, March 05, 2006

It's an Honor Just to Be Nominated


And the Oscar for Best Dog in a Future Leading Role goes to...Mr. Lomax!

Now that he's been neutered, there will be no Brokeback Mountin' jokes.