The Truman Show Begins

The Truman Show begins, that is, with an ensemble cast. I know you're all dying to see a picture, so without further ado...ladies and gentlemen, meet the "T" litter:


From left to right: Thatcher, Trooper, Tia, Tori, Tai, and Truman (that's right, this is a very important litter, containing both a president and a prime minister)

A closer view of the South Bay T-Dogs (Tai, Truman and Tia):



And then one of the man himself, beloved Truman:



Of course there are stories to tell, but they'll have to wait for tomorrow, because I'm tired. Truman is sleeping in the crate right next to me, and if I expect to get in some shut-eye before he emits his first "take me to pee!" noises, I'd better jump into bed now.

"T" Minus 24 Hours and Counting

This time tomorrow, I will be sitting through my first official "puppy orientation" speech at GDA, squirming and fidgeting in anticipation of the appearance of Truman.

And his brother Tai, being raised by Matt & Amy.

And his sister Tia, being raised by the family who raised Guide Dog Harvey.

Homework

The countdown continues! In just three days, I'll once again hear the patter of little...toenails and ID tags?...in my apartment.

I've been attending puppy kindergarten and finishing up the last of my "puppy preparedness plan," which could be more accurately described as my "good reason to clean the apartment and get rid of unnecessary crap."

Meanwhile, since there's not much I can write about a dog I don't yet have, I thought you might enjoy learning a little about another famous Truman.

Raya Sunshine

I was having yellow dog hair withdrawals, so when Dave and Lydia put the call out for someone to watch Raya for the weekend, I jumped at the chance.

Beautiful Raya is a special dog, because she's a GDA breeder. She's 3-and-a-half years old, and quite the spunky girl! When my roommate came home from work on Friday night, she was met with the most enthusiastic yellow Lab she'd seen in our apartment since last August. Raya wiggled and ran back and forth and vocalized profusely, in an impressive display of friendliness toward this person she didn't really know.

And Amy exclaimed it in the perfect phrase: "She has the Spirit of The Moof!"

Indeed, she does. Playful and fun, silly and sweet, the sunny Miss Raya was an absolute joy.

Also, I'll have you know, just because Raya is a breeder (and therefore no longer required to adhere to the strict guidelines imposed upon guide dog puppies-in-training), that doesn't mean she has lost her touch. Raya's obedience is still stellar; she has the most perfect "formal come" I've seen, as a matter of fact. Amy and I spent a good amount of time on opposite sides of the living room, calling her to come back and forth and laughing with delight as Raya practically reared up to charge full-speed to the giver of the command and fling her backside around to park in a perfect little sit.

Raya, may all your puppies be as smart and full of life as you are!

More From Doodle-Ville

Ike and his new partner. I think it's love.

News From the Doodle

Today I heard terrific news about IkeyDoodle.

After going in for formal training at GDA last November, Ike decided he didn't want to be a guide dog. After a week at home with his puppy raisers, he went to Canine Support Teams, where he has since been showing everybody what he's made of.

Kari tells me that he is retrieving, turning lights on and off, opening and closing doors, and being used for stability...and that he is scheduled to be matched with the team training class that begins next week and finishes on March 3.

Sometimes a little career change is all it takes to find your place in life. Go Ikey go!!!

Guide Dog Lomax

What a weekend, you guys. I am wiped.

Then Blogger decided to poop out on me today by making me switch to the new version, but not letting me access either version. I am somehow logged into the old version as I post this -- after writing a strongly worded "you guys SUCK, this is WHY I was afraid to switch" e-mail -- so let's hope it works, eh?

Anyway. Graduation.

I didn't sleep the night before -- not one minute of sleep. I tried, but the excitement was too overwhelming. I had been up late anyway, finishing a scrapbook of Lomax pictures and stories for Lomax's partner and her family, and wondering what the day would hold for all of us. Sleep just would not come. And if you know me at all, you know sleep is one of my superpowers, so that's saying something.

Sunday morning, my roomie Amy and I met Matt & Amy for breakfast at the Denny's near GDA. I was surprisingly hungry. We shared scrapbooks and anticipation, and they gave me a lovely Lomax slideshow-set-to-music on DVD (that I could not bear to watch until today and which, by the way, had me bawling like Tammy Faye this afternoon, THANKS guys).

We got to GDA and sat in the room for, what, eternity plus a month or so? Finally, the trainers escorted Roomie-Amy and me to Lomax's partner's room.

I like her.

I hesitate to say too much about her here, because I didn't get her permission to post about her in such a public forum, but I will tell you a few things.

Lomax is her first guide dog. She loves him, and she loves that he is a happy, wiggly, funny, enthusiastic dog. Her energetic boys are going to love him, too. She told me he has already had an impact on her life, and she told me a few other things that made me think he will have an impact on so much more than just her independence and ability to get around town. She loves to groom him, she says he's great in traffic and makes her feel safe on stairs, and that he's incredibly smart. She said she had a reputation in this class for always being the "I'll go first! Pick me, pick me!" type...which is perfect for a certain yellow dog I know.

She indicated that she'd like to stay in touch, which was a huge gift to me. In the ensuing emotional and logistical chaos of the day, I did not get her contact information, but she has mine, and I am praying that after she and Lomax have settled into their routine in a few months, she'll give me a call. Praying...funny. Seems like all my other prayers about this were answered: she's young, leading a busy life, has kids, she even wants to go back to college! AND...I prayed last week that she would really hit it off with Liam's new partner.

AND SHE DID. When I asked her how she liked the class, she said that she and Liam's partner connected right away, before they even got their dogs, and that they would be keeping in touch. My heart nearly stopped.

Lomax, meanwhile, was on a tie-down when I entered the room, but the second he saw me, he went nutso. She unhooked him and let him wiggle his way over to me, and it was heavenly. He snorted and "fffFFFF!"ed and wiggled and tap danced and "MOOF"ed and kissed me and generally made a Lomax of himself all over the room. He was exactly the same! He looked gorgeous, healthy and strong and happy as ever. She said he weighs an even sixty pounds, and I could see that it is all muscle. His tail was the only thing on him that looked bigger to me, and I thought I was crazy for thinking so until Joanna said the same thing later. Amy and I had what seemed like not nearly enough time to visit with her and love on The Lomax, before they called the grads to harness their dogs and line up to head out to the ceremony.

She harnessed him, and it was amazing to behold. He was a whole different dog.

Not that he was missing any of his wonderful personality! He still looked around at the kinds of things that distracted him before, but he was a professional now. Such a good boy. They looked wonderful together.

I walked out behind Guide Dog Lomax and his new handler, past many of my friends and fellow puppy raisers, and took my seat next to them at the front.

Lomax sat quietly for the most part, doing his best to, shall we say, clear his immediate area of the leaves and apparently delicious tree-parts that were raining down on us from above due to the wind. He looked around at me several times, and the first couple of times I looked away so as not to tempt him to move or do something naughty, but when I saw that he could exercise some serious restraint, I gave in and looked him in the eye. Of course, we were the last ones to get to speak, so we had to sit through the whole thing before they got to us. I'm so proud of them.

After the ceremony, I gave her about 20 minutes to get back to her room and relax a bit, then I brought Joanna in to meet her. We spent more time kind of chatting with her and playing with Lomax, who had discovered the toy octopus I'd brought for him and was joyously honking and squeaking the life out of it, turning in circles and having a wonderful time. A few people came and went, and it seemed like a lot of activity, and in the overwhelming emotional rollercoaster of it all, I feel like I didn't really get to talk to her as much as I would have liked to...but I have a feeling it's okay. I'm sure I don't remember everything that was said, and she probably feels the same. I am hoping there will be time and opportunity to get to know each other more.

Saying goodbye was really hard, but as I walked away from them I could see her and Lomax outside talking to Liam and his new handler, and it made me feel better.

It was hard to wash my hands when I got home, because I could still smell him on them. I miss him, and will continue to miss him, but I know he's in good hands with her. And she is in good paws with him. And above all, I am proud of them and excited for their future, and I am grateful to God for so many beautifully answered prayers. We are all in His good hands.

Lomax's Sister Kandy

Lomax's sister, little miss Kandy, is now a breeder for GDA -- so the wiggliness of his line will live on! She's beautiful and smart and lovable, just like the rest of her brothers and sisters, and she will no doubt produce many successful guides for GDA. I'm very proud of her.

I had the opportunity to spend a little time with her recently, which was a joy. She is as full of life and love and happiness as Lomax is, that's for sure. Look at that smile!

Snuggles and Snorts: The World According to Paige

My friends and fellow raisers Amy and Matt, in addition to rejoicing about their soon-to-graduate Guide Dog Liam AND preparing for their soon-to-arrive Puppy In Training Tai, are also fostering Paige.

Paige was re-homed after a year, and has made tremendous progress in her few short months with her new handlers. I watched her for just a few days a couple of weeks ago, so I could give Matt and Amy my perspective. She's a very good girl, and did well in both my office and home environments.

What can I tell you about Paige? For one thing, she's beautiful, and quite skilled at giving the "puppydog eyes" in an effort to gain sympathy despite her fairly charmed life. Her coat is thick and lustrous, her features wide and solid like an English Lab. She graciously received compliments wherever we went.

Secondly, she rivals Wrio in terms of pure noise pollution. I wanted to get the two of them together for a snort-off. She is also a snorer. And then there's the belching. This is one of the many reasons M & A refer to her as their "delicate flower."

But my favorite thing about Miss Paige is that she is the cuddliest dog ever. She's laid back, she's snuggly, she wants to be near you. I took her to my friend's house for a "girls' night in" evening of board games and food and shrieking with laughter, and Paige hardly budged all night. And she was more than willing to cuddle with the hostess:

The Wreturn of Wrio

I have a special place in my heart for this little firecracker.

I call her names like "Snortles" and "GruntyPig." She is constantly grunting and snorting, even while fully conscious. And I've already mentioned the snoring that my roomie hears from the other side of the wall shared by our bedrooms.

She has a monogrammed tail. See the "W" for "Wrio?"



Wrio also likes to lay her head on things that could not possibly be comfortable:

* the metal base of a floor lamp
* the base of my rolling office chair at work
* the base of my rolling office chair at home
* the wooden crossbar of a TV tray
* the bottom bookshelf
* a chewed and prickly Nylabone

She's mischievous, too. I'd take something away from her and set it safely out of reach on the half wall that separates my kitchen from my living room, and five minutes later, as soon as my back was turned, she'd have it again. My roommate defended her when I accused Wrio of jumping up onto the couch to retrieve the forbidden object.

Until, that is, I pointed out the four little dents in the cushion where her stealthy feet had been. Amy was scandalized. There is some serious Scarlett O'Hara in this dog -- "Look how lovely and innocent I appear to be! Why, I couldn't possibly be guilty of such a thing!"

And why is she so fun to dress up?

Ember, the Multi-Tasking FrogDog

There are so many things I love about Ember, a sweet and silly Lab/Golden Retriever cross who -- unlike the Labradoodles I'd just watched before I puppysat her -- had very little concept of graceful motion. The first time I let her go downstairs off leash, I was a little afraid my apartment neighbors were going to kill me for making so much noise. Ka-da-KLUNK! Ker-KLUNK! Ka-BOOM-THUMP! THUMP-THUMP-BANG!

She's pretty good-sized, which makes it hard to be puppy-like and exuberant without doing some damage, at least to the peace and quiet of an otherwise silent stairwell.

Ember makes me laugh.



She's an expert at the "FrogDog" position:



But Ember is also a world record holder for the number of toys she can hold in her mouth at any given time. She never seems satisfied with just one. Just one toy in her mouth is only acceptable when she's petitioning you to play with her or to let her have additional toys.

What she prefers to do is get one toy in her mouth that can scoot way to the back and perhaps sit over her muzzle -- like this tire, or the Nylabone Ring, for example -- and then busy herself picking up other toys with the front of her mouth, like so:



The record? At my apartment, the record was six toys. I had stuffed the Holee Roller ball with a few toys, and she had picked up the tire, the Roller-full, and a light plush toy all at the same time. Unfortunately, I couldn't get to the camera fast enough to capture the moment.

Ingrid "Crazy Legs" Bouvier

After I turned in Lomax last August, I went on a puppy sitting jag that lasted several weeks. One day I realized I'd had more time with other people's dogs than with no dog at all, and I needed a break. I haven't often, therefore, watched anyone's pup since about November (when I was busy writing a novel), in an attempt to get through the holidays with some semblance of sanity, as well as to prepare for the arrival of a new puppy.

I wasn't blogging much during that time, choosing instead to concentrate on enjoying everyone else's dogs and to spend my free time doing things in the real world. But I did take some photos! We'll begin with Ingrid.

You've already read a little about Ingrid, lovely Labradoodle and sister to Ike (who has since decided he doesn't want to be a guide dog but is now training at Canine Support Teams). Ingrid is sweet, like her brother, but also a real comedy act on four legs. My roommate fell in love with her immediately because Ingrid was just so...silly. The way she ran and played was hilarious, all legs and spring. I thought she should guard for the Lakers, because she looks good in purple and has mastered the art of forcing a five-second violation -- you should have seen her try to prevent my roommate from leaving the room.

Anyway, one evening during Ingrid's visit, Wrio's puppy raisers asked me if I could watch her for a few hours. Knowing my roommate was out for the weekend, but feeling confident, I thought, "How hard could it be?"

I had been warned that Ingrid could be a bit... not aggressive, but perhaps firm... with smaller or younger dogs. But the girls got along famously, I must say. So famously, in fact, that it was difficult to keep them separated in a down/stay for any length of time.

And guess who was the instigator? Ingrid was not the only one who slept soundly after Wrio went home that night.

The Truman Show Begins March 9th!

Lomax's news had to come first, of course, because we have worked and I have prayed so hard for this day; he deserves his recognition.

But I thought you might also like to hear that on March 9th, I'll be picking up little Truman, another male yellow Lab, who will be my next puppy-in-training for GDA.

And finally, to add to the joy of Lomax graduating with his brother Liam, I'm also thrilled to announce that I will once again be raising littermates with Liam's raisers, my dear friends Matthew and Amy, who have started their own blog ("Growin' Up Guide"). Truman and his brother Tai will no doubt be fast friends.

Stay tuned for the Truman Show!

More Details, as Promised

What an insane weekend it's been.

Nothing about Lomax has been conventional or expected, thus far. I received him a few days after his one-year birthday, not as a wee pup. I had been assuming all along that I would get a black Lab, but he was yellow. I thought I'd only be fostering him for about six months, but I had him for ten. I thought it would be easier to start with an "older" puppy. Ha.

Likewise, I always thought that if I received the news of his impending graduation, I would spend the rest of my day making phone calls, telling everyone I knew in just the right order, posting some eloquent announcement on the blog, et cetera. However, I got the phone call about ten minutes before I was due to leave my apartment for a weekend getaway. So I left a voicemail for Joanna, put up a slapdash "guess what" on the blog, shot a quick e-mail to my puppy group leaders, flung everything in the car and spent the next hour or so trying not to cause an accident while calling people from my decrepit cell phone while I was sitting in traffic on the 405 freeway.

Not exactly the big hoorah I had planned, but it was a mad rush.

And you know what else? There were a few people who didn't think he'd ever be a guide dog. And by that I mean there were a few people who TOLD me so. One person looked at him one day, as Lomax was doing his best to "sit" at the end of the leash (which meant tap dancing and wiggling his butt so hard that he couldn't actually remain seated), and said to me flat-out, "He's never gonna make it. He's NEVER gonna make it." Who knows how many more people simply never gave voice to their thoughts?

Lomax's exuberance and wiggly distraction (dogs, people, whatever) was challenging and frustrating and yes, at times, discouraging. But we never gave up. I knew he wanted to work, and I knew there was someone out there who would need him and love him and give him an important job to do.

That someone is Barbara. I won't tell you her last name or the name of the Arizona town where she lives, just to preserve her privacy. But I will tell you that she leads a busy, active life, and that she has two kids. What could be more perfect for Mr. Wigglepants? I can't wait to meet her.

And oh, yes...I believe I have also neglected to mention that next Sunday's graduation is going to be a family affair. Lomax and his beloved brother Liam will BOTH be looking handsome in harness, with their new partners.

Big Fat News

He's matched. He's going to be a guide dog. Guide Dog Lomax!

I can't tell you how excited and emotional I am right now, and how very proud of him I am, and how grateful that this moment -- which has been my fervent prayer since the day I first saw his happy little face on September 24, 2005 -- has finally come.

Of course, I'm about to leave for a weekend trip at the moment and can't pause to write my usual course of lengthy purple prose...but all of you have been so supportive of me throughout my time with Lomax, I had to tell you!

I'll have more news for you later this weekend or early next week, and I'll certainly post a million words and pictures after graduation a week from this Sunday.

Thanks in advance for the many comments that are certain to follow this post!

More Dogs With Important Jobs

Can I apologize again for my lack of attention to ye olde dog blog? This is what happens between puppies. I promise, there will be more photos and "guest dog" posts soon....

In the meantime, I ran across an article I thought my fellow puppy raisers might enjoy. In the body of this post on Tanker Brothers -- one of my favorite military blogs -- there's an interesting article about K-9 teams working in Iraq. Click on over, scroll down a bit, and be grateful (as I know you already are) for smart, capable dogs with important jobs!

Postcards From the Moof

I hope everyone had a merry Christmas! I've been using my time off from work to visit my family in Fresno -- my parents' dog was quite pleased to see I arrived sans canine this year -- and to do some projects around the apartment.

A few of Lomax's classmates have sent postcards home in the last few weeks, so I've been watching my mail box. I'm happy to report that today, my little man has finally checked in:

Dear Mom,

Hi everybody! I just wanted to give you an update from Guide Dog College. I've been learning lots and we get to go to new and exciting places almost every day! We rode the subway the other day and worked around downtown Los Angeles.

Some of my friends have decided to go home, but I think I want to stay and try to learn more. Hope you all are doing well!

Lomax

I'm so proud of him. Just thinking about him in his harness, looking all handsome and serious (Lomax? SERIOUS?), makes me smile.

Slurrrrrrrp

Joandler

Well, I'm back from my blogging hiatus. I have photos and tales from a bunch of puppysitting I did back in September and October, with which I will regale you in good time.

Meanwhile, the latest news: I attended the annual GDA Christmas party potluck today. Good food, billions of dogs! It was nice to be able to walk around and say hello to all my human and puppy friends, and it was weird knowing that Lomax was just down at the kennels with Liam and Nevada and his other "classmates." I hear the boys are doing well, so while I would of course have loved to see him, it didn't bother me too much that I couldn't. The longer he's in there, the closer he is to graduation. Still keeping your paws crossed for us out there?

I didn't take too many photos while I was there -- there's only so much you can do with a camera when your other hand is shoving cookies in your mouth, after all -- but here are some happy shots of Joanna and Chandler!

Please Mr. Postman

As most of you know, I'm in the middle of writing my novel. Or, rather, I'm past the middle of the month-long noveling adventure, and my word count is, let's say, not quite as past the middle as it should be, which is why I'm spending my Saturday night at home writing, instead of my usual activity...spending my Saturday night at home doing laundry. Hmm. I guess that's a story for my other blog.

Anyway, I was going a little bonkers and had to get out of my apartment, so I went to Chipotle to grab a power-noveling burrito. A woman behind the counter spied my Guide Dogs of America sweatshirt and asked if I was a trainer. After explaining the difference between "trainer" and "puppy raiser," I told her that while I unfortunately did not have a four-legged charge with me this evening, I used to bring my dog there all the time.

She smiled. "The Golden Lab, right?"

Smiling back, I didn't bother correcting her (YELLOW Lab -- say it loud: "I'm yellow and proud!"). "That's the one. Lomax. He's in formal training right now."

She gave me the sympathy face. It's funny how even people who don't know anything else about the program seem to know about this part.

What a great moment that was! On my way back out to the parking lot after much well-wishing on the part of this woman I don't recall ever having seen before, I thought to myself, wow. Either Lomax made a more memorable impression than I ever realized, or I have been eating too many burritos. And I found myself wondering how he's doing, and when (if?) I would receive my next "Postcard From the Moof."

Lo and behold, I checked the mail on my way back into the apartment:

Dear Mom,

Hi! My trainers tell me that I've completed my first set of tests wearing my harness! I got to guide my trainer while they were blindfolded the other day. It sure was fun!

I know I still have a lot to learn & soon we will learn to guide on stairs, elevators & even escalators!

We have fun when we're not working too. The kennel staff gives us bones and toys to play with. We also run & play in the grassy off-leash area!

Take care!

Wiggles & Wags,

Lomax

You go, little man...keep up the good work!