Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Puppy Class - A Walk Through Morristown

FYI: very long post!

Well last night we had our monthly puppy class, but this time with a summer twist! Every summer we like to make the puppy class outdoors. We head over to downtown Morristown and we have come up with a walk through the town that has the pups walking over different surfaces and coming across different objects and people. We almost didn't have this walk since the weather was threatening and looked like we were going to get some more rain. Not like we need anymore!
We all met around 7:15 at the Creamery and oohed and aahed at the new little fluffballs that have come into our chapter. Little FEENEY II, PATCHES, PERCY, MINA, SHELBY. So cute all of them!
We begin our walk and head down the street. It's great for the pups to be around all the sounds of a small town/city place. There are usually sirens that can be heard, lots of cars driving by, and a lot of distractions around.

We find little places where the pups can work on their commands. There are some low walls that the pups can use the Jump command and hop on up. Then we let them walk along the wall since it's narrow and they have to learn to navigate that.

There is a small little area that's surrounded by a fence that we walk the pups along because it is all grating. Many pups balk and hesitate when going over the grates and they have to learn to ignore it and just keep walking. We can't have them stopping or walking so far around them when they are out in the working world. It seems that everyone did well! Even the pups!

We then come to a park or really something like a "square" like you would find in a bigger city. It was surrounded by the roads and it was great for distractions and working on commands. There's a big fountain that all the dogs like to use the Up command with and have a peek into the fountain.

I think STORY wanted to take a swim!

Nuri and I at the fountain

Someone decided to get a group picture here at the fountain on one of the benches that surrounds it. It is always a process and its so funny to try and get all the pups to stay and not move!
After all of this we head across the street so that the dogs can be introduced to a statue! (A little background info: Morristown is widely known as the home of The Seeing Eye. The statue we visit is of William Morris with a Seeing Eye Dog complete with harness) Most of the dogs do not like the statue and will shy away from it. It seemed that everyone was pretty good and I don't remember seeing any of the pups really fearful of it which was awesome! Nuri was a bit hesitant, got up there and figured that it was a statue, then walked away cause she was bored with it. Yay Nuri!!
It then started to really rain so we all ran back to the Creamery for some ice cream! The pups were exhausted and everyone seemed to have a good time just catching up and talking some puppy news. All things considered it was a great and fun puppy class!

PATCHES asleep on the bench



FEENEY was wiped out and all wet!

Saturday, July 25, 2009

Wilara - Change Of Career

Well yesterday we got that "dreaded" phone call from CCI that Wilara was being released. She was still not able to overcome the issues on her last progress report and so she decided to come home. We are going to keep her which will be nice and it helps fill the void left from when we had to put down one of my sister's Shelties on Monday night.

We are happy to have Wila back home with us and are planning on having her tested and become a Therapy Dog and get her certified as a Canine Good Citizen. I have to get in touch with Stacey, her trainer, to get a list of commands that she has learned so that we can keep on top of everything and make sure she practices! At work last night she was showing off for everyone and pushing drawers and cabinets closed. All the other dogs at the vets have nothing on her!! She really impressed people.

Hopefully she will be a good influence on Nuri and get her to settle down enough to focus on her commands. Maybe watching Wilara perform them will help her to understand them. Here's to hoping!! Wilara on the ride home hanging out in the back seat. Nuri likes the floor better so she was happy to let Wilara have the bench seat!


Wila hanging out at home, loving sitting outside on the deck and hanging with the other pups!

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Swim Lessons!

So Nuri had her first swim lesson today! I have been trying to get a chance to get her into the pool and haven't had one until today. She was pretty indifferent to the whole idea of the pool but seemed to like it a bit anyways. Way more than Wilara liked it, but not nearly as much as Shane and Tiffany and Glenda like the pool. Those three you couldn't get out of the pool while Wila went in once and that was enough for her!

So here it is in pictures!first trick up my sleeve was to use treats as a motivator...


that didn't work so I resorted to Plan B and grabbed her front legs to put them on the first step which is about 2 inches deep.


back to using treats to get her in further down the steps.


yeah, then she ran away from me...


Plan C! Pick up and carry into the pool...


Let's learn the Doggy Paddle..


And she's off and swimming! Heading towards my sister's COC dog Glenda IV to ambush her...



Shake all over everyone!

Friday, July 17, 2009

August TT photo!

I get so excited when I see the new photo for potential graduates. It's so much fun especially when you know a few of the dogs in the picture! NJ has a great representation in this class! There's Faizah, Wexler, and of course Wilara! I know that Wexler and Faizah are going to graduate, this is their last rotation through TT so they're chances are excellent. Wilara can still go on for another 3 months but I am hoping for a graduation this time around!

Enjoy!

(And on seeing the photo before they added the names to it, I guessed right as to which one was Wila! Go me!)

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Wilara Update

Well the TT photo for NER's August graduation was sent out in the monthly e-newsletter from CCI! It was very small and hard to make out which dog is which. I'm waiting on my postcard with the picture and the posting of the picture on the website. I believe that Wilara is the middle yellow lab in the back row. From what I could tell when I blew up the picture (which was not so clear) was that that dog looked the most like her. I was looking at their faces and that's the one that I thought looked the closest. Will soon find out when I get my postcard!

And I have no idea which one is Wexler, the black dogs are always so hard to distinguish as to who is who!

Monday, July 13, 2009

Happy 2nd Birthday "W" Litter!


Today Wilara and her siblings turn 2! Happy Birthday to everyone and I hope those of you that are still in AT are doing well and having parties today! Congrats again to Walker on graduating in May, I hope you are enjoying your first "working" birthday!

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Happy 1st Birthday "N" Pups!!


Today I would like to wish Nuri and her littermates Naelyn, Namiko, Nico, Navarro, Nanette, and Nevada a very happy first birthday!

W Litter Update - Wexler

Well Wilara's brother Wexler is due to graduate next month (YAY!) and I just love looking around for fun pictures. Saw this one on Lauren's (his trainer) page and had to post it to show everyone how well he is doing!
Wex is the one on the right laying next to Lauren and being the big mush that he is! Looks like he's wearing a vest that has a strap for someone who needs a dog to pull his/her wheelchair on it. Cool! I knew he was building up the endurance for it and it's so neat to know that he is working hard at it!!

Friday, July 10, 2009

Trixie's new line of products!




Hey gang! Trixie Koontz, beloved pet of author Dean Koontz, has out a line of dog products! They launched the new line at PetsMart on July 1st so everyone should go and check them out! Trixie was a retired CCI pup who worked for about 6 months before having surgery and officially retiring. She went to live with Dean and his wife Gerda and really made a name for herself in the writing world! Many people know her as the author to Life Is Good and Christmas Is Good, while writing Bliss To You after she had passed away.

So make sure you go to PetsMart and see the new stuff! All proceeds from each sale goes to CCI and the stuff is really cute!

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Team Tomba Video!

Great stuff for the NJ Chapter today! Congrats to Morgan and SD Tomba on this video. I know Team Trouble, umm I mean Team Tomba, is going to keep turning heads at college and educating people about CCI. Great video guys! And of course Congrats to Morgan on graduating. You did it!!

Jen and CALLIE video!!

Jen is a fellow NJ PR raising Callie. Callie reminds me so much of my little Wilara! Great job in this video. Callie goes off to CCIU in August!