Turn-In Paperwork

As many PRs can tell you, probably the most draining part of puppy raising is filling out all the turn-in paperwork!! At CCI they have us fill out a repeat puppy raiser application in addition to all the standard forms. The repeat application is about three pages long and I never look forward to filling it out! I should just submit the last application.....who knows? Might be easier that way!!

They also look for pictures for the slideshow that they will be showing at the graduation/matriculation ceremony. I have been combing through all the pictures that I have of Nuri and trying to come up with the best ones to send in. There are so many!!! It's hard to pick just a few! So.....here are the ones that I have chosen to send in, and then I have to get another picture of me and Nuri as well.
I always send in at least 8 pictures so that they have a few to choose from. Plus there are too many great ones to narrow it down!

It's amazing how fast this past year has gone by. I can't believe that it's already time to give Nuri back to CCI. It gets harder each and every time I have to give one of my fluffballs back to CCI, but it's worth all the hard work and sometimes frustration. With Nuri it's been an interesting adventure and a wild ride! She has taught me so much over the last few months and for that I am grateful.

Event at Kessler Rehabilitation Center

So today Nuri, my mother, and I went to West Orange to Kessler Rehab for their 2nd Annual Adapted Recreation Expo. We got a message from NER's applicant coordinator, Jess, and we packed up everything and off we went! We knew that the event was being held, but NER did not ask anyone from the NJ Chapter to be there since it was going to be such a small event that it didn't seem to be needed. Jess, however, called us in at the last minute to give the event a bit of a boost. It seemed that everyone at Kessler was wondering where the dogs were! So Jess decided to go through her phonebook and give us a call.

We showed up and we had fun meeting people and Nuri was given an opportunity to work around many different kinds of wheelchairs. She was the center of attention and loved it!There was a table there for a local therapeutic riding school and with them they brought a large stuffed horse. Nuri has been around horses before, but from a distance watching as they circle around at street fairs offering pony rides. This stuffed horse was kept in their barn so it smelled like a real horse which was a good thing for Nuri to experience! She enjoyed it.There was also a table that had one of those electronic dogs. It was little and Nuri was completely fascinated with it! It was hilarious! She played with it and had a blast.I took some videos of Nuri with the electronic dog. She was having a fun time with it and it was a good thing for her to be exposed to. So here are two videos I took today.

Please VOTE again for CCI!

CCI has entered a contest to win $10,000 in a donation from The Christie Cookie Company. Just go to http://www.ilovechristiecookies.com/contest/ and CCI is already listed. Just scroll down to the C's and they are listed under Canine Companions for Independence Santa Rosa, CA.

Thanks everyone in advance!! Every little bit helps make someone's life that much easier and they can live more independently because of it.

To all the Puppy Raisers out there across the country (for this organization and every other one) you and I are doing an amazing, selfless, thing and you should be proud of yourself!!

San Francisco 49ers and CCI 2010 Calendar Release Party

The other night CCI and 49ers players got together for the launch of the new 16-month 2009-2010 calendar! It's filled with pictures of the players with the pups and graduate working dogs. It's great! They can be ordered here and click here for a video of the release party! It seemed that everyone had a great time and it looked like a good experience for the pups as well. They had fun playing with the mascot!

Also, Trixie Koontz, world famous CCI retired Service Dog, has a new calendar out as well.
It can be ordered at your usual book stores or you can go to Dean Koontz's actual website and buy it there which is probably the better idea! I'm not sure if proceeds from these sales benefit CCI, but I wouldn't be surprised. We all love the Koontz family for their donations and love for our wonderful organization!

A New Turn-In Date

There is another new post below this one so keep reading!


So on Friday I got an email from Katrina that Nuri's turn-in date has been pushed up to November 14th. YIKES! I had originally asked Katrina if it would be possible to move up Nuri's Turn-In date because I felt that it would be a good thing for her. I was told that the list for November had been finalized and there was not enough room to add Nuri to the list. I was fine with that and began a slow training schedule to help her overcome her bad behaviors that she has exhibited. It's been going well, but this new date has thrown a major crimp into my plans! I am thankful that she is going in early, but I will still miss my little girl!

I have just over a month left with her and I am trying to cram as much training in as possible. Not as easy as you would think! We are working hard though!

Nuri's brother Nico who is being raised in New York is also being turned in early as well as their sister Nanette.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for this N litter as they really do have a lot of promise!

I just realized yesterday that I will have had two turn-ins in one year. How crazy is that??? Wilara turned in this past February and Nuri goes in this November. How the time has flown by!

I'm so bad at this!!

I am the worst blogger!! I kept meaning to get a post up, but things have been super hectic over the last few weeks. If you can be patient, I will catch everyone up on the past few weeks.


In happier news though (and a switch in dogs!) Wilara has been certified as a Therapy Dog and Canine Good Citizen!!! YAY!! The test was a week ago Saturday and was incredibly easy for my very well trained girl! She tended to do the commands needed just before the instructor told me to give them. It was hilarious! And there was a section of the test where there was a girl and her dog that were to come meet me in the middle of the room. We had to put the dogs in a sit next to us and then we shake hands and introduce ourselves to each other. The dogs just had to sit quietly next to us during the whole thing and not try to interact with each other. Wilara sat perfectly next to me when I stopped and then turned to greet the girl. She was having issues getting her dog to sit! It was hilarious! And they do a seperation anxiety test where someone else takes Wilara into a small room and see how she does without seeing me. Again not an issue with my Wila! The guy that took her into the room actually forgot that she was there she was so good! I was laughing the whole time. Needless to say, she passed with flying colors and is now a TDI dog and a CGC!! Yahoo!!!

We have been doing many street fairs on the weekends and generating awareness for CCI which has been so much fun. I have been ALL over the state this month and because of that this blog has been put to the side. Hopefully now things will settle back to normal with not so many events headed my way. Yay for a break!!!

This past Sunday we were at the Kessler Stroll and Roll at Verona Park and there we met 2009 Miss Wheelchair New Jersey!! It was so great! And I also had to give a few interviews to the people that were there for the press. Yikes!! Hopefully I did a good enough job. Eek!

Please VOTE!

http://www.nameyourcause.com/view-charity/105/?ref=nf

CCI has been nominated to get a chance to head to Blogworld for free, but we need more votes. Sorry to not post this sooner, but voting ends today and we need to get into the Top 10. We are currently #11 and need a few more votes to push us into the top 10. It takes a few seconds of your time to vote!!

Thanks everyone!!!