TRIBUTE TO PUPPY RAISERS

After breakfast, our small class of four students gathered to learn the details about our dogs as written by the puppy raisers. Puffin’s puppy family included two parents, a 14-year-old daughter and a 10-year-old son. The daughter was the official raiser, but as always, it is a family project. All work together to shape the tiny puppies that come to them at about 8 weeks of age into responsible adults with good house manners and good public behavior. I have known many raisers in my past and am convinced that they take their job very seriously. Although there is sadness when they must say “Good by”, there is also pride in knowing that they have helped to shape the lives of the dogs that will be our partners.

Puffin has retained the qualities and behaviors that they describe. She is bright, indeed. She is also vocal with many noises to express what she cannot use words to convey. Her meaning is often clearer than words. She is bouncy and reminds me a bit of my golden when she gets excited and springs off the floor with front feet in her enthusiasm. She is playful. Today we went to a pet store and I purchased a latex ball that squeaks and has a rough surface. Someone has taught her to play interactively. She mouths it for a while and then tosses it to me. She waits until I locate it and toss it for her. Again and again, we play this new game. Now that she can be free in the room, this new game is lots of fun for both of us. Boy is she curious. She wants to be in on everything I am doing and she wants to check things out. She is loving and affectionate and likes to be near me. She showed me within 36 hours of our meeting that she is aware of my mood. I was grieving the loss of Trinity and she rose up from where she was lying to touch me when she realized my sadness.

Things are slowing down a bit. We didn’t go out on a walk this afternoon, but staff did change the seating arrangement for meals after lunch today and each of us in our small group worked individually with our trainer to find our new location in the dining room. We practiced the clicker training we have been learning to teach the dogs to target our new chair.

The trainer then worked with me individually on desensitizing Puffin to the vacuum. She is progressing well with this. Today she was able to work past it while it was on at a distance of ten feet by my estimation. This is a huge relief to me.

A Seeing Eye grad came with her husband and a friend again to visit with some of us this afternoon. After dinner we watched two Seeing Eye videos.


There were snow flurries today and this evening with a dusting when we went out to park.

Tomorrow is a quiet day as my trainer has the day off. I have requested to take Puffin with me to church tomorrow morning. Word is that we will be able to sleep in until 6:30.

Huffin' and Puffin