take that easter bunny

Given her choice of toys she prefers to munch on the Easter Bunny

Happy Easter from Lani

LOST

LOST- one puppy belly
mostly pink with a bit of black fur
about the size of 1/2 cantelope
usually nice and full, warm and snuggly
last seen attached to a small black lab
if found please retun to Lani

I woke up one day and it was gone, it looks like she has grown about 1/3 larger, she had lengenthed out, which has helped her little tummydisappear. I miss it.

Can You Believe IT!

EIGHT - IT'S GREAT!

The phase report is in and at last there is movement. Waffle is now in phase 8! she was in 6 FOREVER I was worried that they had passed her back, I was also worried about her whole traffic issues, so I thought I would spend all of phase 7 holding my breath. Wheeeeeeeeeewwww

I was worried that today we'd get 'the call' you know which one I mean, we'd be happy to have her back, but now that she has been in training for so long, you kind of have hope now. You spend so much time playing down the fact that they will pass (60% fail, my leader has 0 out of 5 dogs pass, most dogs don't make it...ect) so now I am on edge evern more.

From now on out doesn't get any easier..... your heart will break when they tell you she has a place in class and it will break too when they tell you after two years of hoping and dreaming she's going to be CC'd. It would have been easier if she had been dropped earlier in training. Now it would just be cruel b/c I have hope for her (not that I always didn't believe n you Waffle)

I'm going to be D.C. for business and Lani is going to her 'cousins' Martinez and Melody's house for a sleep over. Lets hope she behaves well and I don't have to replace the kitchen linoleum like I did with a certain grape eating problem child.

what did Waffle have to learn to move up to 8.......

Phase #7
Guidework in extremely challenging downtown urban areas (San Francisco and Portland)
Training on buses, light rail/subway systems and platform edges
Introduction to low overhead clearances
Advanced off-leash obedience
Formal traffic training

Phase #8
Advanced guidework and obedience training continues
Intensive indoor mall training with crowds and slick floors
Escalator training
Advanced sidewalkless training with obstacles.

update

to quote Tacoma's people

" a $1,000 dollars later Taco's drinking"

yeah!

My problem child

So Tacoma is my problem child.

other people get to blog about graduations and grand puppies, I get new vet stories.

She was unique as a pup. At the time we were 1st time raisers and didn't know any better - we figured she would grow out of it. Well for those of you who know her paper clip story, you will not be surpised to hear that The Taco has eatten 2 pounds of grapes. Yes just under a Kilo of grapes. Her new family, who love her dearly and are clued in on her wily ways- yet she still managed to get around them to the grapes.

She really didn't display any signs of being in trouble (well she was pooping whole grapes-that is kind of problematic) but her people took her to the ER Vet where she did the doggy version of a freshmam at her 1st frat party and puked all over t he place. They kept her over night and let her go the next day. thinking they had dodged the bullet they took the little garbage mouth home.

Well the next day she ended back at the vet, cuz while she was still eating, peeing and pooping like normal she was not drinking water. Worried they had her on IV fluids over the weekend, she is peeing and starting to drink but the urine gravity is not where is should be . Both her people and I have no idea what that last statement means (help my blogging vet speak savy friends) While we are worried, yet it is hard to tell that she is sick, the same old ding dong of a dog who runs around eating anything off the floor.

Cross your fingers and paws that my problem child makes a full recovery!

I won't hope that she never does this again, my little garbage mouth has proven time and time again that cause and affect are just beyond some silly labbies to understand.

So Close - yet so far away

I'm in Tomales Bay for business - which is fantastic it is gorgeous. The scenary is beyond belief I sooo want to live here. The trees, the bay, the cows all is fantastic. I'm staying at the Marconi Center which has fantastic views of the bay. Lots of hills to keep me in shape. Lani would have loved it.

You know you're in Marin county when the Longs Drugs has an imported goods aisle.

We landed in Oakland and drove up the 580 to the 101 towards you guested it San Rafael. In fact the Longs Drugs we stopped at is right across from the Northgate Mall- I could see the cemetery. I thought I could her the pups romping in the play yard........ so close but so far away.

Waffle is still in Phase 6 - plugging away lets hope she studies hard and moves on soon.

Ring a round the chair

For your enjoyment.

who me?

Lani, Lani - Doo Doo

I'm in phase 6 !

don't you wish you were too!

Waffle.

new pics

Boy I sure am cute!

That's what Lani herd today whenI took her on her 1st walk around campus today. Going around visiting friends in various offices. Everywhere we went she melted hearts.

We went into the president's office to visit the secretary there, she is a big fan of all our dogs. She had lots of questions about raising and while I was answering them Lani must have been tired, so she made herself comfortable on Meta's foot, using it as a pillow. Lucky Meta, thought it was precious.

Today was a big one for Lani, up until now she really hasn't been interested in walking around (the rain may have had something to do with it) but today she did several sets of stairs. Two flights in and out of the parking structure, up and down into my office and up and down into the admin building. Up isn't a problem it is going down that she needs a bit of encouragement. I need to get down on a lower step and really cheer her on. She gets this little hop and wag in her tail and she gets up her courage and she goes! It takes her a bit but she does it, and you can see how proud she is to do it. She usually takes the last two steps at a leap and does a little dance when she it done.

My girl can do stairs!

Now only if I cn convience her the living room rug is not and indoor potty!

Where's Waffle?

Well since you asked........(drum roooooooooooooooooooooolllllllllllll)

Phase 6 the Waffler has been working hard! I'm so proud, to get to phase 6 she has had to prove that she can do all her commands with distractions, has taken her blindfolded trainer on walks, and navigate the obstacle course. Yeah I am so pleased! Mom is thrilled, but still says 'but she won't be a mommy'.

I feel like my little girl is growing up.

puppy pudge

Visiting with new friends

That's a Lot of skin to grow into

She's got a little bite of some sort on her tummy

Pudgy puppy baby

Good Night!

Don't Mind The Dust

Lani is really a silly girl, I thought 3 months was too young to have the shuffles/sillies/rampages but she has her mini version. Her favorite route happens to be around the living room and under the living room chair. Don't mind the dust bunnies - I wonder what she will do when she is too big to fit.

Silly labbie

Hey Look!

Guess who made it into the Feburary issue of Community Connection.

A hard days work

Ok Lani is finding life as working girl slightly boring. I work at a community college, in the office of student affairs, so my pups are always being mobbed by kids who want to play, walk, pet, hug, sleep with, ect.... with my girls. But because this is her first day at work, I've banned all students from my office. Which Lani thinks is pretty dull. Here she is spread eagle on my floor.

Can anyone tell me why pups like to sleep on their backs? I love her little legs, it is like they are made of jello so bend-y

didn't believe me about being pear shaped, this isn't even a food belly shot. Poor thing being a black pup means her tummy really stands out.

I called GDB and found out that her sibs are as follows: Lillybell, Lupe, Langdon, Langston, Lorado, Lunar, Luxor, all except Lupe are black.

Dale (Waffle's 1/2 sister)




Jay -donated from the Samsung school in Korea

Their litter was born on 11/23, 5 males and 3 females - black and yellow. Lani and her brother (who went to the head of the Riverside group) Langston are both black. I am suprised that there were any yellows from that litter. Dylan is dominant in black so most, if not all his offspring are black. Lani has just a wisp of white on her chest.

Thanks to Amber and the GDB littermate group on Yahoo, I have found Lani's parents. It is kind of funny - Lani is Waffle's half niece. Jay, Lani's mother, is a Dylan pup and Dylan is Waffle's dad so we have high hopes for our little porker. Yeah, she is a little pear-shaped, and even through she is one of eight, she really bellied up to the mommy bar quite a few times. Underfed she is not.

She's here!

Did you see her?

nope ok well here she is Miss.................

Lani

Look at that tounge

Already practicing the puppy eyes

Here she is little Miss Lani, she is a Jay x Dale pup. She came down with her brothers Langston - who I think was going to a raiser in Riverside. We love the name, I know London was a fav but Lani is perfect. Mom grew up in Honolulu and remembers when they had some statewide contest to name a cow (why? I don't know) but the winning entry was Lani Moo! so we are going back and forth between Lani moo or Lani dog. It is hard to tell we are all still so new to each other.

What I can tell is that she is more fiesty that Waffle but not the ADHD that was Tacoma. She has this huge knot at the top of her head-kind of like you find with a golden, and she has a pin head! meaning her head is small compared to her little fat body. Yup we've got a fatty, a chunky monkey, she is pear shaped. Which is cute for now

We're off to pick up her puppy jacket from a friend. I'll post more later.

Little Miss 'L'

I called Mary up at Guide Dogs today to see if I could get any info about the pup and she was great. I am getting a 11 week old female black lab from the 'L' litter born on 11/23. So she is either from a Danny x Isabel litter or Jay x Dale. We've never had one that old before we usually get them at 8 weeks, so that will be a bit different.

I'm working this weekend so I won't see Miss 'L' until sunday, so if folks want to guess what her name is leave me some comments we will see get close. I forgot to ask for hints about the name - darn! I hope its cute, but we've extremly good luck with the last two (Tacoma and Waffle) we might be due for the Gudie Dog Karma

let see names I like: Lulu, Laurie, Lacie, Lani, Laurel, Lela, Lily, Lindsey, Lemon, Lime, Lucky

Names that (please dear god) I hope don't get used: Liberty, Latoya (two words: Wardrobe malfunction), Loyal, Lucitania, Limburger, Lydia, London, Lark, Lola,

alright get your guess in for the best and the worst

Five is Fine!

Guide Dogs will always suprise me. Last week I was depressed because the Waffler had not moved up a phase, (thanks to everyone who told me to have patience) well this week she some how has jumped into Phase 5. Some how she has missed phase 4! or maybe there is a typo. In any case FIVE IS FINE with us.

It's A Girl and she is coming when????

So I had just put my application in the mail to my leader, when I get an email from her. I guess Guide Dogs has a bunch of puppies ready to go with no one lined up to take them. Rick (my CFR) will be in SR on Friday and is willing to bring down pups on Saturday -- so I guess I am getting my girl a lot earlier than I had planned. I had kind of hoped that I might get one of Chris's pups, but she went and had all boys ;) and then it did cross my mind to wait for one of Bruna's pups, but the timing works out better this way. I'm dying to know a letter, I think I will go on the boards and ask anyone if they know what litters where born in Dec.



But she is coming this Sat. I am sooooo excited, mom is too, she got out of bed late last night and came into my room to ask what kind of dog food we needed to get. So we all have puppies on the brain, plus tomorrow phase reports come out and I hope The Waffler has buckled down and learned her lessons and moved up to phase 4.

speaking of dogs on the brain I wonder.......


Will she like wearing funny hats......



Will she have imaginary friends....


Will she be sad if she can't have any cookies.......



Will she be naughty or nice......



Will she be famous........



Famous enough that they make potty's with her face on them.....



Will she like James Blunt....



Will she like baths....



Especially with friends......



Will she one day take her partner around the world....



Will she bring world peace....




I DO know that we will be bestest, bestest, bestest friends

and when she graduates......

We will party!

Can't wait to meet you.

The Count Down

One Little puppy, Two little puppy, Three little puppy!

So today I mailed in my application for a new puppy, we had been waiting because I have some travel in March and May for business and finding dog sitters if often hard. Yet it sucks living without a dog, and seeing as how The Waffler hasn't managed to flunk out of school yet (knock on wood) We figure it is about time to start yet another one. My co-workers can't believe they are going to give us another one to 'ruin' (read spoiled beyond redemption) I tell them 'that's so the pot calling the kettle black'.

But I need some help, like Iron Guide Lester I find that I will soon have to rename this blog, after all how would you feel if the light of your little puppy life (me!) loved some other mutt enough to name a blog after HER, but left you in as a footnote! Where's the love! that's what you'd say- most likely after you ripped my favorite pair of jeans to shreds, or ate the power cable to my lap top. So any ideas?

I'll keep you up to date as to the when, and the who. I just asked for a girl, any color but a cute one.