Santa Claus is Coming to Town

Here's one of my favorite puppy raising memories for you. Turk graduated as a guide in September 1998. The Christmas after he graduated, Janet sent me a picture of Turk sitting with Santa. Her thoughtfulness in sending that picture made my holidays. I lost contact with Janet, something that is primarily my fault and a big regret, but I will never forget her Christmas gift.

Tonight seven of the puppies from our club visited Santa at the local mall. I debated whether or not to pay for a picture of Kyle with him, but after I thought of Turk's picture, I caved. The happy memories drew me. I look forward to reversing the the gift from Janet when I give Kyle's picture with Santa to his partner.

(Kyle sitting next to a grumpy looking Santa. I'm impressed that someone got Kyle to look at the camera on the first shot.)

(Seven of our crew. I love Julimae's head tilt and Snicker's kiss for Lacole. Back row: Kyle, Sugar, Clyde, Julimae, Snickers, and Lacole. Front row: Keiko.)

Merry Christmas!

Why I Blog

I looked through my sparsely kept high school journal for entries about Turk and Mesa. Here is the sum total of my recorded puppy raising adventures from back then.

8-2-98
Turk passed his final obedience test and will probably be put in class soon. He will graduate August 15 or September 12. I miss him but hope he will be a successful guide.

4-28-99
Turk graduated September 12th and now works with a woman named Janet ... in Ohio. Becky and I are now raising Mesa, a dog who is nothing like Turk.

Yikes! That’s pathetic. I’ve found a few high school papers where I discussed puppy raising in more general terms, and I might post those later. However, I regret not having written more memories with my first boys.

This blog is a place to do better this time around by recording adventures for me and Kyle’s future partner. With that said, why do you blog?

Colorful Colorado

In Colorado there is a popular bumper sticker that states "Not a native, but I got here as fast as I could." My family moved to Colorado when I was almost 12-years-old and immediately agreed with that sentiment. They stayed there for over nine years. For a family that moves about every two years, that is a really long time.

Kyle's first puppy home was in Colorado. Thus, while we both ended up in Utah, the "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" sign sure brought a huge smile to my face. Kyle was asleep, but we stopped a bit down the road so that we could both enjoy a break on Colorado soil.

(Kyle in a great down-stay near the top of Monarch Pass.)

The first stop on our trip was my hometown where my best friend from high school, Sarah, and her dog, Sam, live.

When we got to Sarah's house, she surprised me with an early birthday celebration. This was Kyle's first opportunity to watch someone open gifts. He got excited about the process and decided to help me.

(Kyle was really interested in seeing what was in my box. He was disappointed to find out that there weren't any puppy toys. However, I loved all of my gifts!)

Both Sarah and I were fairly nervous about how Sam and Kyle would get along. They have such different sizes, temperaments, and ages that we could have had problems. However, all our worries were for naught. They got along just fine.

(Sam, a 5-year-old Scottie, relaxed on the couch while Kyle sat next to him on the floor.)

Kyle and I spent our first full day in Colorado playing in my hometown. Kyle's favorite spot was Sarah's parents' backyard. He and Sam had a blast running around. The yard is huge, so it was a great place to practice off leash recalls.

(Kyle was "in the doghouse" for part of the time while we played in the back yard.)

The main purpose of our trip to Colorado was four days of camping in Marble. That meant Sarah and I loaded up both dogs and drove for five hours. Kyle started out on the floor and Sam had the back seat, but they both ended up sharing the seat in the end.

(Kyle and Sam curled up together on the seat.)

About halfway through the drive, we stopped at Independence Pass on the Continental Divide. The pictures show just how breathtaking this spot of earth is.

(Kyle and I in front of mountains in the distance. Kyle may be getting heavy, but I still can pick him up like a baby.)

When we sat down for a rest on a bench, we ended up meeting a puppy sitter from a Colorado club. I was suprised that she recognized Kyle as a dog in training since he wasn't wearing his puppy jacket. Sarah pointed out that I was wearing a "Born to Lead" tee-shirt. Silly me!

We had a great visit about Kyle, and the puppy sitter offered to take our picture. However, after being stuck in a car for the second day in a week, Kyle was a bit of a goof ball.Sam definitely put on a better show of his obedience training at that point.

(Kyle tried to squirm every-which-way in my arms while Sam sat calmly in Sarah's lap.)

A few minutes later, we headed down the trail and Kyle decided to sit wonderfully for a picture in front of the Independence Pass sign. I guess he just needed to get his wiggles out. Truth be told, I did too.

(Kyle sat like a human in my lap with his front paws hanging over my arm. The silly boy enjoys sitting like this whenever I let him.)

Kyle and I also had to get a picture with Sarah and Sam. If you look at our feet, Sarah and I are sitting in the exact same pose. That makes me laugh.

(Our group of four in front of the sign and a pond. I love the little ponds that dot this area.)

After we got to our campsite and pitched our tents, we headed to an old marble quarry to see the antiquated equipment. I was amazed by the shear quantity of marble. The marble used in the Lincoln Memorial and Tomb of the Unknown Soldier came from this area.

 (Kyle and Sam posed on a marble table that reminded me of Aslan's table in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.)

On another day of our camping trip, we headed to some natural hot springs. At first Kyle was really hesitant of getting in the water. However, after he saw Sam playing, Kyle decided that the water wasn't that bad. He especially liked trying to catch the water we squirted up with our hands.

(Kyle and Sarah sitting in a hot spring with the river in the background.)

(At one point I enjoyed a hot spring while Kyle dried out on the beach behind us.)

Usually our camping trips include a lot of hiking. Sarah and I have been known to hike two trails a day for a few days in a row. However, this year my broken foot limited our hiking abilities, so we stayed to flat trails and the main streets of tiny towns. Kyle and Sam loved all of the walking and stayed alert and active all day. At night, the two of them crashed in the tent. I loved having Kyle right next to me as we slept. He is my cuddle bug after all.

By the last full day of camping, Kyle finally got tired enough to take a nap. After a long walk, he crashed under a tree. Since he previously spent his time trying to eat the pine needles and twigs under the tree, this was major progress.

(Kyle is collapsed on his side in the shade of a giant pine tree.)

While we loved camping, it was nice to get back to Sarah's house. On our last day in town, Kyle and I visited the church were I grew up. That, more than anything else on the trip, felt like coming home. The congregation was full of people who shaped the person I am today. I loved giving them hugs and catching up on our years apart. I wish I could still see them every Sunday.

Since I come from a large family with several sisters who look alike, some people in the congregation questioned which sister I was when they spotted me in the pew. However, they saw Kyle and figured out that I was Amanda before having to ask. After all, they remembered me with Turk and Mesa in times past. Kyle was a saint (insert cheesy laugh here) at church and won over the hearts of all of my friends. He sure can be a charmer!

Kyle and I love Utah, but Colorado also has a piece of my heart. I know that Kyle loved going to his home state as well. I don't know if Kyle will make it back again before his recall next spring, but I look forward to many more adventures showing puppies-in-training where Turk, Mesa, and I grew up.

Picking Up Kyle

Sunday was quite the adventure. When we got to the puppy truck, all the dogs were being relieved and Kyle was out of the truck. I waited until they put him back (without even peeking). Then  my mom and I helped walk the recalled dogs so that they could relieve themselves.

(I'm walking a black lab and neither of us are paying any attention to the camera.)

When all the dogs had been walked, Kyle came off the truck. He was a wiggling ball of energy. I didn't account for the fact that he had been on the truck all day, so I thought that was his everyday personality. Thankfully he later calmed down a bit. :)

(Our first picture together. Kyle was jumping all over me giving me kisses while I laughed my head off.)

Eventually I picked him up and we got a few pictures of me hugging him while we both looked at the camera.

(I'm giving Kyle a giant hug. I love that this shot shows off his eraser pink nose and light spots on his lips.)

(Kyle resting against me while I look off in the distance with a huge smile on my face.)

I let Kyle run off some energy, then we were on for round two of pictures--this time in front of the puppy truck. That was the moment Kyle won my heart forever. When I picked Turk up thirteen years ago, he put his head on my shoulder and fell asleep. To this day, that is one of my favorite memories of Turk. Kyle must have known that action was the fast track to my heart because he gave me a repeat performance and I melted.

(Kyle is resting his head on my shoulder while I stand with my back to the camera looking at the puppy truck.)

I wasn't the only person to get a transfer puppy off the truck. My friend and fellow club member Megan got a sweet nine-month-old female yellow lab named Picassa. She has the pinkest nose I've ever seen on a lab and a beautiful bushy tail. Kyle and Picassa weren't too cooperative for a group picture in front of the puppy truck, but we tried.

(Megan holding Picassa, and me holding Kyle. I feel bad because it looks like I'm about to drop Kyle in this picture, but I promise that I didn't drop him.)

While the puppy truck is known for delivering bundles of fun, it is also the place for dropping off recalled dogs (dogs ready for formal harness training). Megan just finished raising Paris. Paris is perhaps the best trained pup I've ever seen in one of my clubs (except Turk of course). While Megan got the fun of picking up a new pup Sunday, she also had to drop off a incredible dog. I have no doubt that Paris will go on to do great things.

(Megan kneeling next to Paris for one of their last pictures together.)

Since it was mother's day, my mom and grandma went with me to pick up my new little guy. My mom helped my sister and me raise Turk and Mesa, so she is supper excited to have another guide dog in the family.

(Here my mom is smiling while she holds the leash of her new grandpuppy.)

After the puppy truck, Grandma, Mom, Kyle, and I headed to my uncle's house for a mother's day dinner. My uncle's family was very receptive of Kyle, and they loved playing with him. When we took family pictures, they even offered to have Kyle in them. I have a wonderfully supportive family, and I am so thankful for them!

(Kyle and I are sitting on the lawn in between family photos.)

Kyle's first raisers wrote me a great letter telling me about everything they've done with him. One thing they mentioned was that Kyle loves to sit in their laps. I love cuddly dogs, so I hoped that habit would carry over to me. When I sat on the floor to watch a movie after dinner, Kyle curled right up in my lap and fell asleep.

(Kyle is curled in a tiny ball on my lap.)

I'm looking forward to many adventures with Kyle. He's a sweet little boy with a lot of spunk. :)