Good Luck Picassa

Three weeks ago Picassa and Kyle traded places for a few days. I got the privilege of hosting Picassa for her last puppy trade. Let me tell you, I already liked the girl, but Picassa completely won my heart that week. Picassa also managed to charm my neighbors and convince my coworker to beg to keep her as a pet.

(Picassa posing with my neighbor. The two played wonderfully together.)

Picassa was a pro on all our outings. I cannot remember having to give her a single correction. After a couple days with Picassa, the girl managed to teach me a few things I can do better in training Kyle. She is ready for formal training!

(Picassa under the table at my favorite sushi restaurant.)

Six months ago, Picassa and Kyle arrived on the same puppy truck as transfer pups from Colorado. Today Picassa got back on that truck and headed to California to begin her formal training. I cannot believe how time has flown. Picassa is being evaluated for breeding, and I think she would make a sweet mama dog. If not, I have a mental image of just the person she could be partnered with as a guide. Everything's up to Picassa though, and if service work isn't her thing, she'll be the best pet anyone can ask for.

Picassa isn't traveling alone. Christina, a black lab from our club, is also returning to campus for breeder evaluations and training. I don't know Christina as well Picassa, but I'm cheering for her too!

Today I had a hard realization. Now that Picassa and Christina are recalled, the next dogs in our club to leave will be Sugar and Kyle. Noooooooooo! That is still four months away, but I don't like the idea that my boy is the next to head to campus. I'll just repress that thought and live in denial for the time being.

Eleven Things at Eleven Months

This post is a few days late because Kyle actually spent his 11 month day playing with Breeze and her family. I took a weekend road trip to my sister's house in Idaho, and I decided that Kyle would have more fun at a puppy sitter's house than sitting in my car for the second weekend in a row. From what Breeze's family said, that was the case. He got a glowing report and made me proud! Way to go Kyle!

Without further rambling on my part, here are eleven things about Kyle.

1. I swear that Kyle thinks he's a human. Kyle has started using his front paws as hands. He'll reach out and pull things towards himself or put his paw up to my hand to get me to play. His mannerisms in the process really look like that of a human.
2. Kyle has had many adventures this month. He's been puppysat or traded into four homes in October. Friday he's spending the day with Clyde, and Saturday Paris is coming to visit for a few days. For a dog who usually only has me for company, Kyle's sure had a social month.
3. Kyle no longer jumps on people! Now he can occasionally get petted in public again.
4. When I want a belly laugh, I start Kyle's puppy pushups down the hall from the kitchen at dinnertime. With each sit and down, Kyle inches closer to his food until he is proudly sitting in front of his bowl. If I can ever keep myself from laughing until my gut hurts, I'll try to catch the process on video.
5. Kyle is finally grasping the concept that barking is not socially acceptable. While he still barks occasionally, he's invented a new sound of his own. It is a weird cross between a puppy cry and a bark. People have described it as a whale or wookiee sound. I should correct Kyle for the sound, but I'm usually too busy laughing at it. Seriously, it's that amusing.
6. Kyle finally learned to self entertain. So long as I am near him, Kyle will hold his own bone and chew it. For anyone with a puppy that naturally developed this skill, it might not seem like a big deal. However, it is for Kyle. He has been stubbornly dependent on a human interacting at all times until recently.
7. Kyle has an impeccable memory. He'll stash toys in random places, but he always seems to know right where to grab what he wants.
8. Kyle still wears a drag line in the house most of the time. If he wants to escape my reach, he'll pick up his leash and run away. When he wanted to go to the bathroom one night, he picked up his leash and set it on my leg. Have I mentioned how smart Kyle is?
9. Kyle went through a stage where he didn't like belly rubs which made me sad. Now, Kyle lets me scratch his belly!
10. My cuddle bug loves to lay on me, but he wouldn't reciprocate the favor. After months of working on it, Kyle will let me use him for a pillow. This may not be a necessary guide work skill, but it sure makes me happy.
11. Kyle continues to charm everyone he meets. His practically impeccable behavior in public continues to win him praises wherever he goes. We're still looking for something that will phase him, but we haven't found it yet.

This month the adult dog Kyle is going to be has started peeking through his adolescent antics. I love who Kyle is, and I am excited about who he is becoming.

Mostly Wordless Wednesday

This morning Kyle and I woke up to an unexpected surprise.

(Kyle pranced in a couple inches of snow.)

(Kyle's nose was covered in snow from sniffing the new ground covering.)

Kyle was transferred to me last May, so I've never seen him in a big snowfall before. I don't typically like the cold, white stuff, but Kyle's playful attitude toward this morning's snow might just change my opinion.

Random Moments

Here are a some random moments from the past few days that might bring a smile to your face.

1. Kyle has an obsession with flies. If one is in the house, he goes crazy trying to catch it. Kyle finally caught one. The silly boy dropped the injured insect on the kitchen floor and looked at it with a puzzled expression. I swear he was thinking, "What happened? Get up. I want to play some more!"
2. One night as I was heading to bed I noticed Kyle left one of his Kongs on the top stair. Instead of grabbing it, I left it for him to find in the morning. Morning came, and I found it first with my foot as I slid halfway down the stairs. It was like a movie scene. Kyle was sweet and came running to make sure I was okay. Thankfully, I was.
3. Yesterday I decided to take Kyle for a quick walk before a rain storm hit. Within ten minutes, it started to hail. Yikes! I didn't expect that. Kyle had a great time jogging home, but I realized that I am horrible out of shape. Too bad that we aren't allowed to jog with puppies in training on a regular basis.

Between puppy trades and rainy days, Kyle and I haven't had too many adventures to share. He's off again tomorrow for at least five more days, but I wanted to share a few of our recent laughs.

Azúcar

Last week Kyle and Sugar traded places for a few days. Kyle spent a few days with my club leader and her daughter while Sugar got to attend school with me.

It took all of .2 seconds for my students to fall in love with Sugar. My favorite reaction from students came from my ESL class. Without hesitation, they decided to call her Azúcar...her name in Spanish. That class only has eight students, so I let Azúcar wander free for the first few minutes getting to know the students. They decided that Azúcar needed to study alongside them, so they eagerly set her up with the necessary supplies.

(Sugar sitting next to one of her new amigos in ESL class.)

While Sugar was busy learning how to interact appropriately, my students were displaying strong signs of dog distraction, so Sugar ended up back on tie-down at the front of the class. That way she could still watch everything that was going on.

(Sugar sitting near a book case in the front of the room. She is displaying one of the best doggy smiles I have ever seen.)

One night Sugar, a friend, and I headed to the mall and out to dinner. That's when I decided Sugar is a girl after my own heart. Neither of us took much interest in most stores, but we both had a blast in the game store. Sugar probably would have been content to sit and watch the roller coaster in that store all night if I let her.

(Sugar intently watching the roller coaster.)

I love working with Sugar. Whether she is over for a play date with Kyle, for puppysitting, or for a puppy trade, we always have a good time. Hopefully we'll have more adventures together in the months to come.

Wordless Wednesday

(Kyle sitting in a student desk in my classroom.)

Minty Fresh Breath? Gross!

During my preparation hour I sometimes shut my classroom door and let Kyle roam free. Since there are inevitable pencils, candy wrappers, and scraps of paper left on the floor, this is a great time for Kyle to practice ignoring tempting goodies.

Just a few minutes ago, Kyle found a new source of snacks.

(The undersides of my student desks are loaded with gum. Yuck!)

It took me a minute to figure out what Kyle was doing when his face looked like this.

(Kyle with his nose sniffing the underside of a desk.)

However, after Kyle visited a couple more desks, I figured out what he was doing. While I appreciated his help in cleaning my desks, I'd rather Kyle have dog breath than recycled minty fresh breath.

(Kyle about to give into the temptation of another mid-morning treat.)

Now that I had to fish out already-chewed gum from Kyle's mouth, I need to find a student who would rather serve detention in my room after school instead of at the usual 6:15 am session. Someone needs to clean up the desks, and Kyle isn't going to be the one to do it. Gross!

Update on October 6, 2010:
Seven students just left my class after 45 minutes of cleaning desks. I set Kyle free, and he immediately started sniffing the underside of every desk. The silly boy looks pretty confused as to why all his after school snacks disappeared.