17 Things at 17 Months

Kyle turned 17 months on Easter day. Because of the holiday, I'm a few days late getting this post up. In honor of our time together, here are 17 great memories with Kyle.

 

1. The day I picked Kyle up, I was amazed by his energy level and excited about his love of cuddling. A year later, those are still two of his most noticeable character traits.

 

2. Some of my favorite pictures of Kyle are from this day spent with my friends and their daughters. I love how much puppies and kids belong together. Kyle's starter raiser was a young girl, so he was overly enthusiastic about any young girl we came across when he was younger.

 

 3. Once or twice a year our puppy club visits a therapeutic boarding school. The students their love our puppies. This boy in particular didn't leave Kyle all morning. I love how much good cuddling a puppy can do for someone in need. This is one of my favorite meetings with Kyle as a result.

4. Kyle comes up with silly antics that constantly amuse me. I loved a stage he went through where he would sleep in weird positions on whatever was available.

5. Kyle is the best road trip dog  imaginable. He and I logged thousands of miles together, and he was a good sport for every one of them. I hope he goes to a family who loves to travel as much as Kyle and I do.

6. I think it is funny when humans and their dogs start looking alike. My sister snapped this picture on one of my visits to her house. Love it!

7. Kyle never gets bored of tug. Right after this shot was snapped, my nephew was on his belly as Kyle pulled him around. I have several similar pictures of Kyle and my students. Kyle is one strong boy.

8. Kyle is perfect in public. I trust him enough that I willingly handed the leash to my five-year-old nephew and let him walk Kyle around Walmart. You can tell Kyle still kept his loose leash and listened to my nephew. This dog rocks when he's working.

9. When I broke my foot last July, Kyle was a great support. Right after it happened, I went into the house and got Kyle out of the kennel because I needed puppy love to distract me from the pain. Throughout the ordeal, Kyle was a great sport and gave me extra cuddles. He even forgave the lack of frequent walks for a few weeks.

10. I seriously couldn't have written my thesis without Kyle. When I couldn't stand being cooped up indoors during the beautiful summer weather, Kyle's cuddly playfulness always gave me a much needed stress relief. I'm so glad he was part of my graduation!

11. Kyle became such a part of me that my friends started inviting me and Kyle together to things. He's game for any outing. Here we are at a corn maze. The weird smells, lighting, and sounds didn't phase him in the slightest. Not pictured are the several friends who invited us.

12. How can you be grumpy when your puppy is having fun? I woke up to the first snow of the year and would have grumbled if it weren't for Kyle's excitement. I love Kyle's new perspective on life.

13. Sometimes the biggest problems have the easiest solutions. Kyle constantly barked complaints of boredom in my classroom (or so I thought). Then, for Christmas I bought him a dog bed for school. From day one, the barking was solved. It turns out that he was uncomfortable on the hard floor.Sorry Kyle! Life lesson learned.

 

14. Kyle got incredibly muddy a day or two after I bathed him. I just laughed it off because Kyle's helped me learn to not sweat the small stuff.

15. This winter a "shortcut" on a hike turned our one hour trip into a five hour ordeal. My energizer bunny  was a trooper the whole time. Kyle crashed when we finally made it to the car, but he was ready to play again when we got home 15 minutes later. Nothing can slow this boy down.

16. I love Kyle's enthusiasm for chewing his bones. No hard toy stands a chance for a long life when he's around.

17. Mine isn't the only life Kyle has touched. Hundreds of students at the school where I teach have learned from Kyle. Kyle's already done plenty of service in his 17 months of life. I'm excited to see who else he will get to touch in the next stage of his adventures.

Kyle and I have less than three weeks left to make more memories together. We'll treasure each and every one of those moments.

Four Months

Rio has only been home for a week and two days, but I am already completely in love with this little pup. Guide Dogs sent me another great puppy to raise.

I could make a super long list of things about Rio. However, I'll stick to four things since he is four-months-old.

1. Rio proved himself a bomb proof dog today. During an earthquake drill, sirens and flashing lights alerted us to the mock disaster. Rio didn't even blink. He also successfully ignored 1850 students all headed to the football field at the same time. I was impressed!

 (Rio in a perfect sit on the football field with huge crowds of students behind him.)

2. Rio loves his food! He gets more food a meal than Kyle's ever gotten, but he's still on the skinny side. Even with larger portions, Rio finishes his meals before Kyle. He also makes adorable piggy snorts whenever he earns a kibble. We practice come just so I can hear them.

3. Rio loves Kyle. When they play, Rio wears out before Kyle does, so he's learned to hide under the kitchen chairs, under my bed, or behind the rocking chair to signal a time out. Rio also heads for these locations whenever he manages to snag a bone from Kyle.

(Rio hiding with a new bacon flavored nylabone under the kitchen chairs.)

4. Rio already has nearly impeccable house manners. I keep an eye on him because he's not accident free yet, and he is teething. That said, Rio is free when he's the only dog around. I love what an easy puppy he is to live with.

This past week has been so much fun with Rio. I'm excited to spend the next year or so with him!

16 Things at 16 Months

When I wrote Kyle's 15 month post, I was not sure this post would ever be written. Can I tell you how much I love writing this post and knowing that there will be a 17 month post in April? Life is happy right now!

Without further ado, here are 16 reasons I'm thankful Kyle is still with me.

1. My students love Kyle. They were seriously unhappy about the idea of a February recall. Now, Kyle will be with them until three weeks before school gets out.
2. Kyle doesn't misbehave in the house, but he can be a bit rowdy at times. I'm excited to fine tune his manners so that Kyle's partner will love his behavior on and off duty.
3. Kyle and I love hiking together, and it's just now getting warm enough to hit the trails on a frequent basis.
4. Kyle will be an amazing mentor dog for puppy #4.
5. Kyle was a transfer puppy, but I'm getting as much time with him as raisers typically get with puppies they start.
6. Kyle's a morning dog, and I'm not a morning person. His enthusiasm to greet the day always makes me smile. How can you be grumpy with a tail wagging, cuddly puppy rubbing against you? It's impossible.
7. I get to raise two puppies at once! The weeks with puppies outnumbering me will be a fun challenge.
8. I'll never get enough cuddle time in with Kyle. We can continue pretending like he's my lap dog for a few more weeks.
9. It's wonderful to take a dog in public that you know will behave nearly perfectly every time. That's Kyle!
10. I know I can trust Kyle, and he knows he can depend on me. It takes a long time to build that bond.
11. You can never do too much fine tuning with puppy's training. Every extra training session Kyle and I get in will further tip the odds of graduating in Kyle's favor.
12. I've never had a lab this age. Turk and Mesa were recalled before 16 months, and Mesa was in formal training for quiet a while before he was career changed. It's fun to watch Kyle become more of an adult dog. (There's still plenty of puppy left though.)
13. I've stockpiled sterilized bones for Kyle's chewing pleasure. He gets to stick around long enough to enjoy destroying them.
14. My spring break is in a couple weeks. Kyle and I will have a lot of play time and outings during our week off.
15. A couple weeks ago I couldn't come up with any outings that Kyle hadn't conquered. Now I have a fun list of new places we are going to visit over the next few weeks.
16. I love Kyle. Just thinking about his recall can make me tear up. I'm thankful for each extra day we get to spend together! Someday he'll be someone's partner, but for today I'm thankful Kyle's my boy.
    

15 Things at 15 Months

Today Kyle's age ticker at the top of this blog changed to a milestone I've been dreading since the day Kyle arrived.

Kyle is 15-months-old. From here on out, Kyle is available for recall. Thankfully, there isn't a puppy truck coming to Utah anytime soon, and we haven't heard word on anyone who can fly Kyle to California or Oregon. Thus, it looks like my boy is staying with me for the time being. Woohoo!

Without further ado, here are 15 things that make Kyle a stellar GDB puppy-in-training.

1. Kyle does the best puppy pushups ever.
2. I've procrastinated teaching Kyle "stand." Last weekend I asked a puppy sitter to work on it. He picked up the command in a couple days. Thanks Jill!
3. Our CFR once told us that one of the most important training opportunities is neighborhood walks because a lot of formal training takes place in neighborhoods. Kyle is superb on walks.
4. Kyle loves his kibble. He will do just about anything to earn the right to eat his meals. Just don't ask him to do something that puts the food bowl out of his sight.
5. Kyle is easy to puppy handle. As a young puppy, Kyle fought having me invade his personal space. Now he thinks nothing of my fingers in his ears or mouth.
6. The energizer bunny never stops. Kyle can still go for hours on end with no sign of getting tired.
7. That said, Kyle has learned to sleep through the work day instead of constantly soliciting attention from my students. Yea!
8. For a long time Kyle was so excited over being petted that nobody could touch him in public. Now he sits still and almost looks bored when people greet him. Every now and then Kyle will still sneak in a kiss for good measure though.
9. Kyle loves to be out and about and is always ready for an adventure. He's learned to run to the door and sit patiently whenever I pick up a leash.
10. Wait. Kyle will "wait" to enter and exit the car, to eat, to leave his kennel, and to cross the street whenever I ask. I've never mentioned how much he rocks at this command, but it is an incredibly useful one that we use multiple times a day.
11. After several months in a head collar, Kyle is again working on a flat collar in calm training situations. We both love the freedom.
12. Kyle understands our routine and can anticipate what we are going to do each step of the day. At the same time, he is flexible about adapting to changes.
13. Another raiser recently complemented Kyle's "do your business" command. Seriously, Kyle is the easiest dog to relieve, and he is completely trustworthy indoors. It's so nice not to worry about accidents.
14. Kyle is a stinking handsome dog. While that isn't necessary for guide work, I figure it sure helps for publicity's sake.
15. Kyle loves working. His work ethic never ceases to amaze me. Way to go Kyle!

Whether Kyle and I have a couple days or a couple months left together, I'm going to treasure every minute of it. I sure love my boy!

14 Things at 14 Months

Last month I missed Kyle's post because it was Christmas Eve, and he was with a puppy sitter. I hated spending the holidays away from my boy, but GDB puppies aren't allowed to leave the puppy raising states. Thus, West Virginia was a no go. Sorry Kyle.

This post is a really hard one to write because it means I only have one more "guaranteed" month left with Kyle. Anything past 15 months is a bonus with GDB puppies. My leader thinks Kyle will be with me a bit longer than that, but I'm not sure if she is just saying that because her puppy, Sugar, should be recalled with Kyle. Before I start worrying about a potential month of "lasts," here are 14 things that make Kyle amazing.

1: Kyle got glowing reports from his puppy sitters over Christmas. They were sweet enough to send me daily picture texts to show his good behavior and keep me from missing him too much.

2: Kyle has great mastery of his basic commands. The only one he doesn't know is stand, but he started learning it this weekend.

3: We've spent a lot of effort on the "go to bed" command recently, and it is now one of his favorite pastimes. He'll even hold it (most of the time) when company is over.

4: Hide-and-go-seek is one of my new favorite pastimes. I love hiding behind the shower curtain, on the kitchen counter, and in the utility closet and waiting for Kyle to find me after I holler "come." He's persistent at looking until he finds me, and his face is adorable as he thinks and searches.

5: Kyle loves to go to work. When we get to my classroom each morning, he enthusiastically runs to his bed with a wagging tail. He voluntarily stays there until the early students show up for a morning tug session.

6: Along the same lines, Kyle has won over the hearts of an entire high school. My students love him. He's so dependable that I let students take him for walks, they relieve him in the middle of the day, and they watch him in the library and computer lab so that I'm free to wander and help. Kyle is a service dog ambassador for so many teenagers.

7: Kyle behaves better for other people than he does for me. While in Idaho he responded to corrections from my sister Kassie to quit barking better than he responded to me. That might seem like a weird thing to be proud of...but it was a good opportunity to see Kyle's real abilities. No more Ms. Nice Guy from me now. :)

8: It took four days of playing in a fenced yard, going for walks, and several of outings, but I managed to wear Kyle out for the first time in forever. It can be done! Seriously, Kyle needs a partner who never stops because he's the energizer puppy.

9: Nothing has changed in the cuddling department. Kyle still loves to be touching me 24/7. It's pretty much a given now that Kyle will never outgrow sitting in my lap. I hope he gets a partner who enjoys that habit because I do nothing but encourage it.

10: An eye infection spread throughout our puppy club this month. Kyle never fussed about his eye drops and actually loved having his eyes cleaned with a warm cloth.

11: Kyle loves to chew. One of his Christmas presents was a new sterilized bone. He already wore it out and needs a replacement. Yikes! With that said, Kyle has never chewed anything that he shouldn't. For a dog that loves to chew, that is amazing. I love that I have always been able to trust Kyle in that department.

12: If Kyle had a report card, he'd get an A+ for plays well with others. In the past few months, Kyle's played with several different dogs. With each encounter, he adjusts his play style to one that will make the other dog happy.

13: While we were in Idaho, we attended church with my sister Kassie. Every cute guy in the congregation had to meet Kyle afterward. I cannot remember the last time I've met so many attractive men in the same day. Thank you Kyle for your help in that department. ;)

14: Kyle wins the heart of everyone around him. Even my non-dog loving friends think Kyle is pretty terrific. Most importantly though, Kyle has me wrapped around his paw. I love this dog!

12 Things at 12 Months

The day before Thanksgiving, Kyle turned one. Due to the business of the holiday, I am just now getting around to writing a post to celebrate my boy. In honor of the holiday and Kyle's birthday, here are 12 reasons I am thankful for Kyle.

1. I am thankful for Kyle's cuddles. Just the other night I sat on the floor to work so that Kyle could lay on my lap and doze. He's too big to really make a ball in my lap anymore, but he still loves to sleep while touching me.
2. I am thankful for how easy Kyle is to take in public. He is ace! This dog was born for guide work--and not just because he was born in the GDB kennels. I've had friends ask me how I trained him to do so well. The truth is that I didn't do anything. Kyle just how to behave immediately. His partner will love taking him out and about.
3. I am thankful for my new alarm clock. Kyle is a morning dog, and I am not a morning person. He used to let me sleep in, but now he wakes me up if I try to sleep in. That would probably annoy most people, but I appreciate having motivation to get up.
4. I am thankful for Kyle's playfulness. He reminds me to lighten up and enjoy life.
5. I am thankful for the laughs Kyle provides. Just yesterday I giggled like a child, hiding in my closet while playing hide-and-go-seek with Kyle.
6. I am thankful for Kyle's eyebrows. They make his face incredibly expressive.
7. I am thankful for the new people Kyle helps me meet. It's impossible to live in a bubble when you have a stellar dog at your side. I've met more people from my community in my seven months with Kyle than in the previous four years.
8. I am thankful for my puppy club. Because of Kyle, I get to associate with an incredible group of friends. They alone are reason enough to keep raising.
9. I am thankful for exercise. After unsuccessful gym memberships and failed pedometer challenges, Kyle gets me up and moving. He loves our walks so much that it is hard to deny him.
10. I am thankful for Kyle's company. I really enjoy having him at my constant side. Even tasks I hate, like shopping, are enjoyable when he is trotting next to me.
11. I am thankful for Kyle's maturity. Just when I couldn't stand anymore teenage hormones, Kyle has grown up over night. There's not much of a puppy in the dog at my side now. Kyle is going to be an incredible dog.
12. I am thankful for Kyle's love. Dog's really are a man's best friend. Someday he will be an amazing partner because I know what a great puppy-in-training and friend he is for me.

This post is going to be picture-less because I need to get it up before another week passes. I'll post pictures of Kyle soon. For now, just know that I am thankful to be raising an incredible, one-year-old, dog.

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.

Ten Things at Ten Months

I cannot believe that my little guy is ten-months-old. Our time together is flying. In honor of Kyle being ten months old, I decided to post images of ten things that make Kyle who he is physically.

1. One of the first things I noticed about Kyle was the "skid mark" on his lips. I've never met another dog missing pigment here.

 

2. Speaking of pigment, Kyle's nose, and recently his black eyeliner, cannot decide what color they want to be. They rotate between all different shades from pink to black.

  

3. Kyle has a distinct center line. His nose and entire underside have an unmistakable division. Looking at Dutch's puppy pictures, I can tell that Kyle inherited this trait from his dad.

 

4. The first time I took Kyle to the vet, the vet predicted that Kyle would be long and lanky. The prediction is proving accurate.

5. The tip of Kyle's tail is a cute curly-Q. When Kyle was younger, he loved to chew on his little curl. I still like playing with it.

6. I love soft puppy ears, and ears don't come much softer than Kyle's. He gets complements on them all the time. I also love Kyle's ears because they are so red. A secret part of me hopes to raise a red lab someday. In the mean time, I love Kyle's red undertones.

 

7. In the past couple months, Kyle has grown a lot of loose skin on his neck. I keep waiting for his body to grow into it, but I've about decided that he is just going to remain wobbly necked.

8. Most labs I know have a solid colored underbelly. Not Kyle. He has a mottled mix of pink and white splotches.

9. Kyle has cowlicks that run across his chest and front legs. Gracie and several of Kyle's brothers do as well. It must be a family trait.

10. If eyes are the window to a soul, I can peer right into Kyle's soul. He has wonderfully expressive eyes and great eyebrows to accentuate them.

I could point out a lot more of Kyle's physical attributes, but these are some of his most distinct features. After spending almost 24/7 with my boy, I've got every little bit of his 50 lbs memorized. I might be a little bit biased, but Kyle is turning out to be quite the handsome dog.

Nine Things at Nine Months

Kyle is three quarters of a year old! I love how grown up my boy is getting, but I want to freeze him right now. The nasty realization that nine months is six months away from fifteen months hit me a few days ago. In simpler English, that means Kyle and I only have about half a year left together. Yikes! Six months isn't long enough.

Knowing Kyle, that is more than enough time for him to be ready for formal harness training though. He is a great puppy who is rapidly growing into an incredible dog!

In honor of his nine month birthday, here are nine fun things about Kyle.

1. Kyle is 100% trustworthy off leash in my room at night. He has never misbehaved while I'm asleep even if I decide to sleep in.
2. Kyle is growing up behaviorally and physically. He is now wearing his adult collar and a large puppy jacket. He is still as skinny as ever though.
3. At the start of the month Kyle outgrew his gentle leader, and I haven't replaced it. He's been head collar free for four weeks now!
4. This may be silly, but Kyle finally decided he is capable of holding his own bone while he gnaws on it. He still prefers that I hold it, but he is exhibiting more independence.
5. Kyle loves ice cubes! He can chomp them in no time flat. When we go out to eat fast food, I order him a cup of ice because it makes him so happy. Kyle will stop whatever he is doing and run to me if he hears the freezer open. I'm excited to see if his fascination with ice continues as winter approaches.
6. I often get asked if Kyle is sick or tired because he loves to sprawl out on cold tile or linoleum. If we stand in any line for very long, his well formed down changes to a sprawl so that he can cool down more.
7. Kyle's personality is perfect for a guide dog. He prefers to go nonstop and really can work all day without getting worn out. However, if I ask him to settle at my feet, he's asleep or at least calmly resting within seconds. I love it!
8. Kyle has won the hearts of all my coworkers. I cannot count the number of teachers and staff that have stopped me in the halls the past few days to complement Kyle's behavior. He really has been a model student.
9. This is selfish, but I love how much Kyle loves me. Dogs really are man's best friend. Of course, I'm rather fond of him, too!

Happy nine months Kyle! You are well on your way to being a phenomenal guide dog!

Eight Things at Eight Months

Today Kyle is eight-months-old. In honor of this milestone, here are eight new things he got to do this month.

1. Kyle has logged hundreds of miles on road trips. Included in those travels was his first trip to Idaho.
2. While in Idaho, Kyle got to play with my nephew in sand and a shallow lake. Kyle loved getting wet and dirty.
3. He road public transportation for the first time with a puppy sitter from our club. She said that he was a pro.
4. While with the same puppy sitter, Kyle worked an overnight shift and still had tons of energy the next day. He is an Energizer bunny.
5. Kyle got to attend a small town parade. It lasted all of fifteen minutes but provided distractions in the form of other dogs, horses, fire engines, semi trailers, and people throwing candy. In truth, none of those things distracted him, but Kyle did enjoy the melting popsicle a little girl tried to share with him. He was disappointed when I stopped her.
6. In all of our travels, Kyle has met several K9 friends and learned to play nice with other dogs (and share his toys). He decided he likes "sleep overs" with his dog friends.
7. Kyle got to go to the movie theater and a play with me. He liked to pop up at all of the loud scene changes, but was really well behaved besides that.
8. Finally, Kyle got his first taste of people food. I was asleep when my cousin came in late one night. He fed Kyle a chip before my aunt could tell him that people food is a no-no. Oops! Kyle liked the experience, but that is the one thing from this list he isn't going to repeat any time soon.

Happy eight months Kyle! You are growing into a wonderful service dog!

Seven Things at Seven Months

Time is flying! In honor of Kyle being seven months old, here are seven wonderful things about him.

1. Kyle hardly ever needs to wear his head collar anymore. On most outings, he behaves wonderfully with just his flat collar. I'm amazed how quickly he figured this out.
2. Goodbye constant tie-downs! Kyle is now free in the house with just his longline almost all of the time. He even sleeps free in my room.
3. At this time last month, Kyle still had digestive issues. Now he is medicine free, transitioned to a new dog food, and doing great!
4. Kyle mastered the command "down." He doesn't always want to do this command, but he can do it perfectly if his mind is on it.
5. Kyle must have gotten a break job when I wasn't paying attention. He used to sit stubbornly, or put on the breaks, when he didn't want to walk anymore or he didn't want to get in the car. Now he is always willing to walk as far as I ask and doesn't hesitate to jump in the car.
6. I have one smart puppy on my hands. Most of the time his intelligence makes him easy to train. Sometimes he uses this trait to assess a situation and figure out how to be naughty. Even that makes me laugh though.
7. The best part of Kyle's progress in the past month is his attachment to me. While he has always been cuddly, a month ago he still maintained some emotional distance from me. (He had just lost his first family after all.) I honestly feel like we are a bonded team now, and that makes a huge difference for both of us. 

I love my boy. Time is flying because we're having fun!
 

(Kyle got a seven month present today. Here he is with his new jollyball. )

Six Things at Six Months

Happy half-birthday Kyle! People, and dogs, need more than one special day a year. Thanks to a great roommate, I now understand the worth of celebrating half-birthdays. Yesterday was Kyle's special day.

In honor of Kyle being six months (and a day) old, here are six great things about him.

1. Kyle is wonderfully behaved on outings and receives lots of complements.
2. Kyle's best command is "do your business." Honestly, I've never met a guide dog half as good as him at obeying this command.
3. Kyle loves people. He is happiest when he is getting some human attention.
4. With his head collar, Kyle has mastered walking on a loose leash.
5. Kyle has learned to settle himself really well. He is great at sleeping through my teaching and church.
6. Kyle is a cuddle bug. I can always count on him laying on my lap or legs just to be near me. By far, this is my favorite thing about him!