Back Again

Hello everyone,

It's been a while since I last posted. I'm hoping that once Momma gets back that I'll be able to post more often.

Nothing much has happened since I last posted except for the fact that I turned 4 years old, my little sister Dulcie turned 1, my sister Hestia had her third litter for GDB, and we found out what I am allergic to so I'm not having many more ear troubles. OK, I guess a lot has happened since I last posted.

Let's first talk about Hestia's third litter. There were 4 girls and 4 boys, 6 yellow and 2 black. The litter letter is "W". There was one black male named Wagner. The 3 yellow boys are Walt, Welkin, and Wheeler. There is one black girl name Waimea. The three yellow girls are Wander, Weslia, and Whey. Unfortunately, Wheeler and Welkin have already been Career Changed (dropped from the Guide Dog program) but all the others are out in their raisers homes. I have high hopes for my third group of nieces and nephew.

What am I allergic to? I am allergic to all poultry and beef. Over the summer Momma took me to a very nice doggie dermatologist who helped her figure out what was wrong with my ears. So, I'm on special food right now and I'm doing much, much better now.

It won't be long now until Momma is back home for good. She says she'll even get me my own computer to help me post more often.

Love and Lab Kisses,
Hilly

Hestia's "V" Litter

First off, let me just say that I'm so excited that my momma is coming home in just 4 days! I can't wait to see her. These 4 days are going to go by SO slowly.

But onto the real reason for my post; my sister's "V" litter. Now that all of the puppies have been sent out to their raiser homes I can finally post the names of all of my new nieces and nephews. There are the three little, black boys; VLADIMIR, VIKRAM, and VOLT. Then the two little, black girls; VELDA and VERBENA. And finally the three little, yellow girls; VESTA, VIMKA, and VONDRA.

Hestia with her "V" litter at the GDB whelping kennels. Can you see the family resemblance?

If you'd like to see more pictures of them, check out GDB's flickr album of them here. Momma and I suggested the names Vladimir, Vikram, Volt, and Vesta. *wags* These little boys and girls are super cute! And they'll make their Auntie Hilly so proud! 

My first batch of nieces and nephews should be going in for training sometime in the next month or two or three. I hope they do well.

Love and Lab Kisses,

Hilly

My Summer Surprise

Remember when I told you that Momma had a summer surprise for me? Well, about a week ago she finally told me what the surprise was; a baby sister. That's right, I'm now a big sister to a little fur ball. She arrived in town on Friday and is staying with Auntie Mary until Momma gets home. 

I'm still unsure of this surprise. I mean, this means that I have to share MY momma with the little runt! Then again, I love babies. I'm a great Auntie...so could being a big sister be so much different? And this means that I have someone to boss around and tell scary stories to. And I could teach her all the proper things to do as a puppy in training for Guide Dogs for the Blind. I know that I chose not to be a Guide Dog, but that doesn't mean that I don't have a few tricks hidden in my kibble bowl. And she is kinda cute...a little...I guess. If you like that sort of cute, fluffy thing. 

I don't get to meet her until Momma comes home, but she's got pictures from Auntie Mary. So, here's my new, little sister DULCIE.

Dulcie off the puppy truck on Friday

Dulcie just off the puppy truck on Friday. She's smiling.

Dulcie at Auntie Mary's house...

Here she is in her puppy raising jacket. 

She's getting use to the tie down. Auntie Mary says that she  sleeps well and  doesn't really whine. I guess that's good. She won't disturb my beauty sleep. 

Momma gets home in exactly two weeks! That's fourteen days! The days are going to go by so slowly from here on out. Even if I have to share her attention with little Dulcie...I can't wait to see her. I get her all summer!

Love and Lab Kisses,
Hilly

They're All Named

Well, my nieces and nephews are out of the whelping kennel and into the puppy kennels. They are about 7 weeks old and all have names. Now, I know the names but I'm not going to post them up here until I know that they are all out to their raisers in the next couple of weeks. Let's just say...they are all...interesting. But, three of the names that I suggested were used (though I'm pretty sure at least one of those was suggested by more than just me) so I am happy.

Momma comes home in just six and a half weeks! She still hasn't told me about the surprise that she has planned for me this summer. I really wonder what it is. She says that maybe in the next two weeks she'll tell me, but it's so hard for a girl to wait.

A Much Needed Update

Wow, has it really been so long since I last posted?! I guess it has. But I've been so busy being a dog that time just slips away from me a little sometimes. So, I guess it's time for a much needed update.

I became an Auntie again! That's right. My sister, Hestia, gave birth to her second litter for Guide Dogs for the Blind on March 5, 2013. This time she had 3 black boy, 3 yellow girls, and 2 black girls. I don't have any pictures yet, but as soon as I do I'll show you my eight new, beautiful nieces and nephews. They haven't been named yet as they are still only a couple weeks old, but the litter letter is "V". I made some name contributions and wonder if any of them will be used since "V" is a hard letter for names. Maybe one of them will be named "Villy". *wags* Her first litter is now a year old. I know that Fienna, who came to my puppy group, is doing great!

I've had some really bad ear infections lately. This past one took a while to clear up but I'm finally feeling a little better. Momma says that she's sorry she couldn't be with me when I was all sick, but I know that she was thinking about me. Dr. Ramona says that it's probably food allergies that is making my ears hurt all the time. I guess it's not surprising since I have a weak tummy too. So, I'm on special food now. Momma said that she's thinking of putting me on the RAW diet when she gets home...whatever that means.

Speaking of Momma, she's going to be home is just over two months! I'm very excited to see her again and really excited to go to puppy meetings again. She'll be home for the whole summer so I'll be able to go to a lot of them this time! She also says she might have a surprise for me. Oh goody! I hope it's a new toy or some tasty treats.

Besides all of that, it's been pretty dull here. I still go to work every now and again and my "granddad" is off sabbatical (where you get paid not to go to work; how cool is that?) and isn't home during the day anymore. The grandparents might even be going away for a couple of days soon which means a sitter for the three of us. I like it when the sitter comes. We convince them that we're allowed to stay up late and watch scary movies.

That's all for now!

Love and Lab Kisses,
Hilly

Baseball (and Update)

When I was a puppy in training I absolutely loved going to baseball games. As my Momma says, I excel in large crowds of people. I guess I just think it is important to stay focused and behaved in a crowd so that I do not get stepped on or run my momma into anything. Of course, now that I do not have to I do go a little crazy when I see another dog in the crowd.

This particular outing happened after Momma had already left back for her Formal Training. She was so sad that she could not come with all of us, but she did have to move houses so she had to leave. Well, I got to go to baseball again!

Me at the baseball game in all my purple gear with my good friend Marley in the background

Me at the baseball game with Mary

My puppy group had an outing where all of the puppies in training and some career changes got together with a few other groups and their puppies and career changes at the local baseball stadium. And then guess what we got to do. We got to walk the bases before the game started! It was so much fun and Momma is so jealous of us. My granddad walked me around and then we went back to our seats. I was told that I did really, really good that night by a lot of people. It is nice to know that even though I chose not become a Guide Dog that I can still behave well when I need to. I think my people like that as well.

That was really the last really big outing of the summer. I do have another few pictures to post up of when I visited my "grandma", but those are for another day. For now a small update.

My other "grandma" goes to work every Monday now and I always get to go with her. Otherwise I pout and my "granddad" and other "grandma" do not like it when I pout. It tends to end up with one pair less of their reading glasses...anyway, when I go to work I am one happy pup. And I am really good at my job too! My other "grandma" made a little joke and said that my job consisted of finding the most awkward sleeping positions between the printer and desk. Little does she know that the printer would not work were it not for my holding the proper cables in place. It is a pretty tough job, but I somepup has to do it.

My "granddad" also recently had surgery on his tummy. I do not really understand what happened or why. All I know is that I am not allowed to sit on his lap anymore. At least until he heals a little more. I also cannot jump up on him anymore until he heals completely. I am trying to wait patiently, but it is so hard. Momma laughed at me and said that I had become such a lap dog, but when you are the right size why not take advantage of it?

I guess that is really all that has happened since I last posted. I am just being a good girl and waiting to see Momma again.

Love and Lab Kisses,
Hilly

Shaver Lake

About a week before Momma left she and I went to Shaver Lake. It's this lake up in the foothills that was created as a dam or something like that. I think it's still used like a dam or whatever it originally was built for, but it's also used for swimming and boating and all sorts of water fun. So, Momma and I went up with some of her friends so that we could all escape the heat of our hometown.

When we got there, it was so nice and cool that we thought it would be a good idea to sit down and have our picnic lunch. Everyone was so impressed with how I didn't beg for their sandwich meat and Momma had to explain that it was all apart of the training I had a Guide Dog Puppy. I wasn't allowed to have treats from any who wasn't holding onto my leash nor wash I allowed to jump up onto counters to eat the people food up there. I fact, I wasn't allowed any people food. I'm still not really. Momma says that I would get a tummy ach. Anyway, I was a super good girl while they sat and ate there lunch and was rewarded with some cheese and carrots that Momma brought for me.

Then people wanted to go swimming. I tried really hard to vote against this plan, but I was out numbered. Lucky for me, Momma and her friend Austin also didn't want to go swimming. So, while everyone else was renting a kayak (a funny looking, little boat) and swimming, we walked along the shore. There was the really, really big rock that we had to climb to get around the shore. Momma stood there for a while trying to figure out where she could go up with me and I got really bored of just waiting. So, I just bounced up the rock pulling Momma with me. She was shocked and said that I had to be at least half mountain goat to achieve what I just did. In response, I smiled at her. Hopping is one of my specialties. I even guiding her to a safe path down the other side. Who says I couldn't have been a good Guide Dog? *wags tail*

Me standing on the big rock

Momma thought it would be nice to put my ambassador scarf while standing on the big rock.

Eventually, Momma and Austin took off their shoes and wanted to stick their feet in the water. I indulged this ridiculous notiont that getting your feet wet is fun for a little. Ok, if I'm honest...it is started to seem less and less ridiculous now. But I still do not understand putting your whole body in the water. The walked around a little more and took a lot of pictures and switched turns being in the kayak.

Me sitting on the lake's beach with my ambassador scarf

It was super hot at this time so my tongue is hanging out extra long

I did decide to dip my feet in the water for a little while

Me sitting off from the water while Momma was still in the water

By this point it was pretty hot, so we decided to go back and climb the big rock again to head back to the car. We just hung out in the side next to the car for a while eating snacks and having something to drink. Well, they hung out and ate snacks. I took a big drink of water a promptly took a nap in the back seat of the car.

Then it was time to go home. We decided to chill out at Austin's house for a while before heading home since we were still pretty hot from the lake. But it was a really, really fun day!

Love and Lab Kisses,
Hilly