little chickadee Posted April 23, 2008 Author Share Posted April 23, 2008 Quita is still growing at an alarming rate..... as you can see below. She's doing really well and is working hard on not pulling on the lead . OH has taken over most of the training now as it's lead work, which I can't do. She seems to have slept a ridiculous amount of the last 3 days away, then wakes up and looks twice the size !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 Proper dog now isn't she! Lovely, they grow up so fast - you'll be on your next one before you know it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 She's nearly as big as Holly now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted April 23, 2008 Share Posted April 23, 2008 beautiful, such a cutey ...but yes also big!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 - she's almost the same size as Jazz.... who is nearly two! Lovely photos Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 She's looking great - and very grownup . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gamebird Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 She's absolutely gorgeous but then I am a sucker for labradors I think what you do is fantastic and I would love to be a puppy walker but I know it would break my heart to have to say goodbye. Keep up the good work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 Gorgeous pics She no longer has that "puppy" look about her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted April 24, 2008 Author Share Posted April 24, 2008 - she's almost the same size as Jazz.... who is nearly two! Lovely photos She is half Golden Retriever though, and I think they are normally bigger than labs . Holly is quite a small greyhound too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted April 24, 2008 Share Posted April 24, 2008 doesnt she look intelligent I love the second photo with 2 sleepy doggies she's done so well - well done cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted May 18, 2008 Author Share Posted May 18, 2008 Quita is doing really well and my husband is battling away to get her to walk nicely on the lead. She does brilliantly until she sees another dog or an exciting person! We’re working on that with the help of our co-ordinator. Apparently she had a good old session outside Marks and Spencer the other week with Quita and a German Sheppard puppy trying to get them to walk past each other without going mental!!! We had a lovely day on Friday at the local USAF Elementary School. They raise thousands of pounds for Guide Dogs every year and have a yearly Walkathon, which as many pups and guide Dogs attend as possible. There were 19 dogs this year. Quita was the youngest, and spent most of the time resting, as she still shouldn’t do too much exercise because of her immature bones. We got treated incredibly well and presented with a big box of American food at the end of the day each to take home with us. There were lots of dogs in their initial training there with their trainers and it was lovely to see how happy they were and the relationships they had with the trainers. We found it really reassuring. The Guide Dogs were all gorgeous – rather excited first thing because of all the other dogs, but everyone calmed down eventually. Wilson was there (Guide Dog) who is coming into our kids school after the holidays with his person! It will be really nice for the kids to see a real live Guide Dog and hear about the work which they do. Can’t find my camera lead anywhere, but I’ll put some updated pictures on when I’ve had a dig around for it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted May 19, 2008 Share Posted May 19, 2008 We're having problems with Jazz going mad at other dogs. We couldn't get to puppy classes when she was little and only had one-to-one training for her. All her walks are on our own land and she doesn't meet other dogs. Part of her training now is to take her to the Farmers' Market every other week. We introduce ourselves to other dog owners and let Jazz meet the dogs. The owners have been incredibly helpful once we explain. The man we accosted on Saturday turned out to be a puppy walker for GDBA and had an elderly dog with him - whilst waiting for his next puppy. At least the lady in a fur coat wasn't there this week - Jazz would not stop barking at her last time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted May 19, 2008 Author Share Posted May 19, 2008 Good luck with that Lesley - The lady with the fur coat sounds like a great training distraction! OH had our daughter doing puppy training with him this morning, walking past him and Quita with Holly our greyhound! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 Still no luck with the camera I'm afraid - It doesn't want to communicate with my computer. I think I might have to get a card reader or something. Hopefully I'll have some pictures of Quita and Lexis together soon as we're hoping to meet up at a guide dog picnic at the weekend Quita is a lot of fun and in constant trouble at the moment - she's learnt that she can get things off the work top in the kitchen One broken butter dish and some stolen food later............... we're being very strict if we even see her looking at the worktop! We've got a lovely man and his Guide dog coming into the kid's school next Tuesday to talk about Guide dogs and how they have changed his life Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted June 8, 2008 Share Posted June 8, 2008 Are any of you going to Gala Day in July? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieMcHen Posted June 9, 2008 Share Posted June 9, 2008 I thought I posted a reply several hours ago but it seems to have dissapeared off into the ether. 'Would like to but have a tutorial day in Brighton. If I feel I have enough maths on board for the next OU assessment without going to Brighton I shall go the the Gala Day instead on route to family. I am however going to Mid Wales at the end of the month and intend taking Lexis to see Donna and Co. Saw one of Florries litter, a BIG boy as well as Quita and her family at the Friends and Family Picnic at Woodford Green on Saturday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 I'm not going I'm afraid. Not sure exactly when it is, but we're doing enough travelling in July I think. (when is is anyway? ) Was lovely to meet Maggie and Lexis after an initial bad spot where Quita took exception to Lexis I didn't have good hold of her while we were eating our picnic and she managed to spill water all over OH and our bag. I've got some photos of the pups together, but still not able to link my camera/ computer together. Will post pictures of them together when I finally get it sorted out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 26th July at Stoneigh showground. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted July 9, 2008 Author Share Posted July 9, 2008 Quita is coming along really well. We've got our supervisor coming on Friday which always makes my husband nervous even though she's really nice!! She went to her first Gig last week and coped really really well. There was a drum and clog dancing and she was absolutely fine!!! I know how important music can be to people with sight problems, so we've really wanted to work on her being ok with music. When we first got her she was frightened when we started playing our instruments, but we've worked on it (playing quietly, letting her sniff the instruments etc) and she doesn't batt an eyelid now. Her chum Wilson the guide dog came over with his lovley owner for my daughter's birthday and they had a great time together. It's so nice to see that Guide dogs are just normal lovely dogs who have an important job to do for a little bit of the day when they have their harness on My brother's 4 yr old labrador was at the party too and Quita (6 months old now) is the same size as her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted July 28, 2008 Author Share Posted July 28, 2008 We've just got back from Quita's first trip away in a caravan. She was a super star (of course!) We've stayed in the caravan in the garden a couple of times with her before so she wasn't fazed. Still not been organised enough to sort out the camera, so watch this space........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smudgley Posted August 1, 2008 Share Posted August 1, 2008 Did you go to Gala day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Did you go to Gala day? Nope , but she went to the cambridge Folk festival! She was absolutely fab and after an initial wariness of all the sounds in the music tents, went to sleep for most of the time, made lots of new friends and I think a couple of potential new puppy walkers! She didn't even bark once and coped with walking in the crowds fabulously. It was a really good oportunity for her to practice not eating food off the floor as there were chips/ burgers/ bacon/ pancakes littered all over the place outside! We were on the disabled platform anyway because of my disablility and she was one of only 2 dogs at the festival (the other one was a working Guide dog) Here we are at the end of a look East news report! http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7537723.stm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 7, 2008 Share Posted August 7, 2008 cooooool isnt she growing up? when will she be a fully fledges guide dog? cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
little chickadee Posted August 7, 2008 Author Share Posted August 7, 2008 Not for a while Cathy! She will be with us until she's about a year or so old, then will go for 16 weeks initial training at a depo I think (I'm new to all this) She then goes for advanced training and gets paired up with the person she will be guiding. They then train together and have to "graduate" I think. She's huuge, although people seem to think she's quite petite! She's having a holiday with another puppy walker while we take our family to a festival, as OH and I agreed that it would be too much with her and a 6 yr old out and about all the time. Her training would suffer we think as our son can be very demanding and we want to concentrate on him instread of the pup. I'm going to really miss her but I suppose it will be good practice for me People are always telling us that they would love to puppy walk, but they just couldn't give the dog back - Implying that we must be horrid I know it will be really sad, but we're hoping to do a swap with a new fluffy bundle - maybe in black this time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Couperwife Posted August 8, 2008 Share Posted August 8, 2008 I think you are rather marvelous for puppy walking I do not have the time, which is why we have a cat and not a dog. my "sort of" auntie used to puppy walk and always pushed for a new puppy rather than mourned the loss of the old puppy. everytime i spoke to her, she was talking about a new pup lovely cathy x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
