So, you know that I live on a farm with my family... and you know that my special little friend is Abbie. But, what you might not know is ... Abbie is a special friend to all of us who live here. This is Tonka.....
And one day when Mom and Dad were working on the fence lines (they call it "opening the pasture") Tonka and Abbie were very interested in what they were doing. But Abbie likes to play with all of us....
And she and Tonka were playing "follow me!!!". Abbie loves us all so much and we feel very lucky to have such a sweet little girl around here.
Mom and I keep busy much of the time... she always has me going here or there. She says that it's part of my "socialization"... fine with me, I like seeing new places and things..... today we went to some stores....
She has me doing all sorts of silly things... this is what she called "under"... course, I'm so little, I can "under" anything.... she says that when I get bigger, this might not be so easy, so I'd best enjoy doing it this way for now!!!!
This command is called "up"... goodness, put a cheese stick in front of my face and encourage me to put my front paws "up" on something.... easy!!! (I love cheese sticks!!!)
Then I wanted to show Mom that I could do it all by myself... "hey Mom, where's that cheese stick.. do you see where my front feet are???"
This odd thing is a called a "merry go round".. it was fun to watch... it moved round and round and played music...... I sat and watched it for a long time...
The next ride thing we saw... I thought it was a good place to show off my "up" word again... "Mom are you watching???"
Stairs!!! I know how to do them, except that Mom wants me to do them her way.....
which means... go up and down at her speed. Sometimes that is quickly and sometimes it's slow... in fact, so slow that we only take one step at a time.. and have to stop in between... I can do it, but it just isn't as much fun ......
My life isn't all work... I love being outside with all the dogs, especially with Livy.... we are great pals... and even though she is my size she is older than me. Mom says that Livy better enjoy this time of being the same size, because I am going to grow much bigger than she is....
We have all kinds of things that we like to do together... exploring the fence line is always fun... with the woods just beyond, we like to see "who has been there".....
Livy thinks she sees "something" on the other side!!!! So, another month sped by... I am learning and doing so many great things.... it's a happy time.....
a year with Danny Boy!!!!!
Mom says that "tomorrow" is a very big day... so "big" in fact, that she said I needed to have a bath!!!! Good thing I'm a lab... because I don't mind the water (or baths) at all... I actually thought it was rather fun, much easier to splash and "swim" in the tub than it is the water bowl.....
Abbie came and watched, wanting to be sure that everything was OK with me. I assured her it was...... but it's always so nice to have a friend that carefully watches over you.....
We got up early in the morning, left all the others behind and met up with my other neads puppy friends. Yup, it's back to visit at neads today and to have a look at the big city. This is my first trip....Mom said we were going to have great fun... not sure how I feel about the city, but I certainly like being with everyone....
I got to hang out with Dave too.... (he's my buddy).... Dave said I was being a good little boy, and did that make me feel good!!!!
The city was pretty exciting and yes, a bit fun too... but goodness ... it's noisy. Certainly not like the farm!!!!
And I have to say, I felt very little here. Mom thought I looked very little, and she kept a careful eye on me and encouraged me all the way......
We went into the hospital.. I take it neads puppies go here a lot, because everyone seemed to know us!!! Course, me, being the smallest.... I got all the attention!!!!!
The humans sat, talked and had lunch together.....
The puppies???????? well, you can see what we did... (walking around the city takes a lot of energy!!!!)
Sasha got a little nap in too......
Up and with it... we're off to the see the bus station and the trains.......
And just like at the hospital.. everyone wants to say hello to me..... I have a feeling that people like puppies!!!!!
When we got to the train station, I learned a couple of new things. One... my Mom is afraid of the trains!!!!She really isn't around them much and just doesn't like the way the roll into the station... so, when Dave wanted us to hop on and off the train, Mom said... "please do this with Danny"... she thinks that I might misstep and fall between the train and the platform. But Dave and I knew that I could jump over that little space between... which, of course... I did.....
After hopping on and off a few times, we just waited for the train to leave. Dave likes us to see and hear what a train is like. I suppose I should have been paying better attention....
But, I couldn't resist resting my head between Dave's feet and taking a little snooze.... needless to say, trains don't worry me in the least!!!!!
As we were leaving the train station and heading back to the car... the sky was looking rather grey. Mom said she hoped we could get back "before the weather'.....
We didn't...... but rain or shine, if I become a service dog... I will still have to do my "work"... so leave it to Mom to say... "good practice Danny!!!" That's OK.. I don't mind the wet ... but it was beginning to feel like a really long day.....
I was more than happy to hike back to the car...... (I can move right along when I need to!!!)
Let's just say, once I was back in the car... that is where I stayed!!!! I was pretty tired.... we went back to neads, picked up some dog food and all the other things that the humans needed... and headed for home. It was a super fun day... but I was so happy to just sleep, and I hardly moved the whole ride home!!!
a year with Danny Boy!!!
well... look where we are today!!! at NEADS!!! and as you can tell, we're here for a party!!! Mom and the other Maine puppy raisers.. and other puppy raisers are here to celebrate puppies and being together as the raisers. Everyone was so happy to come to this event, and I can tell you, it was so much fun!!!!!
It just so happened that I was the youngest puppy here... so bring on the cute factor!!!!
And I was so happy to see my friends... course I snuggled right up to Dave!!!!
Go ahead... hug the puppy!!!!!
After I got lots of hugs and kisses, and Mom got to talk to a lot of the other raisers, we went inside to have our photo done. I got to have a couple of photos done.. one with the Maine group and then one with just me, Mom and Abbie - oh yeah, forgot to say, that Abbie went with us as well......
There were other things to do other than visit and do pictures.... they had a duck race just for us!!! All the "duckies" had numbers on them, and who ever duck crossed the finish line, they won a prize. Well, those silly ducks got all caught up in one place and they weren't moving.....
So Gerry went over to the edge and helped to push them along.... Mom was just hoping that he wouldn't fall in... (which he didn't!!!)
Duckies at the finish line.... I wonder if one of them was mine!!!
and just to state ... if Mom had let me go, I would have been more than happy to jump in that water and help those duckies along!!!! Mom said she might be in for an "interesting summer with me at the lake".... have to say, that sounds kind of cool.....
Back to the party.... after the race Gerry and Dave handed out awards and certificates for all kinds of things.... (our duckie didn't win)... the awards were for the puppy raisers and the number of years that they have volunteered. Two families have been volunteering for NEADS for 11 years!!! and one of them was Kathleen!!!!!
There were a lot of people and puppies there... it was such a nice day and Mom said she had the greatest time!!!!
Me too... I met a lot of new friends, as well as friends that I already knew.....
But I have to say... I sure did get tired, and at one point, I just gave in and Mom had to carry me. (which she says won't be happening much longer.... I'm getting heavy!!!)
We'll be coming back to NEADS soon for our check in day... I like coming here, but today was certainly one of celebration and fun!!!!
a year of training with Danny Boy!!!!!
