Week 1 Update

Hello!

Thought I would share a little update on how Honeydew is doing (who, Glenn has already given the nickname of "Slippy Lou").  Of course, we can't really give her a nickname, but you know Glenn, always a rule breaker.

She came to work with me last Friday for a few hours - and did really well.  So today, she is here for the full day.  Hopefully it goes just as well (quiet, calm, willing to sit in crate and entertain herself while I am in meetings, etc.).  She is currently sleeping/dreaming  in her crate under my desk - so sweet.  She is learning things very quickly.  Practice, practice, practice.  The most impressive thing so far (I think) is that when you start preparing her food she sits and waits patiently -- and then you can place the food bowl in front of her and she will wait (sitting) to start eating until you tell her "OK" -- you can see how hard it is for her to stay seated until she is released (and I always have a light grab on her collar in case she goes for it) - but it is amazing that she has learned this so quickly, especially given how much the girl loves to eat!  To help keep her from getting possessive of her food, they want us to give her half the food, and then once she is done, put the other half into her bowl with our hands -- she knows that second half is coming, and she just sits and looks up at you like "ok, ready for more", very cute.  Pretty impressive for a 9-week old lab -- I would have expected her to be more of a spaz, but she is really very calm and quite smart -- which I guess is the result of a careful breeding program (rather than any skill on my or Glenn's part).

Of course, true to Crim form, we have already been to the vet with her (in week one!!).  She had an ear infection in both ears, and was "congested".  She is doing better now - in terms of the ears and her sneezing/snorting, but I think she has an eye infection now.  Uggh.  We are hoping that this isn't all the result of allergies -- because allergies is likely something that could make her become a "career change" dog (e.g. she wouldn't become a guide dog).  We have hope that it will all clear up and is more just a function of her needing to get used to new surroundings.

Our cat, Ruben (the EVIL black cat), loves Honeydew.  So strange - since he generally hates everyone and everything except Glenn.  Ruben likes to rub up against Honeydew.  Honeydew, of course, loves Emma - and she wants absolutely nothing to do with her.  Hopefully that will work itself out -- but I am guessing that Emma is getting so old and sore, that a jumpy puppy is not high on her list of "things to enjoy". 

We had our first "puppy meeting" last week (with the other guide-dog puppy raisers) -- these are weekly meetings we have been going to for several months, so it is fun now to go and have a dog of our own.  She did pretty good - especially given how overwhelming it must have been (meeting ~15 other dogs and their people).  She was the first to pee on the gymnasium floor - we were so proud!  Tonight we go to our second puppy meeting with her - but this will just be with the other baby puppies (there are 3 others - including one of her litter mates).  There is one baby puppy, named Fortune, who is HUGE - and almost white blonde (he is a yellow lab).  He is literally twice the size of Honeydew, if not more (same age as her)...and he has rolls upon rolls of puppy fat and skin, which makes him look almost like a Sharpei (sp?).  When he puts his head forward - all of the folds of skin flop forward and you can hardly see his eyes. He is absolutely adorable - Glenn says he looks like one of those big stuffed animals.  I am sure he will be growing into that skin quite quickly, given how fast Honeydew is growing -- her collar was so loose it could easily slip off her head when we first got her -- and only a week or so later we almost need to let it out to the next setting!  

So, that is our update for now.  :)