I`m Saying Goodbye, But Not Farewell

Today was the day that Focus went to his forever home. I was very fortunate to have him almost an extra week! So today as a last outing with Focus, we were invited by some friends to go up to a private beach house to go sledding. It is a beautiful gated community right on the beach and Focus loved being off leash and running around on the beach and the open meadows where we all sledded.

Focus loved the snow and had a hard time sitting still for this photo.

Focus and Ryder. They are really going to miss each other as they did everything together for the past 3 weeks.

Now of course, I did not swim I was decked out in snow gear, but Focus thought it was great to go swimming in freezing Lake Tahoe, and as you can see he went quite a ways away.

My last current picture of me and my boys.

Around 3:00 I called Rob to see if he was home and he said he was. My mom and I got in the car and drove over there. I was in tears most of the way over to his house and most of the time we were talking with him, but was pretty much back to normal when we left. We stayed for about 30 minutes and then left. Focus seemed very happy in his new house and his owner was thrilled beyond belief! He is such a great man and said several times today that I can come over and see Focus whenever and take him whenever, and that I`ll definitely be his #1 puppy sitter for Focus! I will pry let things settle for Rob and Focus for at least a month or so, and then I will go over there and check on everything! I do not want to go over there a lot in the beginning as I don`t want Focus getting confused like "oh you are here to get me again," and think that Rob is just a puppy sitter. So as the title read, I am saying goodbye, but not farewell. As a puppy raiser it never get`s easier with saying goodbye when recalls come, or when you place a dog.

Katlynn & Ryder

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I am so lucky to have shared 3 Christmas' with 3 amazing dogs, and Focus was lucky enough to spend 2 with me! The boys scored big time, and ended up getting 5 new toys!

Katlynn, Focus, & Ryder

Update on the Boys

I am sure some of you are wondering why Mr. Focus is still around if I am not keeping him. Well originally he was going to go to his home tomorrow but there has been some delays. This weekend my family and I went up into the hills to go Christmas Tree cutting and we took all 3 dogs. Focus and Dietrich (my pet) were running off leash the entire time and had a blast in the snow. Ryder had fun as well but he of course was on leash, which he did not really mind.

We hiked probably 2 miles, and when we were in eye sight of the truck I noticed blood on the snow. I quickly looked at myself, looked at all the dogs, and could not realize where it was coming from until I looked more closely and Focus' right front paw and I saw blood gushing out. It turns out he sliced his pad (the one on his leg, not his actual paw) almost a clean cut. We got him to the truck but a band-aid and sock on it and drove to the vet. The vet cut the skin off (really no need to stitch it up it was hanging on by a thread) and wrapped it up all nicely, and gave him some antibiotics because we did not know what he cut it on and did not want to have him get an infection.

So in the end, it is really nothing major, I just need to change the wrap daily and give him his medicine. It does not hurt him at all really, he will still run around outside like a crazy puppy with Ryder and will go for walks. The only time he whines is when I change it.

Focus with his poor foot wrapped.

The actual cut, it is a nice cut, but something that will hopefully heel nicely in the next few weeks.

Focus and Ryder really do like each other and get along great. They are both pretty mellow in the house, will chew on their bones or go beg someone for attention. I like to refer to them as "partners in crime" because since Focus has to wear his wrap 24/7, he always tries to bite at it. So they will lay next to each other and Ryder will pull the gauze out from under the wrap and then they will both pull and tear the wrap off his leg. It took me a few times of them doing it to realize what they were doing.

Focus will now be going to his new home sometime after Christmas. He is staying with me because his owner has really nice white carpet, and since his pad will bleed from time to time that would not be good on white carpet. He also has to be watched all the time because he tries to eat it, and we do not want him to digest any of it and his owner planned to leave him home kenneled on Christmas, so in the end it worked out I got to keep him for Christmas, but every day I spend with him is going to make it harder and harder so say goodbye, as I really have fallen in love with him.

The Partners In Crime. Ryder tied up while I was baking to keep him away from Focus, but as you can see that really helped keeping Ryder away.

They will both go in the bathroom with me to take a shower and usually they lay across from each other but now a days they like together.

Ryder has been doing great, he is a really good puppy and knows almost all of his commands to a T. He is so good at high school, he goes daily and I am throughly impressed. We are on winter break now so we basically sleep in and go no where. He is a very soft dog and always wants to be near or touching you. I think this is a very good trait but sometimes it gets very annoying when I am trying to get dressed and he is right at my feet and won`t move.

Ryder got a bath today, it had been awhile, ever since he was a baby puppy, so since we were not going anywhere till this evening I gave him one. So now I have a clean puppy and Focus would have gotten one too, but I figured with his open wound it would be best to wait.

Ryder enjoying his new Nylabone from "Santa Paws." We had our Christmas meeting tonight and all the guide dog puppies got a new Nylabone. Ryder says thank you very much!

Happy Holidays!

Katlynn, Focus, & Ryder

Life as Pet

Even though Focus is not a guide dog puppy in training anymore, he can still go a lot of places. My family and I wanted to go Christmas shopping, but did not want to leave Focus kenneled or home alone for hours. I then remembered that we have a pet friendly mall not too far from us! It`s an outdoor mall, and maybe half the stores are pet friendly! Very convenient!

Focus thought it was great to actually "work" again. He was better behaved then Ryder was, but then again he has had a lot more training, but Ryder was very good for a 5 month old puppy. I have really fallen in love with him and I really wish I could keep him, but he is going to a great home and I will still see him every now and then.

On another note, it has been snowing like crazy here. We probably have a foot and a half and it`s still snowing! The boys love to go run around in the backyard, pictures to come hopefully!

Focus and Ryder in Orvis, with a new friend!

My working dogs.

Ryder knows now that the dog bed is now Focus` and there is no if`s ands or buts.

They joy of being a career changed dog, sleeping on the bed! Ryder does not think that is very fair that he has to sleep in a kennel and Focus gets the warm bed.

Have a good rest of your weekend everybody!

Katlynn, Focus, and Ryder

Home Sweet Home

Today was the day my family and I went over the hill to get Focus. I was very excited to see him! Ryder tagged along for the ride and was very well behaved. I even ditched school to go get my boy! We also took my leader with us because she knew we were going over the hill and she left her car on the side of the road, because is was not 4WD and she did not want to buy chains(her husband was with her in their other car so she did not camp out in the snow). So we took her to her car, dug it out (was not that bad at all) and we went on our way again towards Sacramento. My brother was ever so nice and agreed to pick up Focus from the campus, because he lives in the bay area and is quite close to GDB. He picked him up around 9 and started driving towards Sacramento. He ended up coming to El Dorado Hills (past Sacramento) because we were running late and he just kept driving.

When we met up, I was stoked to see Focus. When I got of the car I could hear his tail going crazy in my brother`s truck. I opened the door and out jumped this 90lb yellow lab! I was quite shocked with how big he was, but i am used to tiny Ryder, so he pry has not gotten too much bigger since August. I then got Ryder out and took them both to go potty. I walked them around and I swear Focus is not the same! He was not trying to play with Ryder at all (very unlike Focus), focused on walking and waiting for the next command. I double checked his tattoo to make sure it was him!

I then gave Ryder to my mom and took Focus out to work. I did forward, left, and right. I was impressed! Focus was truly amazing and stopped at all the curbs and looked for cars and when i told him forward he looked again and then proceeded if it was safe I did set him up and told him forward when a car was coming and he stepped out, looked, and then backed up. I was amazed. I really wish he had become a guide, he would have been awesome at it.

I will have Focus for a week or so and then he will go to the people who are adopting him. The family came over today to say hello to him and they brought their dog over for Focus to meet and Saturday afternoon he is going over there for the afternoon. All went well and they are very excited! He wants to get started on his training within the month so he can be ready and start competitions ASAP. Focus will still be a part of my life and I will see him over the years and be involved in his competitions and training. So I will blog about Focus when something exciting happens!

Ryder watching my parents and leader dig out her car.

Focus was very excited to see me!

On the way home, very good dogs!

Ryder looking at Focus who is on the seat.

Agreed to share the bed, though Focus has it now!

Katlynn, Focus, & Ryder

Update on Mr. Focus

As all of you know from my last post Focus has been career changed. At the time I posted that I had not yet made my decision on whether I would be bringing him back up to Carson and place him with a family that will be the best match for him or send him into search and rescue training.

My CFR said that search and rescue was not looking for any more dogs but he could go and be evaluated. I do not want Focus spending more time in kennel life if he does not have to, so I made the decision to bring him home and place him with this family in town.

So tomorrow we are making the trip to Sacramento to meet my brother who lives in the bay. He is going to pick Focus up form the campus and drive him to Sacramento, which is a huge help! The weather looks good no snow, but the roads I am sure will have snow and some ice on them but we have a good car and will do fine.

I plan on keeping Focus till the New Year, but if it is too much to have Ryder, Focus, and my pet dog Dietrich, he will go to his family earlier. The family he is going with I think is going to be perfect. He plans on training Focus to be a hunting show dog, and possibly dock diving (I am not sure if it`s called that, but where the dogs jumps off a dock for distance and retrieves something). It seems like a perfect home for him, he needs a job and lots of exercise, and that is just what he will get! He can also go to work as this man owns his own company! Focus is the kinda dog you can`t trust at home alone because he will eat and destroy everything! That is the main reason I am not adopting him, he would be kenneled 6 hours a day and that would not be fair to him. I could not be happier on this placement as I know Focus will be well loved and have an awesome life! I will also be able to be a part of his training and maybe get to show him, and I will see him periodically as he will live in town!

Tomorrow the good old halti will be placed on Focus and the leash will be in my hand....

Katlynn & Ryder

Bittersweet Ending

For most exciting times/days (like today), there is usually a downer. Well today my leader`s called and I thought for sure they were just calling to say the meeting was cancelled. Well my mom answered the phone and she sad she had some bad news. I was thinking oh no did DeSoto die, was Focus career changed, is Ryder ok? Well it turns out that Focus was career changed.

They did not really say why but mostly because he was so high powered and hyper. I can`t say I am surprised at all, cause that was Focus. When I read blogs and they say my "I have just been hit by a train" I never could emotionally understand that until now. As much work as Focus was he was my favorite, and all dogs are different. I love DeSoto and Ryder dearly but Focus just had something about him.

My family and I keeping him is 100% out of the question. We can not have a high powered dog that needs miles of walking daily. We could not leave him home alone, he would chew everything up, and kenneling him all day is not fair to him. I`d love to keep him and it breaks my heart that I can`t. I know of a family in town that is really interested in him, he just lost his 14 year old lab that was a hunting dog. Hunting would be great for Focus, and he could go to work with them, and I could see him a lot.

Since it is snowing like crazy, we are not able to make it over the hill for at least a few days. I`ve been talking with my brother who lives in the bay area about picking Focus up this week and keeping him till my mom and I are able to make it over, and he agreed to that. So Focus will get to live in a house again! He is also very interested in keeping Focus and he could go to work with his as well. So both options are great and I know Focus would be happy in either one of them.

SUMMARY: Focus is a large, strong, male yellow lab. He is very personable with an active curiosity level. He has a moderate energy level when he has an outlet for his energy. If cooped up and not exercised for a while, he can become busy and more energetic. He adjusted quickly to the kennel, gets along well with all other dogs and enjoyed having a roommate. He enjoys human interaction as well, quickly bonding to his primary handler. His progress in training was good. He learned quickly, really enjoying clicker training and food reward.
He does have a sensitive side when focused; he is willing and well-intentioned, but occasionally impulsive around dogs and food requiring above-average strength to manage the distractibility. His positive qualities are endless; however, with his size and strength, it would be very difficult to match him with a visually impaired client.
Focus is a dog that needs a job – a job to this dog would be to go jogging every day or to play fetch with the kids. (Possibly Search and rescue). He also would greatly benefit from consistency in the home, high expectations and fair handlers.

I just want to say that Focus, you did an amazing job, you made it all the way through training and you just decided it was not right for you. Good job my boy and I can`t wait to see you!

Katlynn & Ryder

Snow Day!

With our usual routine on school days, I get up at 6:00 feed Ryder, take him out to go potty, and then go back to bed till 7:00. When I took Ryder out, I was shocked at the amount of snow we had! Carson City usually gets a few inches but we have a foot and it`s still snowing! I immediately went in and turned the news on to see what was happening with the schools. It first said that they were still in session just late starts, but around 7:00 it was confirmed no school!! I am very excited as this is my second snow day ever!

Ryder last night when it started to snow.

This morning, pretty deep huh?

Snow face! Ryder loves the snow and played for hours with the neighbor dogs.

After hours of hard play, he is sleeping on his bed.

Katlynn & Ryder