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