Day 185

Here's a photo of me and Eli, playing.  I cannot see a darn thing with this doughnut toy in my face.  Below is a photo of my dad, Carlton, with his new person, Maria.  They graduated together this month.  I am so proud of my dad!  Like Archer, he is a two career dog.  He started out as a stud, and is now a working guide.  We look nothing alike.  Do you think I am adopted?

Day 184

Me and Mom dropped the car off at the auto shop this morning.  Here's a photo of me and Steven, the shop owner.  The car inspection expires at the end of August and is nearly overdue!  It's a good thing we caught it, because Mom needs to spend her money on dog food and treats for me (and the leftovers for the cats, of course), not on tickets for an overdue inspection. 

Day 183

Licking Eli's feet is fun!

Day 182

Mom really likes photographing me with flowers.  She thinks I look pretty.

Day 181

We went hiking in Connecticut today.  Here's a photo of me and Eli in Peter's car, at the beginning of our journey.  Don't we look awesome?  And below is a photo of me and Mom, taken on the hike.  It was 80 degrees today, mild for summer, but I still felt hot. My people could not understand why I was so hot, but remember that I am wearing a thick fur coat. We were planning to walk 3 miles, but I was lazy and sloth-like, so we took the shorter 2 mile route.  Next, we detoured to a local ice creamery.  I got to meet the cows, and my people got to eat delicious ice cream.  What a fun day!

Day 180

Ever since I got my braces, I have horrible breath.  Eli calls it sewer breath.  Abram and Mom need to brush my teeth more often.  I don't understand how people can use mint flavored toothpaste.  How disgusting!  My toothpaste is poultry flavored - YUM!

Day 179

Me and my pink hippo.

Archer update:  Hi, Archer fans!!  Archer may be graduating soon!!  The next class of students arrives at the school on July 29th, so we should know by the following Friday or Monday whether Archer is matched with a visually impaired client.  I'm keeping my paws crossed!  If he meets his match, graduation day will be Saturday August 17th.  If not, he will continue training until an appropriate match is made.  I cannot attend graduation -- no puppies allowed -- but Abram, Eli, and Mom will go, and they'll take tons of photos!  I am so proud of Archer and hope to follow in his pawsteps!!

Day 178

Yesterday, I had a dentist-orthodontist appointment.  Here I am with the doctor.  Dogs like going to the dentist about as much as people do - NOT AT ALL!!  The good news is that my teeth are doing just fine.  I will be wearing braces for 3-4 months.  I cannot wait to get them off!

Day 177

Hemi (the cat) is a brave soul.  She is our huntress, the one who catches the unfortunate mice who dare to enter our house.  Eli has nicknamed her Artemis.  Now that I am a bit older and less crazy, she is trying to be my friend.  I am not quite worthy yet.  She allows me to approach her, and even lick her.  But in order to give my lick more leverage, I inevitably put my paw on her back, and then I get really excited, and then Mom or Eli rescues her.  I really am working on controlling my enthusiasm.  I just love her so much, and now that Muffin will not come near me, I am looking for a new best friend.

Day 176

Yesterday, I had my Walk & Talk, my one-on-one with my teacher.  Here's a photo, from the left, of Nicole (my teacher), Abram, and ML (one of the professional dog trainers).  Walking was no problem, but I don't know how to talk!  ML wants to confirm that my stair phobia is behavioral and not physical.  In other words, does ascending steps hurt me, and that's why I don't like stairs?  When I do choose to ascend the stairs, you can tell that I hate it.  I hang my head low and march like a toy soldier, trying to put the stairs behind me as quickly as possible.  I will not even stop mid-staircase for a treat!  So, Nicole shot lots of video of me jogging, and going up and down the steps.  One of the vets at the guide dog school will evaluate the video clips.  If only I could talk, I could explain exactly why I don't like steps!

Day 175

Yesterday, the heatwave continued.  It was 98 degrees outside, way too hot for me during the day.  Mom walked me outside only in the early morning and late at night.  I cannot tolerate the heat, and neither can she!  Me and Mom accompanied Peter to Costco, just to get out of the house and have an adventure.  The first photo is me in the car.  Don't I look angelic?  The second is me and Peter in Costco.  I was extremely well behaved, even in the meat aisle.  Don't forget, I am a carnivore with a bionic nose!

Day 174

Here I am, in the Amazon Rainforest taking a break from hiking and bird watching.  Just kidding.  I am really in the backyard.  New York is in the midst of a heatwave, and Mom set up the sprinkler so I could play in the cool water, but I really do not want to play in the sprinkler, so she squirted me with the hose instead.  I escaped to the shade for a moment of peace.  Mom got herself wet too, and as much as I love her, I don't much like that wet people smell.  Yuck.

Day 173

Dog rug

Day 172

Do you see the metal bar across the roof of my mouth?  Those are my puppy braces.  I cannot chew hard toys anymore - no more femur bones with peanut butter, Nylabones, ice cubes, or tug games.  Poor me.  Eli calls me metal mouth.  Don't feel too sorry for me, though, because I still have my pink hippo and some other soft toys.  Mom even washed my hippo yesterday.  Lucky me!

Day 171

The people who run the guide dog school say that we dogs can choose our own careers.  We can be loyal guide dogs, caring healing autism dogs, well trained police dogs (even bomb sniffers!), or cherished family pets.  All of those career options are awesome, but I am thinking that maybe I want to broaden my horizons and become an actress.  I am really good at impersonations - or is that indogonations?  See below and judge for yourself ... I am a German Shepherd, an airplane, a seal.  Impressive, no?

Day 170

Today, I am getting puppy braces.  Abram and Eli dropped me off at the orthodontist this morning and will retrieve me this afternoon.  The problem is with my bottom canines.  When I close my mouth, they are supposed to nest snugly with my top canines as in the illustration below, but instead they are leaning inward and are hitting the roof of my mouth.  Ouch!

                                                           

Day 169

We had a special guest at puppy class yesterday, Simon and his person Ben.  Simon was in Archer's class. Simon chose a career as a pet and was adopted by his puppy raisers.  He is so handsome.  I couldn't keep my eyes off him!  I got to play with him in the stairwell.  In the last photo below, Abram is teaching me "over".  I have to roll over, lie flat, and keep my head on the floor.  I was really good at it.

Day 168

My people picked me up tonight, on their way to puppy class. Mom took this photo of Dawn, Ian, Abram, and me. I am really happy to be home! I think even Hemi is happy to have me back. I will miss Dawn and Ian, though. I hope my people go away again, so I can visit Dawn and Ian soon!

Day 167

Conquering the stairs of Manhattan

Day 166

Isn't this cartoon funny? I laughed when I read it. I hope you're not thinking that dogs can't read. Of course, I must be able to read if I can write! And below, a photo of me doing yoga. Yes, dogs do that too. Never under estimate us.

Day 165

Playing tug with my new friend, Emma.

Day 164

Here's a photo of me with my puppy sitters, Dawn and Ian. I love them! They took me on my very first subway ride!

Day 163

I have received a flood of Archer photos this week, and I am sharing more of them with you. Here are recent photos of Archer (aka A-Dog) training with Jamie in Peekskill. Isn't he handsome??

Day 162

Here I am, after a walk with Dawn and Ian. I am so beautiful that they can't stop photographing me! They raised a puppy named Paulette. She was returned to the guide dog school in April. They miss her a lot, just like my people miss Archer. Here's a photo of Paulette with Emma. Speaking of Archer, he celebrated his second birthday July 6. Happy Birthday, Archer! The last photo is of the professional trainers with their dogs. Archer is in the middle, lying down. The yellow lab on the far left was trained in NYC too. His name is Cameron, and he is training to be a Healing Autism dog. I might do that one day too!

Day 161

I got to eat in my very first NYC restaurant! Mom hopes I behaved. Dawn says that I am an official NYC dog now. Hurray for me!!!

Day 160

My people are in Rome eating gelato every day. I get to enjoy Gelato, too, but mine comes in the form of a puppy play date, not in a cone. Gelato is another yellow lab guide dog puppy in training. Can you tell us apart?

Day 159

This New York City lifestyle is completely exhausting. I love it, but all the excitement make me sleepy!

Day 158

Happy 4th of July! In celebration of our great nation, I took a dip in the water. My Mom, on the contrary, is sitting on the beach and avoiding the water. Every time I see water, I want to charge in and play. How can she resist?

Day 157

At Dawn and Ian's house, I get to sleep in my crate with the door open. I can't do that at home, though, because I cannot resist the temptation of chasing Hemi and Muffin.