Purely Puppy Pleasure

One of the highlights of my recent trip to Napa for some wine tasting was getting to visit a brand new litter of CCI puppies. (Santa Rosa is the breeding HQ for Canine Companions for Independence; so all litters are born with 90 minutes of the center, at various breeder/caretakers' homes).

The "G" litter's Momma is Keara a lovely golden retriever and proud Pappa is Terrence - a stunning black lab that only throws blacks.

The result = an all black litter for the lovely golden Momma.

They refer to this litter as the "G-Force" (clever)

The pups were only a week old at my visit but oh so very cute...don't you think!

Eyes still closed, ears still sealed. Only about a pound in weight.

Now it has me thinking, should I take on puppy #6 this August when I have to turn in Francie? Oh, it so hard to resist . . . . yet so hard to imagine as I really was thinking of taking a well deserved break.

But then -seeing these babies...ooh it would be so fun having met him/her while this young, to then go on and raise that very puppy.

Just so precious.

Ladies Home Journal - July 2010

Here it is:

The article (3 pages)

and drum roll please. . . .my smiling girl

(and what was going on behind the scenes- me with her tennis ball! This was the key to keeping her attention and keeping her ears perked.)

FRANCIE - THE MODEL

Well Francie did it again.
For the second time she has been in a magazine BUT this time she is in a national publication! If you get the JULY 2010 issue of Ladies Home Journal (Chrisite Brinkley on the cover), page 64 you will see my lovely girl, as a model. She was a "prop" for an article about creating affordable outdoor furniture. We did this photo shoot in March and I was not quite sure if she would actually make it in the issue -there's always the risk of ending up on the editing floor of course...but lo' and behold there she is!

Here are some shots I took of the contract photographer (from L.A.) who came down to do the shoot. He was amazed at how well behaved she was and commented several times on how easy it made his job compared to other shoots he's done that involved dogs.
Well sure! - I mean she IS a service pup in training and certainly knows her commands. But to get her ears up and make her look pretty AND to get her to look right at the photographer, what you don't see in the magazine is me holding her beloved tennis ball and standing just behind the photographer :) Good "stay" Francie good "stay". I'd say "release" and she'd pop up and immediately come over to my side and wait for her next assignment.

I love the magazine photo LHJ selected - Francie is smiling oh so lovely. (The chairs I'm not so crazy about but with her in the photo it sure does catch one's eye.)
Don't you agree?

* the stunning yard was at the home of friend, Encinitas neighbor and Bunco Babe: Davielle, former staff member at Caninie Companions for Independence.

Thanks Davi for this neat opportunity for Francie! We LOVE your gorgeous yard!