And the Vet appointments continue

(Francie II at age 9 weeks - April 2009)

After a rough weekend with some very red eyes causing Francie to actually squint; and with her having very little energy to engage or play, we got her into the Vet Monday just like he wanted when he returned my emergency call to him on Saturday night. Yesterday's exam had Linda and I leaving with eye drops for her poor swollen red eyes, which Doc thinks is just a flare up of allergies.

We never did determine what her spike in temperature was from last week's appointment; but are happy that returned to normal.

Well the vet called today and Francie's fecal shows traces of the parasite Giardia.
He had wanted to wait to give her, her needed immunizations until she was done with her eye drops and now, he also wants her done with her Giardia meds.
Yeesh a year and a half of a wonderfully healthy service pup in training and now so close to turn-in, all this!

So he'll see her again on Monday before he leaves for vacation and hopefully give her her final series of vaccines then (12 days before turn in back to Canine Companions.)

Get well sweet baby, we want you healthy for canine college!
Time flies when raising a puppy.
Francie at 8 weeks old tugging on breeder dog Terrence's leash.

They hurt - We Hurt!

I took Francie to the Vet yesterday for her routine exam before CCI's turn in. She was due her basic shots - Rabies booster, DHLPP and Bordetella. The only problem was, she had a high temperature (above 104) when 101-103 is normal range. So the Vet was not comfortable giving her her scheduled vaccines.

So now we wait and take her back next week for her shots and in the mean time watch her closely. Well her temp is down today- it came down a bit last night and even more this morning (such good news) but her eyes this morning were so very red and she still seemed "not herself" and run down.

We wondered if she possibly got a bug bite as she does not tolerate bites well and past times they have proven really hazardous to her. Here is a photo from last spring in AZ when she got stung or bit.
So we gave her a Benadryl today for her eyes and will have her rest and not chase her ball.
She doesn't look near this bad today as these pictures show from last spring, but her eyes are quite red and she keeps squinting.

Poor baby. When she hurts, I hurt.
Isn't this always true for any of our fur kids?
Get well sweet one.


l

A Black Among Blondes

So I am puppy sitting a friend's CCI PIP (pup-in-program) while he is in the hospital...sadly enough he may not even be well enough in time, to get to take his pup Tatiana across the stage for Matriculation when the ceremony takes place August 14th.
I hope for the best for him; in the meantime I offered to puppy sit his sweet, petite Tatiana II. Here's a photo of her. Isn't she darling?
I've never had a black lab to raise for CCI myself, I prefer the blondes for various reasons but Tatiana is a darling.

She is Francie's buddy and in the same classes on Monday nights. They are just weeks apart in age and Tat is, in fact the pup Francie has done several trips with this year (like Yosemite and Easter weekend in Orange County). So they get along quite well.

Yet it's Linda's week so Francie and Tatiana are not here at my home together. I took Tat to puppy class this week, and while Linda handled Francie, I did Tatiana's commands during class. She is so solid with her commands, but alas -she has some real challenges while at home; she tends to alert bark when she hears sounds.

Practicing the "back" command


Coming to the "side" command


A finished "side" command; she seeks approval

From her body language she obviously knows she's doing something that's not permitted but it's as if she can't help herself. And right after doing so she'll come over to me and fawn for attention as if to apologize. Well they are who they are, so we'll see how she does in Advanced Training.

Her future is up to her. (as it always is for all of these pups)

P.S. Kerry III, my first CCI pup to raise and now a COC (change of career) dog turns 9 TODAY, JULY 22.
Hard to believe she was the little pup that started me down this road 9 years ago.
Love you Kerry!

Francie's Friends

Francie has had a busy weekend.
Friday night she enjoyed some play time with the neighbor's dogs here on the cul-de-sac (Lila - the standard poodle, Cork and Jax the two Corgi's and Jamay the Maltee-Bijon (and of course sister Kerry standing in the background in the one shot)



Then this morning we went to CCI pup social for her to practice her good manners with other CCI pups. In these two photos below she tries to get the ball from Cinnamon, a service dog. Black CCI pup-in-training Gomez also wanders over to see what is happening...these times are bitter sweet since they are now, fewer in the little time she has left with Linda and I before her turn-in on Aug. 14.

Fortunately she will get a roommate while living at the CCI kennels for the next 6 months.

Almost Turn-In Time

Francie at 1 month old and at 16 months
















Four weeks from tomorrow Linda and I walk across the stage to present Francie II for her advance training at Canine Companions for Independence's Southwest campus in Oceanside.

CCI matched up her parents, had her come into this world and planned for this destiny for her, all along- so now it will soon be time to see if Destiny also chooses the same for her.

I go back and forth between thinking -no way her ball drive and prey drives are too strong -they'll release her...to later thinking wow! what a great "stay" she has, holding her command when her ball is thrown right by her -she'll make someone a great service dog; maybe a deaf person, as she has SO much energy and loves novel sounds -yea, a hearing dog - Francie wold be perfect for that!

So you see I really have no way of possibly knowing what her future holds AND these dogs often surprise their puppy raisers -by either outcome.
I just know I love her to bits as does Linda. We did our very best to socialize her, build her confidence, expose her to new environments and train her the basic 30 commands. Soon it will all be up to her. Where ever she lands, we know she was meant for that very place.

Tonight I went to dinner with a friend and we met a service team; a gal in a wheel chair that graduated with her gorgeous black lab 2 years ago. I whispered in Francie's ear as they headed away - pay close attention Francie, that is what you are aspiring to be.

10 minutes later she was pouncing on bubbles in the grass as we walked by the park on our way back to the car.
Oh boy.

Patriotic Pups

Lovely Coronado, CA - it started as a cool breezy day and parade watchers were bundled in their blankets and sweatshirts.
But by the time we were back at the house for the BBQ and pool party the SUN was OUT!
Yippee

GROUP SHOT


The first ever Southwest Region CCI puppy drill team made it's debut this past weekend at the Coronado July 4th Parade. The audience loved us and broke in to cheers and applause when we passed by and they were even more enthusiastic when we did our mini routine = "Sit" "Shake", "Down", "Heel", and "Let's Go" in unison.
Jim was our fearless leader blowing the whistle to cue us to certain maneuvers.
(we've been in many parades -but this was our first drill team exhibit- but based on it's success, it won't be the last.)


That's us in our red caps and blue shirts with our pups alongside in their stars and stripes bandannas. Francie and I are in the center of this shot.




An Admiral and his lovely wife with Francie in the dignitaries' parade stands



Francie with buddy Tatiana who also turns in Aug. 14 waiting to take our spot in the parade.
The waiting is always the longest part of a parade.
The Marine Corps band is behind us - Semper Fi!


That's Francie on the pool's edge wanting the toy but not willing to go in the water to get it!

Here's Francie and me when I was drying her off from chasing toys near the pool. She doesn't care for swimming -go figure!

Happy Independence Day! ! !