Pup #1

A smiling Kerry on one of our last hikes, before Francie turned-in.


Kerry - a little spoiled and getting to sleep in the "big bed" the day after Francie leaves for K-9 college at CCI.



Kerry III really was the one that started it all for me. Started me on the path to my love affair with raising service puppies for Canine Companions for Independence.

She turned 9 this summer.
Kerry is so good every time I bring home a new CCI puppy. She knows what she is in for; ear biting, neck grabbing; lip tugging, toy sharing, bed stealing, nuzzling, the little newbies checking and just to see if there might be a nipple to nurse on-OUCH, although they've been weened for weeks- they still check; Kerry is quick to indicate - "no way!"

But Kerry is now an only child again to me; with Francie II off to Advanced Training at CCI's campus. Kerry relishes this alone time with me - and I must say I too enjoy this special one-on-one time with her.

She spent the day with me today - watching a football scrimmage with Coach Ziggy a fellow CCI puppy raiser who's pup Tatiana II, is Francie's room mate as they are only two weeks apart in age.

Mom loves you Kerry. Thanks for being a great big sister to the pups.
It's fun to have you back to myself and I know YOU feel the same! :^D

Departure

Words won't convey what the photos tell:

Two Days From Now

Two days from now she will leave my arms, with a swish of her tail she will trot away.

For sixteen months I've loved her and help shape her, into the dog I hoped she'd become.

Now, it's she her turn to decide where her life's path will lead.

But this I know, Two Days From Now my heart will ache yet my hope resides;
resides in a place that may come in the future-
where a new friend I'll meet with their welcoming smile
as Francie leaves me once more, to go to them - the goal all along.


April 2009 Francie's arrival Aug 2010 - tired after play

Time Winds Down

It's my week once more to have Francie, our sweetie. It's good to have her back as Lyn had for two weeks in a row due to her scheduling needs. Francie is on the mend from her health issues of recent days. She should still have her eye drops twice a day, the Vet said and her last immunization shots will come this Monday.

These are the challenging days, filled with mixed emotions.
When you know you will soon be parting, it's hard to not be emotional.
I find myself watching her more, taking more photographs, trying to remember every little thing about her. As we quite possibly won't see her for 1/2 a year, as she trains on campus for her future role as a service dog for someone. In the old days, puppy raisers could visit the pups they had turned in; but then Canine Companions decided it was too hard on the dog, too confusing.

Ugh, waiting that 6 weeks for the first report to come back of how she's doing...was she spayed?...still in tact for consideration as a breeder? ...is she adjusting to kennel life? Who is her roommate? Which trainer does she have? From August until the beginning of October will seem an eternity. She's lucky that she doesn't know time as a concept; of the coming change to her days, her life.
What bliss to just go about her day, eat, play, train, chase her ball - oblivious to the new experiences that she soon will be experiencing -just 8 days from now.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Tonight Francie attended another Friday night TGIF Concert in the Park with some friends and me.
She did great and was quite the hit as the photo of the people she is greeting, clearly shows.



I sure will miss her sweet face and that nose, always nudging me to play fetch with her.

Time is winding down.