Today I looked everywhere for an excuse not to exercise. But I could not find it. First I looked outside to see if it was too hot. No, it was in fact a lot cooler than yesterday. It was overcast and a cool sea breeze was making it very pleasant. I looked up to see if the overcast clouds meant that it would rain any minute. No rain on the horizon. Still my excuse hid from me.
Then I looked inside. My shoes were waiting at the door. My dog was bouncing around wagging his tail and looking at his lead. I still could not find my excuse.
I finally gave up looking for it, put on my shoes and connected the lead. I stepped out the door and started walking. I was glad I could not find my excuse to not exercise today. I met others along the path who had also mislaid their excuses. We smiled as we acknowledged each other and the beautiful cool change.
Tomorrow I will be back looking for my excuse. Hopefully I will not find it again.
All this looking made me wonder why I do this to myself. I love walking. I love going to my exercise class. I love playing the piano and cello. I love being my ideal weight and feeling healthy. I love reading my Bible but WHY do all these things need so much discipline to do on a regular basis. I know it is only by doing these things on a regular basis that there will be any noticeable affect. Sporadic exercise, sporadic piano and cello practice, even sporadic Bible reading only brings minimal results and sometimes none at all.
My New Years resolution is to loose every excuse I can ever think of for not doing what I know I should do. If not now, WHEN?
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Thursday, 2 January 2014
Jesse's First day out
We took Jesse to the Vet today. All we did was introduce her and make an appointment for her next shot. Then we put him in the top section of the supermarket trolley and walked him through the supermarket. We took Thomas as well. He was working hard at not eating food off the floor.
We had everyone ooing and aaing and wanting to cuddle Jesse. As it was his first experience, we wanted it to be a very positive experience for him. Then we went to the local coffee shop. There everyone was fussing over him and we allowed two young girls to cuddle both Jesse and Thomas. They were so calm, we thought it would do them no harm at all. But Bev, our supervisor, was not happy when I told her they were patted today. "Please don't do that again," she said.
It's so hard to stop people from touching our service dogs. More and more people are being educated about not distracting the dog from it's work. Also the dog may start to expect attention from strangers and think it's play time not work time. So we will have to be more diligent and make sure we do not repeat todays misdemeanour.
It is a scorching hot Summers day today. The air con is on and so is the tennis. All three dogs are napping. We walked early, then I kept an appointment with my dentist. Thomas was given a kong with some treats and peanut butter and tethered in the craft room while I practiced the piano. Getting Thomas to lie quietly while I practice is part of his new routine. I plan to take him with me to Cello class, exercise class, Church and movies. So he needs to learn to settle and wait for me to do my thing.
So Thomas and I are learning self discipline.
We had everyone ooing and aaing and wanting to cuddle Jesse. As it was his first experience, we wanted it to be a very positive experience for him. Then we went to the local coffee shop. There everyone was fussing over him and we allowed two young girls to cuddle both Jesse and Thomas. They were so calm, we thought it would do them no harm at all. But Bev, our supervisor, was not happy when I told her they were patted today. "Please don't do that again," she said.
It's so hard to stop people from touching our service dogs. More and more people are being educated about not distracting the dog from it's work. Also the dog may start to expect attention from strangers and think it's play time not work time. So we will have to be more diligent and make sure we do not repeat todays misdemeanour.
It is a scorching hot Summers day today. The air con is on and so is the tennis. All three dogs are napping. We walked early, then I kept an appointment with my dentist. Thomas was given a kong with some treats and peanut butter and tethered in the craft room while I practiced the piano. Getting Thomas to lie quietly while I practice is part of his new routine. I plan to take him with me to Cello class, exercise class, Church and movies. So he needs to learn to settle and wait for me to do my thing.
So Thomas and I are learning self discipline.
Jesse's First Day - Take 2
We waited anxiously at the Airport wondering if we had made the right decision. Finally two little blonde babies looked at us through the bars of their cage. Jesse and Ginny had arrived. Howard could not wait to cuddle his new little charge. He is a nine week old blond Labrador and his future is full of learning curves for him. He is a potential Guide dog.
"Start as you plan to go on". These were the parting words of our Supervisor. So we encourage him to 'Do your jobs' and praise him when he complies. 'No' we say when he chews our furniture or cables. He runs and plays and follows us everywhere. As he sits, we say "sit" and so his training begins.
Tomorrow we plan to take him to meet the Vet. Just to say Hello and then we are taking him to the supermarket and placing him in a trolley on a blanket.
Now the one learning the hardest lesson is Thomas our nine month old Labrador who is also training to be a Guide dog. All poor Thomas wants to do is play with Jesse or Sabina and we are keeping play time to a minimum. We need peace in our home, not romping dogs. Play time will be for outside and it will be supervised.
Thomas is doing so well. We are working very hard to get him to the place where he is ready for formal training. We do our best and in the end it is up to the dog. There is no guilt in puppy raising especially if we do our best. The most important lesson Thomas is learning at the moment is self control.
Self control is something we are always learning as well.
"Start as you plan to go on". These were the parting words of our Supervisor. So we encourage him to 'Do your jobs' and praise him when he complies. 'No' we say when he chews our furniture or cables. He runs and plays and follows us everywhere. As he sits, we say "sit" and so his training begins.
Tomorrow we plan to take him to meet the Vet. Just to say Hello and then we are taking him to the supermarket and placing him in a trolley on a blanket.
Now the one learning the hardest lesson is Thomas our nine month old Labrador who is also training to be a Guide dog. All poor Thomas wants to do is play with Jesse or Sabina and we are keeping play time to a minimum. We need peace in our home, not romping dogs. Play time will be for outside and it will be supervised.
Thomas is doing so well. We are working very hard to get him to the place where he is ready for formal training. We do our best and in the end it is up to the dog. There is no guilt in puppy raising especially if we do our best. The most important lesson Thomas is learning at the moment is self control.
Self control is something we are always learning as well.
Wednesday, 1 January 2014
Jesse's First day
Jesse's First Day.
We waited at the Airport, knowing that our lives were about to change. Was this a wise decision or would we live to regret it. We now have three dogs in our home. Sabina who is six years old, Thomas who is eight months old and Jesse who is nine weeks old.
Sabina was our first service puppy. After Melody died we decided we would never have a dog of our own again. She was a black and white classic Border Collie. She was the most beautiful dog ever and we cried the day we took her to the Vet and stayed with her while she departed from this life. We mourned for three months.
Then we retired and after much discussion we decided to apply to become puppy raisers for Guide Dogs. Sabina came into our lives. What a learning curve that was for us. She turned out to be an excellent dog and the powers that be decided to breed with her. We were asked if we wanted to keep her and become Brood keepers. It took us ten days to make the final decision. We gave her up.
Jane became her carer and we booked one of her pups. The pup's name was Sizzle She was a blond Labrador and she turned out to be very unpredictable. One day she was able to do the work that was required and the next day she would be very skittish. She became a pet.
We booked another Sabina pup. This time a black male named Lenny. He was also a Labrador. What a lovely dog. Sadly he was sensitive to metal strips and would leap over them. He too became a pet and what a lovely pet he would make. I loved that dog so much.
Then Sabina was retired. This time when were offered her we jumped at the opportunity. Jane could no longer take care of her and she cried so much when she said goodbye. We cried with her as we handed a box of tissues, chocolates and a bottle of wine.
She is now our pet and we love her to pieces. The trouble is so do the pups that come into our home and Sabina is not impressed.
We waited at the Airport, knowing that our lives were about to change. Was this a wise decision or would we live to regret it. We now have three dogs in our home. Sabina who is six years old, Thomas who is eight months old and Jesse who is nine weeks old.
Sabina was our first service puppy. After Melody died we decided we would never have a dog of our own again. She was a black and white classic Border Collie. She was the most beautiful dog ever and we cried the day we took her to the Vet and stayed with her while she departed from this life. We mourned for three months.
Then we retired and after much discussion we decided to apply to become puppy raisers for Guide Dogs. Sabina came into our lives. What a learning curve that was for us. She turned out to be an excellent dog and the powers that be decided to breed with her. We were asked if we wanted to keep her and become Brood keepers. It took us ten days to make the final decision. We gave her up.
Jane became her carer and we booked one of her pups. The pup's name was Sizzle She was a blond Labrador and she turned out to be very unpredictable. One day she was able to do the work that was required and the next day she would be very skittish. She became a pet.
We booked another Sabina pup. This time a black male named Lenny. He was also a Labrador. What a lovely dog. Sadly he was sensitive to metal strips and would leap over them. He too became a pet and what a lovely pet he would make. I loved that dog so much.
Then Sabina was retired. This time when were offered her we jumped at the opportunity. Jane could no longer take care of her and she cried so much when she said goodbye. We cried with her as we handed a box of tissues, chocolates and a bottle of wine.
She is now our pet and we love her to pieces. The trouble is so do the pups that come into our home and Sabina is not impressed.
Friday, 27 December 2013
Voila! I've cracked the code to do blogging, at last.
Now I start again. I'm still on the learning curve, always will be.
These are some of the things I learnt from puppy raising.
We started puppy raising six years ago. Our bundle of joy was a ten week old cross golden retriever. Her name is Sabina and her Mum was Tipper, a gentle blond Labrador and Dad Roo a very beautiful good natured Golden Retriever.
We studied the guide lines and did every thing our Supervisor told us to do. She grew into a gentle, loving, placid young dog. She was chosen to breed. We thought she would have made a very good Guide dog but on reflection we now realise that she did not have the drive to do the work. Having babies was a much better fit for her.
Oh the struggle to make the decision to release her and not keep her. Our reason was that we wanted to keep on puppy raising and not become brood keepers. She went to live with Jane. Jane loved her and she was taken all over the place. She then had her first litter. So cute. We asked for one of the pups to raise. We were given Sizzle. But I have jumped ahead.
After Sabina left us we were given a black female Labrador to raise. She arrived at ten weeks old and not well at all. Eventually the diagnosis of Guardia was made and she slowly recovered. Her name was Jean and was she a handful!
We thought that we were 'experienced' so this was going to be fun.
I decided it was my turn to be the primary carer as Howard had been the primary carer for Sabina. At four months old I found that I could not control feisty Jean. She had a mind of her own and I handed her over to Howard. She was hard work. The problem was she was far too bright and had the drive of an ox. If we didn't keep her busy all the time she found things to keep herself busy. Once she arrived very proud of herself with a CD that she had carefully taken out of the CD cabinet. I think she was choosing her own music. I would not have put it past her.
Eventually, much to our joy, we handed her to a the trainer. Good luck!
Everything was done to get Jean to the standard required to guide. The problem was that she was fully sponsored by an elderly man who had named her after his departed wife. So all the stops were pulled to get her through.
Finally she was ready to be matched and just then a young lady with Tunnel vision had phoned to say that she needed a dog. This was a match made in heaven.
Julie was a hard working young lady. She had two jobs and Jean was required to help her get to work by train. All was well.
After three years hard work, Julie had to surrender Jean as her situation had changed and there was not enough work for Jean. What to do with a dog that was fit, healthy, intelligent and 5 years old?
A wonderful man took her and trained her in no time at all to be an assistance dog.
We had the joy of meeting up with her again and we could not believe how obedient she had become.
Now I start again. I'm still on the learning curve, always will be.
These are some of the things I learnt from puppy raising.
We started puppy raising six years ago. Our bundle of joy was a ten week old cross golden retriever. Her name is Sabina and her Mum was Tipper, a gentle blond Labrador and Dad Roo a very beautiful good natured Golden Retriever.
We studied the guide lines and did every thing our Supervisor told us to do. She grew into a gentle, loving, placid young dog. She was chosen to breed. We thought she would have made a very good Guide dog but on reflection we now realise that she did not have the drive to do the work. Having babies was a much better fit for her.
Oh the struggle to make the decision to release her and not keep her. Our reason was that we wanted to keep on puppy raising and not become brood keepers. She went to live with Jane. Jane loved her and she was taken all over the place. She then had her first litter. So cute. We asked for one of the pups to raise. We were given Sizzle. But I have jumped ahead.
After Sabina left us we were given a black female Labrador to raise. She arrived at ten weeks old and not well at all. Eventually the diagnosis of Guardia was made and she slowly recovered. Her name was Jean and was she a handful!
We thought that we were 'experienced' so this was going to be fun.
I decided it was my turn to be the primary carer as Howard had been the primary carer for Sabina. At four months old I found that I could not control feisty Jean. She had a mind of her own and I handed her over to Howard. She was hard work. The problem was she was far too bright and had the drive of an ox. If we didn't keep her busy all the time she found things to keep herself busy. Once she arrived very proud of herself with a CD that she had carefully taken out of the CD cabinet. I think she was choosing her own music. I would not have put it past her.
Eventually, much to our joy, we handed her to a the trainer. Good luck!
Everything was done to get Jean to the standard required to guide. The problem was that she was fully sponsored by an elderly man who had named her after his departed wife. So all the stops were pulled to get her through.
Finally she was ready to be matched and just then a young lady with Tunnel vision had phoned to say that she needed a dog. This was a match made in heaven.
Julie was a hard working young lady. She had two jobs and Jean was required to help her get to work by train. All was well.
After three years hard work, Julie had to surrender Jean as her situation had changed and there was not enough work for Jean. What to do with a dog that was fit, healthy, intelligent and 5 years old?
A wonderful man took her and trained her in no time at all to be an assistance dog.
We had the joy of meeting up with her again and we could not believe how obedient she had become.
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