8 Months old, A Library Trip, and a Train Ride

 On Sunday, (April 10th), I turned 8 months old.  I now weigh 62.3 lbs. and mom has started calling me "little moo moo", (because I look like a little black Angus cow and she says I am getting to be the size of a cow).  I now get to go just about any place that the older dogs are allowed to go.  Mom and Dad said that I now get more introductions to the outside world and I will now get the chance to see how my commands that I have been learning will come in handy.

 On Wednesday, (April 13th), our puppy training class went downtown to the Salt Lake public library for a visit.  It was a very rainy day and only 5 of us showed up for class.  Here I am saying hello to Goldy.  She's only 2 weeks younger than me.

First we rode the glass elevator up to the top of the library.  I didn't care for that.  Dad said I will have to practice that a lot more and get used to it.  It's pretty scary!  Then we walked up the circular steps and took in the view of the downtown area.  It was nice up there.

 We all got to practice a few commands, then went back inside to walk around the library and visit with some people and do some more commands.  Some people even petted us, and learned about CCI from our moms and dads.  Then outside we all went and across the street to the Trax station to catch the train for our first ride from the library to the Gateway Center.

At first I wasn't sure how to react, but then I realized that it was like riding in the back of mom's car and I just settled down and relaxed.  A couple of the other girls didn't do as well.  But I was a natural.  Dad said that if I get placed with a handicap person in a city that uses mass transportation I will have no trouble helping that person get around.  We rode the train for 45 about minutes. 

When we got home that evening, I was so tired that I went straight to bed and fell fast asleep.  I was a long day and I worked very hard.  The life of a working service dog is very hard.

Stay tuned for more updates. 

SIX MONTHS OLD

 On Thursday, (2/10/11), I turned 6 months old.  Mom says I am no longer a little puppy, but a young dog.  I now am learning 3 new commands - bed / stand / speak.  At puppy class on Saturday, we got to do a little agility work, jumping through a

large ring that was attached to a stand.  At first I wasn't all that sure about going through, but once mom coaxed me through, I got the hang of it, and the next time I just jumped right through.  I did a lot better than some of the other puppies.  Mom and dad are so proud of how quickly I learn my commands and how well behaved I am at puppy class.  Dad just wishes some of the good behavior would carry over to home.    Hope you all had a happy valentine's day.  See you in the next post.

ONE MORE YEAR TO GO !!

 This morning mom looked at the calendar and then softly started crying a few tears.  At first I didn't understand why she was sad, but then she told me that in exactly one year I would be leaving for Puppy College!!  She said that she's worried that she won't be able to teach all of the commands that I will need to learn in time, to graduate from college.  One of the guys at work said that I am a smart dog and that I have been learning so quickly - not to worry too much.  Mom laughed and said "yea, but you haven't seen her on those days that she has puppy mush for brains".  Those days, I just love to look at mom like "you want me to do WHAT?"   It so totally frustrates her and I get a big laugh, because I really know the command
.

Here is what I have learned (or I am learning) so far:
sit  /   down  /   kennel  /  let's go  (which means to walk)  /   don't   /  stay  /  shake / wait /  drop /  my name  /  dress  (which means to put on my gentle leader and cape)  /  here (which means to come)  /  hurry (which means to potty) / release (which means the last series of commands is over) /  car (which means to get into the car) / wait (which means when we come to a doorway or street corner I sit patiently until the handler has entered the doorway or given me another command) / cuddle (which means to lay down and roll over, so the handler can rub my tummy and also examine my ears, teeth, feet, etc.)
So - ONE MORE YEAR TO GO, then it's off to 6 months of puppy college.  Then as mom says "I have a very important mission to make some very lucky person's life more mobile and independent. 

Today mom has been more giving with the treats, and when I stood next to her office chair on my back legs and laid my head on her shoulder and looked in her eyes - she teared up again and said "I'm sure going to miss you Balsa, I love you."  So, I gave you a little kiss on the chin to let her know that I loved her too and I would always remember her no matter where I go to live.  Tomorrow we will be back to our usual routine.

FAMILY PHOTOS

Mom said I could post these photos that she got of a couple of my siblings.  Even though we are all from the same litter, they all look like our birth mom, (Zoelle).

This is my brother BETO  (he's the oldest)

This is my brother BOZ (he was born 2nd), (he's a smaller size boy, compared to me).

This is my sister Butterfly, (she the baby of the litter and is very dainty compared to the rest of us).



I can't wait until next February 2011, when we will all get to meet up again at Puppy College in San Diego at the Charles Shultz CCI Training Center.  It has been a long 5 1/2 months and sometimes I miss my brothers and sisters.  But I sure do love my mom and dad, and I know they love me.  Even though dad acts like he doesn't like me nibbling on his ear when I kiss him, I hear him giggling when I do it, (so I know he likes it).

Stay tuned for more postings.  Mom is going to try to get more photos of my other litter mates.

My New HALF-Sister

Today at Puppy Training Class, I finally got to meet my newest half sister who has come to Salt Lake City, Utah to be with their puppy raiser family -  her name is WINK.  Everyone says she looks just like a little me.  Mom and Dad said they can't remember my being that little and the moms in the class all laughed.  Dad then said "Well maybe Balsa was that little on the day she arrived, but that's it!!".  She is so soft with her little puppy fur and boy does she have sharp teeth!  We got some one-on-one playtime together and now I know how my poor sister Rowdy felt when I used to bite her.  But I was such a good girl, I played so gentle with Wink.  Wink's mom is worried that Wink will grow up fast and be a big girl like me.  Mom warned her that us Payton puppies are BIG PUPPIES.  So far my dad now has over 400 puppies sired and with a 60% graduation success rate, that means 240 lucky people might get service dogs and the other 160 could become Change of Career dogs. Next month another new half-sister WAFFLE will be coming to join the Salt Lake group.  These breeders sure are giving out funny names to us puppies lately!!  But we are one cute bunch if I do say so myself.  Stay tune for the next post - my mom got a couple of photos of some of my litter mates, and she said I can put them on my blog,  YEA, I am so anxious to share them.    Till next time, stay warm and watch where you step while you're out walking.

CHRISTMAS OPEN HOUSE FOR CCI

 This year on December 12th, the local chapter of CCI held their first annual open house at Daynes Music Center in Murray.  Mom and Dad said it was ok to take me along - yeah!!

And of course you know mom - she has to make me try on all the silly Christmas hats and collars.  I felt so stupid in front of all my friends and classmates.  But, I have to make her happy, after all it is the season.

 I sure hope this is the last one.  Everyone is looking at me and laughing.  They keep saying it's so cute, but I know it's just plain stupid.

Oh boy, my half-brother Tadki was here.  He's a CCI graduate and a wheel-chair dog for Kelly.  He's so big and strong, (just like our dad).  But he's so nice to me.  I really like him.

Lots of my classmates and their moms and dads were at the function also.  Most of us dogs just sniffed around and layed on the floor while the people ate and talked and bought dog jewelry and listened to the harp playing.

That's Pascha, she thinks Bruce has a treat in his pocket for her.  But he never has treats for anyone - she's gona' be disappointed, (she needs to check out my dad, he always has dog treats in his pocket when we go out).  I was pretty tired when we went home.  But it was a fun day out and the local chapter raised some much needed funds selling cookbooks.  Mom and dad took a few to sell to their friends also.

Snow Day, Snow Day - I love Snow Days

 On Sunday, November 21st, I woke up to a foot of snow on the ground.  This was my first snowfall.  Boy do I ever love this stuff.  It's soft, fluffy, and little cold on the nose.  But it's so much fun to run, jump and roll in.  I like to put my head under the snow and make little tunnels as I push my nose along looking for any good smells that might be under all this stuff.

Dad laughs at the way I get a white beard, and mom gets worried about my cold ears and feet.  She's always trying to keep me wiped off.  She brings me in after about 15 or 20 minutes to warm up, but then I run back to the door to get out and play some more.  I just love this stuff.  I wish we could move to Alaska.

At the end of a couple of hours, it was finally lunch time - I worked up a big appetite.  But then I always have a big appetite!!  Then I curled up with my big sister Rowdy and took long afternoon nap.  What a great Sunday.  I wish everyday could be like today.