Feeling much better! Thanks guys! Marcella is happy I'm better too becuase then she gets out. So I decided I'm insane. Next week I'm working 26 hours at one job and 20 hours at the other- Do you think I will ever live? Plus school? Well at least my grant money came in so I'm set for 2 semesters! WAHOO!

Aww! Doesn't this picture make you want another puppy? It's Maryjo and Marcie on Oct 1 2005. It does me! But I can't bring a baby puppy to school. So I'm off to wait for a transfer. Our PRA said there isn't any right now- so I'm looking at possibly waiting. I'm kind of mean and hope this person in our club decides to transfer their puppy. This person has less time than I do and there have been past issues. No names to protect the innocent- but this person's puppy is SOOO cute and such a sweet dog! The dog will be the perfect age as well... Cross your fingers. Although it might be akward since this person does come to my work a little...Hopefully everything works out for the best.


I have to work both jobs today... hopefully I can sneak a nap in-between!

So last night I was sick. I haven't been sick in forever. SO I'm not working today because I was barfing all night... Poor Marcella was on tie down at my feet- good thing she loves me! I'm feeling better but still a little queasy. I watched the most random shows that are on that I never knew were still on... like Mama's Family on Pax. Anyway... Yes I want Marce to leave on this truck but at the same time I'm sooo sad! I feel like I haven't had her long enough. I don't know if there will be a baby puppy waiting for me- most likely- but I'd really like a transfer puppy if I can get one... cross your fingers they can find me a nice older transfer. 6 more weeks and counting...

Do you think the Flu is going around? I do NOT feel good.. I'm going to go home and barf... sorry for the graphic-ness...

It's Official. Marcella is on the October Recall back to GDB campus :( GDB decided to make one more truck run out to pick up dogs and Marce made the cut. All weekend I've been freaking out that she's not ready and that I don't have enough time. She will be my youngest one to go back... wait... Was born May 18 2000 and went back July 16 2001 so he was 2 days under 14 months... Marcella was born August 3rd 2005 and Recalled October 12 (ish) so... Vinnie was younger. I lied :~S I think the only thing she needs yto work on is jumping then she will be readys but she's been sooo sniffy lately and I KNOW I'm just nit picking but I swear everything she does I freak out that it will get her CC'ed. Although I know really the only thing that would CC her is allergies and she gets a food change in a couple of weeks. Maybe maybe maybe hopefully- Cross you fingers it works. :) She's been doing well so far off of the prednizone- but you never know. Now only about 6 more weeks... gosh that makes me want to cry. :( What's a good song for this?... BLUUUEEE blueeeee--- oh so lonesome for you... How old was I, 10, when that came out?

Marcella has now decided that work is boring. She has only been pet about a million times today from people that missed her last week! I have to remind her at least she's not home in the kennel... riiiight.

So my PRA called last night and because we have little kids we have to send Marcie away to another raisers house while she's in season- she also said to continue to socialize her until she starts bleeding- which she isn't that we have noticed... but puppy class is still off limits until she actually goes in- since Sylvester is still intact and starting to go through that "stage." So I need to email and find someone before she's really in season.
I'm such a loser! I'm playing online family feud at work because I'm soooo bored!
Marcella says Hi from work!

What bugs me:
-people (aka greasy computer nerds) in the computer lab that laugh out loud to their idiotic anime or nerdy internet movies ... GRR! He sounds like a muffled monkey, and he has food.. must to stop him from eating food in the lab...

Okay Back! So Marcella went into season this weekend. Well I'm still not positive but she's pretty swollen (raisers of girl dogs know what I mean.) and she's been a little spaz lately... So pretty sure if not this weekend it will be this week. She's due as well... so poor girl gets to live in the X-pen, the dog run, and the crate for the next 3 1/2 weeks.... I don't know if I can handle it, she's a pretty high energy dog and needs a long walk or a good run at least once a day-I'm already starting to see the effects of the cabin fever- Good thing she's got newly retired guide, Angel to comiserate with. Both have Cabin Fever. Vinnie could care less, he's a lazy guy anyway- and he's happy because he's the only ones allowed on the beds...

We call Vinnie lots of names-- Big Boy being one of them :) He was a stocky guy as a puppy and is now a chunky 82 lbs (should be about 70! Bad puppyraiser! We really have tried- it's those darn 3 and 1 year old brothers that think he needs a bite after every bite they eat!) He also is known as Twinkie because he's exactly the same color of one LOL.
Marce went into season today- poor girl has to stay inside and go stir-crazy for the next 3 weeks. Although she looks sooo cute with a diaper on. I'll have to take a picture and post it! She gets to miss the first week of school, and that week is going to be insane! I'm sure! Poor girl- it's crate and house behavior perfection time! Off to brave the next three weeks alone- without Marcella at my side... Poor gilr will be home in the crate :(

How do you guys get these cool templates and I get stuck with the Blogger ones? I want a cool/cute one!

This is Vinnie and Judith- my 1st and 2nd puppies- Vinnie is home with me and Judith is a Guide Dog in OR aren't they so super cute!? Judith was Vinnie's favorite!

Do you ever have one of those days? One of those days (or weeks) why you raise? Today is one of those days- or rather couple of days... I won't go into details- but I'm not feeling too good about the puppy raising scene right now... I think I need a pick me up. I'll go email my grads... and look at cute baby pictures of my Novak. Here's my beautiful boy at 10 weeks.
I think he's a handsome dog... I love those beautiful red goldens. I would love love love to raise another one. Even though I ask for a golden everytime I put an application in- I think I want to wait until I can keep it if it gets CC'ed. I want a pet Golden- or Mastiff, or Great Dane, or St. Bernard. LOL... Yeah But not all of them! I don't want to be the "dog lady" who people dont' like to come over because of the dogs and/or the dog smell. My poor future husband- asuming there is one that would live with me and my dog. Here's one more of my handsome boy:

5 Wierd Habits...

• Marcella likes to play tug with herself. It's so darn cute! She tosses her head and growls with a jolly ball in her mouth- How cute is that?
• Wierd? Marcella is being perfect today ;) LOL
• Marcella does the "jump and curl" if she's tired and doesn't think I will notice. She will be dead asleep and wake up, step up onto the couch and curl into a ball and fall asleep- Do dogs sleep walk?
• Even better- If I see her do it- she will stare at me and stay really still, hoping and praying I won't kick her off.
• Marcella is amazing! She started out being a bad spazoid, but now she's a great girl with a few wierd things- but for the most part she is so darn cute and good!
• Oh yeah-- She likes to pop balls for some reason- She's not allowed to be around balls if she's off leash- wierd dog!
  

Marcella sends lots of puppy kisses and tail waggs

So does anyone have any great ideas for Guide Dog Meetings?

We want to do fun stuff... that's different. We have done so many things over and over again! Good thing about tonight? We're getting updated pictures for our website!!! YAY!

Any ideas? Let me know I need them!

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia... That's what we call Marcella. I don't know why- but it fits her.

We've been watching a Retired Guide Dog Female White GSD, Angel, for a couple of weeks while her handler is at GDB getting a new Guide Dog. She's such a sweetie and Marcella and Vinnie are in heaven! She is 26" tall and about 80 lbs... where Marcella is about 21" tall and only 56 lbs... LOL! I think we need more GSD's and Goldens in Utah because most GDB pups are curious about the GSD and Goldens because we don't HAVE THEM here!! Grrr... Um. I'll take one! Yeah right... We're going to mention to Barb that Marcella should probably go back on this truck in October (the last one? I'm hoping there's a late Oct. truck) then I can get a new dog-- I kind of want a transfer puppy- but Traci wants me to start a puppy for her. I would like that too- but I like the transfer puppy idea better I think. I'm not a fan of waiting... and if I get a transfer dog I can send it back for training and then it will be sooner for graduation- if I do a starter pup- it will be a while- but that also means if I go on a mission I will be able to be back for his/her graduation... desicions!

Amber- how was your trip? How did Chris enjoy her time at GDB.

Erynn- Pretty sure we all have days like your Sundays. :)

So can I just tell you how much I love the people at my Lab Aide job? (No Offense Maceys- I love you guys too) But they are awesome here. All of them absolutley LOVE Marcella and spoil her rotten! She can hear the people that pet her and she sits up ready for a pet (she knows she can't be pet unless she sits) Marcella has a name tag that says "Marcella, Lab-rador Aide" (mine says "Mickelle, Lab Aide") Now if only I got paid more and got more hours I would be set :)- we all know THAT won't happen.
Marcella has been sick the past couple of days but is getting better- and was so happy to get rice and cottage cheese for dinner. She got a new bone for her birthday- which she LOVES (a nyla-dino bone- Her Stegosaurus was getting a little sad looking so she got the T-Rex) and she also got a collapsable crate from Target- which she isn't so much in Love with yet... :) I love it though. It's a little small- but good thing she's on the small side- it works for her. It's made out of that tent/nylon material and it was only $25! It folds down to about 12" round. I was pretty excited so I can take it with me when I end up spending the night at friends (..ahem...Lindsey...) and we have to decide who gets to sleep in the crate/tie-down/loose...Marcella is amazing. Now if only we can get rid of the whole allergies- or at least surpress them enough for her to be a Guide Dog we'll be set :)


Ooo- Not GDB related- Tuesday we adopted my new little brother, Aden, and today we are going to the Salt Lake temple to have him sealed to our family! In the Mormon religion we belive that families can be together for eternity once they are sealed in the temple, and because my parents were sealed when they were married, my other brothers and sister and I were born into this- but because both Philipp and Aden were adopted they get to be sealed after the adoption.

Here's my family the day we got sealed to my other brother we adopted, Philipp in the Salt Lake Temple! I think the Salt Lake Temple is my favorite!

I'm holding Philipp and my mom is holding Aden- aren't they so super cute? We love them!

So the other day I'm just eating Ice Cream in Kaysville with Traci (my friend and GDB co-leader) and a woman comes up to me and asks me "is this your first puppy?" now I love that question because then I can answer with "No- actually it's my 6th" Then they act all shocked... it's great! So I'm talking to her and she says "My Grandaughter works at that school in Boring." WHAT?! We have a GDB connection here in Utah besides puppyraisers and grads? Pretty impressive. Come to find out her grandaughter, Nicole, just finished her blindfold work and is now an instuctor- and they are from WA visiting family...I was just excited to get SOME GDB connections out here...I told her to ask her if she knew Maryjo and tell her that they met her puppy raiser and to look out for Marcella because she's next up. Oh Funny they talked about the dogs having a "lifestyle change" I was trying to figure out what she meant while trying not to laugh... She meant Career Change! ROFL!

Are there no other GDB Blogging raisers out there?

Isn't my puppy so darn CUTE?!


Today was a great training day. Puppyraisers- and any dog trainers out there- you know how you have those great dog training days where your dog just "gets it", and is very easy to correct, and is so excited by your praise? Well today was one of those days. Marcella has decided that the table is her own personal buffet recently- and when she does do this I do not have a leash on my hand to correct her (I know BAD PUPPYRAISER!) so today I put her on a long leash (I think it was about 15 feet long) like a good puppy raiser, put some of my brothers waffles he didn't eat for breakfast out on the table, and pretended to be busy with my laundry- Sure enough my smart girl decided to jump up as soon as she thought I wasn't watching-- BAM! THAT is when lightning struck. I corrected her off the table and threw her for a loop. She didn't even know what hit her. She ran right over to me "Mom! I was just minding my own business and something happened!" I told her what a good girl she was for coming over to me- because of course it's much more fun following mom around and being told what a Beautiful/Perfect/Good girl you are rather than wandering off on your own to be struck by lightning, Right?
Perfect timed correction+LOTS of fun praise= Perfect puppy. I love my girl!
I got some new Fun Day pictures today from Marcie's sister, Mojave... Here they are- Mojave is on the left and Marcella is on the right... Enjoy! :) They look so much alike I can't believe it (but of course Marcella is the cute one :) Hey I have to be biased in some way!)

Bored? Not so Bored? Check out my clubs website http://guidedogpups.netfirms.com and be bored no more!

Happy Birthday to Marcella!

Aww my baby's all grown up! Well Marcella turned one year old yesterday! It can only go down hill from here... I never thought it would come-- I remember when she was 8 weeks old and we wondered how we would EVER get through this puppy, she was my little wild one- but at about 6 or 7 months- she mellowed and is now the sweetest puppy ever! Marcella got a bath for her birthday yesterday (I know great present!) but I'm debating between getting her a new bone at puppy class next week (I was going to get a dino bone any way) or getting this collapsable mesh crate I saw at Target for $25. Has anyone used this before? I'm not sure on the brand or anything- but it says Large for dogs under 70 lbs... and she is definetely under 70 lbs (56 to be exact!). Is it somewhat of good quality?
Oh and we got a tentative list of Recalled dogs- and Marce isn't on it- I'm not so sure how I feel about that- I was kind of hoping she could go back so GDB could check out the allergy situation- instead of me wasting time at my vet, GDB's vet can have a look. Hopefully she's over them XXXXCrossing fingersXXXX and can go on to be a *great* guide dog :)