Mealtime Routine

Paris has started a new mealtime routine that makes me laugh. She is a very smart puppy and this kinda shows how smart she is. You'll just have to see it cuz it's pretty awesome!

[Video description: Paris follows me down the hall to the bathroom, where I put water in her bowl, bouncing happily the whole time. She stands in the doorway when I go into the bathroom, as soon as I turn on the water she dashes as quickly as she can to my bedroom. I fill her bowl, turn off the water, venture down the hall and turn right, through my doorway you can see Paris laying anxiously on the floor. When I get closer she pops up into a sit. The end.]

A Paris Post!!

Okay, okay, I feel horribly neglectful because Paris has not been represented on this blog for over a month! Sorry, little girl! So here is a quick post about what she has been up to the last month. :D

Paris had a great Christmas! She got a few new Nylabones and extra kibbles for dinner. :D

[Paris sitting in front of the Christmas tree holding her new Nylabone in her mouth] She also got her nails painted for Christmas. They were red and green, she was wonderfully patient while they were being done.

[A close up of Paris' front feed with her toe nails painted alternating red and green] Here are some pictures of Paris at work on Christmas day. . . yes I had to work Christmas and Christmas Eve, I wasn't so happy about it but, what can you do? Paris had fun running out in the yard while it was snowing.

[Paris standing with snow on her face, and a blanket of white on everything in sight][Paris running toward me with all her front feet in the air and her ears flying crazy, and a big spot of snow on her nose] [Paris lying on a trash bag at work. She does what she can to be comfy. I forgot to bring her bed to work that day.] [Paris laying down with both her front feet tucked underneath her. It doesn't look very comfy but she does it quite a lot.] This is my first picture taken of the year. She was sound asleep when the ball dropped and we all screamed "happy new year" and it didn't wake her up. So I called her name and snapped this picture. :D

[Paris laying in a ball, lifting her head with a VERY tired look on her face] [Paris sitting in front of some rolled up hides in a leather shop that I frequent. The shop owner gets very excited to see Paris each time and asks about her progress] My family had my sister take family pictures of all of us, so I asked for some Christmasy pictures of me and Paris. I love them!

[Me looking at Paris and her looking at me, we both have serious looks on our face. I don't know why I like this one, but I do] [Me kneeling with Paris sitting next to me. I have a big smile on my face and Paris is looking at the camera.] [A close-up of mine and Paris' faces next to each other.] We also started school again. Here is Paris in our first class.

[Paris sleeping with her nose tucked under her paw.] Also, GDB's partnership with Science Diet has ended so we got to take the patch on the puppy coat off. That was very exciting! I was very tired of all the science diet questions. :D Here is our patchless jacket. I love it! [Paris laying down in a guitar shop. My friend was playing and trying out guitars and Paris settled right down to listen, it was great.] [Paris sitting in front of a row of guitars. One of the is bright blue, I really liked it.]

Me and a friend started rock climbing about two months ago and the other day it was basically empty so I brought Paris along. She did great! I put her in a down stay while we climbed a bit and she didn't move a muscle. Then I found a bolt in the wall to tie her down to and she hung out happily there. She did get a little concerned when I would climb and watched me go up and down, it was cute.

[Here is Paris sitting in front of the rock climbing wall while we put our equipment on.]

[Cheesy set up with Paris sitting in front of the wall, we pulled ropes behind her and put our climbing shoes next to her.]

[Paris sitting in front of the wall with my rock climbing shoes on her feet.]

[A picture looking down at Paris from the top of the wall. She didn't take her eyes off of me the whole time]

Then we went upstairs and went bouldering. Bouldering is where you climb with no ropes or harnesses up short (about 10 feet) walls. It helps you learn technique and hand and leg placements. It was fun. I put Paris in a down stay on some crash pads and she got really comfy and stayed there. I was very proud.

[Here is Paris sitting on the crash pads]

[A close up of Paris' face with the rock wall behind.]

[Paris super comfy on the big pads]

[Me and Paris sitting on the floor with the rock wall behind. Paris is sitting between my legs and I am giving her a big bear hug.] I was so proud of her, she did GREAT!!

Then on Thursday I got to puppy sit Peanut. It has been great to have him. He should be leaving sometime today. :D Peanut is Paris brother. This is the first time I have watched sibling and it was really fun. They look nothing alike but they act very similar. Anyway, Peanut is a black lab and he has been a pretty good house guest. :D

[Peanut and Paris playing tug with a rubber ring toy]

[Paris leaping toward Peanut who got the ring away from her]

[Paris and Peanut in the car on the way to puppy class. They are both laying in the back seat asleep and Paris is resting her head on his feet.

[Paris and Peanut ready to get out of the car and head to class. They are both sitting looking out the front window.]

[After puppy class both pups were bushed. Here is Paris sleeping with her Nylaring between her feet.]

[Paris and Peanut sitting next to each other in my backyard. You can really see that they look nothing alike. Peanut is really tall, long, and skinny and Paris is quite a bit shorter and. . .stockier.]

Last picture,

I took Paris to see the movie Avatar on Saturday night. She did great through the nearly 3 hour movie. I wasn't going to take her but decided I might as well. She was perfect and only got a little antsy half way through but settled herself down pretty quickly. What a great pup she is!!

[Paris sitting in the theatre with my 3D glasses on]

I guess that's about it. I should never get this behind again because this post took me forever! So that should get y'all about caught up on what the Paris has been up to. She continues to grow and mature and is such a sweetheart. She tries really hard to do things right, of course she is not perfect and makes the occasional mistake but she is wonderful and I really have enjoyed our last four months together. She will be 11 months on Wednesday and then she turns a year old next month. I can't believe she is almost 1, how scary. That means that she could be recalled anytime really. I think she is with the older group in Utah right now so she could be recalled late March/ early April . . . scary!! Anyway, hope everyone else is having a great MLK day!

Phase 8!!!

Fullerton skipped another phase this week. He is now in phase 8!! I am getting really excited for him, and I am so proud of my boy. Keep it up Fuller. Here is what he has been up to:

Phase #7

• Guidework in extremely challenging downtown urban areas
• Training on buses, light rail/subway systems and platform edges
• Introduction to low overhead clearances
• Advanced off leash obedience
• Formal traffic training

Phase #8

• Advanced guidework and obedience training continues
• Intensive indoor mall training with crowds and slick floors
• Advanced sidewalkless training with obstacles

I know it has been a long time since I have done a Paris post. I have been pretty busy lately and I promise I will try to get one up this weekend. I have a ton of pictures and stuff to share. :D

Phase. . .WHAT?!?!?!

I was very surprised when I opened up the phase report this morning. I checked it about 12 times before I believed what it said. But, Fullerton is in phase 6!! Who needs phase 4 and 5 anyway? :D I can't even describe how happy I am. . . and relieved, I was starting to get REALLY nervous and worried. I am still worried because he still has 4 phases to do but I am so much less worried than before. He is over half way there now, I am so proud of my boy. Keep it up Fullerton!! Here is what he has been up to on campus the last couple weeks:

Phase #4

• Progression of guide work training: more difficult sidewalks in busier sections of downtown areas
• Training on more complex street crossings and curbs
• Obstacle clearance initiated by the dogs; they begin to guide their mobility instructors through the campus obstacle course
• Preliminary obedience testing and evaluation of the dogs' reactions to head collars

Phase #5

• Preliminary guide work testing with the mobility instructor under blindfold
• Complete veterinary history review
• More challenging guide work training environments (pedestrian traffic, stairs, different flooring surfaces, etc.)

Phase #6

• Guide work routes in difficult and challenging work environments (heavy pedestrian and vehicle traffic areas, wide crossings, hectic atmospheres, etc.)
• Introduction to sidewalkless areas and rounded curbs
• Continued work in malls, stores and buildings, with increasing exposure to varying sights, sounds and smells
• Lessons in advanced guide work skills, such as moving turns
• Introduction to "intelligent disobedience" (dogs learn to refuse to obey a command if it is unsafe to execute)
• Advanced obedience training