Happy Birthday

Today is Gabrina's birthday! I can't believe she is 2 today! I know she is having a great time in California with her partner :)

Graduation...

Graduation was amazing! I am going to start at the very beginning of the trip. And well, I haven't unpacked yet and my camera cord is in my bag so no pictures just yet.
On Thursday I finished packing and finally fell asleep at 12am. I was just a little excited(:
Friday I got up at 2am to head to the airport. We got there at 3, checked in, went through security, and boarded the plane at 5:30. I slept the entire flight! We flew into Arizona where we had a layover that consisted of getting off the plane walking to the other terminal and getting on a plane. Then I slept on the flight to San Francisco. We were off the plane and out of airport by 10. The very first thing we did was head to GDB campus. We got lost a few times, but we got there! I was amazed at how many people there are everywhere! We stopped at an In and Out Burger on the way to campus and I swear there were like 100 people in there! It was crazy and no one seemed to notice that there were tons of people. In Colorado at the busiest time of day there are like 20 people, tops! Anyways, we got to campus and it was raining! We went on a tour anyways and I loved it! There were only two other people on the tour so I got to ask all the questions I wanted! :) After the tour we drove around San Francisco and San Rafael. We went over lots of bridges and I saw some sea lions! The last time I was at the ocean I was 4 so it was really exciting for me! Then we went out for dinner and headed to the hotel for bed!
On Saturday I got up nice and early and got ready to go. We got to campus at 10, went to the gift shop, took some pictures, and finally headed in to check in. At 11:45 they brought Gabrina and her partner, L, out. Gabrina pulled L all the way down the hallway and climbed into my lap even though I was sitting in a chair. I guess you could say she remembered me :). She was so excited and wigglely, just like I remembered!

We never found out how old her partner is, but we guessed around 70. She has children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. She has RP and started losing her sight around 50 years ago. L lives in San Diego in an apartment alone. Despite her age she is very active and happy to have Gabrina as her 3rd guide dog. They seemed perfect for each other! Finally it was time for graduation to start. I was the 3rd to last one to present. When L walked away to go on stage, Gabrina looked really concerned. She didn't understand why L was leaving her! That's when I knew they were the perfect match. Gabrina was excited to see me, but she knew that she belonged with L. When I went to hand over Gabrina and give my speech I realized that I still had no idea what I was going to say. I had been so busy I didn't really think about it. So when L handed over the microphone I said what came to mind. I was going to talk longer than I did, but I was on the verge of crying and when I cry I can't talk anymore, so I wrapped it up real fast before I lost it. I know there were many blogger friends there. I didn't get the chance to meet anyone and I know most of you were there for other reasons, but thank for coming anyways!
After graduation L had to catch a flight right away so we said goodbye and headed to the beach. It was amazing and I played in the sand and in the cold water for 4 hours! I really liked it :)We went out for dinner and then went on a night hike and looked at San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge at night! It was beautiful.

On Sunday we went to the beach again and hung out. We went to a lighthouse and I saw a whale! More animal excitement! Then we drove through the mountains and redwood forest. It was beautiful! Then we went to dinner and headed to the airport. Our flight left at 6:30 and we were on our way to Arizona. We had a two hour layover this time so we walked around and at ice cream and had fun! I love traveling and airports so I love flights with layovers! Then we flew to Denver and got home around 2 am.
It was a very busy but fun weekend! And the best part was that I didn't cry the whole time! I got close to it while giving my speech, but I didn't! Saying goodbye to Gabrina and L was really easy because Gabrina was so happy. Her tail wagged the entire day and I knew she was where she belonged.


That's the end of my puppyraising adventure with Gabrina. L promised to keep in touch, but my work with her is done. It couldn't have been a more perfect ending :)

Bye, Bye Colorado

Hello GDB!
It took some last minute scheduling changes, but on February 12th, my parents and I fly out to California! I am really excited! But I am also nervous for the speech...if anyone has any suggestions on what I should say please let me know!
Thanks for all your support! I am hoping to catch up on blogs soon!
Maddie and Betsy

I just got the best news EVER!

Gabrina is graduating on February 13th! 

Sorry Ro, guess she isn't your dog! Bummer!

I am really excited for her,  the only problem is that I have so many things going on that weekend. I'm not sure if we are going to be able to fly out or not. I am really hoping to make things work!

:D

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT!?!

Gabrina is in phase 10! That's right! 7 weeks of phase 8 paid off and she made it to the big ONE OH! Now I can stop worrying that something is wrong with her. Whether the news be good or bad, I will be getting a phone call (hopefully soon)! And shortly after that phone call I will get to see my baby!
YAY :D!


Maddie and Betsy

A letter home

Dear Mom,
It's me Gabrina! I'm sorry I haven't written home yet, but I have just been sooo busy studying at college. There are so many new things to learn and so many things to do. I have a kennel mate! Kennels aren't so bad when you are with friends! And they hung toys at from the top of my kennel so I will learn to look up. I love love love playing with the toys up there. I also get to have kongs with food in them! You remember how much I love food dontcha ma? Not everything at college is fun; I also have to work sometimes. But don't you worry, I love working! My trainers here use these things that click. And every single time I hear that click noise I get food! That's right, click = food! It's like when you say "nice" only at college they make that click a lot! I also get to go for walks on this moving sidewalk! It's like the sidewalks at home only it is black and moves! And instead of my trainer walking with me he/she just gets to stand there and I get to walk walk walk. Let me tell ya, it's lots of fun! I am learning all kinds of things about being a guide dog. Right now I'm in phase 8 of my training. I'm not sure what exactly that means, but phase 8 is tons of fun! That's why I have been here for 4 whole weeks. Don't worry mom, nothing is wrong with me, 8 is just my favorite! I am learning how to ride on an escalator! Do you know what an escalator is? It's stairs that move! Normal stairs are fun, but this is taking stairs to a whole new extreme level! I just stand there and go up up up! And then I walk off. It's fun! There are some crazy people here at college mom. Sometimes my trainer ties something around her face so she can't see! And then she makes me walk! It makes me nervous, but I work super hard to make sure she doesn't get hurt. Maybe next week I'll give phase 9 a shot. I hear there are some fun things coming up! But for now I'm going to relax and enjoy my Christmas! I sure hope you have a fun Christmas even though I'm not with you. At night, when I don't have a human to cuddle with, I really miss you mommy! I wish you were here with me, but I know you have to be at school with our friends. Make sure they know that I said hi! Oh and one more thing, I just wanted you to know that I have been a very good girl and I think that Santapaws is going to bring me something good!

I love you!
Gabrina

Cruzin

Gabrina is flying threw the phases. She is in 7 already. That's 7 phases in a month and a half! Way to go baby girl!

On a sad note, Gilligan was career changed. And Gilly has been CC'd as well.

But let's end happily..Gardner graduated on the 7th!! Congrats big boy!

And Garth is in 9!

A big thanks to Mandy for forwarding the phase report to me! Our CFR, Barb, got sick last night and hasn't forwarded it to us yet.

Go Gabrina and Garth!

Maddie and Betsy

to come home or not to come home

No Gabrina isn't CC...

I have been thinking more about what will happen if Gabrina gets career changed. The original plan was that she would come home and live with me as the best pet ever! But now the more I think about it, she wouldn't be happy living here. She loves working and hates being home alone. With school and 4-H and all the other things I'm involved in, Gabrina would be kenneled most of the day. She really hates her kennel. She never really barked in there, but boy did she pout. And when she would come out she didn't want anything to do with me. She was mad. Also, if Gabrina came home it would basically put an end to my puppy raising days. I couldn't continue raising and have to say no to Gabrina's big begging eyes when I got out the puppy vest. She would hate me for "replacing" her with another puppy. At the puppy truck she growled when I was cuddling her and Besty tried to get my attention too. That is the only time she has ever growled meanly. She is a dog who wants all the attention. I wouldn't be able to put her through the pain of being "replaced".
So where does that leave Gabrina if she gets CC? My grandparents really want her. If she gets CC for a simple thing that they can deal with, she will probably go to live in Denver with them. It will be hard at first knowing that she is my baby and I can't have her, but it is what is best for her. She would have an awesome life with my grandparents. My grandma is a nurse so Gabrina could become a therapy dog and go to work everyday. And my grandparents love going on walks and hikes. She would be living the good life!

But let's just wait and see what she decides!

Maddie and Betsy

Good News or Bad News?

I guess it depends on how you look at it.

I got news last night that Gabrina isn't going to be a breeder. Her report said: " CUT: Cough with collar pressure." So she doesn't get to have babies, but she is going to be spayed and enter training at the next recall. I know there is a recall coming in the end of next week, but I'm not sure if she will go into training then. I don't know how soon she will enter training because she does have to recover from her spay surgery. This news is pretty exciting for me because I really think she would be a much better guide than she would be a mommy. But it's also a little disappointing, I was looking forward to raising one of her puppies, even if it meant overlapping. I just hope that having a cough with collar presure won't keep her from become a guide.

But I have to be competety honest. When I saw "CUT" my first thought was that she was career changed. I was super excited because I thought she was coming home. I know that she is going to become whatever God meant for her to be, wheither it's a guide, a K9 buddy, or a pet. Maybe she'll catch up to Gardner in training and we can go watch both of them graduate!

Good luck in training my Bina!

Maddie and Betsy

NEWS!

That's right, I finally got news on Gabrina!

Here is the email I got from my leader today. I don't feel like rewriting it...

During the meeting Wed we heard from Barb (our CFR) that
Gabrina and Leola are in the final stage of breeder evaluation.
It is not yet a "done deal". The testing will take a week or two.
We'll hear for sure if they become breeders.

Congratulations to Gabrina and Leola's raisers.  Job well done.
To be chosen as a breeder is considered a higher
prestige than simply being a guide.

We will not know if they are going to be a one-time
breeder then become a guide or not (yet)
That is often determined after the 1st liter.
-fred

That's all I know for now, but I'm happy to hear something!

Still not training

I just got the phase report (they sent it out early because CA Funday is Saturday) and there is still no Gabrina. At least two other dogs that went back with her for breeder evaluation and training were on the phase report this week. Now I'm really thinking that she is going to be a breeder. I have some mixed feelings about this. I know that being a breeder is a big honor. It means that more or less they think she is the "perfect" dog. She is going to make a huge impact in many peoples' lives with her babies. They will grow up to be potential Guide Dogs. Her puppies will improve the lives of their puppy raisers, their trainers, and their eventual care takers. Gabrina will make a bigger impact on peoples' lives than most Guide Dogs will. But I can't bring myself to be excited for her. I honestly don't think she will be happy as a pet dog. She likes to work too much. It's going to be disappointing for her to have to stay home all the time. Her keepers are going to have to take her to a lot of "dog accepting" places. And maybe even get her certified as a therapy dog. Now don't get me wrong, I think she'll make a great pet and mom, but I just always pictured her as a guide not a breeder. The best part about her being a breeder would be raising her puppies! I am determined, even if it means overlapping puppies, to raise one of her babies. I know that Gabrina puppies would be adorable and very well behaved just like their momma! And I would get to submit names..something I have always wanted to do!

But she hasn't officially been chosen..at least I haven't been notified. So there is still hope that she will be a guide!

On a different note...two dogs from my club are graduating soon! The disappointing part is that neither will be at a graduation ceremony. Ezra is doing home training and Dusty's partner is leaving a week before graduation. I am still very excited for them! They are both excellent dogs that will make great guides!
Also, Gabrina's brothers, Gardner, Garth, and Gilligan, are still in phase one. They have been there for a month and the other dogs that went with them are in phases 5 or 6. Any ideas as to why they are still there?

Gabrina as a baby! I think she is the one in the middle...the white one. This is what her adorable babies would look like!

Gabrina's last picture at home. This is what they would look like when they are all grown up!