Sad Update

Hi guys, This update is going to be a sad one. this past year has been very hard for me. I'm now really really scared of thunderstorms. I can't explain it, but the storms scare me so much that I can't stop shaking and panting and sometimes... and I'm really embarrassed to admit this, but sometimes I go potty on the floor cause I'm so afraid. Mom has tried everything. I'm on something called Prozac to calm me down and I have another medicine which makes me very sleepy I take when the storms hit. Mom calls that medicine Valium and she hates giving it to me. I also have something called a thunder-shirt. It feels a lot like the coat I used to wear as a puppy when I was with my raisers, but it wraps much tighter around my body so I feel safer. I have all of these things, but I'm still just too afraid. This winter, when there were no sthunderstorms, I was afraid to sleep or even go into my crate. Mom didn't know what to do. She eventually called Guide dog school and after talking to some people over there, they all decided that it was best that I retire. Mom is sad and so am I, but she tells me that she wants me to be a happy dog, not a sad dog and I can't do that living here where there are lots of storms. So, when Mom goes to get a new dog I'll come with her and go back to live with my raisers in California. I'm really Excited about that. I love Tiffany and Kim and I know I'll be happy there. I know I'll miss Mom, and you guys won't be able to read about my adventures anymore, but Mom says the new dog will have adventures that you all caan read about. I just wanted to let everyone know what is going on and also tell you that I'll keep updating until it's time for Mom to go back to guide dog school. She has a home interview with her Instructor from guide dog school tomorrow, so I have to show off and be extra awesome at my work when we go for a walk. Well, I think that's it for now, but I just wanted to keep everybody in the loop. Torpy

The Fair, the Pariad and the Bath

Hi guys,
Yesterday, Mom, Auntie Julia and Adam took me to the Minnesota State Fair. I was so happy to come with and get a really good workout in because I hadn't been able to do that in a while. We had to wait a long time for the free bus service to come pick us up, but it wasn't too hot outside and Mom kept giving me water to drink. At one point, she took what was left in the cup and dumped it over my head... sigh. I know she says it's supposed to keep me cool, but really Mom, you know how I hate water.
The bus finally came and I was a good boy, as always. There were lots of people who wanted to pet me, but I just ignored them, even when they did pet me. We got to the Fair and when we got off the bus, there was this big parade coming through the street. We had to get up on the sidewalk and it was really crowded up there. I was scared because there were so many people and I couldn't guide Mom anywhere.
Mom just kept telling me I was a good boy and she kept petting me to keep me calm. I could tell she was a little worried though, because there were lots of people yelling about how they wanted to get out and get moving. The parade ended though and we were abl to move. Both Mom and I were relieved.
After that, I guided Mom through the Fair and we met some of Mom's friends. We walked around and Mom and everybody got lots of good things to eat. Of course I couldn't have any, but Momdid slip me the last bite of her hotdog... yummy! She said it was because I had been such a good boy during the parade. After that, we went and sat own for a rest. Mom kept making sure I had fresh water when I wanted it, and kept making sure I had times to have a bathroom break. When we sat down though, there was all sorts of yummy bits of food on the floor. I kept going after them, and Mom kept correcting me. Sometimes I would stop, but most times I couldn't resist and I ate those little bits. Mom didn't seem too mad though, she said I was practically lying in a taco salad.
We did some more walking and finally made it back to where the bus would pick us up. By that point... I was sooo tired. I just laid down in the parking lot and went to sleep. Mom let me do that, but each time we thought a bus was coming, she made me stand up. She said. I was very dirty from lying in the dusty parking lot and so she said I needed a bath when we got home. I pretended I didn't hear that...
When we got home Mom fed me and then she took me upstairs for a bath. I tried to fight her on getting into the tub by becoming an absolute dead-weight. She couldn't lift me on her own, so she got Auntie Julia to help... damn. Well... she bathed me and so I no longer smelled like the Fair and dirt. I smelled like shampoo and cream-rince conditioner.
I was really sleepy after that and Mom let me nap the rest of the evening. She only woke me up once, to take me to my crate. I fell asleep right away and Mom says she could hear me snoring.
Mom has to go out again today, but she can't bring me with her because the friend's house she's going to has people living there who are alergic to dogs. I wish people didn't have dog alergies. I love people and the friend Mom is seeing today loves me, but can't be around me a lot because of the alergies. Mom has alergies, but not to me... YAY! She's alergic to hay though. She found that out when she went to the Fair on Friday and saw all the animals in the barns. She says her head got stuffed up and her eyes felt like they were burning.
Well, I think I'll end this for now. Mom just got through brushing me... ah I love that and I think I'll go find a nice place to rest.
bye for now,
Torpy

When Humans Are Sad.

Sometimes... you just have to be a cuddle-bug.
Mom and i were out working today when the people who had interviewed Mom the day before called her back. She said they didn't give her the job. Mom's been sad all evening. She's kind of angry too because she says she thinks it might have been an issue of accommidation. Mom says that means that they didn't want to do the extra work they needed to do so she could do the job cause she's blind. Haven't they ever heard of extra work before? I do extra work for Mom all the time... sheesh.
Anyway, Mom has been down all afternoon and I've just been next to her, letting her pet and snuggle me. She says I have magic lab fur. She says it's softer than any other lab fur she's ever petted. I don't know where I got it, but all of my sisters had it too. One of my sisters, Trisha, who was at guide dog school with me had the same color fur and everything, but she was smaller than me. Anyway, Mom's been petting me a lot and of course I love that. Maybe we'll find another place that wants to do extra work for Mom without it being a problem. Of course Mom can't prove that was the true reason she didn't get picked for the job, but she think's it's very likely because of places only wanting people that can do the work right away without any help.
She says we'll keep looking and in the meantime, we're moving back into the house we lived in before very soon. Mom and I are both so excited about the move. We've missed it so much... YAY!
Well, I'm sleepy, so i think I'll go for one last bathroom break and then find my crate and blanky and curl up in it.
night all, and keep good thoughts coming for Mom, I don't like to see her sad.
T-force

What a Weekend

Hi again everyone.
Mom and I had quite a weekend. I wanted to write about it before now, but Mom wasn't feeling well yesterday and she had to fix something wrong with her screen-reader too so I couldn't until now. Hmm, that seems to happen a lot. Anyhoo, Mom and I went out to lunch with her friends on Saturday and I was a good boy when we were out. I was happy to get out because we had been cooped up for most of the week because it was cold. Saturday was warm and so we got to go outside for longer than five minutes.
After we'd gone to lunch we went to Mom's friend's house and played with the kittens that were there. I didn't like it when one of the kittens would play with my tail, but I was good and didn't bark. I did bark when the little pug dog who lives there kept jumping at me and running under my legs. Auntie Julia wanted to know why I kept barking at him and Mom said I was just telling him that I didn't like what he was doing and that I thought it wasn't polite. Mom was right, that's what I was telling him.
After that, Mom thought I could use a break from being in harness and so she took me home, fed me my dinner and then left to go have dinner while I rested. I got up on the couch like I usually do and slept with the TV on. Mom and Auntie Julia came home a few hours later and after Mom took me out for one final bathroom break, we went to bed.
The next day, Mom, Auntie Julia and their friend Jackie and I all went to a place called the Global Market in Up Town. It was fun, and I had fun sniffing all of the smells, but Mom didn't like that I was getting so distracted and not working. She pulled out my Gentle Leader and put it on me. I got sad that she'd done that, but after I'd calmed down, she took it off.
I had a great time guiding Mom around the market, but she and Auntie Julia both got upset when people tried to pet me without Mom knowing. I just ignored them like I always do and Mom was proud of me. After the long day at the market, we went home. Mom fed me and I rested while Mom and Auntie Julia went out again. It was a busy weekend and I loved every minute of it.
I can't wait until it gets warmer though, cause Mom and I are tired of the cold.

working today

Hi guys,
today Mom got me up early so we could go to another physical therapy appointment. It was very cold last weekend and Mom only let me work for little bits especially on Saturday when it was the coldest, but the past few days have been warmer and so Mom has let me work more. I liked going to PT with Mom and I liked seeing Katy again. I was a good boy and I rested by the exercise bike Mom was working on.
When we were leaving the building after Mom was done, I heard a car behind us and I started to pull Mom out of the parkinglot and onto the curb. Mom gave me lots of pets and praise for that because she hadn't heard the car very well. She says I'm a good guide dog. I just love doing my job.
On Friday Mom has one more PT appointment and then we get to go see our friend Dena and my buddy Kaylor. I wonder if we're going to walk around a lot. I hope we can go to the mall and get a good walk in. Mom says her knee could use it and she says I could use it too. Well, it's late and I'm tired, so I think I'll slip off to
bed now. I'll write back soon though.
bye for now,
Torpedo

An Interesting Morning

Hi all,
Mom and I had a very interesting morning. We got up early and after Mom had fed and relieved me, we left to go somewhere. Mom said we were going to go to a physical therapy appointment for her. See, she fell outside last winter and hurt her knee badly. She did everything the doctor told her to do, and so she couldn't understand why her knee kept hurting. The doctor said she needed therapy to make her knee better so we were going to start that today.
It was very very cold today, only 8 above zero Mom said and so she let me walk as fast as I could without running to get inside. The cold weather makes Mom cough cause she has asthma. I got her inside though and we waited for her physical therapist to come out and get her.
Mom's therapist was named Katy and she loved me. She petted me and talked to me after Mom had given permition. I loved getting petted, but after a while, Mom said enough and made me lie down and rest by a chair while Katy looked at her knee. She made Mom lie back and do some lifting exercises and after a few minutes, I got up to check on Mom, to see what was going on.
After a while, we left the little room we were in and went into this big room with all of these machines. I didn't know what a lot of them were for, but one of them I knew. I saw a tredmill and I wanted to go on it. At guide dog school, my trainers taught me how to pull into my harness by having me walk on a tredmill. I always thought that was fun, and I wanted to do it again. Mom and Katy had a good laugh.
While Mom worked on a bike, I went and sat down in front of the bike as Katy's assistant petted me. Mom was glad someone was keeping me busy and the other lady was also very very nice.
After the bike, Mom was done and so we left. Mom's knee hurt after all of that, so she had me walk a little slower than normal, which wasn't great today cause it was soooo cold! Finally though, we got home and Mom and I took a long nap together.
Well, I'm getting tired, and I want to snuggle up in my blankets in my crate, so I'm going to end this now, but it was a very interesting day. We get to go back again next Tuesday and I can't wait to see what else they do to help Mom. Thanks for reading everyone and have a warm weekend.
WOOF WOOF!

Adventures at the Mall Of America

Hi all,
I meant to blog about this earlier, but after we got home from our adventures, I was so tired that I couldn't do anything but sleep. I think I woke up once later that night to relieve, but that was it.
Anyway, Mom, Auntie Julia and I went out to the Megga Mall with my buddy Kaylor and Dena. Kaylor and I were so excited to get out cause it had been raining for the past week and we hadn't been able to have a decent walk. We loved working in the mall, and we got a lot of comments as we passed by. Mom and Dena got annoied at some of the people who just assumed that we could be petted, even though it was clear we were actually guiding our moms around. We also had some trouble in a restaurant with idiot waiters who didn't understand how to interact with blind people. Also, a kid who looked to Auntie Julia like he was twelve kept whistling at Kaylor whenever he passed by our table. Finally, Dena caught him and told him to quit it.
After we had eaten, we asked to talk to the manager of the restaurant, and when we talked to him, he blew off our concerns. We decided that we would no longer eat there when we came back.
After we had left the restaurant, we went to a book store and Mom got a new book. When she was paying for it, the casheer asked her if, because she was blind, if she prayed for sight. Mom couldn't believe at first what she was hearing, but she just said that she considers her blindness a gift sometimes, and then she grabbed her book and I took her to the exit as fast as I could. After that, we left, but were still hasseled by other people in the mall. I don't understand why people want to touch me all the time when I'm working. I just ignore them and remain my aloof self, but it bugs Mom and I get why.
Once we'd left the Mall we went back to the Barns N Noble in Eagan and hung out there for a while. Kaylor and I got to rest while Auntie Julia and Dena did work for a class project Auntie Julia needed to work on. I helped Mom find another book after a while, and I helped her find the bathroom and get a huge glass of ice water. We were planning to leave at five and go back home, but Dena's husband, Jason, asked us if we wanted to come out for dinner with them instead. We went out for dinner and it was good, but by the end of it both Kaylor and I were tired, and restless from being in harness so long. Mom took me home, and fed me and I went to sleep right away. The day was long and tiring, but very fun in the end.

Hi all,
sorry I haven't updated in a little while. I meant to, but Mom was too tired late in the evenings to let me blog and she always kept turning the computer off when I was just about to start writing. Anyway, now I'm writing again and I'm going to tell you some stuff I wanted to tell you about last week, but never got around too... thanks Mom!
Last Thursday, Mom, Auntie Julia and I went down town to meet our friend Emily for lunch at this restaurant called The News Room. I don't know myself if it's good, but Mom says it's awesome. Anyway, my favorite part was when we got to take the Lite-rail. Mom loves it because it helps her get to where ever she needs to go, and I love it cause I get to go for a ride! OOOh, I get so excited when I see that thing! My ears go up and I shift on my feet to get a better look at the train that's either pulling in or out of the station. Sometimes, I get corrected by Mom because I pull too hard in harness when we're approaching the platform, but I've learned to be better about stuff like that.
Anyway, I loved riding the train, and when we got off we started walking to where we were going to meet Emily. I love working down town. There are lots of things and people for me to guide Mom around and I like being so focused. As we were walking, a dog who wasn't on a leash came up to us. Mom kept trying to get me to just walk away cause she didn't know the dog, and I tried to walk away, but he kept following us. He was friendly, and just wanted to say hi, but Mom was kind of scared because she didn't know what the dog would do. Finally, a man came over and held the dog so we could walk away.
I was good in the restaurant and I just laid down and rested while Mom and the others ate their lunch. After that, we were walking back to catch the train, and some guy came up and hugged me, right on the corner of a busy intersection. Mom told him that he had to stop petting me and he did. I just ignored him. Mom says I'm aloof most of the time with strangers, but I'm ultra-aloof in harness she says. Auntie Julia said later that the guy was homeless and probably mentally ill. He's homeless... hmm, I hope he finds a good home soon.
I love my house. It has a soft blanky inside that I've had since I was a baby when I lived with Tifany, and it has a door which Mom only closes at night. She says I have a tendency to wander around and so she wants me to stay in one spot. Anyway, my home is warm and comfy, and I hope everyone can have one.
On Friday, we went to training again, and Mom found out her scanner doesn't work. On Tuesday we're going in for more computer training, and we'll find out about the scanner then.

Mom still has to take me to the vet for that kennel cough shot, and though I'm glad she's been too busy and has been putting it off, I know eventually she'll get around to it... damn!
Well, I think I've typed myself out for now, but I loved getting this chance to steal Mom's new computer for a little while. It works great and doesn't get burning hot like her last one.