Woo Hoo! Graduation Day!

Good afternoon family & friends,

After almost nine months of college training and re-training and sabbatical to get over some kennel issues, I have graduated as a full fledged guide dog! My partner, Richard, is so happy too!

I was so PROUD to be his guide dog. There I was at his side on the stage as he thanked Becky, Ashley and Caitlin Limberg for all their great love, compassion, energy and enthusiasm. Dad even thanked Grandma June, or should I say, Nani. It was so great to see her again!

It all started earlier as Dad took me on heel to the Fireside Room to meet with someone. I was really not sure what was going on. There were people everywhere and all my buddies were meeting with people. Then, I turned the corner to go into the Fireside Room and there they were!

Woo Hoo! Becky, Ashley and Caitlin. Wow! They all came to see me? What a special day this was going to be and then I realized that they were here to watch us graduate. How great is this?! The people that I grew up with were here to turn me over to my very new special friend. Oh yeah, by the way, his name is Richard.

I gave everybody some of my patented "chipmunk love" which Dad found out was something that Becky kinda taught me. Dad really likes it, so he thanked Becky for doing a great job! Becky and the girls soaked up lots of love and licks and hugs and paws and belly rubs. Wow, did I feel like one special little girl.

Then I got to show off a little bit as led Dad around the halls doing some lefts and rights, finding the door, sits, downs, heels and stays. They all found out that I was "Demo Dog of the Month" at the last graduation ceremony in November. Now you know, I'm pretty HOT STUFF!

Dad bought me this really pretty bandanna and I was wearing it to meet the Limbergs and even had it on during the graduation ceremony. I really felt like I was a stand-out at the ceremony.

I also got to see Wayne, too! Wayne and Sarah, who I saw again last Wednesday, had me staying in their home for a month as my foster parents. I can't recall why, but I really enjoyed being with them. They are such great and caring folks.

Jaymin and Margie did a great job leading the ceremonies and it was great to see everyone making their speeches and then thanking all the great folks at GDB. They are true first-class operation!

Well, I just ate my dinner and I'm going to take a nap now. I understand that we have to leave at 4:00 AM in the morning to go back to the airport. Gosh, that's awful early to be doing training exercises. I'm not sure what we will be doing, but Dad sure is putting a lot of stuff into suit cases.

Oh well, until later! I'm graduated and got to see so many great folks whom I really LOVE.

Love to all. Lots of licks and belly rubs,

Miss Parka

Graduation Day is Here!

Good evening all my new friends,

My name is Parka Porsche (at least that's what Dad calls me) and Richard and I have finally made it to graduation day in Boring, OR!

When I came here lat April, there were times that I thought I might not make it through. BUT, guess what? Here we are. This is so exciting!

On Thursday morning, we practiced at the Portland airport going through security. That was so easy. There were so many nice people that wanted to say hello to me and give me a rub down. So nice!

On Friday, we went to the Klackamas Mall where we had practiced escalators last week. We had to weave through lots of shoppers with lots of people saying, "Oh look at the pretty doggie with those cute little shoes on!" Yeah, I had to wear these silly booties in case we had to ride escalators.

We found the Van Dyne candy store, Portland's finest chocolates since 1927. We then found a Picture People store and had some great photos taken of Dad and I. So much fun!

In the afternoon, we practiced what graduation day would be like. We got to sit on stage with all the other graduates. It was really nice to watch the demo dog do her work around the room. I think I can do it better than she did, but they didn't ask me!

Well it's getting late and I better get to bed and get my beauty rest.

Love to all of you with lots of sloppy kisses and hugs,

Miss Parka

Puppy Raiser Becky in Boring!

Good morning Limbergs,

I am SO EXCITED! Dad just told me that Becky Limberg, her Mom and two daughters, will be attending our graduation on Saturday! This is SO COOL!

It was just last April that I saw them last when they dropped me off at the puppy truck. I was SO SAD to be in that cage and watching them wave as the truck pulled away. I kept telling myself, "This is not fair! We need to start a puppy union so we can VOTE on this!"

Anyway, it will be great to see everyone again at our graduation this Saturday, Dec. 13 at 1:30 PM. Dad said that we get to meet all of them before that. Plus, my foster parents, Sarah and uh, I forget. Also, VERY COOL!

Yesterday, I showed off my stuff during the clicker workshop. Dad blind folded himself, I guess so he could not see the great work I was doing. He showed me this pole and did a lot of clicking and what was important was, I got more kibble by just touching that pole or his hand. Such a deal!

That was easy stuff. In the afternoon, we went to the Zoo. I really did not want to see those BIG cats and we didn't. Whew!

We were there to take the fast elevator to the ground level in a tunnel for work on a light rail train platform that was four feet off the ground. I'm not scared of those big machines - I know to keep my distance!

Dad also practiced going through a cafeteria line at lunch. They picked up pizza while I was a good little girl on heel. Dad was a glutton and we had to go back again to get a second piece. I'm going to tell Cuzzie. No, better - I'm going to tell mom!

Cuzzie, that's my new sister that is at home in Denver waiting for my arrival. I wonder what she is like? She looks cute in the picture below, but I hope she knows that I will be the BOSS of the house!

I'm excited about this weekend. Graduation Saturday, then to my new home in Denver on Sunday. My name sure fits going home to snow! I hear there's a storm due the same day I am - YAHOO!

Love to all,

Parka

Birthday Baby & Vet Visit

Good morning my fellow pups,

Can you believe it? Dad forgot my birthday! Well, he was a little late. He did not forget totally. Is that a male thing or what?

Yes, on Monday, December 8, I became two years old. I'm one of the second oldest here in this class. Danville is 27 months old. He has been re-issued after not working out for someone else.

Last night, on our night route, Erin gave Dad a special biscuit to give me for my birthday. Onyx and Erin, Dad and I, were sitting in Cafe Delirium having some coffee when both of them broke out in Happy Birthday to ME! Then Dad gave me this real special tasting treat. Thanks, Dad!

On my birthday, we took the bus to a neighborhood in Portland to work busy city streets with lots of great smells, which I avoided most of the time. Then Dad ended up at a Pete's Coffee and pulled out that computer again to do some work.

In the afternoon, we stayed in and did a clicker workshop. Dad learned how to use that wonderful clicker tool again. Then on Tuesday afternoon, we actually worked together to target a chair. Of course, I learned finding that chair real quick and got lots of kibble. When we moved back to do it from farther away, I just about dragged Dad to the chair, ready to get my reward. I like this clicker thing!

On Tuesday morning, we went to an elementary school area and a neighborhood with lots of side-walkless streets. I'm pretty HOT on finding the curb, but the coach said that I do it a little too quickly, so Dad had to teach me to stay straight. How? He gave me more kibble.

These humans really think they are teaching me new stuff, but if you notice, I just keep getting more kibble. Guess what, that's my GOAL! More food!

Besides, Zane has told me how stingy Dad is at giving kibble, so I really need to train him well.

We also visited the Vet and we got my current weight which was 53.6 pounds. Last week I was 52.7 pounds, so I gained a little weight. I wear it well though, don't you think?

The Vet told Dad all about my health history. The puppy raiser brought me back to Boring in April, 2008. As I was getting trained, I had a mouth sore and some warts, which I picked up from my buddies in the kennel.

I got rid of those, but developed a limp on my right front pinkie. Vet Patty did not say, but I think Coach Jaymin stepped on my foot and it got real sore. In July, they kept me in the kennels to allow my paw to heal.

Then I went out again and developed some more minor issues so they decided to put me in a "foster home" for about 2 months. Then, while I was there, I got sick. They had a cat and he was a PITA. They brought me back to the kennel to get well and eventually I got back to work with Jaymin in preparation for Dad.

Dad also learned that Ms. Becky Limberg and her 17 year-old daughter raised me in Woodenville, WA, which I think is suburb of Seattle. We took lots of boat rides to Seattle and rode the bus a lot. We lived in a big house with another Lab and a Golden Retriever. They did a great job of raising me and I hope I get to see them again at graduation.

Well, that's a lot of information. I gotta go! I think it's about time to eat!

Hugs and body wags and chipmunk love to all,

Miss Parka

Weekend on the Oregon Trail

Happy weekend to all,

On Saturday morning, we took a trip to Gresham to work more on rounded corners, traffic checks and barricades. We got back in time to work the Oregon Trail.

Some of you may know the original Oregon Trail that brought settlers to the Northwest back in the 1800s. Yes, Dad shared this with me. I do not remember getting that in history class!

The Boring campus has a nice trail that zig-zags through huge 100 foot trees on the campus. There are tons of tree and shrub nurseries all around this area. I believe they consider themselves the Christmas tree capital of the world!

Working through the Oregon Trail takes about 15-20 minutes for most dogs, but for Parka Porsche - we do it in about 10 minutes! The trail has two or three outlets back to the forest road near the kennels, but we made it through in good shape. I did not run Dad into any trees along the way.

Saturday afternoon, Dad watched Florida play Alabama and other football games. I just slept. Talk about "boring . . . "

On Sunday, we woke up to lots of rain storms and it rained all day. Dad had a late morning brunch and Chef Kathryn made custom-ordered omelets for everyone. Dad had everything, but the kitchen sink in his. He really seemed to enjoy that with his French toast!

At 1:00 PM, Dad tied me down and left with the others to go to the local Gresham Town Mall to do some shopping. He bought me a real nice bandanna to wear at graduation. It's real purty, a base of red and blue with dog bones all over it.

Dad watched some more pro football and worked real hard all day on his computer. I don't know what he does on that thing, but he sure keeps his hands on it a LOT.

Things are going well here in Boring!

Love to all, Parka

PS - Dad said to thank all of you WWII veterans in memory of Pearl Harbor Day!

Parka in Portland - Lloyd's

Good morning my new friends,

Dad and I went to Portland for the first time yesterday. We worked from the bus and did a very nice neighborhood area called Lloyds. Dad asked if it was related to Lloyds of London, but they said no, there was not enough "bobbys" around.

We walked from the bus along busy neighborhood walk ways and ended up at a Safeway. I had to negotiate around a lot of shopping carts which had Dad really wondering where I was going, but Coach Jaymin told him to "stay with her."

We entered the store and Dad practiced his "moving turn" commands. I'm not sure if he meant to go down some of the narrow aisles that he chose, but we made our way through. I think he was just trying to present some new challenges for me. Of course, I'm a slick chick and I just powered our way through without a mistake.

We ended up at the wine area. He kept showing me this red wine and kept asking me to remember it, like I was going to bring him back here again. I don't think so.

We made our way out and back to the bus. Dad asked Belva, the nurse, if she would get him a Five Bucks coffee. (That's what Steve calls Starbucks.) She got some coffee for several of the students. Dad got an Egg Nogg Latte and others got Pumpkin Spice Steamers.

In the afternoon, we did a bus-to-lounge walk, which was pretty easy for me since I've done it a few times. Some of the streets in Gresham require a zig-zig at Main Street. We did that well and just rocked on to the lounge. Dad kept wanting to detour to Jazzie's. We still have not made it.

Later in the day, Dad got a cane tour of the Oregon Trail and then came back and got me and I led him through the Trail. It's a very wooded area with lots of zigs and zags, but it was "duck soup" for me. You know, we have lots of Oregon Ducks here.

I'm looking forward to today. We're doing some mall work, escalators, buses and trains. Woo Hoo!

Lots of puppy love to all,

Parka

Parka Pooh in Gresham

Good morning everyone,

Richard, or should I say Dad, really got to know me on Monday. One was a group shot, which is not available to us yet. We receive that at graduation.

In the evening, we took our ID pictures that Dad will carry around with him to prove that we are a team. Ooooh, I like the sound of that.

The web cam movie was taken last night by Erin, who has been blind from birth with LCA. She is our resident dorm mom during the week. She is a college graduate with a degree in English. She has a guide dog named Fellita, a yellow lab, and we get along real great.

Dad asked Erin to take a picture of us and she said that she had a web cam program on her notebook computer. She uses Jaws on her computer and it talks to her while she manipulates the keyboard.

I could not understand a word it was saying, but she found the program and tried it out. It worked! He could see her picture on the computer screen.

Erin turned the computer toward Dad and I, and he lined it up to take the video you see below in our blog.

Ain't I cute? Everyone says that I have a really cute face and you should see me wag my tail. It's a full body wag with my whole back end shaking my bootie!

Dad really likes my "chipmunk love squat" which I will just have to show you some time. I love the way Dad rubs just under my ears on both sides and then strokes my chest area.

We rode the bus to Gresham yesterday and coach Jaymin worked with us in the morning. Jaymin was my training coach and did a great job of preparing me for my new partner. I'm ready for any challenge!

We worked on heeling first. Dad just could not get me to work beside him in the heel mode. With Jaymin's help, Dad had me walking in stride in about five minutes. I'm a quick learner!

Then we did some guide work. I'm a fast walker, pretty much out pacing Dad. Dad kept giving me the "steady" command to slow me down. Jaymin showed him a technique to give a slight tug at take-off and to say, "Steady," and that really showed me what he wanted. Now, we're in step with each other.

In the afternoon, the three two-weekers, Sid, Asia and Dad, went with Jaymin to the downtown lounge in Gresham to do individual routes. Jaymin coached Dad to use a soft voice, use more commands when distracted rather than using the leash and improve his stance with his left foot forward.

Jaymin commented how quickly Dad incorporated all that she asked in just that one route. She was amazed and pleased at how well we did. Of course!

We also changed from the XL handle to just a long handle and Dad liked it a lot better. He stepped on my right rear paw a couple of times, but he felt that he was a little off balance when he did that early in the route. Dad incorporated the steady command several times to get our pace in sync and we were really rocking along by the end of the route.

It started to rain as we left the lounge. This was the first rain we've seen since Dad has been here. Dad got a massage later and the masseuse said that it is now the rainy season for eight more months. Ugh! She is ready to head back to eastern Oregon where she grew up.

Dad had something interesting for dinner called Quinoa (pronounced keen-whaw) which is a high protein grain that had egg plant Parmesan gravy over the top of it. He liked it but he especially liked the peach pie he had for dessert!

We head to Portland today to work the Lloyd neighborhood. There will probably be lots of distractions, so it will provide some new challenges for our team. But Parka Pooh is up to the challenge.

By the way, that picture of Cuzzie is so cute. Three rowdy girls already at home. Hang on ladies, here's comes rowdy girl number four! It sounds like that we are going to have a great time together. Love to all of you!

Hey, Sis, how do I get Dad to give me a little bit more kibble? Be sure to clue me in. I hear you are REALLY good at it, especially with Grandma.

It's about time for Dad to feed me my breakfast. I eat three cups per day of lamb and rice Science Diet. Yuuuuuum!

The Zane Train is still alive and well, it just has a new "classy chassis."

Love to all form Sweet P!

Parka Pooh