Life in "retirement"

Career-changed Phi has a thing or two to say about the couch.  #1 -- It's soft.  #2 -- Hey, it's the holidays.  #3 -- You can have your lousy "program-puppy rules" (hence, the tongue)!

Two wonderful stocking stuffers

Santa brought two new little darlings to Tampa!  They're both eager to meet you.

Merry Christmas, pups!

I think the sleigh (or the FAO Schwarz truck) exploded...

 

Somebody please find out if the big man's OK!

Holiday festivities

Our annual holiday meeting takes us to The Shops at Wiregrass, where the decorations and performances offer plenty of stimulation for the puppies.  Everyone is basically "turned loose" to wander the mall.  As always, raisers are advised to approach the craziness only to a distance at which the dogs remain comfortable. 

 

 

 

 

Jennifer is kind enough to remove Brad's coat for public petting, a necessity for pups of his age.

 

 

 

"Hanging around" waiting for the over-the-top Christmas tree presentation on the hour.

 

 

 

Brad "leaves it all on the field" when the music begins!

 

 

 

 

Walking back to our cars, ready to enjoy the rest of the holiday season.

 

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, everyone.  Thanks for your dedication in 2014.  You're the best!

Santa Brad spreads joy

Just a little public service he offers!

Bocce ball, anyone?

The last time we played bocce ball at a puppy meeting, it was under a menacing March sky.  Today brought bright sun and lively competition.

Our wonderful friend, Gene, from the Ybor City Lions Club, graciously teaches us the game.

 

 

 

 

The rest of the morning was ours to enjoy.  The best part of this game is that, while it certainly involves some finesse and some strategy, it requires essentially no athletic talent.  Right up the alley of many of us!

 

Connie with Willie

 

 

Debi and Devin with Monti

 

Edgar with Monti

 

Larry with Willie

 

Linda

 

Peggy with Monti

 

Loretta

 

Michelle with Nina

 

Trisha with Michelle and Willie

 

Monti

 

Peggy with Monti

 

Meg with fans

 

Our beloved photographer, Hedy, scrolls through her shots mid-morning.

 

 

Thank you, Gene and Fran, for providing us with such a fun meeting and an interesting temptation for our pups!

 

Big dog on campus

Our November mid-month meeting featured a much-needed exposure -- the BullRunner shuttle at the University of South Florida.  Because most puppy raisers drive, they need encouragement to get their pups onto modes of public transportation.  Making a bus the focus of a meeting achieves the goal.

 

 

Our university host, Raquel (right) and her intern, Amanda, with guide dog Alice (left).

 

Patriarch Monti is fitted with the guide dog harness body for the first time.

 

 

Announcements before boarding.

 

 

On this chilly night, Amanda offers Alice her jacket.  ;-)

 

 

Ready to ride.

 

 

Once on campus, the group walks to the administration building to practice a flight of open (backless) stairs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, past the USF bulls!

 

 

On to the Marshall Center for more stairs and an elevator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alice takes a break for some well-deserved attention.

 

 

Back on the bus for our return to the parking garage.

 

 

 

 

With the atypical cold, night air, the dogs were "squirrely" much of the evening, but they executed the requested tasks just like the professionals they are.  Good job, everyone.

 

Special thanks go out to Raquel for arranging and escorting our tour and to Amanda for sharing some insight about the special challenges facing a guide dog team on a large university campus.