Category: Animals

Hello, Hadley

We had another visit with Hadley, the pup our local Guide Dogs for the Blind puppy raisers is training. Hadley was 10 months in this shot, taken last month.

I first introduced you to Hadley last November here. We have spent time with her over the past half year or so as she’s navigated her training as a potential guide dog, here and here.

Puppies in training for Guide Dogs for the Blind have been sheltering in place during the pandemic, some remaining with their raisers beyond the time when they would normally be recalled for formal training as a guide dog. Guide Dogs is now slowly reestablishing normal operations. If all goes as planned, Hadley may return to Guide Dogs this fall at around 14 months of age.

Back again

Our neighborhood deer have returned. They were gone at least a month. If I weren’t sheltering in place I might not have noticed. Around the time I realized their disappearance I heard stories of fawn births.

One who spied a newborn, Judy, learned that after birthing the does will move their fawns into hiding until they’re strong enough to go out into the world. Yesterday’s little spotted Bambi had his or her sea legs, keeping up with Mom at a good clip.

One deer Sunday. Four yesterday. They’re back in time for the blooming peonies. And now we’ll see if it’s true that they’re repelled by the onions I’ve planted.

Big girl Hadley

Guide Dogs for the Blind has approved puppy sitting again…with limits for people contact. But, after not seeing our local Guide Dog pup, Hadley, for about a month and a half she spent a day with us recently. She’s gotten to be a big girl since I first introduced you to her here last November at 10 weeks old.

While social distancing is still the norm, Guide Dog pups are staying with their raisers until the pandemic quiets. Hadley would generally be recalled for formal guide dog training in about 6 months from now. We’ll better see what her future looks like then.For now, she’s continuing her training and is a real sweetheart.

Happy Mothers Day to all mothers!

Life with Hadley

We’ve recently been puppy sitters again for Hadley, one of the puppies who’s being raised locally for Guide Dogs for the Blind. Hadley will be seven months old next week.

Last month Hadley and her fellow pup, one year-old Rolanda, taxi’d in a small plane with Life Flight Network as they were exposed to air ambulances.

They also climbed aboard a helicopter ambulance. Both dogs took it all in stride. “Doesn’t everyone ride around in a small plane?”

Hadley is growing up to be a smart canine citizen and is learning to take the human world in stride. We see her almost weekly and she seems to be bigger every week. Here she is last January.

Walkies? No, thanks

This dog meandered past me on Sunday afternoon. As I watched he walked slower, then slower still. Finally he laid down. His person turned around to see what happened, uttered some words of encouragement, and stood still.

I learned the dog is 12 years old. “But that’s not the problem,” his person said. “He’s been doing this his whole life.” After about five minutes, he rose and walked on.

I’m guessing he’s not into catching Frisbees, either.

Oh…deer

This is the sort of thing that happens around here when people start feeding the local deer. A herd shows up now a couple of times a day when a neighbor puts out food. This is just part of the group that lines up for chow. The full group numbered 11 here. When they finish the handout they graze their way around the neighborhood.

It’s not that I don’t like sweet, furry animals…which they certainly are. It’s that feeding them is a bad idea.

Why? They get dependent and stop their natural foraging. They aren’t always fed appropriate food. These animals come from a natural area and cross a busy road to get to the free chow (and most, like the one above, don’t look before they cross). I like furry animals. I hate roadkill.