I'll be home for Christmas!

Hi there.

My new job is going very well, since I'm such a quick learner! I'm very accomplished now at leading people on esculators and I stop and sit down whenever there is a change in ground level so that my human will know to step up or down. I can also do loads of other amazing things.

My humans were very excited because they heard that I'd be coming home for Christmas. The nice people at Guide Dogs said I could have a few days leave and they told my trainer to give me a bit of a break and let me go see my family.

However, life doesn't always turn out like it's planned. I am currently in hospital because my room mate Garnet and I play so hectically around our cage that we bumped into each other and I got seriously bruised. My bruise turned into a nasty abscess and had to be drained. Arrgh! I'm okay though, but the doc says he's not sure I can go home at all. I know my humom will be very disappointed so I'm gonna keep singing "I'll be home for Christmas..." and who knows? Maybe I will be! : )

Love and licks
Kengi

Happy Birthday to ME!

WOW! I'm one! It's my birthday. Mom is sad that she can't be with me today, but she got to visit with me on Sunday so I gave her a big birthday lick. It's amazing how much I grew in a year!

Last day

Today was my last day with my family. I have sat my last class with mom. All the students were sad to say goodbye to me, but they all know I have a very important job to do.




I know that Gus will keep the humans on track. I've trained him very well.



All that's left for me to do is attack and kill my stuffed bunny rabbit that I got for Christmas. No point in leaving it intact for another puppy to rip up, right?!



Well, so long folks. I'm ready to go be a guide dog. It's my destiny! So I'm picking up my leash and heading off to SAGA! Take care.



Lotsa luv and licks
Kengi

11 months

Heya! I'm now 11 months old. I'm very clever and ready to learn to be a guide-dog. I will be leaving my humom and dad on the 27th of September to start my new adventures. Mom isn't sure how she's gonna cope without me, especially at school, where my main job is to keep her calm and prevent her from killing any students!

Anyway, I'm excited about my upcoming job. Love to all of you. See you soon.
Kengi!

We're back!

Hey Everyone!

It's been a really, really long time since my humom has blogged. This is because she went away on a school conference to the UK.




There, she met a cute girl who's retired from being a guide dog!



While she was away I grew and am now pretty much my full size! It's sometimes confusing to tell who's Gus and who's me.




I went to Kennels for assessment while Mom was away. It was decided that I won't be used as a breeding dog so while I was there they fixed me! I will enter the guide dog programme in about 6 weeks time. So I'll be leaving pretty soon for BIG school. My mom is really proud of me! This is me being really good and not playing with the other puppies while sitting at a restaurant!

Farm life

Good Morning Mom and Dad! What are we going to do today?



Well, the world cup has been very exciting, but I have to admit that I'm getting cabin fever just watching all these soccer games.



Even Gus put his foot down or rather his nose up and said - "No more TV - let's go for a walk!"



So Mom and Dad relented and took us to visit my girlfriend, Abby, the Weimeraner. She lives on a farm.



Our humans took us for a long walk...





Then we found the water trough. Gus figured it was high time for a swim.



The water looks great. I wanna get in too!



We found the horses on our way back and they walked back to stables with us so that Mom and Dad could go for a ride. Aren't farms the best?



Then we all got spoilt with yummy treats. What a great day!

Winter

Now really Mom, what's with this freezing weather???



I figure I'll sleep in the little dog's basket 'cos it's cosier. Bring on that blanket, brrr!



What's this? Oooh it's morning. YAY!



Check out the lemons! They work quite well as balls too...



Let's play!



Again, again!!!

Assessment!

This week I had to do an agility assessment at the Guide dog association. It was so much fun meeting up with my brothers and all the other pups!


This was the agility route we had to do!



Naturally, I aced it! Hehehehehe!

World Cup Soccer Dogs

It's finally here... can you feel it? The World Cup Soccer tournament is about to begin! This is the team to beat!



We have all our gear and are supporting our wonderful country.



Getting into the spirit of the game.







I'm sure that Gus and I could join Bafana Bafana. Gus is especially great at scoring goals. Championship play. ENJOY!

7 Months!

Yay! It's my sort of birthday. I'm 7 months old today.

According to the guide dog manual, this is the age where I start to test authority. Hmmmm, I wonder if Mom's noticed that I'm not listening to her every command anymore... Shhh, don't tell her. She's used to me displaying exemplary behaviour.



But when she's not looking, I run the classroom!!!



7 Months is also the age in which protective-territorial feelings emerge. Well, this I think is true. Mom and Dad took me to the mall on Sunday and the Woolworths window had been changed. Now there are a whole bunch of men in boots and hats looking out of the shop window. They just stand still the whole time, but I'm sure they're up to something! So, of course I growled and barked at them. Mom said I shouldn't, but she should know that I'm really just trying to protect her. You never know what men in hats will do!

I'm supposed to show a greater interest in my surroundings now. Well, I've discovered butterflies. They're pretty cool to chase. I've also figured out that kids leave bits of their lunch on the playground. Mom tells me I have to "leave it" but some of them tidbits just smell SO yummy and enticing. I must have gotten hold of something not so yummy though because I've been under the weather for a few days with a runny tummy and then throwing up foam. Arrrgh. Mom made me stay home from school, but that was ok. Gus took good care of me and let me sleep with him in his basket.



I think I'm feeling better now or I would if only mom would just get the camera out of my face!

Random stuff

Hello again! Mom has been hit by the dreaded lurgy so that's why she hasn't been blogging. She's been having barking competitions with me, but she's got a long way to go till she can bark as well as I can!

Anyway, the rainy weather and the lurgy meant we spent a lot of time in bed this weekend! I discovered that you can also lie under blankets - not just on top of them.



Gus and I got a new toy and proceeded to destroy it within 32 seconds.



Remember my friend, Painter? He was the puppy I played with under the table on my first Mall walk. He was fangless then. Well he's grown up so much... he's all of 7 months now.



And little Odin? Well he's the same size as me almost!



This cute girl is called Nuri (which means light) and she's the softest natured pup we've ever met. She's going to be a most wonderful guide dog some day.

The Udder Sight of Life

Hi all!

Check out my DAD! He's wearing his super t-shirt from the States sent by Cabana's mom. Isn't it just the coolest?



On Saturday SAGA held an event at the Irene Village Mall. The event was called the UDDER SIGHT of life. Irene is well known for its dairy farm so the mall is decorated accordingly!



This was a celebrity event with people from the public competing with celebs in blind man's bluff and learning what it's like to be lead by a guide dog.



Mom says that one day when I'm big I'm going to have my own harness, just like this big guy!



Then I'll have an important job. I'll be giving someone independence and mobility, not to mention lotsaluv and licks!



There's a whole bunch of us applying for this kind of work! Boy it was fun hanging out with these guys!



I felt pretty important, because everyone wanted to take my picture. I had to sit and smile a lot. Here I am getting my picture taken by a press photographer with a radio celebrity.



All that smiling made me pretty tired, so I took 40 winks while Mom and Dad had their coffee and breakfast break.



Later on Mom took me for a lovely walk. Here I am practicing my "sit-stay" command.



Can I help it if I'm smart, good looking and irresistably cuddly???