Topeka in the news! :)

I was so happy today to receive an email from Topeka's raisers (who also happen to be our neighbors). :) She mad the local FOX news station!!!! Topeka's partner and her husband are both blind and huge Arkansas Razorback fans who were in New Orleans for the Sugar Bowl.

If you click on:
http://www.fox16.com/mediacenter/local.aspx

Then search for "blind razorback fans" then news report will come up after a 10 second commercial. (For some reason I had to click "search" twice before it would come up).

Okay, you just need to go watch it. :)

Sibling Update (As of 8/16/2010)

Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Graduated (Working in Toronto, Canada)
Tara-Graduated
Toledo-Career Changed
Trevor-Career Changed
Trishna-Graduated
Tropic-Graduated
Tulsa-Graduated (Working in Battle Ground, WA)
Topeka-Graduated (Working in Little Rock, Arkansas)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Graduated (Working in Wheat Ridge, CO)
Dexter-Graduated
Dotty-Graduated (Working in Eureka, CA)
Digby-Career Changed
Derica-Phase 8
Dot-Graduated
Dubai-Graduated
Donata-Graduated (Working in McMinnville, OR)

I would have to say both of them came from VERY successful litters. I'm so proud of both of them!

Sibling Update (As of 7/1/10)

Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Graduated (Working in Toronto, Canada)
Tara-Phase 10
Toledo-Career Changed
Trevor-Career Changed
Trishna-Phase 10
Tropic-Phase 8
Tulsa-Graduated (Working in Battle Ground, WA)
Topeka-Graduated (Working in Little Rock, Arkansas)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Graduated (Working in Wheat Ridge, CO)
Dexter-Graduated
Dotty-Phase 10
Digby-Career Changed
Derica-Phase 7
Dot-Phase 8
Dubai-Phase 8
Donata-Graduated (Working in McMinnville, OR)

Puppy Updates!

Marlin: He apparently got neutered this week. Poor Guy. :( They weren't at our last meeting so I haven't seen the guy in awhile.

Jessa: She is being picked up today after being in heat for the past couple of weeks. Before our CFR left, she wanted to see if going into heat a second time for her would maybe help with some of her distractions. She doesn't have a re-call date yet but will probably be sometime in the fall/late summer.

Loyola: She is graduating (again) this Saturday down in California! I'm so happy that her raiser and her mom are able to make it down there to see her graduate again. It is the first dog ever from our club to 1) Graduate twice and 2) Have a graduation down at the California campus (as all of our dogs go back to Oregon). Though someone asked, if she graduates twice, does that mean she got her Masters? :) I'm hoping she doesn't got back for her PhD! She is being placed with a 30 year old guy who is attending college in the fall. He is completely blind and Loyola will be his first guide dog. I'll be sure to post more when I get pictures and the full story.

Valentino & Joanne: They are getting bigger! :)

And I can't forget the siblings of Topeka and Donata:
Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Graduated (Working in Toronto, Canada)
Tara-Phase 10
Toledo-Was in Phase 10...Not sure if career changed?
Trevor-Career Changed
Trishna-Phase 10
Tropic-Phase 8
Tulsa-Graduated (Working in Battle Ground, WA)
Topeka-Graduated (Working in Little Rock, Arkansas)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Graduating this weekend in Oregon! :)
Dexter-Graduated
Dotty-Phase 10
Digby-Career Changed
Derica-Phase 5
Dot-Phase 8
Dubai-Phase 8
Donata-Graduated (Working in McMinnville, OR)

Sibling Update (As of 6/3/10)

Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Graduated (Working in Toronto, Canada)
Tara-Phase 10
Toledo-Was in Phase 10...Not sure if career changed?
Trevor-Career Changed
Trishna-Phase 10
Tropic-Phase 7
Tulsa-Graduated (Working in Battle Ground, WA)
Topeka-Graduated (Working in Little Rock, Arkansas)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Phase 10
Dexter-Graduated
Dotty-Phase 10
Digby-Career Changed
Derica-Phase 4
Dot-Phase 7
Dubai-Phase 7
Donata-Graduated (Working in McMinnville, OR)

Sibling Update (As of 5/15/2010)

Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Graduated (Working in Toronto, Canada)-She actually graduated with Donata!
Tara-Phase 7
Toledo-Was in Phase 10...Not sure if career changed?
Trevor-Career Changed
Trishna-Phase 7
Tropic-Phase 7
Tulsa-Phase 10
Topeka-Graduated (Working in Little Rock, Arkansas)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Phase 10
Dexter-Phase 10
Dotty-Phase 8
Digby-Phase 7
Derica-Phase 1
Dot-Phase 4
Dubai-Phase 4
Donata-Graduated (Working in McMinnville, OR)

Thanks again to Maddie and Besty for sending me the full phase reports!

Topeka's Graduation

I was really hoping to make it down for Topeka's graduation, but my little niece has yet to make her appearance into the world. My husband and I knew we would be down this coming weekend and maybe the weekend after for Donata's graduation (which is a lot of driving). :) I had hoped to meet Megan and Fullerton since Fullerton was graduating in the same class as Topeka. I have yet to go to a graduation but it's on my list! It doesn't look like we will be going down for Donata's graduation unless the baby is really late (which I'm hoping for the sake of my sister-in-law she comes soon) hehe

Topeka's raiser was a 10 year old girl who with the help of her dad and mom, helped raise Topeka. They did a wonderful job with Topeka and was so happy to see her graduate with an amazing partner.

Topeka will be living in Little Rock, Arkansas with a woman who is fully blind. She teaches visually impaired children and travels around the USA and also internationally. Her husband and son (who also happens to be the same age as Topeka's raiser) were on hand for the graduation and were so happy to have a new member to their family. Topeka is her first working guide dog.

This picture really shows the brindle color on her legs:

Topeka in harness:

Sibling Update

Topeka's Siblings:
Tallulah-Phase 10
Tara-Phase 4
Toledo-Phase 10
Trevor-Was in Phase 8...Not sure if dropped or graduated.
Trishna-Phase 4
Tropic-Phase 1
Tulsa-Phase 10

Congrats to Topeka for graduating today and becoming a working Guide Dog!! :) (That's another post...)

Donata's Siblings:
Damara-Phase 9
Dexter-Phase 10
Dotty-Phase 6
Digby-Phase 4
Derica-Phase 1
Dot-Phase 1
Dubai-Phase 1

Doanta is currently in Phase 10 waiting to be placed and will hopefully be graduating in the next couple of weeks!

Thanks again to Maddie and Besty for sending me the full phase reports!

Small Updates

First off, Topeka is going to be living in Little Rock, Arkansas with her new partner. I'll find out more after her graduation this Saturday.

Secondly, Donata is class ready and just waiting to be placed with a partner.

I have a couple of new pictures of Joanne and Valentino I took last night at our club meeting I need to post. :)

Phase 10!

Donata is in Phase 10!! :)

I had high hopes that Topeka and Donata might graduate together, but it looks like Donata will graduate shortly after. It's rather exciting to have two dogs graduating so close together. :)

In Class!!

I got the email from our leader this morning that....

TOPEKA IS IN CLASS!!!!!! :)

She is set to graduate April 24th in Oregon. I'm praying and hoping my niece arrives before then so we can make graduation and meet her all in the same weekend.

I love Thursdays :)

I have decided Thursdays are currently my favorite day of the week because Phase Reports come out!

Topeka is still in Phase 10 and Donata has moved up to 9. I think it would be awesome if they ended up being in the same class and graduating together. :)

Nothing New Here

Thanks so much to Maddie & Betsy for sending me the Phase Report! :)

Unfortunately, there is nothing new to report. Topeka is still in Phase 10 and Donata is in Phase 8. It is very cool to see how their siblings are doing though.

For example with Topeka here is who we have:
Tallulah-Phase 10
Tara-Phase 1 (I believe she may have been back for breeder eval)
Toledo-Phase 8
Trevor-Phase 8
Trishna-Phase 1
Tropic-Not Sure
Tulsa-Phase 9

I have to say that litter has a rather awesome streak going on!

For Donata, I don't know all her litter mates but here are the ones I know:
Damara-Phase 7
Dexter-Phase 7
Dotty-Phase 1
Digby-Phase 1

Update: (These puppies are Donatas' Siblings that I am not sure about) Thanks Mary for the list!
Derica
Dot
Dubai

I did see that Donata has some more siblings (her mom Petal had another litter). I'm excited for hopefully not one but TWO graduations coming up. I have never been to one and am hoping to make it to hopefully at least one.

Donata moved up a phase to 8 and Topeka is in 10! :)

Getting SO close! :)

Got the word this morning that Topeka is in Phase 10!!!!!!!!!! :)

Donata has moved up to Phase 7 so she is also getting close.

Phase Reports

Donata has moved up to Phase 5 and Topeka is still holding at Phase 8. :)

I got the Phase Report this evening and Donata has moved to 3 and Topeka is in 8. I don't think Topeka likes odd numbers as she is skipping all the odd phases. :)

I love Thursday evenings!

Skipping Along!

Topeka apparenty likes to skip along and is in Phase 6 this week! :) Donata is still in 1.

Topeka is in Phase 4 & and Donata is in Phase 1. :)

Phase 4

Apparently Topeka felt the need to just skip over Phase 3 right into 4! :)