Archived Puppy Diary - Janice and Usher

Well the time has come for Usher to go on the next stage of his journey and sadly for my years worth of diary to finish.

As part of this very last diary entry I have put together a final video on You Tube entitled ‘One Year, One Dog, One Family’ which takes you through his whole year, I hope you like it.

The diary started over a year ago with Osborn my first puppy who became quite poorly with an auto-immune illness, which he recovered from and although he was transferred to another puppy walker nearer the Guide Dogs Specialist Vets for on-going monitoring, at the time of writing this, I am thrilled to say that Osborn has been taken into Atherton Guide Dog Training Centre for the final part of his journey to become a guide dog.  It seems very strange to think that both Osborn and Usher will be in the training centre at the same time. Osborn is fit and well and it is only down to the many people that looked after him that he has got this far.  All the best Osborn my little ‘Prince of Darkness’ we love you very much.

I then introduced you to Usher, a little black bundle of fluff who has turned into the most amazing (and huge!) dog.  I am so proud to have had him in our family and he has such a wonderful nature and so much love to give that I am sure that if he passes through training he will make the most fantastic and loyal guide dog.  There will be a large part of my heart that goes with Usher, I know that when my Supervisor comes to collect him, I will cry many tears, however some of those will be happy ones, in that he is on a journey and that he is ready for the next stage.  As someone told me once, the best thing you can do is give them ‘roots and wings’, the secure upbringing they need to do their job properly, but the confidence to cope with whatever life deals them.

I can honestly say that Puppy Walking is one of the best decisions I have ever made.  I have spoken to so many people, been to so many interesting places and done so many different things that I never thought I would have done.  If by following my diary you have thought about becoming a puppy walker, make that step and find out more, I actually feel proud to be part of something that could change someone else’s life and I will always have some very special memories.

I hope you have enjoyed my diary and following my journey with Usher.  I have really loved writing it and I am hoping that someday soon I will be able to share photographs of Usher in a white harness.  As for the next step for us....we are already thinking of when our next guide dog puppy could join our family....

Janice

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Posted by Janice on 11:43am Mon 14 Mar 2011 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 11 with Usher

Well this month’s diary has started with very mixed emotions.  I have had the official phone call to say that Usher is going into advanced training at the very beginning of next month.  He will be just under one year old.  I have very mixed feelings as I type this if I am truly honest.  Yes I...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:58pm Wed 10 Nov 2010 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Month 10 - go walkies sponsored walk event

Well as promised, this month’s blog is about the Gowalkies sponsored dog walk.  The event was part of a national sponsored walk, with events taking place all over the country, the idea was to raise as much money as possible to help create many more new guide dog and owner partnerships.  However...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:29pm Mon 8 Nov 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 9 with Usher

We have been back to work properly this month now Usher has fully recovered from being neutered. However as this stage of Usher's training we seem to be just going over and over all his existing training, I am trying to make it as interesting as possible for Usher but I am beginning to see ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:23am Tue 31 Aug 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 8 with Usher

This month has been a quiet month for Usher training wise as he has been neutered. He does love the vets and the veterinary staff at our local vet hospital as we go there to get him weighed and just say hello. This has got him used to being handled by strangers and the big dog scales and lots of...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 11:57am Tue 31 Aug 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 7 with Usher

We have had yet another busy month and some rather exciting news, but more on that later. Usher has been out and about with me nearly every single day, we have been practicing stairs and he is so much better.  He really does not like going down them so much, however if I encourage him he does...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:24am Tue 31 Aug 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 6 with Usher

I have been decreasing Ushers lunchtime meal and moving that food allowance to his breakfast and tea, eventually he had no lunch left and did not seem to mind so much, although did keep one eye on my sandwich!  He is now 24kg in weight and although has a bit more growing to do, is pretty much ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:44pm Wed 21 Jul 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Month 5 with Usher

Usher has been growing into his body, he is beginning to lose what I call the 'spider' look where his legs look all long and gangly and like they do not belong to his body.  He is still on three meals a day, however he does not realise that when he gets to six months he will only be on the same ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:38pm Wed 21 Jul 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Weeks 15 and 16 with Usher

This week has been quite exciting, Usher and I have completed our Kennel Club Puppy Foundation Award. We have been going to normal dog training classes every Saturday morning for a little while now, as we can only go to the Guide Dog ones every school holiday as they are on a weekday morning. These...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 5:20pm Fri 16 Jul 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Weeks 13 and 14 with Usher

We have just been settling down in our new house this last two weeks, although we are living in the same town, we are on a new estate with lots of pathways and new areas to explore. We have discovered a new free run field, so when the weather has been dry we have been going there. It's not so...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:48am Wed 5 May 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 12 with Usher

Well its moving time and Usher spent a few days with a Guide Dogs Boarder.  He had a fantastic time as you can see by the photographs. I took all his bedding and his crate, plus his food and toybox. The lady boarding him, Jane, wrote down all about his normal routine, the amounts of food he had...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 2:00pm Tue 4 May 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Weeks 10 and 11 with Usher

Apologies for two weeks diary at once, I seem to be running around like a headless chicken at the moment.  I move house tomorrow!!  I'm writing this with Usher and Alfie at my feet surrounded by a sea of boxes.  Some of the boxes have rather large amounts of tape on a corner or two, that was ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 2:02pm Tue 4 May 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 9 with Usher

It has been a very busy week in the puppy walking household, Usher and I have been packing boxes in preparation for moving house in two weeks.  Well, lets just say I have been packing, Usher has been jumping in the boxes, running off with bubble wrap, trying to chew the boxes, you get the picture! ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:06pm Mon 15 Mar 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 8 with Usher

Usher and I have been out for a 'free run'. This is the term that Guide Dogs use for a pup's time off lead having fun. I am very lucky in that when I had Osborn, the local secondary school gave me a special pass to use their playing field out of school hours. It is flat, fenced in and not full of...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 2:42pm Mon 15 Mar 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 7 with Usher

This week has been the start of our puppy training classes. Because I work part-time I can only make the ones that Guide Dogs run for all their pups every time there is a school holiday. So I decided that to have a bit of fun, socialise Usher with lots of other types of dogs and have regular...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 12:15pm Thu 11 Mar 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Osborn is back on the puppy walking scheme

There is some fantastic news regarding Osborn. He has finally come back into the Puppy Walking Scheme which is absolutely amazing considering just how poorly he was, it is only down to all the specialist care and all the love and attention he has received that he has actually made it through. ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 4:12pm Mon 22 Feb 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 6 with Usher

The most exciting thing that has happened is that this week Usher has finally had his second vaccinations and we can now go out for a proper walk outside in the big wide world. A really fantastic Vet at my local veterinary hospital looked after my previous pup Osborn when he was very ill, so I...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 2:06pm Tue 23 Feb 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 5 with Usher

This last week has been quite a challenge, I have been quite poorly still, so Usher and I have only been on very short trips out and as Usher had not had all his vaccinations he has actually been too heavy for me to carry any great distance. He weighs an awful lot now a wopping 10kg (22 and a half...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 2:05pm Tue 23 Feb 2010 | Read comments (2) | Post a comment

Week 4 with Usher

I cannot believe Usher has been here four weeks already, it has gone so quickly and he is growing so fast. I weighed him this evening and he is currently 9.5 Kg!!! He is eating well and he is growing like a plant in a greenhouse, although my Mum would probably describe him as a String Bean, as...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 5:13pm Mon 8 Feb 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 3 with Usher

Usher is now 9 weeks old and seems to have really grown this week. Usher is now getting better at walking in shops without deciding to stop and he is really enjoying himself. I am making the trips out short and fun, so when going to the supermarket I never buy more than two or three items so not to...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 4:52pm Tue 2 Feb 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 2 with Usher

This week has been about settling into a routine with Usher and considering this is only week two, it is like he has always been here. He is still surprisingly calm for such a young puppy and although he does what I call the '8pm zoomies' around the lounge, he is more than happy to sleep with ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 5:14pm Mon 8 Feb 2010 | Read comments (2) | Post a comment

The first week with Usher

Well we have had a good few days.. I have tried to keep to the same routine, just so Usher knows what is expected of him and it makes him feel secure in his new home. I have made sure that if I go into the kitchen and he is in the lounge, I call him by his name to come to me. This will help him...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 3:28pm Tue 19 Jan 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

First Day with Usher

Well having had Osborn, I knew what to expect this time, we had rehydration solution to give him as they can get quite stressed on the journey. This tastes quite sweet and is very attractive to the pups, so its little and often. Unfortunately what goes in, must come out, so there were lots of...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:49am Tue 19 Jan 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Introducing Usher

Well we have a new arrival! His name is Usher and he was born on the 23rd November 2009. His Golden Retriever mum is called Tess and his black Labrador dad is called Peter. Usher was meant to come to us on the 6th January, however due to the freezing cold weather and the snow, his arrival was...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:37am Tue 19 Jan 2010 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

An Update on Osborn

I've been in close contact with the Guide Dog Centre at Toll Gate where Osborn has been receiving specialist medical treatment for his auto-immune condition.  The good news is that he was able to come off all his medication very slowly and went to stay with a temporary guide dog boarder who ...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 10:04am Tue 19 Jan 2010 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week Five

Since writing the last blog poor Osborn has been very ill with an auto immune condition.  He is going to visit the Guide Dogs' vet hospital at Tollgate today.  The specialist team will look after him, with the aim of finding ways of preventing further weight loss, and fingers crossed, getting him...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 11:25am Thu 3 Dec 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week Three

Last week I said that we were going to pick up something really special. At the beginning of the week we had a very important visit to do. When Osborn has finished all his injections and is consistent in coming back to me when I whistle for him, he will be allowed to go on ‘free runs’. These are...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 12:41pm Mon 23 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week Two

This week I found I’ve got to be really careful when I say that ‘busy’ word in the house, as that is what we say when Osborn is going to the toilet in his spending pen. When on the telephone to my friend, she asked how things were and I replied ‘oh you know, busy, busy’. I turned round, and Osborn...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 9:25am Tue 17 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

Osborn's Litter

Bit of a mid-week update, in advance of my normal weekly diary entry on Friday as Ive had some beautiful pictures sent to me. When Osborn arrived I got the details of both his doggy Mum and Dad and where they lived. So I wrote a letter on Osborn's behalf (as obviously writing is not his strong...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 12:49pm Tue 10 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

The First Week

The first night I was lulled into a false sense of security, Osborn slept most of the night, brill I thought.  The next night however.. Can you hear that? Of course you can, it’s the deafening noise of a small black puppy barking his head off in the kitchen.  With hardly a pause for breath he...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 12:22pm Tue 10 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

The First Day

Two days before Osborn arrived I had my puppy placement visit.  I was given a development folder, which is a bit like a training bible, it goes through everything you could possibly ever want to know, from how to teach ‘sit’ to where to sit on the bus with your puppy to ensure their safety and...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 12:20pm Tue 10 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment

Introduction

I’ve wanted to puppy walk for Guide Dogs ever since I watched the Blue Peter guide dog pups as a child (didn’t we all) I got my first dog 15 years ago, and over time have fostered and had rescues as well. When I first started to go to dog training classes I sat next to a Puppy Walker every week,...Read the full post

Posted by Janice on 11:58am Tue 10 Nov 2009 | Read comments | Post a comment