Hello World Here I Come !!

Where do I begin ??  It has been a world wind seven months with soooo many things happening and changing !  Where do I begin ?

I guess I will begin with heading off to KSDS College last October.  Mom and Dad along with Miss M had been preparing me for that day from the moment they became my puppy raisers.  I didn't really understand what we were doing with all of the command training but I went along with it because treats usually followed.  I would do anything for a treat.  We practiced what Mom called life skills and proper social interaction.  I didn't always earn A's but I sure tried.

Then on that wonderful fall day and with all of my stuff packed up we headed out.  First, we took a long walk around the lake and Dad talked to me about College life and what was ahead.  I wish I had paid more attention since when it was time for me to head to the College dorms I will admit I was really frightened and wished Mom and Dad would just let me come back home.  I tried to hide my tears when I saw them tearing up and I think I did a good job.  I waited till I got in my dorm room where they were not allowed.

The first night was frightening.  There were other puppies there - some my brothers and sisters - but I felt all alone.  A Commander at KSDS came to my room before bed time and comforted  me and explained what would be happening the next day.  I felt better and was able to fall asleep.

The next day we all had breakfast and some free time to arrange our rooms and get to know the surroundings.  After that we had an orientation.  My litter mates and me were evaluated and then assigned our freshman classes in command skills.  It was pretty easy after that.  We had basically the same routine for some time.

Then one day we all loaded up in a big bus and headed off.  This was close to Christmas.  I thought we were all going home for break but we headed off to a new command school.  It was a little scary to go to another school but those commanders were nice too.  It was different than KSDS College.  It was a college inside of something called a penitentiary.  Not sure what that is but here the commanders stayed with us at all times - not like at KSDS College where the commanders went home at night.

We practiced more command skills at the penitentiary.  When we finished all of our classes we would then head back to KSDS to start advance training.  One at a time we would meet with a commander and pick our area of specialty - Guide, Service, Facility.  I picked Facility and was assigned to commander Letha.  These classes were more challenging than basic command classes and I had to be on my paws all the time.

However, all of a sudden I wasn't feeling that great.  Commander Letha took me to the school health clinic and they discovered I had an infection.  I was prescribed meds and a special puppy food and had to spend time in the infirmary.  I could not attend my classes so I had to be pulled from spring graduation.  I went back to the penitentiary while the other spring graduates continued training.

After spring graduation Letha was again working on facility classes so I returned.  I was so excited to see commander Letha.  We picked up where we left off so I could be in the next graduating class.  Then the most exciting thing happened.  Instead of going to the penitentiary over spring break I got to go with Letha on a road trip.  It was a long drive so commander Letha and I had some long talks about my career path.  We talked about my slight health issue and sometimes me liking to announce bark so we decided I should take another direction in my training.  It was a Marketing Degree.  This is a new degree career change choice and I am the first to partake.  Commander Letha called Mom and told her I was going to be a career change puppy with a career change job.  Ambassador Key !!  Mom was sooooo excited I would be graduating with a marketing degree and coming back home to them to be their forever puppy with a job.

 The day finally came soon after that and Mom and Dad drove down to KSDS College to attend my private graduation ceremony.  It had been a long road to get there but it was all worth it.  Commander Letha showed my parents lots of the skills I had learned so we could use them when we are out marketing how wonderful KSDS Inc. is and what a difference they make in the life of their forever partners.  I was so excited when I saw Mom sign my adoption papers and that day will become our "Got You Day."  At the end I was given my new Vest with my graduation diploma.

Finally, it was time to leave-so off we went!  I was sad to leave KSDS and even sadder to leave Commander Letha.  I shed a few tears but was excited to be coming back home.  The drive could not go fast enough.  It was a little cramped in the car since Letha loaded us up with marketing materials we would need for our special presentations.  I am excited to go out with Miss M and Mom soon.

Arrived home in the evening and guess who was waiting for me !!  Avalon.  We greeted and sniffed each other and all was good.  We played for a bit then it was dinner.  I remembered all the stuff I needed to remember.  Dog bowl, kitchen treat jar, bedroom treat jar and toy chest.  My private kennel was up so I knew things were just like before.  We took a walk around the lake before bed time and I caught up on all of my smells !

It has been great to be back home.  Mom said I get a break from command training for a bit but that was kind of misleading.  I still have to demonstrate what I have learned when Mom or Dad give a command.  Mom said it was just my advance commands that I get a break from.

 Since being home I have gotten to go on walks, swim in the lake and even get the yellow ball that I could not have before and even sleep in.  We celebrated Memorial Day and I had my first road trip since being home.  Went and saw Grandma Schense at the nursing home and then to my Dad's fathers grave site at the cemetery. Dad said his father was a veteran and served our country honorably.  Lots of time outside since Mom and Dad were working on the garden and planting flowers.  It is soooooo good to be home.

Now that I have graduated and have found my purpose it is off to discover my new world.  I am sure it will be filled with many wonderful experiences but also some challenging ones too.   I know Mom and Dad will always be there for me along with Avalon.  It has been a journey to get here but one I will never forget.  I miss all of my commanders and friends at KSDS College especially Commander Letha.  Everyone was so nice to me and taught me so many wonderful things.  I promises to carry on with my training you provided me and make you PROUD !!!

KSDS Inc. College here I come :)

Turn in day at KSDS Inc. College finally came.  Saturday, October 21.  Mom and Dad have talked about this day from the first day I came home for puppy training.  Lately it has been a BIG topic of discussion.  More command training, training field trips and a lot of Good-byes.  Mom and me have worked on my transcripts to take along with packing my bags.  I asked Mom to sneak my ipad in my bag so I could blog about my adventures while in school but KSDS does not allow special devices in your room.  I did get to post however before Mom and Dad left taking the ipad.

 The day started with getting up early.  5:00 am.  Dad wanted to take Avalon and me for a walk around the lake before we headed out.  At first I thought it wasn't going to happen because it was raining but it let up enough for us to head out at the last minute.  We had packed all of my luggage and special donations for KSDS the night before so after our walk it was just getting dressed and heading out.  I was excited to get there and kept asking Mom and Dad " Are we there yet"  Mom said to take a nap since it was going to be a busy day but I was just too excited.  Little did I know what was to come ??

We arrived about 30 minutes before Fall Graduation.   Mom and Dad unloaded the car then we headed inside.  There were lots of puppies there along with puppy raisers and forever partners and their families.  

 Mom told me to watch carefully so I hear what everyone had to say.  First the commanders of KSDS College talked, then the puppy raiser's introduced the new graduating puppies and their forever partners.  There were nine of them.  Some were guide dogs, some service dogs and some facility dogs.  They all looked alike to me but Mom said they majored in different fields to do different things.  Mom said I will get to do the same thing.  She told me every puppy gets to choose their field of training

After graduation we walked around and met some of the new graduates and their partners.  I could not believe it.  MILO was there graduating.  He looked so much bigger then I remembered him and he was on such good behavior.  He decided to major in Service Dog so he is the forever partner for a person who has trouble walking and moving about.  Milo said he was sooo excited to meet his forever partner and spending time co-training with him at KSDS Inc.   We also got to see Debbie, Milo's puppy raiser along with my four legged Mom Bailey.

 Next we went to the lunchroom and all the two legged people had something to eat.  I thought for sure we would get something special since this was a special day but like always not the case.  I did see a few puppies getting some treats so I bugged Mom for some but she didn't have her special bag of treats on her hip.  I just had to be quiet and watch everyone else eat.  Dad must have been a hungry camper because his plate was full.  He went back and got dessert twice.

 After lunch Dad and me has some alone time.  There is a special playground area at KSDS so Dad and I decided to spend some time there.  They had some cool toys to play with.  After playing for a awhile Mom and Dad sat me down and told me what was going to happen soon.  We would be heading over to the dorms and I would be officially enrolled in College.   My other litter mates will be coming to the dorms too.  I heard that another litter was called back to start their official training along with us.

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We spent some time talking to the commanders when we arrived at the dorms.  Several little baby puppies about 8 weeks old were heading out with some special puppy raisers.  I heard these puppies would be flying in an airplane to a far away college.  I am glad I am staying here at KSDS Inc.

Finally it was my time to go to my dorm room.  A commander came to get me and show me where to go.  Mom and Dad can not go to the dorm rooms so we said our good-byes.  It took a long time.  Mom and Dad had lots to say to me at the last minute plus they had tears running down their face.  I was trying to be stoic but as I turned I let the tears in my eyes run down my face.   I did not want Mom and Dad to know I was scared and just wanted to go back home with them.

Mom and Dad I hope to make you PROUD of me !!  Miss M too. You have helped me make it this far and I promise I will study hard and fine my purpose.  I am excited to meet my forever partner but I will never forget all the special people who have helped me make it this far !  I LOVE you Mom and Dad - Avalon too !!

KSDS Inc. College here I am !!

Time is running out :(

 It was HUSKER football last weekend.  Dad said it will be the last time I get to watch the HUSKERS with him.  It was also going to be our last camping trip but Mother Nature had other ideas.  It RAINED most of the day so we stayed home. Mom canned and Dad worked on the computer. We did go for a walk in the rain which I thought was

funny but I am not complaining.  I love going on weekend walks with Mom and Dad.  We stopped at the tennis courts so Avalon and I could have a free run then off around the lake we went.  By the time we got home we were wet and Mom said smelly !!  We had to stay in the mud room for awhile.  I was afraid we would not dry off in time for the game but Mom said it was a night game.  Hope I stay awake !

HUSKER FOOTBALL with DAD - 

I don't think the game was going the way Dad wanted because Avalon and I actually got a few shut eyes in during the game.  He just kind of stayed on the couch and stared at the TV ????

On Monday of this week Miss M and Miss K didn't have school so I got to go see Miss M ride a great big puppy !!  I have never seen a puppy that big.  Mom said puppies that big are called horses.

I am just so proud of Miss M.  I have worked over a year and a half teaching her commands and now she is teaching commands to this big puppy.  They walked around an area kind of like the tennis courts we go to but it was round.  While they walked Miss M gave commands to the big puppy.  There was a commander there helping Miss M.  First she had a long leash helping then after a bit of time she let it go and Miss M was teaching all by herself.  Mom and me watched from outside of the fence.  Mom told me to be really quiet as not to frighten the big puppy.  I was whining about the flies so Mom finally put be back in the Ford while Miss M finished her teaching.  Before we left Miss M showed me some more big puppies that were in their kennels.  I wish my kennel was that big.

After command training we went over to Miss M's Grandma's house.  I love it there because that means Miss M and I are going to get to play - which we did.  Mom came over a little later and we had a photo shoot.

Miss M set up her jumping stations and we practiced jumping along with practicing commands.  I wanted to make sure she knows her commands because she is now a command trainer to that big puppy.  I wonder if she grades that puppy like she grades me at times ?  After we played for a long time we had our photo shoot.  I must have said "cheese" 100 times!  They were also making funny noises ??  I think they were trying to get my attention but I was getting bored.  Finally picture time was over and Miss M and I got to play some more.  We finally went back home and all of a sudden when we got in the house Miss M started crying which made Mom, Miss K and Grandma T cry ??  I think it has something to do with me going back to KSDS College soon.

The next day Mom and me went to that BIG castle that Grandma Keuter lives in.  We had lunch together in her lunch room then we went to this special room.  I took my seat but Mom said I need to get down because other two legged people were coming in and need the chairs.


They did come in then Mom showed a slide show of KSDS Inc. along with some pictures of all of the adventures Mom, Dad and me have been on.  She has been showing that a lot lately.  After the slide show Mom talked about KSDS Inc. and Puppy Raising.  She really knows a lot -
I was impressed.  It also helps me to learn about KSDS college for when I am off to College.  Dad is sadly counting down the days which are just a few away.  Mom has already packed my bags and packed the bag that she will give to KSDS Inc.  I think it has all of my training records in it.  I might sneak in there one night before I leave to see what it says.  Hope I am getting good marks.  I know I have gotten some really good grades and then I know I have gotten some not so good ones.  I have tried to get all good grades but when you are a puppy it is hard.   I know though we have worked hard to get ready for college so I hope it will all pay off.  I don't want to disappoint everyone who has helped me in my journey to become someone's forever partner who needs my help.

Yesterday, Miss M, Miss K and Grandma T came over to say their final "Goodbyes" before I leave for College.  Miss M and I took a walk together alone while Mom stayed inside.  Miss M and I had our private goodbyes which I really liked.  Miss M brought some really pretty flowers for Mom for allowing me to share in my adventures with her growing up.

I LOVE YOU Miss M - I am going to miss you at College.  I will try and remember everything you taught me and I will be counting down the days to Graduation and seeing you again !