Beach Pups

Dear Future Person,

Today Lennon and I went to the beach with Serena, Delaney and Dixie.  I LOVED the water.  My puppy trainer thinks I would really like to do something called 'dock diving'.  If it involves water, I think I would love it.  Going to the beach was a fun way to get me exposed to going to new places while letting me figure it out at my own speed without the worry of having to be a well behaved service dog in training.  I had so much fun I was exhausted afterwards!!!

Serena and I

Sheesh Lennon is such a weirdo!

I am sure there will be many beach trips in my future.

With Love,

Dugan

Dear Future Person,

As Dugan said, we got to go to the beach!  I wasn't so sure of the water.  I more enjoyed running in the sand and getting extremely sandy. 

I was the only one to pose for the group photo

Sandy pup

With my puppy trainer

Dugan and I practicing "ups" on the picnic table after

Being a co-pilot for my puppy trainer

I love playing and getting time to be a puppy.  I am an adventurous little pup and things like going to the beach make me so happy!   

With Love,

Lennon

Hello my name is Dugan

Dear Future Person,

My "brother " Lennon has already introduced me to his future person but I wanted to introduce myself directly.  My name is Dugan.  I was born on October 28th to a chocolate lab mom and a black lab dad.  My Angel With Paws got a call about the breeder having one puppy left (me!). 

My puppy trainer and Valerie (another MAWP trainer) went to go see if I would be a good candidate for the program.  I was living under a run down house.  I had never been to the vet nor had really met many people or other dogs.  My puppy trainer and Val didn't bother evaluating me, they knew they had to just get me out of there.  I was very scared at first and didn't know what was going on.  After spending a week with my puppy trainer I came out of my shell.  I am a goofy puppy.  I love toys and playing.  Everyone says how handsome I am.  They think I am going to be a great service dog!! 

Working on my model poses

With my "sister" Delaney

I really like to sit in the dog door

I have learned how to settle right into being a house dog, not a under the house dog

I have been on a couple outings and am really learning to have a sense of adventure. 

With my "sisters" teaching me how to walk out and about

I am going to be a big boy!

I look forward to becoming your service dog and going on many more grand adventures.

With Love,

Dugan

Introducing Dugan

Dear Future Person,

You have already met my golden brothers and sisters.  They are pretty awesome.  

Starting upper left corner going clockwise: Lunar, Lolli, Lyric, Lucas, Me!, Laskey

We all are learning our "wait" command, back left corner moving forward: Laskey, Me!, Lucas, Lolli, Lyric and Lunar

Those are my blood related siblings.  I now have a new little "brother."  His name is Dugan.  He is a day younger than me and is a black Labrador retriever. 

The cutest Duo ever.

He will be joining this blog too.  We will be raised together, helping each other along the way.  I think he is pretty cool. 

With Love,

Lennon

First trip out as a working dog

Dear Future Person,

The other day I got to go out as an official service dog in training.  Vest and all!  My puppy trainer took me to Tractor Supply with Serena.  Tractor Supply is filled with super awesome smells but it is also pet friendly so it is a good place to take a new pup like me out.  I (of course) was a rock star.  I learned how to walk with a cart, navigate aisles and leave all the cool smelling stuff alone.  Nothing phased me.  I thoroughly enjoyed the check out as they give you cookies!!  My puppy trainer was very proud of me and told me what a good boy I was. 

Hanging out in the pet food aisle

Serena teaching me the ropes.  Here I was in a perfect position in line.

Watching all the people

Smiling after I did such a good job!

I will have many many more outings to Tractor Supply as well as many other places!  I think I like this whole working dog thing. 

With Love,

Lennon

Joining the pack

 Dear Future Person,

I am getting old enough to leave my mom and siblings.  My puppy trainer brought me to her room the other night and I got to join my new pack.  Serena is my oldest "sister."  She is a 6 year old black lab.  She was my puppy trainer's 1st service dog trainee.  Now she is an ambassador for My Angel With Paws and teaches new puppies like me how to be an awesome service dog.  Serena was my dad's mentor and now she is mine.  My other "sister" is Delaney.  She is a year old Labradoodle.  She is my newest playmate.  She loves to play chase and play with toys.  I think they are both pretty awesome.  I also think all my new toys are pretty awesome. 

Playing with a new found nylabone

Delaney and me

 

 

 

 

 

I have pretty big paws

 The other day I also got to meet my "uncle" Will.  He is my puppy trainer's brother.  He came to visit and had fun running around with me and my siblings.  We chased him a bunch.  It was fun

 

I am getting bigger and bigger by the day.  I am now 16 pounds and still the biggest of all my siblings.  I am really enjoying all my new adventures and looking forward to many more!

Love,

Lennon

1st Christmas

 Dear Future Person,

I celebrated what humans call "Christmas" last week.  I think it is the greatest holiday in the world.  I got presents and cookies.  What could be better? My puppy trainer was joking that after 28 years she finally got a puppy for Christmas.  I think I was worth the wait.

Best present ever

Opening my gift

Exploring the tree

I love my new toy

Playing with my toy

Me and my puppy trainer

 After opening presents I got to spend a little bit of time with the older dogs.  Then I got tucked into bed with visions of doggie treats dancing in my head.

Love,

Lennon

Day of firsts

Dear Future Person,

Today was a big day for me.  I had a day of many firsts.

First first:  My siblings and I went into the front yard and got to run around with my mom and Jada.  We had fun getting muddy, running and playing with all the new things we found.

After getting muddy, we all got out first bath.  I wasn't so sure about the water or about the blow dryer but eventually I just fell asleep while my puppy trainer dried me.  After getting all clean we were loaded into the car and taken to our first class at Disability Solutions.  I wore a leash and puppy vest for the first time.  I wasn't so sure about walking on leash at first but eventually got the hang of it.  I starting learning things like "sit," "down," "stand," "up," and "off."  We were told what good puppies we were.  After sleeping in the car on the way home we got to run around the yard again.  I am going to sleep well tonight!

Love,

Lennon