It's been 16 years since I've had a puppy this young at home and the memory does fade. This little 12-pound bundle of fur and energy is definitely making his presence known!!

Paxton came (with littermate Pekoe and a retired guide returning to his raiser) via Guiding Eyes for the Blind (GEB) van with Donna, who had taken her dog Roberta back to the GEB kennel for her In-For-Training Test. I worked from home the first week so he could get used to his new surroundings - a wise decision (for me!) as I was somewhat sleep deprived that week. Paxton was up every couple of hours to go out, and then when I logged in to work, he'd go back to sleep!

The first few nights were a little rocky, until Paxton got used to being in his crate alone (next to my bed, but no sibling to chew on). I was told not to put anything absorbent/soft into the crate because he would relieve himself, push the mess into one corner and sleep in the other.
He barks in the crate, but I do notice that he sleeps quietly during the day when I put a blanket in with him. So after he is "dry" in the crate for 10 days, I decide to take a risk that night and let him sleep with a blanket. The little divus sleeps until 7:30am!!!!

Paxton howling: audio captured with the digital camera on video mode

(Another use for the "video clip" feature of the P880- I am making video clips with sound for Paxton's future blind partner so they don't feel like they missed out on the first part of his life. This is a nighttime recording Paxton's first nights alone in his crate.)

He learned quickly to sit and wait before eating, sit and wait at the door, "get busy" outside, be quiet in his crate, and ride on the passenger floor of the car. He's learning slowly to not chew shoes or the cat.

Until I could bring him to work, he went to "doggie-day-care" at either another raiser's house or "the grandmas", ladies from church who worked very hard not to spoil him! At 10 1/2 weeks, he started sitting quietly at the door to go out so I put a big jingle bell on a lanyard for him to ring. Now to teach him that's only for "get busy", not playtime!

Finally it's time for him to come to work. Everyone is excited. As predicted, it's harder to train the humans than the puppy! Did you ever notice people's voices go up 2-3 octaves at the sight of a puppy? It's difficult to see one and not talk to it or pet it. But these puppies need to learn that they have a job; they're not the center of attention (even if they really are J). So Paxton doesn't get attention from others while he is "working". For now, his job is to socialize to different environments, and to listen to his handler. With motivational training, we also teach them to learn, to figure things out - to think.

Morale has increased here since Paxton arrived. There are more smiles, and people often stop by for a "puppy-break" when they are having a tough day. To teach him to be quiet when I'm visiting someone's office, I ask for volunteers to ignore Paxton while I help them with something in their office or a lab. Their thanks and his reward is playtime afterwards. He has even joined in the fitness class!

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