KINDA ANTI-CLIMACTIC POST

Well, Hobart has found a home with a friend of a friend in PA.
I still haven't gotten to go see him since he got released 3 weeks ago (as of today).
He hasn't left the kennel yet, though and hopefully I'll get to go with my friend to meet his new family :)

I was a little scared it would take too long for him to find a good happy home, but God is good :)

~a very excited me :)

THE CALL (HOBART'S RELEASE)

We got the call today..... Hobart has been released from the Service Dog program. I guess he's chosen the life of a happy pet and I'm looking forward to see how he lives his more carefree life.

He was released for showing a lot of fear around stairs and elevators (something that we have been noticing for awhile). His trainer said that there's nothing that we could have done in his training to help his fear issues.

There's a possibility that he'll end up as a pet with a friend of one of my puppy raiser friends. If not he'll go to some well deserving release program applicant.

pick up day

to turn-in day

 And now release day.
I can't say that I'm surprised, but I must admit I'm disappointed.
~Elijah without a puppy :(

One Month Later

Hobart has been in AT for a month.
We got his phone report the first week, which pretty much said that he was adjusting fine to the kennels.
On Wednesday we should get his first real written report! I'm looking forward to it.
Just having a pet dog this last month has been fine, but I miss having a dog to really
work with. I am somewhat relieved to have a little break during this busy season of life, but I can't wait to get another puppy :)

~a puppyless me

HOBART'S TURN-IN (THE OFFICIAL POST)

"So I guess this is goodbye." That's what I told Hobart II as I walked out of CCI's North Central Training Center today. You know what? I can say that I'm proud and have few regrets! I walked away from that kennel with my head held high, because no matter what happens I know that I have taken time to see Hobart from point A to B.

The day was beautiful. I went to the Dublin Rec Center and talked to some of my PR friends and let Hobart and his pretty sister Hoya hang out for a bit. We got some pictures (which you'll see below) and then we all went in for the ceremony. Today CCI has successfully placed more than 4,000 teams and I got to witness that milestone. It was strange for me getting up and receiving my flower and getting applause, because I still don't really feel like that turn-in time has come around again!

When Suzanne introduced Hobart and I she said, "Hobart was raised by Elijah and his family, but mostly Elijah." I found that quite amusing and so did my family ;)

During the ceremony some donors talked about their contributions to CCI and CCI's contributions to the world. We had a touching moment when one of the twelve service dog graduates asked the audience to give a hand to the puppy raisers and to the trainers. She thanked the Canine Companions staff for all their hard work and gave them all a gift :)

When we got back to the North Central center we got more pictures of Hobart (which you'll see below) talked to some of the other puppy raisers, who were turning-in puppies today and then said goodbye to Hobart. He hopped right on in to his kennel. When his kennel mate joined him they started to play.

It all feels very surreal. Hobart has reached his last bit of training with me, but I guess I know that his journey will continue either as a service dog or as a released pet. Either way I hope he finds a place to be happy. My emotions aren't really as worked up as I thought they'd be. I was smiling to much to even think about crying. Maybe when I wake up tomorrow I'll realize that it's over for a few months, but maybe it'll just sink in gradually and I'll be content with where things are now!

kennel time

pep talk .

~Elijah (with Hobart in my prayers)

Just today and then goodbye

Just today and then goodbye. That makes me feel a little strange. With Dembre I spent weeks of my summer preparing for turn-in remembering taking pictures and just trying to get the most out of our time.
Right now I'm dog sitting two other dogs and am just super busy and it feels very tough to just slow down and sit on the floor and talk to Hobart for awhile. Part of my lack of preparation would be my extreme surprise if he actually gets past week two. Second would just be that Hobart feels like he's so much a part of my family and life that he can't just leave.
There may be a few farewell tears, but I still look forward to the journey that God has ahead for both of us.

he's sad to have to leave too

Until tomorrow
~Elijah & Hobart II (for one last time)

Less than a week....

Today I was putting together pictures for the turn-in slideshow and it brought back so many good (and some not so good) memories. I got to see Hobart grow up one picture at a time. Each photo brought another memory. Since August of 2011 so much has changed! I've grown, Hobart's grown. I've gone through a year and a half of high school. Things are different, yet Hobart has been there all along.

I'm so proud of my baby boy! He's not perfect and he's not easy to work with all the time, but he's been with me through the thick and thin of the last year and a half. He was there when I handed over Dembre at graduation. He was there when I felt like giving up. It has been more than a blessing just to be a small part of Hobart's journey. I also feel so privileged that Hobart has been part of my journey.

I was raking up leaves the other day and I remembered that three years ago this fall I decided most certainly that I wanted to be a CCI puppy raiser. Now three years later I have nothing to regret and so much to remember. Though, it will be a few months before I'm able to get another pup, I'm still so happy that I get the honor of being a part of a community of people who love animals and care about people.

My journey has led me here just four days from saying goodbye to puppy number two. It's been a journey like no other, that I'll never forget. A journey that will forever be one of my proudest. A journey that has shown me so much. A journey where I have grown up and matured. A journey where I've learned to serve. A journey that I will always love and cherish. In a few years I don't know what I'll be doing. I'm not sure that I'll be puppy raising at that point. Hopefully when I'm settled down I'll be able to raise more pups, but all I know for now that I have two amazing stories to tell and soon a third and from there hopefully more!

Hobart outside today

If you've read this far, I want to thank you for being a lot of my support. When I read your comments & your blogs I'm encouraged to keep on changing lives even when it seems insignificant and too hard. I want to thank you for being part of the reason that I started raising puppies in the first place. You're blogs were the fuel I needed to stand up and say that puppy raising was something that I wanted to do. I appreciate all you've done. You made it possible for Dembre to graduate and for me to keep on raising!

I'll be back!

 thoughtfully
~Elijah & Hobart II 
P.S. I teared up while writing this :P 

Time is ticking away.....

I've been reminiscing about my last few years as a puppy raiser. Fall always reminds me of my original puppy raising resolution 3 years ago. It's gone so fast. I am proud of every moment. My journey with Dembre was much easier than my journey with Hobart, but both have taught me so much even if sometimes I haven't felt like it!

So far I've been able to watch one puppy graduate and start a new life as a servant and have gotten to see another grow up and change so much. I really cannot believe he's ready for turn in!

I'm so proud of what I've gotten to be part of so far and I'm so thankful that I have made the choice to sacrifice a bit so that I can live my life with great people and dogs and goals!

Hobart has been such an interesting puppy to raise. In some ways his time with me seems long, but in others it seems just like a moment. I'm sorry to say I haven't done as good of a job with him as I did with Dembre, but I've tried and some pups are just harder to work with.

As leaves fall now I can't help just remembering all the good times I've had so far.

Now with 3 weeks left with Hobart I just have to remember to let it all sink in :)

then

and now

~Elijah & Hobart II

a few more weeks

Hobart only has less than a month left with me... I feel kind of lost to be honest.
Time has gone so quickly that I don't feel like it's even started yet!
I feel privileged to have been able to raise Hobart and see him grow up so quickly!

though, I will be taking a break from puppy raising over the winter... I'll still make sure
to check in on updates about when the next puppy is coming and other details!

Thank you all for being so faithful in following me on my journey thus far! You've
all encouraged me so much... I look forward to puppy #3 and getting to read more
about all of your pups!

I'll be getting some new pics of Hobart and I before turn-in so we can remember him
even better!

God Bless,
~Elijah & Hobart II