The Expected but Unexpected News

I know you guys have been waiting for the "exciting/sad" news I told you I would be posting soon, but I wanted to put it off as long as possible.

This post will be so hard to write - that Im actually going to hand the keyboard over to my raiser...

(written by Rudys Raiser)

Hey guys!
If any of you guys out there are puppy raisers, I know you are already guessing what this "news" may be.

As you know, Rudy is in training to be a guide dog for the blind - which means, someday... hell end up having to leave. (We call it "IFT" - In For Training, where they head down the guide dog school for further training... and then hopefully get placed with a blind/disabled person).

We thought that IFT date would be in March/April, but we were quite glad to here Rudy wasnt going in around that time.

I was then told to expect him to return late May/early June. Which, back in March (when I was told) seemed like a while a way... but when I received this email last week, it seems like moments away:

" Good morning,

Its that happy/sad news time…. your puppies are almost ready to head off to college.

We were able to learn through somewhat "unofficial" channels that Al and
Rudy are due IFT June 13-16, so you probably wont get the letter from the
school for another few weeks.

Let me know if youll need help with transport. Once the letter goes out we can contact
other groups and see if theres anyone else going to Florida.

Hugs to you, and to Al and Rudy!

***** and ******* "

So to sum this post up... Rudy will be going IFT around the week of June 13-16 2011.

In some later posts, Ill write up some more about the IFT process and such - but for now, I really cant stand to think about it.

What makes it even harder, is the fact that I really dont know if Ill be raising again. These dogs take a lot of green papers... and though the school pays the medical bills (and heart worm pills) - everything else is paid by us puppy raisers. (Unless I have a sponsor)

Yes, Id love to raise again, and I really hope Ill be able to. This guide dog puppy raising is my life, and I dont know what Ill do without it.

After Rudy returns to the school, my goal would be (if Im not raising) to be a puppy sitter for the group - but Ill be sure to update all of you on Rudys training progress once he returns :)

I will be keeping this blog up, and even if Im not raising puppies - Ill find something to post about! And we all know Liberty (our English Mastiff) will love to step in and do some posts.

Have a wonderful day, and Rudy sends kisses to you all!

Rudys Raiser