Gryphon's Page

Playing in the side yard with Ariel.

Moose, Ariel, me, and Kayla (in back)
Text Box: March 30, 2011 Last month, I forgot to tell everyone about my sponsors and to thank them for all their hard work. Girl Scout Troop 891 decided to do a community service project and sent us some money last Christmas. Well, the amount just exactly covered my expenses at the veterinary, evaluation, and registration with Delta Society. Next week I get to meet the girls and we'll have some photos of us all together. I really can't wait. Also, I got to start working at the library. The children came and read to me. Finally, I started working at the Deaf School. The boys in my class are going to teach me to do the OT obstacles: teeter (balance) board, tunnel, and some other things. Oh boy! I'm really looking forward to it. February 27, 2011 Delta Society has officially accepted me & the coach! We got our letter last week. So next school day (Wednesday), I get to meet a class of boys at the Deaf School and show off all my tricks. I've added "talk-talk" to whisper and speak. Maybe I'll learn some new ones to show off. We even got a new game called "Shuffle Bone." I really like it because, when I move the circles, there's one of my favorite treats hidden underneath. I'm getting really good at it. But the coach says I have to have another bath and get my toenails trimmed before we go. Yuk! I'd like to be able to run around in the mud outside. Last month, I got to help find a couple of missing dogs and get them to go home. Silly Cedar was hiding under a tarp in a pile of sawdust. She just couldn't find her way out. So I told her "You followed your nose in there, now just follow it back out!" :O)P January 30, 2011 It's so hard to believe it's been 1 year since I came here to live. So much has changed so much I've learned. I love the healing work and all the attention I got when "the coach" and I practiced for our Delta evaluations. So today I took us to the evaluations and we passed! Coach was a nervous wreck, so I had to carry us through it. Now I'll get to really start on the fun work. Can't wait to meet the kids. Hopefully we'll have lots of photos soon. Now I just have to get Coach to send in those papers! Thanks to everyone who's been pulling for us. I really am a "big boy" now. November 4, 2010 Well, it's been a busy and exciting summer and fall. We have a pony living with us now. My friend, Star died in July. So we have a horse and a pony now. I really, really like the horses. We even rub noses through the fence. I got to go to Mary Marshall's again and met Tunbridge - a very BIG thoroughbred. He was very nice and we touched noses, too. I've met some very nice animal people and communicators. They noticed that I can see the colors around different people. Sometimes their colors scare me, but I'm getting used to it now. I've been to special training classes in Bloomington several times. Last month, we even had a Halloween party and coach says I did very, very good. I even showed off several of my little tricks. I now know the ASL (American Sign Language) signs for sit, stay, come, and down. And coach taught me 2 new ones for whisper and speak! Last Sunday, I got to meet some folks at a home for old people and had a great time. Several people have said that I'm ready for the big test. We'll just have to see when one is scheduled. Until then, I'll just keep practicing. We've already got my new collar, blanket, and some special stones to wear on my collar when I do pass. Meanwhile, I've been helping teach classes on Wed. nights. Hope you all can come and visit sometime. June 10, 2010 Today, Ari had to go see the doctor to get a booster shot. I got to go along. Well before we even got in the door, dogs were pouring out! So "coach Jan" told us we have to show all the other animals how to behave well. Inside the building, the dogs and cats lined up all around the walls. Boy was it crowded. We practiced sit-stays inside the door and the doors kept opening and closing and people and animals kept going out & in. Finally, someone showed us a place we could wait and everyone wanted to know why we were being so good. Coach asked Ari to sit stay so I could go check her in and also got on the scales. Hey, I've gained 8 pounds! Finally we got to go into the quiet room and, sure enough, here comes that lady with the operation clothes on (scrubs) and a needle in her hands! But you know what? I just thumped my tail and she gave me a treat! Then she stuck that needle in Ari! Whew! Glad it wasn't me, poor Ari -- but she just grins and bears it! I want to grow up as wise and good as her. Next thing you know, in comes that doctor-guy with a donut! His eyes opened wide at the sight of me and he says "Wow, Gryphon is really growing up. Look how he's gained weight and he's so calm and confident now." He gave all the credit to coach, but we know that Ariel and I did most of the hard work. :0)P June 1, 2010 I gave Coach a special birthday present today. We have a beautiful new horse to keep Star company now. But she's scared of everyone and noises and such. Coach-mom said I could practice my healing skills on her cause she can handle all the healing energy I can give her. Well, coach-mom went to tell her good-night and I was already working on her. She came right over to let mom pet her and said she wants to be friends. Guess I'm pretty good at it, huh? May 16, 2010 I got to go to Mary Marshall's Animal Communication class. Oh the smells in that barn! There was a funny looking dog sitting in Mary's lap. I didn't notice Sassy at first and then I stopped to ask Mary "what's that?" She knew exactly what I was thinking! She explained that it's a "Pug" and not all dogs look like us Labs. Some have pushed-in noses. Well, I was playing some more and soaking up all the healing energy when I realized something wasn't quite right. So I looked right at Mary and asked "What's wrong with it?" And Mary explained that it's blind! So I worked on healing it. There was so much to learn & share there. Mary even saw the scars left in my tummy from some worms I once had! I told her that I think of Jan as my "coach."Ari even told them that she thinks I'm "teachable" and she likes me. I sure like playing with her. I even got a chance to tell what happened last week. I found a baby bird and "Coach" saw me laying on my side in the yard. The bird was beside my head, kinda crushed. Coach just picked it up and tossed it into the barnyard saying something like, "it'll hurt you if you swallow it." Well, I was stunned at such disrespect. Coach didn't understand that I was trying to heal it and bring it back to life. She should have at least given it a decent burial. I've got a few things to teach her, but she'll have to listen better. She'll get it some day. May 1, 2010 My name was originally "Lucky" because I had a rough start and needed all the luck I could get. When I was born, I couldn't breathe and somebody blew gently into my nose and rubbed my chest to get me started. Then when I was 6 months old, I got something called Parvo Virus that almost killed me. They say though that now I'm practically immune to it. Then, when I was 9 months old, my human parents couldn't keep me any more and some strange people from Moore Love came and took me to another dog hospital where they did my "little boy" surgery and stuck me with some big needles for a "rabies vaccination," whatever that is! I thought I was gonna die again! On January 30, they took me to this strange big place with 4 other dogs and a humongous dog-looking animal called a "horse." Well, I didn't even want to get out of the van so I snarled at the woman and tried to run away! Looking back now, I'm glad I decided to stay here. This place is called "Labrador Heaven" by the other dogs. As you can see from the photos, I really do like it here. There's Ariel Rose. She's a grand playmate and tolerates all my teasing and keeps me company when momma-Jan has to go to work. Then there's Mr. Moose and Kayla. They're older and retired therapy dogs. I have to keep my distance and show them respect, but we all sleep together. I even have my own little blanket and there are dog beds all over the place to choose from. My first couple weeks here I just took my time getting used to the routine. Then the "work" started. I'm learning to "watch" momma-Jan and walk nicely beside her and stay when she asks me to sit or lay down. We also went to yet another dog hospital for more poking. As soon as the lady wearing scrubs walked in, carrying some MORE NEEDLES, I growled. But a nice man (the vet) sat on the floor with me & fed me dried hot dogs. So I let him have some of my precious blood. Low & behold, she took me to yet another animal hospital a couple weeks later and I was shaking all over. But this time there were other puppies there and everyone had hot dogs to give me. They gave me 2 shots and some stuff in my nose. But this time when I left, I felt like it wasn't so bad. And everyone told me what a good little man I am. (I knew it all along.) I had to go back there a few weeks later, so I surprised them all. I walked right in and said, "Here I am, where's my hot dogs, here's my butt, shoot me!" And guess what? They only gave me 1 shot and some more stuff in my nose. Hey, I've got this hospital thing figured out now. Now that the weather's better, we've been going on long walks. It seems like every time we go out, I get to discover something new: lawn mowers, black plastic bags, floppy signs, dogs barking at us from their yards, and lots of people with treats in their hands. Now I've figured out how to get strangers to behave! I just sit and give them my cutest look and offer to shake their hand and they give me treats. Momma-Jan doesn't think I see her giving them my treats! Also, when Ari goes to "work" as a Pet Partner, I get to ride along. I have my own crate, blanket, toys, and treats in the van. The first few times out, I thought they were gonna leave me somewhere, but we always come back home and play in the yard. This is exciting stuff! We've even taken some long rides to places called Oldenburg and Bloomington. It seems everywhere we go, the strangers are happy to see me. Today I went to a place with lots of other dogs who are looking for homes. Guess who was there? The folks from Moore Love! They're trying to find homes for some other animals. Boy were they surprised at how much I've learned and grown. They even said my coat is shiny and I'm very handsome. Then we walked through an animal grocery store - oh, the wonderful smells in there! I can't wait to go back. The first time, I was kinda nervous so momma-Jan took me back to the van for a little while. And when I was ready to try again, I just jumped out of my crate and we did it again. She says I'm very smart and usually figure things out after 1 try. I have lots to learn and 2 big tests to take before I actually go to work. I need to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizen's test. Momma-Jan says I've got a good start on it. Then we have to practice for the Delta Society Pet Partner's evaluation. So I'll be going to school every Wednesday evening now with a bunch of other dogs, and sometimes on Mondays. Well, it's been a long day. So I'll write more later., if you want to hear more. If you have any questions for me, just write to jacksdogs@iquest.net and put Gryphon in the subject line. Oh, I almost forgot. With my new name, I have an eagle and a lion for protection. Maybe that's where all my new courage is coming from. I think some of the angels are watching over me, too. And thanks to my first family and Moore Love for helping me find my way here. I can't wait to work with all the children Ari's been telling me about. Yawn - time for bed. Night-night. "Momma-Jan, where's my blankey? Time for sweet dreams and snkicker-snores." Gryphon