A Long first day!

Well Jethro made it to Texas after a long first day as a guide dog puppy. We started in South Carolina where we picked him up from Dogs For Autism. http://www.dogsforautism.org/ I was lucky to be able to go on the road trip to pick out my puppy, a special treat for a puppy raiser, and made even cooler by the fact that Jethro and his sister Twist are the first german shepherd pups in the puppy raising program.

We drove to Charlotte North Carolina to catch the flight to DFW, that's not as straight forward as it sounds when you are toting a wiggling 16 pound puppy with luggage from the rental car return, through baggage check, then security (where the screener is TERRIFIED of dogs) and then having to stuff the very unwilling puppy back in it's carrier then head to the gate, get boarded, stuff the puppy under the seat and not have your neighbor try to jam his foot in your space and step on the pup who is FINALLY quiet!!

Then you arrive early to DFW which would be great under any other circumstance, but that means longer time with the pups who are very tired of being in their carriers, so we let them out to potty and play (BIG MISTAKE) its time to board again, and they are NOT HAPPY about another trip into the carrier! Did I mention, Twist BARKS! people were trying to figure out where it was coming from, the carriers look like regular luggage so we could blend in.

They were really good travelers when all was said ad done, they slept most of the time, the two humans, not so much! We were very happy to be back in San Antonio, for a whole other adventure. Claim baggage, find the car and oh yeah, find a place for them to pee, and don't forget, San Antonio Terminal 2 is TORN APART! so we had to hike with the 2 pups that now feel like they weigh 50 pounds a piece!We finally get to the car where they can spread out in the big kennel and enjoy some space. We got to head directly to Sonic Drive In for a much needed caffeine boost on the way home.

Of course we get home and want to sleep, and these puppies are raring to go! They got to meet their new room mates, the pet dogs who have no rules, and try to figure out their place in the pecking order. No surprise when they learn just how far on the bottom they are. Thankfully the pet dogs are very patient with new recruits, and there was a tenuous peace.

We recruited the teenage son to stay up with them and headed off to much earned bed! We only heard them a few times through the night, not too bad for a first night, but being the 4th guide dog to be raised in this house, we know there are MANY more long nights (and days) to come. Every single one of them worth it, when you get to see these little guys turn into and amazing dog that offers independence to someone with a visual impairment.

So hang on this is going to be a wild ride, and you get a front row seat!