Big News!!

Introducing the newest member of our family....

Ellison Gaze

We had no idea that our family would grow as quickly as it did, but it did.

We got Ellison from Guide Dogs for the Blind through their K-9 Buddies program, which places 'career changed' dogs in homes with adorable visually impaired kids.

Ellison is a 'career changer' since he didn't quite make the cut as a Guide Dog. Standards are extraordinarily high for that privilege. About half of the dogs that go through training do not graduate for a variety of reasons. Ellison's is that he has a soft trachea, which means that when he is pulled by his collar he starts to cough. That's a deal breaker for a guide dog but not for our new pet! We are so happy to have him. He has brought so much joy (and hair) to our home. I'm wearing a lot of black these days.

Ellison is a beautiful 20 month old black Labrador retriever. I assume he was born on one of the Guide Dogs Campuses in Oregon or California but I'm not sure. All of his litter mates were given names beginning with an E and that's all we know about how he was named. We're going to delve into his history a little more later. From about 6 weeks to about 18 months of age, Ellison lived in River Heights, Utah. It's amazing, but he was actually raised by a young woman who just also happens to be named Audrey! We like to think that it was no coincidence that he ended up with us! We have been in touch with Audrey through emails. She has sent us some puppy photos of Ellison and has given us a lot of background info on our new friend. We have given her and her husband an open invitation to come and visit whenever they'd like.

Although Ellison was raised a country boy, he has adapted beautifully to our more urban lifestyle. We take him out for two long walks a day, in the morning and afternoon. He loves to go to a great community park near our house where there is plenty of green space for him to go nuts in, and always a few dogs running loose. We have met several regulars there and have enjoyed meeting new people and their k-9 companions. When he settles down, we walk Audrey over to the swings or the sand and she gets her turn to play.

His adjustment to our home has been interesting. He was an extraordinarily well-trained dog when we met him, but now he's just a well-trained dog. We're most impressed that we can say 'do your business' and he will relieve himself on the spot and in a designated place in our yard. He understands about 15 other commands and he continues to follow them most of the time. In his old home, he definitely wasn't allowed to clean up after a baby like he does for Audrey. She throws her food from her perch in her high chair and he eagerly waits for his chance to pounce. I just let him do it because it's one less time a day that I have to pick her food up off the ground. And it's mostly veggies that she trashes anyway. He'll lick her highchair clean for me too. :)

He and Audrey make a wonderful pair, although he is still learning to be gentle around her. Audrey is discovering how to give the 'talk to the hand' gesture when he gets too 'up in her grill.' He loves to snuggle with her and follow her around the house. She thinks he's hilarious and laughs at him sporadically. He enjoys watching Audrey take a bath and he tried to jump in with her the other day, an attempt which I nixed due to the inevitable chaos that would ensue. Every time Audrey fusses or cries, he goes and checks on her wherever she is. She loves to touch him, and I like to prop her up on his back which he patiently tolerates. She just doesn't quite know what to do with his tongue when he gives her a big slobbery kiss. Enjoy the photos!