6 Months!

Yes, I am 6 months old today! I would like to wish my brothers and sisters a happy 6 month birthday!! I don't get to see them that much but I still love and miss them all!!!!

I think I am the 2nd one from the left with the blue bell. Only reason why I know that is because my Mom still has my collar ;) But I must be one of them!

On another note, My Mom was so mean to me yesterday!!!!!!!!!!! I could have bit her!!! You will never guess what she made me do.....go ahead and try!!
I will fill you in....she was so mean and put me in the car with dad and Thomas and took me to 4 different places!!!!! I had to wear my stupid gentle leader and that silly red vest which bothers me!!! First we went to a place that had flowers and all sorts of plants....THE SMELLS! Doesn't she realize that I smell a hell of a lot better then her! Thank goodness we weren't there too long but then we got in the car and went to a place called West Marine. Not sure I understand what the store is all about but it has something to do with what Mom does at work. We went looking for items that she makes at work as she said "to see what my stuff looks like on the shelves." Ok that was in and out so it wasn't too bad but the best part was after we got back to the car I got to take my vest and gentle leader off.....now that felt WONDERFUL! So off we went again. This time we ended up at a place I knew...Bacis and Dziadziu (grandmother and grandfather in Polish). I LOVE going there!! I get loved and pet and spoiled and have a HUGE yard to run around in....yeah!!!!! We didn't stay too long and then it was back in the car. So I figured since we were at Baci's and Dziadziu's it was homeward bound! Wrong :( We pulled into a parking lot.....vest and gentle leader back on...BOOOOOO!! We had to go grocery shopping!!!! What was she doing to me?! Haven't I done enough today!? Good Lord, I was done! I got whiny and according to Mom I wasn't "being a good boy" Why? Just because I wanted to get home and take a nap! It WAS way past my nap time. We spent a bit in the grocery store and Mom and I got lunch meat while Thomas and Dad went to get other things. I was not happy about that! We should all be together, no separating! So I whined and cried and as Mom called it "Chirped". Isn't that what I'm supposed to do when my pack is separated? I thought so but Mom did not find it cute and kept telling me "This is not how a guide dog acts!" WHAT! Guide dog....I'm just a baby! So once I found Dad and Thomas I felt much better and I felt even better when Thomas was walking me. He let's me get away with more but then Mom always steps in and takes over again :( Man! I really didn't know what her problem was yesterday but it was a rough day and I really didn't appreciate being dragged around and having to be a "good boy" all that time!
When we got home....I napped...for about 2.5 hrs!! Now that felt good!!
Mom later told me I was a good boy but I needed to spend some more longer time in stores....OH NO! Not that!! I guess if I am going to make it as a guide dog this is something I have to do. I will figure it out soon. I am just happy Mom has a lot of patience and helps me, even though I really don't want to listen.
After my rough day and my wonderful nap, I went out and played ball and played in my pool! Now that is the way to end a hard, stressful day....ball and pool!!!!

Meet my Mom!

Hello everyone!! I would like to start off by saying that I thank you very much for taking an interest in Ajax and his life from a little, cute, puppy into a, hopefully, working guide dog one day. Ajax and I truly appreciate your interest and for you taking the time out to follow and comment.

I thought this would be a nice to time to introduce myself. My name is Karrie and I am Ajax's foster Mom. I am almost 36, the mother of 2 boys, 7 and 17, and a wife to a very supportive man for 12 years. My husband Mark, puts up with a lot from me but no matter what, he is always behind me! We were both born and raised here in Connecticut but would love to move down south at some point. My youngest is in 1st grade and my oldest is a Junior at a local technical school.He still isn't sure what he wants to do but he is thinking of continuing on with his trade or possibly the military. My youngest is an old soul and is way beyond his years. We are just a normal family fighting to get through everything from high gas prices to higher grocery bills and just trying to survive like most of the country is right now. We are happy and try to do our part to show our children that we can do good in this world...this is one reason why I got involved with Fidelco.

I have always had a love for animals and we currently have an older dog, 3 cats and 5 chickens. I always wanted to be a Vet but I am not very book smart so I knew that would never be. Until I had my youngest and as I watched him grow, I came to see what an old soul he is and what a HUGE heart he has! I was driving one day and saw a bumper sticker that said "I love my Fidelco Guide dog puppy" I was like hmmmm...what is that all about? The sticker was really cute too! So I went home and looked into it. I read everything I could about Fidelco, then I went to another organization, Guiding Eyes. I liked them both but the one thing that really caught my eye with Fidelco was the fact that they go to the client and help the client and dog bond in the clients area, not here. Guiding Eyes, the client had to come here for the bonding and learning how to use the dog. I also liked that Fidelco checked up on their dogs all the time and that they do a physical check of the dogs once a year. After comparing the both, I talked it over with my husband and he thought I was crazy! but once again, supportive! My youngest was only 5 at the time and my husband told me I would never be able to give the dog back. He did know me well, but he didn't understand that I wanted to teach my youngest to use that big heart he had and I also wanted to do something for me! When you become a mother and a wife, you feel like you loose you....at least that is how I felt, I became Marks wife, Marks and Thomass Mom...never Karrie anymore. My husband started to understand and told me to go to the classes and the orientation and then see how I felt. I went to all of them in March of 2010 and sat on all the information I had learned until December of 2010. I had to make sure my family and myself were ready to do what we needed to do and that my youngest would understand that it wasn't our dog and what and why we were doing this. On December 18 2010, we brought home our first pup, Bindy. I'm going to be honest and tell you it is very hard and A LOT of work! But I cannot tell you how rewarding it is all at the same time!!! We all had a great time with Bindy and she pulled my 17 yr old out of his room to play with her, she would lay on the floor downstairs and as soon as she heard my little guy tromping across the floor upstairs, she would get so excited then go crazy when he came down the stairs! And she turned into my husbands girl. She brought us together, got us out walking, got us all out shopping together and so much more. So how could I not repeat that!! On March 23 2012 Bindy moved on to her guide dog training and we were home with Ajax, playing outside and my youngest turned to me and said "Mommy, isn't what we do awesome!" That is exactly what I was looking to teach my little guy and that moment made me so proud not only for what I did for him but for what I am doing for a stranger...giving them the gift of sight!
So this is a little about me and how I got involved with raising the pups. I feel like I am at home at Fidelco and I have made so many new friends from other fosters to trainers to Fidelco staff and even breeders. I have learned so much about the German Shepherd breed...I am in love!

At anytime, please feel free to ask any questions about anything! I am more then happy to answer anything you may come up with or just wonder about. I want people to learn more about what us fosters do and why we do it so if you don't ask I cannot help you understand and learn....ask away!!

I would also like to apologize ahead of time...I am not a writer and I do make mistakes. I try to write the best I can so please be gentle when it comes to grammar and punctuation ;)

Thank you again for joining me, my family and Ajax on his journey into becoming a guide dog! We truly appreciate you joining us and feel free to share this blog with others. I believe the more people that learn about what we do will encourage others to do the same or at least keep an open mind when you see that small pup in a store with a red vest on. Yes, you would be surprised at all the dirty looks I get!!
Have a wonderful night and if I can answer anything please don't hesitate to ask :)