Fizz comes back to us and leaves again

My last blog update was in Sept 2012 when the F litter left us.

Imagine my delight when Guide Dogs rang me to say that Fizz had been accepted as a brood bitch and did we want to take her. Of course I said yes as I’ve always wanted to have one of Pepsi’s daughters.

In Sept 2013, Fizz came to us and whilst she is sweet and adorable, she has been a challenge to learn to live with. Her obedience is outstanding and she’s really easy out and about. In the house however, she whined almost constantly for attention and barked whenever I was on the phone. It wasn’t ideal since I work from home most days. I spent a lot of time working with her, taking her through the Kennel club bronze and silver obedience which she passed easily, trying to keep her occupied so that she wasn’t bored.

It’s such a big shift for them to come from being puppwalked where they are on the go a lot and regularly go to new places to being a family pet who has pups once a year. Gradually, she was learning to adjust to life as a brood bitch with her two walks a day and her visit to see my horses (on the lead as she chased them!)

10 days ago, she came into season so she went back to Guide Dog kennels which is the general rule for Guide Dog broods so that they don’t get mated accidentally.

Imagine my shock when I received a phone call last Fri from my supervisor telling me that she has medical issues that prevent her from breeding although she is fit and well to work as a Guide Dog. So she has been withdrawn from the breeding program which means that she won’t come back to us. I’m so gutted because I’d worked so hard to help her adjust to us and vice versa.

We have to wait until she finishes her season and then she will be assessed for training as a working Guide Dog. Guide Dogs are confident that she will be out through the training so it looks as though Fizz will now be a working Guide dog. From a head place, I actually think she’ll be happier as she really does love to work and do new things. I can’t help but feel gutted i my heart that we won’t see her again after we were learning to love her so much.

Still, this is the job I signed up for. It’s a roller coaster of emotions from start to finish!

Now I shall concentrate on Pepsi as she is about to have her next litter.

Jude x