Sunday 26 October 2014

Handmade Monday 191

Hello - welcome to Handmade Monday!


It's been a bit of a Christmassy week here (at least as far as creativity goes).    The Christmas pud is probably one of my favourite Christmas images, and another one is the robin!  These are designed to be repeat patterns, but they'd possibly work well as stand-alone images too - on a card, maybe.


Dad came home from the care home this week - wearing someone else's glasses and someone else's jumper.  There is clearly a difficulty with managing belongings when you have a group of people who don't recognise their own things.  He's due an optician's appointment, so we'll try and get that done this week because we have no idea where his own glasses are.  If he goes back into the care home, we'll know to label his glasses!  Up to now he seems OK at home, although he had started wandering out of the front door before I'd even unpacked his bag.  Right now, we're just seeing how things go.

 Guide dog puppy Quentin enjoying a nap!

I managed to make time to go to a talk at the Guide Dogs Training School.  It was focused on what is expected by the end of puppy walking - at around 14 months, puppies are taken into the centre for their "proper" training.  I've worried that Quentin might not make it on grounds of his over-excitement (he imagines everyone he meets is his new best friend) but apparently that's not one of their major concerns.  He still needs to calm down, but it is happening, albeit slowly.  He does have quiet times too...


Apparently the main reasons puppies get withdrawn are for being too nervous, too destructive, an inability to travel in cars or on buses, and - bizarrely - being too obedient is no good either.


hopefully, chewing his own bed isn't considered too destructive!

They are the only dog training school in the country that teaches a dog to disobey commands (completely necessary, when you think about it: the owner says "straight on" and there's a car coming - the ability of that dog to make decisions could be a life saver).  So a dog that can think for itself is good.  A little pulling on the lead isn't a bad thing, either - they need to lead the way.  Quentin could definitely lead the way to the field where he free runs!

In case you are worried about what happens to withdrawn puppies, there's no need: they can be used as buddy dogs for blind or partially-sighted children who may need a guide dog when they are older, or sometimes they can be retrained as other service dogs.  They also get offered as pet dogs (the puppy walker gets first refusal, but there's always a waiting list for them).  They always have a future somewhere.  Likewise, retired guide dogs are rehomed as pet dogs and there's a waiting list of people wanting to give them a home.

How has your week been? If you leave your link, we can visit you and find out!

13 comments:

Blue Forest Jewellery said...

Quentin looks so relaxed there it's hard to imagine him being as spirited as he sounds. I bet he will be a great guide dog. We walk our dog with some retired guide dogs, and they are the best companions for our timid little Labrador - he even feels brave with them!

Have a great crafty week,
Alison x

Free Spirit Designs said...

Aww its good to hear that guidedogs can expect a happy home whatever their situation. I'm sure Quentin will be a light in someone's life wherever his path takes him :)

Your Christmassy designs are gorgeous, is that fabric texture you've used for the puddings? They look fab x

Louisa said...

I love your fabrics, especially the robins.
I think all service dogs are fantastic. They are so clever. Although my dog is not trained to she alerts me before I have a funny turn.

Wendy said...

Free Spirit: yes, I've used hessian in some of them. The rest are just patterns I've made digitally.

Louisa: how amazing your dog alerts you despite not having been trained to. Dogs can be quite amazing!

Alison: haha, spirited is a good word for him. He's definitely lively, but he does have quiet times too!

Fiddly Fingers said...

Hope your dad settles back home well. It must be a big worry for you. I enjoyed reading about the guide dog puppies and found it interesting how the selections are made. Quentin looked very contented, fast asleep in his bed :)

Unknown said...

Sounds like Quentin has a happy future whatever happens! A little disobedience never hurt anyone :)Hope your Dad copes well with being back at home. x

buttons and paint... said...

Thanks Wendy for another fab Handmade Monday! Love the pics of Quentin looking so cute and sleepy :) x

Ginx Craft said...

Gorgeous photos of Quentin. He really is the perfect dog.

Sum of their Stories said...

Love the Christmas puds, the textured effect is so good.
Guide dog training is so amazing, I guess it needs to be as there is no margin for error when crossing the street or walking round an open manhole cover. I may have mentioned before that as a child we had a dog who had potential guide dog puppies for her "job" - over 90 in the end. She was not cut out to be a guide dog in the end so that's where her path took her. Who knows what Quentin will end up doing, time will tell.

Wendy said...

Haha Ginx - he's gorgeous but not quite perfect!!

Julia - wow! over 90 puppies must have been wonderful for you as a child. How lovely!

Carie @ Space for the Butterflies said...

Oh I love the Christmas puss, they would make a fabulous card! And yay for puppy training; we're not a million miles from the training school and I find it fascinating watching the dogs go round town learning how to guide :)

Jan said...

Love the Christmas images, I can hardly believe it's almost that time already.
Quentin looks adorable as usual :)

Jan x

Lucy Blossom said...

I hope your dad settles back well and doesn't do too much wandering. It's good to know that Quentin will make someone's life brighter whether he makes it as a guide dog or not. Totally love your Christmassy designs too.