School Days, School Days

Shown in photo: Miranda Framer with yellow Lab Yoga, Jim Mooney with black Lab Chiffon and Nancy Peake with yellow Lab June

by Susan Mooney

Where had the summer gone? When Chiffon and I did our weekly shopping, it was hard to believe that the kids and parents we saw were in the middle of buying backpacks, pencils, crazy-colored markers and folders. It seemed like only last week, water toys were the big item.

"Back to School" had a new meaning for us this year. When the kids in our neighborhood were heading into their classrooms, Chiffon and two other puppies in our group would be heading to Grand Junction, Colorado to board the puppy truck back to school in Oregon.

While the kids were having the last of their swim parties and backyard picnics, our foster fur daughters got together with their extended family in Durango for one last potluck. Lots of good food, companionship and remembrances of the past year or so were the order of the evening. These wonderful Labs had learned so much during their time with us, but that was nothing compared to what they taught us.

On the morning of August 25th, we made the bittersweet journey to meet Joe and Lee for the trip to "doggie college." Once again, we had a special last evening together. Once again, there were tears shed during picture taking, and truck boarding time. Once again, we watched the puppy truck pull out of the hotel parking lot.

"Be good, girls. Work hard. We love you, and miss you already." Cuddling our new pups, we dried our tears, and got ready for a new puppy school year -- what would we learn this time around?

But wait! There's more!

Here they are with their newest puppies: Jim Mooney with black Lab Ryder, Nancy Peake with yellow Lab Muffin and Miranda Framer with black Lab Persimmon (for club member Linda Starliper).




Have you sent your GDB puppy "back to school" recently? What did you learn from the experience?