Osa Moving On to her Next Puppy Raiser (Patreon)

I wanted you all to be the first to know, so I’m posting it prior to the public video next week.

Osa is moving on to another puppy raiser this week. It makes me more than a bit sad because she’s such a lovely dog and I’ve really connected with her over the past two months. That being said, she was only supposed to be mine until she was 5-6 months old, at which point she was scheduled to move on to another raiser.

The decision to make the switch early had several factors, but the biggest is that my older dogs are not getting along with her at home, which means we’re living in a “crate and rotate” situation at my house that’s unsustainable over the long term. My dogs have always been dog selective, but my old man cattledog’s tolerance level has severely decreased since he helped raise CoolWhip 4.5 years ago. Jake is nearly 12 now with all the “sass” of a cattle dog but a decline in impulse control/cognition. Due to strict management, there have been no incidents, but I’m uncomfortable enough with the situation that something had to change.

Osa loves other dogs and deserves to be in a household where she has playmates (she’s going on to live with an experienced puppy raiser with three other GSDs). My resident dogs deserve not to be stressed in my household for long periods of time (they’ve taken to not leaving the bedroom when she’s around, which is not typical for them at all, as I have guide dogs here at the house nearly every week). I deserve not to be stressed all the time trying to manage the situation, while still providing all of the care, exercise and mental stimulation each of the dogs need.

When I found out I’d be placing a dog in Pennsylvania in April, and realizing that bringing Osa wouldn’t be feasible after the challenges the last placement presented (mainly not being able to focus 100% on my client due to Osa's needs/schedule), we decided it would be best for her to live permanently in her new home starting this week. 

The world of the working dog is so different than the world of pet dogs. Ultimately, Osa was destined to be a working dog, and she was never mine to keep, which makes this process a bit easier. I was just a stop along her journey. I’m really happy with where she’s at with her training and socialization. She’s a solid German Shepherd Dog with a good foundation in obedience and manners, and more importantly, a love of learning which she will take into her next household and on into formal training. It’s not the last I’ll see of Osa as she continues her journey towards being a Fidelco Guide Dog. I may even place her with a client someday. It’s simply a goodbye for now.

I will continue to post relevant video of Osa’s training for your review. I have a lot and there’s a lot to learn from her. She’s a smart girlie.

Feel free to ask any questions you have. I appreciate your support as we do what's best for all involved, but I'm also happy to be open about the intricacies of the situation.