Seasons Greetings

Hi, Phantom here.

Hope you all had a very merry Christmas.

I'm so cute, I scored invites to several Christmas parties.

This is a picture of me at Melissa's party. I had a great time even if they wouldn't let me near the eggnog.

Here I am with Santa and Melissa.

I can't quite figure out what the big deal is with this chubby guy with a white beard. I hang with somebody like this everyday. Besides, those bells on his pants were not as tasty as they appeared.

Dressed all in fur from his head to his feet...PETA must have a field day with this character.

I had a very busy weekend.

Went to see the movie Marley and Me. At first everyone was laughing about Marley being a bad Dog, then everyone was crying at the end, because Marley was old. Humans are wierd!

Today, Sunday, we went to Cabelas to pick up big brother Oliver. He's staying with us for a couple of weeks.

Mom and Dad thought I needed to work a little. Work...work...work...I think they must have run a slave ship in a previous life.

Here I am with a moose at the front of the store.

Dad wants me to find the front door. Dah, just follow all the people...no big deal.

Now I am doing a step up, so we can go upstairs.

Have you ever noticed that there is always something tasty or interesting on the second step?

Doing a nice sit, beforg going down stairs. Everyone has to agree, this is one very cute dog!!

Dad and Mom had me in a down-stay and walked away! Hello...Hello!!!...are you missing someone?

Wow, there sure a lot of stairs to go down! I can do it...I can do it!!

Ok? Do I pay attention to the little girl or the cookie crumbs on the floor? Little girl?...cookies?...little girl?...cookies? I took the cookies...wrong choice.

Bye for now, I've worked very hard today.

Nap time!

If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It.

Hi Phantom here.


Today was one of the biggest days of my life! No I did not spend the day at the park, or go to a movie, or go for a long walk!
I spent the day at the Vet clinic!!!
This is Erin , Lee ,and Jenna , they're
putting a IV in my front leg so I can get fixed.


I think they put something in the water!
I feel funny.
I look a little funny too.

I had to have a baby tooth pulled.
My Daddy has been trying to twist it out, but it wouldn't budge.

This is Dr. Boggs, getting ready for surgery...Surgery? Just for a tooth?
You can't see me but I am the one under the covers ready to get neutered...
neutered?...
NEUTERED???

How embarrassing...Naked pictures on my blog.
This is one of the xrays of my great hips!!
Now I think you've seen the worst day of my life.
Tomorrow will be better ! I get to sleep in and take it easy for a few days. I deserve it!

Note to self: If anyone mentions fixing again, run. I believe, if ain't broke, don't fix it."

Love
Phantom

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi Phantom here, Happy Thanksgiving!... Although, I was a little disappointed this morning. I stayed awake all night waiting for a turkey to slide down the chimney and nothing. Then, Floyd clued me in..."Wrong Holiday kid."

Sorry for not writing earlier, but Ive been very busy going to all kinds of places to help me learn to be a "GREAT GUIDE DOG!"

Today we went to the matinee showing of the Changeling. I peeked between the chairs a couple times, but decided a nap would be more beneficial to me. Yes, I was good, I didn't even eat any popcorn off the floor! Again, Floyd clued me in, "Avoid matinees. The floors are always too clean, grasshopper." Maybe that's what helped me be good!


This is Coral.

She's a real working Guide Dog! She's staying with us for a few days, while her owner is in the hospital. Coral is telling me all about being a good Guide Dog. We do get to play a little too, but I am learning a lot from her.

After the movie, we came home and Coral and I got to go for a nice walk.

This is a close up picture of my friend Coral, Mom says she has a very expressive face. I'm not sure what that is but hope I have one too!

Busy Week

Hi, Phantom here, this is my sister Melissa and me. I know we don't look alike...she is taller. Last Friday, I went with her to work, and everyone thought I was a very good puppy.




This is Melissa's office. Unfortunately, I couldn't enjoy it because she made me work all day!
We even went to a meeting and I slept through it...OK, so she gave me one break.




This is another brother, Oliver. He's in big dog school. He had eye surgery and came to stay with us for two weeks. In this shot, he and I are hanging out and taking it easy...Something I don't get to do often.




You'll never guess where we went on Sunday?

Wow, you're pretty smart. Sea World! Yea !!




We got to go in the back and see the Walrus and Seals up close. Thanks to Mongo aka Steve and Scott! Up close they are actually kind of cute...really, really bad breath...but cute.




These guys are really cute. I like them even better up close, and I think they liked me too!




This is Melissa and me looking at the seals...

Take my word, there are seals in there somewhere.




Oh, here is one now begging for food...How degrading.

Besides, Mom only had dog treats and there all for me! Give me one...give me one...pleeeease give me one.




After the Shamu show, we were asked if we wanted to meet the Killer Whales up close.

Sea World likes for their animals get to see other kinds of animals, so this was good for all of us.




Wow these guys are really big...but killers? They look like a bunch of pussy cats on the other side of that 10" thick bullet proof/killer whale proof glass.




Wow, this has been a long day. In this shot, I am dreaming sweet...I mean thinking deeply about all the neat animals I got to see today.

Before we left, we got to see the Dolphins. They made funny squeaky noises at us.

It was a lot of fun to watch them begging for fish...although very undignified.

Oh yah Mom, what about that treat? Please...Pleeeease...Just one more?

Hi. Phantom here.

I made a visit to the Vet, Dr. Lynn Boggs, today for the last of my puppy shots. Karyn was her assistant and she was very nice. Since I also had a ear infection, Dr. Boggs put some medicine in my ear. I'll feel better having all this behind me.




Speaking of behind me... What is she doing? Oh no it's shot time!

My foster mom works at the Vet clinic (Griffith Small Animal Hospital) . This is her office and I stay here while she works.




After work,my foster mom and I went to the HEB to get some groceries. I was a very good boy, only surfed the floor a couple of times! My mom says I am getting better at walking next to the cart. The people that we see every week there say I am getting big and being a very good boy.

Tomorrow, I am going to go visit Melissa's work Everyone that works with her are very excited to meet me. I sure hope they give me some treats!!

Hi, my name is Phantom and I am a guide dog in training. I live in Austin, Texas with my foster family. This is a picture of me and my big brother Floyd. He's teaching me all kinds of things, some good and some I am sure my foster mom would say is bad! I was born 22 June 2008 in upstate New York then arrived at the Schermerhorn house on 30 September. My Foster Mom and Dad say I am very cute.

This is a picture of my foster parents Phillip and Sharon holding me and my very own sponsors, Richard and Anne Hilton . Thank-you for being there for me. I will try to make you proud of me. I will study hard and learn all the great guide dog things.

We had a training session at the facility on Saturday 25 October. Almost all the Guide dog puppies were there. We got to check out Dot, a very tasty...I mean sweet cat. We were supposed to be very good, but Dot got mauled a little, but was quite a trooper. Thanks Dot!

When I grow up I want to be like Johnny!

Johnny is our next dog to graduate! Phantom wants to grow up and be just like him, he has a LOT of learning to do! But we know he can do it!