Oakley Pupdates

29/10/2022

Oakley has successfully been rehomed with a family. It's a mom and dad and little girl, and two other Curly Coated Retrievers so I am confident that they understand the unique needs of the breed and will take excellent care of her. The sire's owner has sent me pictures which I'm not going to post here, for privacy of the new family, but oakley looks so happy and the family looks over the moon.

This is a huge relief as well as being a bit sad for me to know she's really beyond my sphere of influence, but I'm so glad I got to enjoy her company for six months and know I gave her the best start I could. I am so delighted that she's now with a family with more people to love and care for her, and other dogs to pal around with. It sounds like a wonderful life.

27/10/2022

Oakley was safely delivered to the sire's owner and I signed the paperwork. I am so appreciative that Oakley is in such compassionate, competent hands.

It was a real privilege being part of her puppyhood. I can't wait to watch her grow and thrive.

26/10/2022

Avidly following the newest season of gbbo today.

Hope she gets to see who wins.

25/10/2022

Maybe I've already shared this picture. I don't care. I'm sharing it again.

I love Oakley. I love her enough to want her to be the happiest she can be, and for the past two or three months I've been struggling to be the best dad I can be. I've been home on short term disability and because of my condition, keeping up with the basic needs of Oakley, Pax, and myself has been really fu***ng hard. When I go back to work it's just going to get harder.

I've talked to the sire's owner about rehoming Oakley, because I cannot provide for her in a way that I feel good about.

Oakley is going to be with me til Thursday, and then she's going to find her forever home and make somebody or some family so happy. She's affectionate and sweet and good natured and learns quickly and deserves the best life she can possibly have, and I'm so devastated that I'm not the person who can give her that life.

Please don't try to talk me out of it or tell me it's just my anxiety or that "I got this" because guys I do not got this. I've been thinking about this for months, basically two whole months now or more. I'm so embarrassed and ashamed and I feel like such a failure. But I also know I'm doing the right thing.

I've already talked to the sire's owner and we're going to do the handoff on Thursday, and I just need to not be talked out of this guys please because I'm trying to do what's right for the dog. I'm basically posting this because I know the followers are interested in updates and this is .... One of the final ones.

I didn't want to have this conversation one on one with a bunch of friends so I'm just putting it here.

Thank you all for coming along on this journey with me and oak, I'm really sorry it didn't go how we all hoped. Everybody please put amazing vibes out for Oakley finding her forever home and being really happy because that's all I want for her.

21/10/2022

Vet recommended bland diet, probiotics, and an appointment on Wednesday. I might call another location and see if they have earlier availability.

Bought oakus pocus some plain chicken breast to boil and plain white rice and am now cooking my dog dinner.

Am I dog people yet?

21/10/2022

Oakley is 8 months old as of the 19th of October!

She's been having some diarrhea for two(ish) days. I've been doing a lot of cleaning and crying. Called the vet today, waiting on a call back.

Here's a picture of her squishing papa from a few days ago.

16/10/2022

The stove now is childproof because Oakley has turned on the gas/lit the stove one time each.

08/10/2022

Found Oakleys twin today

27/09/2022

A bit late from the actual date, but Oakley is 7 months and about 57 pounds now!

25/08/2022

Because Oakley is a larger breed, we're delaying spaying for a while (probably another year or so), which means she's gonna go through heat which means she gets to wear a diaper/bitch pants. So today we're practicing leaving the diaper alone, when it's not "necessary" to wear it, so that when it is necessary she knows how to ignore it.

Check out this tail hole, it's killing me xD

19/08/2022

Oakley is six months old today!

She's six months old and super sweet. She loves cuddling, playing fetch, and TP-ing my living room with stolen toilet roll.

She's learned crate, sit, down, and place and can do them mostly-reliably, though we really need to work on duration. She's very good on the leash, working on her heel and her threshold manners. We're also learning "yip yip" for jump up and "off" for get down. She sits when I pour her water in the bowl instead of sticking her head under the stream. She has a giant pink fish stuffie that she loves to take outside for potty breaks. She's so wonderful and so beloved.

My own health has been kind of up and down so we haven't been doing as much training as I would ideally be doing, but we're focusing on short sweet sessions with lots of positivity and some corrections. I want her to know how loved she is and how safe she will always be, if I have any say in it.

Here's her six-month pic (48 pounds!)

Check the comments for the making of video where she shows off her sit and down haha.

09/08/2022

Went and picked up oak's flea/tick prevention and she's in the 44-88 lb dose now, which means she probably will stay on this dose for the rest of her life. I know she's not done growing, duh, but it felt kinda sad that we've already achieved her final weight class!

However the breed (Curly-coated retriever) is kind of famous/infamous for a long puppyhood so I have plenty more time to look forward to having my big goofy girl's puppy energy in the house. I love her so much you guys.

She's working on her threshold manners and heeling, and she picks things up pretty quick. It's hard to get videos of her! But she's the best.

27/07/2022

24/07/2022

HULLOOOOOOOOO. Picture credit auntie Alicia 🥰

20/07/2022

Five months old today! And 44 lbs!

09/07/2022

Oakley continues to be the goodest girl. I'm so lucky. She's a snuggle bug and is doing so good in training. Just the best.

28/06/2022

Went to vet today for final boosters.

She's 33 lbs.

Didn't puke on the way there.

Puked a ton on the way back.

Got a lil rinse off baff and some dinner after I cleaned up the carrier.

I'm exhausted xD she's the goodest girl though, they love her at the vet.

26/06/2022

Oakley is 100% teething and I am so happy that I actually get to keep a tooth! I thought she would swallow them all for sure, but I get one! I'm thinking of buying a ring with a compartment and keeping it in there.

26/06/2022

As of yesterday Oakley is 18 weeks old! Time flies omg.

19/06/2022

4 months!

12/06/2022

Successful training session with the amazing Yana of K9 Guide Dog Training

She's so wonderful with Oakley and with me and we are so lucky to have her on our team. Her program trains the owner, not just the dog, so I feel like I'm learning how to set Oakley up for success and be my best self as her handler. Yana is fantastic with me, with Oakley, and just as a human being as well as a professional. Today we worked on duration as well as some new commands and the place cot and Oakley was super quick and clever. I love my girl, I'm so happy 🥰🥰🥰

06/06/2022

21/05/2022

One day late but still worth celebrating. Someone's three months old!! 🥳🥳🥳

18/05/2022

First medical pupdate -

Oakey dokey had a vet appointment yesterday. She's 18 pounds, and they all complimented her on her sweetness/temperament and how she didn't freak out back there. Good girl Oakley :)

In unfortunate news, she has an ear infection (yeast). They told me to clean her ears every other day with an ear cleaning solution, which I did yesterday after the appointment. However they also wanted me to put medicated drops in, which I was unable to do yesterday because I think her ears were really bothering her - every time I even touched them she yipped and cried.

This morning I was able to touch and pet them, so I put the drops in. Will try again tonight.

She's so good, I just love her.

15/05/2022

First training session with Yana was today, and she is a /superstar/. She took excellent care of me and Oakley and taught us some good foundational skills. Spent a ton of time with us and gave us lots of personalized attention. Looking forward to an exciting education with her! The others with her are also so helpful and kind and knowledgeable. We have such an amazing support team and we're so lucky and grateful ❤️