Recertification Test

B and I woke up to six inches of fresh snow, and blizzard-like conditions. As I have to cross several summits, including Donner Summit, I was a little bit nervous about going, but figured I'd try and if it got bad, I'd just turn around and we'd go to Santa Rosa for our Recertification Test later on.

When we got to Truckee, the sun was shining through a small spot in the clouds, and there was a gorgeous rainbow, so I figured it'd be okay. 

The Donner Summit crossing went okay, just extremely slow, and it was really snowing hard, and I couldn't even see the edge of my hood at times. We went through three separate chain controls (where each vehicle is stopped and inspected by Cal Trans inspectors). Boreal ski area was on a wind hold, and it was pretty bad up there. You know it's really bad when the entire ski area goes on a wind hold (the chairlifts are dangerous in high winds). Incredible start to the first day of spring!

Then at the top of Donner Summit, I passed a bus with Japanese characters painted on the side of the bus that was stopped and 180° to the highway (facing opposite direction to traffic), so I guess they skidded even though they were fully chained up. Or maybe they threw some chains on the other side that I couldn't see, and skidded. There were quite a few wrecks up there.

I had to stop at the Gold Run rest stop to use the restroom, and brought B inside with me, as I was trying to hurry because it was getting really late. I thought it'd be faster for B to "hurry" in the designated dog area, then go inside with me to the bathroom, rather then to make two trips back and forth to the car. 

I thought I was alone as there were only two other cars at the rest stop, then all of a sudden I hear all these voices chattering away. B was sitting with her back to the door, so her tail was sticking out a little bit from under the stall. So I figured they were talking about her tail and a dog being in the bathroom. It only sounded like two or three women talking.

Then when I opened the door, to my shock, there was a long line of about 40 older women from Japan, and all these camera flashes going off in my face. They must have been from that bus up on top of the summit. I guess they will go back to Japan, and B and I will be featured in some of their vacation slide shows, where they might chuckle and comment something like, "those Americans sure love their dogs".
 
Gosh time flies! I can't believe it's been six months since I last saw K and my classmates and their partners. Everyone looked great, including the dogs. 

One part of the test was the food temptation test. I got very nervous because B loves food. B did very well on the food test. I was so nervous, I was like a deer in headlights. K had to remind me it was okay to praise B for not going for the food temptation. Shame on me, as I normally give her a lot of praise and love.

After we finished everything, K told us we passed the recertification. My two classmates and I had some questions. K answered our questions and concerns. 

The drive was a lot easier and quicker going back home even though it was raining the whole way and very foggy at the top of Donner Summit. We got home in two hours (instead of nearly the four hours it took us to get there).

Visiting the Charles M. Schulz Museum

I wanted to see the Charles M. Schulz Museum because he and his family have done a lot for CCI. 

So after class, I made a quick trip to the museum, and it was very interesting.

Besides the museum, there is also the ice rink, and the gift shop, where I picked up a few souvenirs.

Here are some photos, but if you're ever in the area, I highly recommend a visit. 

Approaching the museum, note Snoopy
on top of his doghouse on the right

Amazing 2-story high wall mural made out of
actual published Peanuts comic strips

Close up of wall mural

a small section of the upstairs

Everything is so detailed,

even the bathrooms!

Nice touch! Tile repeats throughout
the bathrooms, including the stalls.

Snoopy and Woodstock playing in wet cement?

Snoopy's Home Ice

Art gallery and gift shop, note the replica of Charles M. Schulz'
Hollywood star in lower right corner.

Sopwith Camel, taken from the upstairs of the gift shop,
picture taken in honor of my father, a pilot

An example of how international Snoopy was

pictures taken in honor of a friend in Italy

Visiting CCI's Santa Rosa Campus

In early August, I went to visit the Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) organization, at their National Headquarters and Northwest Region Campus in Santa Rosa, California. I was very impressed by this program.

First, we started off with a tour of the campus. This was delightful, especially when we saw the puppies being socialized in their playgroup under the supervision of several voluncheers (volunteers). 

Wouldn't this be a fun job to volunteer at?

Next, we saw dogs being bathed and groomed. Throughout the tour of the campus, we learned about how Charles and Jean Schulz (of Snoopy and the Peanuts comic strip) donated the land and funds to build the campus. Jean Schulz is still very active with CCI.

Walking all over campus, we saw rope pulls on doors, along with items on the ground such as dropped wallets and cell phones. This is for training dogs to open doors and pick up dropped items. 

At the end of the tour, the tour guide (one of the Hearing Dog trainers) gave us an overview of the program, then had us walk with a dog a short way down a hallway. After we walked with the dog, we all had our individual interviews. My interview went well and addressed my concerns and questions. 

It is a gorgeous campus, and the grounds are meticulous. All of the staff is professional and extremely dedicated to the program, the dogs, and the well-being of the dogs. The dogs I met were well-adjusted, happy and cheerful dogs who behaved very well. 

The agility course. The dog wind vane on the roof is a cute touch and an example of how meticulous the details are.