CeCe

CeCe's Statistics:
Black female Lab x Retriever 
DOB:  Feb. 7, 2011
Litter:  E11; Miss Faye and Max; 10 female and 4 male; all black (record litter at SEGD)
Tatoo:  10E11
Date I received CeCe:  Oct. 30, 2011 @ 8.75 months
IFT:  April, 21, 2012 @ 14.5 months
Career-changed:  August, 2012 due to resource guarding food and toys from other dogs.

Miss Faye's record-breaking litter of 14 pups.

CeCe's litter at 7 weeks of age.

Finishing CeCe
I did not get CeCe as a puppy, I was her "finisher". In fact, before she came to live with me at 9 months of age, I had seen her only briefly once or twice. My puppy prior to CeCe was Emmy. After I tearfully dropped sweet Emmy off at the school on her IFT day, I was offered the chance by my AC to work with CeCe for a couple of weeks. My first impression of CeCe was that she was intelligent and sweet, yet very restless. Despite shortcomings which included an aversion to obedience training, poor leash manners, excitability and being easily dog distracted, CeCe and I bonded quickly. I knew I wanted to finish her. I suppose she was a challenge and a puzzle, but also there was a glimmer of something great in her that I so wanted to bring out. To me CeCe seemed a mystery - a Puzzle Puppy.

Compared to the 1+ years spent with my other pups, our time together lasted just 6 months. However we made the days count:  going a variety of places and taking lots of country walks. To make training fun we often played games, which she loved. When we started regularly visiting nursing homes with a therapy dog group, to my surprise I discovered she was a natural-born therapy dog. The restless, fidgety puppy transformed into a gentle soul-mate who loved resting her head on residents' laps. Later that year she flew to California, then took a cross-country car trip back to Virginia in a '96 Volvo with Frank and I. She loved life on the road and staying in hotels.

CeCe visits the Danville Boys and Girls Club, VA

By the time CeCe turned a year old, her obedience training was back on track, and she had wonderful manners on leash. Though she still got excited in a few situations, she could now control herself and listen to me. In general she matured into a sweet, wonderful companion and lady. When CeCe went back to the school, her first reports cards were exemplary. However the resource guarding was something that could not be extinguished and so the school made the call to career-change her. 

Around Thanksgiving, 2012, I got the news that CeCe had been adopted. She now lives with her forever family in New England. I sincerely wish them many happy moments with their new special girl.

Update:  In May I was thrilled to contact CeCe's new owner and wow, did CeCe ever hit the jackpot when it comes to a loving, caring family. I am very grateful to Southeastern Guide Dogs who did such a perfect job of finding CeCe that special home just right for her.

CeCe at Christmas-time, about 10 months old.