# Happy Second Birthday, Saffy!



## Karin Wise (Mar 23, 2012)

Happy birthday Saffy! Hope you have a splendid day with lots of spoils and love!


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

Saffy is so pretty and such an inspiration.
Happy Birthday Saffy. I hope you have a great day. Hugs and kisses sent from across the pond.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

Happy 2nd Birthday beautiful Saffy, have a fantastic day.


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## SandyK (Mar 20, 2011)

Happy Birthday Saffy!!! I hope you and Abbie have fun with your new ball.


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## Buddy's mom forever (Jun 23, 2011)

Happy 2nd Birthday to a miracle girl, Saffy.


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## cyman1964uk (Jan 6, 2008)

Thanks everyone for the kind words and birthday wishes. She had a ball - in fact several balls! We went for a lovely walk and a play on the rec, had lots of cuddles and loads of Babbuly (Babble Ball) time. She is actually really excited currently about a couple of really cheap squeaky rubber balls I got for her and Abbie, too!

We also had an extended 'Cross Paws' session last night, too. Poor Saffy's struggling to associate the actions with the commands - she'll move her paw across before you say anything just because she knows what's coming. I guess we'll just have to persevere - but I need to think of a way of slowing her down. Abbie, on the other hand, is actually doing really well at it - I think she'll have it soon, she can already do about 4 crossovers (2 each side) in succession on occasion and it feels like she's doing it more as a response to my commands. Well, I said I'd have Saffy doing it by the end of 2012 - and she will.

No more progress on the Flyball front - I think the most local club is ignoring my emails, but as a club they have a rep for being quite friendly (plus they really are quite close to us), so I might try find another contact for them.

I ordered a football (soccer ball) with bells in it yesterday from the RNIB to try on the rec - see how she gets on with that. I've a feeling it might be a bit cumbersome, but we'll see.

Finally, Saffy wants to say a great big huge thankyou for all her birthday wishes, both on here and on FB. She tried to answer the FB ones this morning, but had problems with the internet and/or browser being prohibitively slow ("de impy net ordy brauza iz phar two sloe, im phapt pribby-tivvy sloe"). She will get around to answering them all in due course.

Dat iz orl, Simon.


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## BeauShel (May 20, 2007)

So sorry I missed Saffy's birthday. She is such a beautiful girl and an inspiration to so many dogs and people. We almost have the same birthday so give her a big birthday kiss from me. Hope she has many many more.


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## Wyatt's mommy (Feb 25, 2011)

She is stunning! Happy Belated Birthday Saffy!


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## cyman1964uk (Jan 6, 2008)

Oops, I actually forgot to take pics - can you believe it? Me?

Well, I did get a response last night from a lady from the local Flyball team and she sounds quite keen! She says she has worked with a deaf dog before, but not a blind one, but that she sees that as a challenge! I really hope we get a chance to give her a go at this now :crossfing . Still better keep my feet on the ground in case it doesn't work out, but at least we didn't get a flat rejection. :wave:









And Carol, my birthday is on the 8th May as well, so just 6 days after Saffy's. Happy birthday to you too!


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## solinvictus (Oct 23, 2008)

I missed this.

Happy Belated Birthday, Sweet Saffy!!!

I hope all your wishes came true and that the next is is filled with lots of love and fun.


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## Deber (Aug 23, 2011)

Simon, I am so glad to hear the bell in the ball has worked for Saffy. Know my brother was able to do a lot with the same. Something I just thought of that could/might be adapted for her..going on the idea that by now her hearing and sense of smell is double a sighted dog, perhaps your new trainer can work from these areas. My brother went to a camp when he was a late teenager. There they were teaching the blind how to walk more normal (blind kids have a tendancy to lean forwards and keep arms out too stiff). They had poles set out much like an agility course. They attached BBQ chicken to each pole. John was told to weave , not using his hands around the poles by smell alone. He was able to do this easily! (couldn't believe it unless I watched it). He was able to find and step over jumps and find things in the training room, based on smell alone, he was also able to do the same course with sound (different levels for distance that changed sound as he neared). I know this sounds odd for humans, but it taught him to trust his sense of smell and hearing, to be able to judge distances based on smell and sound. I don't know why this couldn't be adapted for Saffy. She is a very smart breed and needs lots to do to be happy. I hope you are able to get her into this special training and KNOW she would love it. Please keep us abreast on her progress.


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