Sunday, February 9, 2014

Chippewa training - in photos

January 8, 2014

The Chippewa raisers weren't lined up waiting in the snow outside of Pike Unit when we finally arrived. Can't blame them, the wind was wicked cold. Rob was quick to bring some helpers to carry in the 50 pound bags of Purina Pro Plan Deb brought up from Leader Dogs for the Blind.

We handed off the new pups that were destined eventually for Baraga, FLDs Bear and Axel. Even FLD Jedi, the German Shepherd that Deb is raising now, went to an inmate handler. The inmates weren't excited at all. *cough

A bald young man is holding a small black lab in his tattooed arms. The puppy is facing to the left and is wearing a blue bandana.
FLD Bear.
A small yellow lab puppy is held by a young man with short dark hair. He is wearing the blue with orange stripe uniform of the prison, wth a white long stleeved shirt underneath. He has a huge smill on his face!
FLD Axel.
A small german shepheard puppy is lying on a light colored tile floor. He is wearing a blue bandana with a white and red patch that says Future Leader Dog in red letters with a black paw print. His body is facing to the right of the photo, but he is looking back over his shoulder to his left toward a pair of lower legs. The legs are wearing blue pants with an orange striped on the side, with tan boots. The puppy has a brown leather leash going up to the person.
FLD Jedi.

TIME FOR TRAINING

Two men are standing in front of metal prison tables, each with a golden retriever sitting at their left side.
FLDs Drummond and Bravo practice their "sits."

Three large puppies lie on a light colored tile floor while a woman dressed in a blue fleece jacket and blue jeans steps over them. She is on the left side facing away from the camera. Three inmate raisers stand opposite the dogs, facing the camera. There are several other men sitting in the background.
FLDs Bravo, Drummond and Zella (left to right) hold "down" positions while Deb steps over them and their handlers stand by.

A small yellow Lab puppy is facing to the left, his head is sniffing a hand that is at the floor level. A young man with short dark hair is squatting to the left of the puppy, handing him a treat. He is dressed in the blue prison uniform with an oragan strip down his shoulder. Another young man, dressed the same, is squatting behind him. That man is holding a brown leather leash.
Is FLD Axel being lured?

FLD Bear sits nicely in heel position, eyes intent on his soon-to-be-awarded treat.


At the floor-level shot of a small yellow lab walking from right to left toward a black water bowl that says Purina Pro Plan on it. A golden retriver's head is just peaking out from between the legs of an inmate wearting green pants and white tennis shoes. Another inmate is sitting behind the yellow pup wearing blue pants and blac shoes.
Learning new things makes a pup thirsty. FLD Axel heads for the water bowl. FLD Harper is happily chewing on a Nylabone.


A low-level shot of a small yellow lab in the distance, a bit out of focus. He is laying on his left side, asleep, with his brown leather leash on the floor in front of him. On the left side of the picture is the face of a larger yellow lab peeking out between inmates legs. They are wearing the blue prison pants with an orange stripe on the side.
After his drink of water, FLD Axel finds a quiet corner and takes a nap. FLD Zella hangs with her handler.
 
A bald man is squatting, facing away from the camera. He is wearing a white t-shirt and the blue and orange prison pants. A golden retriever is sprawled out on the floor facing the same way in the foreground. The dog's back legs look like frog legs!
Frog legs! FLD Bravo cools off after working his brain.

A full-sized yellow lab is lying on a light brown tile floor facing the camera. She is wearing a blue bandana with a white triangle patch with red letter that say Future Leader Dog and a black paw print. Her brown leather leash is being held by a man off camera to the left, except for his lower legs and feet. He is wearing the blue pants with an orange stripe down the side and white tennis shoes.
FLD Zella looks as though she is bored. "Really, now, all this fuss over a couple of puppies?"


FURLOUGH

After training, every Chippewa puppy went on furlough. Rob had arranged a presentation at the Pickford Fire Hall for several eastern U.P. Lions Club members. Deb talked to the group about Leader Dogs for the Blind and the prison puppy-raising program.

The pups were a big hit.

A woman dressed in a blue fleece jacket and blue jeans is kneeling on one knee on a wood floor facing a small german shepherd puppy. He is lying on a blue "mat" and facking her. She is gestering with her right hand, which has a black wrist brace on it, and is holding the pup's brown leather leash with her left hand at her right knee. A man and a woman are in the background on the right side smiling and watching the two.
Deb Donnelly talks to a group of Lions while FLD Jedi demonstrates "mat."


Three men and one woman sit on folding chairs. The first man and woman at the left are holding a yellow lab puppy. The third man is holding a black lab puppy.
FLDs Axel and Bear are great ambassadors for Leader Dogs for the Blind. The Lions Club members enjoyed holding the puppies.

A group of seven people are standing around with Future Leader Dog puppies. The woman on the far left, wearing all black and carrying a huge black purse, is interviewing a woman who is kneeling on the floor with her yellow lab puppy. Two of the other puppies are black labs, two are golden retrievers and two are yellow labs.
The Future Leader Dog pups and their furlough handlers are celebrities. A reporter from the St. Ignace News interviews the group before taking their photo.

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