Hotel time with the Golden boys

April 9/10, 2014

Baraga

We arrived at the welcoming Baraga Lakeside Inn after 10 p.m. Both Drummond and Bravo were shy to "park." They were not interested in anything except each other, so Tammy took Drummond around one side of the building and I retreated with Bravo.

Success! (Only a puppy raiser can fully understand this achievement.)

The two boys played in the room for a bit. Without being told they settled. I was surprised they didn't curl up together. Drummond headed for the corner next to where Tammy was checking emails on her laptop and Bravo stretched out at my feet.

FLD Bravo calls it a night. (Check out his nice short nails!)

At 4 a.m. I was awakened by the sound of panting and whining. Unable to tell from which soft-sided crate the rustle came, I decided to "park" myself before heading outside. By the time I was done all was quiet so I crawled back into bed. I got to sleep for almost another two hours. We were due at the prison at 8:30, but it is always amazing how much time we need in the morning. Parking puppies, feeding them, parking them again, packing, and grabbing a bite to eat ourselves.

When it was time to load up, I took FLD Bravo out to the Leader Dogs for the Blind van to work with getting him into the airline crate staged in the back. The day before he had balked at the jump. I wanted to give him a chance to figure out that it was okay.

FLD Bravo placed his front paws on the bumper and leaned into the crate for a sniff. As he backed out his puppy tag caught on the wire door. He startled and jumped away. The crate followed. I made a quick body check to stop it and Bravo was unscathed.

There was no getting him into it now. FLD Bravo sat at my feet for the short drive to the Baraga Correctional Facility.

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Disclaimer: Stuff happens. We managed the situation upon leaving Baraga by having Bravo get into the crate while it was sitting on the ground outside the van. Which he readily did. RUM Steve and inmate-raiser Steve lifted the crate into the van with Bravo in it. During our next day's session at Chippewa, we brought the crate inside and Bravo's raisers did some fine work helping him get comfortable.