Friday, August 29, 2014

Catchup 2

May 14, 2014
Chippewa

PART TWO - TRAINING


A miracle! We arrived at the Chippewa Correctional Facility on time. However, it took at least 15 minutes to get processed in. Tammy set off the metal detector, still wearing her treat bag, and Bandit signaled to park. Luckily, I got him out in time for a "big park."

After the presentation of FLD Bandit to Justin and Kris it was time for training. Tammy, as usual, had a long list of information to cover. While she went over contract paperwork with Bandit's team, I led the group through day three of the relaxation protocol, first in standing, then sitting, and finally in down positions.


An african american man on the right side of the photo, dressed in the prison blue and orange uniform, is bending over a large black lab. The man is placing a blue bandana over the head of the puppy. Two other men are sitting on stools at the lunch table behind and to the left of the man, watching him. They have the prison blue pants on with white t-shirts.
Ro practices placing the Future Leader Dog bandana over FLD Sammy's head. Ideally, Leader Dogs for the Blind wants raisers to do this with the puppy in a heel position (left side). This readies the puppies to readily accept the guide harness later in their training.

Two Golden Retrievers are standing next to their prison handler's facing the right. The men are wearing prison blue pants and white t-shirts. The second man is bending over his puppy and giving a hand signal to the pup. A woman is standing in the background to the right, she is wearing blue jeans, a gray t-shirt and a purple zip sweatshirt and is holding her hands at her chest. Another woman is sitting in a chair behind her, she is wearing blue jeans and a yellow jacket.
The inmate raisers practice some In-For-Training (IFT) obedience skills. Puppies must hold a sit, down and stand position for 30-60 seconds in heel position. Tammy had the teams swap puppies for these drills.

A close shot of a man sitting and bending over a golden retriever that is lying on the tile floor between his feet. The man is wearing blue prison pants and a white t-shirt. His right arm is leaning on his right thigh and he is checking the puppy's eyes with his left hand. There are other men and another golden retreiver beyond him. That puppy is having his teeth checked.
Cody inspects FLD Bravo's eyes as the group practices part of the IFT handler's exam. The puppies must be calm during veterinarian visits and routine checks at home.

A close shot of a bald man wearing a white t-shirt bending over a german shepherd puppy that is lying on a tile floor (the pup is wearing a blue bandana).. The man's right forearm is covered with tatooes. He is pulling the puppy's lps open and exposing his teeth. The upper right canine baby tooth is still intact and the adult canine is growing in just in front of it.
An inmate handler checks FLD Chewy's teeth. He is concerned about the baby canine tooth - it is still intact and the adult tooth is emerging in front of it. This is a situation we will watch. If the baby tooth does not come out on its own the veterinarian might have to pull it.

With puppies still handled by other teammates, Tammy has the group practice "meet and greets." Then she gets everyone up to wander about the room for recalls through a crowd. She asks me to call her puppy, FLD Harper.

Harper was sitting with an inmate. "Harper! Come!" Harper didn't move. "Hey, puppy puppy!" I howled in my best we're-going-to-have-a-party-when-you-get-here voice.

Harper was a statue. He squinted his eyes and turned his head up as if thinking, If I can't see her, she isn't there.

I darted by the golden boy, clapping my hands, "Haaaaahper!" I crooned. Harper turned his head away. He was not falling for it. "Come on, boy, it's okay," I pleaded. Harper finally broke his pose and came running. We had a little party and everyone clapped.

Tammy said, "He thought he was being set up!"

A bald man with a goatee wearing green pants and a white t-shirt is half-kneeling with a german shepherd dog sitting at his left side. The man has his hands around the dog's chest. His forearms are covered with tatooes. The dog is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana with his name "Chewy" embroidered on the side.
Doug asked me to take a photograph of him with his puppy, FLD Chewy. "When will you put this on your blog?" he asks. Finally, Doug, here it is!

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