Showing posts with label FLD Adelle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label FLD Adelle. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

The next day

July 18, 2014
Chippewa

The day after Puppy Days at the Chippewa Correctional Facility was a watershed moment. Scott's feelings of "impending loss" were about to become real. FLDs Drummond and Bravo, the first puppies in the Leader Dogs for the Blind prison puppy-raising program in Michigan, were returning to the Rochester Hills campus for their formal guide dog training. Joining the two golden retrievers was FLD Granite, a "finishing" puppy that came to Chippewa some months ago.

It was their time.

More than a dozen men and one woman are standing or sitting around a room. The men are wearing prison garb, blue or green pants with white t-shirts or blue shirts. The woman is wearing blue jeans and a yellow shirt. There are many puppies with the men, some golden retrievers, black and yellow labs, and one german shepherd. The woman is going to each team and greeting the handler and dog.
Practicing meet & greets.
But first. Tammy-the-taskmaster wanted the group to do a few exercises before she completed the separation paperwork with Scott, Morrison and Jeremy, the raisers of the three dogs. We applied Frontline on all the puppies, practiced meet & greets, handler's exams and "arounds."

Then we chatted about the Puppy Days celebration; we decided it all went very well. The men were thrilled with how receptive the guests were to them. Joe said when the presentations were over and the guests were invited to partake in pizzas and deserts prepared by inmates in the prison's culinary program, he thought everyone would rush over to the food tables.

"Instead, they all got in line to meet all of us," Joe said. "They shook our hands and told us we were doing a great job." None of the men expected this kind of reaction.

One woman and three men are standing in line, talking to the prisoners that are standing against the wall in the gym. The inmate on the right is wearing blue pants and a white t-shirt. He is holding a small black lab puppy and leaning toward another man and listening. The woman, wearing a yellow shirt, is on the far left, followed by a man wearing a yellow vest, then a man wearing blue jeans and a blue shirt, then a bearded man wearing khakis and a royal blue shirt.
Inmate raiser Joe (right) holds FLD Teysen while being greeted by Dave Bardsley and Lions Club members.

But there it was, a transcendence of circumstance. These were men after all, paying their dues, attempting to bring positive change to themselves by creating opportunities of independence to strangers they will never meet. Raising puppies!

On to business. The men shared stories about the three pups that were about to leave.

FLD BRAVO
Raisers Morrison and Cody revealed how nervous they were when young little Bravo arrived. "He's a sensitive puppy," they said, nicknaming him "Budbuddog." ("All one word," they said.) Morrison told a story about Bravo having an accident that elicited laughter around the room. "I had poop on my leg and in my new Nikes!" he said.
A man wearing blue prison pants and shirt with an orange vest is kneeling on his left knee next to a golden retriever, who is standing, looking toward the camera. The man is looking at the dog, with his left arm draped over the back of the dog, and holding up a certificate with his right hand. There are two men and a woman in the background.
Morrison and FLD Bravo show off the "thank you" certificate from Leader Dog.

FLD DRUMMOND
Everyone agreed that the big golden was a protector and guardian of the new puppies. "He let Ashley walk on his back in the snow," they said. The men shoveled pathways in the deep snow. Ashley was walking on top of the banks and couldn't make the jump over the chasm to the other side. Drummond positioned himself so the pup could use him as a bridge.
A floor level shot of a small yellow lab (left) lying next to a large golden retriever, who is also lying on the tile floor. The little puppy has her chin on the floor, looking at the camera. The golden's head is up and he is looking off to the right.
FLD Adell (left) lies safely next to FLD Drummond.


A man dressed in the priosn blue uniform and an orange vest is squatting down with a golden retriever on the left. The man's right arm is wrapped around the shoulders of the dog. The dog is standing and looking at the camera. The man is holding a certificate in his left hand. There is a woman and two men in the background.
Scott and FLD Drummond with the Leader Dog "thank you" certificate.

FLD GRANITE
The teams were afraid of this finishing puppy when he came to Pike Unit. "The first night he growled like a golden with a toy in his mouth," Jeremy said. And Granite wouldn't let them get close - he came a long way with Jeremy's help.
A man wearing the blue prison uniform and an orange vest is squatting next to a golden retriever. The golden is sitting down on the right side and is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. The man has his left arm draped over the dog's shoulders and is holding up a certificate in his right hand. The man has a very big smile on his face. There are three men in the background.
Jeremy and FLD Granite are proud of their Leader Dog "thank you" certificate.

Doug added a story about Tammy's FLD Harper, who had spent some time in Pike Unit with him. One morning when Harper woke him up because he needed to "park," Doug stopped to use the restroom on the way. Little Harper couldn't wait and Doug had a mess to clean up. "I learned you can't procrastinate with a puppy," he said.

Two men are sitting down behind a yellow lab, who is sitting on the tile floor in front of the man on the left. The man on the left is wearing green pants and a white t-shirt. The man on the right is wearing blue prison pants and a white tank shirt and a blue baseball cap. The men are holding up a certificate between them.
John (left) and Harlan (right) hold up FLD Ekco's AKC Canine Good Citizen certificate.

The guys encourage Ro to demonstrate his method of urging the laid-back FLD Sammy to "get a move on." Amongst cheers, Ro danced across the room with the lab singing a do-rop ditty. Too bad we couldn't get a recording!

An african american wearing prison blue pants and a white t-shirt is walking toward the camera with a leash in his hands, looking down to a young black lab at his side. There are men sitting all around three sides of the room behind the man and dog.
Ro and FLD Sammy kickin' it out.

DOGSPEED PUPPIES!

A man wearing an orange vest is on the right holding a golden retriever with his left arm and hand. The golden is sitting in front of him in a van with his head pressed against the man's chest. There is a dog crate in the background with a yellow lab looking out.
Morrison says good-bye to FLD Bravo...
The man wearing the blue prison uniform and an orange vest is turning away from the van. He is looking down facing the camera with a strained expression on his face.
...not an easy task.

A man wearing a blue shirt and an orange vest and glasses is leaning in toward a dog airline crate that is in the back of a white van. The crate door is open and there is a golden retriever sniffing the man's left hand.
Scott leaves a treat for FLD Drummond.
The man in the blue shirt and orange vest is turning away from the van and looking at the camera with a sad face. A woman wearing blue jeans and a blue t-shirt is closing the door of the airline crate.
Tammy latches the door of Drummond's crate as Scott turns away.

A man wearing a blue shirt and an orange vest is reaching his right hand toward a golden retriever that is sticking his head out of an airline crate. The man is facing away from the camera toward the dog.
Jeremy reaches toward FLD Granite for a last pet.

Two airline crates are in the back of a van with two golden retrievers in them. The dogs are both standing up looking out from the crates. There are two leashes on the floor of the van in front of the crates and a blue Future Leader Dog bandana.
FLDs Granite and Drummond.
Two airline crates hold a yellow lab (left) and a golden retriever. The dogs are lying down looking toward the camera. The crates are in a van and there is a leash on the floor in front of them.
FLD Grant, who was just visiting, and FLD Bravo.

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Saturday, November 15, 2014

War to peace?

July 17, 2014
Chippewa

Two men, wearing blue prison uniforms (the man on the left is wearing a white t-shirt, are facing a gym wall. They are using a metal rolling ladder to tape posters on the wall.
D Lo and Eric tape thank-you posters to the gym wall.


 
Tammy and I came back to Chippewa in the morning. ARUS Rob took us, and some of the inmate raisers, to the gym where the activities would be taking place in the afternoon. While the guys taped thank-you posters on the wall and set up chairs, I test-played the video the men had asked me to make. (Check out my post about Puppy Days here to see the video: http://puppiesinside.blogspot.com/2014/07/one-year-already.html)




The piercing puppy cry in the opening scene caught everyone's attention. The men paused in their preparations, the room stilled as Queen's song, "My Best Friend," echoed off the walls. I glanced around at the mens faces, hoping my video did the journey of the past year justice.

Moist eyes all around were all the affirmation I needed, but Doug noticed something in the video that I caught right away when I put it together. The faces of the men in photos from the beginning of the program were reserved, closed - quite opposite of their faces in later photos.

"Everyday we have to put on our hard faces," Doug said. He said that in prison you have to be ready to "go to war" everyday.

What softened their faces? Puppies!

Two men stand against a brick wall facing the camera, both are wearing the blue prison uniforms. The man on the left is holding a yellow lab puppy in his right arm with the leash hanging down. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. The men have somber faces.
In the beginning. Dave and Eric pose with FLD August. Photo taken by Doug.

Two men are kneeling on one knee in front of a Leader Dogs for the Blind banner, looking at the camera. The men are wearing blue prison pants, the man on the left is wearing a white t-shirt and the man on the right is wearing a green sweatshirt. Between them is a young yellow lab that is sitting looking at the camera with a graduation cap on his head.
Later. Eric and Dave with FLD August - a STAR PUPPY!


Two men stand in front of a brick wall, the african american man on the left is wearing blue prison pants and a white t-shirt, he is holding a small black lab puppy in his arms. The man on the right is wearing the blue prison uniforms. They have serious looks on their faces.
In the beginning. Ro and Abe pose with FLD Sammy. Photo taken by Doug.

A man dressed in the blue prison uniform is squatting on a tile floor, he is hugging a young yellow lab. The lab is wearing a blue Future Leader Dog jacket. In the background are two men and a woman and a golden retriever, on the right side are the legs of men standing in a line.
Later. Abe gives FLD Zella a big hug. Ro is in the background joking with visitor Kim (left) and Robert.

A bald man wearing a white t-shirt is smiling at the camera, he is holding a small yellow lab puppy in his left arm. The puppy is looking at the camera and is wearing a blue Future Leader Dog bandana.
Tim and FLD Adell. Doesn't his smile say it all?

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Friday, November 14, 2014

Ready for a celebration

July 16, 2014
Chippewa

We travel north every month and every month is different from the last. In July, we don't make the long trip west to Baraga; instead we have an extended visit in the eastern UP. The afternoon of Thursday, July 17 is Chippewa Puppy Days, a one-year celebration of the Leader Dogs for the Blind/Chippewa Correctional Facility prison puppy-raising program. 

Because Deb Donnelly, Puppy Development Supervisor at Leader Dog, is coming from the west to attend the event, she stops at the Baraga Correctional Facility to conduct the monthly training class in our place.

Tammy and I head up to Chippewa the day before Puppy Days. The guys want to firm up their presentation.

It is obvious they are ready.

A small yellow lab puppy is sitting down and gazing up into the bright blue sky. She is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. Behind her is the brick building of the Pike Unit.
Super Dog FLD Adell at the ready!

Here are photos of the men practicing their routine in the Pike Unit yard.

A man wearing the blue prison uniform is bending down to give a treat to a small golden retriever puppy that is lying on the ground next to him. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. There are two yellow labs standing int he background. The ground is sand with some grass.
Abe rewards FLD Andie with a bit of kibble as the men leave their puppies in a STAND/STAY. We are impressed at how the men set their puppies up to succeed.

A small yellow lab puppy is lying on the grass with her right front paw resting on the black shoe of her handler, who is standing on the left (only his feet are visible in the shot). The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and is looking up at the handler.
FLD Adell keeps tabs on her handler.

A man dressed in prison blue pants and a white t-shirt is bending over placing bits of kibble on the grass in front of a young chocolate lab. The lab is lying down facing the left and wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. The puppy is looking intently at the kibble with his tongue just coming out. There are legs of another man in the background, wearing maroon sweat pants.
FLD Bandit stares intently at the bits of kibble Justin stages as a distraction.

The young chocolate lab is still lying on the ground while the lower legs and boots of a man pass by behind.
FLD Bandit holds his down while ignoring the kibble, and the men running by.

A young black lab is running toward the camera acroos the grass and dirt yard. He is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. There are two men behind him, only their legs are showing, the man on the left is wearing green sweatpants, the man on the right is wearing the blue prison uniform. There is a yellow lab and chocolate lab lying down on the far right side looking to the left at the running dog.
FLD Sammy takes off on a recall across the yard in front of a line of puppies.

A man dressed in the blue prison pants and a white t-shirt is standing half out of view on the right side of the picture; sitting at his left side is a small black lab with his back to the camera. The puppy is looking up at the man. Beyond them is another man squatting down, wearing green sweatpants and a white t-shirt, he is facing to the left and there is a small yellow lab puppy standing in front of him looking at him. There is a brick building in the background.
FLD Teysen looks up at his handler, while Tim helps FLD Adell stand.


The men are happy when we leave FLD Grant (a yellow lab that I have been puppy-sitting for a few weeks) and FLD Gage (a golden retriever puppy that is destined for Baraga) overnight. FLD Grant will stay in their charge until we leave the day after Puppy Days. ARUS Tammy from Baraga is picking up FLD Gage in the morning.

A young yellow lab is lying on a green rug on beige tile flooring, he is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog jacket and looking up at the camera. A leash is attached to his collar.
FLD Grant.

A man wearing green pants and a white t-shirt and blue baseball cap is lying on the grass on his back. He is holding a small golden retriever puppy on his chest with his hands, the puppy looks like it is squirming. The man has a surprised look on his face.
John has some fun with FLD Gage.
 
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