puppies inside: FLD Bravo

Showing posts with label FLD Bravo. Show all posts

Friday, November 21, 2014

The Golden Boys return

July 18, 2014
Rochester Hills

Puppy counselor Tammy delivered FLDs Bravo, Drummond and Granite to Leader Dogs for the Blind. She sent an email with the following "report."

I have attached the pictures and story of my trip to Leader Dog with Bravo, Drummond, and Granite. All three were wonderful travelers on our almost eight hour trek south (traffic and construction slowed us down). The guys should be proud of them. All three of them walked on nice loose leashes as I walked them from the van into Leader Dog. The staff at Leader Dog will take wonderful care of them. I am sure they are settling in nicely and have been spending some time playing together as well as with a few other dogs-maybe even some of their siblings.

GREAT JOB GUYS!!!!!

A golden retriever wearing a blue bandana is leashed to a black stature of a sitting german shepherd. The golden is sniffing the rear end of the stature.

The golden retriever is now sitting next to the german shepherd stature. He is facing the camera with his tongue hanging out like he is smiling.

Since Bravo was in front, I decided to check him in first. We walked around a little and then I took him to meet the German Shepherd statue. I guess even dog statues need to have a proper greeting.

The golden is sitting on a blue canvas dog bed that is inside a large dog kennel. He is looking at the camera with the same happy expression.

Bravo wasn't too sure about getting in the kennel even with some toys, a water dish, and his supper in there.

One of the dog care staff crawled in and soon he was in her lap. She was able to crawl back out and Bravo ate his dinner and tried out his new bed.

Another golden retriever is sniffing the black german shepherd statue.

This golden retriever is sitting further from the black german shepherd stature. He is looking up and to the right, with a proud expresssion on his face. He is also wearing a blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

Granite came next. He also gave the Shepherd statue a proper greeting before he would sit beside him for his picture. Many of the staff remembered him and commented that he had grown up.

The golden is sitting on the same kind of dog bed in a different kennel, looking at the camera. The kennel has tan tile walls with metal bars for the door. There is a teal blue sign on the top right of the kennel that says "dog care only."

Granite walked right into his kennel, at dinner and settled on his new bed.

Yet another golden retriever is sniffing the black german shepherd stature, but this one is sniffing the face and not the rear. He is also wearing the blue bandana.

This golden is lying down next to the black stature, with his tongue hanging out and smiling at the camera.

Finally, it was Drummond's turn. He had waited so patiently. He was very cautious and curious as we walked around a little bit before it was his turn to meet the statue.

The golden is standing in a kennel looking at the camera with the same happy expression. There is a teal blue sign on the top right that reads "dog care only."

Drummond had no problem entering his kennel. He checked out his toys, bed, water and his dinner which he ate slowly.

Once the Golden Boys were settled, I gave each one a hug and wished them well. I took a picture of their names on the wall and noted that Drummond's brother, Bruin, was in the same bay so I'm sure they will be playing together in the next few days! Now on to their next part of their journey. Dogspeed!

A black sign with clear plastic sleeves to contain white tags with the names of dogs typed on them. The first three on the top left side read Granite, Drummond and Bravo. After a space on that side is the name Bruin. On the right side are three empty spots followed by a tag that reads PUPS 6-12 mo, followed by the names Teddy and Coda.

Thank you, Tammy, for the great report and taking such good care of the Golden Boys!

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.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Gone shopping

June 20, 2014

Chippewa

There is more in store. (Pun intended.) Tammy lines the teams up as we did in Baraga last month. This will be an "outdoor" mall in the yard. The handlers pick up their pay - a sealed envelope of kibble and treats - grab a plastic shopping bag, select a balloon, marking pen and dog treat, and pay the cashier $1.72. All while managing their puppy.

There are a group of inmates standing in line next to a wood picnic table, with their puppies sitting nearby. From left to right is a German Shepherd, a black lab, a yellow lab, a golden retriever and a chocolate lab. There are other men standing in the background looking on. They are outside in the prison yard and the brick wall of the unit is behind them.

Long line at check out.

Standing in line, juggling pay envelopes and grocery bags, staving off strangers who want to pet their puppies, is a new experience for these puppy-raising teams. The puppies seem more at ease than their handlers, who struggle a bit with how to hold the leash and bag and still count out money, although every puppy is interested in the exchange of edible cash.

A golden retriever is sitting next to a wood picnic table, peering at his handler's hands. The handler, on the left, has a handful of kibble in his right hand and is taking bits out with his left hand. The puppy's leash is around the man's left wrist, as well as the handle of a plastic shopping bag. On the table is a ripped open envelop with kibble spilling out and a silver dog bowl filles with bits of kibble and a milkbone. The "cashier's" arms are hlding the bowl from the right side. In the background are the legs of two men dressd in the prison blue uniforms.

FLD Drummond watches intently, no doubt hoping some "cash" will fall.

The photo is taken from a low position looking up at two men and a black lab around a wood picnic table. Both men are wearing the blue prison uniforms. The man on the left is reaching to the puppy's collar with his right hand. The man on the right is African American and is leaning ove rthe table with an envelop in his right hand.

Abe does a convincing job as cashier. He even supports FLD Sammy's collar while Ro counts his kibble.

Upon completion of the transaction, the teams blow up the balloons and work together to draw faces on them. The puppies are exposed to something new - there are no balloons in prison.


Cory strains to blow up a balloon. Will it explode? His puppy-raising teammate, Cody, and FLD Bravo look on.

It starts to rain, so we gather in a small classroom to finish up. Tammy puts me on the spot. I have to declare a "best balloon face." I visit each team and take pictures. One drawing is artistic, one is creative and another is funny. Most are smiling faces. Two are puppy faces; one even sports a Future Leader Dog bandana.

I am not happy about having to choose one over the others.

It seems a simple exercise, but I'm learning there is more at stake here than meets the eye.

When selecting inmates to join the puppy-raising program, the prison sets the criteria, not Leader Dogs for the Blind. The prison also assigns the men to teams and selects the primary raiser for each puppy. The men are held to higher standards than other prisoners in the unit and are taken out of the program for any infraction, no matter how slight. We see new faces almost every month.

The men are waiting. I look from team to team. I think about a decision RUM Steve made in Baraga when a German Shepherd puppy joined their ranks. The pup was assigned to a calm, quiet and not-so-arrogant inmate; a different choice had the potential for conflict within the unit.

If I choose that one, I think, his head will swell. If I choose that one, the others will think it is because I am partial to his puppy. If I choose that one, will it cause discouragement among the rest?

Six men are holding up white balloons with faces drawn on them. Four of the men are standing behind a table with four light blue plastic chairs upside down on the top of the table. The fifth man is behind the table too, but is sittin down. He has his left hand on the shoulder of a golden retriever who is sitting in front of him. In the background behind this man is another man holding a ballon up high.There are a few more men behind the group, not very muc in view. The are in a room with white brick walls.

The judging.

Suddenly it comes to me. I choose a "new" guy, who has been quiet and polite, always open to our suggestions and helpful to the other teams.

A man with glasses wearing a white t-shirt is standing on the left holding a white balloon in his right hand. His forearm is full of tatooes. In the background to the right is a man dressed in the blue prison uniform.

Eric holds up the winning balloon.

The room erupts in applause. An inmate standing close to me says to his teammate, "That's great she chose him, instead of someone who would let it go to his head."

Whew!

Saturday, November 1, 2014

A pledge

November 1, 2014

Regrettably delinquent. I confess I have neglected this story.

My self-imposed sentence? To catch things up by December 4, 2014.

Have you ever heard of NaNoWriMo? The National Novel Writing Month began in 1999 when a group of 21 young writers in the San Francisco Bay Area thought that becoming novelists would give them a better chance at getting dates. For one month they got together to churn out 50,000 words a piece. In the process, they discovered that writing this way - "half-literary marathon and half block party" - was fun. Because what they ended up with was not "horrible," they thought anyone could do it too. The national challenge to write a novel in one month was born.

In 2013, according to the NaNoWriMo website, "310,095 participants started the month of November as auto mechanics, out-of-work actors and middle school English teachers. They walked away novelists."

Crazy.

I've been called crazy more than once, but rest assured I am NOT signing up for the NaNoWriMo!

Instead, I am challenging myself to write posts about our June, July, August, September and October visits to the Chippewa and Baraga Correctional Facilities and finish before I next visit in December. (I am not able to make the trip this month.)

Ready?

Here goes...

June 20, 2014

Chippewa

Tammy and I make a one-day trip for a special delivery.

A close shot of a fuzzy white golden retriever puppy being held by a woman just off camera to the right. The puppy is looking right at the camera and has dark eyes and a black nose.

FLD Andie!

A man in a light blue shirt is holding the fuzzy puppy in his arms. He is looking down at the puppy and has a surprised smile on his face. He has a mustache. The puppy is cradled in his left arm and his right hand is petting the puppy's neck.

Warden Woods is excited to meet the new arrival.

A bald man wearing a white t-shirt is standing on the left with a huge smile. Next to him is a man with a blue shirt on - the fuzzy puppy is being lifted over this man's right sholder. In the background is a woman and man standing and watching.

FLD Andie is presented to his raiser, Abe (in the blue shirt), and co-raiser Carlos.

A close shot of the man in the blue shirt snuggling the fluffy puppy. The man's eyes are closed and he is pressing his face against the puppy's face. The puppy's front paws are sticking straight out toward the camera. On the right, a tatooed arm is reaching over to pet the puppy's ear. A man is out of focus in the background, sitting down on the right.

Abe seems to be drinking in the sweet puppy breath of little Andie.

The man in the blue shirt (and prison blue pants) is still snuggling the puppy, but he is showing the puppy to a row of six men and a larger golden retriever. The men are all wearing white t-shirts and blue pants, except for one man on the right who is wearing maroon pants.

Abe introduces FLD Andie to FLD Bravo and some of the other puppy raising teams.

Sunday, August 31, 2014

Catchup 3

May 14, 2014

Chippewa

PART THREE - PUPPY FURLOUGH

"The bus is here," ARUS Rob announced. Gary was a bit early. As an outside puppy raiser Gary also drove a school bus for the Pickford Public Schools. Tammy had arranged for him to take the older Chippewa pups and their furlough handlers to the elementary school for an outing. Not only would the puppies experience a bus ride, they would be exposed to lots of kids on the playground during recess.

Tammy still had items on her agenda, but our session was over. She had covered information about TAG teach, a sort of "clicker" training for people that we learned at Leader Dog during puppy counselor training, but we had no time to try the exercises. Maybe next trip.

This photo is shot from inside the school bus looking down the stairs. A woman with long brown hair wearing blue jeans, a light purple shirt with a gray zippered sweathshirt open over it, is stepping up and holding the railing with her right hand. She is holding a leash in her left hand, attached to a yellow lab who is stepping up the steps with her. The woman is looking down at the dog. She also has a black treat bag around her waist.

Kim negotiates the bus steps with FLD Ecko. Check out the nice loose leash!

A woman with short grey hair and wearing blue jeans a grey t-shirt and a purple zippered sweatshirt open is standing at the top of the steps coming out of a school bus. She is wearing a black treat bag on her waist and smiling at the camera. A large golden retriever puppy is standing at her left side looking out at the camera. He is wearing a blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

Puppy counselor Tammy pauses at the top step with FLD Drummond before disembarking at the school.

A group of four women and two men, and six future leader dogs ( two yellow labs, one black lab, two golden retrievers and one german shepherd) stand in an elementary school yard. The brick sided building is behind the group. Three of the dogs are standing, two are sitting and the black lab is lying down.

FLDs August, Ecko, Sammy, Bravo, Drummond and Chewy hang out in the school yard with the furlough handlers. I have been instructed not to take any photographs of the children. Children played basketball, baseball, soccer, swung on swings and played on the playscape while we walked the puppies amongst them. The puppies were more interested in each other than the kids!

A child's hand pets the head of a black lab. The child is wearing a blue and grey plaid jackent. The arm of another chold is just visible in the background, wearing a navy blue with a white strip jacket.

The children were respectful in asking permission to pet the puppies. FLD Sammy was happy to oblige.

A group of people and Future Leader Dogs pose in front of a yellow school bus from the Pickford Public Schools. From left to right, a man wearing blue jeans and a white t-shirt under a grey jacket is with a black lab, a man wearing khaki pants, a green shirt and an open black jacket and a safari hat is with a golden retriever, a woman with short white hair and glasses wearing blue jeans, a grey shirt under an open purple zipper sweatshirt is with a golden retriever, a woman with short grey hair wearing blue jeans and a long sleeve orange top and holding a blue jacket is with a german shepherd, a woman with long brown hair wearing blue jeans a light purple shirt under a grey open zippered sweat shirt is with a yellow lab, a woman with longish grey hair wearing blue jeans and a dark shirt under an open light yellow jacket is with a yellow lab, and a tall man with a white mustache wearing dark pants and a short-sleeved blue polo shirt with a black lab. The first six puppies are wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and the puppy on the far right is wearing the blue working jacket.

Our intrepid furlough handlers and their charges pose after our outing. From left to right are ARUS Rob with FLD Sammy, Frank with FLD Bravo, Tammy with FLD Drummond, Rhonda with FLD Chewy, Kim with FLD Ecko, Judy with FLD August, and Gary with FLD Allegiance.

Thank you for the bus ride Gary!

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.


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!

Monday, June 30, 2014

The worst thing

April 11, 2014

Chippewa

No matter how early we wake up to park the puppies, feed the puppies, feed ourselves, haul crates and puppies and luggage back into the van, we always fall behind schedule. Today we end up 15 minutes late.

Upon arrival at the Chippewa Correctional Facility, we apologize to the staff members who meet us at the visitor entrance. They tell us they joke about it now. They never expect us when we say we're going to be there.

We must be infected with "yooper-time."

Our session starts with a bit of social time. The lunchroom tables are pushed to the perimeter of the room where the guys sit with puppies "under" their seats.

Four men sit on stools attached to a table on the left side of the picture. On man sits just out of view on the right side. The first man is an african american wearing the prison blue uniform. He has this hands clasped on his lap and below him a black lab is lying on the tile floor. The next man is leaning back with his arms folded, he is wearing blue pants and a white t-shirt. The next man is wearing a white t-shirt and light maroon pants. He is leaning over looking down at a golden retriever that is lying under him on the floor. He is petting the puppy with his left hand and his right elbow is on the table. The fourth man is just visible behind the third man, he is wearing a white t-shirt and looking away to the right. The man out of view is wearing the prison blue uniform and hs holding the leash of a black lab that is lying on the floor between his legs.

Teammates Ro and Aaron sit with FLD Sammy; Morrison tends to FLD Bravo with Cory at his back.

Tammy and I circle the room, an informal "meet and greet" with each team.

After a quick rundown of the skills we want to work on, Tammy takes John aside to sign the puppy-raising contract and review the paperwork for the newest arrival, FLD Ekco. I visit each team to ask the same two questions Tammy asked the inmates at Baraga.

1. Tell me something good about your puppy.

Many of the puppies are smart, intelligent, and attentive. Others are confident, loveable, and have a great recall. FLD Bravo's team says that the pup's "clingy-ness" is both good and bad. "We call him the old man."

2. What are you struggling with and need to work harder on?

Some puppies are overly friendly, or "ambitious socially" as Abe describes FLD Zella. A few rush stairs. Cori says that FLD Baker has a great stay, but is jumpy with loud noises. "She spooked at the cleaning cart," he reports. Baker got away from him and bolted. She ran through Unit 8, up the stairs and almost to his room before someone caught her. "She is fast!" he says. The worst thing, according to Scott, is the thought of giving FLD Drummond away.

Saying good-bye is on everyone's mind today. When Tammy and I leave this afternoon, we will be taking FLDs Nell, Zella and Tara back to Leader Dogs for the Blind to begin their formal training.

But first, we have work to do...

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

Furlough fun

April 10, 2014

en route to Chippewa

We have the rest of the day to get back east across the UP. Along the way we head straight onto E. Munising Ave in the town of Munising, instead of taking the sharp right turn that is a continuation of M-28. It is less than two miles to Munising Falls. Tammy thinks it is a good idea to take the golden boys, FLDs Drummond and Bravo, for a short hike. We are eager to stretch our legs, too.

The trail to the falls is snow covered, but packed down enough to walk on. Mostly.

A woman dressed all in blue wearing sunglasses appears to be kneeling on a snowcovered path with a golden retriever in front of her. There is a wooded fence along the path with trees in the background.

No, Tammy is NOT kneeling next to FLD Drummond. Her right leg sunk into the snow up to her knee!

The same woman is bracing her hands on the golden retriever as she struggles to pull her right leg out of the snow. She is blurry, but the dog is in good focus.

FLD Drummond holds still as Tammy extracts her leg.

A golden retriever is rolling in a snow bank, he has smashed his head into the snow. A brown leather leash is attached ot his collar.

FLD Bravo takes a snow bath.

Two golden retrievers stand in front of a wooden fence, their leashes are tied to the fend. They are facing each other but are looking at the camera. There is snow all around and in the background is a tall partly frozen waterfall, coming down from a limestone cliff. There are some small fir trees to the left and bare limbed hardwood trees to the right.

FLDs Bravo and Drummond strike a post at Munising Falls.

A cloer shot of the two goldens, who are now close together. One of them is sitting underneath the other one that is standing. The sitting golden has his eyes closed and looks like he is smiling. The dog that is standing is also smiling and is looking to the right. They are in front of the wooden fence, and all the rest is snow.

Silly Bravo can't get close enough to his buddy Drummond.

Tammy asks me to videotape FLD Drummond walking because she said the guys had some concerns about his gait. (We don't notice anything unusual.) The beauty-boy does a nice job of what we call "connected walking." He keeps a loose leash, yielding to gentle pressure, but is not expected to maintain a tight heel position at Tammy's left side. At one point a family carrying a small, yippy dog exits the trail onto the parking lot where we are shooting; Drummond is interested, but quickly refocuses. Good boy!

Friday, November 21, 2014

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Sunday, August 31, 2014

PART THREE - PUPPY FURLOUGH

Thank you for the bus ride Gary!

Friday, August 29, 2014

PART TWO - TRAINING

Monday, June 30, 2014

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

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