puppies inside: Leader Dogs for the Blind

Showing posts with label Leader Dogs for the Blind. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 11, 2015

News

Chippewa

October 23, 2014

Deb Donnelly's visit with the men in Pike Unit begins with an announcement by ARUS Rob. Abe, who is quick to introduce himself with the phrase, "I raise champions," has passed his GED!


Abe (left) is currently raising FLD Andie, the golden retriever that is lying between his feet. His last puppy, FLD Zella, returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind in April. In September she was matched with her new person!

Each prison facility sets its own requirements for inmates to participate in the Leader Dogs for the Blind puppy-raising program. One prerequisite here at Chippewa is that the inmate must have a high school diploma or GED. ARUS Rob made an exception for Abe. He saw potential in the young man, who had been working hard to get his GED.

Applause was freely given.

As usual, I hand FLD Henry's leash to an inmate so I can concentrate on taking photos. I am impressed by the patience of these men. Matt is eager to handle my barking puppy, even if Henry can be a handful.

A yellow lab/golden retriever mix puppy is lying on a tile floor between the feet of an inmate, whose legs and feet are only in view on the left. The man is wearing maroon sweat panst and white tennis shoes and his holding the leash to the puppy. The puppy is facing out to the right and is wearing the baby blue Future Leader Dog jacket. He is busy chewing on an antler that is between his front paws. In the background is a yellow lab that is lying on a blue mat. She is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and has her head up looking toward the other puppy.

FLD Henry is busy with the antler that Matt gave him to chew. FLD Adell is interested.

A man wearing a white long sleeved t-shirt and maroon sweat pants and white tennis shoes is leaning down and petting the yellow lab/golden retriever puppy that is lying between his feet. The puppy is on his left side facing to the right, with a grey mat and antler next to him. The yellow lab puppy behind him is also lying on her left side. There are two other puppies in the far background. One is a black lab standing up and facing away from the camera, the other is a german shepherd lying facing the camera.

Matt does a good job helping FLD Henry settle.

The yellow lab/golden mix puppy is now on his right side with his left paw on the face of the yellow lab beyond him. This lab is lying on her left side facing him. She is also wearing the blue working jacket. There is now streaks of sunshine across the floor.

FLDs Henry and Adell share a cuddle.

The yellow lab/golden mix puppy has his head up now and is leaning back away from the yellow lab on the right. The lab is still lying donw, but her head is up too and she has her mouth open almost over the snout of the puppy on the left.

Henry leans away from Adell's advances.

A floor level shot of the lab/golden puppy lying on the grey mat between the feet of his handler. The puppy has his head resting on the floor next to the man's right foot and has his eyes closed. The man is scratching the puppy's head with his left hand.

Matt regroups FLD Henry and helps him relax.

A man wearing a white t-shirt and green pants and a blue ball cap is sitting on the tile floor on the left with his legs crossed. He is facing right. His arms are stretched out resting on his knees. In front of him is the lab/golden puppy, who is lying on the floor facing the camera, but his head is turned to the left as he chews on the antler, which is being held in the man's left hand. In the background are the legs of the man with maroon pants and white tennis shoes, and the yellow lab. The lab is lying on her blue mat with her chin over her right leg looking toward the other puppy.

Harlan takes a seat on the floor with FLD Henry and coaxes him to chew the antler instead of causing trouble while Deb chats with the teams.

Deb shares a story about one of the men from the program who has been out on parole for a few months. Scott had raised Drummond, one of the first puppies to come to Chippewa. The big golden returned to Leader Dog shortly before Scot was paroled.

Unfortunately, Drummond was recently career-changed for anxiety-produced behaviors. Because Scott was now free, he was able to adopt Drummond. "I asked him what was the best thing about being out," Deb says, "and he answered, 'Food, food, food!'"

The guys laugh in agreement.

We are all disappointed in Drummond's career-change, but these puppies will end up just where they need to be.

A floor level shot of a large german shepherd puppy lying on the floor. He is facing the camera and his tongue is just coming out. He is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana. The background is out of focus - there are three men sitting with puppies between their feet. They are wearing white t-shirts and the blue prison pants.

FLD Jedi seems bored with all the talk.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Ten years to tell a story

October 22, 2014

Baraga

When Deb Donnelly and I arrive, the teams in Unit 8 are ready and waiting for us. Puppies are settled on mats with Kongs and Nylabones at the ready.

A low shot of a young black lab puppy lying on a green thick mat. To the left are the lower legs of the puppy's raiser, he is wearing blue prison pants and black shoes, his right hand is just visible between his knees. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and there is a red Kong on the mat by his right shoulder. The puppy's head is resting on the mat.

A relaxed FLD Eco seems to be listening intently.

Another low shot, this time of a small chocolate lab lying on the tile floor with his chin on the floor between his front paws. He is just behind the lower legs of his raiser, who is also wearing blue prison pants and black shoes. To the left in the background is a blue mat, but the puppy chose to lie on the floor instead. There is also a yellow, green and blue Nylabone puppy chew toy on the tile in front of the mat.

FLD Hershel, on the other hand, doesn't seem interested. What is it about the floor that is more comfortable than his mat?

Deb has lots to talk about. She's come from a circular road trip to prisons in Iowa, Minnesota, and Wisconsin before getting to Baraga and continuing on to Chippewa. She reports that Minnesota's Lino Lakes Correctional Facility, which started raising puppies in July of 2013, had their first puppy issued to a client the day before. Leader Dog "Lino" is now a working guide dog.

With the return of the first Baraga puppies looming in December, the men are interested about the process. Deb explains that Leader Dogs for the Blind takes in 44 puppies each month. Leader Dog veterinarians can only accommodate 11 dogs a week. (This places a demand on the breeding department on the other end.) When the puppies return they are subject to a series of medical exams and x-rays to assure excellent health. Some are pulled for breeding; those that aren't are spayed or neutered. About 14 percent are career-changed for medical issues. The rest go into formal guide work training.

"We always train more dogs than we need," Deb says. Up to 24 blind or visually impaired clients in a given "class" live in the Polk Residence at Leader Dogs for about three and a half weeks. Here they learn to care for and work with their new partner. Extra dogs are necessary so the trainers can make the perfect match with each team.

There are questions about what will happen in December when she comes to bring FLDs Axel, Bear and Copo back to Leader Dog. Deb suggests that the men develop a "good-bye" ceremony for themselves, something that can be consistently recreated for each puppy that leaves.

Saying good-bye to your puppy is hard, no matter whom the puppy raiser happens to be. After returning five of my own puppies I can attest that it never gets easier.

"The dogs do way better than the people do in this," Deb says. "They adapt very well, most of them, very quickly. It's like going to camp for them." A collective sigh and the looks on the men's faces make me believe they are not quite convinced.

A black lab is lying on a thick green mat between the legs of his raiser, who is sitting on a lunchroom table stool. The man is on the left side of the table and is wearing blue prison pants and a long sleeved white shirt. His elbows are resting on his knees and he is looking up toward the right. A second man is sitting on the stool opposite on the right. He is also wearing the blue prison pants and a long-sleeved white shirt. This man also has his elbows on his knees leaning forward with his hands clasped. He is looking at the camera. In the background are two other men sitting at another table. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and has a white Nylabone chew toy between his front paws, and a second one on the tile floor next to his mat. The puppy's chin is resting on his right leg and he is looking at the camera.

Ricky (left) and Doug (right) sit with their puppy. FLD Bear is one of the puppies slated to return to Leader Dogs for the Blind in December.

An african american man is sitting on a lunch table stool, bending over to pet a golden retriever puppy that is lying on the lile floor between the man's feet. The man is wearing the blue prison pants and a long sleeve white t-shirt and white shoes. The man's left forearm is resting on his left knee and he is petting the puppy's side with his right hand. The puppy is lying on its left side with its head toward the camera. He is wearing the blue bandana. A nylabone chew toy is on the floor by his head.

P reaches over to give a sleepy FLD Gage a pet. This little guy will be staying for a while, but P will be sad to see FLD Bear leave. P was promoted from FLD Bear's team to raise Gage.

A man wearing blue prison pants and a green jacket is sitting on a lunch table stool with his left forearm across his left knee and his right elbow on his right kneww with his chin in his right hand. The man is looking forward to the left. At his feet is a black lab that is lying facing right. There is a lunch table in front of the team, and another one in the back ground.

Black and FLD Copo, who is also slated to return in December.

Inmate raiser Black will have it especially hard in December. He was promoted from FLD Bear's team to take over as Copo's raiser, so he'll be saying good-bye to two puppies.

Black feels so changed by this program that he recently made a generous donation to Leader Dogs for the Blind. (His job in the Baraga Correctional Facility pays him 74 cents per day.)

Deb feels their pain. FLD Jedi, the 20th puppy she's raised, is due to go back to Leader Dog within a couple of weeks.

A woman dressed in black pants and an orange fleece jacket is standing with her hands on her hips on the right of the picture. At her feet is sprawled a large german shepheard dog, he is practically lying on her feet with his chin resting on the tile floor. He is facing to the right. On the left of the picture is an african american man sitting on a lunch table stool facing the woman. He is wearing the blue prison uniform and white shoes. At his feet in front of him is a small chocolate lab that is sitting on a blue mat with a yellow, green, and lbue nylabone puppy chew toy in front of him. The puppy is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandan and is facing the right.

Deb Donnelly speaks to the inmate raisers with FLD Jedi sprawled at her feet. Brown (left) sits with his charge, FLD Hershel.

"There's somebody out there who needs this dog more than I do," she says. She tells a story about one of the puppies she raised long ago. The puppy "graduated" and was matched with a young man, it was his first Leader dog. Deb got the chance to meet the painfully shy and reserved man. He had a difficult time speaking to her.

Some years later, when he received a second dog, Deb witnessed an amazing transformation. The man stood up in front of everyone. (Back then the graduating teams were introduced as a group to the raisers during "visitation" night at Leader dog. Now the puppy raiser has an individual visit with the new team.) Deb says he would never have done that the first time she met him. He announced that his goal was to meet one million people. He asked that each and every person should come up and shake his hand.

With a catch in her voice, Deb says, "It took me 10 years before I could even tell this story."

A close head shot of the large german shepherd puppy lying across the woman's purple running shoes. The dog is facing the camera with his chin on the tile floor. His leash is lying on the floor by him and his left front leg and paw are across the woman's shoes. He is looking directly into the camera. He is also wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

FLD Jedi makes sure he stays close to Deb.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

On my pledge

December 3, 2014

Home

Tomorrow, FLD Henry and I head north with Deb Donnelly, Puppy Development Supervisor at Leader Dogs for the Blind, and FLD Valor, the German Shepherd puppy she is currently raising. She will also have two little puppies that are destined for raising at the Baraga Correctional Facility.

First we stop at the Chippewa Correctional Facility, where Deb will conduct a training session with the teams. We will leave with FLD Ashley (she is due to return to Leader Dog for her formal training), and spend an overnight somewhere between Kincheloe and Baraga. (Keep in mind we'll have two little puppies, our own two puppies and Ashley.)

Second stop, Baraga Correctional Facility, where Deb will hand the two new puppies over to their raisers and conduct another training session. When we depart, we will take FLDs Axel and Bear with us, the first two puppies to come to the facility. It is their time also to return to Leader Dogs for the Blind for training. Another night on the road, again with five, albeit older, puppies.

Wish us luck.

And then forgive me, readers. I confess that I hit the wall in my blog-catching-up marathon. I have not fulfilled my pledge.

This blog IS "caught up" through August 2014, but no further. Write as I might, I found there is too much to share (and too many photos to process) to zip through without giving the story the attention it deserves.

You may have noticed no mention of puppy counselor Tammy in the above itinerary. Late in August we learned that the Leader Dog prison program has been suffering from a good problem - it has grown too quickly! Three prisons in Iowa, one each in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and three now in Michigan (one in Jackson started earlier in the year), plus, two more correctional facilities in Michigan (one in the UP and one in mid-Michigan) are waiting to get started.

Who knew? Being successful is great, but it can still be a problem.

Leader Dog had budgeted to hire a dedicated staff person to oversee the prison puppy-raising program, but that position would not be filled until January of 2015. The program needed someone right away. There were no "official" Leader Dog protocols in place for things like furloughs and prison-readiness. Puppy counselors at the facilities already on line were doing the best they could, but it became clear that consistency was lacking. It was too much for just volunteers to handle.

So, effective October 1, Leader Dog assigned Deb Donnelly the task of assessing the situation (and taking over the monthly visits) until the new person came on board. Puppy counselors were pulled, but fortunately I was invited to continue documenting the program.

Thus, Tammy and I had our last UP prison visit together in September. I promise to post about that trip (or, as it turned out, our trips).

In October, Deb scheduled her prison visits to start in Iowa; she came to the UP via Minnesota and Wisconsin. FLD Henry and I met her in Baraga and followed along to Chippewa. I will post about this journey as well.

In November, a family trip precluded my going to the UP with Deb. I thought the break would be enough for me to catch up! Not so. To the inmate raisers (who cannont access this blog, except through their families), I offer my sincerest apology. Can you bear with me? Because I will continue...

Monday, November 24, 2014

Baraga testimonials

The Leader Dogs for the Blind award-winning prison puppy-raising program has a positive effect no matter where the puppies are being raised. The program started 12 years ago at the Fort Dodge Correctional Facility in Iowa. According to Warden James McKinney, the recidivism rate at his facility is significantly lower than at prisons nationwide. He attributes this to the puppy-raising program.

Inmate raisers at the Chippewa Correctional Facility read personal testimonials at their Puppy Days celebration in July. (Read Scott's speech here, Ro's speech here, and Doug's speech here.)

Two raisers at the Baraga Correctional Facility agreed to share their personal stories. Here are their words...

RICKY

My name is Richard Dean Hetherington, but most people call me Ricky. I am 37 years old and from the Oakland County area. Right now, I am currently serving time at the Baraga Correctional Facility where I have been blessed in being part of the Leader Dog Program.

I am so grateful, and thankful for this program and the people involved. Even more, I am blessed to have my little buddy Bear come into my life. Bear, and this program, have taught me more about my life, and life in general, than any program in 15 years of prison. This little guy has given me more than I’ll ever be able to teach him.

Ricky and FLD Bear.

When I wake up in the morning I am waking up for someone other than myself. When situations happen here in prison, or even in the world, I have to stop, and think how my reaction will affect me, my team and Bear. Everyday, I learn love, patience, responsibility and being able to think things through.

Teamwork has been something new. Teamwork, and getting along can be a problem in prison. I’ve watched my team evolve, and change as men. All of us have worked through and reacted differently in situations. People don’t realize that we’re not just training puppies. We are trying to change ourselves. This program has not only given us the tools, but has given us hands on training. Dealing with people, and problems in and out of prison.

The best thing for me personally, is a sense of pride. A sense of purpose. For once in my life I am proud of myself. I feel like I have found something I love, and I’m good at. To be ale to give back, and be part of something bigger than myself or my problems. Seeing, and hearing my family proud. To have them hear and see the change in me.

I started this program in a dark, ugly place in my life. My whole life revolved around selfishness, impulse and hopelessness. Inside and out of prison I felt lost with no purpose. Today, I know what it feels like to wake up with a purpose. To have hope that today will be a good day. To be proud of what I’m part of, that I will be responsible, patient, and think things through. To love and be loved.

Bear, and the people in this program make the day, and this place, not so dark and ugly. Pretty crazy, what a convict can teach a puppy. What’s even crazier is what a little puppy can teach a convict.

Thank you,

Ricky D. and Bear

STEVE

My name is Steven Williams and I am a prisoner at Baraga Correctional Facility for the crime of larceny from a building, serving a term of 2-15 years. I am 51 years old.

The Leader Dog program recently introduced at this facility has helped me change my ways of thinking – acting – and responding to people in more positive ways than numerous rehabs and incarcerations combined.

I started doing drugs at nine years old – sneaking beer and smoking pot. I have been addicted to drugs my whole life. I have had many devastating and negative responses to my lifestyle. And the feelings of uselessness, shame, embarrassment and hopelessness I believed that drugs could make it all go away. My dad was an alcoholic. My mom is a saint. Dysfunction and poverty was a way of life, thought normal. I started dealing drugs then became my best customer. I lied, cheated, stole and showed no respect. I made myself believe I raised four children – I had myself believing I was a hard worker – all lies of a drug addict.

Truth is I am 51 years old with too many incarcerations and rehabs – but the love I have for a FLD puppy is melting my layers of lies and irresponsibility, and helping me challenge my patience and persistence. I am a caring puppy handler who is finding a pride in a puppy I co-raised named Axel – and through my diligence and, hopefully, responsible actions I am now the raiser of my second puppy, Farley. This simple program has built more positive pride and sense of achievement in me than all my wasted years combined. To be able to know that my work will personally make the life of a handicapped person better is a blessing that I have never known.

A close up shot of a man's face pressed next to the head of a small yellow lab puppy. The man is wearing a blue prison shirt, he is smiling and holding the puppy with his left hand. The puppy is facing forward.

Steve and FLD Farley.

The vision of the Warden, RUM and ARUSs at Baraga are not only changing our lives one puppy at a time – but the lives of the prison atmosphere.

After years of negativity – and lies – it’s more than a gift of Leader Dog to allow us this opportunity – it’s a gift of life that allows us this opportunity to change who we are and who I am.

Thank you

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!

Monday, July 28, 2014

One year already!?

I left you hanging in time with my last post, patient readers, which took place in April at the Chippewa Correctional Facility. I have yet to tell you of our May and June travels to the UP prisons...the delivery of two more puppies to Chippewa and two more to Baraga, "tagging" and games, puppy furloughs and more. I will go back, I promise. But first, this...

July, 2014
Chippewa

Any puppy raiser will tell you - a year with a Future Leader Dog passes by much too quickly. Even when there are times you wonder if your brand new puppy will ever sleep through the night, never mind when it will get the idea that outside is the place to "park," the year is over before you know it.

Just when you've survived adolescent aggravations, it is time. Time for your puppy to return to Leader Dogs for the Blind. Time for your puppy to make good on all your hard work. Time to see if your puppy has what it takes to become a working guide dog.

For puppy raisers who are also prison inmates, this fast-fled year comes with mixed emotions. While never having spent a night in prison myself I can only guess that, normally, prison time creeps by for inmates counting the days until parole. For a select group of puppy-raising inmates at the Chippewa Correctional Facility, caring for Future Leader Dog puppies has made this past year fly. Now puppies must leave. And soon some raisers will make parole.

In July of 2013, Deb Donnelly (Puppy Developement Supervisor at Leader Dogs), along with puppy counselor Tammy, myself and volunteers Dave and Paula, met with Warden Jeffrey Woods and his staff at the facility. ARUS Rob gave us a tour of Pike Unit. We met a polite group of carefully selected inmates who hoped to become puppy raisers. We showed off Deb's career-changed German Shepherd Tripp, and FLDs Strider, Harper, and Dutch.

Deb gave the facility a Leader Dogs "paws up." A month later, she and Tammy handed off two male golden retriever puppies to the first two-men teams. FLDs Drummond and Bravo blazed the way for Michigan's first prison puppy raising program.

You might have been reading the "rest of the story."

Now, almost one year later, the two-golden boys are due to return to Leader Dogs for formal guide dog training. But not until the Chippewa Correctional Facility opened its gates for supporters of the program. On July 17, 2014, over 100 guests willingly entered the prison to enjoy a one-year-anniversary celebration, Chippewa Puppy Days!

A prison committee consisting of staff and inmate raisers planned the party. Speeches by the warden, ARUS Rob, and Deb pointed out the benefits of this win-win arrangement. Dr. Richard Bennett, DVM, who donates his services to the program, joked to the Lions Club members in the crowd that he had brought some feline distemper shots along with him. Elaine and her working Leader Dog Ischgi expressed heartfelt thanks to the raisers for their hard work in helping give independence to the blind and visually impaired.

It was all very moving.

The puppy raisers performed a demonstration with their puppies to show off the self-control the pups have learned. Basketballs, recalling dogs, men running and clapping and stepping over the pups and every puppy did their best.

A slightly from-above shot of a crowd on the right and front, sitting on white and blue plastic chairs facing away from the camera and to the left, where two lines of men dressed in white t-shirts and blue prison pants are lined up with their puppies on their left sides. There are posters on the gymnasium wall thanking sponsors and annoucing Leader Dogs for the Blind and Chippew Correctional Facilitiy Puppy Days. There is a large white screen hanging down from high on the far wall.

The Chippewa raisers and their Future Leader Dog puppies line up for their demonstration.

It was impressive.

And then. Four of the raisers spoke about what the experience over the past year has meant to them. Morrison, who is raising Bravo, Scott raising Drummond, Ro raising Sammy, and Doug raising Chewy. (Stay tuned for more on what these men had to say...)

There was not a dry eye in the place.

Afterwards, as the raisers stood along the sidewall of the gymnasium with their teams, the crowd filed by and shook hands with each one and greeted their puppies. Later, one raiser expressed his amazement over the attention. "I thought everyone would head right over to the food," he said. (Chippewa has a culinary arts program - the homemade gourmet pizzas and sweet deserts were delicious!)

I am proud to be associated with this group of dedicated individuals. Per ARUS Rob and the raisers' request, I put together a slideshow of our year at Chippewa to show at Puppy Days. Here it is!

To view Northern Michigan's 9/10 News coverage of the event, visit

MIGreatPlaces; Visionary Partnership in the Upper Peninsula.

Thursday, July 10, 2014

The rest of the journey...

April 11-12, 2014

NOT in the UP

Thus began the long ride back to Leader Dogs for the Blind for Nell, Zella and Tara. Here is the "rest of the story," as reported by Tammy, Leader Dog Puppy Counselor:

All the girls were great on their ride downstate. When I dropped Patti off...she helped park all the dogs. They willingly jumped back into the van ready for an adventure!

The girls were to stay at my house for the night and return to Leader Dog the following afternoon. As many of you know I have four dogs living in my house, so with the girls this would make seven! I do not have a large house, but do have a large yard for them all to run off some energy. I brought the girls in one-by-one to meet my crew and released them into the backyard for a free-for-all! Fun was had by all. By the way, Zella was in season (her second one since being placed in the prison setting.)

A slightly blurry shot of a fenced in back yard with seven dogs running around. The dog in the foreground facing left is a yellow lab, wearing panties because she is in heat. Close beyond her are two black labs running toward her. There seems to be a couple of posts in the background on the right where there are two more black labs and two golden way beyond them, running away from the camera.

Seven dogs romp in Tammy's yard.

There are five dogs sitting and one dog standing facing the camera. From left to right, a black lab sitting, a yellow lab standing, a black lab sitting, a golden retriever sitting, a black lab sitting, and a golden retriever sitting. There is a black lab's right paw just inside the frame on the far right side. The dogs are sitting on a wooden deck against a vinyl sided wall.

Seven dogs in a row: Ivan, Zella, Ruckus, Midas, Tara, Harper, and Nell. (Nell was sitting there so nicely but I only got her foot in the picture.) So then, everybody was put on a down stay but Miss Zella decided she had enough and decided to go explore.

Here is the final installment of our adventure. We arrived at Leader Dog around 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 12. Tara was the first to be returned. I took pictures of her by the German Shepherd statue outside the kennel entrance and then by the front desk.

On the left, a black lab, wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana sits next to a stature of a german shepherd, facing the camera. The dog statue is all black and the dog is in a sitting position. The lab's leash is looped around the statue's front leg. There is a brick wall below a window behind them.

FLD Tara posing in front of the Leader Dog kennel.

In the in-take room she weighed in and checked out the toy box.

This shot is taken from above, looking down into a wooden box with about 14 large Nylabone dog toys in the bottom of it. A black lab's head is over the right edge of the box, the dog is standing on white tile.

"Is that all there is? Then I don't want one."

Next came Miss Nell. She had to say "hello" to the nice German Shepherd statue before posing for her picture.

In this shot of the german shepherd stature, the statue is on the left side and a black lab is sitting on the right with its leash wrapped around one of the statue's legs. The lab is leaning toward the statue and sniffing its muzzle. The lab is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana.

Nell gives the statue a sniff.

Nell explored the intake room, weighed in, and looked in the toy box. She decided she didn't want to bring one back to the kennel with her, either.

A black lab is walking toward the camera with its tongue hanging out, its tail must be wagging becuase it is blurry! The dog is right of a couch that has a beige background and blue, maroon, orange, red and other colors of designs in the fabric. There is a yellow and blue plastric chair in the background beyond the couch. There is an off-white desk in the background mostly out of view on the right side. There seems to be someone standing by the desk, only the lower leg and foot is visible. The floor is a cream coloredtile.

Nell checks out the intake room.

Finally, it was Miss Zella's turn.

A yellow lab is now sitting on the left side, next to the german sheperd statue. Her leash is also looped around the leg of the statue and she is wearing the blue Future Leader Dog bandana and looking at the camera.

Miss Zella poses by the statue.

The yellow lab is sitting on the left side in the picture, looking up to the camera on the tile floor. To the right is the wooden box, the lid of which is closed now and there are pictures of toys and a bandana on the top with the word "Toys" in red.

"Can I look?"

Zella made her selection and in true Golden fashion (she is a golden retriever/lab mix) had to parade around the room showing it to everybody. She even carried it almost all the way to the kennel.

A yellow lab is standing in a large commercial dog kennel, looking forward and to the right. She is standing on a blue karunda dog bed and there are a couple of toys on the floor to the left. There is a blue sign on the right top that says "Dog care only."

Miss Zella hangs out in her new kennel.

We wish Tara, Nell and Zella all the best in their new adventure!