Puppy update!

Received this email from Leader Dogs for the Blind today! An update on Dutch!

Dutch has passed his vet physical and has been neutered. He has been doing well with his playmates and has been spending time with our dogcare and volunteer team members. One stated that he likes to roll around on his back & stretch and is very talkative. I have attached some pictures of Dutch spending time in the enrichment room with one of our volunteers. He is quite gorgeous; takes great pictures!  Hope you enjoy!
Dutch is also scheduled to start phase 1 training on Monday, Nov. 25th.

Thank you for your hard work, time, & dedication to raising Dutch for Leader Dogs for the Blind!
Have a great day!

They even sent along these photos...

Dogspeed, my golden boy!

Puppy-less puppy-fixes

I am Future Leader Dog puppy-less.

FLD Dutch and I pose at the entrance to the Leader Dogs for the Blind kennel on return day.

Dutch in the intake room.

 

Evenings around here are calmer now that FLD Dutch is on his way. He went back to Leader Dogs for the Blind on November 11 to begin his formal training. 

Dutch's new tag sporting his "dog" number.

When there is a puppy underfoot, I forget how easy it is to care for my older dogs. CC'd Gus is a professional couch potato. Except when he gets the rips.

Last night, when I went out to stoke the fire before bed, was the first time since Dutch left that Gus zoomed around the yard. Even old Gypsy got into the game a bit, barking and snarling as he kicked up leaves on tight turns around her.

On his return, Dutch bounced away just like all my other puppies. Now the wait begins.

Leader Dog in-training Dutch relaxes while I finish up some paperwork. 

Luckily, I have other opportunities to get my puppy-fix.

PUPPIES!

My friends, Phyllis and Dick, home Leader Dog mom Amber. On November 2, Amber delivered her fourth litter - nine black puppies. I got to serve as "mid-wife" to the Lab/Golden mix pups.

Three boys and six girls. They are two weeks old now, eyes opening and they are pushing up on all fours.

One Amber-puppy, just opening his eyes at two-weeks of age.

PRISON PUPPY-RAISING PROGRAM

Last August,  Leader Dogs for the Blind coordinated a puppy-raising program at the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe, Michigan in the Upper Peninsula (UP). My puppy counselor, Tammy, will also be puppy counselor for the prison raisers. And I get to help!

The Chippewa puppy-raisers in August 2013 with their four puppies and FLD Dutch and FLD Harper.

We take monthly trips to the UP to help the prison-raisers and to take the puppies out on "furlough." There are now six puppies at Chippewa, so this can be a challenge. Fortunately, there are past and present puppy-raisers in the UP who have offered to help. While the prison puppies are exposed to many different distractions at Chippewa, there are a few things which they need to experience that they can't get in prison. For instance, traffic and a variety of people, like kids and women.

This week, Tammy and I are traveling to the prison with Deb, the Puppy Development supervisor at Leader Dogs. After our work at Chippewa, we head to the west side of the UP to the town of Baraga. A prison there wants to start a puppy-raising program too. I will be taking a Chippewa puppy with me to check them out.

Keep posted as I continue with updates on the Michigan prison-puppy raising program....and updates on Dutch's progress at Leader Dogs!

(An inside source told me that Dutch has passed his physicals!)