plays with puppies: Leader Dogs

Showing posts with label Leader Dogs. Show all posts

Thursday, September 17, 2015

5th week update on Henry

This is an email we puppy raisers love to get:

September 17, 2015

Dear Puppy Raiser,

We wanted to let you know that Henry, #16112, has been in training for 5 weeks and has completed the first phase of training. The instructor working with Henry has made the following comments about the puppy you raised.

Some of the things that Henry is doing well at are:

1.       Engaged with the handler and training

2.       Learning early stages of guide work well

3.       Obedience

Some of the things that the trainer is working on with Henry are:

1.       Minimizing his distraction level for blowing objects (ex. leaves)

2.       Heeling

3.       Minimizing his distraction level for dogs

Along with this update which lets you know how Henry is doing at this point in training we have attached a photo of Henry in harness. Thank you for raising Henry for our program! Should you have further questions, please don't hesitate to contact Puppy Development. You will also receive another update during the 13th week after Henry has completed their 12th week of training.

A side shot of a yellow lab/golden mix dog walking toward the left wearing a Leader Dog guide harness, with a handler holding it with his or her left hand. The handler is only visible from the waist down. The pair are walking on a sidewalk with a chain link fence and grass in the background.

Henry in harness!

The yellow lab/golden mix dog is sitting down with the Leader Dog guide harness on, with the handler standing behind holding a leash. The dog's body is facing left, but the dog is looking at the camera with a smile. The dog is sitting on grass with a chain link fence behind. The handler's legs are the only part visible.

Oh, Henry, please leave those leaves alone!

None of these things are a surprise to me (ack, we worked so hard on ignoring blowing leaves!), but I am particularly pleased that Henry is "engaged" with learning! And he looks happy...

Keep it up boy - you make me proud!

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

Puppy Update: "Pennsylvania" Dutch!

This time, I had a spy on the inside. Unintentionally, of course. Far be it from me to work around the rules. (April Fools!)

Sometime after I received the email from Leader Dogs for the Blind letting me know that the puppy I raised was issued to a blind or visually impaired client, a Facebook message popped up in my browser. It was from someone I know who was attending a two-week "brush-up" with her Leader Dog at the same time that Dutch was in class with his new person.

This person was very discreet. I learned nothing about Dutch's person, except perhaps that the person was English-speaking. My insider said that when Dutch was being his usual friendly self with the Leader Dogs bus driver, his person had said, "Dutch, you're not driving! Sit. Good boy."

A woman wearing sunglasses, pink pants and a light blue top is standing and looking down at a golden retriever who is sitting to the right looking up at her. The woman is holding a leash in her left hand that is attached to the dog's collar. There is a bright blue line painted along the white brick wall behind them that helps the visually impaired navigate. There is also a framed picture on the wall above the dog.

LD Dutch

Sometime later, an email arrived with a jpeg attachment. Now I knew more. In the photo Dutch was sitting and looking intently up at his person.

Still, even knowing this much, waiting in the lobby of the Polk Residence at Leader Dogs on visitation night with a crowd of other puppy-raisers was still nerve wracking. What would Dutch do when he saw me? I had to not react and just ignore him. How would his person treat him? What would this stranger think of me?

The first team was announced. I can't even remember the name of the dog that was brought down the hall with its person. The trainer who walked with the team repeated the dog's name, looking for the puppy raiser to identify him or herself. Someone from across the lobby by the elevator said, "Here!" The team found the raiser. I strained to see; the dog was wearing a harness! (At past visitations the dogs were on leash and not in harness.)

"Here's Dutch!"

I quickly forgot about the group that was now working their way through the crowd and into the conference room to chat. "Where are you?" the second trainer beckoned. I raced over to where I could see down the hallway.

Two women are walking arm in arm toward the camera. The woman on the left is a Leader Dog trainer, she is wearing blue jeans and a grey zippered hoody and a blue t-shirt under it. Her ID tag is pinned to the hem of the sweatshirt. She has longish blond hair and she is smiling. The woman on the right has her right hand in the crook of the other woman's elbow. She is wearing black slacks and a grey longsleeved top. She is wearing sunglasses and has longish brown hair. She is holding a leash in her left hand that is attached to a golden retriever on her left side. The golden has a Leader Dog harness on with a yellow sign that says please don't pet me I'm working. The women and dog are just on a carpeted floor, behind them is a long hallway with tile floor.

A Leader Dog trainer escorts LD Dutch and his person.

It was Dutch, walking on a leash on the left side of a woman wearing sunglasses. Her right hand was holding the left arm of the trainer. Dutch wore a harness like the first dog.

"Here," I called.

The trainer introduced me to Gail, who couldn't wait to ask, "How did Dutch get his name?" I blubbered that my husband named him. "Do you like it?" I asked. I searched the crowd for Andy. He and my niece Elaina were still back by the door. I motioned him to come so he could explain how he came up with Dutch's name.

"I'm from Pennsylvania," Gail said. "It's perfect!"

Poor Gail struggled with Dutch as he strained to sniff my legs. "When he heard your voice he really pulled," she said.

The woman with black pants and a grey top with the golden retriever is facing away from the camera on the left side. She is slightly bent over holding the leash. The dog is pulling to the right toward a couple that are looking down at the dog. The man in the middle is wearing glasse and a green zipped sweatshirt and blue jeans. The woman on the right has short brown hair and is wearing a purple hoody and blue jeans. She is holding a camera cradled in her left arm.

LD Dutch checks me out.

When Gail encouraged me to say hello, I knelt down to greet him. I am a little embarrassed to say that the golden boy went berserk. "I just don't want him to hurt you," Gail said as she admonished Dutch for his enthusiasm. "It's okay, I've got his collar," I said, grappling to keep the fur ball's four feet on the floor.

Eventually Gail and Dutch, Andy and I and Elaina made it into the conference room. Mr. Dutch was just as I remembered him. From the way he was so exuberant, I'd guess that I was just as he remembered me, too.

The man in the green sweatshirt is sitting on a chair on the left side, reaching to pet the golden retriever. The golden is lying on his side on the carpet, rolling over. Next to the man is a teenage girl with glasses and a varsity jacket and blue jeans. She is sitting in a chair looking down at the dog at her feet. On the right side is the woman with sunglasses wearing a grey shirt and black slacks. She is holding the dog's leash in her hands.

LD Dutch dips his shoulder to the floor, butt raised. When Andy leans in to pet him he rolls over to expose his belly. My niece Elaina looks on while Gail listens to Andy. He explains how Dutch got his name. "I always pick names that remind me of a good friend," he said. "We've had a Rosie, Mike, Gus, Scout, and Dutch."

In this photo, only the teenager (on the left) and the woman with sunglasses are in view. The teen has her legs crossed, sitting in the chair. The woman is reaching into her shirt pocket with her right hand while holding the dog's leash with her left. The golden is sitting in front of her facing her, almost at attention. The dog has a guide harness on.

LD Dutch knows who has the treats.

The woman with sunglasses is sitting in the chair facing the camera. She has the dog's leash in her left hand, she is petting the dog's head with her right hand.The dog is now lying on the floor on the woman's right side facing the camera. The dog looks like he is smiling, his tongue is hanging out.

While we talked, Gail's hand seldom strayed away from Dutch.


The Nylabone I brought for Dutch helped him settle while we visited with Gail.

This is a group shot of the teenager (far left, standing), the man (middle, standing), the short woman (far right, standing), the woman with the sunglasses (sitting in a chair in front of the other three) and the golden retriever lying on the floor to the right of the sitting woman. Everyone, even the dog is smiling.

We are thrilled to meet Gail and see Dutch again. My niece Elaina was excited to join us this time. Her sisters Natalie and Sofia each got to meet the handlers of my other puppies that became working Leader Dogs - LD Scout and LD Mike. Gail promises to drop me a line now and then.

Our short hour ticked away and it was time to say good-bye. Again. Gail took hold of the harness and told Dutch, "Find the door." Dutch was all business as he led her straight away.

Other handlers took the arms of trainers to be escorted back to their rooms. Not Gail. She gave Dutch a command which I could not hear and off they went with no hesitation. As we watched them go, Dutch suddenly looked back. Gail said, "Leave it." He turned back around and did his job, tail wagging.

Looking down the same hallway (carpeted floor then tile floor). Two women in the distance are walking away with a black lab on a loose leash on the left side of the woman on the left. In the foreground is the woman with sunglasses walking away in the same direction. She is holding the harness that is on the golden retriever and the two walk as one.

LD Dutch and his handler Gail walk away as one.

Dutch will live in the country with Gail and her husband along with 24 chickens, a 10-year-old dog, and two cats. Dutch sent postcards from Leader Dogs to Gail's six grandchildren, who are very anxious to meet him.

Gail told us of a park she enjoys walking to, but said she has never made it there safely using her cane. She either runs into things or falls. Gail said she is excited to have LD Dutch guide her the 2.5 miles to the park when she gets home.

LD Dutch is Gail's first guide dog!

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Puppy Update!

Dutch is now an official LEADER DOG!

happy dance

Here is the email I received from Leader Dogs for the Blind:

Dear Puppy Raiser:

The puppy you raised has been issued to a student in the current class. This is no guarantee of graduation however, it is another step in the training phase and hopefully if all goes along as planned we will soon be able to let you know of the puppy's graduation. We are happy to offer you a chance to visit with the student in the Polk Residence Facility. Please meet in the lobby of the Polk Residence Facility at 6:30pm on March 29, 2014. This will be for you and your family only. You MUST RSVP by 3/26/14 if you are attending so we can make sure the student has every opportunity to attend also. It is their choice though and they may choose not to attend. If that is the case, we will make every attempt to contact you. If for any reason you would rather not meet the student or cannot make the class, rest assured we understand (but please respond)

It is very important that this be a positive experience for both our students and you, our puppy raisers who have given so much of your time, effort and love. Keeping that in mind we are sending you some basic guidelines to follow.

1.         We ask that you not take flash photos until you have checked with the student or us. Some eye conditions are negatively affected by sudden flashes of light and in extreme cases may even contribute to a seizure.

2.         We know the dog has spent a year in your home however it is now "their" dog and we ask you to respect that. Do not take the dog out of their possession.

3.         You may bring gifts of photographs, letters, and appropriate toys. The guidelines for toys are the same ones we use when raising the puppies. Please make sure that the toys are large enough not to cause a potential hazard. Please do not bring any “edible” bones as they may cause stomach upset in the dog.

4.         The students will come into the conference center and have a chance to settle their dogs.   They will introduce themselves to the group. After they are all finished you will have the opportunity to meet them individually.

5.         We expect the dogs to be VERY excited to see you again and have tried to prepare the student for the dog's reaction. Once the initial greeting is over, the student will be giving the dog instructions to assist the dog in settling down and will expect the dog lay quietly during the latter part of your visit.

6.         We ask that if you are currently raising another puppy that you not bring it with you to the Polk Residence.

7.       We ask that you be careful with what information you share about the puppy. While you know your puppy has grown in stages into a wonderful adult, Comments like "I can't believe he made it through training", and "he chewed on things when he was younger" are comments that will cause the student who is still bonding with this new dog to have questions about whether this is the right dog for them and ultimately cause them to ask for a new dog.

8.         While we realize you are emotionally investing into the puppy that you raised, please keep in mind that you are here to meet the team of both student and dog. Questions about where they will work together, how are you enjoying your stay at Leader Dog are appropriate questions to ask.

We again thank you for your wonderful gift of time and love you have given to this special puppy. We look forward to seeing you at visitation.
                                                            Sincerely, Puppy Development


A very young Future Leader Dog. Very proud of you Dutch!

(For more on this story, visit www.puppiesinside.blogspot.com.)

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Puppy update - Dutch is in Phase IV!

I received this email yesterday from Leader Dogs for the Blind.

Dear Puppy Raiser,

The dog you raised Dutch, D-14157, has been in training for 13 weeks and has completed the third of four phases of training. The instructor working with Dutch has made the following comments:
Some of the things that Dutch is doing well at are:
1.       Obstacle avoidance

2.       Straight line travel

Some of the things that the instructor is working on with Dutch are:
1.       Obedience

2.       Positioning next to the trainer

3.       Turns

This update lets you know how Dutch is doing at this point in training. Thank you for raising Dutch for our program! Should you have further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Puppy Development. You will receive another update once this special dog completes training and is placed with a client. The journey is almost complete!

Puppy Development
Leader Dogs for the Blind

Way to go Dutch! Our paws are still crossed for you!

A golden retriever is sitting on a landing at the top of a flight of woodedn stairs. He is looking up at the camera and he is wearing a blue vest. The stairs have yellow strips on the risers and there are wooden guard rails on each side.

FLD Dutch is ALMOST to the top!

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Thanks to puppies...

This post is my submission for the 14th Assistance Dog Blog Carnival (ADBC), hosted by L-Squared on her website: l-squared.org. The theme this go-round is OPPORTUNITY.

Hi. My name is patti. I am a puppy-raising addict.

Because of my addiction, I spend two days a month in prison.

I can explain...

Back in 2002, Leader Dogs for the Blind started a ground breaking puppy-raising program in the Iowa prison system - with one puppy. After several years and even more puppies, it was evident that the puppies coming out of the prison system had a higher graduation percentage (65-70+%) than puppies raised on the outside (40-45%).

Simultaneously, the recidivism rate of puppy-raising inmates (13-15%) ran well below the national average (50%). Soon, other prisons joined the program - two more facilities in Iowa, one in Wisconsin, and most recently one in Minnesota and two in Michigan (plus one more on the docket).

After 11 years, over 300 Future Leader Dog puppies have been raised in the prison system. To top things off, Leader Dogs for the Blind has received the 2013 Mutual of America Community Partnership Award. (Visit the following link to watch a video about the program: Inside to Outside Initiative - Prison Puppy Raising Program.)

A serendipitous series of events in 2013 led to the puppy-raising program being replicated in Leader Dogs for the Blind's home state of Michigan.

Three years ago my puppy-counselor Tammy asked me to help her with puppy outings in the eastern U.P. A handful of her puppy-raisers were spread out around the area and in the Canadian Soo.

Once a month Tammy and I would drive north. Typically we'd meet for dinner with the raisers and their pups and then gather at a school or park for a training session. Sometimes we did other things, like attend a hockey game at Lake Superior State University, or represent Leader Dogs at the Snowsfest in Lex Cheneaux.

On a side note, these trips were another step in my growing addiction. I ended up a puppy counselor myself; I assist distance raisers that live from Maine to Florida.

Paula and Dave, a couple from the U.P. group, raised a golden retriever puppy they named Alphie. He ended up being pulled for breeding and eventually sired my FLD Dutch. Paula kept taps on Dutch through this blog. She read about the Iowa prison puppy-raising program and as they say, the rest is history. Catch up on that story by visiting my other blog puppies inside.

So now our monthly northern trips include visits to the Chippewa Correctional Facility in Kincheloe in the eastern U.P. and the Baraga Correctional Facility in Baraga, a half-day's drive to the western side of the U.P.

PUPPIES IN PRISON - A WIN-WIN SITUATION

Leader Dogs for the Blind gets puppies that are well prepared for formal guide dog training. These days some clients even ask for a prison-raised puppy.

Inmate raisers get a chance to give something back to society. They learn empathy and gain hope. And when they give their grown puppies back to Leader Dogs, they learn something about loss and what they took away from the victims of their crimes.

Prison officials get calmer units with less fighting. They get respectful relationships between inmates and guards. And they get inmates that have a better chance of staying out, once they get out.

And I get a monthly puppy fix, working with the inmate raisers and their pups. Oftentimes I get to spring a pup for dinner "furlough." And just after Christmas (2013) my home was a half-way house for FLD Bear, a seven-week-old black Lab that was destined for the Baraga Correctional Facility. (See posts about FLD Bear here: puppiesinside - FLD Bear.)

A woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a brown hooded sweatshirt and blue vest, is holding a small black lab puppy in her hands. The puppy is licking her right cheek and she is squinting and smiling.

Getting a puppy-fix with FLD Bear.

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

Puppy-less puppy-fixes

I am Future Leader Dog puppy-less.

A woman with short brown hair wearing a red fleece jacket and blue jeans kneels on one knee next to a full-grown golden retriever who is standing and wearing a blue, white and red bandana that says, "Future Leader Dog." The two are next to a black statue of a german shepherd dog. Behind them are glass doors with white letters that tell the hours of the kennel.

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

Side photo of a full-grown golden retriever. He is facing to the right and is wearing a red, white, and blue collar.

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.

A close-up shot of a round metal tag that says "Leader Dogs" with the number 14157 beneath it. The tag is attached to a chain collar and it is resting on the golden fur of a golden retriever dog.

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.

A small black puppy is being held in a person's hand. The eyes are just opening and the tongue is just sticking out.

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!)

Saturday, May 4, 2013

Yes, he can.

Down to the wire, even after an extended deadline for submissions to the 11th Assistance Dog Blog Carnival (ADBC). This edition is being hosted by Frida Writes. If you don't have a clue what the ADBC is, visit the ADBC home page to find out, and to catch up on past carnivals.

This post is my submission for the 11th ADBC, the theme of which is Resources and Tools.

We settled at our place behind one of the long tables in the conference room at Leader Dogs for the Blind. Or rather, we tried to settle. My back and/or hip screamed at me in a knot for some unknown reason, and FLD Dutch was up to his new tricks.

I had placed his "mat" next to my chair on the right side, to give a bit of distance between Dutch and Cheri's petite Chocolate Lab puppy on my left, and asked him to settle. He slid into a down, and rested his chin on his front left paw.

For one second.

He popped up. I ignored him.

He lay back down, chin to the floor. I dropped a piece of kibble next to his snout, which he snarfed up like a great white shark.

He looked up at me. BARK! I flinched.

Quiet, I whispered. His head dropped. I waited. He looked back at me but put his head back down when a treat was not forthcoming.

I dropped a piece of kibble. SHARK ATTACK.

Pretty much it went like this for Dutch and me most of the morning--the first of three days of on-campus "Puppy Counselor Training" at Leader Dogs. It was a good thing I only fed him half of his breakfast.

I was part of a team of over 40 volunteer puppy counselors that act as liaisons between the 450 volunteer puppy raisers and Leader Dogs for the Blind. Our responsibilities are to assist the raisers in the training of their puppies and to organize monthly outings to practice specific skills.

This was our yearly training intensive to become better counselors. Deb Donnelly, the new Puppy Development Supervisor that Leader Dogs hired just over a year ago, is a Karen Pryor Academy certified clicker trainer, and she brings the same positive reinforcement techniques to her people training. Deb had asked us for specific issues that she could address during our three days. I was ready--I couldn't get Dutch to settle and suspected that my reinforcement timing was off.

After lunch another counselor, who happened to be puppy-less, offered to take Dutch. My back needed the break.

Dutch played his same tricks with her as I watched from across the room.

A golden retriever puppy in a blue vest is lying on a brown carpet behind a black chair and a white table, looking up at a red-haired woman who is holding his leash. She is wearing an orange and yellow print shirt with black pants.

FLD Dutch looks up for a reward.

Now the golden retriever is lying down facing the camera, with his nose to the floor. In this picture you can see two other women sitting behind Dutch's handler.

Here Dutch has turned around and is in his typical "settle" position--just before he vocalizes...

At last, Dutch was about to become the class demo. Deb talked to us about products to help calm anxious puppies. Thundershirts. Rescue Remedy. Lavender oils. As she spoke she nonchalantly meandered over to Dutch and lightly spritzed lavender over his back. He leapt up, snorting, and jumped away from his mat. He cautiously sniffed the mat, but backed up to the end of his leash.

Eventually, he slid down. Not on the mat.

Deb moved a chair to the center of the room and asked to take Dutch. She picked up his mat, walked him to the chair and sat down. She never said a word to him, just held his leash and placed the mat next to her chair. She continued her lecture.

Meanwhile, Dutch barked and whined and pulled and sat down, lied down, jumped up, and walked from one end of his leash to the other. Deb continued to calmly hold the other end of his leash, ignoring him, but very aware of his antics.

At one point, Dutch seemed to "give it up" and lied down on his mat. Shortly after, Deb dropped a bit of kibble near his belly, so he had to curl around to get it. He looked up at her, but she was focused on the rest of us.

He fussed. She ignored.

He lied down again. She waited. As she reached behind to her treat bag, Dutch's head whipped up in anticipation. She drew her hand away and held it open to show him there was nothing there. He dropped his head to the floor.

The 7-month-old golder retriever puppy, in a blue vest, is lying on a mat on brown carpet, looking up and back at a woman seated in a chair. She is dressed in blue jeans and a blue shirt. She is holding his leash with her right hand, and reaching toward the dog with her left hand. Her head is bent down looking at the dog.

FLD Dutch anticipates the treat from Deb.

She waited. He sighed. Another piece of kibble dropped out of the sky between his belly and his rear legs. He shifted position. She waited and eventually rewarded in the same manner. Finally, Dutch rolled over onto his side and fell asleep.

FLD Dutch has rolled over onto his side and is gazing across the room at me. Deb is relaxed and explaining lots of great things to us.

Deb only used about four treats during the entire session. "Of course, he is very tired," she said. Without saying a word about my behavior, Deb made it obvious that a couple of things I did, and didn't do, contributed to Dutch's superstitious bark and the difficulty in adding duration to his settle.

By the end of the second day of counselor training, more than one person asked me if I had a new puppy. Dutch was a different dog, no doubt. And I was learning to wait for the reward-able moment, and to place the reward where it would encourage the behavior I wanted.

I am grateful to have Deb as a resource, not only for guiding the training of my Future Leader Dog, but also when I need help in advising the puppy raisers in my group. Thank you Deb, for all you do!

Saturday, February 16, 2013

How cool is this?


Leader Dog Scout and her partner, Kim, from Wisconsin.

We had the privilege of meeting Kim tonight at the Polk Residence at Leader Dogs for the Blind. Kim is two weeks into a three and a half week stay at the facility, learning to work as a team with his first ever guide dog. Yep, that would be Scout, the puppy I raised!


Andy and I stand behind my niece Natalie, who is sitting next to LD Scout and Kim.

When strangers see me with my Future Leader Dog puppies they frequently ask, "How can you give them up?" I wish they could witness the completed circle. If they could see the difference that our special puppy will make in the life of another human being, they wouldn't even think to ask such a question.

Me and Kim, with LD Scout. This is how.

Friday, February 8, 2013

SCOUT UPDATE #4

When nine-week old Future Leader Dog Scout took it on herself to waddle over to the Iraqi veteran I was interviewing and snuggle up between his feet, I knew she was a special puppy. She was "on assignment" with me for the first time.

How did she know that was just what he needed? He smiled, and visibly relaxed as he bent over to pet her.

A sepia-toned photo of a small black Lab/Golden mix puppy. She is sitting down by a person's foot, looking at the camera, a leash is hanging down in front. She is sitting on a wooden deck.

FLD Scout cuddles up at the feet of the veteran.

FLD Scout returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind last September to begin the advanced training necessary for her to become a working guide dog. She made it through four phases, successfully passing intermediate standards along the way.

This week I received a much-anticipated email from Leader Dogs.

Dear Puppy Raiser:

The puppy you raised has been issued to a student in the current class. This is no guarantee of graduation however, it is another step in the training phase and hopefully if all goes along as planned we will soon be able to let you know of the puppy's graduation.

Future Leader Dog Scout is about to become LEADER DOG Scout!

The February 2013 class of blind or visually impaired persons is now training with their new partners at Leader Dogs. The dogs were issued last Tuesday. If Scout and her person are a good "match", she will go home with her new person at the end of the month.

If Scout's partner agrees, we will be able to meet him or her (and see Scout again) next weekend.

WAY TO GO SCOUT!!!

(We are very proud of you.)


FLD Anie (on the left) hangs with her sister, FLD Scout during puppy counselor training at Leader Dogs for the Blind last summer. Congratulations are in order for Anie, and her puppy-raiser Cheri, too. Anie was issued to her person in the same class as Scout!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Ten weeks

Announcing the 10th Assistance Dog Blog Carnival (ADBC)! Sharon Wachsler, founder of the ADBC, is hosting this edition over at her blog, After Gadget. The theme this round is "Perfect 10."

The following is my submission.

Ten weeks ago a blond bundle of Golden Retriever puppy bounded into our lives and stole my heart. Future Leader Dog (FLD) "Dutch."

When strangers ask me, "How can you give them up?" I've taken to answering, If I didn't give up my last one, I wouldn't have this one!

In keeping with Sharon's "Perfect 10" theme, here are 10 "snapshots" from the last ten weeks of raising Dutch, even if they aren't "perfect."

1. Sweetie-pie

I relish that first scent of puppy-breath when he is handed over to me and I press my face to his. I know that sleepless nights are in my near future, but right now I don't care. I'm glad we live three hours from Leader Dogs for the Blind. This will be the only time I'll allow Dutch to sit on my lap in the van instead of on the floorboard of the passenger seat where he belongs.

But Dutch doesn't snuggle. He is a wiggly almost-13 pound wire-bale of fuzz. After our third rest stop on I-75 north, he conks out in my arms. An hour later, when we pull safely into our garage, my arms are dead.

An 8-week-old Golden Retriever puppy's head and front paws are between my blue-jean clad legs. Behind him is the glove box of our van; to the right side is the van door handle. My red fleece jacket is visiible at the bottom of the picture.

FLD Dutch looks up at me as if he's wondering, "Where are we going?" We are in the van heading home after picking him up from Leader Dogs for the Blind.

2. Mr. Peabody

He can't be trusted. What goes in must come out. Even when you take him out to "park," if he's been slurping water, he'll pee again in what seems like seconds. "I just took him out!" my husband exclaims as Dutch relieves himself on the living room carpet with no warning. We think we should buy stock in Nature's Miracle. And paper towels.

The Golden Retriver puppy is lying on his back on a light colored carpeted floor, with his face looking toward the camera. His front paws are held above his chest and his back legs are splayed apart in an "x-rated" pose. To the left of his head is a blue toy. In the background is a white x-pen set up on the laminate floor of the kitchen.

Dutch rolls over on his back. Mr. Innocent.

3. Rocketman

In the beginning, I think I'll never get mister-springs-for-legs to "sit" for longer than a millisecond when it's mealtime. Morning, noon and evening, I balance his puppy-chow bowl over my head in my left hand and hold his collar with my right. Dutch, sit, I say. He does, but as soon as his bowl loses elevation his feather paws scrabble on the kitchen laminate and he's the roadrunner on ice. Up goes the bowl. Down goes his butt. I spread my right fingers to support his back in the "sit" position and set the bowl down. Left hand now free, I snap my finters to break his stare-down with the kibble. We have eye contact. Blast off at my command. OK!

The Golden Retriever puppy sits on a dark matt next to a bigger black Lab. The matt straddles the line between the kitchen laminate floor and the living room carpet. An old brown brindle dog sits to the right of the picture. In the background is a blue and red Kong toy and a lazy boy chair, a lamp base, anda a file cabinet.

Dutch sits on the mat with Gus while waiting for breakfast. Gypsy reluctantly sits too. Dutch had gained seconds on his "sit" every mealtime. After a week of feeding in his x-pen, we decide to let him eat with the big dogs. The first two days, Andy holds him while I feed Gypsy and Gus. Then it is his turn. I am amazed how quickly he figures this out. In spite of being a whirling dervish when I get the food buckets out of the clostet, Dutch wiggles his butt onto the mat with Gus and waits his turn. No more holding!

4. Dutcherino

It takes FLD Dutch about 30 minutes to settle under our table at Randy's Restaurant. We've been working on "down" so I give him the cue and he drops to the carpeted floor. He pops up and plops his snout in my lap. I reposition him so his nose is poking out from under the table and he is lying down behind my legs. He squirms around until he is facing me from the aisle. I scoot him back under the table. Our coffee hasn't even come yet.

The Golden Retriever puppy is sitting under a wood table in a restaurant. He is wearing a blue bandana that says "Future Leader Dog" in red. He is looking up toward the table. On top of the table is a small pile of kibble. His leash is lying across the aqua seat of the booth between jean-clad legs.

FLD Dutch stares up at the table as if he has x-ray vision.

5. Mr. Awwwwwwwsome

I take FLD Dutch and Andy to a Christmas concert at the Rose City Middle School. Unfortunately, the concert is actually at the high school, five miles away. When we arrive right at curtain time, we see a crowd at the entrance to the auditorium. Someone fell and EMS was called; the concertgoer's bad luck delayed the performance. We weren't late after all.

With the doors blocked by the paramedics and a gurney, our only choice was to enter by the stage. As I coaxed my golden fur ball past the front row seats a harmonic "awwwww" rolled out ahead of us. The "awwwwws" resonated to the back of the room like a wave as we turned up the main aisle to find two empty seats. I doubt that anyone minded that the choir started singing late.

The Golden Retriever puppy sits between a table on the left with a Christmas tablecloth, and a box to the right. The box is wrapped in Christmas paper and has a sign on it that it is a collection box for toys for kids by the Lions Club. The puppy is wearing his blue "Future Leader Dog" bandana and his leash is stretching toward the camera.

FLD Dutch poses next to a Christmas toy colletction box, courtesy of the Rose City Lions Club.

6. Dutcher

It is early evening. Dutch paces through the living room, his pads slap the kitchen floor, he slurps a bit of water and returns. He wanders into my writing room and pauses at the x-pen section that is blocking off our bedroom. He tries to slip under the footrest of the couch where Andy has the recliner raised, but he's getting too big to fit. He squeezes behind the couch and bumps against the end table as he squeezes out the other end. I take him out to "park" but once back inside he still paces. I have him do a few rounds of puppy push-ups (a series of quick sit, down, sit, down, sit, down, etc.). He paces. I sit on the floor with him to encourage a "settle" but he squirms away. I get up and move the x-pen from our bedrooom doorway. He races inside. His crate is in there. When I open the crate door, he zips in and whips around for the bit of kibble I always toss in behind him. I latch the door. He's down for the night (although I take him out for a last "park" when we head for bed).

The golden retriever puppy is sleeping with his eyes closed in his crate. His head hands over a blue dog bed and rests on a red Kong toy. The bars of the crate are in front.

A sweet Dutch catches some Zs in his crate.

7. Dutch-man

On assignment at the Ogemaw Hills Snowmobile Club's 45th Anniversary Open House, I take Dutch out back to "park." He dives into the snow with a vengeance. With a ferocious wrinkled nose, he take offense to whatever it is he senses under the snow.

A close up shot of a golden retriever sniffing the brillianly white snow, with a shadow to the right. His ear is haniging over his face and his snout is wrinkled up. A brown leash is hanging to the left.

FLD Dutch sniffs in the fluffy snow with a wrinkly nose, one which he usually reserves for when he is playing with our career-changed Lab, Gus.

8. Buddy

Gus is twice his size, but that doesn't stop Dutch from scrunching his snout, ducking his shoulder and barreling into the gentle black Lab. "He's a tuck and roll kind of wrestler," Andy says. Dutch is relentless. He bites at Gus's back legs. He stands up on his hind legs and grabs a mouthful of Gus's neck fur. One day I notice Dutch chewing on something black as he lay on the floor near Gus. What do you have? I ask as I walk over to take it away. Dutch looks up. He has Gus's tail between his front paws. When they wrestle, more times than not it's Gus who yips "too much" when things get rough. By evening, Gus takes refuge on the couch, where Dutch is not allowed.

A golden retriver puppy is asleep next to a bigger black Lab. The Lab is lying down on the left side under a brown desk, with his head up looking at the camera. The puppy is to the left and has his eyes closed with his left paw resting on the Lab's right leg. Just to the left is a black desk chair on rollers. To the right is the edge of a blue and white dog bed.

Dutch and Gus take a break under Andy's desk. Light and dark, they are still best buds.

9. FLD Dutch

We arrive about 15 minutes early. FLD Dutch and I check out the cafeteria at Surline Elementary School where we'll be presenting to three of five classes of second-graders. We'll be back tomorrow to talk to the others. Dutch is happy the janitor hasn't mopped the floors yet. We work on "leave it." I lay his mat out at the far end of the room and practice obedience while we wait. Before long the kids file in. Dutch lets rip a golden "whooooo, whooooo, whooooo." The kids giggle.

FLD Dutch holds a stay on his mat while I talk about Leader Dogs for the Blind and the important job that Dutch is being raised to do. I ask for a volunteer to demonstrate "Juno" training. When blind or visually impaired clients come to Leader Dogs, the trainers work with them for a couple of days before the dogs are issued. In "Juno" training, the Leader Dog trainers act as the dog, guiding the clients with a harness. They evaluate how the clients react if the dog misbehaves; this helps to verify the match.

Arms fly up, the kids can hardly hold their butts to the floor. I pick one little girl who seems a little shy, but still had the courage to raise her hand. I ask her to take hold of the harness handle and close her eyes. As I slowly guide her I whisper to the other kids, Now I'm going to be a BAD dog. I jerk the harness to the side. The little girl screams, but doesn't drop the handle. Dutch jumps up from his mat and bounds over to us. The kids can't contain themselves.

A large group of second grade children sit on a tile floor in a group behind the golden retriever puppy and his raiser. The raiser is dressed in blue and is kneeling with his leash in her right hand. The puppy is looking at her. There is a red Kong toy on the floor in front of the puppy and a light brown mat. In the background are lunch tables.

FLD Dutch doesn't take his eyes off of me as we pose with three classes of second-graders at Surline Elementary.

10. Mr. Bigfoot

FLD Dutch gains 11 pounds in one month. I'm raising a golden bigfoot! When I picked him up 10 weeks ago, he weighed 12.8 pounds. During training this past weekend at Leader Dogs for the Blind, I tried to get him to settle on their old-style scale with a gigantic dial. The wobbly pointer was difficult to read, but I'm guessing he weighed in at about 34 pounds! Do the math. He's growing at more than double the typical rate of one pound per week.

A golden retriever puppy is lying with his head up on a light brown mat on a shiny cement floor. His leash is resting on the floor to the left. In the background is a lady kneeling down holding the leash to a black lab wearing a blue training jacket. A few yellow chairs are in the background and a few other people.

A relaxed FLD Dutch hangs out on his mat in the training room at Leader Dogs for the Blind. It is the end of our weekend seminar, and he is tired. Yay!

Ten weeks down. About 40 more weeks to go...