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.

Henry in harness!

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!

Now is the time...

Almost one year ago, I picked up this little guy from Leader Dogs for the Blind. Future Leader Dog (FLD) Henry seemed ready to take on the world.

FLD Henry, on the day he came home with me.

It was my job to help him get his start. To teach him the proper places to park and basic cues like "sit" and "down." To help him learn to settle and be comfortable and confident in new places, on a variety of surfaces, around diverse people. To encourage self-control and good manners.

I wish I had a nickel for every time I said, "OH Henry!" Like any puppy, Henry presented challenges. Like every puppy, I learned from him, too.

For those of you who helped us along the way, you'll remember Henry's "vocal" stage, and his insanity with blowing leaves. I am proud to say he worked himself through these things, learning quiet, how to settle, and that watching without pouncing is a much better option.

Henry was my easiest puppy to house train; he preferred to go to bed early and sleep late. Like Dutch before him, he learned "leg" - and learned it so well it was often a default behavior when he was not sure what else to do.

I will miss how he kept my feet warm in the morning while I sat and drank coffee with my hubby. I will miss his zany nose when he'd catch a scent during a hike in our woods. I will miss his digging in his doggy-toy box in the evening, Nylabones and Kongs flying across the living room just as the latest episode of whatever Netflix show we're watching comes to a crucial part of the story.

I have my paws crossed that one day Henry will serve to keep someone safe, but I know that his problem-solving skills and deep thinking will carry him far no matter what path he ends up exploring.

Thank you bugger, for a bright spot in a sometimes-challenging year...

FLD Henry, back at Leader Dogs for the Blind, ready for the next step in his journey. 

Dogspeed Henry!

 

How to occupy a puppy

FLD Henry works at his peanut-butter-kibble-filled-frozen Kong.

Working it. Hard.

Skyline troubadour

Troubadour Lee Fitzman picks it out.

We took FLD Henry to the first "Friday Fireside" for 2015 at the Skyline Event Center in Comins. The striking log building, run by the non-profit Economic Development Alliance of Oscoda County, is a "gathering place" for the community.

Friday Fireside is a free concert every first Friday of the month. The January entertainment was troubadour Lee Fitzman. An added bonus was the opening of an art show with the work of photographer Dave Rider, of RTL Images. (For an interesting story about Dave, click on this link: Another Sunrise.)

FLD Henry burst into the Skyline with his usual aplomb. The handful of people already inside didn't mind his exhuberance, they wanted to meet him as badly as he did them. Of course, being the good puppy raiser that I am, I redirected his attention and asked that he be ignored.

At least until he showed some self-control.

FLD Henry looks at me like he is thinking, "Okay, isn't this good enough?" 

Stairs!

To break the time up during a long drive to Baraga in the U.P., FLD Henry and I stop at the Cut River Bridge. It turned out to be a good opportunity to practice stairs.

A LONG staircase down to Lake Michigan. While the landings are wood, the stairs are open metal grates.

FLD Henry hasn't seen stairs like these!

"I got this!"

The river-view of the Cut River Bridge.

Playmates for Henry

Two sets of dog guests took the puppy-heat off Gus recently.

FLD Henry thinks, "What? Four-legged guests?"

First, retired Leader Dog "mom" Amber and cc'd Autumn came to visit. They stayed for more than a week.

All pups sat when asked, except "melted chocolate" Amber. From left to right is cc'd Gus, retired mom Amber, FLD Henry and his bestest playmate, cc'd Autumn.

One weekend, two German Shorthaired Pointers came to play. Oh, and to chase chipmunks around the woodshed.

Odo and Gauge mingle with Gus, Autumn and Amber. FLD Henry is not in the mix. Yet.

The play begins. Can you spot FLD Henry in the background peering at the action?

It is interesting how the dogs sorted themselves out. Gus and Odo paired up. Momma Amber sometimes acted as the fun police and barreled her body between pairs to break things up. Old-man Gauge, who doesn't play as much as he used to, found Autumn to be a sweet young thing.

Gauge and Autumn hit it off. Dog-play can seem scary.

But all is well as the pups are called out of play. FLD Henry is the only one who notices the dropped piece of kibble.

FLD Henry was not too shy, and eventually got into the fray. Autumn seemed to be his favorite playmate, she adjusted her play with the little guy. Gus will miss her when she goes home!

FLD Henry waits at the bedroom door. Gotta love a puppy that asks to go to bed in the evening!

Gandhi Gus

black lab melts on mat

yellow puppy snuggles up

baby teeth on snout

As soon as I grabbed my camera, FLD Henry snapped his head away from Gus as if to say, "What? I wasn't doing anything!"  Gus just rolls his eyes.

1st day of school

Hanging out at the Rose City Elementary School on the first morning after Labor Day is a fun way to give FLD Henry some "kid" exposure. Many of the kids remember me from when I brought FLDs Scout and Dutch to their classrooms. They are happy to meet my new puppy, and gracious about asking to pet him even when I tell them, Sorry, not today!

Two students ask me to take their picture with FLD Henry. I happily oblige.

FLD Henry winks at the camera as I take a quick photo of him with a new fifth-grader.

The school changed the bus drop-off to the other end of the parking lot, so FLD Henry and I walk over to see the kids disembark. A teacher standing nearby exclaims to the students, "Oh, look! She's got a new puppy!" The kids are all very good about waving "hi" and enter the school without engaging Henry.

One of the bus drivers steps down and spots us. "Oh puppy!" she squeals as she approaches, bending over as if she is going to scoop Henry up in her arms. Henry, I say. The little guy whips his head to me. With a quick YES I mark his attentive behavior. As I reach down to give it to him I ask the woman not to pet him.

She admonishes, "I've raised 12 of them, I know what's what!" She continues to coo at Henry from a foot or so away, leaning over with her hands on her knees. If she knows "what's what" I wonder why she is still carrying on.

Henry forgets about me and gets up from his sit. I call his name again but his leash tightens as he strains to greet her. I wait. He sits back down and looks back at me. YES I say again. He gets another treat. Now he's mine again.

"He is really focused on you," the woman says. "That's very good!"

 

With the distracting bus driver gone, FLD Henry sits nicely for a photo.

Gus's mat

This is where I'd rather find Henry hanging out next to Gus.

Couch. Not.

Uncle Gus tolerates a snuggled from Mr. Henry.

Oh Henry!

Someone has found his voice.

FLD Henry croons a tune during Cousino High School's first football game.

Maybe he didn't like sitting on the opposing side of the field.

"Shall I sing another?"

Bigfoot owls?

Eleven p.m. The last park of the evening. Gus busts out of the back door and pops into his hey-who's-out-there huff and puff. An owl howls in the north from the dark woods down the hill.

Mr. Henry leaps off the short wooden step and hits the "pea garden" running. He slides under my wooden arbor-seat with a rooster-tail of pea stone, turns and sits. What's that?!

The owl hoots again, this time a bit closer. Gus hops a few feet on stiff front legs and puffs his chest in his best act of protection. He throats a deep bark, yet holds his ground. Henry shrinks further under the seat.

The air feels like fall. I am glad for my hoodie, figuring I'm going to have to wait Henry out before he feels safe enough to park. I don't mind lingering. I look up. The past-new-moon sky is brilliant; after a few days of rain it is nice to be in awe of the Milky Way again.

The owl continues with a long, drawn out whoooo-who-hoot-whoooo! It seems even nearer. Gus woofs louder and my imagination goes wild. Is something rustling there in the brush? Why does an image of Bigfoot pop into my head?

Henry darts out beyond the pea garden onto the grass, pees and heads for the door. I don't mind that he parks on the grass this time.

Let's go inside!  Gus whips around and beats us in.

I doubt that Henry totally emptied his bladder. He wakes me with a whimper at 4 a.m. When I take him out the sky is clouded over and all is still. He uses the pea garden this time.

Lucky me

First night

     last park: 11 pm

     first, second and third park: 2 am, 4:30 am, 6 am

Second night

     last park: 11 pm

     first and second park: 4 am, 6:30 am

Last night

     last park: 11pm

     first park: 6:30 am!

Good boy Henry!

A sleepy FLD Henry.

A tear -dryer, not only for me

I carry FLD Henry from the car across the park to meet Tammy. She is sitting in the pavilion waiting for us. I set the sleepy pup down some 20 feet away and wait for him to "park."

A short, round man strolling with a rounder old dog along a perimeter fence line spots Henry. "A baby!" he exclaims and picks up his pace to a slow walk. I hadn't even had Henry for two hours and already he is attracting attention. I shouldn't be surprised. Henry is an adorable puppy.

FLD Henry shakes off.

Henry pees before the man reaches us. (Yay!) I snap him up into my arms. The man is disappointed that I don't let him meet his dog.

"He hasn't had all his shots, yet," I say. The man's dog, some kind of beagle mix, is overweight, has cloudy eyes and a myriad of gnarly red tumors sprouting from her snout, ears, paws and just about everywhere. 

"She's on her last leg," the man says. "And so am I." He lifts his shirt slightly to show us a black bag and holster belted around his waist. "This is my mechanical heart. I'm getting a transplant and I won't be able to get another puppy. It's a bad time for me."

I step forward. "You can pet him," I say. The man asks, "Can I hold him?" I hand over Henry, who snuggles into his neck as the man buries his face against his fur. The man takes a deep breath. "Puppies always smell so good!" he sighs.

"This is Henry," I say. "Henry!" the man exclaims. "Sadie, where's Henry?" Sadie has curled up a few feet away, glad for the break. I'm worried the man will bring Henry down to greet her. 

"My Sadie has a favorite stuffed toy named Henry," the man explains. Sadie isn't interested, she seems content to rest. I reach to retrieve my puppy. Instead, the man slips the handle of Sadie's retractable leash into my hand and begs me to let him hold Henry for just a little longer. The man eases himself onto the picnic table bench and begins to quietly cry into Henry's shoulder.

Henry quietly accommodates him.

FLD Henry takes a nap under our picnic table. It's hard work lending a shoulder to cry on!

Introducing...

It is never easy. But there comes a time when we are called to make that hard decision and give our pets a gift of peace. This week it was time for my Gypsy. At 14, my anxious mutt had too much pain.

We let her go.

My old Gypsy-doodle enjoys a bit of sun.

Over the last several years, Gypsy kept a string of Future Leader Dog (FLD) puppies in line (and off the furniture). She helped raise Rosie, Mike, Gus, Scout and Dutch. She also kept some part-timers in line. FLDs Bear and Bandit spent time here before heading off to prison. She puppy-sitted FLDs Baker and Grant this past year. 

The old girl will be missed. There is one thing, however, that works wonders in drying tears. 

Introducing - FLD Henry!

FLD Henry looking proud by the statue in front of the kennel lobby at Leader Dogs for the Blind.

After we returned Dutch to Leader Dogs last fall I decided to wait to see how Gypsy fared before bringing yet another puppy into our home. Some family commitments made my choice an easy one.

But now I was able to say "yes" when Leader Dogs called about a puppy.

FLD Henry (named by my hubby after Henry Blake in MASH) is a Golden Retriever/Labrador mix. His Golden Retriever mother, Emma, is Dutch's sister; his father is my puppy counselor Tammy's breed stock yellow lab, Wally.

Here we go again!