Happy Holidays!

Thinking of Dutch this holiday season. Wasn't he a cutie-pie?

MERRY CHRISTMAS

ONE AND ALL!

FLD Dutch, December 2012.

Works for young 'ens, too!

The morning after our annual cookie bake (this time held at our northern house), my kindergarten-aged grandniece Lisette said, "Marise took my toy and I was playing with it."

I glanced over her head. Lisette's younger sister Marise was happily choo-chooing our wooden train around the living room floor. I glanced back at Lisette, who was looking up at me with pleading blue eyes.

Mothers? I said to my sister and sister-in-law who sat at the kitchen table with their daughters. The grandnieces' parents had stepped out for a bit. Any advice?

My professional-counselor-and-mother-of-three-girls sister, after learning of the issue said, "Marise, how about you give the train back to Lisette since she was playing with it first. After two minutes, then you can play with it. Okay?"

No reply from the living room, just a faint choo-choo as the train left the station. Lisette's eyes were boring holes in my head. I guess it was up to me to come up with a solution.

I found Marise in my writing room, guiding the train around the dog crate. Hey Marise, I said, reaching for the train. Let's let Lisette play with this for a while, okay? I handed the train to Lisette; she and the toy left the room at warp speed. Marise barely had time to realize it was gone. Her face turned sour. 

But I had an idea.

REDIRECTION!

Works on puppies...

Marise, I have something just for you, I said, opening the closet door. On the top shelf was a basket of little stuffed animals. Here, would you like to play with this?

Marise's face sweetened as she took the basket. She reached in, pulled out a pink fuzzy animal and said, "A flamingo!" At least, that's what I thought she said, because after all, that's what it was.

Problem solved, for now. I dashed back into the kitchen where I was trying to finish baking the cookies I never got to the night before. A few moments later I heard little voices wafting in from the living room. I peeked. Huddled on the floor together were Marise and Lisette, taking a train trip with all the stuffed animals.

Success!

Lisette and Marise have fun with the dog toys, too. Gus loves hanging out with them.

  

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!)