Message from Carolyn

Hi Puppy Raisers, 

Carolyn and Sunny. Carolyn is on Sunny's right side and Sunny is sitting. Sunny is a yellow lab.

I'm Carolyn and I’m excited about taking over the Area Coordinator position for North Pinellas.  I have some really, really big shoes to feel and hope that 2012 is filled with many positive puppy raising experiences.  I know most of you, but in case you don't know who I am, our family has been raising for a little over three years.  Our first pup, JC is a Collie and he’s working guide dog in Georgia.  We got our second pup, Tyler, when he was about 10 months old.  He was immediately career changed due to hips.  We only “raised” him for about 3 weeks, so I don’t really count him in the number of pups we’ve had (but we did adopt him).  

Our 3^rd dog is Kenny.  Kenny is in perpetual IFT.  He went back the first week of March and has decided that getting a PhD at Southeastern might be the way to go.  I guess there’s still hope for him because they haven't career changed him and he just recently was in the news.  Our 4^th pup, Stewart, we picked up at  11 months old.  He was career changed in November and Tampa Police Department picked him up: he’s now training as a drug sniffing dog.  Sunny is our 5^th dog. She’s the pup that the Suncoast Puppy Raisers sponsored this year.  You’ll be seeing a lot of her.  I can’t imagine NOT raising. 

I’ve put together a 2012 calendar.  I’d say it’s not likely to change.  The only changes I’d foresee would be for  exposures that come up as a once-a-year opportunity (a parade, a ball game, or something like that). 

We will take some of the meetings that we’ve done in the years past that are wonderful exposures, like Celebration Station, the Threshers baseball game, and a Jolly Trolly ride and build on those.  If you, your friends, or family could “expose” us to something we haven’t thought about before, I’d love to hear those suggestions.  We are also going to open this blog up for people to add their own cool exposures in case we are out and about.  For instance I was at the International Mall today and they have a two story stair steps with glass walls.  The glass walls were fascinating enough, but adding the stairs and people walking downstairs toward us, was awesome for Sunny to navigate.  I don’t typically go over there, and almost didn’t take Sunny with me, but if I’d have known that there was this neat exposure, I wouldn’t have hesitated taking her.

Let’s do this together.  We are all in this for the same end result.  To change a life.

Carolyn and Sunny

Read about New Legislation Rick Kriseman Is Proposing for Our Puppies!

Below is a link to a story in the Bradenton Herald about a bill one of our south Pinellas puppy raisers is involved in (Rep. Rick Kriseman) and Sen. Bennett.  The story includes photos of Kenny, raised by Carolyn in our North group!

Sounds like good legislation and an excellent article to me!

Legislation would provide more rights to guide dog trainers By PARADISE AFSHAR - pafshar@bradenton.com Bradenton Herald 

PALMETTO -- Jennifer Gerrity took Kenny out for a training session. She strapped the almost 2-year-old Goldador into his harness Thursday afternoon and he was immediately in work mode.

Read more here: http://www.bradenton.com/2011/12/23/3746122/florida-legislation-would-provide.html

Four of Our Puppies Go In For Training in December!

On December 10th, four of our group's puppies went to Guide Dog University to start their training to become guide dogs: Marge (raised by Bev), Commodore (raised by Lois and Bill), Phyllis (raised by Nancy and her family) and Wrangler (raised by Linda and Kerry).

Guide Dog U, as it is called, has become a cherished new tradition as it eases the heartbreak of bringing your puppy back to Southeastern Guide Dogs by focusing on not on what is actually happening (you bringing your puppy back), but by focusing instead on the greater purpose: the puppy's purpose and our work with the puppy.

It all starts with the welcome.

T

Bev and her puppy Marge in front of Marge's Guide Dog U sign.

 As you come into Southeastern Guide Dogs, the driveway is filled with signs that announce all the puppies that have been accepted into Guide Dog U.  The signs all have their name and the 6-week portrait of them in the harness.

Bill is on the right of Commodore and Lois is on his left in front of his Guide Dog U sign.

 As your puppy's name is called, a trainer will come up to take him or her back to the kennel.  You have an opportunity for one last goodbye before they trot off.  Some raisers cry, some don't, but usually you can count on your puppy walking off with his or her head held high, tail wagging and happy to be going off to their next new adventure.

Nancy and her sons with Phyllis. Phyllis is sitting in front of Nancy. 

And you can be proud that you have given them the confidence to go into another's hands and walk confidently into a new future.

Linda is standing with Wrangler sitting at her side in front of the Guide Dog U sign.

Because that is what we do: we raise confident, well-adjusted, happy puppies.

Of course, after handing off your puppy they send you to puppy hugging for some serious TLC!  Then you come back to listen to some recent graduates talk about how their guide dog has changed their life.  It's a well rounded program, but it all starts with the puppy raiser and the puppy.

So, excellent job Linda, Kerry, Nancy, Lois, Bill and Bev! And good luck to Wrangler, Commodore, Phyllis and Marge.  Study hard.

Holiday Brunch

Yesterday was our first of a hopefully annual event our Central Puppy Raiser Holiday Potluck Brunch.

Balloons outside the house announced where the brunch was being held.

We had some balloons out front to announce which house was ours, which may or may not have helped people find the house, but let the hostess get her party on, so all was right with the world.  Inside there were plenty of pinecone exposures, for as the manual states, we do need to be on the lookout for pinecones, as decorations, as an exposure.

One of the exposures was Pincone, as decoration.  Here is a tree made out of pinecones on a coffee table.

 I did create a huge mantle piece with hanging pinecone balls for the dogs to get their photo taken as proof that they survived the pinecone, as decoration exposure, but in the midst of all the party chaos, I forgot to have everyone do that.  Oh well, next year!

Another exposure we had was the wooden bridge across the koi pond.  It is at a rather high arch.  Several puppies and raisers took advantage of this exposure and tried it.

Elena leads Meredith over the bridge across the koi pond, another exposure for the puppies.

 Fortunately, we didn't have any puppies fall into the pond!

Brian and Essie come back over the bridge and Essie seems to really be liking the bridge if one can judge from her enthusiasm.

 It had been decided that we should start with an obedience lesson to tire the pups out and then go to brunch.  That way, there might be a better liklihood of calm, sleepy puppies under the tables.

Bob is handling Jam during some of the obedience. Jam is sitting calming at his side.

 So, everyone met in the side yard for some obedience.

Melisa chats with Stephanie. Carbon is in a sit stay at Stephanie's side.

 And for some reconnecting.

Apollo is intent upon following the next command being given.  Here he is standing and staring and waiting.

 Of course, our pups seemed to be very intent on the commands, like Apollo, above.

Bob and Apollo demonstrate the heel command.

 Whereas, the new babypups, well, let's just say, they were super cute and did as well as could be expected for 9 weeks and 12 weeks.

New puppy raisers Lisa and her husband Glen with Dulce.

Judy and Essie get to know each other before starting an obedience demonstration .

Half of our puppy raiser group in the obedience circle.

Carbon and Apollo watch the obedience demonstration with concentration.

New additions, puppies Orchid and Dulce, however, are more interested in chewing sticks and licking the ground than in paying attention.  Typical behavior for very young pups.

Jam seems more captivated by the new pups than by Judy's demonstration as he is looking in their direction and not Judy's.

Orchid makes a thorough search of her surrounding area for good smelling things on the ground.

 After obedience, it was inside for eating!  We had a great potluck brunch with wonderful dishes provided by the whole group.  Thank you everyone! After stuffing ourselves with so much divine delicacies, it was time for the Bad Santa gift exchange.

At the Bad Santa gift exchange, Melisa was the first to open a gift: a blue puppy kong.

Elena was second and Jam and Bob are entertained by her unwrapping the present.

The cool gift I opened was a psychological toy, but I didn't get to keep it for long!!

 My toy was pretty cool, but I didn't have it for long.  That's the deal with Bad Santa!

Toy stealer 8-) Nancy unwrapping her gift before stealing the cool psychological gift I unwrapped (not that I'm bitter or anything! lol!!)

 Not surprisingly, our resident psychologist wanted the psychological toy for her new puppy. 8-) I ultimately ended up with the super cute post it notes and yam treats (Jam and Willow approve!), so all is well.

Meredith and Essie check each other out during the gift stealing.

At the end of the meeting we had some tired puppies and some full and tired raisers.  A successful brunch, I would say.

Puppy Orchid fast asleep under a chair!

Upcoming Meeting: Dec. 10th Holiday Meeting

The next meeting will be at Jam's house, also partially hosted by Willow.  Everyone should have received their evite invitation by now.  Party starts at 11:30 until 1:30.  Exposures will include

• Pinecones, as decorations
• Koi ponds, bring a towel in case your baby falls in
• Wooden bridge walk
• Down under, that is down under a table with multiple other dogs doing a down under at the same table!  Should be an experience!

And don't forget your doggie-themed Santa gift exchange present! Email or facebook Cheryl if you need details.  Also let her know who all is coming and what dish you are bringing to brunch!

Sheraton Sand Key Meeting Nov. 12, 2011

Susan organized a great meeting for us on the second Saturday of November.  We met at the Sheraton Sand Key and got to do some obedience under the watchful eyes of sunbathers and tourists.  In fact, our obedience session actually created a bit of a crowd.

Judy puts a harness on Phyllis, who goes in for training in December.

Wrangler was the most impressive walking around each distraction as if it didn't exist and he was floating on a cloud of doggie nonchalance.  Cookies? Me?  Never touch the stuff! Feathers? Bah!

Phyllis, on the other hand, showed a sneaky side.  As Nancy guided her around each distraction and kept her from getting at the cookies, Phyllis set her labbie brain to thinking.  By the second go round she had figured the problem out and as she was pulled away from the cookies, she snaked out a paw, trapped a cookie beneath it and dragged it with her.  Of course, Nancy kept Phyllis walking, so she had to leave the cookie behind (best laid plans!) but it showed a keen canine intellect, Judy pointed out.

Essie demonstrates that the proper procedure for exiting a trolley or at the bottom of the stairs is to do a sit.  

Next up was a trolley ride to get a feel for public transportation.  This exposure included getting on and off the trolley by managing the stairs and negotiating the narrow aisle and a down under with the dogs when you got seated.

Stephanie and Carbon on the trolley.  It's a bit of a tight fit.

Jean with Polly doing a nice down under.

Wrangler and his puppy raiser Kerry on the trolley.

Wrangler and Jam laying down on the trolley floor.  Jam is on the left and Wrangler on the right.
They are facing each other across the aisle.

Elena was supposed to have her new puppy at the meeting, but got a call an hour before that the litter had a virus and was on quarantine.  Here she is with her stuffed puppy stand in on the trolley.

Here is our intrepid group, minus Wrangler and Kerry.  From left to right: Stephanie and Carbon,  Nancy and Phyllis,  unknown, Susan and her husband and Essie, Mary Ellen (Elena's mom), Jean and Polly, and seated, Cheryl and Jam and Elena and puppy.

All in all it was a great outing and a fun time.  Thanks Susan for planning it and to Sheraton for hosting and providing refreshments and trolley tickets.

Our next meeting will be at Fred and Cheryl's for a Christmas Brunch.  We have koi ponds, so bring a towel in case someone falls in! (That's not recommended, of course!)

Welcome to the Central Pinellas Puppy Raiser Blog

This is a photo of the Central Pinellas group at a recent meeting at the Clearwater Courthouse in front of Courtroom 14.

Welcome to the Central Pinellas Puppy Raiser Blog.  Being a puppy raiser is a crazy decision some think.  The question we get asked most often is "How do you give them up?  I could never do that?" Usually followed by a direct stare.

Well, puppy raising is a mixed bag: rewarding and heartbreaking and most of all it is oddly addictive.  Like Lay's potato chips, you can't just raise one puppy.  So join us on our journey of raising our funny, exasperating, willful, calm, outrageous and sweet puppies.  It will be a wild ride and if everything goes as planned, we will change the world for one visually impaired person, one puppy at a time.