IFT Photos

Well, I (finally) remembered to bring the camera to work today. So, let the photos begin:

Emma, Boggie and Kelli get loaded (in the van...)


Gilly


Henry



Emma


Vita



Lucy


Beau

Trainer's Diary: Random Thoughts

So we've finished up a week of working on curbs and lefts turns. Some of the dogs are starting to get it, others....not so much. No worries, they'll figure it out soon enough. I've accumulated some random thoughts over the week and thought I'd share:

Rules is Rules
By now the dogs have figured out that after breakfast and a run, trainers show up with training collars, which means a trip to the van, which means Nylabones in the crates, and a fun day out working. So naturally, everyone's a tad excited in the morning and that makes being quiet and holding a sit-stay while the collar goes on a little challenging. But rules is rules and even excited dogs have to follow the protocols. It is amusing to see the dogs switch at the kennel door. Some of them are so anxious to go they literally leap around to the right side.

And That's Why We Don't Use "OK" Anymore

When the dogs are let out of the kennel runs to play in the yard, they have to hold a stay in front of the open door until we release them with the "out" command. I was standing in front of a run of dogs, monitoring their stay when my training partner told me something. I responded "ok" and immediately the whole run of dogs blasted out of the door. All righty, then.

Here's what it looked like right before they bolted......

Unlearning Curbs

Several of our dogs sit automatically at curbs. This is a huge annoyance because guide dogs don't sit at curbs, so now we have to "unlearn" the dogs and teach them not to sit at curbs. While we're on the subject of curbs, let me stress that puppy raisers should not be doing anything special at curbs. Don't have the dogs sit, don't tap on the curb with your foot, don't correct the dog for stepping up or down off the curb. Just stop if you need to wait for traffic (keep the dog standing) and then proceed with the forward command. Don't stop at the curb across the street, keep moving and get out of the street. The reason is we want the dogs to have a "clean slate", if you will, about curbs when they come to us. We teach them how to stop at curbs in a very specific way, on a specific timetable. If they have been conditioned to do something at curbs (like sitting), then the dogs have to unlearn that behavior as they are learning the proper behavior. It makes it more difficult for the dog.

And finally, here are pix of EveryDog 1 and EveryDog 2 workin' on their "chill" while trainers write records.

Lights! Camera! Awwww!

Thanks to the hard work and dedication of several staff members, we are proud to announce the premier debut of our Puppy Cam! Tune in on our home page to see seven sweet goldadores snuggle and snore, wrestle, roll, nurse and more!

Congratulations to "Hope", the mother of this gorgeous litter born on March 25th, 2009.

Guaranteed to make you smile - now why wouldn't you share it with everyone you know?

Enjoy!

April Class Matches

Congratulations and Thank You!

Angel 4B7 YLxGF - raised by Katie Tyler - Charlotte, NC group

Bear 5H7 YLM - raised by Tracee Samuel - finished by Joan Glaraton - Jacksonville, FL group

Breezy 3FF6 YLxGF - raised by Wendy Sawtelle - Sarasota, FL group

Caleb 5C7 BLM - raised by Gainesville IMPACT

Clarke 8M6 YLxGF - raised by Susan & Raymond Sounder - Hilton Head, SC group - finished by Diona Boyle - Sun City, FL group

McIntosh 6C7 YLF - raised by Ellen Cox - Atlanta, GA group

Sir William 7U6 BTSCCM - raised by Jerry & Sonia Mazur - Ft. Myers, FL group

Mercedes 4EE6 BLF - raised by Robert Heggli - W. Palm/Ft. Lauderdale, FL group (Home Placement)

Trainer's Diary: Moving Day

So today was moving day, the day we moved our dogs from the Receiving Kennel down to the Big House, aka, the Training Kennel. Before we moved, everyone got a bath. You know how it is, you want to make a good impression on the new neighbors. So a nice bath, then ear cleaning, then load up the van and move 'em out. We kept everybody in pretty much the same run configuration, so no one had to get used to new roommates. The dogs will be ineligible for dog walking for a few days while they acclimate to the bigger kennel, but by the end of next week they will be going out with dog walkers.

We have completed our routes on campus and are now leaving grounds to work the dogs. First up, the Outlet Mall. This is an outdoor mall that gets very crowded with people, strollers, wheelchairs, small yappy dogs, kids. It's a great place to see what distractions or other issues the dogs may have. This mall is apparently one of the "don't miss" places for tourists because every other person there is either speaking a foreign language or has a Class 3 sunburn. We get a lot of questions and it's a nice opportunity to tell people about Southeastern.

Next week: Curbs. Lots and lots of curbs.