Meeting the New Pups

Today, we welcomed 3 new raisers and their pups to the Nashville Puppy Raiser group, bringing us up to 7 Southeastern Guide Dogs puppies in training.  

Siblings, Clifford (being raised by AC Becky) and Frenchie (being raised by Tina) are the  oldest pups at 11 months.  Both are black goldadors from the famous Miss Faye litter. (For some reason Clifford was a little camera shy.)

Frenchie in the background, paying no mind
to 10 week old, Gerry in the foreground.
Gerry is looking up at Frenchie.

Siblings Gerry (being raised by Jonathan), Gary (being raised by Kim) and Birdie (being raised by Frances) are 10 week old donated yellow lab puppies.  Gerry is lighter in color (and larger) than his siblings. Gary is little darker in the face than Gerry, and, little Birdie is almost a fox red color and is the smallest of the group.

Gerry, left, being introduced to Beacon, right.
Both dogs are nose to nose.

Gerry has his paw on Beacons face.

Gary standing in jacket.

Birdie peering our from
behind her raisers leg.

After raising 5 black puppies, Pat Freise is thrilled to be raising George, a 'yellow' goldador. George is 4 months old, and although officially a yellow puppy, he is almost pure white. 

Pat standing with George
 in a sit to her left.
George is very light colored.

And, of course, there is our beautiful Beacon...

Beacon, in jacket, in a down.

It is hard to believe Beacon was ever as small as the new puppies.  Since Gerry, Gary and Birdie do not have their shots yet, we met in a conference room in Nashville.  In order to access the conference room, the puppies had to walk through a laboratory full of really expensive equipment which, thankfully, the puppies did without incident.  The meeting started with introductions and Tina leading us in basic obedience... 

Tina, with Beacon on her left,
discussed proper collar
 correction techniques
for the older pups.

Becky then instructed us on some Southeastern Guide Dogs guidelines and procedures...

Becky, with Beacon in a down,
discussed public petting and

emergency procedures.

We practiced sit, down and stay.  After working with our own dogs for a short while, it was time to mix it up and switch dogs.  This is done to help the dogs learn to work with other handlers.  It was easy to tell Beacon and George apart due to coloring, and Frenchie was in harness while Clifford was in jacket, but the little pups... I could only tell them apart by their leash colors.  

Pat working with Birdie.

Although there were 7 puppies in the conference room, the only noise heard was that of talking, instruction and dog tags jingling.  All of the puppies were so well behaved (no 'busy' accidents in the building!) and worked individually, and together, very well. 

Gerry, in jacket, sleeping through
the end of the meeting.

Gary, in jacket, in a sit, looking
a little pooped out.

Even George, plopped down
for a little nap.

Before we ended the meeting, we tried to get a group shot but we kind of look like we are being photographed in a group police line up.  

From Left, Kim holding Gary
Jonathan holding Gerry
Scotty with Clifford
AC Becky Dan
Frances holding Birdie
Me with Beacon
Tina with Frenchie
Pat with George in a sideways sit.