Leader Dog Puppy Tales November 2015 Bev Blanchard Manager of Canine Development 248‐650‐7113 or 888‐777‐5332 ext 1113 [email protected]Kathy Mazur Puppy Development Coordinator Assistant 248‐650‐7108 or 888‐777‐5332 ext 1154 [email protected]Deb Donnelly Puppy Development Supervisor 248‐650‐7114 or 888‐777‐5332 ext 1114 [email protected]Laura Fisher Puppy Development Coordinator 248‐218‐6422 or 888‐777‐5332 ext 2075 [email protected]Melissa Spooner Puppy Prison Coordinator 248‐218‐6686 or 888‐777‐5332 ext 2086 Melissa.Spooner@leaderdog. org After hours/emerge ncy Please use the 888‐777‐5332 for any emergency calls 248‐651‐9011 and listen to menu for extension if local For true emergencies dial 888‐777‐5332; press 6 at the prompt; then press 0 at the prompt, if distance Puppy Raiser Advisory Committee Represents all puppy raiser concerns [email protected]rg Leader Dog Puppy Raiser and Breeding Stock Facebook group To ask to be invited: https://www.facebook.com/gro ups/145843429080738/ You must have a Facebook page to participate. Closed Facebook group only for puppy raisers and breeding host families. A place for raisers to connect with host homes, siblings, and other puppy raisers, as well posts from Leader Dog puppy development and breeding.
Leader Dog Puppy Raiser and Breeding Stock Facebook group
To ask to be invited: https://www.facebook.com/groups/145843429080738/ You must have a Facebook page to participate.
Closed Facebook group only for puppy raisers and breeding host families. A place for raisers to connect with host homes, siblings, and other puppy raisers, as well posts from Leader Dog puppy development and breeding.
The “around” skill is used for doors that have hinges on the left side. The puppy raiser will approach
the door, and give the cue “around” to the puppy. From behind, the puppy will
move from the left side of the handler to the right side and then lead the handler
through the door. This maneuver is for the dog’s safety and ensures that the door
does not close on its paw or tail. Once through the door, the raiser should take 2–
3 steps forward, and then the dog returns to heel position, again moving behind
the raiser. Remember that for people who are visually impaired, a dog crossing in
front of them presents a tripping hazard. If there are multiple left‐hinged doors in
a row the dog remains on your right while you move through both doors. Your puppy should only
do the “around” when asked to do so!
Neat and Clean in Public
Please remember that you are representing Leader Dog when you are
out in public with your puppy. As such, please remember:
The puppy, the bandanna and/or the jacket should be clean.
Due to the increase of “fake” service dogs, Leader Dog wants
puppy raisers to use the bandannas and jackets we issue as
the apparel a puppy wears in public. Please no collar
decorations, costumes or non‐Leader Dog bandannas/jackets.
Answers to Common Canine Development Center Questions
Will there be a grand opening of the Canine Development Center?
Yes, an event is being planned for the fall of 2016. Information regarding the event will be shared as
it becomes available.
When will tours resume at Leader Dog?
Tours for the general public will resume after the grand opening in the fall of 2016.
When will the gift shop move to the Canine Development Center?
Sometime before the grand opening in the fall of 2016. An exact date has not been set.
Biosecurity Guidelines for Puppy Classes and Puppies Returning for Adult
Training
****IMPORTANT****
In general
Do not allow people to pet your puppy without first sanitizing their hands
Do not allow any direct contact with other dogs. This means do not allow nose to nose contact
when a FLD is on leash. This helps with disease control and with training. Counselors should
discontinue activities where groups of puppies (3 or more) would play together off leash. Play
sessions with family dogs, other puppies, or dogs of known vaccination history can be arranged
at the raiser’s discretion.
Puppy raisers who participate in high risk jobs (animal shelter/rescues; groomers; dog boarding
facilities; dog daycare) should take precautions so that they do not expose their puppy to
potential disease. This would include change of clothes and shoes, as well as hand sanitizing.
Please notify Leader Dog if you work in one of these professions.
As a precaution, all puppy raisers should use good hand hygiene when in the company of other
dogs, or people who have dogs.
All puppy classes
Only normal dogs, no dogs with any respiratory signs should attend.
Avoid sharing toys, chew bones and water bowls in all classes.
Use good hand hygiene.
No dogs should attend that are due to return to LD for care or training within 2 weeks.
No dogs should attend that have been boarding within 2 weeks.
Returning puppies for adult training
Do not attend puppy classes, groomers, boarding or pet stores for 14 days prior to return for training. This includes all types of group meetings or classes, including FLD only events.
Your pup may continue training outside (not dog parks).
If your pup develops any respiratory signs (coughing, nasal discharge, fever) when he/she is due to return, call your veterinarian for an exam. Call Leader Dogs with the results of that exam or to report his/her condition
Please help us keep our kennels free of contagious diseases!
The following article was written by Judge Paul Teranes in response to a discussion at the October
Puppy Raiser Advisory Committee (PRAC) meeting about why puppy raisers should plan time for
their FLDs to relax and “be a dog.” Judge Paul sits as the client representative on the PRAC. He has
been a Leader Dog client for 56 years and is a retired circuit court judge. He has served on the
Leader Dog Board of Trustees for about 20 years, and was Chairman of the Board from 2010–2012.
His current Leader Dog is a female black lab named Morgan.
A Leader Dog is not Always Working
The average day in the life of a Leader Dog varies as much as the life of its user. Some dogs
spend most of the day in a work environment which may consist of lying under a desk or beside
a machine. Some dogs may be partnered with a person who is unemployed or retired, and
spend much of the day in a home environment. Some dogs may be working in a busy city or
college campus environment leading its user on and off public transportation, and down
crowded sidewalks and across busy intersections. Other Leader Dogs may be working in quiet
neighborhoods enabling its user to run errands, and to have the freedom to get out and walk
whenever the user chooses.
No matter what circumstances or environment the Leader Dog finds it is working in, every
Leader Dog has a home life. As a Leader Dog user for over fifty years, I consider the behavior of
the dog at home as important as the working ability of the dog when out in public. It is likely
that the dog will spend more time in the home than working outside the home. You want a dog
who can relax around the home spending much of the time lying quietly, without pacing around
or barking at the window every time another dog walks by the house. You also want a dog you
can trust that it will not get into food left out in the kitchen if you leave the kitchen. Likewise
you want a dog who knows the difference between its toys and a pair of shoes or sox that were
left on the floor. You also want a dog that greets visitors with a sniff or two, as dogs are like to
do, but to leave the visitor alone once the visitor is in the house. Of course you do not want a
dog that will relieve itself in the house, but this also depends on the responsibility of the user to
take the dog out at least four times a day to relieve itself.
All dogs like to play, and people like to play with dogs. Play is a mutually enjoyable activity, but
the dog should know when play time is over, and be able to settle down.
There are times when a Leader Dog must be left home alone. An example of this is that my wife
and I ride a tandem bicycle, and when we go bike riding, I cannot take the dog. Some dogs have
a greater separation anxiety than others. To alleviate separation anxiety, do not make a big
production when leaving or coming back. Just make leaving and coming back an ordinary event.
To adjust the dog to being home alone, leave for a short time, and come back. Extend the
amount of time that you are gone until the dog realizes no matter how long you are gone, you
will come back. You should leave some toys or a Nylabone out so that the dog can amuse itself
when you are gone. It may be necessary to put your dog into a dog crate when left home alone.
If this is the case, put a favorite toy or a Nylabone into the crate so that the dog does not get
bored.
When a Leader Dog is at
home and out of the harness,
it should be allowed to be a
dog, so that it will be rested
and relaxed when the harness
is back on.
A Tired Puppy is a Good Puppy… But What Does Appropriate Exercise Look Like?
For sure, physical exercise with a puppy has many benefits. Puppies that have the opportunity
to exercise their bodies will also be stimulating growth in their brains. But while a puppy may
seem like he is “made of rubber,” the reality is that the wrong kind of exercise can cause injury,
sometimes permanently.
At the end of a growing puppy’s bones is something called a “growth plate.” A growth plate is a
soft area of a long bone that allows the bone to continue to grow. A growth plate starts to close
when a puppy reaches sexual maturity. Until a growth plate closes, the area is soft and
vulnerable to injury.
A puppy’s bones are also softer than an adult dog’s and are much more likely to suffer what is
known as a “spiral” fracture. A spiral fracture is what the bottom half of the bone twists one
way, and the top half another way.
A puppy’s cardiovascular system is not built for endurance. This means those long walks that
you may like to take are not appropriate for a young growing puppy. Repetitive exercise is
much more likely to cause injury or long term damage to growing bones and joints.
So what is good exercise for a puppy? First of all, any type of free play, sniffing around, and
exploring is good for both the body and the mind. You can intersperse this with short training
sessions. Listen to your puppy. If he flops down and refuses to go on, it is time to end the
exercise session. Growing is strenuous work, and rest is important to a puppy!
Supervise play with other dogs, and make sure the play styles are well matched. Be prepared to
interrupt play if it gets too physical. Body slams and crazy rolls can set the puppy up for a spiral
fracture, as are jumping off steps, decks or other elevations.
Vigorous play with toys should also be supervised, as pouncing, scrambling, making sharp turns
or stopping suddenly can also cause injury. For instance, a Future Leader Dog should only play
with a ball that is rolled, for both safety and training reasons.
Incorporating training sessions into your puppy’s day will help exercise the brain, and create
that tired, good puppy everyone is striving for!
November Canine Development
Center Update
We have moved into phase one of the
Canine Development Center! Over the
course of several weeks, people,
puppies and breeding stock dogs have
moved into their new, updated spaces.
The veterinarians have completed
several surgeries in the new surgical
suite, and dogs are being seen in the
new clinic and the new exam rooms
located off the lobby. Several items that
still need to be completed are the gift shop and the puppy viewing area surround. These areas
will be finalized over the next several months as materials arrive.
Phase two is in process and will take 4–5 months to complete. Phase two includes renovating
the bays in the Rochester Road wing into villages for our dogs in training. Temporary kennels
will also be built in the bus garage during phase two to house some of our dogs. Phase three,
renovating the bays in the Avon Road wing, will begin when phase two is complete.
We continue to press forward to reach our campaign goal of $14.5 million with just under
$900 thousand left to raise. We are working with all constituents in the Leader Dog community
and the general public to reach our goal. We have received some local press including a piece
on WDIV with reporter Paula Tutman that aired on October 28. Visit the WDIV website at
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local‐leader‐dogs‐get‐new‐home/36078578 to view the
video.
To learn more about the Canine Development Center, visit our website at www.leaderdog.org/canine‐
center. You can even find out how to create your own my Leader Dog personal fundraising page to share
with your friends and support the Canine Center.
Prison Puppies Update
Prison Puppies are currently being raised in
4 different states and 7 different
correctional facilities. Another 3–4
Michigan facilities will be added over 2016.
Our current facilities include (listed by city)
Michigan: Baraga, Kinchelo, Jackson and
New Haven; Minnesota: Lino Lakes;
Wisconsin: Oneida and Iowa: Fort Dodge.
The amount of puppies being raised at each
facility varies from 8–60 puppies. While
some facilities are limited to only raising
male puppies (because of the setup of their
housing units), others raise both genders. Similar to the outside raising groups, there is an assigned
counselor for each facility that visits the raisers 1–2 times per month.
Philanthropy Enlists Volunteers for Planet Dog Launch
Earlier this fall, Leader Dogs
for the Blind was selected
by the Planet Dog
Foundation, to be the
partner charity of the
Planet Dog Campus Dog
Line launch at Notre Dame.
The new line of dog toys are
branded with the Notre
Dame logo and feature
popular items like bones,
pucks, footballs and other shapes made from the Orbee Tuff material.
Planet Dog creates high‐quality, American‐made toys for dogs that encourage innovative play, while
minimizing the carbon pawprint. Each year, they donate two percent of their proceeds to the
Foundation, which has given $1 million to service dog organizations, including Leader Dogs for the Blind.
In addition to supporting Leader Dog’s partnership with the Canine Advocacy Program, placing more
career changed dogs into therapy work as Court Canine Advocates, it also donated a special play area in
the new Canine Development Center.
On hand to help with the launch were Future Leader Dog Champion, and his puppy raisers Jaclyn
Champagne and Noel Terranova. The trio volunteered to spend their afternoon greeting football fans,
alumni, and students, outside the Notre Dame Bookstore in the Eck Center just prior to the game against
Georgia Tech. While Champagne is the registered puppy raiser, they often participate in events
together, including a regular puppy raising group activity in Paw Paw, Michigan, with their puppy
counselor. Terranova’s work as a rector in Keenan Hall has made FLD Champion a popular face around
campus and acquainted students and staff alike with the Leader Dog mission. FLD Champion will return
to the Leader Dog campus in December to begin formal training.
Leader Dog received direct donations and over $500.00 in donated products from Planet Dog at the
event. It is estimated that over 30,000 visitors stopped by Planet Dog’s indoor and outdoor information
areas. Products donated will aid both the Canine Development Center in developing stimulating play
time and as distraction tools used during formal Leader Dog training.
Volunteerism is an important part of philanthropy at Leader Dog and allows us to connect in meaningful
ways with a variety of audiences. On‐campus volunteers work in the philanthropy department updating
valuable information and providing support. Through the Lions, puppy raisers, and other key volunteers
we are able to reach thousands of groups annually across the country, and in other parts of the world.
Volunteering at philanthropy events and special gatherings, often off‐campus, goes above and beyond
the commitment these stakeholders makes and is not a replacement for the important mission‐centric
work they accomplish each day.
NOTE: Planet Dog toys are not currently approved for use with Future Leader Dogs, but rather have
specific uses in the kennel and training program.
Trimming Nails
Here is a nice blog about why trimming a dog’s nails is important to their health. If your puppy does not
like his nails trimmed, you need to build a “bank account” of touching your puppy’s nails without a
trimmer in sight, then with a trimmer in sight but no cutting occurs, and then carefully doing one nail at
a time just taking off the tips. http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/trimming‐your‐dogs‐toenails/.
Circle of Life
Blitz x Leeloo 1 Lab
Ryder x Pandora 7 Labs
Huron x Bear 2 Labs
Blitz x Bee 9 Labs
Sergeant x Riley 9 Labs
Tom x Chanel 5 Labs
Kapten x Grace 10 Goldens
Buddy x Macy 7 Lab/goldens
Huron x Tess 11 Labs
Shaq x Tag 4 Labs
Congratulations to the Graduates of Class 16‐03
16060 F-Lab/Gol
Olive Dwayne Rudd MI 10760 Rosemary Edds
MI
16052 FYL Adell Enhamed Mohamed CA 10752 Chippewa Correctional Facility
MI
16084 M-Lab/Gol
Baxter Burrell Kolonich MI 10784 Emily Wallace MI
16039 FBL Stella Paola Gallegos IN 10739 Laura Genise SC
16025 M-Golden
Andie Michael O'Dette IN 10724 Chippewa Correctional Facility
MI
16046 FYL Maggie Betty Maass WI 10746 Elena Boxey MI
16037 FBL Dinah Lois Fisher IN 10737 Jennifer Ulm IL
16049 MYL Harwell James Janisch IL 10749 Laura Fisher MI
15945 M-Golden
Apollo Linda McLane MI 10641 G Robert Cotton Correctional Facility
