Thomas

     Today was a Monday, but it certainly was not a bad Monday, it was a filled to the brim Monday.   Our day started off like the past 3 Mondays have started...It's always the same question, "Mrs. Ledbetter, how many days does Thomas have left with us?"  Today's magic number was 18 as we only count the days in school and not the weekends.  By the way, if I have left anyone in the dust on this one, Thomas is my guide dog pup in training from Southeastern Guide Dogs.  He is PHENOMENAL and loved by all.  Thomas was called in for training for the last weekend of February, thus the painful countdown that my students like to ask daily about.
      So many people ask me about why I have a dog.  So, today's blog will be dedicated to Southeastern Guide Dog Puppies and Raisers.

This is Thomas...Age - About 6-8 weeks old.

     A bit of background information... Southeastern Guide Dogs, located in Palmetto, Florida, was founded in 1982 to create partnerships between visually impaired people and awesome guide dogs. Southeastern provides all of their services free of charge and receives no funding from the government.
     This is where I come in...I am a Volunteer Puppy Raiser...yes, a Puppy Raiser, not a Puppy Trainer.  I have not perfected the super powers that are needed to fully train these little super heroes like our fabulous trainers who work on campus at the guide dog school have.  As a puppy raiser, I take care of raising my puppy correctly, house breaking, and teaching him the proper way to behave when out in public.  I take my puppy everywhere which can include going out to eat, to school, on vacations, to meet Santa Claus and even to meet the Easter Bunny.  This is what we call real world training.  My pup is getting real world experiences that will help him to become a guide dog when he grows up.
     My pup is usually around 8-14 weeks old when I pick him up at school. This sweet little nugget that is pictured above has already started his puppy early socialization training before the day he heads home to Texas.  Puppy raising takes lots of time and energy but its something that has become 2nd nature to me.  It's almost a weird feeling when I go out without my pup by my side.  Each year, about this time, I start thinking, "man...this pup really has it together."  This is when I know I have done my job and my pup is ready to move on to the next stage of his education.  College or formal harness training is next.  With this next stage, there can be lots of excitement because you know it's time for your pup to strut his stuff and make you proud, but it's also one of the hardest times for puppy raisers, my students, my friends, and my family,  who have come to love this sweet fur baby.  I get asked time and time again, "How do you give him up?  Don't you love him?"  Yes, I love ALL of my pups...even my ones who were little stinkers at times.  Each pup I raise, takes a bit of my heart with them.  When my pups name is called to leave my side, I always say, "See you later" because I know it's not "Good-bye".  Usually 6-10 months later, my pup will graduate with his new person and it will be time for me to return to the campus to watch him to strut his stuff again but this time, it's with his person, or I like to say his new Mom or Dad.  I get to see my "old friend" and also get to met his "new friend".  This can be an emotional time as well.  I will say this, the dogs you raise, NEVER forget you.  Each time you get to see your old friend, they usually give you a "HEY Mom!  Where have ya been?" type of welcome but then settle back down to doing their job.  This is when you know you have done something right and all is just perfect in your world.
     I guess you can say, I raise pups for Southeastern Guide Dogs because I love doing it and it gives me a feeling like nothing else, knowing that I helped to give freedom and independence back to someone who was missing it.

If you would like to learn more about Southeastern Guide Dogs, you can visit their website by clicking here Southeastern Guide Dogs.  If you feel that you would like to help Southeastern Guide Dogs by making a donation, they are a wonderful organization and all funds do go to help train theses wonderful dogs.  Feel free to donate through my Walkathon link at SuperHero Thomas Walkathon Page.