America's VetDogs® Training Program
The First Weekend
Friday. June 05, 2015
Blackwater River Correctional Facility, aka "Blackwater", in Milton, FL. - Following our second Weekend Puppy Handler (WPH) meeting conducted by Julie, the local America's VetDogs® Prison Program Director, the three volunteer weekend puppy handlers, including myself, got to meet our assigned dogs.
Affirmative action is required for entry into the gates of Blackwater. The "TSA routine"; everyone, every time, must 'prove' that they have come in peace. Participation in this program requires that the WPH's sacrifice some of their civil rights (e.g. RKBA) due to the location. As the spokesman for the institution put it, "nothing in, nothing out." However, bearing in mind that sacrifice is the underlying reason for the work that we are doing, we comply with Blackwater's rules.
After the brief WPH training session, "Nadia" (GDF#8555), a female Labrador, born 02-28-15, was brought out from her Blackwater Inmate Handler (IH) for her first weekend at "the outpost" in Pensacola.
The first weekend, we work on:
• Canine motivation
• Resistance
• Bonding
• House Manners
• Housebreaking
• Kennel (crate)
• Bath
• Item Exchange
• Play Biting
• Jumping
• Walking
Rocky, my 9-year old Golden Retriever, is a big help with Nadia; he quiets her down when she starts barking or whining in her crate. He knows how to handle females — ignore them! Smart dog!
Saturday's Schedule, June 6, 2015
0500 Reveille! Fall out, pee and poop; patrol the lawn and sniff the new day.
0600 Chow time!
0610 Time to pee and poop; a short patrol. Drills, followed by some free time.
1000 Time to pee and poop; another short patrol. Drills, followed by some free time, and snooze time.
1300 Chow time!
1310 Pee, poop, and lawn patrol. More drills and some free time. Snooze time.
1700 Pee, poop, and patrol. More Drills. Snooze time and free time.
2000 Chow time!
2010 Pee, poop, and patrol. More Drills. Free time
2230 Pee, poop, and patrol
2300 Turn in; Lights Out
Exhausted!
Sunday's Schedule, June 7, 2015
0500 Reveille! Fall out, pee and poop; patrol the lawn and sniff the new day.
0600 Chow time!
0610 Time to pee and poop; a short lawn patrol. Drills, followed by some free time.
1000 Time to pee and poop; another short patrol. Drills, followed by some free time, and snooze time.
1200 Bath Time (ugh!)
1300 Chow time!
1310 Pee, poop, and patrol. More drills and some free time. Snooze time.
1700 Pee, poop, and patrol. More Drills. Short Snooze and some free time.
1800 Pee, poop, and patrol. Prepare for trip back to Blackwater.
1900 Arrive at Blackwater, and Nadia's IH.
Monday is laundry and cleanup day at the outpost!
/fl