The cycle continues

Two more of our beautiful girls have made their marks in the puppy group and in their families, and now it's time for their next step.  Two more of our dedicated families have endured the pride and the pain of callback day, committed to raising Southeastern's dogs for a higher purpose.

You all have our hearts today.

C-C's journey:

Zelda's adventure:

Next stop, college.  Puppy Raising Services was all ready for the arriving raisers and pups, but were the raisers really ready for the day?

Once the classic turn-in portraits are taken, everyone convenes under the pavilion.  Puppy raisers turning in dogs deal with a variety of emotions including plenty of sadness.  Not sad at all are the trainers who await the new freshmen!!!  

Zelda has her moment in the sun (okay...so it was raining).

C-C awaits her turn...

...to meet the trainer who will find her some great roommates.

As a testament to the effort that raisers put into raising well-rounded, well-balanced dogs, C-C skips off with the trainer (in the pouring rain) as if it were just another day.

But it's not just another day.  Our raiser families have to adjust their lives to the absence of a "program puppy," as the pups begin to learn the ropes of kennel living.  Their lives will be low key for awhile, and then the march to their destiny will begin in earnest.

Go boldly, Ladies.  You are destined for greatness, and you are loved.  

You are getting sleeeepy...

At our mid-month meeting, Trainer Jen works with us on a relaxation protocol that will encourage our puppies to settle.  Calm behavior at the handler's feet is requested frequently of a guide dog trainee.

Lots of diligent listening ensues.

We can count on our "juniors" to entertain themselves during the grown-up talk.  (Thanks, Ladies!)  ;-)

An excerpt from the operant conditioning process.  Trainer Karen narrates as Jen demonstrates with BJ.  The added distraction of our young "passerby" with an umbrella goes unnoticed because BJ's attention is where it should be.