Fully "suckered in"

Revel in it, Karen.  They grow up so quickly.

New on the scene!

The long wait (while her family traveled) is over!  Jen makes a big splash as she comes home to Karen, Fred, and Mac.

"C'mon, buddy -- I'm super likable.  Really!!"

End of day.  Loving it here.

End of day.  How long is it going to live here?

And a little more fall spirit

Not to be outdone, Juno spends some time being "autumn-y," as well!  Halloween provides such great photo ops.

Atlas is feeling autumnal

Just a little excursion to soak up some fall vibes while at Puppy Camp.

Hotel exploration

We hadn't held a hotel meeting in several years, so we revisited with a group of pups who had never been there.  Some of the experiences provide great preparation for a dog who might stay in a hotel down the line.

The bellman's cart can be intimidating -- but not tonight!

Remy

Atlas

Juno

Keith and Dash navigate with confidence, reminding us all why we take on puppy raising.

The glass elevator can be unsettling right at the beginning when things are flying by, but Juno seemed to enjoy the ride.

Ascending a tight, spiral staircase is new for most pups.

After Jan "tinkled a few keys" for Juno, she passed the role to George, who, it turns out, can really play!

Remy

Susie

Atlas

Even though we'd lost most of our light, the pups and handlers rocked this group shot.

Meghan, Wendy, and Keith, along with Susie and Dash, pose for a nice portrait...

...while Juno wants to find out a little more about these fountains!

Squeaky clean

PetSupermarket has recently partnered with Southeastern Guide dogs to carry our chosen food brand -- Fromm.  Previously available mostly at boutique stores, this agreement will make it easier for puppy raisers and graduates alike to find Fromm in their local area.

Today PetSup did a public awareness-raising event that cast a spotlight on its DIY bathing stations.  Several of our raisers and pups participated, and all went home with a free bath.  ;-)

Juno

Mastro

Remy

Susie

Oh, so clean and sweet smelling!  Thank you, ladies, for stepping up for this gig.

Thank you, PetSupermarket for coming into the Southeastern fold.

Joyful, joyful

Such a delight to have a campus reunion after our pups have been off in college for months.  Lest a raiser EVER believe she will be forgotten...

Anna, Marie, and Cecelia

Livin' the water life

Juno enjoys some adventure and some quiet time.

Games and a big surprise

It's still summer.  It's still blazing hot.  Thank goodness for our accommodating library system and its community rooms!

Not the big surprise, but a surprise nonetheless, we received a nice honor for last spring's Walkathon fundraising.  Our group does a stellar job fundraising, permitting us to sponsor/name many of the dogs we raise.

Keith always entertains with his announcements!

Some of the raisers were let in on the hint of a secret to come.  They waited patiently...

Meg's genuine delight is evident when it is announced that Marie's first puppy, Anna, was matched with a visually impaired student.  It took a minute for the news to sink in for Marie.

Lori arrives with Marie's congratulatory balloons.

George and Nora share special pride as the breeder hosts of Anna's mom, Jewel.

Before we sat down for our main activity, the pups worked on an exercise of self restraint.  Their handlers picked up pieces of kibble from one bowl and placed them into the second bowl as the dogs waited calmly.

Finally, we all sat down for the "game of the day," a contest of identifying dog breeds.  Luckily she'd brought prizes, because Jan took some (lighthearted) heat for selecting some breeds that were a bit too obscure!!

While a game such as this may just look like entertainment for the raisers, it also serves as excellent "settling practice" for their pups -- a critical skill.

Special congratulations to applicants Danielle and Jackie for being standouts at breed ID!  ;-)