Back to School

So technically, school started last week, but it was a crazy week and I forgot to take many pictures (gasp, I know). Because of some recent events, the schedule of puppy socialization has switched up some and unfortunately there aren't as many interactions with the students this school year. However, there are still plenty of opportunities for those little (and not so little) hands to get in on the puppy love! Last week we visited a local nursing home, where the students bring the puppies around to the residents. Various classes also come out to the farm a few times a week to play with the puppies and give them crucial social interaction. Today, the puppies visited the Lionheart For Life program at the YMCA, where the students do many, many things to socialize the puppies, but today we took advantage of the weather and went on a walk on the greenway and even took a little dip in the river! The greenway provides a different environment for the puppies to be in. They explore the many smells along the path, bikes zoom by, and there's always plenty of other people and dogs to meet!

Walking over to the greenway.

We love the shaded paths!

To the side! Bike coming through!

THORNTON swimming

BRISTOL swimming

Muddy little THORNTON! 

Someone was sad to have to get out! (BRISTOL) 

This is what makes it worth it at the end of the day!

Wet and fuzzy PALMER!

BRISTOL getting love from one of our sweet young men

Pure Give Challenge

Our lovely paws4people founder and CEO has taken up a new hobby (addiction maybe?) this year - Pure Barre. I've been once, and that was enough for me to realize that I am probably the least graceful and coordinated person to ever walk on this planet. But that is not what's important. What is important is that they do this really cool contest called the Pure Give Challenge. Basically each local Pure Barre competes with all the others to see who can raise the most money for their selected charity within a month.  And we are blessed that Pure Barre Wilmington has chosen paws4people.

There is an active donation page online: https://www.crowdrise.com/purebarrewilmington/fundraiser/kyriahenry

The top 3 locations will get their donations matched by Pure Barre's corporate office, and there are all kinds of fun contests each week to win various amounts of money along the way. And since we all know I can't do anything without taking pictures, feast your eyes on the cutest puppies you've ever seen model in a workout studio!

sweet BRISTOL says "you put these toys next to me, but I'm not allowed to play with them?!?"

This ended up being my favorite picture from the shoot! (PALMER)

BRISTOL's very serious about her workouts 

BRISTOL knows she's a cute little bug! 

FIN workin' the barre!

modeling with all the props, er, equipment! 

um hi, this is the cutest photo EVER with that smile. (THORNTON)

These two are pretty cute, too! (HUNTLEY and WALTER)

Vroom Vroom

This morning the puppies went to an event called Touch A Truck! Despite the temperature creeping up throughout the day, I couldn't have planned a better morning. When they say "a truck" they really mean "65 trucks" - at least! There were UPS trucks, SWAT trucks, food trucks, motorcycles, fire trucks, police cars, helicopters, cranes, dump trucks, school buses, limos, and tractors, just to name a few. There were also other surprise training tools that I found. These included a mascot, inflatable slide, and a horse drawn carriage. The puppies all did fantastic putting up with the masses of small hands touching them, and the constant noises of horns honking, engines running, and helicopters chopping.

REMINGTON climbs up into the UPS truck - the textured metal didn't bother him!

BRISTOL and REMINGTON hop out of the truck

Taking a moment to cool off in the mister fans  

PALMER is all smiles coming down the slide 

Look at our down stays!
(REMINGTON, THORNTON, WALTER, BRISTOL, PALMER, HUNTLEY, and FINLEY)

PLAMER getting pets from a little girl

PALMER meeting the Georgia State mascot. 

We took a fun ride in a horse drawn carriage!

HUNTLEY meets the horse

PALMER, a little bit exhausted, modeling the official Touch A Truck shirt

And last but not least, is this video of cute HUNTLEY going down the inflatable slide. I love how high she holds herself and how proud of herself she is! Moments like that make my job even more rewarding! 

Fun with the iPad

I'm continuously amazed by the technological world we live in. Most of the time it all seems overwhelming to me, but occasionally I find ways to actually use it properly. One of these times is an app I have on my iPad called "Game For Dogs". It features a little dog running across the screen and when the dog gets touched, it makes a squeaky noise. Let me tell you something, the dogs go wild to play this game! Check it out in this video of sweet Miss PALMER! She's gotten very good at tracking the object to be able to touch it and get the sound.

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Working Like A Dog

I am utterly embarrassed that I have not written a post in three weeks. We've been super busy! I'm going to attempt to catch up in one post! The puppies have been growing like weeds, and not only in size! They are extremely social, confident, and smart! Each of their personalities are starting to shine through, but I know they'll change and mold even more. Now, let's see if I can recall a few the highlights of the past few weeks! But before you browse the photos - here is a mega-adorable video of the puppies building up the courage to go down the big steps all by themselves! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywK77JgYsw0

We love exploring in our adventure box! (HUNTLEY)

Finding all kinds of new objects at Walmart! (THORNTON) 

You mean you want us to come outside??
 (PALMER, WALTER, BRISTOL, HUNTLEY - THORNTON looking in the back and REMINGTON sleeping)  

I couldn't reach the big dog bowls so I climbed in them! (REMI)

I heard a mud mask is good for the skin! (WALTER) 

We love to play on our puppy castle! (WALTER and BRISTOL)

The toy basket makes a good bed, too! (HUNTLEY) 

We got to attend the grand opening of the new Unleashed by Petco in Dacula, GA

We don't get much cuter than this!
(PALMER, REMINGTON, HUNTLEY, BRISTOL, WALTER, THORNTON with big dog friends MYER and TYBEE) 

The puppies weren't huge fans of the big pool, but FINLEY sure loved it! 

REMINGTON - just because I love his face :)

Playing in the baskets at Lowe's 

Parading Around Town

On Saturday morning we ventured out to the Alpharetta Old Soldier's Day Parade. It was great! We not only met all sorts of people, but also got to experience sirens, engines, marching bands, candy being thrown, and the big floats themselves! Everybody did so wonderful, but in typical toddler fashion, they were ready to go home and take a nap after a while. 

Getting acquainted with a friendly officer!

Lots of love from the Girl Scouts! 

Intently watching the parade go by! 

On Sunday we made a quick morning visit at a local assisted living facility. It's always a blast to see the priceless looks of joy on the faces of the residents! 

PALMER making a new friend!

Today we had a "lazy day" and spent a good chunk of it working on our confidence building and problem solving. I'm happy to say that they are full force into everything they are allowed to get into around the house! They love the ramp and belly sliding down it like little penguins on an iceberg! They also have been using it as a dock to launch into the baby pool. Never a dull moment around here! 

And a few bonus pictures of the big dogs in my life: 

TYBEE and FINLEY could've used some sunglasses

They did their own confidence building and problem solving by jumping onto this higher wall at the fountain! 

My favorite shopping companion! 

Learning is Fun!

Here at the Puppy Development Center, we have a menagerie of random objects to help acclimate the puppies to different surfaces and textures, as well as other problem solving and confidence building activities. There's a cool A-frame to climb on, a giant ramp to explore, a giant tire, baby pools, and a fun toddler slide! There's a tunnel, scooter, and all kinds of toys with crazy textures, shapes, and sounds. We also have a fabulous box frame built by some hardworking Lionheart students that houses various objects such as tin cans, cut up hose, those little kitty toys with the jingle ball in them, and PVC pipe. The box helps engage multiple senses, builds confidence, helps with problem solving, and introduces the association of potentially scary textures and sounds as fun, because it's all associated during play!

REMINGTON on top of the A-frame!

HUNTLEY tests out the waters!

BRISTOL heads down the A-frame ramp! 

HUNTLEY and the tire! 

REMINGTON is such a happy boy in the pool!

WALTER got to the top of the big ramp, what now?! 

Jump, of course!!  

REMINGTON and THORNTON test out the slide. FINLEY offers encouragement! 

And just a picture of happy little THORNTON because he's cute :) 

One more thing. Please, please, PLEASE watch this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCorQDGwfDE&feature=youtu.be
I have the honor of knowing all three of these brave veterans and they have been courageous enough to share their incredible stories with you, so please watch. 

If you happen to be a federal employee, please consider donating to paws4vets!
CFC #19324