In my last blog entry we talked about some of the puppy training. Much of their training will be formal instruction at Warrior Canine Connection Headquarters, but equally important are the weekly field trips to expose the puppies to many diverse situations; after all, they will likely experience all sorts of uncertainty when escorting their veterans, so they need to be ready for anything.
Every once in a while we get an opportunity to do something extra special, like going to the airport to greet an Honor Flight.
Honor Flight is an organization that transports World War II veterans (at no cost to them) from their homes to Washington, DC, to see the World War II memorial — their memorial. We’re fortunate here in the National Capital Region to have the privilege of welcoming these veterans and their guardians at all the regional airports. Honor Flight is an organization that I am also passionate about, and combining it with WCC … well … the thought just about sent me over the edge! The puppies gain the invaluable experience of being in an airport, riding escalators and people movers, people rushing about with suitcases, and TSA pat downs; we get the honor of meeting and greeting the men and women of the Greatest Generation – and they get the hero’s welcome that they never really received when they came home from the war.
Throw in a bunch of puppy kisses and you have a win-Win-WIN!
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Now that you have met the Honor Litter and their namesakes, I’d like to give you a glimpse into their training and shaping – a topic I’ve always been very interested in. There actually was a time when I gave serious consideration to going back to school and becoming a dog trainer, but ultimately decided that I was more suited to be a professional pet photographer. One of the reasons I became so interested in training was because of my own dog, Oliver. Like most dog parents, I tried to do the right thing and take him to obedience school, but it was an abysmal failure. He was kicked out, not once, but twice! So we hired a private trainer who gave it a shot, but soon gave me my money back, telling me Ollie was untrainable and should be put down. Horrified, I took naughty dog home and resigned myself to the task of teaching him to be socially acceptable. It was then that I learned just how effective positive reinforcement was. While he wouldn’t have won any prizes for being the most obedient dog, with lots of love and praise, he became a polite and beloved member of our family for 19 years (yes, 19!).
In more recent times, I have become fascinated with service dogs for vets (you would have never guessed huh?). What these dogs are trained to do is absolutely remarkable. We are all familiar with seeing eye dogs and various other types of service dogs, but very few realize just how remarkable a Wounded Warrior service dog can be, and what goes into making them the best that they can be, so that they are able to go on to serve those who have so valiantly served us. Read more »
Love Me, Love My Dogs!
Being single can be lonely and dating can be hard. I am so grateful that in my single days, my dogs kept me well entertained, but also helped me in sorting out the losers from the keepers!
You are probably wondering why a pet photographer is writing about dating…well, allow me to explain. Recently I was chatting with a friend of mine and she was sharing her dating woes and it reminded me of an amusing story, so I thought I’d share. The dog lovers among you will have a good laugh – because I KNOW you will get it!
Setting the stage
You may occasionally catch a reference here to Meggie and Oliver, the two amazing dogs with whom I shared a combined 23 years of my life (Meggie died at 17 and Oliver at 19). {I’ve included a few pictures of my “personal protection team,” taken a long time ago with a first generation digital camera, not great quality…but you get the “picture!” Ha!} At the time, Meggie was 9 and Oliver was 5, both were well-adjusted rescue dogs with impeccable house manners. Meggie was an Australian Cattle Dog and Oliver was a Cattle Dog/ Terrier mix (i.e.: Australian terror). If you know anything about cattle dogs, you know how intense they can be…after all, how else is a 45lb dog supposed to intimidate a cow?! Read more »
Hello one and all, and welcome back to the third installment of my introduction to Warrior Canine Connection’s Honor Litter! Are you ready to meet the last three puppies? I have to say that these introductory blogs have been rather difficult to write; photographing the puppies is (of course) an absolute joy, and I LOVE to spend time with them. However, researching the stories of the young men and women for whom they are named continually reaffirms my love for our great nation, but it is very emotional to read such stories of gallantry, of love and loss. It reminds me of a passage my husband shared with me from a book, written in 1943, that he was reading about the young men and women who fought World War II, and I think still applies today:
“The older people of the United States can be content with the young men they have produced and who are now away fighting the war. [They] are astonishingly practical, very realistic and hard-headed in the midst of all the desperations of battle, and when they are asked to volunteer for a particularly dangerous mission they do not become romantics, rushing heedlessly to die for a dear old Rutgers. They examine the situation coldly, all the ins and outs of it, and independently of their officers arrive at decisions which are eminently satisfactory to those concerned both with the prosecution of the war and the nature of the Americans fighting it. They do not let the war down, nor do they let themselves down. They are altogether very sound, good people.” (emphasis mine)
With that in mind, thank you for coming along on this journey with me – I hope you enjoy reading about our last three puppies, and the heroes they are named for. Read more »
Introducing the Honor Litter!
In last week’s post, I introduced you to Cody, Luke, Stanley, and their namesakes. As I mentioned, in the Honor Litter there are three yellow Labrador retrievers and six black. Well, this week I would like to introduce you to the three yellow puppies and their namesakes! They all have incredible stories – I said last week that just reading about them gives me goosebumps…I must amend that statement – it gives me goosebumps on top of my duck eggs! What amazing stories – I hope you find them as moving as I do. So, without further ado:
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Introducing the Honor Litter!
I have to say, watching nine puppies growing up is a LOT more interesting than I ever imagined — every time I see them, they get smarter and smarter (and bigger and bigger). Right from the day they were born, every activity these puppies do is focused solely on being the best service dog they can be. It is amazing what they were able to do at just 5 weeks old, but more about that in the coming weeks.
Like I mentioned last week, all of these dogs are named for American heroes — decorated combat warriors who in most cases were either WIA or KIA. This is yet another way that these dogs are tied to the Wounded Warriors they will soon serve. Last time, I promised to introduce you to the nine puppies of the Honor Litter, so without further ado, here it is! I originally planned to introduce you to all nine puppies in the same blog post, but ultimately decided to only introduce three at a time because I think it is important properly pay tribute to the men and women who gave so much. Take a minute to read through this list, if for no other reason than to honor the animals’ namesakes – those who have so valiantly fought, and in most cases, died for the liberties we cherish.
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I had planned to introduce the Honor Litter, puppy-by-puppy, next week, but today is a special day. Two years ago today, a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter, call sign Extortion 17, was shot down over Afghanistan killing all 30 aircrew and Special Operations personnel aboard, as well as 8 Afghanis. 
One of those killed was a US Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician, Chief Petty Officer Nick Null, from Washington, WV. He left behind his wife and three children on that day. This little guy, one of the three yellow lab puppies of the Honor Litter, is named “Nick” in honor of Chief Nick Null, and today we remember Nick’s sacrifice, and that of those killed that day – we will never forget.
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First, let’s get this out of the way – I AM SO EXCITED!
I’m absolutely thrilled to announce a new partnership and project with Warrior Canine Connection – an outstanding organization that utilizes wounded warriors who are suffering from psychological injuries to help train service dogs that will then go on to serve other Wounded Warriors throughout their lives. This tender process highlights the bonds we form with our animals, and how these incredible dogs touch the lives of everyone they interact with.
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It was the perfect day. Not because of the weather but because of the memories captured. When we met with Bonnie on that overcast and chilly day, her first concern was for Charlie’s comfort and stamina. At 16 years of age he does tire more easily and the elements bother him more quickly. Bonnie has a true heart for the slower geriatric, as well as the young energetic, furry family members – we have both!
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Moving STINKS! Let’s just get that out there.
We recently moved and this is a blog post that I started writing while in the think of the move. As you can imagine, time has a way of getting away from you when you move, so you’ll understand why I am just now getting around to posting this. 🙂
I’m currently sitting in our living room, completely surrounded by a sea of boxes. It’s pouring outside from the nor’ easter that decided to hit on moving day – because why wouldn’t it rain when everything we own needs to be hauled outside and loaded on a truck?! And then there is Harvey – this doggie is not at all happy about our current situation.
Which brings up a good question – what can be done to make moves easier on our pets?
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