Meet Butsch -- Our New Leader Dog Puppy

     Butsch became part of our household today.  A friend gave him a ride from Leader Dogs For The Blind in Rochester Michigan, and I picked him up in Green Bay this afternoon.  He is a purebred German Shepherd, 9 weeks old.  Usually we get them at about 6-7 wks. old, so he is a little bigger starting off -- all 18 lbs. of him. (He is going to be big.)


Future Leader Dog Butsch



Grandsons Remington and Brayden (cousins) and "off-duty" Trixy.

 
     Future Leader Dog Trixy (Beatrix) is still at our house too.  She has a return date to the school of April 1st.  I will have a 5 week overlap of puppy's.  Trixy will begin the rounds of saying good-bye to the different stores and restaurants she's been a regular at.  Butsch will have to start getting out right away.  Getting them used to people and being out in different situations is important, -- especially before the age of 12 weeks.  Don't get me wrong, they will both be getting out.  I will work Trixy on a lot more traffic outside and longer walks.  Butsch will go with me shopping (quick trips in and out) -- too small for any length of walks.

     I will have Butsch for about 1 year, getting him used to any and all situations.  Then he will go back to the school for 5 more months of professional training.  If all goes well, he will be matched with a blind person and they will train at the school for another 3 weeks.  It is my goal that Butsch and Trixy, will become the best Leader Dogs possible.  They will change someones life for the better.

     I have named all the puppies I have raised for Leader Dogs For The Blind with names that start with a "B" -- except for Smoke (who was named after a childhood dog of mine).  There has been: Booker, Billy, Brinkley, Blackjack, Boone, Smoke, Beatrix, and now Butsch.  If you are at all interested in raising a puppy for Leader Dogs for the Blind, go online and fill out an application.  You don't need to know anything about training, they help you with all of that.  They are in need of raisers right now................


If you'd like to raise a puppy for
Leader Dogs For The Blind
contact them at 
http://www.leaderdog.org/volunteer/puppyraiser/index.php.