Graduation Time Already!

It’s hard to believe that this is the last blog entry for Holly.  Time has really flown by!  Holly’s inmate trainer is proud to report that Holly passed her graduation exam with flying fur… uh, colors!  Her inmate trainer says that he is going to miss this sweet girl, but knows that she is going to a loving and caring home with a new family that will not be able to help but to fall in in love with her!  She has really lifted his spirits over the past 10 weeks and he’ll never forget this amazing girl!

Giving the Gift of Love Everyday

Well, one week down and two more to go.  Holly’s inmate trainer is extremely sad to see his time with Holly coming to an end.  She has been amazingly well-behaved and well-adjusted, but this last week has been absolutely wonderful.  They’ve been working on sharpening her skills on all of her commands and she continues to progress very well with plenty of motivation and energy.  She not only knows the commands well, but she executes them very impressively.  Holly has also picked up on “bounce,” “shake,” and “bow” very well and does them almost flawlessly.  

Her inmate trainer says that he believes that her best attributes are her cuteness and wonderful personality.  Anyone who meets her is sure to fall in love with her just as he has!  He says that she never ceases to cheer him up, make him laugh and keeps winning him over again and again.  He envies her new family and believes that without a doubt that she’ll be a gift that will give plenty of love this holiday season! 

Outgoing and Loving

Swap week this week!  This means that I got to spend the week with an alternate inmate trainer.  I got to test him on his ability to give me commands and see what it was like to spend time away from my primary handler.  I have to say, it was a good week!  

I am a very friendly girl who loves to run and play.  I pull some while on the leash at the beginning of a walk, but correct well.  This week my alternate trainer gave me treats, uh.. I mean, he reinforced my basic commands.  I didn’t have any problems being away from my primary inmate trainer.  I am a little unsure of some of the staff with their loud radios and keys.  I’m an outgoing girl and enjoy attention I can’t wait to meet my new forever family!

Funny Face

Another fun filled week has come and gone from Holly and her inmate trainer.  They worked on stairs again this week and as usual she breezed through them with no problems.  They’ve also been working on bed sharing with another dog.  At first Holly didn’t like this idea, but quickly realized it’s wasn’t bad at all!  They’ve also been working on the “bounce” command and she’s picking up on it really well.  

Holly is a friendly and playful girl which has made her a dorm favorite.  Her inmate trainer says that playtime with Holly is always a blast.  She makes the cutest faces when she really wants a toy.  He believes that she’s going to bring much joy to her future family! 

Another Great Week!

Another great week with Holly!  Her inmate trainer is very proud of Holly’s progress this week.  They’ve been fine tuning her basic commands as well as adding a new extra command, shake.  They also were able to practice on the stairs again this week and she went up and down like it was no big deal! 

Her inmate trainer says that he thinks back to when she first arrived not knowing any commands, her name, or how to walk on a leash and now she does all of these things wonderfully!  He says that training Holly has made him realize that applying hard work, dedication, and determination to his personal life will help him in the future. 

Tail Wagging Happiness

Holly has had a very uneventful week this week!  She has continued perfecting her basic commands and now she breezes through them!  Her inmate trainer has added the extra command "bow down" and in just a few short days Holly was performing it successfully! They’ve also been working on going up and down stairs.  She tackled the stairs slowly at first but as soon as she realized there was nothing to be afraid of she tackled them like a champ!  

Her inmate trainer took her to education class this week and she got to visit with the other inmates and teachers.  She enjoyed all of the attention and wagged her tail non-stop!  

Holly’s inmate trainer says that when he thinks back to how scared Holly was when she first arrived at the prison and to how happy she is now he is very proud of her and himself.  He says that not only is he teaching Holly commands, but she’s teaching him to be more patient and loving.  

New Rituals

This week Holly's training team has been working to refine the basic commands she has learned during the last few weeks.  She is progressing very nicely.

She is such a playful Greyhound who loves playing out on the big yard.  She loves for her team to toss toys so she can chase after them. 

A new behavior that has emerged this week is Holly's weird pre-sleep ritual.  She gets in the bow position and rubs her face on her bed and paws for about a minute.  Then she lays down for a peaceful sleep.  

they are still working on the extra command "leave it", especially as it relates to toys.  "Paws up" will be added next week as well.

Her training team say they are really enjoying their time with Holly.  They know she'll be a great addition to her new family!

She's a Keeper!

Holly's inmate trainer has come to a decision this week - Holly has to stay with him!  Seriously though, he says she is awesome!  She surprises him almost every day with her loving personality and her eagerness and ability to learn.  She's his favorite Greyhound so far and she's only been there for three weeks!

This week they've been working to polish her basic commands, which have been improving every day.  Also, yesterday they added an extra command which is "leave it".  She does love her toys so her inmate trainer expects this extra command will be helpful especially during play time.

Tune in next week for more updates on Holly's training.  Her inmate trainer says he looks forward to every day with her!

Energetic and Fun

Holly has had a very eventful week!  Her inmate trainer says that she is full of energy so they start off each training session with a quick play time then after training he follows up with another fun play session. 

Holly’s new discovery this week is fetching tennis balls.  She’s been working on her basic commands and her inmate trainer is happy to report that she is eager to learn.  She is doing well with hurry, let's go, kennel, release, wait, down and bed. Her trainer says that he is looking forward to working with this wonderful girl! 

Reporting For Training

Holly has reported for training at the prison and has already captured her inmate trainer’s heart!  He says that Holly is super sweet and playful.  He believes that she is going to be a breeze to train.  Since her arrival he has been helping her adjust to the new environment and she has been getting along with the other Greyhounds and inmates. 

Her inmate trainer has been working on teaching Holly her name, “wait,” “kennel,” “hurry,” “let’s go,” and “bed.”  He is proud to report that she’s catching on very quickly!  She really loves toys, especially squeaky ones! Her trainer says he’s looking forward to the upcoming weeks of training with this wonderful girl!