Exciting Times Ahead

Hi.  It's me Ellie.  I wanted to tell you I've had a great time here at prison learning how to be a great dog for my new forever owners.  They have kept me very busy.  I'm sure you've heard by now that I've mastered all my commands and graduated at the top of my class with my other 13 graduates.  It's been a great 10 weeks!

I heard my trainer talking to the other guys about me going to my forever home.  I'm so excited I can't wait to meet them!  I hope they come bearing gifts (treats).  I wonder if I will have my own room.  I really hope I get to share, since I love to be around humans.  I have been dreaming of this day for a long time.  Big beds, unlimited treats, and all the attention and belly rubbing I can handle.  It sounds pretty awesome.  Something tells me there are exciting times ahead for me!

Swap Week Time

Week eight has come to an end.  Swap week, it’s usually the most challenging week out of the ten week program.  The inmate trainers exchange dogs for the week to see if the dogs have any signs of separation anxiety and to test how they do with taking commands from new people.  In truth, it’s the inmates who get more anxious than the dogs! 

Ellie spent her week with an alternate inmate trainer who says that having Ellie was a blast!  He says that she’s full of energy, but calms down easily.  She’s fun and loves people.  She has playful spells that bring smiles to everyone around her.  She loves attention and will lay still for hours as long as someone is petting on her.  

Ellie is very good at her basic commands! She’s still young so her attention wonders from time-to-time, but once you have her full attention she’s locked on and ready to learn.  

After the first day of swap week she didn’t seem to mind being away from her primary trainer. Ellie’s alternate inmate trainer says that he believes that her new forever family will quickly see how lucky they are to have this amazing girl. He says that once you are around Ellie for more than a few minutes you have no choice but to love her! She stole his heart in no time and he knows her new family will feel the same. 

Attention Loving

Well hello there!  Ellie here to tell how it’s going!  I’m proud to say that I know all of my commands!  My inmate trainer says that I can be a little stubborn, but that seems like such a harsh word so I prefer selective.  There are times when he wants to train and I want to do something else.  These times require a meeting of the minds.  I politely wait until my inmate trainer provides a suitable treat then we can carry on.  

My inmate trainer says that I like to run the show with the other dogs, but truly they just need a leader and I fit the bill perfectly!  Let’s face it, I have fabulous ideas why wouldn’t I lead the way? 

I love attention so please make sure my forever family knows that this will be a requirement.  Also, many of you may have noticed how beautiful I am.  If not, please stop reading now and look at my photos – both of them.  If you can’t see it perhaps you need glasses?  Anyway, the point is that even though I’m beautiful I’m very sweet. Don’t try to resist me as it will be futile! 

We Did It

Ellie and her inmate trainer have been working to perfect the commands she has learned during the last few weeks. And their efforts are paying off.  Every Friday the pups and trainers perform a "Show and Tell" where they are graded on how quickly their Greyhound executes each command. The more often you have to say the command before it is executed, the lower your score. This past week Ellie did all commands when given the very first verbal command!  Their hard work has paid off!  And he is so proud of her!

It always amazes the inmates, as well as everyone else, how far these Greyhound have come in such a short time period (seven weeks).  They only have three more weeks!  Her inmate trainer says it's so hard not to become attached (they all do) but knowing their charges are going to great homes is their reward and speaks to them "job well done".  They just want to know their Greyhounds will be well loved and well cared for! 

Every one is very special in this inmate trainer's eyes and each have their own personality.  It's easy to see why they are called "man's best friend"!

Smart and Sweet

Ellie is doing so great with her commands.  She has mastered all of them, and will stay for several minutes while her inmate trainer moves about the dorm.  He says that she never moves and she keeps her eyes on him, so that she can be sure to do what he's expecting her to do.  They are still working on "jump", but her trainer is confident that she will have that one mastered soon.

Her trainer also says that she is probably the most beautiful dog that he has ever seen, not to mention sweet.  He is sad that he is almost that the end of his time with her.  Ellie's forever family is going to be so lucky to have her!

You Got Treats? I Got Time

Wow, week 5 already!  Ellie is doing great!  Her inmate trainer is very proud of her progress. He says that she arrived unsure of the new environment and new people and has settled in with confidence. He says that watching her trust grow has been a special treat!  

Ellie knows all of her commands really well and most with verbal and hand signal cues!  She is a little slow responding to “jump” but her inmate trainer plans to continue working with her and knows she’ll have it figured out soon. She also knows the extra command, “paws-up” with verbal and signal cues!  What a smart cookie eating machine, huh, I mean girl!  

Ellie’s inmate trainer knows that Ellie has a bright and happy future in front of her, but he can already tell that saying goodbye is not going to be easy.  

Intelligence and Beauty

Ellie’s inmate trainer says that Ellie is so amazing that she’s already learned all of her commands with hand signals or verbal only cues!  She needs a little more work with “stay” while in a standing position and she’s a little slow responding to jump, but her inmate trainer knows she’ll have these figured out very soon.  He says that she’s a smart girl and he enjoys watching her improve every day!

Ellie has adjusted well to her new environment and enjoys attention.  Her inmate trainer says that you can look into her eyes and see the intelligence shining through. He’s looking forward to seeing what she masters next! 

Head of the Class

Ellie is going great in week 3!!  Her inmate trainer says that she has mastered all of her basic commands, except "stay" and "jump".  She is making progress with those and it won't be long before she has those down pat.  Ellie's trainer is so proud of her and how well she is doing.

Sweet Ellie

Ellie is settling in to her new environment.  She is excelling with her commands! She has already mastered nearly all of them!  Her inmate trainer is so impressed with how smart she is.  They will continue to work on the rest of her commands in the coming week.

Ellie's trainer says that she has a very sweet disposition, and that he may not have ever seen a more beautiful dog.  Her personality is beginning to shine through.

First Week!

Kiowa Hawk, now known as Ellie, is proving to be a quick learner!  She is settling in to her new surroundings beautifully.  She is eager to learn, picking up on several commands.  She is walking well on her leash.  She is also already responding well to the hand signal for "wait".  She is a sweet natured beauty and we can't wait to see her get her forever family!