I don't really know all that took place while in prison, and obviously I have never met the person that was responsible for Kolby, but I do know that this prison is extra attentive to the training of their puppies in program. Not only do the men who were chosen to be part of the Puppy Program have secured the trust of our Contract Trainer for their dog training skills, but they are also in a military prison which adds an entirely new level of commitment, rules, and guidelines.
I received a written report from the person in charge of Kolby and I was pleasantly surprised to get this third party view of my Mister. "The first thing I noticed is how well he knows his commands (at least compared to other visiting puppies). Kolby was very attentive. He's a very good boy and is welcomed back anytime." That certainly made me feel good!! Because really, that is the reason why I chose to put him in the Prison Program while we were on vacation. I thought he was getting lazy and not very sharp. I think that mixing up training environments is good for puppies, as it helps them stay fresh and always on their toes learning (don't worry, all the Puppies in Program have plenty of "down time" to just be puppy too).
The area that Kolby needs continued work on is his Recall; meaning when playing out in the big, fenced prison yard, he doesn't always want to return to his handler when told to do so. I will need to practice this more thoroughly in different settings (insert my parent's acre fenced yard) because in my backyard, he will come to me on the first call. The distractions are no longer new and exciting at home, apparently. We will get this under wraps before his college due date. I will also be chatting with our Contract Trainer for more specific training options to get more trustworthy behavior from Kolby in this area.
Kolby came home very tired. He lived in a small trailer with four prisoners, and three other Puppies in Program who were all very young (under ten months). While he didn't go on outings outside of Prison, he did attend the dinning hall for his Handler's meals, the outdoor gym, and an office with a Parole Officer. He received great care and I am so thankful for the experiences that he received. Also, it is kinda nice to know that Kolby gave love and confidence to someone who is in need of getting his life back to positive. I like that Kolby has a history of prison life; not many pups can say that.
About the post's photo. I was working right here on my computer when my son said, "Hey Mom, look at Kolby." I turned around to see my sweet pup dressed up. It is not the "easiest" to dress a male puppy because the outfits of choice are somewhat limited. No boas, dresses, skirts, fluffy hats, etc that I see floating around Social Media of female Puppies in Program. So when I saw this, I had to snap a photo. Kolby was very calm and let my son "play dress-up" as if Kolby has done this daily of his 18-months with us. Kolby is ready for a future little girl or boy who would love to play dress-up with him upon Graduation. Just sayin' ....
Glad to have my Mister back, but thankful for the experiences he had the last 9 days.
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