Hugh and Dave are Going IFT

Hugh's brother, Dave, has come to stay at our house tonight. Dave lived in Virginia with his raiser. My raiser parents are taking Dave down to the school with them when they take Hugh back. Hugh is really excited to get to see his brother again. They didn't get to see each other often but now they are together again and they get to go IFT together also.

IFT means they are going In-For-Training. That is the time in their life when they have to go off to guide dog school where they learn to work as guide dogs for the blind. It is like K-9 college. They learn many things down at the school. They learn how to find things for their handlers, they learn how to live in kennels, or "runs", with one another, and they also learn something that is called intelligent disobedience. Intelligent disobedience is when a dog does not follow a command it was given because the command is unsafe. They do many more things at the school, like having puppy hugger/dog walking times. Puppy hugging is when there are puppies in the puppy kennel and people come to play with them to help socialize them. Dog walking is when volunteers come to the school to walk the dogs in the main kennel. The school sounds like lots of fun. Hugh will have a great time.

Hugh, our parents, and Hugh's brother Dave are all leaving for Florida in the morning. I will not be going. I will be staying with my area coordinator and I will get to play with her puppy, Sandy. This is the last night that Hugh will get to sleep in our house (at least until he is discharged from the program for a medical issue or he retires from a long career of guide dog work). I will always remember him and I will miss him greatly.

I love you Hugh and wish you the best of luck! Make us all proud!

Love,
Cameron