NEADS Puppies FAQ's

Crate: get the one that will fit your dog as an adult. If you have a young puppy, make it smaller by putting a box or a grate in it so you don't have accidents. You have a choice of wire or plastic crate. Your dog has a wire crate in the facility and wire is easier to clean, but if someone GIVES you a plastic crate, take it!
Bowls: metal, glass or ceramic. Plastic bowls are easy for bacteria to live in.
Bait bag: they're easier than trying to stuff a ziplock in your pocket and fumble for bait when your dog does something great.
Crate pad: I use an old blanket or comforter, some puppies like to “nest”. Whatever you use, make sure it's washable.
Sick puppy: Call the NEADS main number at 978-422-9064 and wait to be directed to the emergency line.
Sick is: Trauma of any kind, limping, eye injuries. Vomiting more than once. Diarrhea is defined as stool so loose that it cannot be picked up. Anything else is loose stool. “Sick” is diarrhea more than once. Return the puppy asap, letting staff and inmate know what's going on so the pup can be started on WD. If you're unsure, call me.
Food from the prisons: always return containers empty. You can save extra food from one week to another, just let the handler know if you don't need food for the following week via your communication sheet. Please do not keep it for weeks. Our food is excellent, organic, and has a short shelf life of under 6 months. I can also furnish you with food in 5 lb bags if you prefer that. We use By Nature food, available at Roche Brothers in Millis.
Handlers: No one but the WPR is allowed to take the puppy's leash because they're the only ones trained to work the puppy. Children handlers need to be approved by me and are not allowed to work the dog in public. This is a NEADS rule, not a Christina rule.
Playtime: No more than an hour a day with your pet dog for puppies at 6 months. Under 6 months is double. We do not want your puppy to think that weekends are a free-for-all with your pet dog.
Communication forms: PLEASE be careful with what you write on your communication forms~no last names, no place names (Medway Shaw's would be “grocery store”, etc. ) Pictures are ok as long as you hand them directly to your NEADS liasion. No pictures with people in them, just the dog.
Scheduling a daycare interview is mandatory before the puppy is out for the second weekend. Puppies must attend once a month.
Handling exercises, daily.
Food bowl exercises, daily.
Cape on all day except for playtime.
Feel free to take a bone or chew for your dog when you're going somewhere that the dog will be in an extended down stay~movies, dinner, work, etc. Please do not take anything that will make a mess of the floor or your dog. Dogs over 12 months shouldn't need this in order to settle.
If you would like to start a puppy box or album to give to the client, feel free to do that.
Online list: there are things that we would like the dog to see, but not necessarily experience, like an escalator, a revolving door, fireworks. Special note on fireworks: please be as far away as you can get and still see them for your dog's first experience.
Getting in and out of a vehicle: Command to get in any vehicle is JUMP. Dog should turn and face you so that the leash can be removed if the client chooses to do so. To get the dog to do this, simply give the WATCH ME command and offer a cookie. To get the dog out (dog should be sitting) please use the command LEFT or RIGHT. Dog should come to your side and sit. Rule of thumb for jumping in and out~no higher than the dog's shoulder. If you have an SUV, please assist the dog.
Dogs are to be on leash at all times in public. Exceptions are in your own fenced back yard or in a class environment.
We very lucky to have 4 program mentors: Lee, Lisa, Dawn and Michele. Please ask me or one of these very experienced WPRs to go with you on your first field trips. We are all here to help you!
Should you have an access issue~that is, someone asks you to leave because of your dog~please present them with a card, and let them know that your dog is not a pet, but is a service dog in training. If they ask you to leave again, leave and send an email to Candy Hitchcock at NEADS. chitchcock@neads.org