"THE BUT HUT"

Patriot's favorite B-day toy

Patriot is now 10 months old and soon will be trading in his familiar blue puppy coat for a harness.  The boy is growing up!  In fact he had his first experience with cigarettes, no not smoking :)  Part of his training is exposure to cigarette smoke, so on his 10 month birthday we payed a visit to "The But Hut."

"The But Hut" is the only area at the VA Center where smoking is permitted, it is an out building away from the main VA Center.  With permission from VA officials, Patriot was granted entry to the "Hut." With a name like Patriot, he was an instant hit with the Veterans, a real ice breaker.


Smoke Exposure

 There were lots of questions: How long is his training? Will he be placed with a Veteran? How much does it cost to get a dog? before I knew it, I was explaining the mission of Southeastern Guide Dogs. 

Watching the interaction between the Vets and Patriot, I found the whole experience extremely moving.


Patriot the Sentinel



Remember Patriots Day, September 11th



By the way, Patriot passed the smoke exposure test.