A personal favor

[Meathead]

My wife and I have raised 5 puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind, an extraordinary program based in Rochester MI. Each year their breeding program produces about 500 puppies that are given to volunteers like us for a year. We are tasked with basic obedience training. After a year we have to give them back and they undergo about 5 months of advanced trainin. They learn how to keep their masters out of potholes, watch for low hanging branches, and how to cross streets. With the combination of a Leader Dog and a smartphone, blind people now have incredible freedom.

The coolest thing is, for their first 12 months or so training is a game. The learn sit, stay, down, come, leave it, go to mat, poop and pee on command, heel, off, etc. And they get treats and praise! Then they go back to Rochester, get more training from a pro (fun!) and one day they are brought into a dormitory where blind candidates have just moved in. Somehow, miraculously, in 30 days of intense training together, the dogs figure it out. This person is different that everyone else. And it is no longer a game. If I screw up, we both die.

I know a lot about dogs as a result of working with LD, but I still don't understand how they make this leap. Makes me tear up just typing this.

So to make a long story short, they are in one of those "click this link" contests to win $10,000. So if you can, please click this link and follow the prompts. Nobody will ask you for money.

https://contest.chiefonline.com/chiefcares2020/entry/6

[Jfrosty27]

Done

[smokinsteve]

Done! I did have to check my "Junk" email file to find the verification email.

[Texas Larry]

Yep, done.

[Old Glory]

Done. Super cute pups!

[Sweaty Paul]

Done!

[Sweaty Paul]

Love Labs!

[SmokeyNate]

Done!

[rmeugene]

Done...

[STEbbq]

Done!

[KINGBBQ]

Dear Meathead and family,

Done of course!!! (clicked the link)

I have followed your posts and fine site, and thank you.

We have adored our "puppies" since 1970 and at that time my wife and I had two Irish Setters. We have had close to two dozen since, adopted or otherwise.

Certainly I appreciate your concern for the help that they do for all of us including the disabled. We have worked with autism and those who need the help of these lovely beings that we adore us as our "canine acolytes!'

On another note, we have done turkeys on barbeque and oven since 1970 and each year they somehow get better. My conventional barbeque was the venue for the one yesterday; very little flame and for the most part however ignited fruitwood cooked low and slow. There is a smoked turkey recipe that I am going to try next since the "getting bigger" family has become dependent on our "kitchen." (attached link) I use the Thermopop Smoke and need to say that we have good results taking off the oven at 160 F. and let it sit for at least one-half hour which will rise to 165 F.

A final "thank you" for the Katz' pastrami which I brine for several days, smoke in my pit barrel and then steam as per Katz protocol. This as well as the gravlax always goes within hours or perhaps a day.

Be well all of you; yesterday was our 49th anniversary of making turkey dinners and it still goes on, so far!

Kind regards,

Barry P King
Los Angeles


"KINGBBQ"

see: https://www.vindulge.com/smoked-turkey/

[HouseHomey]

Cheers brother!!!

[kjbarth]

Done gladly.

[RichieB]

done

[Mr. Bones]

Done. My Son an his (former) wife have done lotsa dog fosterin, always a Noble Cause, Brother!

[Redwng]

Done!