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WTOP
Litter of pups
will grow up to be healers
By Darci Marchese
Tuesday - 12/2/2014
WASHINGTON -- Olive, the yellow Labrador retriever, has been quite busy
over the last few days. On Thanksgiving day, she gave birth to nine
yellow and black lab puppies.
The new pups born will become service dogs one day.
The dogs are currently being cared for at the Warrior Canine
Connection's Puppy Enrichment Center in Brookeville, Maryland. You can
see them on the puppy cam.
These dogs are bred specifically to train to become full-service
mobility dogs. The pups will one day be placed with wounded service
members who experienced both physical and mental wounds from war.
This isn't Olive's first litter. About 18-months ago, she gave birth to
nine puppies that make up what's known as the Honor Litter. All nine
black and yellow labs from the first litter are being groomed to become
full-service mobility dogs and all are named after service members
killed in battle.
Once the dogs are old and mature enough to be trained, they begin a
rigorous two-year program through the U.S. Army's Warrior Transition
Brigade Service Dog Training Program. The dogs will be trained at Fort
Belvoir, Virginia, and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in
Bethesda, Maryland.
Wounded service members assist professional trainers, who will teach
the dogs 60 skills before they can graduate. Service members must apply
or be chosen to take part in the dog program as part of their therapy.
Read the article with links and a video at WTOP
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