AWD #296: Going to the Dogs
Going to the Dogs
Summary: Lleufer and Brina arrange to visit the few dogs on Piraeus and choose a young male to begin MP training as a military working dog.
Date: 29/10/2013 (OOC Date)
Related Logs: Nothing recent.
Lleufer Brina 
Motor Pool, Marine Encampment, Piraeus
One of the few more permanent structures in Sheridan, the motorpool is located right on the edge of the Marines area and resembles a sprawling warehouse with a dirt parking area outside. Just inside the main entrance to the building is a desk where people can check out vehicles with proper clearances and permission. Outside a line of unarmed FAV's sit ready while off inside fenced access are the rest of the Marine's heavier equipment including tanks, armored fighting vehicles, and trucks the CMC brought with it. Through large rolled doors these items can all be moved inside for mechanics to work on them without having to deal with the weather.
October 29th, 2005

Morning finds the motor pool chilly cold after the night's frost. A few people are working, warming up vehicles to check out, or bringing them around for servicing. Lleufer has arrived with Brina to meet with one of the dog handlers. They can hear the dog before they ever see it, excited barking that sounds like a young animal as someone is out waiting by the kennel. As they draw nearer it can be seen that the dog has a bit of a fenced in run and someone is throwing a ball to let the dog stretch it's legs and run.

Brina's been having problems curbing her excitement. Sarge probably got his ear chewed off about it until now. She's nervous and silent and sticking close to Lleufer as if doing so will help her gain some sense that it'll be okay. The barking gets her to hurry just a little bit.

The dog is a lovely specimen, a shepherd of a fairly young age, the male Lleufer had pointed out to her the other day when he shared his notes with her. Brina pauses, letting the dog have his fun which gives her a chance to watch as well, her expression pleased.

Lleufer is quiet though really, he's almost as much a dog man as he is a horseman - or used to be, in his previous life before the military. He leans lightly on his cane as he walks beside her and when Brina hesitates, Ynyr puts out his right hand to lightly touch her arm and encourage her to come on up to the edge of the fence line. He waits until the woman notices them and turns to walk over.

Older, perhaps fifties with greying hair pulled back into a tail, she smiles, "You two must be the MP's. I can't tell you how pleased I am that you have come." She stops at the fence and offers her hand first to Lleu, then to Brina, "Staff Sergeant Lily McDonald. While I'd love to be able to keep and train him myself, truth is … I don't know how and I'm afraid I'd spoil him, make a pet of him."

The handshake is accepted and is paired with a polite bow of her head, a quick dipping of her chin in respect to the woman. "Pleasure meeting you. I am Lance Corporal O'Connell," she introduces herself first and then, after smiling at Lleufer to thank him belatedly for his encouraging touch, "and this is Sergeant Ynyr. Thank you for letting us come out to meet him." At that she crouches down, lacing the fingers of her right hand through the chain link fencing to help with balance, trying to get a better look at the very happy puppy who is about to wag his butt off for how emphatically he is doing so. "He is beautiful."

"St-aff Ser-ge-ant." Ynyr acknowledges as he shook her hand. The woman watches Brina and unlatches the gate, "Toss the ball for him and when he runs for it, come on in. Get to know him a bit before you take him. Just promise me you'll bring him by when you can now and then so I can see him. I don't get up to the ship much." The dog slobbered ball is offered to the Lance Corporal. Lleu looks to stay outside of the run since the pup is big enough to knock him off balance without a handler to keep it in check on a leash. McDonald continues, "I like to call him Little Zeuz but you can rename him. He already knows basic commands like sit, stay and to heel on the leash but is young enough he needs constant light re-inforcement."

Brina's inexperience with dogs shows when the ball is given over and her nose wrinkles when she realizes just how wet the spherical toy is. "Oh. Ew." The ball is thrown to the far side of the run and Little Zeus takes off, buying her the time needed to get inside the enclosure and get the gate closed behind her. Even with that she almost doesn't make it in fully before the dog is back and dropping the ball at her feet. Grinning, she pets his ears while looking at him, and then McDonald and then to Lleufer. "Little Zeus is a bit long for a police dog's name so perhaps something shorter?" Little Zeus' ears, still a little too large for the rest of his head, perk when he hears Brina say his name and he wuffs, posturing like he might jump or is asking her to throw the ball again.

Lleufer smiles, "You will th-ink of some-thing to call him." He says it carefully enough it almost sounds normal. He leans against the fence and puts a hand over to try and pet the pup or let the dog sniff him but mostly the puppy is too excited about Brina, bouncing around and wanting to play. Back end wiggling. A little young yet for a serious service animal. McDonald says, "He'll be a year old in a few months but still has plenty of growing. Should mature to a good size. Go ahead, throw the ball a few more times. See if you can wear him out some. Make it easier to take him with you if he's worn down some." She has a leash with her as she watches, still smiling.

The ball, now wet and dirty, is picked up gingerly. The dog probably really needs to train Brina as much as she will have to train him. Mutual breaking in and all that. It gets thrown and Zeus bounds off, kicking up a bit of dust as he works on getting the traction needed to bail off. That gets a bit of an amused chuckle from her. "Doctor Nadir is going to positively shit herself when she finds out there's a dog on her boat." There's a pause and then Brina looks over her shoulder. "Speaking of the ship, Sarge… where are we going to walk him so he can relieve himself?" That's one thing she has yet to figure out." Shrugging, she turns around to throw the ball again, nodding to the lady. "I hope the ship won't be too rough on him," she murmurs. There isn't any outside for him to play in on the Orion.

The Staff Sergeant answers Brina, "You can train him to use disposable pee pads. You don't keep them in his crate with him. Lay one out a little to the side when you get him out and he'll learn to use it. Carry one on you so if he shows signs of needing to go, you drop one. Folds up, put it into a baggie and dispose. Hardly the first time military's had working dogs on ships. I looked it up." Lily digs in her greens and pulls out a disk, "Sergeant Ynyr here asked me to help him dig up some information so here's what I have been able to find." She offers Brina the small disk case, "It's not much but you and he can build on that."

Lleu nods, "Plen-ty in sship's files. We'll manage." Brina and the pup can play for a while but as the morning is getting late, McDonald digs out the leash to hand over, "I gotta get back to my work shift. You take good care of him, all right?" She squats down to call the pup to her so she can rub him down and say a teary good bye.

The disc is pocketed and then she takes the leash but when the lady says her goodbyes she turns around, giving her some privacy. "I kind of feel like a fish out of water," she confesses to Lleufer under her breath. McDonald's given all the time she needs before she turns and goes to hook the leash to the dog's collar. "I promise to bring him by to see you." There's a light, almost apologetic smile.

Lleufer puts a hand to McDonald's shoulder and offers his half smile, "We will." There is another shake of hands to seal the agreement, the Sergeant giving his word to the Staff Sergeant in so far as being at war will permit.

When all such words and partings are complete, McDonald heads back to the motorpool and Lleu moves to Brina's left side but leaves plenty of room for the pup between them. "Walk him on your lleft to keep your gun hand ffree." Ynyr adds, "I'm head-ing ba-ck to bar-racks. Ffeel ffree to walk him a-round for a while. Ma-ke him heel, nnot pull. Prac-tice ma-king him sit when you stop, keep ffo-cus on you. Be ffirm but gen-tle. Get to know each o-ther." He adds, "Do nnot llet o-therz pet or cod-dle him, but he can sniff at'm." Brina can walk with him back to barracks to see that Lleu gets there fine if she likes, then go where she will.

Brie does as she is instructed, trying her hardest to remember everything. The dog's training has been awesome so far and he gives her very little problems and is quick to pick up on her cues. The walk is a bit slower than normal because of the heeling and sitting, but the barracks are finally reached. "Rest well, Sarge." She touches his hand before turning to take the puppy out for a little more of a walk.

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