Sounds like a wise idea, having the animal used to being handled from the get go.
Read your blog. Interesting thoughts. I’ll keep checking it; I’d like to read some more. I haven’t been to New Orleans in years, but Joseph and I may fly into the city when we go down to MS in June. If we do, I might go over and spend the night with my niece, on my way back, so I can see some of the area for myself.