This one came up in my RSS reader and I wanted to get a quick post up. Yep, it’s National Assistance Dog Week starting this Sunday August 10th.
What’s this all about? The full post can be found at this link: National Assistance Dog Week. To sum up: National Assistance Dog week is “…to honor the more than 20,000 dogs that assist people with disabilities. Their work ranges from guide to hearing dogs: from assisting those with mobility problems to alerting for sudden onset diseases like seizures or diabetes”.
National Assistance Dog Week
CRAWFORD, Colo., Aug 06, 2008 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — August 10-16 has been officially designated as National Assistance Dog Week to honor the more than 20,000 dogs that assist people with disabilities. Their work ranges from guide to hearing dogs: from assisting those with mobility problems to alerting for sudden onset diseases likeseizures or diabetes. Literally and figuratively, assistance dogs have been opening doors for their partners since the early 1920s. With a service dog helper, people who were unable to leave their home can travel, go shopping, attend classes, or pursue employment. Federal laws assure that their dog is allowed access on public transportation and in public places. A service dog recipient is even guaranteed equal housing accommodation under the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, it is important for anyone working in the public sector to be informed about these valuable canines and the laws regarding their use.
Three-time service dog recipient Marcie Davis of New Mexico states that, with her dog, “All of a sudden the impossible seems possible. Virtually every area in your personal and professional life can be expanded and explored … Whatever you dreamed of accomplishing can be realized with the assistance of a service dog.” The dogs are specially trained for the needs of each recipient. They perform tasks such as opening doors, picking up dropped objects, helping a person with mobility issues, retrieving keys or even taking clothes out of the dryer. Success stories of service dog recipients abound. Her dog enabled Ms. Davis to pursue a career as president of Davis Innovations, a consulting firm specializing in health and human services.
This is what we’re working towards as puppy raisers. When people ask if it’s difficult to give up my puppy? I say yes, but the satisfaction of knowing that my puppy will be changing someone’s life is absolutely mind blowing.
Derby The Next Guide Dog?
I hope so, but you never really know. I’ve heard that your puppy will choose whether or not he wants to be a Guide Dog. I guess Stetson didn’t want to be a guide dog…I hope Derby chooses to be a Guide Dog. Either way I’ll be happy for him
I’m starting to get excited for Derby. Watching Dustin at graduation a week and a half ago was so insipiring. Derby is only 13 weeks old, but we’re working hard on his training…we’re getting there.
Positive thinking…we’ll take it one step at a time…puppy class tomorrow, and then…
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I was on a cruise (Princess Cruise lines). We had stops in Vancouver, Skagway, Juneau, Whittier, and Ketchikan. I took the sled dog tour in Skagway. It was one of my favorite parts of the entire cruise.
Nice blog – can I link to you? I think it so neat to meet other people who share my love of assistance dogs and puppy raising.
@Lisa, I’ll have to check and see if we’re going to be anywhere near Skagway.
Please feel free to link to us.
Derby looks adorable. Are his paws as big as they look??
@Dodger, people keep telling me he has big paws, but I don’t thing they’re any bigger than average. I noticed between Derby, Dexter, and Dutch that Derby is skinny and lanky, Dexter is short and stocky, and Dutch is somewhere in between.