Dustin

National Assistance Dog Week

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 like seizures 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…

Guide Dogs Of America Graduation

This Sunday, July 27th we will be attending the Guide Dogs Of America Graduation at their campus in Sylmar, CA. Lucky for us our good friend Dustin is graduating. We are so proud of Dustin and his parents Anne and Jim. We can’t wait to see him in harness with his new companion.

If you’re in the area we’d love to see you in attendance. There will most definitely be several other dogs graduating, plenty of tears of joy and sadness, and inspiration for me and others to do our best to raise our current and future guide dog puppies in training. Derby and I will be there!

Dustin is Graduating!

Here’s the information Dustin wrote on his blog:

Hello Everyone,
Well, the waiting is over, I have been in training with my new partner for some time now. We are doing extremely well working together. We will be graduating on July 27th. All of you have been wonderful to me supporting me and my family. We have had many adventures together, trains, airports, training classes, churches, schools, movies, parks, museums, festivals, malls, the beach the surf, conversations on our blogs, becoming a Canine Good Citizen, and so on. Its been so much fun, I will miss you all but you know this is what I have been dreaming about since I became a puppy in training. I hope you will come to see me and my partner graduate. I will be looking for you.
Love, Dustin

Dustin And Stetson

Here are a few pictures of Dustin showing Stetson how to be a surf dog at the beach a few weeks before he went In For Training.

Dustin And Stetson On The Boardwalk

Dustin Showing Stetson The Water

Dustin And Stetson Taking In The View

I can’t wait for Guide Dogs of America Graduation. Here are the details:

Guide Dogs Of America Graduation

WHAT: Guide Dogs Of America Graduating Class #358
WHEN: Sunday, July 27th, 2008 at 10:00am
WHERE: Guide Dogs of America Campus, 13445 Glenoaks Blvd. Sylmar, CA 91342

Here’s information from the GDA website:

At the end of each class Guide Dogs of America holds a Graduation and Awards Ceremony to honor the guide dog recipients of the current class, the Sponsors and Puppy Raisers, and all who have contributed to the success of the class.

The Graduation Ceremony starts at 10am and is held in an outdoor setting under an awning. Each class has 8-10 students who may talk about their training experiences, along with the puppy raisers who fostered their dog. Puppies-in-training are in attendance along with some working guide dogs. GDA merchandise is available. A reception and tours are held immediately following the ceremony. Attendance is free and all are welcome.

I hope to see you all there!