Service Dog Brutus

Late in life, Brutus is building up quite a resume.

The loveable 14-year-ish mutt, rescued from a California shelter, was a family pet before he trained to become a service dog for his Cliffside Park owner.

Last month, after Brutus helped Jasmine Steinwand graduate from Centenary University, his memorable senior-year on campus moved the chairwoman of the Science Department to present a special “Greatest Science Helper” award.

Steinwand said Brutus accompanied her to the Centenary campus in Hackettstown for her senior year because she was struggling to manage her food allergies.

“He was trained to be receptive to any sort of anaphylactic shock, and he can retrieve my EpiPen,” she said. “He came to school with me every day and during the lectures, he would just sit on the floor and fall asleep.”

“He senses Jasmine’s needs,” said Prof. Krassi Lazarova, chairwoman of the science department who had Steinwad and Brutus in one of her physics classes.

Before long, Brutus adopted the rest of the class.

“The more amazing thing that I didn’t anticipate was the calming effect he had on all of the other students,” Steinwand said. “Whenever we would take tests or quizzes, he would start walking around the room and checking on people, and whoever seemed to be the most stressed would be the one he would sit next to.”

“It didn’t start out that way,” said Prof. Krassi Lazarova, chairwoman of the science department who had Steinwand and Brutus in one of her physics classes. “It started that Brutus had to be with Jasmine at all times. But then all of a sudden, Brutus had to be with every student at all times.”

“He ended up becoming an iconic part of the campus,” Steinwand said. “People knew his name, even if they didn’t know me.”

Animals are allowed on campus and in dorms after clearing what Lazarova described as “rigorous processes” with Centenary’s Academic Success Center and Disability Service Office.

But service dogs in classrooms are a rarity. Brutus was a first for Lazarova.

A self-described cat person with a soft heart for dogs, Lazarova had initial reservations about Brutus, particularly in science labs.

“My problem with animals in buildings is mostly safety-related,”  she said. “Think about a lab. If you end up with an animal in a lab, you don’t really know what could happen. We’re talking about physics labs, chemistry labs, biology labs. Sometimes, there are sounds, noises or smells, you never know what could be a problem.”

But the mellow border collie mix, adopted from Rocket Dog Rescue in San Francisco before Steinwad’s family moved to New Jersey, quickly proved its worth.

“Brutus alleviates all of my concerns,” Lazarova said. “He really was always out of the way. He was incredibly well-behaved. Usually, service dogs are well-behaved.”

So when it came time for the science department to hand our its achievement awards for the academic year, Lazarova created a “Special Science Helper” award for Brutus, which was presented in a virtual ceremony along with 14 student awards.

“It was a surprise to me. I was lucky enough to win an [Senior Merit] award myself, and then he won an award,” Steinwand said. “It was pretty heartwarming.”

“He is an incredible animal and we were so lucky to have him,” Lazarova said.

Steinwand, who accepted a degree in biology with a concentration of pre-veterinary studies and a minor in chemistry, will continue her studies at NYU, where she has been accepted into an accelerated program for registered nursing.

Brutus, however, will stay home for now, “only because I’ve been able to get my medical involvement under control lately,” Steinwand said.

Lazarova added praise for all the student award-winners who “have distinguished themselves for their commitment to the advancement of science.”

“Despite the pandemic, they found creative ways to continue their studies virtually,” she said. “I’m incredibly proud of every Centenary science student, as well as our faculty, for rising to the challenges presented by COVID-19.”

Karelian Bear Dogs

Firefighters continue to make good progress to suppress the Isom Creek Fire (#187) aided by relatively cool temperatures, high humidity, and light winds. Crews improved the north and western perimeters. They continue to assess and implement protection measures for Native allotments along the Yukon River. Mop-up work is ongoing to hold and reinforce the firelines. Spread rates are slow, giving firefighters the opportunity to advance containment efforts the east side of the fire. Two crews are building line south from the Yukon River and two crews are working northward on the east side of the fire. Pioneer Peak Hotshots (State of Alaska Type 1 crew) are working with the North Stars (Bureau of Land Management Alaska Fire Service Type 2 training crew). Winema Hotshots (crew from USDA Forest Service, Oregon) are working with White Mountain (Division of Forestry Type 2 handcrew). Aircraft continue to support ground crews, slowing fire spread. Rio, a Karelian bear dog, hangs his head out of the window to catch a scent while on patrol for bears Monday, June 16, 2020, near the Isom Creek Fire (#187). The dogs and their handler Nils Pedersen of the Wind River Bear Institute were requested by fire managers to keep firefighters safe while in camp and on the fireline. The intent is reducing human-caused bear mortality and human-wildlife conflict. Terry Solomon/Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team.

Several crews are spiked-out, camping near their assigned work sites on the south and east sides of the fire. While at these remote camps, firefighter duties include securing food and garbage to keep the area free of bears. This week the Alaska Interagency Incident Management Team is deploying Karelian bear dogs and their handlers to aid firefighters with this task. These wildlife service dogs are trained to reduce human-wildlife conflicts, keeping crews and supplies safe, and bears wild.

The Dalton Highway remains open to travel, with traffic control as needed for smoke conditions or in support of firefighting efforts. Drivers need to use extreme caution between mileposts 34-62 by driving slowly with headlights on. Be prepared for low visibility, firefighting personnel and equipment along the roadway. Do not stop on the highway. Please use turnouts outside of mileposts 34-62.

Hero Dog Award

A service dog from Naples could soon be a canine superstar.

Dolly Pawton has made the semifinals in the American Humane Hero Dog Awards.

The black Labrador Retriever is a service dog for Amy Sherwood, a Maine resident with several illnesses. Dolly alerts Amy if her blood pressure drops too low or if her heart rate rises to an unsafe level.

If Sherwood passed out at home, Dolly is even trained to press a certain button that calls 911.

“Dolly has been amazing with filling any needs that I have, including emotional needs” says Sherwood, “She was more of a cardiac alert but she’s helped me with everything from picking up items, to PTSD, to helping me navigate through the store safely.”

Pet Parenting Tips

We always want to cuddle our dogs to make them feel loved and pampered and want them with us every time. And this makes us sleep with our furry friends as well. But is it safe enough to sleep on the same bed with your pet dog? Well, there are lot of mixed opinions regarding this point. Some say there are certain health benefits to share the same bed with your pets. But others have shown serious concern regarding this.

Well, this often depends on your preferences, lifestyle and environment. So, before taking any decision, you need to know about the benefits and downsides of sharing the same bed with your dog. Check them out right below.

According to doctors, sleeping on the same bed with your pet can have positive effects on your mental health. The closeness you feel with them helps to decrease blood pressure and reduce stress and depression. This happens because sleeping with your dog increases oxytocin release which reduces cortisol secretion and lowers blood pressure. And this is how it keeps anxiety, stress and depression at bay.

This also strengthens the relationship between you and your dog. And this strong bond plays a major role in increasing your sense of mental security and decreasing loneliness. And this is specifically important when you need emotional support.

What are the negative sides of sharing the bed with your pet dog?

Having your pet on the bed will easily make it overheated and dirtier with its hair. Most of the space will be covered on the bed that won’t allow you to stretch out. Your pet may bring parasites, mites, fleas, etc. on your bed. Later, you may develop allergies or asthma. Dogs can also transmit fungal infection like ringworm for which you may experience serious skin issues.

What are the things to consider for it?

You need to first keep a check on your dog’s sleeping habits, hygiene, medical conditions, personality and temperament. If your dog snores a lot which disturbs your sleep, then you should reconsider about sleeping with your pet on the same bed. Some people are allergic to their pets. So, ask your doctor before having them on the same bed.

Therapy Dog Blue

Blue the therapy dog and his handler Judy Bailey usually spend their days visiting nursing homes, schools and hospitals in Beauregard and Vernon Parish to bring a little tail wagging joy to everyone they encounter.

However, coronavirus has impacted Blue and Judy’s ability to visit the residents that see Blue as their own dog, a friend and sometimes he and Judy are residents only visitors.

The Today Show interviewed Judy Bailey about how social distancing is affecting service dogs and their ability to do their jobs, and their service to the community members who look so forward to their visits.

The Today Show interviewed Bailey, noting her and Blue’s travels to over 400 hospitals and nursing homes in and around DeRidder, through the nonprofit Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

The coronavirus caused Bailey and Blue to have to get creative as a way to let Blue’s friends and “other” owners know that he was thinking of them and missing them.

Bailey began sending texts and photos of Blue to the leaders of several facilities for them to share with the residents who were even more isolated due to Covid-19.

Sending in photos with captions about the activities in the life of Blue to activity directors has given Bailey something to take her mind off of the virus, and continue to serve her community with the help of Blue.

“I’ve put little messages saying, ‘Blue really loves you,’ and ’Blue is waving hello,” she told TODAY.

“I’ll let them know, ’We’re doing great. We really miss you. We hope we get to see you soon.”

“It has been a real blessing,” said Bailey

“It breaks my heart to see these people who are so isolated as it is and now even more isolated with COVID,” said Bailey.

Blue, who was dumped in a field near Bailey’s home, came to Bailey by chance, but she says she knew that he was special from the moment she saw him.

“We kept him, he was meant to be doing something for other people. I knew that there was something unique and special about Blue,” said Bailey.

“It’s such a ministry to help people just smile and feel better and forget about their problems,” Bailey said of volunteering with Blue.

Blue is also in the process of working with the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office as a certified Therapy Dog to help with child victims of crime.

Creek State Park Incident

An Aurora woman wants justice after her emotional support dog died following a fight at Cherry Creek State Park.

Haley Don found herself at the swim beach in the state park last week. She wanted to have a relaxing day at the beach with her roommate and her dog, Dymond.

“I thought it was going to be just another day at the lake,” Don said.

However, before Don could even plant her chair in the sand she says she saw another dog out of the corner of her eye running at them. Don said Dymond, a 130-pound Great Dane, tried to run towards the water. That’s when the other dog, half Dymond’s size, attacked.

“He kind of took a few bites on his back on his tail before fully grabbing onto his tail. The whole time I was thinking he’s going to rip his tail off,“ Don said. “Somebody finally came over with a water gun and shoved it in the dog’s mouth, and then the dog let go.“

The attacking dog’s owner quickly left the scene.

“He just put the car in reverse and almost ran them over,” Don said. “He sideswiped the car that was parked next to them and that was the last we saw him.”

While Dymond eventually got away, his fight was just beginning. After going back and forth to the veterinarian for nearly a week, Dymond took a turn. Six days after the attack, his liver was failing and the dog Don calls a “Gentle Giant” was back in the ER.

“We came into the room he was able to lay down a little bit. He finally fell asleep. He was snoring and I could just tell he was really comfortable. It just made me feel good that he was able to finally rest” Don said, “after some time, we had the vet come in and put him down. It was peaceful.”

The other dog’s owner still hasn’t been found. Colorado Parks and Wildlife said they are investigating.

Difference Between Dogs

Walk around an airport, visit a hospital, or even dine at a restaurant and you’ll find service animals in action. But what services do they provide?

There are three levels of working animals: service dogs, therapy dogs, and emotional support animals, explains Linda Keehn, a certified dog behavior consultant, certified professional dog trainer, therapy dog evaluator, and owner of Positive Canine Training, LLC in Lindenhurst.

“Service dogs perform tasks as defined by the American Disability Act (ADA),” she says. “Their main focus is mitigating their handler’s disability, whether it be medical or psychiatric.”

It can take years of rigorous training before dogs can be certified as service dogs. Service dogs have full public access with no restrictions.

“It’s important to note that under the ADA, a service dog is not required to wear a vest, so one way of identifying a true service dog is to observe their focused behavior on their handler,” she notes.

Following in the service dog’s pawsteps is the therapy dog. These are the dogs found in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. Therapy dogs are thoroughly trained, tested, and insured by accredited therapy dog organizations. An important distinction between therapy and service dogs is that therapy dogs are not granted full public access; they are only allowed where they have been invited.

Gaining popularity is the emotional support animal, which provides support to handlers with emotional issues.

“The emotional support animal does not require any specific training, however the owner must obtain and provide documentation from a mental health provider stating the animal used provides assistance with a mental health issue,” Keehn notes.

But if you’re thinking about using your pet as an emotional support animal, you may need to think twice.

“While you may feel comforted by your dog, airports and airplanes are scary places for animals who are not properly trained to handle such situations, so if you are considering this path, consider looking into obedience/therapy training first,”  says Keehn.

Currently, emotional support animals are restricted to airport/airplane and housing access only.

If you are interested in learning more, check resources wisely. Keehn suggests contacting nonprofit service dog organizations or contacting an organization that specializes in the disability at hand.

“You can hire a trainer to train your own dog as a service dog, but buyer beware,” says Keehn. “Dog training is an unregulated field, so be sure to visit facilities, see their trained dogs in action, and get references from other handlers.”

Message To Pet Owners

As pet adoptions are up around the country, more and more families are dog owners during this coronavirus pandemic.

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) said they want to encourage the public to be mindful of their pets biting postal workers.

They said employees attacked by dogs nationwide fell to 5,803 in 2019 — more than 200 fewer than in 2018, and more than 400 fewer since 2017.

The Postal Service’s National Dog Bite Awareness Week is from Sunday, June 14 through Saturday, June 20.

“Even during these difficult times, it’s important for our customers to understand that letter carriers are still coming to homes daily and need to deliver mail safely,” said USPS Safety Awareness Program Manager Chris Johnson. “We are confident we can keep moving the trends of attacks downward, and ramping up overall awareness for everyone is the best way to do that.”

They said employees have devices with them to indicate whether or not the home they are delivering mail to have a dog.

The Postal Service said there were 135 dog bites in the state of Virginia. Below is a breakdown of cases in Hampton Roads:

Virginia Beach: 8

Norfolk: 6

Chesapeake: 1

Newport News: 7

Portsmouth: 5

The Postal Service offers the following safety tips:

When a letter carrier delivers mail or packages to your front door, place your dog in a separate room and close that door before opening the front door. Dogs have been known to burst through screen doors or plate glass windows to attack visitors.

Parents should remind children and other family members not to take mail directly from letter carriers in the presence of the family pet. The dog may view the letter carrier handing mail to a family member as a threatening gesture.

If a letter carrier feels threatened by a dog, or if a dog is loose or unleashed, the owner may be asked to pick up mail at a Post Office location or another facility until the letter carrier is assured the pet has been restrained. If the dog is roaming the neighborhood, the pet owner’s neighbors also may be asked to pick up their mail at the area’s Post Office location.

Guide Dogs

Children with sight loss will soon benefit from the expansion of Guide Dogs Cymru as they bring four-legged friends into their lives.

The charity is rolling out a Buddy Dog service, enabling visually impaired children and young people to enjoy the friendships and benefits of a dog.

Buddy dogs can have a positive impact on a sight impaired child’s well-being, improving their self-confidence, improving relationships and building a greater trust in themselves, and others.

The buddy dogs receive the same early foundation training as their guide dog counterparts, but follow a different career path to a guide dog. Families in Wales are being invited to register their interest in attending a Buddy Dog Discovery Event, which will give them an understanding of the responsibilities involved when a dog joins the family.

Ellis Hughes, 11, has sight loss due to nystagmus and albinism. He had his first dog when he was seven, and is now the proud owner of golden retriever Ralph, who lives with his family in Holyhead, Anglesey.

Ellis’s mother, Sian Edwardson-Williams, said: “The buddy dog scheme is brilliant, and we’ve been so lucky to have our two. Our new dog, Ralph, is so laid back. He’s a wonderful companion for Ellis, and it’s good preparation for potential guide dog ownership in the future. Customer Experience Lead for Guide Dogs, Caroline Abraham, said: “It’s a case of jobs for our dogs. All our dogs go through the same foundation training and we decide the best career path for them as they progress. Some will become guide dogs, and others are better suited to the buddy dog role.

Peaches The Dog Hero

Meet Peaches, a tiny Chihuahua with a huge heart who has been crowned Coventry’s best lockdown dog.

The four-year-old canine has supported her owner Leanne Collins after her mum died of cancer in March.

Leanne, aged 35, from Coventry, said Peaches “hasn’t left her side” and has provided emotional support during a difficult time.

The mum-of-one has had the petite pooch since she was a puppy, and they’ve been best friends ever since.

Leanne said: “During lockdown I haven’t been able to see any of my family or friends for comfort after losing my mum.

“Peaches has looked after me throughout the whole of this time and hasn’t left my side.

“She can sense when I’m upset and will come and snuggle up to me, which has gotten me through this grieving process.”

The 35-year-old entered the CoventryLive competition to share how Peaches helped her through the sad time.

Hundreds of votes were cast for the top 20 dogs shortlisted, but little Peaches came head and shoulders above the rest.

Held in association with Butcher’s Nourishing Food For Dogs, the competition aimed to honour the nation’s unsung heroes for their lockdown support.

Peaches will now go forward to the national round for the chance to win a year’s supply of Butcher’s Nourishing Food For Dogs and Leanne could secure £1,500 towards a dog-friendly break with her hero.

Peaches has been described as ‘chief comforter’ and is full of character, with her own personality that makes Leanne laugh.

She added: “She does little tricks and rolls around on the floor – then looks at you like a human would.

“I wouldn’t have been able to get through this without her and feel so blessed to have her with me.

“They call a dog man’s best friend, and they really are. She is my best friend.

“Winning the competition would be absolutely amazing and make me so happy after losing my mum. Peaches has been a real life line though this awful time.”