Military Working Dogs
The Army is developing high-tech augmented reality goggles for dogs that eventually could allow handlers to give them directions from afar, the service said.
Military working dogs are directed via hand signals, speaking or laser pointers, which require the handler to remain close by. That can potentially endanger soldiers on missions that involve finding explosives and hazardous materials, or assisting in rescue operations, the Army statement said Tuesday.
The goggles developed by the Army and the Seattle-based company Command Sight show dogs where to go using a simulated laser pointer.
Initial feedback indicates “the system could fundamentally change how military canines are deployed in the future,” said A.J. Peper, the founder of Command Sight, as quoted in the Army’s statement. Peper founded his company in 2017 and built his first prototype augmented reality glasses for military working dogs after conversations with current and retired handlers.
Much of the research has been conducted on his own rottweiler, named Mater, the statement said.
The goggles have a lightweight camera, which sends everything Mater is seeing to a laptop. The handler can click on a spot where Mater should go, and the simulated laser point appears to the dog.
The technology allows handlers to be very specific while directing their dogs and opens up new possibilities for research, said Stephen Lee, a senior scientist at the Army Research Office, which managed the project.
“The research demonstrates that a dog can recognize things in an augmented reality world,” Lee said in a phone interview Tuesday.
The prototype is wired and keeps the dog on a leash, but the next step is making a wireless version that would allow the soldier to direct a dog via a handheld device, while staying far away and out of sight.
The project was funded by the Small Business Innovation Research program, and additional money will come through the Pentagon’s Rapid Reaction Technology Office to fund the next phase of development.
This includes working with Navy special operations over the next two years to build prototypes for their military working dogs.
“This technology really cuts new ground and opens up possibilities that we haven’t considered yet,” Lee said in a statement.
Pawfect Pets
For Shearly Pawfect Pets Founder Michelle Carpin, grooming is much more just grooming — it’s a form of art, a mission that includes education and gaining an animal’s trust.
The full-service grooming business on South Michael Street in St. Marys began with a soft opening in August 2017, Carpin said.
Carpin, who lives in Weedville and has been grooming for 12 years, has two dogs of her own, Bentley and Penny.
Workers Get Canine Interactions
It was a long, boring spring and summer for the four-footed members of the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, who couldn’t visit nursing homes and hospitals giving tail wags and doggy smiles.
The coronavirus paused the professional canine therapeutic interactions with patients and hospital workers.
“You could actually see him falling into a depression at home,” said Wendy Kadish of York Township, describing her 8-year-old Rottweiler named Roman, who was unable to do his “job” as the pandemic wore on.
On Tuesday, Roman stood at the end of a long-stretched leash, absorbing delighted squeals and scratches from several hospital workers as Kadish talked about the days he couldn’t visit patients.The Alliance of Therapy Dogs was visiting UPMC Memorial in West Manchester Township for a pet parade on the sidewalks. Pet therapy has been suspended at the campus during the pandemic. The parade was a chance for hospital workers to take a break with 12 furry visitors.
“Our patients and staff miss having you guys and the pet therapy you give, the stress reduction for the staff, even for the patients when they are going through difficult times. We miss having you,” Joe Iandolo, hospital vice president of operations, told the group gathered.
For many of the dogs this was their first day back on the job in months.
Gemma Martin, who brought a 10-year-old big, fluffy therapy dog named Bella, said that some nursing homes were allowing window visits, but most medical facilities didn’t want therapy dogs on their grounds. “The dogs really miss it.”
“It’s therapy for me, it’s therapy for her and everybody who pets her,” Martin said.
Therapy Dog Program
An initiative by Cyndy Caravelis, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at Western Carolina University, will include a pilot program to use a therapy dog to aid domestic violence victims and their families in Jackson County.
Caravelis’ German shepherd Atlas will escort victims and family members into court procedures and stay with children while parents receive counseling and legal services. The dog also will serve as an ambassador for programs and outreach, putting a friendly face – and wagging tail – to destigmatize attitudes about seeking help in domestic violence situations.
“Therapy dogs can assist in serving as a distraction and, in many cases, a bright spot during challenging times. Once the therapy dog program is established, we hope to have a number of dog and handler volunteer teams to support other local agencies that work with children,” said Caravelis. “Atlas is currently in training, sponsored by the Center for Domestic Peace with a grant from the Great Smokies Health Foundation, and will soon be a certified pet therapy animal.”
Caravelis has an extensive career background in law enforcement involving sexual offenders, domestic abuse cases and endangered and missing persons. She serves on the board of directors of the Center for Domestic Peace, the local domestic violence agency, and plans to involve WCU criminology and criminal justice students, as well as other majors, in the project.
“With his large stature and sweet disposition, I thought Atlas would be a perfect dog for the pilot program,” Caravelis said. “All therapy dogs need to meet a certain standard of temperament and obedience, but what sets a domestic violence therapy dog apart from, say a therapy dog who visits nursing homes or hospitals, is that a courthouse setting has its own set of policies and procedures, which includes passing through security, sitting with the clients while waiting for their turn, and staying calm and responsive to their handler in potentially tense environments.
“Additionally, Atlas will serve as an escort of sorts to give a sense of comfort and security to clients who feel unsafe. For example, some clients may not feel that they need a therapy dog in the courtroom per se but may request that we meet them to walk them from their vehicle into the courthouse. Atlas, at 90 pounds, is especially well-suited for this role.”
After bringing up the idea for the pilot program to the Center for Domestic Peace board, Caravelis received full support, as well as encouragement from other agencies that work with vulnerable children.
The Center for Domestic Peace, based in Sylva, is a recognized community partner with WCU’s Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning, and university students can volunteer for the project. After completing the 20-hour victim advocate training, students will be able to work directly with clients, assisting with client intake, sharing crisis intervention resources, learning about best client practices, including alternative support therapies such as therapy animals, and serving in the role of a court advocate by accompanying clients to court.
“If the client indicates that they would benefit from the presence of a therapy dog, student volunteers will be able to accompany Atlas and me both at the Center for Domestic Peace office and to court,” Caravelis said.
Therapy Dogs Working With Staff
After a pause due to COVID-19, the St. John Ambulance Abbotsford therapy dog team recently returned to visit staff at several different correctional facilities in the Fraser Valley.
The PAWS inside program originally began at the Alouette Correctional Centre for Women five years ago and started off by providing services to inmates.
Last year, the Abbotsford therapy dog team coordinator was approached by the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) in the Pacific Region about providing support to local staff.
According to all involved, both the staff and the dogs were missing each other during the COVID break, but thanks to some creative thinking from the leadership volunteer team in Abbotsford and the CSC staff, a solution was reached to conduct a number of distanced staff wellness visits to Fraser Valley, Matsqui, Mission, and Kent Institutions.
“The feedback was unanimously positive. The therapy dog visits provide staff with an opportunity to de-stress and connect safely with others, even if just for a short time, and the dogs were so excited to be back at ‘work’,” stated Nancy Wrenshall, St. John Ambulance PAWS INSIDE program coordinator. “We heard comments from staff saying how nice it was to have this contact during such an isolating time, that it made them feel appreciated for their work, and that it even helped them relax.”
Some of the different disciplines that work in federal institutions include: nurses, correctional officers, social workers, psychologists, program officers, parole officers, and administrative staff, among others. These staff can face emotionally challenging scenarios daily when managing offenders and their cases.
“Every single one of our employees has a role to play, and their work can be uniquely challenging. Many staff can be emotionally affected by the nature of their work, so the opportunity for them to get outside and gain a moment of calm and comfort with a ‘puppy break’ is extremely beneficial, especially during this time,” stated Tara Mayne, regional manager for the employee assistance program (EAP) and critical incident stress management program (CISM), for CSC Pacific Region.
During these visits, masks were worn by both the SJA therapy dog handlers and all correctional staff. Measures were taken to ensure physical distancing such as the use of six-foot long leashes.
Dog Makes Court Appearance
A dog trained to help child crime victims overcome the psychological burden of testifying in court made a rare appearance in an eastern Japan court in July, legal sources said Tuesday.
The 6-year-old golden retriever accompanied a teen girl for some 90 minutes while she was cross-examined during the trial of a man accused of abusing her, according to the sources.
They did not disclose the court name or any other details of the case, citing her privacy.
Courthouse dogs are trained to provide psychological support to children who have suffered trauma from incidents such as abuse so they can overcome the stress that may be caused during interviews by investigators, according to a group supporting the girl and other abuse victims.
At present, there are four courthouse dogs in Japan and the group believes the case is the first in which a dog has appeared in court. Dogs typically provide behind-the-scenes support at welfare centers.
The girl, who initially refused to testify until the court allowed the dog to accompany her, said, “It was nice (the dog) was there,” according to the Yokohama-based group Tsunagg.
Permission for the dog to take the stand with the girl came after the court was presented documents that proved the girl had a mental health condition and a statement from her doctor warning her post-traumatic stress disorder could deteriorate if she appeared in court without the support dog, which had accompanied the girl during interviews with prosecutors.
The courthouse dog system started in the United States in 2012, and there were about 250 dogs operating across the country as of July, according to Tsunagg, which was established in 2019.
“Children who have become unable to trust others as a result of abuse can still trust courthouse dogs that just stay close to them and (help them) feel secure, as they help reduce their mental burdens,” said Mariko Yamamoto, a lecturer at Teikyo University of Science and a member of the Yokohama-based group Tsunagg.
“As it was proven that courthouse dogs are effective in reducing (the mental) burden on children who have to testify at court, we hope (the government) will institutionalize” their attendance, a member of the group said.
Tsunagg stresses the need to train more courthouse dogs amid a growing number of child abuse cases in Japan. As it costs up to ¥2.5 million ($24,000) to train each dog, the Japan Service Dog Association has been soliciting funds through a crowdfunding project.
4-H Dog Project
A new opportunity is opening up for the youth of Power County and their furry friends with the latest creation of a 4-H dog project, which will allow children to develop their relationship with their dogs while also providing exercise and training for their four-pawed companion.
The project, which was recently put together by Rockland local Rachael Flammer, is still in its early stages of development, but Flammer has experience working with a 4-H dog program and hopes to teach children and their dogs how to work together as a team.
“I would think that my goal here is to create a better education and understanding for how dogs learn and how we can teach them,” she said.
Flammer, who moved to Rockland from Amalga, Utah, last year, was the Cache County 4-H dog program co-director for six years and is currently the service dog program coordinator for her dog training business, K9’s Unleashed Academy LLC, in Logan.
Due to the move, Flammer shifted to online sessions with her business, which she co-owns with Jill Romo, but the move also opened up a door for her to start up a project in Power County.
“When I moved, I was like, well, I’m really interested in seeing if there’s something in this county because it’s a phenomenal program,” she said. “The 4-H program is incredible with what you can do and what you can create with these kids and their dogs.”
The project is open for youth anywhere between the ages of 8 and 18, and Flammer plans to introduce several events for students to teach their dogs.
These events include agility, which will have an obstacle course the dog must follow; showmanship, in which the child and their dog must memorize and perform certain patterns in front of a judge; competitive obedience; and rally, which is a combination of agility and obedience together without the obstacle.
Having a positive relationship with your dog also opens up lots of potential for healthy communication, she said.
“Sometimes you get more of an old-school mentality thinking, which is the ‘I win, you lose’ behavior, or there’s a dominance relationship of ‘I’m the alpha, you’re the submissive and you need to do what I say’ and you’re missing the relationship that way,” she said. “I think more than anything it’s to build understanding for how dogs learn and how much potential there is for what dogs can do and what dogs can learn in a relationship. They are an emotional being and you can have a connection both ways.”
Flammer also explained that the program would be good for children with dogs because it allows them to understand how even the little steps can be huge successes.
“The hardest part is to make sure that kids … understand what success looks like,” she said. “Because success can be teeny tiny for a dog, depending on the dog, or success can be like, ‘Look, I did the teeter in one day.’”
While the 4-H dog project is still in the early stages, Flammer is learning the technical details of becoming an official 4-H dog program in Power County so her members can compete in county and state levels.
Currently, those members participating will meet once a week at Flammer’s residence in Rockland, which has agility equipment and a sanded arena for children and their dogs to get started.
There is no deadline to join, and any child can start at any time as long as their dog is older than 10 weeks, she said.
“The 4-H program is just taking the kid’s side of things and going, ‘Let’s empower our kids to understand how to teach their dogs,’” Flammer said. “And then collectively we can make behaviors or skills happen together.”
Bella And Her Service Dog
Gisele James has seen the difference.
The superintendent of Par Excellence Academy watched a service dog in the Newark community school help change the life of one of her students, and positively affect other kids in the building. Now, that student, in turn, wants to make service dogs available to other students with social and emotional disabilities who may need one, but may not be able to afford it.
“It (student Isabella, better known as Bella, and her service dog Zoey) has made people so enthused about overcoming the struggles they’ve had,” James said. “Because Zoey is in the building, people come out of their shell. The entire sixth grade class last year flourished. The students focus on the dog, and it alleviates the stress and anxiety they may have gone through. The longer they’re with the dog, the more relief they feel.” Bella, who will turn 13 in November, was inspired to launch I Am Courage, a non-profit. Although held back by COVID-19, it will soon have an application process for parents/children to submit for review by the I Am Courage board for dog training and placement. Until then, they continue to fundraise, and Sunday, Oct. 11 marks a major fundraiser: a poker run that will go through Licking and Muskingum counties.
The first bike out is at 10 a.m. at Mill Dam Grille near Hebron, and the last bike out is at 11 a.m. It will also go to Jugz in Newark, then to Zanesville for The Barn and American Legion, before returning to the Newark Hub on West Church Street by 4 p.m. “It’s not just motorcycles. Anyone can be a part of it,” said Bella’s mother, Lillie McGaha. Cost is $25, which includes dinner at the Newark Hub. Doors open at The Hub at 3 p.m. for non-riders, costing $10 with good and $5 without food.
Along with dinner there will also be a silent auction and 50/50 drawing. Donations have been received from Jugz, Empire Tattoo, Blue Bug Candle Company, Texas Roadhouse, T&T First Aid, Colgate-Palmolive and The Barn in Zanesville. Donations can be dropped off at The Hub or made through the I Am Courage Facebook page. Lillie McGaha, a Tri-Valley graduate and a teacher’s aide at Par Excellence, said her daughter’s story has been inspirational. Bella suffered a trauma and began her recovery, As part of the recovery, she was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and it was recommended she get a service dog. Zoey was trained by Jensen McVey of Fetch Dog Training in Zanesville. “She got attached to me very fast,” Bella said.
The dog also quickly affected not only Bella at Par Excellence, but other students. “Normally, students come to us because we’re smaller, do one-on-one and are more nurturing to our students and families,” James explained. “We bring in families, not just the student, and sometimes employ family members.”
Zoey became a mainstay at Par Excellence, with her own Par Excellence shirt and Facebook page. She adjusted very quickly to the class routine and even knew when the kids needed to line up or be quiet. “You could tell Zoey felt like she was part of the class,” Bella said. “She owns the classroom.” Zoey has helped Bella overcome anxiety and now she and Isabella do public speaking on the subject of service dogs and the stigma of mental illness.
“Her first year at school, Bella did not get good grades, and did not talk much,” Lillie said. “But then last year, when she came in with Zoey, she started raising her hand and giving answers. And she stood up in class and gave a presentation.”
Lillie said at first, the other students were uncertain about having the dog around. “But then, everyone started to warm up,” she said. “We had a student last year, even spending 15 to 30 minutes with Zoey helped him. My son has disabilities, and she helps him if he is not having a good day. We want to teach people about service dogs and how they can help. Not all disabilities can be seen. Bella sees the service dog as an extension of herself.”
“My first year, I didn’t talk a lot, but now, I have something to say,” Bella said. “We want a lot more dogs to be available to people.”
She sat in the car one day, thinking about that very thing, then decided to put her thoughts into action. Bella’s parents supported her, and they went to James and Par Excellence administrative assistant Paige Cashdollar Anderson. They were fully onboard with starting I Am Courage. In fact, Anderson, who died in July, was one of Bella’s biggest supporters. “This meant a lot to her,” Lillie said. “She had a lot of struggles of her own, and knew how it felt to have that security blanket.”
Bella then formed a small group of teachers with other members of the community, meeting after school once a month to start fundraising, selecting board members and registering the nonprofit. COVID-19 prevented them from having a fundraiser at the start of summer but a bank account has been started.
“Even with COVID, we’ve stayed focused on Bella’s goal,” James said. “The first place we went to (to get the dog training) was like $3,000,” Lillie said. “We ended up paying up between $800 and $900, by making some sacrifices, but we realized not all families with children recovering from trauma could make those financial sacrifices.”
A big part of I Am Courage’s mission is to educate the public and schools about service dogs.
“People knowing that service dogs are available, is so important,” James said. “And not everyone knows about it,” Lillie added. “It’s such a good comfort zone, having that social emotional support,” James said. “It makes people more social and want to talk to other people.”
More dogs are already being trained by Fetch Dog Training to be ready for use by I Am Courage recipients. “I’m so excited about it,” Bella said. “The feedback we’ve been getting is amazing,” Lillie said. “I was crying the other day, after talking to a woman at the store. You don’t realize how much other people are going through.”
Lillie considers her daughter a superhero. “To have that power from within, from something that happened to you,” she said. “You might have disabilities, but you have that superpower inside, that you can use to change the world. If you follow your dream, it will happen.”
MTSU’s Police Dog
For MTSU Police K9 handler and patrol specialist Zachery Brooker, the loyalty he receives from his K9 Bobby “can’t be compared.”
This month marks the anniversary of the dog’s first year of service for the campus police department. Bobby and Brooker have been “very fortunate to have a really good first year” and the other officers “love having Bobby here,” Brooker said.
Bobby is a 2-year-old German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix.
Brooker, originally from Michigan, joined the MTSU department in May 2017. He had been a member of the military and graduated from the Walters State Police Academy before meeting Bobby, but K9 training was “seriously the hardest thing I’ve ever done.”
In addition to the dog’s capabilities of tracking others and alerting to the presence of illicit substances, the K9 adds an important safety aspect to the community: suspects are more compliant because of Bobby’s presence, and he can “defend and protect both officers and civilians,” Brooker said.
He encourages the other officers to get to know their furry coworker. They’re always welcome to play and spend time with Bobby because the stronger the relationships are between Bobby and his human team, the more successful they’ll all be in the field, he said.
The dog feeds off of everyone’s energy. “It’s what he lives for,” said Brooker, “that ‘good boy,’ that praise, and his toys, of course.”
One winter night, Bobby’s keen sense of smell and training helped to safely reunite a child, wandering out in the cold, with his mother. Most recently, he tracked down and apprehended a suspect.
Bobby also has helped the Murfreesboro Police Department and the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office.
Brooker’s job doesn’t stop when he clocks out. Bobby comes home with him. The dog’s lifestyle is like that of an athlete’s: healthy treats like carrots and apples, hydration, rest and recovery and plenty of training and exercise. Brooker starts each morning by taking Bobby out for a 30-minute game of fetch.
Being the department’s sole K9 handler also means long hours at work.
“There are days when it’s tough, you’re tired,” said Brooker. “There’s been more times than not with him where because of his capabilities, he’s had to stay late. It’s always worth it to see the officers’ reactions to him doing his job well.”
Bobby has been out to several campus events where people “love on him,” and all of his interactions have been positive, Brooker said.
“We work really hard together, and we do it for the campus community,” said Brooker. “I can’t express enough that it’s for them. This department really cares about the community it serves.”
Ginger’s Pet Rescue
Over the past 15 years, Ginger’s Pet Rescue has saved over 18,000 dogs from all over the world. Iran, Korea, Mexico, Thailand, and the United States are just a few places they have been to save a dog in need.
Founder of Ginger’s Pet Rescue, Ginger Luke, rescued her first dog in January of 2006. “I started the pet rescue by delivering a hamburger to a guy in the trailer park and found abusing his doxie, I offered him a free meal plus $50 for the dog and he handed him over to me,” said Ginger in an email.
After taking the dog to the vet she began looking for a good home for the animal. “After posting him, 10 people wanted him so I adopted him out to a woman who was deaf and Buddy became her service dog.” Once Ginger found Buddy a home she helped the other nine people who wanted a dog but didn’t want to go to the shelter. As a result, she worked on rescuing dogs and matching them up with loving homes.
The Seattle based rescue is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that is one of the largest non-profit pet rescue organizations in Washington state who specialize in saving Death Row Dogs.
Since January of this year, they have been able to save and adopt out over 703 dogs to loving families. Of the 703 dogs, 293 came from California, 80 from Mexico, 53 from Taiwan, and 277 from Korea.
Many of the dogs they save are living in packed cages at slaughter farms in Korea. According to Humane Society International (HSI), dogs are intensively farmed for human consumption. They are given little food, usually no water, and live outdoors in small cages with no protection from the hot summers or brutally cold winters. Many suffer from disease and malnutrition and all are subjected to daily, extreme neglect. Electrocution is one of the most common methods to kill the dogs, according to the article.
That’s one reason why Davies believes Ginger’s Pet Rescue is so crucial, “This rescue is extremely important, it cannot afford to fail because it does too much good.”
If they aren’t able to physically bring the dogs back, they will partner up with rescue groups overseas to provide things like vaccinations, food, wheelchairs, and microchips for tracking.
The rescue is mostly operated by a group of 10-15 retired women who have a passion for animals. “It’s a true passion for people like Ginger and me,” said Sian Davies, CEO of Ginger’s Pet Rescue.
Surprisingly enough, the organization doesn’t actually have a physical shelter location. They rely heavily on fosters in and around the Seattle area to host the dogs during their transition from rescue to adoption. Before the dog’s arrival, the rescue will sponsor to have the dogs spayed and neutered.
According to Davies, many people don’t truly understand how expensive the process is to save these animals. “International dogs have many more medical problems when rescued,” said Davies. The rescue relies on adoption fees and donations to provide help and care for each dog’s needs. At any given time, the rescue can have over 100 dogs in their care. According to their website, over 90% of every dollar generated goes to the rescue of the animals.
Davies believes the average dog in their care needs between $2,000-$5,000 of medical expenses and travel.
