Service Dog Needed

The Roy family of a 5-year-old boy with a rare condition is trying to raise enough money to help get him a service animal, a dog who could help save his life.

While pregnant, Jace Ross’ mom contracted a virus called the cytomegalovirus (CMV). The doctors did not know there was anything wrong Jace until he was born, but CMV was attacking Jace’s brain.

Jace was born profoundly deaf, and tests showed calcifications on his brain and hydrocephalus. Jace now has cochlear implants and can hear great with those, but he was recently diagnosed with autism, which is causing many difficulties for him and his family.

Jace loves playing with cars and trains and enjoys being outside and playing with water.

Jace’s autism and a high level of sensory needs cause him to bolt at times so family applied to get a service dog who can track him if he runs off. The dog is necessary to help save his life and will be trained in tethering and behavior disruption as well as be a furry friend to Jace since many children aren’t sure how to interact with him.

The family has chosen 4 Paws for Ability, the first agency, and still the largest, to train search and rescue dogs for children with autism. It costs 4 Paws between $40,000-$60,000 to raise and place a task-trained service dog and the family is working on raising $17,000 to assist with the cost.

Depression In Dogs

 

Studies show that dogs (most commonly, Emotional Support Dogs) can help with depression. Most of us don’t know, however, that our canine friends can also suffer depression.

The dogs can’t speak anyway so, and we can’t ask them to know how they feel. It may get worse for them if we can’t recognize the signs of depression in dogs.Studies show that your dog can change its facial expressions when it knows or thinks that you’re looking at it. It would do this to try and communicate with you.
Here are some other signs you should look for if you suspect that your dog could be depressed.

Dogs love to sleep—and it’s reasonable when you’re not around. A sudden change in its sleep patterns, however, is a red flag.

If you’ve been away for most of the day and comes back, but the dog continues to sleep, it could be battling depression. Either way, it may also remain curled up like it hasn’t noticed your presence.

Still, under the change in sleep patterns, the dog may find it hard to fall asleep. You should be concerned if the dog suddenly becomes restless and sleeps less often.

Licking of paws in dogs is normal to some extent. Nevertheless, if your pooch licks its paws continuously, you should be concerned.

Science confirms that dogs commonly lick their paws as a way to soothe themselves. Therefore, if it’s too much, your furry friend could be battling depression.

Did your dog suddenly start eating more food? The dog could be using that food as a solace because of depression.

You should also be concerned when your pooch suddenly loses interest in food. If this happens, it could be time to take it for a vet checkup. The day-to-day activities in dogs include playing around, going for short and long walks, and any other thing that will excite it. If it starts to fancy more rest than play and run, it could be suffering silently.

Depression affects dogs in many ways. Depending on your dog, it may begin to hide from you or other family members.

Either way, it may also begin to show abnormal signs of aggression and be ready to attack at the slightest provocation. When you notice this type of change in behavior, be sure to take the necessary precautions, and call a certified vet to examine the dog. Just like humans, causes of depression will vary based on different factors. Some of the reasons why your pooch could be depressed include; Changes in the dog’s natural environment, such as when you upgrade your home, move to a new home, or a change in weather and patterns, may adversely affect it. It may respond to these changes by avoiding eating or just becoming shy and hiding away from you and other family members. Studies show that dogs tend to monitor humans most of the time. They can read your gestures and expressions in a way that most animals can’t. It is because of this unique ability that your dog can easily pick on its owner’s energy or yours and start feeling in a way that’s akin to how you feel.

Your dog may also be sad when you, the owner, or a companion animal, have been away most of the time. The depression at this time may be caused by fear or the separation anxiety it’s going through.

Because of this, it may react by retreating or trying to act up by showing that it isn’t scared. This is what brings in the excessive barking and abnormal aggression.

It isn’t easy to know if the dog is having an ill-health condition in most cases—unless a vet has examined it. Nevertheless, showing a ‘sad’ face could be a sign that something isn’t right.

Therefore, if you spot signs of depressions such as sleeping a lot, and excessively licking its paws, be sure to contact a vet to examine it as soon as possible. If the vet finds an ill-health condition, the symptoms should improve once the dog has been treated.

Service Dogs In Training

The COVID pandemic has been hard on everyone, including service dogs in training.

With no staff to train dogs with Educated Canines Assisting with Disabilities (ECAD) in Winsted, some volunteers — or home handlers — stepped in to help.

The home handlers took in 35 dogs that needed a place to stay.

“Usually, a home handler has an ECAD visitor for three days, a week at the most,” Dale Picard, co-founder and executive director of ECAD, explained. “But due to the lockdown and stay-at-home situation and the lack of kennel staff, these 35 volunteers kept the dogs for two months or more. They came, picked them up in March, knowing there would be no way to drop them off due to the stay-at-home order. This demonstrated an awe-inspiring commitment.”

He said the months away did pose a negative effect on the actual hours of training each service dog is required to log before being placed at 18-24 months of age. However, he said they should catch up in no time.

“I’m not too worried about those 35 coming up to speed in their training now that the dogs are on their regular schedule. Lu [Picard, who continued training the eight dogs that stayed with ECAD] will see to that they will be ready to be placed when the time comes.”

Watch the video above for his full interview.

Gold Award

Guide Dogs for the Blind based in San Rafael has been around since 1942. For more than 75 years the organization has lived by its mission statement: “Guide Dogs for the Blind empowers lives by creating exceptional partnerships between people, dogs and communities.”

Thousands of people have benefitted from these words. It is through volunteers and donors that GDB is able to offer trained service dogs free of charge to those with low vision or complete loss of sight.

Months of training go in to the making of each service dog, after which they graduate and are matched with a partner. This partnership offers freedom to individuals who may not otherwise have the opportunity to lead independent lives. Puppy raisers are a crucial piece to the success of the Guide Dog for the Blind program.

Lauren Jamieson of Girl Scout Troop 907 took on the responsibility of being a puppy raiser for her Girl Scout Gold Award. Her goal, she told Village Life, is to get the word out about service animals and to show the impact guide dogs have on people. “My Gold Award addressed how service animals can make a positive difference in people’s lives who have special needs,” she explained.

Jamieson’s dog Dipsea is on her way to becoming a Guide Dog for the Blind graduate. Dipsea, a black Labrador retriever, lived with the Jamieson family from the time she was just 8 weeks old. For nearly a year puppy raisers have the responsibility of socializing, teaching and taking care of the pups until they are ready for their next step of training and returning to the GDB headquarters.

For Jamieson, giving people knowledge about service dogs was her focus. She took Dipsea to local elementary schools to make the experience more meaningful for kids. Using PowerPoint, she created a presentation about service dogs and designed educational booklets filled with information for classrooms and libraries.

“I was proud that students gained knowledge of how service animals can make a positive difference for many people with different special needs,” she shared. “They also gained the skills to know what to do when they encounter a service animal and how they can make a difference through numerous volunteer options.”

Jamieson also handed out stickers,” (a) sustainable method to bring awareness, create conversation and continue to keep my issue sustainable for years to come.”

It was a learning experience for Jamieson.

“I was proud of myself that I could contact school administrators, communicate effectively through emails and phone and implement my Girl Scout Gold Award on a timely basis,” she said. “I realized that it was challenging to be organized, set goals and implement the tasks on schedule.

“I was most proud of my presentation skills. I did not realize that I was so comfortable and good at presenting in front of large groups. I enjoyed creating the presentation but preferred presenting it to see the positive reaction from the audience,” she added. “Through this process I have gained confidence in my presentation skills, organization skills and ability to lead and make decisions on my own.”

Dipsea in a couple months will leave the Jamiesons’ home and return to the GDB headquarters, where she will continue her formal training. If all goes according to plan, Dipsea will graduate and be matched with a partner who will benefit from all that Dipsea has learned over her first year-and-a-half of life.

Dunkin’ And Bark

Dunkin’ four-legged fans have something to celebrate—they can finally enjoy their own special Dunkin’ treats—in dog toy form. On Wednesday, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation announced a collaboration with BARK, the dog company behind BarkBox, to create these new Dunkin’ themed dog toys, modeled after Dunkin’s iconic MUNCHKINS donut hole treats box and hot coffee cup. The dog toys will roll out beginning in August and will be available at participating Dunkin’ restaurants nationwide, while supplies last.

Dunkin’ guests who make a donation to the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation at a participating Dunkin’ location will receive a Dunkin’-ized dog toy as a thank you, while supplies last. For a $12 donation, guests will receive the squeaky, crinkly, full-of-fluff hot coffee dog toy, and for $15, guests will receive a multipart box of MUNCHKINS donut hole treats dog toy, lined with felt and complete with three plush, squeaky MUNCHKINS donut hole treat toys inside. Like all BARK toys, these Dunkin’ toys are bright, durable, and perfect for dogs of all ages and sizes. Just like their ‘pawrents,’ now dogs can run on Dunkin’ throughout the day.

Funds raised will benefit the Foundation programs that provide joy to kids battling hunger or illness, including the Dogs for Joy program, introduced in 2018 to bring full-time service dogs to children’s hospitals. The dogs bring joy, ease anxiety, and reduce stress for kids battling illness and their families. To date, the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation has funded 15 service dogs across 12 hospitals, impacting hundreds of thousands of young patients.

Dunkin’s Joy In Childhood Foundation’s Chief Joy Officer and Dogs for Joy ambassador, Cooper Dunkin’, a lovable Black Lab and Golden Retriever mix, personally tested and approved the BARK Dunkin’ inspired dog toy designs.

“Through our Dogs for Joy program, amazing service dogs like Cooper Dunkin’, have the opportunity to spread joy to children who are battling illness,” says Kari McHugh, Executive Director of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation. “These lovable toys will make dogs almost as happy as they make us, while also helping support Foundation programming to bring joy to children facing hunger and illness.”

Dog owners looking for more ways to give back and get their four-legged friends involved can join the Dunkin’ JOY Run, a virtual race challenge inviting Dunkin’ fans across the country to run or walk throughout August for a good cause. The first 1,000 race registrants will receive a virtual swag bag, including a BARK discount code, among other perks. All funds raised for the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation through the Dunkin’ JOY Run will be directed to health and hunger organizations supporting children in underserved communities.

The Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation’s mission is to provide the simple joys of childhood to kids battling hunger or illness. It has granted more than $26 million since its inception in 2006 and will grant $5 million this year. Part of 2020’s giving was centered around COVID-19 relief for families affected by the crisis. Since March, the Foundation has provided $1.25 million in emergency grants to hunger relief and health organizations, given free coffee and breakfast treats to 20,000 healthcare workers, started a first-of-its-kind healthcare worker trauma relief program, Hero Recharge, with First Descents, and more.

Walking The Dog

Hand In Paw

Just about everybody likes dogs. Even virtual dogs. At UAB Hospital, dogs from Hand in Paw are used as therapy for patients and health care workers alike. So what happens when the novel coronavirus pandemic shuts down in-person visitation from Hand in Paw’s volunteer humans and dogs? You take the show on the road virtually, via telemedicine.

“Staff were so excited, they just wanted to come up and pet the screen.”

That is the report from Wendy Walters, the hospital’s clinical ethics consultant, who took two of Hand in Paw’s therapy dogs into UAB’s COVID-19 intensive care unit by means of a video feed on a telemedicine cart. Her goal was to ease the stress on health care workers who have been caring for very sick patients under very trying circumstances for about four months now.

“I have a tremendous amount of concern for our frontline caregivers,” said Walters, who trained as a social worker, grief counselor and then ethicist. “They are so involved with their patients, and they are exhausted and stressed. I am trying to find ways to bring smiles to their faces, even for just a moment. The dogs are one way to do that.”

Walters arranged for two of Hand in Paw’s volunteer teams, Pam Strange and Maylee, along with Susanne Webb and Dinah, to visit with health care workers in five UAB nursing units a few weeks ago. Using a fully equipped telemedicine cart, Walters rang up the dogs and volunteers on a video call, and rolled the cart into the nursing units.

“We did this just for the staff,” Walters said. “And there was overwhelming excitement, a little bit of a break in a stressful day. They told me they needed something like this so badly and it made them feel that someone was taking time to do something for them.”

Even though the dogs were only on a screen, staff reached out. And the dogs did too. They reacted to their names and the voices on the screen, making it seem as though they were physically there.

“The dogs were so well trained and responded to the screen,” Walters said. “They connected when they heard their names. We could have both dogs on the screen at the same time, and it was wonderful.”

So wonderful that Walters will roll the dogs in again once a week, to reach even more of the hospital’s over-taxed medical staff. Thanks to Hand in Paw for helping to make these stress-reducing visits available.

Therapy Dog Teams

A 12-year-old golden retriever and her handler last week became the newest Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs (NSTD) certified team.

Following a 40-minute exam, Donna Mayne and Greta received not only a round of applause from those in attendance, but also a certificate from Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs that had the words You Passed in huge lettering.

Ann Marie Cioffi, director of NSTD, hosted the test on July 15 in her backyard.

“Greta and her owner, Donna Mayne, have worked very hard for the past year,” Cioffi said that morning via e-mail, ahead of the test. “We had a test scheduled for early April for six new members that we had to cancel due to the virus.”

NSTD serves as the Newtown chapter of Bright & Beautiful Therapy Dogs, a 501(c)(3) organization based in northern New Jersey. The organization “evaluates, tests, trains, and qualifies owners and their well-behaved dogs as therapy dog teams,” according to its website. “These teams give unconditional love, boost self-esteem, and relieve loneliness and boredom,” it continues.

All of NSTD’s activities and testing have been suspended for months due to COVID-19. During that time Greta has been ill, and turned 12.

“In order to assure that Donna and Greta realize their dream,” Cioffi said she reached out to Bright & Beautiful, who allowed “a special exception to test Greta right away.”

The test was modified to meet social distancing, mask, “and other guidelines,” Cioffi said. For one, the few women allowed to attend on July 15 were instructed to remain 12 feet apart from each other. There was also no touching of any of the dogs present that afternoon.

Wednesday afternoon, Cioffi and Mayne were joined by five NSTD volunteers for the Therapy Dog Certification Analysis. Mayne and Greta faced multiple challenges. Test elements range from an initial meeting and check of a dog’s training to advanced tasks that included canine to canine interaction and myriad human to canine interactions. Some tests included Greta’s response to a person with a cane, another checked her response to a human in a wheelchair.

One of the most challenging tests was also one of the final ones. Those present all stood up and began talking or making noises. Volunteer Maribeth Hemingway struck a small pot at intervals, adding to the cacophony.

Mayne and Greta had to walk around the circle. The challenge, Cioffi explained before the test began, was for Greta to not lose her focus on Mayne. Meanwhile, Mayne had to keep the dog’s focus without pulling on her lead.

“The dog has to be verbally under control at all times, or use hand signals. She cannot pull on the lead,” Cioffi told the group.

Mayne and Greta aced the challenge, the final of the hot afternoon, and the team became the latest official members of the localized comfort dog program.

Formed in the wake of 12/14, Newtown-Strong Therapy Dogs teams visit local healthcare and living facilities, schools, wakes, birthday parties, and other events or occasions. They go only by invitation, and they stay local. Unlike many other comfort dog programs, NSTD does not respond to emergencies. Instead, its teams offer ongoing comfort within the area.

Currently, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the team is not available for events.

With all challenges completed, Cioffi announced the successful completion of the exam.

Mayne thanked everyone for their help.

She and Greta, she said, had been working with Cioffi for two years, she reminded the group.

“Greta was rehomed to me when she was 10. We’ve come a long way, and we’ve grown so close,” she said, looking proudly at her canine companion. “Our bond is so incredible.”

Mayne admitted to feeling down when the testing was initially postponed earlier in the year.

“Thank you for doing this,” she added, turning to Cioffi. “From the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

Cioffi said she had received permission from Bright & Beautiful Founder June Golden to modify the exam.

“Usually there is a lot of hands-on work, a lot of touching, during the testing,” Cioffi mentioned. “She allowed us to modify things for today.”

Cioffi, a professional dog trainer, said she knew Greta was ready for the exam.

“She’s been on some practice runs with us, and on a few NSTD events, so I’ve seen her in action,” she told the group. “I knew she was ready for today.”

Companion Dog Storm

Lab Puppies Have Big Future

Five yellow lab puppies have been given a mission. Starting this week they start the next step of their journey towards becoming service dogs for veterans.

The nonprofit organization Leashes of Valor trains and pairs service dogs with Veterans at no cost to them. The group typically rescues and trains shelter dogs for the role. but with the help of donations the five Labrador puppies were purchased from Hero Labradors to help the nonprofit meet heightened demand caused by COVID-19. Hero Labradors has worked with Leashes of Valor in the past and provides dogs to trainers under the condition that the recipients will never have to pay for their trained dog.

“Every day we take calls from veterans whose condition has been worsened during this pandemic, the quarantine and isolation,” said Navy veteran and Leashes of Valor President Danique Masingill. “Increasing the size of our program is just the right thing to do.”

The puppies will begin their training with foster families from as far away as Boston, Massachusetts. The fosters will house break, socialize and raise the dogs until they’re ready to be returned to Leashes of Valor and be paired with their veteran.

“I’m so incredibly grateful for the families who are helping us respond to this crisis,” Masingill said.

Once the puppies are old enough, they’re paired with veterans and trained to meet the veteran’s specific needs. The dogs will learn skills such as identifying physiological changes caused by post-traumatic stress disorder, retrieving medicine, waking veterans up from nightmares or performing roles specific to physical handicaps.

Leashes of Valor has the veterans work with the dogs for 16 days on the farm before they go home together. In order to help veterans struggling with quarantine and isolation Leashes of Valor has worked to speed up their placement process. The non-profit will expand its 16-day program from one veteran at a time to four.

“We know how these dogs can help, especially in times like this,” said Leashes of Valor Founder and Marine veteran Jason Haag in a press release. “So, while we don’t want to sacrifice the quality of our program, because that’s what makes these partnerships successful, we need to step up.”