Winter 2011 • Canine Listener • Page 1 Canine Listener Robin Dickson, Pres./CEO Fed. Tax ID #93-0681311 Winter 2011 • NO. 115 Special Girl - Special Birthday Party Katie I. from New Jersey is a very special 10-year-old young lady. Every year for her “kid” birthday party, she asks for donations for a charity instead of birthday gifts. She has do- nated food and supplies to her local humane society and a local wildlife rescue organiza- tion. Last year she chose DFD for her charity! Her family was thrilled when she asked for dog toys and treats on her party in- vitations. After the party, they boxed up the goodies and mailed them to us for the dogs in training. We excitedly opened the box of toys and treats, and the dogs were thrilled with them! It is especially heartwarming to see someone this young who is so generous and anxious to help. Katie is obviously a dog lover, and we are very grateful for her special help. Her dona- tions help the dogs succeed in training and go on to fulfill their mission in life. Thank you McLoughlin Bulldogs! Thank you to the McLoughlin Bulldogs, Team 81, from McLoughlin Middle School in Medford, Oregon. They sent us a box of toys and treats for our dogs, along with a holiday card that included some of the following special notes from the kids: “Thank you for what you do. It really means a lot.” ~ Brittney P. “Hope you guys like the toys we got. Happy holidays.” ~ Zarissa M. “Thank you dogs for helping deaf people, without you it would be hard for them.” ~ Gage Our dogs in training asked us to pass along a message to the stu- dents and their teacher, Ms. Arnold: “Arff, arff, woo-oooo!” Trans- lated, that means “Thank you so much for the box of toys and treats! We love them. You are PAWESOME!” Charter Member Dogs for the Deaf, Inc. Assistance Dogs International Rescuing Dogs to Help the Deaf Since 1977 Accredited by 10175 Wheeler Road, Central Point, OR 97502 • (541) 826-9220 Voice/TDD Assistance www.dogsforthedeaf.org • email: [email protected] Dogs International Page 2 • Canine Listener • Winter 2011 Placement Highlights Loops - “The Navigator” Jodi A. had her first Hearing Dog, Chewie, for 10 years until he passed away. Jodi has been deaf since birth and teaches Ameri- can Sign Language at a local college. During the time that Jodi and Chewie were together, they gave many presentations and educated countless numbers of people about Dogs for the Deaf. They also put on many fund raisers and donated the money to DFD to help others receive specially trained dogs. Jodi was Loops anxious for another dog and thrilled when we contacted her with the news that we had the right dog ready for her. Loops, a darling red and white, male Cocker/Poodle mix, came from the Fresno, California, SPCA. He had been a stray roaming the streets and, when our trainers saw him at the shelter, his coat was matted and overgrown, and h e had kennel cough. He was in terrible shape, but he still had a zest for life that made him a likely candidate for one of our programs. After getting him healthy and into top physical condition, he was ready to start training, and he loved it. He was happy and excited receiving his toys and treats when he did what his trainer wanted. He learned to respond to all of the normal household sounds, and he learned his obedience skills well. With training completed, Loops and his trainer headed off to his new home. Jodi and her boyfriend Jim fell in love with Loops immediately. Loops met the family cat and checked out the house and backyard. They began practicing sounds, and Loops quickly alerted Jodi to the various sounds in the house. By the end of the placement, this new team had made incredible improvements and they were work- ing well together. Jodi calls Loops “the navigator” because of the way he is always alert and aware of his environment. Please continue to support the special work and mission of Dogs for the Deaf Ginny... Just What the Doctor Ordered! Mea and Bob M. have been married for 53 years. Every day Mea faces muscle pain, fatigue, and trouble sleeping because of fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. To lessen these symptoms and maintain bone mass, she is supposed to stay active, walk, and exercise. When their 15 year old dog died last year, they not only missed that companionship, but it was also more difficult for Mea to stay motivated to remain active. They de- cided they needed another dog to help. The perfect dog for them was a small, red with a black mask, three year old Pekingese named Ginny. Ginny had a very rough start to life. We found her at the N.E.W. Animal Protection League, a rescue group in eastern Washington. They had rescued her from a hoarding/puppy mill situation, but, in spite of her Ginny rough start in life, she was very friendly and had a sweet disposition. Initially we thought she might be a candidate for becoming a Hearing Dog, but she did not have the energy level for that. Ginny was, however, perfect for our Miracle Mutt program. She wanted to please and learned her les- sons well. She also loved going on walks and getting lots of cuddle time. When training was complete, Ginny was matched with Mea and Bob. With Ginny to care for, Mea would need to get out of her chair and be more active - just what the doctor ordered. The trainer and Ginny arrived at Mea and Bob’s home, and Ginny acted like she had known them forever. After checking everything out, she curled up on the bed they bought for her until it was time to show off her skills for her new fam- ily. Ginny loves her new home and is receiving lots of love and good care. She is also greatly helping both Mea and Bob by getting them “up and out” more, exercising and walking in order to stay healthier and happier. A special thank you to DFD Board of Directors Chair Marvin Rhodes for generously donating the color pages in this issue! We appreciate you! Winter 2011 • Canine Listener • Page 3 Placement Highlights continued . The Sweet Life of Riley Riley, a black and tan Spaniel/Min Pin cross, came to us as a puppy. One of our foster families in Washington raised him until he was old enough to start training. He developed into a sweet, loving, and very intelligent little dog who wanted noth- ing more than to please those around him. He learned obedience skills and how to respond to the door knock, oven buzzer, and someone calling his trainer’s name. Riley He loved playing these “games” and receiving his rewards. With training complete, Riley was ready for placement and the best match for him was Janice E. Janice is 64 and has traumatic brain injury and hearing loss from being severly injured in an accident. Her previous dog, who helped her through a difficult recovery and a lot of therapy, died last year, and Janice was lost without him. She needed help with the effects of her brain injury and also her hearing loss. Riley was the right dog for Janice, and she was so excited when Riley and his trainer arrived at her house. They got to know each other and Riley investigated his new home. Then work began - showing Janice was Riley was trained to do. They practiced obedience, and Riley showed Janice how he could help her know when the oven time was going off, someone was at the door, or someone was calling her name. Janice was thrilled with everything and loved it when he snuggled into her arms and fell asleep. She said “He is perfect!” Poppy in Bloom Charmaine W. is 79 and lives alone. Health problems limit her mobility, and she uses a scooter part of the time. Charmaine is a “doer” and accustomed to a busy lifestyle; howev- er, moving from Los Angeles, combined with the health issues, caused a lot of challenges for her. Charmaine needed a companion to make her life less lonely and more active. She wanted a mature dog with some special training to help her. We found Poppy, an eight year old, fluffy brown and black Spaniel cross at Heart Horse Foster in Ashland, Oregon. At her age, Poppy was virtually unadoptable in a shelter, but we knew she was the right dog for Charmaine. After medical checks, evaluations, and training, Poppy and her trainer arrived at Charmaine’s home. After introductions and getting acquainted, the trainer start- ed showing Charmaine how to work with Poppy. The two quickly became inseparable. Poppy enjoyed walking calmly beside Charmaine’s scooter. Now life is immensely better for both Charmaine and Poppy - they are helping each other and providing lots of love and care for each other. ank Y Poppy Th ou . to all of our major sponsors for enriching the lives of our recipients and enabling them to live more independently: Good Sam Chapters Sams Radio Hams Granges Benevolent Patriotic Order of DOES Oregon State Grange Kiwanis Clubs Royal Neighbors of America Sammamish Sams Sertoma Clubs District 36-E Get Along Sams Rotary Clubs Lions & Lioness (Oregon) Washington Good Sams Quota Clubs California Federation of Northern California Good Sams Eastern Star, Shrine, & other Masonic Groups Women’s Clubs Nevada Good Sams Oregon Good Sams Oregon Lions & Lioness Many other generous clubs & individuals Southern California Good Sams Lions Clubs / Lioness Clubs Thank you Foster Friends .