“A Pup’s Journey to Greatness”
Today I’m gonna give you a chance to see something most people never get to see.
When they’re 8 weeks old, Canine Companions for Independence puppies are brought to the national headquarters campus in Santa Rosa by the breeder caretaker of the mama dog who gave birth to them. They are checked out thoroughly by the veterinary staff, given an identifying tattoo in their right ear, washed, and then sent on their way to puppy raisers across the U.S., who will raise and train them for the next 15-18 months. (You can read more about breeder caretakers and CCI’s very carefully controlled breeding program here.)
Judge Who Raises Guide Dogs Upheld In Barring ‘Service Dog’ From Courthouse
Moral of this story is it’s not the smartest move to take your questionable “service dog” into the courtroom of a judge who raises guide dog puppies with his wife (I believe for Guide Dogs for the Blind, but haven’t verified that):
“Federal judge rejects Ryderwood woman’s service dog discrimination suit”
Haven’t heard much about this case, either, even though it’s been going on for over a year, but I can’t say I’m surprised – it’s exactly the opposite of those “service dog discrimination” stories the “outraged public” waits around to pounce on and be outraged about all the time.
Wounded Warriors On Ice
Saw this USA Hockey Magazine story about the USA Warriors Ice Hockey Program via the Walter Reed Army Medical Center fan page on Facebook yesterday – talk about motivational! (Not to mention probably the coolest hockey story I’ve ever seen.)
“I’m probably the only person you’ll ever meet who opted to have their leg amputated so they could play hockey, and that was my whole goal. I spent two and a half years at Walter Reed, and everyone there knew that my first goal in life was to get back on the ice.” – SFC Joe Bowser
Spinal Cord Injuries Are Rising Sharply Among Troops In Afghanistan
Recent short article from the Nov 4th USA Today (“Spinal injuries up among troops”) didn’t get much public notice, but it sure got my attention.
Turns out that, contrary to everything we’ve been hearing for some time about how spinal cord injuries are way down in Iraq, those injuries are actually way UP in Afghanistan.
And that plays directly with future placements of service dogs with OEF veterans. I don’t think it takes a genius to figure out that with the recent increased troop levels, the reality is we’re likely going to see a concurrent increase in SCI for some time.
Another Perfect Example Of Why We Have Service Dog Access Problems
I said I was gonna concentrate on positive stuff, but no way can I pass this one up.
“Pink poodle, owner get apology from Denny’s”
Yeah, maybe the dog is legit, and, yeah, service dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and, no, the ADA doesn’t say you can’t have a poodle and dye it pink.
But, seriously, c’mon – we gotta be smarter than this.
Remember this one next time somebody starts giving you the lecture about how there’s really no problem on the service dog end of the public access issue and it’s all businesses’ fault.
Every Service Dog Placement With A Veteran Should Be As Great As This One
I said I was gonna stay positive and show you examples of how things should be rather than ones where I know they are not, and this story is a great start.
When you see someone talking about service dogs for veterans, I want the image of this team to immediately pop into your head, because this is the model, on both ends of the leash. Beyond just being a great story on its face, as you read it, compare what you see here – and, just as importantly, don’t see – with some of the other very visible “service dogs for veterans” stories of late.
About Me
I'm very active with Canine Companions for Independence as a former member of the Veterans Task Force and puppy raiser. Retired US Air Force Chief Master Sergeant with my last assignments at the Air Force Academy as the Fourth Group Sergeant Major and Dean of Faculty Superintendent.
I'm actively looking for a paid position doing what I already do full-time as a volunteer.
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