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I volunteer with Canine Assistants which trains service dogs for the physically disabled, and this sweetie has been on a home visit with me since last Wednesday. She goes back on Monday (we normally keep them about 2 weeks at a time at most, I often do weekend home visits).

On home visits, they learn house manners, get house broken (they live at Canine Assistants full time), and go everywhere with us - grocery store, restaurants, movies, work, etc.

So, here's Minnow - at home:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...gs/Minnow2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...ogs/Minnow.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...gs/Minnow3.jpg

I was cleaning rat enclosures last night, she had to come and take a peek, luckily, I had my camera by me as I was also taking pictures of a couple of litters. Meeting Mrs. Snuggles:

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...gs/Minnow4.jpg

At work, under my desk - my co-workers adore her and are very sad that tomorrow is her last day. Since many of our dogs may be placed with someone still working, it's good experience for them to learn how to lay quietly at our feet during the day, and not cause a distraction. I can't tell you how many people come by and say "Minnow's not here?" until I back my chair out! LOL

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...gs/Minnow5.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...gs/Minnow6.jpg

so sweet...i want a dog just like her

Nice looking puppy!!

Thanks Nathan - there are a lot of folks at work that want their own Minnow now! LOL. She got a lot of invitations to be folks' Valentine yesterday.


Thanks John - she's as sweet as she is adorable!

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Originally Posted by nathanledet

so sweet...i want a dog just like her

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Nate,in order for you to have a service dog it would need to know how to catch escaped snakes to save you :8: :8: :8: .Sorry for :hijackd: ,i could not resist it :P .

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Originally Posted by joepythons

Nate,in order for you to have a service dog it would need to know how to catch escaped snakes to save you :8: :8: :8: .Sorry for :hijackd: ,i could not resist it :P .

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Er, Joe? The appropriate response would have been for you to tell me how absolutely adorable she is! :P

So cute, :bow: I could never do what you do, I could never give the dog back if I was doing that.

Deborah, they are all special - I have lost count how many dogs have come home with me - I've been doing this for five years now. It is very easy to get attached to them, but I have to remember that we're doing this for our recipients. I do still get to see them, as Canine Assistants is just six miles from my job - and I get to see them graduate - tear jerker ceremonies, but well worth it seeing how much they change lives!


Here's their website if anyone's interested:

http://www.canineassistants.org

Of particular note - "A Note From Our Founder" and "News"

You couldn't meet finer people than Jennifer Arnold and her husband Kent Bruner, DVM!

what a doll and what a wonderful thing you do :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Deborah, they are all special - I have lost count how many dogs have come home with me - I've been doing this for five years now. It is very easy to get attached to them, but I have to remember that we're doing this for our recipients. I do still get to see them, as Canine Assistants is just six miles from my job - and I get to see them graduate - tear jerker ceremonies, but well worth it seeing how much they change lives!


Here's their website if anyone's interested:

http://www.canineassistants.org

Of particular note - "A Note From Our Founder" and "News"

You couldn't meet finer people than Jennifer Arnold and her husband Kent Bruner, DVM!

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I know and I applaud you :clap: for doing that, there is nothing more rewarding then know you make a difference in someone's life and expect nothing in return (that's why I worked with children for 12 years).



Just couldn't let go of the doggy though ;)

Thank you again Deborah - all the applause rests solely on the shoulders of the founder and her staff - truely remarkable people!


It is tough taking them back, the one I truly fell in love with was Tango - it's been four years since he was placed with his partner, and I had the great honor of presenting him at graduation. I still get misty eyed over that boy - he stole my heart!

Please allow me to share my beautiful boy!
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...isthelife2.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000422.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000415.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000405.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000400.jpg

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000385.jpg

With my mom at the lake
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...clstogher2.jpg

At his graduation - with his partner and his trainer:
http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e9...s/IM000585.jpg

Minnow is adorable. I just wanta hug her!!:hug: Doggie hugs are my fav!!!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rabernet

Er, Joe? The appropriate response would have been for you to tell me how absolutely adorable she is! :P

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Robin,tell her i am sorry and that she is one sweet looking little lady :cool: .I had a pick on Nate flash back :D

Robin,its great that you assist them and have the honor to help those who need it :gj: :gj: :gj:

ahhhhhh nice pup... good for you, doing what you do!!!

i don't tink i could ever be as strong as you not just helping dogs help the people who need them but having to train and love the dog and then give it up in 2 weeks. kudos

The nice thing "used" to be that we could take the same dog over and over until they graduated. The flip side to that, the dog and ourselves would bond more and more and it made it much more difficult to transition at graduation. I think it took Tango a year to really bond to his recipient, the mother reported to me it was obvious he was missing me, but was slowly coming around with his dedication to her son.


Now they try not to repeat visits with the same dog (we're assigned a different trainer every three months, and they each have about fifteen dogs), to prevent that deep bonding with us, so that they'll bond better with their recipient.

Don't get me wrong, they still bond with us when they're with us, you can tell how they are like velcro dogs. They follow me everywhere, not so much with Karl, because he's not with them 24/7 like I am - as I said, they go everywhere with me when they're on the home visit. They just don't bond as strongly to us, as they aren't given the length of time to do so.

Both just gorgeous dogs Robin and a wonderful thing you do. It's their natural ability to bond so deeply I think that makes them such wonderful canine assistants. I can see how that might backfire though so it is probably easier on the dog and the volunteers to rotate the dogs to different people but it still must be hard to not fall in love with these wonderful and special dogs. I think you're a very special person to be involved in this volunteer work and help make such a huge difference in the human recepient's life. :)