When
we started this site, we realized that our experience of blindness didn't rise
much beyond Melissa Gilbert in Helen Keller and a cute yellow lab on a long
leash. Our research revealed that so much is involved in creating this
relationship that extends way beyond training a dog to lead someone with
impaired vision. Ever think about how one goes about using a cane? Giving
commands to the dog? Training a dog to assist a child or beddridden
octogenarian? Some of our featured organizations below do just that. Please
visit them and our sponsors.
Guide Dogs For The Blind
Photo copyright Guide Dogs for the Blind
Guide
Dogs for the Blind provides Guide Dogs and training in their use to
visually impaired people throughout the United States and Canada. The
program is provided entirely free of charge to qualified applicants
(including the Guide Dog, transportation, room and board, the costs of
training and support services for the life of the dog), thanks to the
generosity of donors and support of volunteers. It receives no
government funding.
Where do they get their dogs? There
are more than 1,000 volunteer puppy raisers for the organization
throughout the Western states who socialize the pups from an early age
before they are returned to the school for formal guidework training by
the organization's licensed Guide Dog instructors. For more information
about Guide Dogs for the Blind, please visit their website at www.guidedogs.com.
Canine Companions for Independence
Photo copyright Canine Companions For Independence
We've
all seen dogs leading the blind, but turning on a light switch? This is
just one of the many things that organizations like Canine Companions
for Independence can train dogs to do. In fact, it pioneered the
concept of training dogs to assist people with physical disabilities
and opened the door for hundreds of men, women and children with
physical disabilities to take charge of their lives instead of being
dependent on others.
Canine
Companions come from CCI’s own breeding program. They live with
volunteer puppy raisers for a year and half to be socialized and to
receive basic obedience training. To apply for a Canine Companion or to
learn how to become a puppy raiser, contact the nearest Regional office
at 800-572-BARK or visit them at www.cci.org. CCI is a fully accredited member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI).
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Featured Items
Dog Agility Toy. A great way to keep your busy canine or working dog active for you to get to know your pet. Includes Weave Poles, High Jump, Open Tunnel Stop Watch, Game Rules, Award Ribbons and more....
We love this dog treat/toy because it's a little lower on the
treat side for something to occupy your pet and long on the activity level. It
gives your pet's mouth a good work out and tries their intelligence as they try
to figure out how to remove the treat from the toy. We've found with other
dog treat toys, the treats can be too hard to get out sometimes and the poor pooch
just gives up. This one is fun and amazingly our foster dog pit bull mixes
don't seem to chew on the actual toy. So, you just get the replacement treats
and there you go.
Check out the promotional
video below for HAMA (Israel)
which is a government registered non-profit community service organization in Israel that has
a mission similar to our own.This
organization helps heal human violence directed towards people and animals
alike through Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT).Interestingly, many of the dogs and cats that serve as facilitators in
human rehabilitation for the organization have themselves been rescued from
abusive homes or abandonment. These 30 dogs and 15 cats help children and
adults heal and express themselves by elating to the animals whom they perceive
as non-threatening.HAMA caters to people of all ages and
from all ethnic, religious and national backgrounds.However, they do try to cater to at risk
families and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
)