Wednesday, November 30, 2005

"My Psychiatric Service Dog Calender Project: I Request Your Help"

I am creating a PSD Education calender for 2006 to give to a couple of Mental Health care Providers this holiday. I cannot do this alone however... I need help! I am seeking out photos of other PSDs (or PSD-ITs) to serve as the pup of the month. I have so far 2 handlers interested in entering their dog into the calender, plus my own... this means I still need 9 other canine/handler participants to complete this calender project. I will also request that the answers to the following questions be sent to me as well with the dog's photo...
The dog's name (can use registered name), title(s) including PSD or PSD-IT, age, Birthday of dog, How long dog has been training or working as a service dog, disability in which the dog is trained to assist his/her handler, a few tasks dog is trained to perform, favorite pasttimes, pet peeves and town, state and country where the dog works/resides (or just the state) Your (handler's) name is not needed for the calender and will not be on the calender unless you request it. If the photo is copyright, please tell me. Even though I am not mass producing these calenders nor am I selling them, I don't want to get into too much trouble in making this calender. Please answer the above questions and mail the answers in with a clear "Downloadable" photo of your dog at work, in vest or not... or of your puppy in training. (See Rowena's example photo above). If you would like, also send the URL to your favorite service dog information website. Let me know if you would like your dog in a certain month. September and July are already reserved. To those who have already volunteered to help out, Thank you so much!

Thursday, November 10, 2005

"A Photo Collage: Rowena in Autumn"

Dogs and Handlers eagerly await entering the Flyball Court this past weekend during a tournament in Bangor Tennis Club. The light yellow shirts are the local team (Flyball Maineiacs). The Black & White Border Collie in the center is Jayden's Chance, Rowena's half Brother... who lives across town. Chance is Four.
Rowena loves a good stick! Along with a long romp in the woods with family. this day was a beautiful Autumn day and Rowena well deserved a good long run. She played a quick game of tag with a burly Rottweiller named Major and actually went in the water to get a rock I threw in. I didn't think she'd jump in this late in the game!

Rowena, Feeling Sheepish (and I as her shepherd) in her Halloween costume at Petco. An over-weight Hybrid Wolf dressed in "Grand ma's" clothing won a prize. Poor Ro won nothing for her Humility... well, except my love and affection.

Frisbee Fun in the Field! Rowena's ability to focus on a game has greatly increased in the past few months. Frisbee and fetching tennis balls have become good exercise and a positive distraction for her when we go out for a walk or romp in the woods or forest... even in the water!
Family Walk in the Woods as Hunting Season Begins. Even Rowena is worth the orange vest as we head out on a good long walk in the woods. She also wears a bear bell on her orange collar in order to warn and scare all the deer away from the hunters... okay, not that, but so the hunters will know she is not a deer and if she were, she would have to be one of Santa Claus's Reindeer, and I think those guys are endangered or something.
Princess Rowena at Summer's End. This photo will be on Rowena's newest photo ID I have just mailed out for. She lost her other on Halloween when I clipped it on her collar and it fell off on our walk down the road. I have no idea why someone would not put the effort into returning it, but it is no where to be found.