A Furfriendly Family Resort!

A Canine Water Park 

in 

Barcelona, Spain!

 How cool

 is 

this?

 Would 

you take

 your dog there?

 We need

 one of these here 

in the US! 

Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans

NEADS (National Education for Assistance Dog Services, also known as Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans), is a non-profit organization that was established in 1976.

NEADS’s national headquarters is located on 18 acres of protected wetlands in Princeton, MA, a rural setting close to Worcester in Central Massachusetts.

How They Are Funded

NEADS receives no federal government funding and relies on the support of individuals, foundations, corporations, service organizations, bequests and workplace campaigns.

Who They Help

Individuals with Hearing Loss, Combat Veterans, individuals with Physical Disabilities, Children on the Autism Spectrum, and classroom/ministry/therapy dogs that facilitate with group education programs.

Each dog is individually matched and trained to meet the needs of their partner. They learn to perform tasks like picking up dropped items, opening doors, alerting to phone or doorbell, and provide a calming influence and a safety factor that facilitates greater independence, self confidence, and communication with others. Our assistance dogs become an extension of their handlers and bring freedom, physical autonomy and relief from social isolation to their human partners.

Quick Facts

• NEADS has trained over 1400 assistance dog teams since the organization’s inception in 1976.
• NEADS trains a larger variety of assistance dogs than any other program in the US.
• Inmates at 10 New England prisons help by training 90-95% of our assistance dogs.
• NEADS established the first partnership with a prison solely dedicated to the training of assistance dogs for people who are deaf or have hearing loss (2010).
• NEADS was the first assistance dog organization to develop a program specifically geared to Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans, Canines for Combat Veterans (2006).
• NEADS was the first assistance dog organization invited to Walter Reed Hospital to give an in-service about how assistance dogs can help wounded veterans (2005).
• NEADS is the oldest continuing hearing dog program in the country.
• Our assistance dogs include both animal shelter rescues and puppies that are donated or sold to us by breeders.

Rene & Service Dog Saint

I just want to say thank you so much to NEADS. I got my life back from getting Saint. [Canines for Combat Veterans] is an amazing program for giving back to soldiers. So I just want to say thank you.

Rayanie & Social Dog Chief

My name is Rayanie, and Chief is my best friend, and I wouldn't trade him for anything. 

Tiffany & Service Dog for Therapy Rowan

I work at a 90-day residential facility for adolescent boys with drug addiction, and it's tough. Their 90 days is completely changed by having Rowan around and having him walk around the building. We get some kids that are pretty tough, and they melt with Rowan, and it's the coolest thing to see. I know from personal experience how much he's changing these kids' lives.

For more information Go To:

www.facebook.com/NEADSdogs

www.neads.org

Dog CPR

The Working Group

These dogs have been raised to perform such jobs as guarding property, pulling sleds and performing water rescues and continue to loyally serve in these jobs.   As a general rule of thumb, their stature and strength require proper training and some caution with young livestock or small children. Quick to learn, these dogs make solid companions and invaluable workmates.

Size of dogs not to scale

• Akita
 
• Alaskan Malamute
 
• Anatolian
  Shepherd Dog
 
• Bernese
  Mountain Dog
• Black Russian Terrier
 
• Boxer
 
• Bullmastiff
• Cane Corso
• Chinook
 
• Doberman Pinscher
 
• Dogue de Bordeaux
 
• German Pinscher
• Giant Schnauzer
 
• Great Dane
 
• Great Pyrenees
 
• Greater Swiss
  Mountain Dog
• Komondor
 
• Kuvasz
 
• Leonberger
 
• Mastiff
• Neapolitan Mastiff
 
• Newfoundland
 
• Portuguese
  Water Dog
 
• Rottweiler
• Saint Bernard
 
• Samoyed
 
• Siberian Husky
 
• Standard Schnauzer
• Tibetan Mastiff

"Just a Pet"....

I don’t want a show dog;

  I just want a pet

If I ask you why you want a Lhasa Apso, a Golden Retriever, A Sheltie, or a German Shepherd or whatever breed you have chosen  I can naturally assume that it is one that you like the looks and size of... but  I would bet you're going to talk more about  their  personality;  how much they like kids, how good of a guard dog / running partner/lap dog/hunter  they will be, how they will interact with your other pets ... 

The things you will be looking for aren't the things that describe just "dog"; they'll be the things that make this particular breed unique .

That's where people have made the right initial decision – they've made the effort to understand that there are differences between breeds and that they should get one that  comes close to matching their picture of what they want a dog to be.   Only you know how much time and energy you have to dedicate to grooming, exercising and training a new dog. Only you know what the needs of your lifestyle and family are --- a good breeder will ask you questions and try to help match you to the right individual dog or puppy they have available; or refer you to a different breeder or maybe even suggest a different breed !

Too often the next step people take is to  go out and find a dog of that breed for as little money and with as much ease as possible. Maybe they  don't want to pay the high price they think a breeder charges, or they don't think they need a "show dog" or they want one of the sweet little puppies the neighbors across the street have.  Maybe they don't want to go through the interview process many breeders require before placing a puppy. Or they simply think they are getting a real bargain  because they can get a Lab for $300 or a Shepherd for $150.

Those things that distinguish the breed you want from the generic world of "dog" are only there because people have worked really hard for multiple generations to get and keep them there; and as soon as that work ceases, the dog, no matter how purebred, begins to revert to the generic. That doesn't mean you won't get a good dog – the magic  of dogs is that even the most poorly bred one can still be a great dog with a keen mind and loving soul – but it  will not be a good Shepherd, or good Lhasa, a good  Golden, a good  Sheltie or a good  Aussie ---  You will not get the specialized abilities, tendencies, or talents of the breed.

Keeping a group of dogs looking and acting like their breed is hard, HARD work. Show puppies and pet puppies come from the same litter with the same parents and pedigree. The same amount of care has gone into planning the breeding, doing health screenings on the parents and  watching over the mother dog during her pregnancy and birth. The same amount of time and money is invested in food and vet expenses. ALL the puppies are loved and socialized and well cared for . Many "pet" puppies could in fact be shown because of  the level of quality and soundness that  exists in the entire litter ! Helping someone take the first step in forming that special bond between a dog and it's owner , whether it will be shown or not, is one of the greatest joys of raising dogs.  There is no such thing as "just a pet" !

I want you to not only realize the benefits of buying a show-bred dog,

 I want you to INSIST on a show-bred dog. And then when your workmate says she's getting a puppy because her neighbor will give her one for free, or when your brother-in-law announces that they're buying a goldendoodle for the kids,  go steal their wallets and their car keys ! 

If you don't NEED those special abilities or the predictability of a particular breed, you should not be buying a dog at all. You should go rescue one. That way you're saving a life and not putting money in pockets where it does not belong.

And, above all else, PLEASE  remember that all puppies are cute! Do not impulse buy! That adorable ball of fluff IS GOING TO GROW UP! 

When you buy a puppy at a petstore,

 you are atleast the third home its been in during it's young life! 

Buy from a reputable breeder!  Know what kind of environment it lived in after it was born, and how the mother is  cared for !

Who's Lookin' at this blog?

Just a braggin' time, FYI kinda post....here's the stats on this 

blog's viewers so far....THANKS everyone! Please

feel free to comment on posts or let me know if there is

a topic your interested in... 

Here in Wisconsin, USA I am so sick of the snow and have a HUGE case

of spring fever ! There is a couple of local shows coming up.... and

the 4-H chicks are arriving cheep- cheep-cheep. I am eagerly 

awaiting the announcement of the arrival of a litter of puppies at Riverview Lhasa Apsos

that will hopefully include a new 4legged kid for me...Don't

forget to turn your clocks back on Sunday! 

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So God Made Dog...