Paws & Read

 

Guiding Eyes for the Blind

Erie Region Newsletter

 

Summer 2005

 

 

Summer Fun in the Sun

 

These wonderful summer days, that we wait for all year long, offer outdoor activities that can be enjoyed by both you and your puppy.  Many opportunities are available for socialization experiences.  Before you head out with your puppy, review the following guidelines and keep your puppy safe: 

§         Limit exposure to the sun since excessive exposure can cause sunburn and burnt paw pads.

§         Check your puppy’s water bowl frequently to ensure that an adequate, clean supply of water is available.

§         Heat stroke can be caused by excessive exertion on a hot day. Do not heavily exercise your puppy on a hot humid day.  Exercise your puppy in moderation early in the morning or later in the evening.

§         Lack of proper ventilation in a car or at home can also cause heat stroke. Never leave your puppy in a vehicle on a hot day. Vehicles can reach temperatures of 120 F in 30 seconds. 

§         When you leave your puppy home in a crate, be sure the room is well ventilated and the crate is out of the sun for the period of time that you are gone.

§         Refrain from taking your puppy to fairs, carnivals, dog shows and festivals.  Observe the situation from the puppy’s point of view.  On a hot day, walking on gravel, concrete and dirt can make any puppy uncomfortable.  Add loud music, people running, children laughing and shouting.  Finally, food is everywhere! Combining all of these conditions does not add up to a success story for you and your puppy.  A better outcome is realized by leaving your puppy at home in a crate. Your puppy can get appropriate exposures without the dangers associated with heat and humidity.  Watching traffic and people plus working on underfootings and stairs can be done either early in the morning or later in the evening.

§         When in doubt about taking your puppy on an outing, contact your Area Coordinator who is always a phone call or email away.  

 

 

 

Local Heroes

Comings & Goings of our Puppies

 

Best Wishes go out to the following dogs and their proud owners.  Congratulations for a job well done!

§    Nike said good-bye to his raiser David. Nike is David’s 3rd puppy. 

§    Joyce said good-bye to her 21st puppy Parker.    

§    Parson said good-bye to his raisers Tony & Donna.  Parson is their 1st puppy.

§    Sharon said good-bye to Andy her 1st puppy.

§    Artie said goodbye to Sutton.  Artie is her 1st puppy.

§    Dianne gave lots of hugs to Aurora, her 2nd puppy.

 

Welcome to the newest members of our region:

§    Jim & Nancy are raising Felice, their 4th puppy.

§    Sue is raising Sam, her 1st puppy.

§    Able is enjoying his new home with Sue .  Able is her 2nd puppy.

§    Julie is raising her 3rd puppy Emery.

 

    

 

Happy 1st Birthday

 

                  Puppy’s Name               DOB               

 

                    Gunner                        5/5/04               

               Mabel                         5/23/04              

               Archie                        6/28/04               

 

 

Friends & Family Recognition Night

 

Our team hosted a very special event on June 7.  Words can only begin to describe how well our team functioned together to make Friends & Family Recognition Night a success.  As the Event Coordinator, Denise worked diligently and tirelessly to ensure that every detail was handled professionally. 

 

A welcome sign greeted all attendees while puppy paw prints outlined the path to the auditorium for the main event.  Along the way, the presence of the Lions Club reminded us of our partnership and goal to assist the blind community. At the next table, Tops gift certificates were on sale with proceeds going to our organization. Continuing to follow the puppy paw prints, attendees were greeted by the Girl Scouts who proudly stood next to their display illustrating all they had learned about the Puppy Raising Program as part of a special project.  For those who needed some refreshments, the Hospitality Room offered drinks, cookies and friendly conversation. Finally, just outside the auditorium doors, puppy toys could be purchased from a wide selection offered in the Paws & Shop store.

 

Upon entering the auditorium, most impressive was the arrangement of the photos of blind graduates and their guide dogs.  Each photo was placed with care for these are precious mementos of our mission. The Story Board offered a glimpse into the stages that our puppies experience while growing to become potential guide dogs. Enough cannot be said for our guests Becky with Flyer and Anita with Nemo.  Becky provided incite into the life of a blind graduate with a guide dog while Anita expressed herself with her beautiful voice in song.  The panel of blind graduates shared some of their experiences with their guide dogs providing attendees with a glimpse into their world. The evening concluded with a tribute to our dedicated Puppy Evaluator, Robin Brooks, who celebrated her 20th anniversary with GEB.  This remarkable lady touches the lives of each puppy raiser with her patience, kindness and understanding. Her experience and knowledge of the canine world is unsurpassed. 

 

For those friends and families who came, sat and stayed awhile, our hope is that you walked away with a better understanding of the organization and the volunteers who dedicate their time and give their love to these precious puppies.  After all, not many organizations can claim to perform “One Miracle at a Time” as each puppy is raised to potentially become someone’s pair of eyes.      

 

 

 

                                                  Upcoming Events

 

                                                 July 10              Kennel Blub of Buffalo Dog Show

                                                 July 15              Hamburg BurgerFest

                                                 August 4            Jamestown Walk in the Park

 

Please stop by to lend your support! However, unless you and your puppy are scheduled to work one of these events, please refrain from bringing your puppy with you. 

 

 

Dog Sense

 

§         The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.

§         Beliefs about mortality …all the dogs that I’ve known will go to heaven.

§         Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.

§         A dog is the only creature on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.

§         If there are no dogs in heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went.

 

 

Puppy Jeopardy

 

Want to win a Bonus Bone?  Below is the answer to the Puppy Jeopardy question in the Health Care category.  The first class participant to provide the correct answer at the next class wrap-up earns a Bonus Bone.  Good Luck! 

           This condition is characterized by increased body temperature due to muscle exertion

             combined with high temperature and humidity or by exposure to a super-heated

                                          environment, such as a parked car in hot weather.

 

 

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