Special Dogs for Special Needs

Austin Dog Alliance partnership with Williamson County Humane Society 

Last month we shared news of our Special Dogs for Special Needs program, which launched in February.  Austin Dog Alliance (ADA) and the Humane Society of Williamson County (HSWC), a non-profit, no-kill shelter, partnered to create this new program.   

In addition to Annie, the beautiful charmer we profiled last month, Buck, a nine month old lab mix, is undergoing training as part of this unique program.

Buck was selected from the shelter based on his friendly temperament and his aptitude for learning.

After completing his training, Buck will be ready to join a special-needs family.

Buck is being fostered by Adam Dowden, a member of the Austin Dog Alliance foster team.  "I began fostering for ADA about a year ago as a fun way to find a permanent dog that was just right for me. My seventh foster was a natural fit, and I adopted her shortly after taking her in. I enjoy working with Austin Dog Alliance, and it's always exciting to bring home a new dog, so I continued to foster after adopting one of my own".  (Buck is Adam's ninth foster dog).

Adam's experience training Buck has been rewarding.  "Buck has a very easygoing temperament.  He likes to fetch, and drops the ball at your feet. Always willing to learn, and very eager to please, Buck is a lot of fun to train".

Buck is being fostered and trained by volunteer Adam Dowden

As part of the Special Dogs for Special Needs program, Adam has access to ADA classes, giving Buck training in a class setting and enabling Buck to learn obedience skills and develop the ability to focus on his owner/handler, even in an atmosphere with other dogs and distractions.  According to Adam, "I work with Buck in the evenings, and we attend a dog manners class at the ADA training center once a week. On weekends, I socialize him with other dogs and people.  He plays nicely with other dogs; he's never been aggressive or had a problem with sharing. Due to his young age, he still gets pretty excited at times, but is, overall, a very well-rounded dog".

As a member of the ADA foster team, Adam was excited to hear about the launch of the Special Dogs for Special Needs program and to be one of the "inaugural" fosters.  "My experience with pet therapy is limited, but even as a healthy adult, I find dogs very therapeutic; having the unconditional friendship of a loving pet could be irreplaceable".

As part of the Special Dogs for Special Needs program, selected shelter dogs live with a foster family for a minimum of six weeks of training.  When training is completed, the dog is placed in a forever home.  Adopting families receive pre- and post-adoption support from Austin Dog Alliance and their team of certified trainers.

Would you like to join our team?  Austin Dog Alliance is looking for more fosters.  If you're interested in fostering a dog (as part of our existing foster program or as part of the Special Dogs for Special Needs program) and giving special shelter dogs a second chance at a happy life, read about the ADA Foster Program and get started today.     

For more details on this new program serving families with special needs, see Special Dogs for Special Needs on our website. 

Safe and sound, but missing her family

Bella, a 3-year-old Springer Spaniel, was home alone in her 32-story apartment building when the March 11 earthquake struck Japan.  When her human 'parents' made it home after the chaos, they found their precious Bella in hiding.  She had retreated to a bedroom closet, frightened by the earthquake's effect.

Although Bella's building remained upright, the damage and subsequent concerns over radiation caused the family to head south and think about leaving the country.  They considered Brazil, their home country, or the US (the husband is employed by a US company).  Booking airline flights and arranging the import/export of an animal, though, were complicated under post-earthquake conditions in Japan.

Bella traveled 8,400+ miles from Japan to Texas after a 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck the island March 11.  She waits to be reunited with her family.

Bella's human parents were emphatic:  Bella was a part of the family and would be included in any travel plans.  However, the maze of import/export requirements and the language challenges quickly became a nightmare.  One agency informed the family Bella's health inspection and required certificates were in order.  A second agency claimed Bella was "not in the system" and immediately placed her in quarantine; she was not allowed to remain with her family.

The family hurriedly began phoning and emailing contacts, frantically seeking assistance navigating import/export regulations and securing Bella's release.  One email found its way to an Austin Dog Alliance volunteer who had relocated a pet overseas during a corporate assignment.  Understanding the family's sense of urgency, the volunteer immediately called contacts at a worldwide pet relocation firm based in New York.  Even though it was midnight in their time zone, employees at that company, including the president himself, got involved to assist, reaching out to their associates in the Asia-Pacific region.

Phone calls were made, discussions with government agencies ensued, and Bella's release from quarantine was negotiated.  The only downside - Bella's release was conditional on an immediate departure, the first available flight that accommodated animal cargo -- a flight and timetable different from her human family.  Our ADA volunteer in Austin agreed to meet Bella upon her arrival in the US and care for her until the family's situation could be sorted out.

After traveling over 8,400+ miles in a crate in the belly of numerous aircraft, Bella arrived in Austin -- scared, confused, dirty, hungry, and shaken.  Her first experiences in Austin included a quick bath, a good meal, and freedom from her airline crate.  Bella's physical state improved; her experiences, however, made her leery of strangers and enclosed spaces. 

At this writing, Bella is starting to perk up and enjoy her time in Texas.  She's playing with new canine friends and enjoying new toys.    She is slowly being trained to accept a crate again.  Understandably, Bella also exhibits signs of distress and separation anxiety when her host family leaves the house, so her stateside "acclimation" is including methods to address those issues, as well. 

Bella's family knows she is safe.  They are now making their own decisions on evacuation and future living arrangements.  It's expected they will enjoy a reunion with Bella very soon.  We'll keep you posted on the progress of this remarkably resilient dog!

Here in Central Texas, spring has arrived, and of course there are huge crowds at all the nurseries, at all hours.  

Before you start drooling over those flats of colorful plants and waste too much time at your nursery, plan ahead with your dog's needs (and desires) in mind.

Consider These Points First

• Many dogs are keen to roll in new soil or compost. Until it becomes "old hat," consider using a product that repels dogs. There are some common household products, such as vinegar and ammonia, that work as well as products available at home improvement centers and nurseries that specialize in natural gardening products, such as Critter Ridder.
• If your dog patrols the fence line, avoid planting there and provide a gravel path instead. Alternatively, plant along the fence line, but install a barrier around the border.
• Plan on providing an area such as as a "sand box" for your dog to dig in if he is so inclined. Redirect any digging that is not in his designated "digging" area.
• When he needs a potty break, take him, on a leash to the new area you wish him to use.  Continue to do this until his scent is established as well as the habit.  Consider installing an underground waste system, or digester,  such as the "Doggie Dooley".
• Provide access to clean water at all times.
• Check that your fence is secure and that the latches are high enough to be inaccessible to your dog.
• Make sure your dog has access to shelter from rain, wind, sun and snow.
• Potted plants are usually less attractive targets for digging.
• Check that the plants you are considering are not poisonous . The ASPCA has a helpful list.

For more, and innovative ideas, look at landscape design books and magazines as well as TV shows directed at re-dos.  

Elizabeth Deitz Smith is a Certified (CPDT-KA) dog trainer who teaches classes at Austin Dog Alliance on Sunday afternoons.  See more of Elizabeth's articles at Today's Woof, the official blog of DogBreedStore.com. 

Judy and her Lancashire Heelers

We've all heard the phrase "dog is man's best friend".  Well, if dogs kept a list of their best friends, Judy McCarthy would be somewhere at the top.  Dogs are Judy's passion; she's been working with them - training, rescuing, fostering - for over 30 years.  Judy's work with dogs in the areas of obedience, agility, and flyball is extensive.  One of her canine family members even captured a flyball championship along the way.

Judy came to Austin Dog Alliance several years ago, when she was looking for classes to train a friend's dog in preparation for the Delta Society therapy pet partner evaluation. Judy especially liked ADA's real-life philosophy of considering the whole family when working with a dog - including the children in the family.

After successfully completing therapy dog training, Judy began volunteering with Austin Dog Alliance in the selection of dogs for rescue from area shelters.  She's an experienced judge of temperament and has a keen eye for selecting dogs that are highly adoptable and that can fit easily into a family environment.  Judy runs the ADA Foster Program and also serves as ADA's Adoption Manager for Dogs.

Judy makes her home with five dogs, two kids, two cockatiels, and an understanding husband.  Judy's dogs are Lancashire Heelers, a herding breed.  (According to the American Kennel Club, the Lancashire Heeler is a rare breed, numbering only around 5,000 worldwide).  She's also the owner of "Happy Dog Pet Sitters", an in-home pet-sitting company.  We appreciate all that Judy does for Austin Dog Alliance!