How Service Dogs Help People Help Themselves
By Rick & Sarah McDonald, Best Friends Network VolunteersWhile searching for volunteer opportunities in the Roanoke area, Sarah came across the web site for the
Saint Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation. Saint Francis Service Dogs was formed in 1996. It is a secular, community-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Roanoke, Virginia. The dogs are placed with individuals with physical and/or emotional disabilities, enabling them to become more self-sufficient. You can read all about the various volunteer opportunities and how to donate to this wonderful organization on their website at the link above. We were very excited to find out about the opportunity to do puppy sitting for one of their puppies-in-training.
When we inquired about becoming puppy sitters, we were told that an application and a home visit would be required to insure that our environment was suitable for housing a young puppy. Fortunately, we passed!!
A series of e-mails matched up our available dates with St. Francis’ need for a sitter, and soon we were scheduled to become sitters for
Ares for a week. Ares is in training in the foundation’s
Prison Pup Program. St. Francis puppies are placed with qualified inmates at the
Bland Correctional Center, in Bland County, Virginia. Read more about this innovative program
HERE. Ares spends three weeks of every month with his full-time puppy raiser, and spends the other week with puppy sitters such as Sarah and me.
We drove to the foundation headquarters, and
Marilyn had Ares all packed for his week’s visit with us,
including a leash, a long lead, a gentle leader, a water dish, food, a crate, and some of his favorite toys. Ares is a six month old, black Labrador retriever, and his training was a marvel to us. He already understood most of the basic commands such as sit, quiet, down, etc. We especially liked saying “crate,” and watching Ares go to his bed for the night. One that was very important to our cats was “Leave it!” Once Ares hears this, he drops whatever he is currently involved with and waits patiently for another command.
We kept the cats and Ares separated by doors for the first few days of his visit, and there was a lot of sniffing on both sides of the door as everyone got used to each other’s scent. As it turned out, Ares was just looking for playmates, but all of the cats were somewhat cautious of his big grin and very large tongue. We are sure that with a little longer exposure to each other that they would all become friends.
Part of the reason for Ares’ visit was to give him an opportunity to become more socialized with people of all ages, and various public venues such as parks and trails. We made sure that Ares had a full schedule while he was with us. We had many walks through our neighborhood where he got to meet all of our neighbors. He went to a swimming party at a neighbor’s house on the lake, and he had a great time swimming and hiking at the state park near our home.
Our job was not to further Ares’ training, but rather to give him a little vacation time. We were given his Service Dog vest as well as the other items that I mentioned. What a transformation when we put the vest on! Ares lost all of his “puppy-ness”, and immediately became a service dog in training.
Without the vest he is just a puppy. A very well-behaved and obedient puppy, but you can see the sparkle in his eye, and his curiosity about everything that he encounters in this new world of his.
Ares was a joy to have in our household. We are sure that he will pass all of the stringent requirements to become a service dog in some lucky person’s household. When you realize the benefit that a dog like Ares will bring to a disabled person, it becomes easier to part with that adorable face and those soulful eyes. Good luck, Ares.
For more information on volunteering with St. Francis please visit:
How you can help at Saint Francis of Assisi Service Dog FoundationSaint Francis Service Dogs
P.O. Box 19538
Roanoke, Virginia 24019
Phone: 540-342-DOGS (3647)
E-mail:
info@saintfrancisdogs.orgSaint Francis of Assisi Service Dog Center
8232 Enon Drive
Roanoke, Virginia 24019-1524
Photos: 2008, Rick McDonald