Message from the Executive Director

Over the Summer we have been working on a total website refresh. I hope to launch it in time for our October newsletter. Can’t wait for you to see it! While we wait for that and the cooler weather to refresh us, please consider making a gift this month in honor of our students and their dogs who are working so hard to graduate this December. As you know, our scholarships to qualified individuals are always dependent on funding. And YOU make all the difference in supporting their goal to become a Certified Service Dog Team.

With our 2nd Saturday class due to graduate in April and a new class scheduled to begin in January, we need to prepare for additional scholarship requests. And your gifts will help us determine how many and how much we may be able to approve.
You can solve this puzzle of how many and how much with your gifts this month.

Thanks so much for your consideration.
Karen

 

 

 

Wellness Tips

Fall will soon be with us and we are reminded that Fall yard clean-up will be in order. The break in the hot weather is an ideal time for dogs to get outside to run and play in the yard, so remember to remove all possible hazards.

Some things to remember:

  • Ensure all gardening tools are out of reach
  • Rake up and remove any tall grass or piles of leaves where snakes or spiders can hide
  • If you are planning to put new mulch in your garden beds, avoid use of cocoa mulch as this can be toxic for dogs
  • Remove rock piles from the yard
  • Inform your pest control service that you have animals and ask them to use pet-friendly products
  • Keep all animals indoors for at least 24 hours after spraying pesticides or herbicides

 

 

Classroom News

August was a great month for our SDIT teams. The Advance morning class and the Advance afternoon class both went on a field trip to Westworld’s Dog Event, and it was quite the exposure! We worked gaining focus from our dogs in high traffic areas; along with people and other dogs distracting them. There were lots of loud noises, crowds of people with their dogs, enrichment games, dog races, etc. It was great exposure for all teams and the dogs did just wonderful with everything that was going on and stayed focused on their handler along with listening very well to their leave it commands. 

 

Some of the teams took advantage of the high traffic event and worked on: 

  • Cover
  • Watch 
  • Deep pressure therapy 
  • Pawing/Nudging 
  • Interrupting behaviors 
  • Down stays 
  • Switch (opposite side of heel) 

Our weekday beginner class took a field trip to Arrowhead Mall where we practiced some public appropriateness.The teams worked on, under in the food court, stays around distractions, leave it’s, and loose leash walking.  The goal of this field trip was to improve obedience and engagement. The teams did very well with this trip and we look forward to doing another one again in the near future! 

Now that the weather is starting to get cooler here in AZ we will be setting up lots of fun outdoor activities in the next month for our students. 

 

 

Advanced Class Highlights

Tom/Sharon & Ruby – Ruby’s made excellent progress with her picking up dropped items and taking off socks on command by her handler. 

Charlotte & Luna – Luna is doing wonderful at her interrupting behaviors and alerting her handler in public environments 

Kerry/Jase & Sadie – Sadie has been doing a great job with her intelligence disobedience which means alerting to her handler even if she was told to sit and stay 

Scott & Luna – Luna has been making phenomenal progress on her emergency stops and interrupting behaviors in public 

 

Beginner Class Highlights

Tori & Colson – Colson has been doing fantastic with retrieving different items from a distance. He also met a potential new recipient.    

Kevin & Daisy – Daisy is performing really great with her medical alert. She is also making progress with retrieving items   

Charlotte & Otis – Otis has been paired up with his new recipient and they have been working on all the commands he has been taught and performing them really well for his new handler. 

Kyla & Koda – Koda has successfully demonstrated throwing away trash for his handler and making great progress on his medical alert. 

Mason & Nebby – Nebby has made great progress with her “block” command and is doing extremely well with her interrupting behaviors 

 

Midweek Beginner Class Highlights

Chris & Sentry – Sentry has been performing wonderfully with generalizing his commands in different environments

Dee & Morgan – Morgan has been making great progress with his retrieval and “hit it” command which is to close doors. 

Patti & Payton – Payton’s has successfully been performing holding items in her mouth while walking and her block command.

 

 

 

With Appreciation

August Supporters:

A heartfelt thank you to each of the following supporters in August for their generosity and
encouragement.
Please join them in giving this month and don’t forget all contribution qualify for a dollar-to-dollar tax
credit.

Timothy Glenn, Monthly donor

Al Martin
Julie Anderocci
Terry Steffey
Chris Antoniou
Janina Alhalloufi
Barry MacKean
Josh Cornelius
Kathryn Coyne
Kelly Asmar
SECC workplace giving program
Anita Breen

 

 

 

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