After my long stay in hospital, after my accident, I wondered what could be out there to get me through my days where I wouldn’t be bored or have nothing to do. I soon caught the eye of a peer support worker who had an assistance dog!!
I was soon introduced to Barnaby, and we clicked very soon on. It started with him coming out with Ann for some home visits and getting him used to me, then a couple of park visits where we could throw a ball and Barnaby would come back to me and bench on the side of my chair to return the ball. Barnaby helps me by assisting with pushing doors closed or tugs them open with some rope we have placed on the handles. Also when I drop things off my lap he’s first on the scene to retrieve them for me. Barnaby can assist in tugging off of clothes such as my jumper – that’s really handy as I’m always getting stuck.
Since receiving Barnaby we have been shopping together, a couple of restaurants, other outings. We are going camping on the long weekend down the south coast to Lake Conjola and that we are looking forward to.
My famous quote “I would be very wealthy if I received a dollar for every time we are out and someone comments on how beautiful Barnaby is.”
Daniel ​

Christmas time is stressful enough for all of us, so imagine how our 4 legged family members feel when everything in the house changes suddenly, more people are coming and going and their routine can be turned upside down.
Here are some tips on how you can make the silly season a little more comfortable for your pooch. 

Do your best to keep your dog's routine the same. 
If every other day of the year you walk your dog at the same time, feed them at the same time or have a set routine, do your best to keep this the same. Dogs thrive on routine and this sense of normality will help to keep them calm.

Take into consideration your dogs level of interest and their area of reach when decorating.
Some dogs are very curious and like to explore with their nose and mouths (Labradors am I right?!) Keep this in mind when hanging decorations around the house and on the Christmas tree. Ornaments and decorations are not created to be pet friendly and the last thing you want is your dog trying to eat one or knocking something down that could break and cause a wound. 

Set up your tree in a space your dog cannot reach.
Fake and real Christmas trees can be easily knocked over by an excited dog running past too fast. A small pen/fence around the tree or placed in a room your dog cannot access is the safest option. 
If your dog and Christmas tree need to share the same space, be sure to not put your dog out by placing the tree in a place that your dog regularly uses. For example, if your dog loves to snooze by the window in the sunshine, don't upset their routine by putting the Christmas tree in this spot.

Live Christmas Trees can be poisonous to dogs and cats. 
If you are keeping a real, live Christmas tree in the house, ensure that the water base is not accessible by your pets. Pine tar that leaks from the base of the tree into the water is poisonous to pets. The water should be changed often as a precaution. If you believe your pet has gotten to this water, a vet check up is advised. 

Think of your dogs when you are cooking.
For some of us, the festive season brings out our inner Jamie Oliver and we love to get cooking. This can fill the house with delicious smells, which can invite our dogs to come and help themselves. Be conscious of what your dog can reach in the kitchen area and also what might get dropped on the floor. As more guests come into the home, younger guests may not be as careful while they are eating and lots of festive foods are dangerous to our dogs. 

We've come across this fantastic article written by the great, Cesar Millan, on humanizing our pets and how unhealthy some behaviours actually are;

One of the most important things I want to get across is that dogs are dogs — not humans!

• Find a canine solution. Often, the solution we would use for a human is totally wrong for solving a dog’s issues. For example, when a human sees a scared or nervous dog, s/he will first offer comfort and consolation. This would never happen in the animal world and can make the problem worse instead of better, because it reinforces unstable behavior.
  
  
• Speak the animal language. When dogs come into our homes, they meet emotional energy for the first time. We shower them with affection and babble at them in high-pitched baby-talk, so they see us as excited energy. This is why many dogs don’t listen to their human caretakers. Their mothers never acted this way; where did that calm-assertive leadership go?
  
  
• Treat your dog like a dog. We often develop a different agenda for our dogs. We want to make puppies our babies. From day one, many humans forget to fulfill and understand their dog's needs and instead project their own needs and desires on the animal.
  
  
• Be the pack leader! In the absence of a clear leader, a dog, even a submissive one, will seek to fill what they see as the vacant leadership role. The dog will ignore the owner, act out, and can lead to serious behavior issues.

  Projecting the wrong energy to our dogs can leave them confused and disoriented. But their confusion and disorientation manifest in bad behavior such as tearing up the couch or incessant barking. If we don’t fulfill them as a species, our dogs won’t live a balanced, centered life.

Understanding and projecting a pack leader’s calm-assertive energy will create a positive and lasting connection with your dog.

Throughout Australia, there are many wonderful groups that work tirelessly to train and raise dog's to assist those in need.
A fantastic group we are excited to share with you is 'Australian Lions Hearing Dogs' who are also branching into raising, training and pairing Medical Alert Dogs too for people living with complex and chronic illnesses. 

​Airlie is the first Interstate Diabetic Alert Dog to be placed in their home by ALHD. Her new home is now in Melbourne where she has settled in straight away.
Airlie does amazing work, she is trained detect naturally occurring low and high blood glucose level events in her human. She is scent and saliva trained on her human too. How incredible is that?!
Airlie is also trained to retrieve a medical kit to help treat a low or high blood glucose event, get assistance from another member in the household if needed or pressing an emergency button to alert emergency contacts in case her human falls when home alone and becomes unresponsive.
Along with the other amazing medical alert dogs, Airlie could not only save the life of her owner but will also drastically improve their quality of life. 

Want to learn more? Visit the Australian Lions Hearing Dogs website HERE for more information?

How can you help? The training and placement cost of ALHD  is just under $40,000. There is no cost to their human for this, so donations are greatly appreciated. All donations of $2.00 or more are tax-deductible and will receive a receipt in return for your donation. Click here if you would like to make a life changing donation. 

Origin:
The Golden Retriever was developed by a Lord in the Scottish Highlands in the late 1800s. They were created by cross breeding a yellow Flat Coated Retriever with a Tweed Water Spaniel, the latter now being extinct. Later in time he bred in the Bloodhound and the Irish Setter, naming the new breed the ‘Golden Flat Coat.’ It’s unsure at what time their name changed to Golden Retriever. They are now one of the most popular breeds around the world.
 
Purpose:
As their name would suggest, they were used for retrieving. They were used for collecting and returning birds, mostly water birds for hunters. They are confident in retrieval both on land and in the water.   

Coat care:
The Golden Retriever’s beautiful coat requires regular care, to avoid matting, hot spots and to remove any debris they may collect on their adventures. Their long, double coat will require daily brushing. They will require bathing only as needed and a strip out from a professional can help throughout the warmer months too.  

Health & Temperament:
The Golden Retriever is a well loved family pet. They are fantastic as companions and also thrive in activities such a hunting, tracking, obedience as well as sniffer dogs and service/assistance dogs.  As with any dog, they thrive well with structure and rules and still need to be exposed to new situations, people and other animals from a young age, to avoid any anxious or nervous behaviours.
They are an active breed of dog, loving to get out and play with the family. Daily walks are a minimum, they will also enjoy a run in an open area or keeping up beside a runner or a bike. They are an easy to train dog and with the right exercise for their body and mind are a very happy, easy-going, laid-back dog.
The breed is unfortunately prone to cancer. They can suffer from skin allergies, hip dysplasia, heart problems and eye issues. Due to their popularity, it’s important to do your research into breeding parents before purchasing a puppy, to avoid any serious hereditary health issues. 

​Origin:
An ancient breed, the Italian Greyhound is depicted in drawings and artefacts from over 6000 years ago. This includes being included on Egyptian tombs and art from the Mediterranean.
They were known to be owned by noblemen and people of higher class.
In the 16th century, the breed was brought to Europe where it’s popularity continued to grow. From here they made their way around the world.
 
Purpose:
The Italian Greyhound was bred as a companion dog to be owned by families of wealth and to be used as a sign of stature within the community. They have also been known throughout history to hunt small game however this was never their intended purpose.

Coat care:
One of the easiest breeds to groom, the Italian Greyhound requires very little coat care. They are covered in a very fine, silky fur that repels dirt and smells. You should avoid bathing them unless absolutely necessary as they feel the cold very easily and also have natural oils to keep their coat and skin healthy. Bathing too often only damages these oils and can cause them to smell.

Health & Temperament:
Don’t let their small size deceive you, these little pocket rockets require good daily exercise. They love getting out to explore, run and play. Boundaries and rules are best to be put in place from a young age, to help them grow into a confident and well socialised little dog and to avoid little dog syndrome.
They are very affectionate breed and great as companion dogs.
There are, unfortunately, a number of health conditions the breed is prone too, including epilepsy, progressive retinal atrophy, fractures of the bones and slipped stifle. Until fully grown they can be very fragile due to their tiny frame and can easily break a bone. 

So all of us know the basic premise of a guide dog. This is a dog that we see with a visually impaired or blind person that helps them to get around. We see signs on store windows that say only guide dogs are accepted on the premises and we should all understand and know that when a guide dog is working (in their harness and / or with their jacket on) they are not to be patted (you send your love vibrationally)

But what do you know about Guide Dogs Victoria? In this Therapy Dog Thursday we share with you a little about the main organisation in Victoria that train Guide Dogs and also share with you about their Therapy Dog Program (not necessarily for the vision impaired) and how you can get involved.

Guide Dogs Victoria
Sine 1957 Guide Dogs Victoria has provided a vital service for Victorians with low vision or blindness.
But today they offer so many more community initiatives outside of training and supplying Guide Dogs, including training and education programs for the humans they support. The team at Guide Dogs Victoria work to ensure people with low vision or blindness are active and involved members of the community.
But back to what we are all really interested in – the Dogs!!!!

Did you know that not all puppies that start off training to be guide dogs will be placed with a vision impaired / blind person?
The requirements for a Guide Dog are high and exacting and not all the beautiful puppies that start the training process will be suitable for the role and responsibilities of a guide dog.
What is great about this is that they maybe suitable to be a Therapy or Companion Dog – providing much needed BUT different assistance to someone whose life would not be the same without them.
So when you see a Therapy Dog or meet a Companion Dog you might be meeting a doggo that started their training as a Guide Dog.
The team at Guide Dogs Victoria have 3 types of reclassified dogs – Therapy Dogs (including PTSD dogs), Ambassador Dogs and Companion Dogs. To be clear these dogs will be required to do different tasks to a Guide Dog and as such are not afforded the same benefits as Guide Dogs. And for dogs that are not suitable for any of these programs they then find a forever home with a loving family as a pet – which we all know the immense value of!!!

Want to Get Involved?
So there are a heap of ways that you and your family can help with raising a Guide Dog. Being a part
of raising these special dogs cannot be under estimated and we encourage you to visit the Guide Dogs Victoria website HERE!
Here you can find out about:

•  Puppy Raising – long term (12 months) or short term (be a temporary carer)
•  Volunteering – there are lots of ways you can help either for a single event or ongoing
• Fundraising – you can get involved with a fundraising event that is coming up
• Donating – there are lots of ways to make a tax-deductible donation – just check out their website.
  
  

In our next Therapy Dog Thursdays, we will share with you some of the dogs that are making a difference in the world that came through the Guide Dogs Victoria Programs. Keep your eyes open for those but in the meantime check out the Guide Dogs website and see how you can get involved.
Thanks for reading Therapy Dog Thursday – we hope you love all the wonderful things dogs do to make so many people’s lives better!

​Keep up to date with Guide Dogs Victoria at their Facebook page HERE! 

Your pooch will be performing all their best tricks to earn one of these biscuits as a treat!