The NSD Scoop - National Service Dogs

Winter 2015
The NSD Scoop
“With the help of NSD Lynx my family and I "LIVE"
with PTSD, we no longer "SUFFER" from it."
As told by NSD client, Lawrence Christensen.
I had been suffering a great deal with the effects of
Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) for many years as a
result of my military service. I was tremendously
angry, anxious and stressed in any public places.
Simple everyday tasks like picking up milk at the
grocery store would most of the time send me into
a complete mental spiral that would often be taken
out on those closest to me, my wife and son.
Nightmares kept me from sleeping at all most
nights and brought a complete loneliness that was
at times very frightening.
After meeting a veteran and his service dog, I decided to research service dogs for PTSD. Finding
National Service Dogs (NSD) felt like I was grabbing a hold of a buoy in the middle of a raging
ocean.
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NSD Spotlight
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bringing me back to the moment and calming me
down.
NSD Lynx and I are definitely a team! He keeps
me calm in public and he helps me to stay grounded and in the moment. At night NSD Lynx wakes
me up from my nightmares and is there to calm me
down, allowing me to recover and even to go back
to sleep, something that was impossible before he
came along. My family and I are even able to travel now with Lynx. Being able to take a vacation
with my wife and son and to even enjoy it was
something I had long forgotten how to do.
Since NSD Lynx joined our family, my wife no
longer feels like she has to constantly act as a
"buffer" between me and my PTSD and a world full
of triggers, which can be downright exhausting at
times. It is a tremendous relief for her and she can
now enjoy simple things along with me. To say
that NSD Lynx has been a life saver seems like a
tremendous understatement; my life and my whole
family's life has changed so much and I feel a true
happiness that I never believed I would ever feel
again.
Just before my placement with NSD Lynx, I asked
my son what he was looking forward to now that I
would have a friend to help with my PTSD. He
told me all he wanted to do was go to a movie with
me; something we hadn’t done in a very long time
because of my PTSD. Once Lynx and I were
matched, my son and I did go to a movie. We
watched the entire show and I didn't have to make
my son get up and leave part way through because I was too uncomfortable and anxious; when
my anxiety and hyper-vigilance started taking over
I would suddenly find this furry head in my lap,
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I have a new, manageable life with my wife and
my son that I never dreamed would be possible,
let alone dared to imagine, before receiving this
wonderful gift. Today with the help of NSD Lynx
my family and I "LIVE" with PTSD, we no longer
"SUFFER" from it."
By Lawrence and Andrea Christensen
Our thanks to the Christensen family for sharing
their story and journey with us. Their example
continues to inspire others and serves as a true
force for change in the lives of those individuals
who are searching for hope while living with PTSD.
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NSD Spotlight
We are so proud of the progress our clients are
making we are featuring two “Spotlight stories” this
edition. Here, Jim and NSD Vitus share their journey and make some BRILLIANT points about service dog protocol and education.
Vitus and I have been together for almost a month
now and I felt that it was time to update our status. We have had a busy few weeks learning
about and challenging each other.
Veterans’ Affairs and a number of other agencies
including National Service Dogs are currently gathering empirical data and exploring the efficacy of
having a canine companion for those individuals
suffering from Post Traumatic Stress. I believe
that this is a step in the right direction; if the government is sincere in examining the potential benefits of having a service dog for veterans and others suffering from this debilitating illness. I have
healthy cynicism when it comes to committees, especially ones struck by the government. Without
holding out great expectations, my hope is that the
observable and very real benefits of having a service dog will become evident and that a national
set of standards for assistance canines is implemented.
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Service Dogs are not for everyone. It takes a
commitment and sincere desire to form that inseparable bond and mutual support. Initially, I felt triggered and stressed working with Vitus because of
the “newness” of our relationship. I confess that I
struggled with the spotlight and dealing with ridiculously ignorant and rude comments/questions. I
have even formulated responses to queries like,
“Can I ask you why you need a service
dog”? Sure; after you share your deepest, darkest
medical information with me! “Can I pet your
dog”? Can you read? It’s right there beside SERVICE DOG and says, “Please don’t pet me. I’m
working”.
Here is how Vitus is assisting me on a daily basis. Every morning at 6:45 I open my eyes to see
him with his big giant head next to mine on the
mattress (no, he is not allowed to get up on the
bed). He quietly stares at me until I get up to feed
him and to take care of his biological needs. I cannot isolate and curl up in the fetal position on those
tough days when the “committee of idiots” are convening in my head. I have to walk him twice a day
and that gets me outside and moving. In order to
maintain his skills, I have to go out in public and
practice the techniques that went into our training. Isolation and difficulty coping with being in
public are symptoms of the illness that can cause
depression or worse. Vitus encourages me to get
up, dress up and show up. He grounds me when
necessary and interrupts my night terrors. That
alone, is worth the price of admission.
The adventure continues. For those who don’t understand service dog protocols, please educate
yourself and your loved ones. Speaking as one
satisfied client, it saves a lot of unnecessary upset
for all concerned.
Be well, Jimmy and Vitus
A knockout story! Thank you to Jim and NSD
Vitus!
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Breeding & Puppy Program
A windfall in the Fall. The end of October brought
us 11 puppies from the Tali and Dart union, 4
males and 7 females. All black and shiny, they delivered in a 7 hour timeline and all went very well
for Tali’s third litter. These pups will be placed just
before Christmas thanks to all new and repeat
puppy raisers.
We are waiting for Valley to come into season with
the hopes of her first litter being born early in
the new year. My, we are already looking ahead to
2016! We had a total of 63 puppies born in 2015.
All survived and are doing well. It looks like 2016
will be another busy year for NSD’s breeding program.
The Puppy Program
Firstly I’d like to welcome our newest staff member
to the puppy program, Cathy Klein. Cathy has a
huge interest in dogs having raised puppies before
for another non-profit organization. She has a
background in teaching and will utilize all her skills
when working with NSD raisers and their
puppies. I’m sure Cathy will be a huge asset to the
program.
2015 was a busy year for the puppy program. With
63 puppies born, Chris McArthur, our Puppy
Program Coordinator, had her work cut out finding
homes for them all, but she did it again, so well
done Chris!
Thankfully the weather was kind so we managed
to hold many of the larger puppy classes
outside on the Church property. It helps to get
some of the energy burned off before we take the
puppies inside to do the more sedentary exercises. It has been great to see some of our new handlers learning our training methods and putting
their newly acquired handling skills into practice.
We have been holding our vet clinics at the puppy
class which has helped us monitor the
general health of the population of puppies. It allows us to instantly see if we have a theme in the
temperament or health of the puppies that may
require monitoring. It also helps NSD puppy staff
as they are able to take notes at the same time.
Dr. Jackie Bowcott from Oxford County Veterinary
Clinic in Woodstock has been very helpful in doing
this for us. It’s helped our raisers too since they
can have routine shots and health checks done
before or after puppy class.
We’re all looking forward to 2016 and all the fun
that it will bring.
Garry Stephenson, Breeding & Puppy Program
Manager
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Fundraising & Friend-raising
Mark your calendars!
Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs
Good Friday, March 25, 2016
Registration opens January 4, 2016
The NSD Ride
Sunday, July 10, 2016
Registration opens December 7, 2015
There are some exciting changes in the works for
our two signature events.
Plans are underway for the Easter Egg Hunt for
Dogs to go further West, to Chilliwack, B.C. Check
the website in the New Year for details.
The NSD Ride would not have been such a great
success without our partners, the 1st CAV GulfKuwait unit. Now in its 11th year, The 1st CAV have
made a commitment to take the lead and grow the
Ride so it will be bigger and better than ever.
Some things will change; some things will remain
the same, like the great complementary lunch to
thank our riders and participants. Stay tuned to the
NSD website for details.
National Service Dogs receives no government
funding and counts on the support of our corporate
friends, clubs and organizations who continue to
spread awareness and raise funds by holding
fundraisers and Paws campaigns on NSD’s behalf.
Thank you to Global Pet Foods, Belmont Village,
Williamsburg Veterinary Hospital, Pet Valu, Market
St. Brantford, Paulmac’s, Brantford, Conestoga
College, Marketing students, McMaster Rotaract
Club; and the Galt Sportsmen’s Club for your recent fundraisers and Paws campaigns.
Our families, volunteers and clients are always
coming up with great ideas to raise funds and
spread awareness. A recent 1 km bike rally for
children, with the youngest rider being only three
years old, proved that children are never too
young to make a difference. Friday barbecues at
Gerdau Courtice Steel in Cambridge have raised
funds throughout the summer, arranged on our behalf by an NSD volunteer. These are just a couple
of examples of our families and volunteers making
a difference. Thank you!
On November 25, we celebrated our newest National Service Dogs graduates and their families
which allowed us to reflect on the amazing group
of volunteers, sponsors and donors without whom
we would not be able to operate. On November
25th, we celebrated our seven graduating Certified
Service Dogs for PTSD and Autism, two Canine
Assisted Intervention dogs, six Companion dogs
for specific needs and seven NSD breeder dogs.
We were joined by over 100 volunteers, sponsors
and donors to help celebrate the newest additions
to the NSD family.
Graduates of the Autumn 2015 Certified Service Dogs for
Autism Class.
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Fundraising & Friend-raising
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Although fundraising is not a requirement for our
families and clients, and does not have an impact
on when a client will receive their dog, many of our
clients choose to fundraise. Of course, all fundraising, no matter how much or how little is appreciated. We were pleased to be included in the York
Region Abuse Program Annual Hand in Hand Gala held this year, when the announcement was
made that they would be receiving a CAI dog from
NSD. This Fall’s autism class took their fundraising
very seriously, approaching family and friends and
collectively raising $25,000 so others like their
families would know the benefits of a National Service Dog.
Graduates of the Autumn 2015 Certified Service Dogs
for PTSD Class.
National Service Dogs are placed all across Canada. Petland stores in Western Canada have partnered with us and their support continues to raise
awareness and funds for NSD in the western provinces. For over ten years, Petland Canada has run
an NSD Paws campaign in 28 stores, They have
played a major role by sponsoring service dog
teams in Canada’s West and raising over
$220,000 for the NSD Autism program to date.
Easton, Reed and Kyle, children of our team training families in November were poster children for
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the Petland Paws campaign this past Spring. Petland’s motto is “It is our desire to make a difference in the communities we serve.” Thank you
Petland Canada – You are certainly making a difference; we could not have done this without your
long and valued partnership! Petland’s Spring
Paws campaign in April raised over $40,000 and
we are pleased to acknowledge Petland as team
sponsors of the Fall 2015 autism class.
"Petland is very thankful for the opportunity to
work with some great people and furry friends at
National Service Dogs. It is a rare thing when you
can find two organizations that are so passionate
about what they do and then be able to use the
energy to motivate. With that passion and positivity we have been able to be a part of something
special and will continue to be a part of something
special. Thank you and congratulations from
Petland Canada!"
It is a special honour when NSD receives donations in memory of loved ones. This is usually a
request for donations to be made directly to National Service Dogs. This past summer The Galt
Sportsmen’s Club in Puslinch lost a valued member, Dave Patrick, and our memorial donations
took an unusual twist. They were holding a memorial skeet shoot in Dave Patrick’s honour and all
proceeds were going to be donated to National
Service Dogs. Not only were funds raised that day,
but NSD was introduced to many new people.
Thank you to the Galt Sportsmen’s Club for making NSD part of this special day and raising funds
and awareness of autism and PTSD. A puppy from
an upcoming litter in early 2016 will be named in
honour of Dave Patrick.
Please check our events page and Facebook and
support NSD Third Party Fundraisers.
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Judy Frank, Fundraising Coordinator
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A Message from our ED
National Trainer’s Conference
In October NSD Trainers attended a trainer’s conference hosted by the Canadian Association of
Guide and Assistance Dog Schools
(CAGADS). All four members of NSD’s Advanced
Training Team were in attendance for the two day
conference. There were representatives of all
nine current members of CAGADS, with a total of
45 guide and assistance dog trainers participating.
Michele Pouliot, Director of Research and Development for Dog Guides for the Blind, presented on
clicker training and the NSD team also enjoyed
the opportunity to meet with her over meals to
learn more about her 40 year career working with
guide dogs.
NSD’s own Cathy Jurchuk lead a discussion group
on kennel stress, outlining NSD’s strategies for
supporting dogs living in kennels during advanced
training. By far the most highly rated parts of the
conference were the program related information
sharing sessions. All of the trainers in attendance
were thrilled to have the opportunity to network
and information share on everything from training
strategies to client services. NSD was happy to
have the opportunity to spend a little extra time
with our friends from Dogs with Wings, who joined
the NSD team for a visit after the conference. We
would also like to thank the team at Dog Guides
Canada for hosting the conference.
The Canadian Association of Guide and Assistance Dog Schools is looking forward to making
this a regular event and plans to include conference topics on breeding and puppy raising, fundraising and client services in the future.
Danielle Forbes, Executive Director
Thank you to everyone who celebrated #GivingTuesday with us. Your participation drove donations and increased awareness of NSD.
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Our Holiday Message
It takes a village. That term has been applied to
child-rearing so much so that it has become a
modern day proverb; but really, nothing could be
truer. It does take an entire community to foster a
child to success. The same principle can also apply to an organization like National Service Dogs
(NSD). We started as a grassroots movement, so
small that our original “offices” were housed in a
barn for pigs. Today we are a world innovator and
standard-bearer in the field of service dog programming. That we were able to accomplish this
in a relatively short amount of time is a marvel.
How did we do it? It took a village! No successful
institution, like NSD, is greater than the value of
every member; you are part of our “village” and
because of you, we succeed.
NSD has never been an organization with federal
or provincial funds, large endowments or slick lobbyists. Our success comes from the grade four
bake sale at your local primary school; the working
parent who volunteers every evening for our enrichment program; the family who regularly fundraise for our Easter Egg Hunt for Dogs, and the
retired couple who champion our cause at their
service club. NSD is made up of people from so
many walks of life who share a common belief,
that service dogs change lives for the better, they
lessen the challenges of disability and bridge a
gap to help people thrive. One NSD supporter put
it this way:
gram, another for Certified Service Dogs for Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Canine Assisted Intervention. Just think, two years ago we
only hosted one session but in less than two years
our output has tripled! We are really enjoying the
variety our two news programs have delivered and
it is very satisfying to be able to help more people.
We never expected back in 1996 when NSD was
established that it would become the organization
it is today. We are so proud of what we have
achieved and so proud to have friends like you
who have helped us surpass our goals. Together
we share the responsibility of ensuring NSD’s continued growth, remembering that autism and PTSD
still remain one of the most underfunded health
issues facing people in our society.
As we look forward to celebrating our 20th anniversary in 2016, we face the approaching year with a
renewed sense of purpose. Our staff is working
diligently planning for our Easter Egg Hunt and
working at Puppy Camp with our latest group of
Advanced Training dogs. These dogs are members of our “B”, “Irish” and “D” litters and will be
graduating in May of 2016.
Everyone at National Service Dogs extends our
heartfelt thanks and best wishes for a happy holiday season!
Why do I give? I know that the problems our societies face are too great to comprehend at times.
But I do believe that one person can make a difference. I know that with every dollar I donate, every
hour of time I give, I am saying that the status quo
is not good enough anymore, that we have to aim
higher so that together we can fix things. It won’t
be overnight, but nothing great was ever accomplished in a nanosecond.
This Fall we hosted three sets of Team Training,
one for our Certified Service Dogs for Autism pro• www.nsd.on.ca
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We are Growing!
NSD was very happy to welcome two new staff
members to our team this Fall, Cathy Klein and
Carol Matthews. They bring a fresh approach and
new ideas to our programs and we are really enjoying working with them as part of the NSD Team.
Cathy Klein, Puppy Program Assistant
Cathy has an extensive background with both
dogs and people. Her years as a puppy raiser,
teacher and professional coach make her a welcome addition to the NSD team. As an experienced trainer who has taught children and adults
for the past 30 years, Cathy is deeply committed to
facilitating learning for both people and pups. She
is thrilled to be joining the NSD community, and
looks forward to her role as a Puppy Program Assistant. Cathy was a member of Canada’s wom-
en’s national soccer team; she is no stranger to
hard work! Outside of her work at NSD, she enjoys
coaching soccer and developing innovative programs for children of all ages.
Carol Matthews, Trainer
Carol is a professional dog trainer with over 15
years experience in the field. Her training experience includes obedience instructor (all levels),
agility, flyball, behaviour assessment and modification training. She also has experience handling/
training explosive, narcotic, arson and land mine
detection dogs, police and security dogs including
patrol/personal protection and tracking dogs. Carol also has over 5 years of animal care and veterinary medicine experience. Carol is thrilled to be a
part of the dedicated and inspiring team at NSD.
At National Service Dogs we know that we could
accomplish nothing without the support of our donors and volunteers. It is a gift to share our success with such an incredible group of individuals
who help us realize NSD’s true potential. The holiday season is a paramount time for NSD. This is
when many choose to give their time and resources and we are so very grateful. Currently,
there are two ways we encourage you to give:
Share your time!
Easter Egg Hunt preparations will begin
the first week of January. To join the
Easter Egg Hunt volunteer force
please contact
[email protected] or
[email protected]
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Give a gift that lasts Fur-ever!
Make your giving count this holiday season by
honouring a family member, friend or associate
with a Gift that lasts Fur-ever from National
Service Dogs. Visit www.nsd.on.ca and visit
our Fur-ever Gift page for details.
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Staying Healthy
This season offers a plethora of temptations for
our furry friends. Here, our very own Garry Stephenson offers some expert advice to keep your
dog healthy for the holidays.
The Turkey: Turkey can be a wonderful protein
for our dogs, but the turkey can also be bad for
them if we aren’t careful. First there is all the butter, oils, and spices that we rub on and under the
skin. Some recipes even fill the cavity with onions
and other alliums (leeks, garlic, scallions). While in
small, cooked portions these can be ok for our
pets, the amount typically used throughout the
meal in the various dishes can cause toxic anemia. The turkey skin on it’s own can be fatty and
hard to digest, but with all the added seasonings,
it’s particularly bad.
in the intestines, or worse perforating the abdominal cavity.
Side Dishes: This one goes hand-in-hand with
the turkey skin. While some side dishes contain
foods that are good for our dogs (green beans,
pumpkin, sweet potatoes) we have to remember
what has been added to the dish (butter, onions,
sour cream, sugar, cheese) that can cause Pancreatitis in dogs at worst and diarrhea or vomiting
at “best.” And remember in this day and time we
frequently modify the family recipes to be
healthier for us. But, although you may be making
the healthier choice for you by cooking with artificial sweeteners over the real thing, sweeteners
containing Xylitol are poisonous to animals, and
potentially deadly to dogs.
Desserts: Chocolate is one of the favorite dessert
choices. Although awareness of chocolate’s dangers to our pets is on the rise, so I don’t believe
you would intentionally feed your dog chocolate
(which we all know can be toxic to our canine
friends), it is found in the desserts and the candy
bowls around the house. Ensure the bowls filled
with chocolate and other candies are kept out of
vision and out of reach of your dog.
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Bones: You will see a multitude of cartoons depicting the dog getting away with the proverbial
turkey bone. But please don’t let this translate to
real life with your dog. Holiday meals bring many
traditional poultry entrees. Whether your choice is
turkey, goose or duck, do not give the cooked
bones to your dog. Although uncooked bones may
be good for your dog, cooked bones are brittle.
Bird bones are hollow, break easily and can cause
a multitude of injuries including becoming lodged
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Staying Healthy
Continued from page 10
Garbage: The holiday celebrations bring an abundance of trash, and that trash smells so tempting.
An unsupervised pet may be tempted to play and
dig in the trash bin. What are they going to find…
all the nono’s we have just mentioned .
that are just begging for trouble. Like the chocolate, keep these out of reach of your dog.
Guests: Our guests are not always as well versed
as us on what our dogs should and should not eat.
Educate your less pet savvy visitors (and hey,
maybe even send them this list). A child may accidentally feed a dog some chocolate and your
great aunt might think she’s being nice by sharing
her turkey skin. Also remember that as guests are
coming and going it is a time to manage our pets
to ensure they don’t ‘escape’ out the door. And if
your pup is a little people shy then protect them –
allow them the quiet of a separate enclosed space
with a stuffed Kong or other toy to keep them
busy.
Happy Holidays!
The Kitchen: During preparation for the meal, and
clean up after, the kitchen can be filled with hazards for your pets and you’ll want to keep them out
of there. With hot dishes being whisked from one
counter to the next, there’s a chance a dog that’s
under foot could be burned or cut if something
were to shatter. Aluminum foil and wax paper will
be in abundance and covered with smells and
clinging food. Be sure to dispose of these when
you’re done with them. There are two risks here:
one, your pet will be licking the fatty substances
off the wrappings, and two, swallowing these can
cause an intestinal obstruction.
Holiday Plants & Decorations: If you have
decked the halls with holly by this time be aware
of the poisonous plants associated with the holidays (Poinsettias, holly berries, mistletoe and cedar Christmas trees) that are toxic to dogs. Decorations can include glass ornaments and candles
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Thank you!
The NSD Scoop is a quarterly publication released on the 15th day of September, December, March, and
June. If you would like to submit an article or suggestion, please contact [email protected]
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