You’ve probably seen me post a few pictures of him and you
may have even had the opportunity to meet him.
- He’s a big guy.
- Incredibly sensitive.
- Super smart.
- Although a little fluffy, he is easy on the eyes and he knows it.
- Sometimes he can be stubborn.
- He loves to play around, but he also knows when it is time to be serious and get to work.
No, it’s not Russell.
It’s Major, although much of the same could be said about Russell. J
Major is Russell’s service dog, and the two of them are inseparable.
Major is an almost 90 pound bundle of love and fluff, who last April changed
Russell’s (and my) world.
A little back story:
Russell had been on the waiting list for a service dog for
about 3 years. He had gone through
another program in the Reno area for a dog, but that was an unsuccessful match. When Russell’s name finally came to the top
of the list and the two of them met, Major had just turned 3 years old. Major had been in training to become a
service dog, virtually from the day he was born through Bergin University in
Roseville, California and he is certified through ADI (Assistance Dogs
International). He has approximately 250
different commands that he responds to.
Major helps Russell with a number of daily tasks that you
and I might take for granted:
- Picking something up that was dropped on the floor, such as car keys
- Climbing stairs
- · Maintaining balance
- Pulling Russell’s socks off his feet
- Opening and closing doors
- Getting off the floor when Russell has fallen and can’t get up
- And so many more!
Russell received Major through a grant program called Paws
for Purple Hearts (PPH), which provides service dogs to disabled Veterans
throughout the US. (A Veteran does not
need to have a Purple Heart to qualify. They
just need to be a disabled Veteran.)
Russell and Major have become Ambassadors for PPH and they
share information about the program everywhere they go – at VA hospitals, Vet
Centers, schools, with people they meet on the street. Together, they are even the silhouette used
on some of PPH’s advertising and were photographed for an advertisement for the
last Army-Navy game.
While in San Antonio this past week, we were fortunate to
visit PPH’s newest training facility, which is scheduled to open in May, once
renovations are complete. We also met
their local staff – Martin and Lindsey. (Martin
had actually trained with Major for a brief period of time at Bergin.) It was great to be able to share our
experiences of having Major with Martin and Lindsey, see how the program is
growing and even share some of our thoughts from “the other side”.
PPH is a non-profit organization and they can use your help,
regardless of where you are in the country.
They need:
- Breeders of dogs – typically, Goldens or Labs. On average a PPH female will only be allowed to give 2-3 litters before she is retired, and on average only 2 puppies from a litter will qualify as a service dog.
- Foster parents to dogs -- A dog may be in transition, or their handler may not be able to take them somewhere… A good example of this is when we go on our cruise in May. Major (and Ruby, our other dog) will be in Foster care with one of Major’s previous trainers in Seattle.
- Puppy Petters -- Yes, they do need folks to come pet and play with the puppies to help them become socialized. J
- Forums to get the word out about PPH – Community service organizations, veterans groups, etc. If you know of a group, let us know. They’d be happy to come!
- Financial Donations – it costs between $30K - $40K to provide a dog to a Veteran at no cost to them.
If you, or someone you know, has a passion for helping
Veterans AND dogs, PPH needs you.
Visit PPH’s website @ www.pawsforpurplehearts.org
Or feel free to contact Russell @ russellcordell@yahoo.com and he will
match you with the proper person.
Until next time and more Major (and Ruby) adventures,
Roberta
The Traveling Crafter
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