Paws for a Cause: Service Dogs for Veterans and First Responders

“What the f%&k are you doing?!”

The huge round eyes of surprise left no doubt that the little boy - maybe 5 or 6 years old - had no idea what he’d done wrong.

I was walking through the Albaicin, the historic part of Granada, with Cai.

Cai is super sensitive, and living in the Albaicin with its arm-width wide cobble-stoned alleyways, carrying countless smells and sounds in unpredictable, windy ways, didn’t help him relax.

He was “on edge” with an 80% full stress bucket all the time. So he was quick to bark at other dogs or people.

The little boy had stayed behind his parents and came running towards us, arms stretched out, ready to launch a cuddle attack on Cai.

“What the f%&k are you doing?!” I stopped him in his tracks.

I was pretty sure Cai wouldn’t bite him but I certainly expected him to launch, bark, and show his teeth to defend himself from this mini-stranger charging towards him .. enough to scare any 5-6 year old.

“You can’t just throw yourself onto a dog like that! If you want to pet a dog, you MUST ask the owner first.”

“Can I pet the dog?” he asked meekly after the first shock had worn off.

I explained how and where, and the boy gently petted Cai. Cai didn’t mind and after a couple of minutes, the boy ran off.

His parents?

They were walking way ahead, chatting to friends, oblivious to what went on 100 meters behind them.

They clearly hadn’t taught their child how to approach and treat a dog.

Nothing happened in this case but I was furious because I imagined the reaction of those parents if Cai had snapped ..

“Children need to be taught something different, and we can’t rely on parents doing that,” was the thought that popped up that day. It lingered in the back of my mind all those years until I found my platform for change with Soul Touched by Dogs.

Education is a big part of it.

And advocating for adoption by helping people find kind, gentle AND effective ways to give their dogs the best life possible.

I’m super excited about the upcoming virtual conference ..

PS: Btw. Cai is a totally different dog now. He is living proof that there is hope even if your dog is stressed out and anxious.

Panic to Peace - Holistic Approaches to Easing Anxiety in Rescue Dogs

A virtual conference for dog lovers: Feb 19-25, 2024

soultouchedbydogs

View more on Instagram

Click on the image/link above to see the 40-second video sharing a first sneak preview of the speakers and their topics.

(Don’t forget to like and follow if you’re active on IG 🙏)

The event is for those who have adopted a dog who is anxious, perhaps reactive, struggling to overcome trauma or separation anxiety.

And it’s for those who are considering adopting a dog but might hesitate because they worry about the “baggage” a rescue dog might come with.

I’ve invited wonderful experts who will give you kind, gentle, holistic, connection-based tools and solutions so you feel equipped to support your dog.

Stay tuned 🐾

This week’s Pawsome Human: Joe Gionti - Paws for a Cause: Service Dogs for Veterans and First Responders

My guest for this episode is Joe Gionti, the CEO and founder of K9Heroes4Heroes.

The mission of this non-profit organization is to train service dogs and match them up with veterans and first responders in need.

In our conversation, Joe shares why he is so passionate about supporting veterans and first responders, and how his own service dog is changing his life.

We explore what goes into training a service dog as well as finding the perfect match home.

People in the military and first responders often see things no person should ever see, and while they’re trained to do their job, they often don’t have a lot of support to help them recover from any trauma.

That’s why services like K9Heroes4Heroes are so important. Thank you, Joe, for all you do 🙏

Gift yourself a time-out and listen in https://share.descript.com/view/oUmqYBnqRPS

Get in touch with Joe or find out more:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/k9h4h/
https://www.instagram.com/k9h4h/
https://www.facebook.com/K9H4H

If you prefer to listen ... subscribe to the PODCAST

It’s on Apple podcasts and everywhere else, so you can access it from your favourite podcast app.

If you enjoy listening, please consider leaving a rating and review so other dog lovers can find the show and join the doggie fun.

Did you know there are service dogs supporting Alzheimer’s patients?

Alzheimer’s: Short-term memory loss, confusion, and an inability to navigate familiar surroundings .. when your memory fails you, life gets difficult.

Turns out, service dogs can help:

• they can offer reminders - when to eat, take the meds etc.

• they guide the person so they won’t get lost

• emotional support

• access to memories buried in the past

Find out more here https://animalwellnessmagazine.com/how-dogs-are-helping-people-with-alzheimers/

Ready to get YOUR Soul Touched by Dogs mug?

How about a mug with a picture of YOUR dog, for your morning coffee or as a gift, using the proceeds to sponsor dogs in need and help the people who help dogs?

If you’d like one, hit reply and let me know.

Send me a good-quality photo of your dog and I’ll create the design and send you a link where you can purchase it.

They get made to order so it takes 10-12 days to arrive. €15 + shipping.

(Shipping depends on where you are of course but will be somewhere around €5-12. I’ll check for you before I go and create the design, so there won’t be any surprises)

Get your Soul Touched by Dogs t-shirt

The moment I had the idea for the mugs, I knew I also wanted t-shirts 😝 and I’m super happy with mine 🐾🐾😊😊

If you want, you can get yours here https://mavericks.tpopsite.com/product/t-shirt-woman-soul-touched-by-dogs-dark-blue (they come in a few different colours)

If it doesn’t come in your size, let me know. I do work with another supplier so we can find an option that works for you.

Just like with the mugs, the proceeds are going to dogs in need.

And as always ..

If you know another Soul Touched by Dogs, please send them to https://soultouchedbydogs.com 🙏🙏🐾🐾

Until next week,

Anke