By Public Relations Coordinator, on October 25th, 2011
Congratulations to the class of 2011!
Volunteers are the backbone of Guild Assistance Dogs Partners. Without the incredible dedication and generosity of our incredibly dedicated volunteers we honestly wouldn’t be able to do this. It takes each and every volunteer at GAP Dogs to make this organization work. We have volunteers that; raise puppies, train older dogs, staff educational booths, write articles for our website, return phone calls, instruct classes, answer emails, raise necessary funds, drive the GAP van, and so on and so on.
This year in addition to graduation we held a special ceremony to honor our puppy raisers, and present them with a certificate of appreciation for their years of service. Mary Ellen was presented with a special gift for raising 7 puppies for GAP Dogs, in addition to her other duties. Yes you heard that correctly. 7 puppies! With tears in her eyes she said, and I quote, “It was worth it, every tear and every smile!”. Then when someone yelled out from the back, “And even every pile?” She said, ”and yes, even every pile”. I think everyone would concur. It is definitely worth it!
In honor of each and every volunteer that makes our program successful, I present you with some of our puppy raisers, and the class of 2011! Thank you, all your hard work made this day possible.
By Public Relations Coordinator, on January 7th, 2010
Jack
Bailey
On December 20, 2009 at Molholm Elementary School a small crowd gathered. They came to support and celebrate the accomplishments of eight teams. Today these handlers and their dogs would make it official as they went from teams in training to teams that had earned their certification. Today was the end of one journey and the beginning of another. For some of the handlers this day would be remembered as the biggest accomplishment so far in their entire lives.
Picasso
Natosha
It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to graduate from the Guild Assistance Dog Partners program. There are classes to attend, training to accomplish and tests to pass. Each and every participant has a lot to be proud of.
However this celebration would not have been possible without the support of community members, family and friends. It definitely would not have been possible without the devotion of the puppy raisers and trainers at GAP dogs.
Nootka
Mack
Puppy raisers take their puppies home when they are 8 weeks old. They pay for their food and other expenses for a minimum of 12 months. Puppy raisers deal with chewing, potty training and all the basic commands. These puppies become a part of their family and just when their puppies are getting really well behaved they return them to GAP dogs, with the hope that all this work will pay off by forever changing the life of a stranger.
Max
Badger
The trainers at Gap Dogs devote an incredible amount of time, effort and money to make each team a success. All of the trainers go way above and beyond to improve the lives of so many people. They dedicate their Sunday afternoons to dog class, plan and attend field trips. They even take late night phone calls from people like myself who accidentally gave their dog a bone that was too small and then realized he had eaten the whole thing.
To all the wonderful people that make the Guild Assistance Dog Partners Program possible thank you very much.
By Public Relations Coordinator, on January 25th, 2011
Class of 2010
I would like to say congratulations to the Guild Assistance Dog Partners therapy dog program graduates 0f 2010. Also a humongous thank you for all the community service you provide. Your efforts make our world a much happier place for so many people. I hope each and every one of you know how much your hard work is appreciated by the communities you serve.
Mia, Mali and Cadence
Mali & Cadence are officially therapy dogs. Craig and I are so delighted. We are truly proud of them. Mali and Cadence come to school with me. They visit with the different grade levels and primarily stay in the first grade classes. They listen as the children read them stories, as well as enjoy cuddling with the kiddos. The children love having them in the classroom as well as the school. They often go to the challenge classroom, where we have noticed significant positive behavior from the children attending that class. It is truly incredible to watch.
Mia passed as a Companion dog and we are equally proud of her immense progress. She has come a long way. We have noticed significant differences in our dog’s behavior with our time at G.A.P. Her demeanor has changed for the good. She enjoys staying at home and making visitors feel welcome. She loves comfort and Craig and I do our best to make sure that happens.
Mali, Mia, and Cadence are working dogs. Every day, Monday through Friday, they work at Adventure Fitness Training, where they help people feel comfortable as they are working out. They greet the clients and watch them through their workout. When the clients are done they get to enjoy the dogs. Craig and I have observed that when the clients see the dogs, their faces light up and they are more willing to motivate themselves through the workout.
We have also taken the dogs to Flatiron mall, where they walk in straight formation and greet everyone around them. They enjoy getting errands done. People’s faces light up when they see the pups.
Craig just got his license to become a dog trainer through Penn Foster. He obtained his certificate so he could understand our 3 dogs better and communicate with them on their level. Craig has often stated that GAP motivated him to do this.
Again, we couldn’t be more proud of our little ones. Animals are amazing creatures. They give love unconditionally and expect nothing in return. Our 3 little pups were all rescued form dis-advantaged lives. Mali was found on the streets of Denver, Mia was severely abused and neglected by her previous owners, and Cadence was supposed to be euthanized. NOW look at all of their accomplishments. At Parr Elementary, as you enter the office all three certificates with their pics on them are hanging up on the wall. Who could ask for anything better. CONGRATULATIONS MALI, MIA, and CADENCE.
Shadow
Shadow was about two and a half years old when I adopted her from a local shelter. She was a transfer from New Mexico, so not knowing much of her background was a bit of a concern, but it quickly became clear that she was a very sweet, smart dog. Shadow graduated from basic obedience and Canine Good Citizen training classes and we enjoyed many activities – walks, playing in parks, swimming, etc., but she still needed a challenge. GAP Dogs was the perfect opportunity to continue Shadow’s training – to become a Therapy Dog – and for my growth as well. Not only did Shadow learn new skills and manners from Robin and Mike, we learned (and continue to learn) from everyone in the class – what an amazing experience. And the advantages for me were the new volunteer opportunities available – that included my terrific dog! We’ve enjoyed our visits to health care facilities – Shadow gets lots of attention, and she is the perfect ice-breaker to begin my chatting with the residents. I’m very proud of my Therapy Dog and the service she provides.
The rewards of both the training and volunteering are absolutely wonderful. I’ll always be grateful to GAP Dogs for all the learning experiences. We continue to look forward to our new adventures with GAP Dogs!!
