MEET MINA AND JACK, PUPPY RAISER OF FOURTH SERVICE DOG IN TRAINING KIT
“My husband Jack and I are retired from Occupational Therapy and CSU Professorship, respectively. We began in 2013 with Mason, then his daughter Rosalie, Uly and now Kit.
“When asked how I like raising puppies for service….
What can I say? Raising the 4 puppies that we have been lucky to do, has given us a new appreciation for the training of service dogs, of any kind. I knew how much they help people as I am a retired Occupational Therapist and am used to working with people with disabilities. But when you work with a dog, and see their progress, well, it’s like raising your children and seeing them graduate from college. We are so proud when our dogs can use their hard earned skills to help someone do laundry, bring in the mail, get something out of the ‘fridge and/or pick up the cellphone you dropped!
“When asked how I like raising puppies for service….
What can I say? Raising the 4 puppies that we have been lucky to do, has given us a new appreciation for the training of service dogs, of any kind. I knew how much they help people as I am a retired Occupational Therapist and am used to working with people with disabilities. But when you work with a dog, and see their progress, well, it’s like raising your children and seeing them graduate from college. We are so proud when our dogs can use their hard earned skills to help someone do laundry, bring in the mail, get something out of the ‘fridge and/or pick up the cellphone you dropped!
Kit is the 4th puppy and the only yellow lab we’ve had. It is furry fun when Kit and our other service dog, who lives with us, and is black, start their rolling around in play. Kit’s playfulness and her training needs have gotten us up out of our retirement couches and chairs to play catch with her in our backyard, sniff downtown streets and touch noses with horses. She particularly likes our neighbor’s big dog and they run up and down the fence together until exhausted (remember she doesn’t bark, so it’s ok). We will miss her when she goes on to help someone live their fullest lives.”
(To read Mina’s 2018 interview, click here) |
If you are interested in raising a puppy like Kit, we would love for you to get involved. To learn more, visit Dog Program Volunteers.