Good luck!

Ow, right in the eye!

Photograph© 2009 MarkRogersPhotography.com all rights reserved.

Since this is a dog blog, a couple of times a month our boy Bo (woof!) thought it would be nice to get the news through a dog’s eyes.

Bo invites everyone to read a chapter from his upcoming book BAD TO THE BONE due out early October. It’s a funny memoir about the crazy adventures we have shared together over the last 14 plus years, told through Bo’s eyes.

Okay Bo, take it from here….

I need to get something off my chest that’s been bothering me the past several months. To some it may sound immature and petty, but to me it’s taken the joy out of my afternoon naps.

What is the deal with President Obama naming his dog after me? Why my name? It ain’t cool Mr. President.

Let me set the record straight so everybody understands, there’s only room for three Bo’s in this world; Bo Diddley, Bo Jackson and Bo Hoefinger. That’s it. No others need apply.

If you want to be a Bo, you can’t be. Membership is closed. Oh sure, you can be a Beau or a Bow, but you can’t be a Bo.

Got it? Good.

Oh, and don’t even think about using an Executive Order to get your way.

I feel so much better now. So here’s a story from the Detroit Free Press about Beau, the presidential pooch (ahh that looks better already, doesn’t it?).

WASHINGTON – He has torn through magazines and stray socks, even sunk his teeth into the president’s gym shoes. Charm school taught him to sit, heel and shake a paw on command. He spent his first summer vacation on breezy Martha’s Vineyard.

That’s just a scoop of the poop on Bo’s[sic] first few months as First Dog of the United States.

… At least one dog trainer wishes the Obamas would use him to highlight such issues as animal overpopulation.

Another option, says celebrity pet trainer Andrea Arden, of New York’s Andrea Arden Dog Training, would be for the Obamas to become involved with programs that teach children to treat pets humanely, or to get Bo[sic] involved with work as a therapy dog.

“I like it better than Bo[sic] writing a book,” she said.

I hear you sister. There’s only room for one awesome book by a dog named Bo, and it’s called Bad to the Bone! Make sure to pre-order your copy today!

The funniest dog blog, written by a dog, on the internet. Commentary on the latest animal news stories of the day.

I posted Sam and Brittney’s story on Monday and if you haven’t read it yet take a minute to do so, they are an amazing duo.

Sam is a very special dog. I am currently [and will be until May of 2010] training him to become a Certified Service Dog, AND Arizona’s first Courthouse Dog. His job will be to sit up in the witness stand with victims, mainly children, who have been terribly abused and traumatized, and will be a comfort to them and can help them to testify.

There are only four or five other Courthouse Dogs in the US, and out of those, Sam will be one of the first that is actually a Service Dog. The others are only Therapy Dogs, and do not have public access…which means they can be, and often are, removed from the courtroom.

All of Sam’s training is being done through The Foundation for Service Dog Support. He truly is special, though, because the rest of the dogs in the program are being trained to become service dogs for individuals with a physical disability, but because of Sam’s phenomenal temperament and personality, he was chosen for this very honorable position.

-Brittney-

Sam was chosen as the winner of the 2009 Community Pet Service Hero award for his work assisting crime victims in the courthouse. He is truly a one-of-a-kind dog, I think you can see why he is the blog’s first Dog Of The Week. We are honored he, along with Brittney, are Dogster members.

In May I posted about Dogster member Brittney (two-legged) and her dog Sam, partners in the Puppy Raising Program. The Foundation for Service Dog Support, a non-profit organization based in Arizona, runs the program. They are a support and resource center for those with service dogs, and those who seek information and training on service dog issues.

The program allows students to earn HS credits, while learning puppy raising, canine obedience and canine safety programming. At the end of three semesters, the teams must successfully pass the FSDS Certification test, and the dogs will then be matched with individuals in the community with disabilities who require service dogs.

Over the summer Brittney has been interning at the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and she and Sam were involved in several cases  assisting crime victims. I just received word that Sam was chosen as the 2009 Community Service Pet Hero because of the role he is playing in the courts.

In one case, a small child was too frightened to go to court and testify because she had to face her abuser. The attorney from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office got permission for Brittney to bring Sam to court with her, they accompanied the child into the courtroom. With Sam there, the child felt safe. She testified, and the perpetrator was convicted. The prosecutor said that Sam’s presence there made a difference.

Sam will receive a custom designed medal at a black tie banquet in October. Wow, what an amazing achievement for both Brittney and Sam. Congratulations to this amazing duo.

Founder Ellen O’Neill-Stephens uses well-behaved dogs to act as companions for traumatized victims of child abuse. Dogs are used to help calm a child’s nerves and to help them talk about things they may not be comfortable saying to an adult.

We know this works well with reading programs where dogs are used to help children with reading difficulties.  Those kids are often afraid to read out loud for fear of being ostracized by their peers, but stick a dog in front of them and all of a sudden they start reading.  After all, dogs never criticize.

“Sometimes, these children will say things to the dog that they’re too embarrassed to say to a person,” Stephens said. “We had a girl who had been severely abused and she could never talk about it. But she petted Jeeter for over 90 minutes straight and she was able to tell what happened.”

It’s not easy to become a courthouse dog, only about 30 percent of dogs in training actually make it. Usually golden or Labrador retrievers are used, trainers start working with them when they’re only 8 weeks old and training continue for about 18 months.

For instance, the courtroom dogs are trained not to respond if food is thrown at their feet. In fact, she said they won’t eat at all until they’re given direct permission to do so. And they will stay still for long periods of time, which is often necessary when a child is testifying.

“In a forensic interview, our dogs will just lie there and be available to be petted,” Stephens said. “These dogs have to be able to be able to tolerate that kind of thing. A pet will want to get up and run around, or will want to engage with the child. The forensic investigators don’t want that. If a child were to go into an interview room and start playing with a dog, then it’s over.”

Courthouse Dogs is in Washington State, unfortunately, this isn’t a nationwide program. Not all courtrooms allow dogs, which is a shame because they have been proven to be an invaluable asset.

You can read more about Courthouse Dogs on Dallas News. It was in Dallas at the 21st annual Crimes Against Children Conference, sponsored by the Dallas Children’s Advocacy Center and the Dallas Police Department,  that Stephens spoke about her program.

*Pic courtesy COURTNEY PERRY/DMN

The story’s focus is on a cow or a pensioner depending on your point of view. Personally cows scare me, pensioners not so much.

It turns out I’m not the only one who feels this way if only because of the sheer size of the animals. I suspect I’d climb a tree too if one came charging at me.

This is Nottingham has the full story.

FIREFIGHTERS are warning dog walkers to avoid fields with cows in after a pensioner had to be rescued from up a tree.

The 79-year-old woman had climbed up a hawthorn in Newark and been stuck for two hours after she and her two dogs were chased by a cow and a calf.

Brian Smith, watch manager for Newark Fire Station, said he only found the woman after spotting her pet Jack Russell hiding in the long grass beneath the tree, trembling.

Mr Smith said: “We normally save kids up trees but not 79-year-old ladies. I was expecting it to be a child. She said the cows had chased her.

“If you do come across cattle, let go of the dog and the cows will chase them. Dogs will outrun a cow, unless it has arthritis like the lady’s little dog did.”

The woman’s other dog, a golden retriever, is believed to have scared off the cows while hiding in a bush below the tree.

So which would your pup be more like: the trembling Jack Russell or the Golden Retriever?

Pic is of Dogster/Bovine member Polo

We seem to be on a theme today, dogs who take the fall.

A Wisconsin teen on a class trip to Peru ran into a little trouble with customs before he even got off the ground.  Just like the story before this, involving the checkbook, the family dog got blamed.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — A Wisconsin teenager using a classic excuse for evading schoolwork missed a class trip to Peru despite his tale being true: The dog ate his passport.

Officials at Chicago’s O’Hare airport told 17-year-old Jon Meier the chewed-on document was fine, but authorities in Miami rejected it and wouldn’t let him board the southbound aircraft.

His family’s 1-year-old golden retriever, Sunshine, chewed a corner of the document, obscuring some numbers. Meier couldn’t get another passport in time to join the trip with his Spanish class from Eau Claire North High School. The 12-day trip ended Monday.

Meier says he can’t blame anyone, not even Sunshine: “I love her too much.”

Okay, I guess in this case the dog is actually guilty. I’m sure Meier must have been very disappointed not being allowed on the flight, I give him kudos for being such a good sport.

*ADOPTABLE: Beethoven is a 12-year-old golden mix, he’s a  Muttville foster dog, they rescue senior dogs.

Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Orphan Annie is a beautiful Golden Retriever who was found on the side of a road in Northern Minnesota, shot and dying.

She was brought to the vet by a good Samaritan who stopped to help her when he saw her lying in the snow, thinking she had been hit by a car.

Annie is currently being cared for at the University of Minnesota Veterinarian Hospital where she’s gone through surgery to recover from her wounds.

“They found multiple bullet wounds in her diaphragm and that went through her stomach,” explained Tart. “Basically through both sides of her stomach.”

Surgeons operated on Annie this weekend, having to remove part of her stomach and close the wounds. But they say given all she’s been through, she’s doing very well.

Right now she needs to get sleep so she can start healing. Even though her condition is tenuous, the U of M vets are optimistic. Tart said they’re pulling for her like everyone else.

Jeanette Trompeter from wcco.com, who wrote the original story, has been following Annie’s story closely. She has followed up with Annie’s medical team and found out that she is doing amazingly well considering all she’s been through. Trompeter’s co-worker issued a little challenge, which I want to share with Dogsters, to help raise money for Annie’s care.

So I received a little challenge today from co-worker PJ Fiske, who read the blog and has taken calls from heart-sick viewers all day. He ponied up $100 and challenging me to do the same.

I did so and now I will now challenge some other co-workers and friends who I think have the means to help out. And if you do too, click this link and donate, put “WCCO fundraiser” in the notes section. Then put a note on the blog publicly calling out a friend to step up to the plate and send them the link to see it.

Times are tough, $100 is a lot of money, but even $5 or $10 could make a big difference in helping Annie. Hopefully bringing a happy ending to this heart-breaking story.

There is now a blog for Annie on Retrieve a Golden of Minnesota, you can read up-to-date reports on her progress.  While Annie isn’t totally out of the woods yet, she is doing amazingly well, getting stronger everyday.

It’s not known who committed this heinous crime against Annie, and I don’t know if they’ll ever be caught, but one can only hope what they say about karma is true.  It comes around.

* Photo of Annie thanks to Retrieve A Golden of Minnesota.

That’s right, Trixie Koontz has written her very own book. She wrote “Christmas is Good: Trixie Treats & Holiday Wisdom“,  sharing her secrets to have the merriest of seasons.  Rediscover the magic and joy of Christmas through Trixie’s eyes.

“Sometimes seems people forget wonder of Christmas. Dog like me could help people see wonder again.”

The book is a collection of tips, secrets, and wisdom from Trixie. As you can see from the following quote she’s a very smart dog.

“Do not tie cat to tree as decoration. Is funny but not worth losing your nose.”

It’s charming, funny, and makes a great gift book for the holidays. The most wonderful thing about the book is that all proceeds go to Canine Companions for Independence.

Help is a four-legged word.

Founded in 1975, Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) is a non-profit organization that enhances the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships.

Headquartered in Santa Rosa, CA, CCI is the largest non-profit provider of assistance dogs, and is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between dogs and people. The result is a life full of increased independence and loving companionship.

I’ve always been a fan of Dean Koontz, he’s a great writer. Now I know he’s also a very generous person, taking  the time out of his very busy schedule to help Trixie write a book to benefit such a terrific organization.

Everyone should go out and purchase a copy of “Christmas is Good” for themselves or someone they know, it’s a great stocking stuffer. You can get this adorable book for a special online price of $15, plus it’s autographed!

Three lucky Dogsters will win a Dean Koontz autographed copy of the book.  Leave a comment in the comment section about why your dog makes you merry.  The contest will run today through Monday, December 22nd when I will pick the winners at random.

Dean Koontz also has a new book out, Your Heart Belongs To Me,  you can go to his site and find out all about it.

What are you waiting for?  Nothing to see here, move along, go order your copy of Christmas is Good.

In St. Paul, MN an 8-year-old named Wally LaBerge has a Golden Retriever. Many children have dogs, what makes Wally’s story unusual is that his dog is connected to him with a harness to help teach him.

Wally has autism which makes it difficult to interact with other people. Last year his doctors thought a service dog may help with socialization, as well as keeping down anxiety.  After Wally passed the qualifications to get a service dog,  his mother Victoria contacted Wally’s school to advise them of the situation.

The St. Paul School District does not have a service dog policy, so Como Park Elementary told Victoria they’d have Newman come to school on a trial basis. For three weeks, Wally’s team gathered numeric data on his social interaction and anxiety.

“We first must determine if the dog is needed in order for the child to benefit from special education,” said Cecelia Dodge, St. Paul School District’s Director of Special Education. She declined to discuss the specifics of Wally’s case.

Victoria said the district would not provide a handler, so she volunteered to go to school with Wally and Newman each day. She said Como Park Elementary set strict rules to prevent Victoria from interfering with the learning process.

To the school, that meant Victoria wasn’t allowed to talk to Wally or any of the other children in the class. Victoria thought the trial run unfair because she believed it was too short and didn’t allow Newman and Wally to interact like they’d been trained.

“They essentially interfered with the team process of Wally and Newman,” she said.

On Wednesday  Victoria  was informed by Como Park Elementary that Newman would not be allowed back to school.  The school district did not feel Newman was of benefit to Wally in the public school setting and therefore chose against his being there.

The decision can be appealed, but the family has decided to sue the school to see if it would help get Newman back in school sooner.

Since there was no policy in the school regarding service dogs it was ultimately up to them to decide. Do you think the decision was fair? Would Newman be more distracting to the other children than beneficial to Wally?  Give me a bark, share your thoughts.

* Photo of Newman courtesy wcco.com.