Service dogs Kitty and Ginger

            Kitty is our very special girl.  She was shown by her friend Kelly Shufflebottom and was a real trooper in the ring.

            But we did not know that the best was yet to come.

            I was contacted by Tina Lavery about finding a dog for her son Thomas who has CP and seems to be calmed by the presence of a golden.

            As Kitty was not showing I agreed for Kitty to go to their home in Scotia NY.  Kitty was very happy with this as there were twin boys (age 8) and a little girl age 6 and we know Goldens love kids.

            The next day I got a message from Tina explaining she needed to talk to me.

            Oh Oh what did Kitty do?????

            But I was completely floored by what was reported to me.

            Kitty had been upstairs with the children (the day she came home with the family) when she came running down the stairs and started making all kinds of weird noised and spinning.  Tina followed her upstairs and Kitty went flying into Thomas’s room and jumped on his bed and vigorously licked his face.

            Thomas was having an  Epileptic  seizure.

            Since this day Tina has gotten Kitty’s TDI and she is now a certified Service Dog of America.

            Kitty sleeps with Thomas every night and if there is any problem (seizure, asthma) she goes and gets either Tina or Wes and they can administer medications.

            We are very very proud of our first service dog Kitty.

Kitty with her service dog vest

With Kitty doing so well Tina and I decided to give her half sister Ginger a trial at living with Thomas to see what would happen

Ginger and Kitty  have the same mother who is Val (Scarlette x Spot)

Once Ginger was with Thomas there was no denying the fact she is also a seizure alert dog.

The only difference is Kitty goes and wakes Tina and Wes where Ginger just sits on Thomas's bed and howls.

We now have two more Valleygold dogs who are in training to become service dogs.

Both Pepper and Daisy who are Ginger daughters are in training for seizure alert service dogs.

When Thomas was in Albany Med this summer for surgery ( Kitty was at Albany Med for a week with Thomas) it was decided to take Kitty to stay with him as I am quit sure Albany Med would not appreciate a howling Ginger at 2 am. 

Ginger is now getting her hours in and will hopefully get her vest this year

Her training has been delayed due to her being bred

Ginger sleeping with Thomas and Kitty

Pepper and Ginger with Thomas

Daisy is the youngest of Ginger girls living with Thomas but has shown all the signs of becoming a seizure alert companion.

Andy is a certified therapy dog who lives with his co owners Mike and Kathy and is doing great work with visits to those who need a little of his tender loving attention. Please see Andy's own page.

Andy

Moe lives in Tenn with his owner Cynda and is just starting his career as a therapy dog.

Moe enjoying his visit as is his friends.

Melissa C. 08.03.2018 17:08

Such a moving story and beautiful photos. Thank you for sharing.

Ira 24.01.2017 14:43

Nutmeg, Daisy's daughter, passed her assessment to be a therapy dog in Fairfax County, VA & has been visiting a nursing home. They love her. Thank you for her!

Mike brunsden 28.02.2015 02:14

Andy has now added visits to returning soldiers children as they return from Afghanistan.