Tree of Hope Fundraiser

Hello friends,

As most of you know, I adopted my golden retrievers from Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue (GBGRR) out of Houston. This year, with the hurricanes, their group has had an influx of dogs either separated, deserted or surrendered by their previous owners due to hardships caused by the storms. For this reason, they are in more of a need for financial assistance.

Each year, GBGRR has an annual online fundraiser to help support the dogs that are under their care in foster placement until they find their forever homes. This fundraiser, called the Tree of Hope, is one of their biggest events of the year. Their goal last year was $5,000 and they surpassed that goal thanks to the generosity of animal lovers across the US. This year, their goal is $10,000.

Please consider making a tax deductible donation to this wonderful group. The wonderful thing about this fundraiser is that you can choose a pre-set amount or set an amount of your own. But, please consider helping. Take a moment to look at the beautiful dogs waiting for their forever homes, and you’ll soon understand why I love this group so much.

If you would like to help, you can see the email below or go to their website at www.gbgrr.org. Thank you so much for your support! Happy Holidays to you!!

Tammy

Chief and Scooterboard Tug of War

Chief recently learned how to use the "pull" command to do different things in therapy. Sometimes, we will play tug of war games. We have a child seated on a therapy ball and have Chief pull on a tug toy to encourage improved postural control, balance, and upper extremity strengthening. This behavior is also used by Chief to open the gym doors for kids in wheelchairs. Since learning this new behavior, Chief has really learned how to adapt the strength of his pull to accomplish different things. He almost instinctively knows that with some kids, he can tug a little harder than others. Of course, I am right beside him with my clicker, controlling the distance / duration of the pull, and in some cases, the direction of pull to accomplish different goals.

In this video, Chief and Braydon are working together in a training session. Braydon is the child Chief is pulling on the scooterboard. The purpose of this activity is to be able to use this new behavior on a scooterboard, so we can incorporate vestibular processing into an activity with the dog. Many of our kids also need upper body strengthening, in the torso and in the arms. I am very careful not to have Chief pull too hard with children who have very low muscle tone, but a gentle pull by the dog requires a counter pull on the child's part. When the child is counter pulling, they are engaging the muscles in their abdomen and back to maintain posture (so we are working on trunk strengthening) as well as upper body strengthening in the shoulders and arms. Additionally, we are working on dynamic sitting balance in this same activity.

So enjoy this video of Chief and Braydon perfecting the scooterboard tug of war game that we created. Braydon was having so much fun he was radiating!! As you can see, Chief enjoys this kind of play, too!

(And yes, as you can see, I am 6 and 1/2 months pregnant and very much showing now!! Not the most flattering angle of me, I might add! LOL)

Clicker Training and AAT

Clicker training is a wonderful activity that can be easily incorporated into a therapy session with a dog. Clicker training is based on positive reinforcement, and teaches the child not only positive reinforcement techniques, but also how to communicate your needs to another "creature". In this photo, Braydon is working with Chief to perfect the "high 5" behavior.

Braydon has weekly visits with Chief, and during his visits, his primary task is to work on behaviors Chief already knows to teaching him new behaviors. Braydon understands and is learning clicker training, and he is a natural trainer! The therapeutic reasons we use this type of treatment activity are vast. Braydon has difficulty with fine motor dexterity. Using a clicker encourages FM control. Being able to move a piece of dog treat from the palm of his hand to his finger (known as palm to finger translation--a hand skill) requires significant dexterity skills. While Braydon is able to perform this skill, it does take him significant time to perform. However, when an anxious dog is waiting for his reward, there is an increased motivation to speed up this skill.

Additionally, as you can see by the photo, Braydon has very high muscle tone in his lower extremities. This makes standing, walking, and balance challenging for him. His physical therapist (not seen here because she doesn't like her photo taken..LOL) is facilitating correct standing posture while Braydon balances on the foam pad. Dynamic standing balance, which is applying movement during a functional task such as standing, is difficult for Braydon as well. So, I try to get him to work on behaviors that involve bending over, movement of his upper extremities, etc. to incorporate a dynamic component to this task.

Braydon also has difficulty managing frustration. Chief is the PERFECT match for Braydon, because he has this difficulty as well! When Chief is frustrated during training, he gets a little "mouthy" and will whine or vocalize a bit. Braydon has learned this is cue to help alleviate Chief's frustration by reducing the expectation or help him more. This cue is good for Braydon because it teaches him to also ask for assistance. If he doesn't know how to get Chief to do something, and himself becomes frustrated, he will look to me for guidance rather than have a "meltdown" (as was previously typical).

So, if you are looking for different activities that you can do with your dog during therapy visits, consider involving the patient in your dog's training process. It can be a learning, as well as therapeutic, experience for all!!

Pet Partner Evaluations in Houston, TX--January 11, 2009 (by appointment)

Hi Everyone!

Do you think you and your dog have what it takes to become a visiting therapy dog team? Are you interested in registering but don't know how to get started or where to go?

Golden Beginnings Golden Retriever Rescue and the French Alliance of Houston have teamed together with licensed Delta Society instructor/evaluator, Tammy Renaud (founder and director of national award winning program Jumpstart Therapies and owner of former GBGRR dog, Chief) to provide you with the opportunity to become a registered therapy dog team.

If you think you have what it takes and are interested, mark your calendars!! On January 11, 2009, Delta Society Pet Partners Team Evaluations will be hosted by the French Alliance in Houston, TX. Evaluations will be by appointment only from 9 am to 5 pm. Call or email NOW to reserve your spot!

If you are not familiar with Delta Society Pet Partners, please read below. We can walk you through the very easy, 4 step process to becoming a registered therapy dog team!

Founded in 1990, the Delta Society is a nationally recognized program that has trained and screened thousands of volunteers and their pets to become visiting animal teams. The Pet Partners program was developed to ensure that "both ends of the leash" were trained, screened, and prepared to provide animal assisted therapy or animal assisted activities to hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation facilities, schools, and other facilities.

Becoming a Pet Partner is easy, very cost effective and has some wonderful benefits! Besides the obvious benefits to those you visit, there are benefits to the volunteers as well!! The registration is national and is for TWO YEARS!!! So, if you move, your registration moves with you! Plus, Delta Society provides insur! ance to volunteers. For more information on the benefits of this program, go to this link: Benefits of Becoming a Pet Partner Team

The following are the steps to completing the process.

Step 1: Complete a Pet Partners Team Training Course. This can be done in either workshop or home study format. Home study courses can be purchased on the Delta Society website for $37.50. Click here to purchase a home study course or find a workshop near you.

Step 2: Complete a health screen with your veterinarian. The form for this screen is part of your registration packet and home study / workshop course book. Reasons why health screening is necessary.

Step 3: Complete a Pet Partners Team Evaluation. This is to ensure that the handler and animal are prepared and have the proper temperament for visiting animal programs. Click here to learn more about the evaluation process.

*** Please note that this is the only part of the process being offered at the French Alliance at this time!!! If you have not completed the Team Training Course, you will need to do that on your own prior to your evaluation.

Cost for evaluation at the French Alliance is $25 per evaluation. 1/2 of the proceeds for each evaluation will be donated by Tammy Renaud to GBGRR.

Step 4: Complete the registration packet and submit to Delta Society with fees. (FYI...the cost for one handler/one animal team is only $75.)

Once the process is complete, you will be prepared to join the 10,000 other Pet Partner teams across the U.S. and 15 other countries that are making a difference is so many people's lives.


So, if you are i! ntereste d in being evaluated with your dog, please contact Tammy Renaud at the following to reserve your spot today!!

Email: jumpstarttherapies@gmail.com


We look forward to hearing from you!