Issuu

Thursday, July 31, 2014 THE NEW MEXICAN

SCOOP

Woman overcomes adversity to train dogs

dogs. I do recall a time, not to long ago, when to be disabled or prone to strokes or any number of medical emergencies meant a life shut away. This is the world that Jill and Assistance Dogs of the West are changing. One dog, one client at a time, they are giving the gift of independence and self-reliance. OK, here is the fun part. You see these dogs and their trainers in action. The Assistance Dogs of the West will be at the Plaza Community Stage at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 5 and 6 on the Plaza. Even better, from noon to 3 p.m., Saturday at Sanbusco Market Center in front of Teca Tu, you can bring your dog and “challenge” your buddy to the basic level of the Public Access Test. It’s just for fun, but wouldn’t it be great to know that your dog could follow more commands than most husbands?

advise you. Authorized Rolex Service Buying fine timepieces 216 Mckenzie Street | Santa Fe, NM 505-992-0200 www.WCWTimePieces.com

Protect your investments with a leak proof roof or maintenance.

Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival

Located at Little Wags Grooming by appointment

CONCERT AT 6 PM!

983-2122

“We buy every day” Inside La Fonda Hotel • Please Call for an appointment 983-5552 Graduate Gemologist on Staff: Martin Booker FGA, DGA, NJA

The Sale You’ve Been Waiting For Is Here! New Mexico ay! Ta x Free Holid & Shop Fri., Sat. Sun. to save over 8% more!

20% OFF*

Every sale item in all 3 stores!

On Your Feet • Get it Together • On Your Little Feet

Call 505-983-8671

*Bring this ad in for an additional 10% oﬀ sale items only! Coupon expires 8/31/14. You must present this coupon at time of purchase for your extra 10% sale discount. No exceptions! Sanbusco Market Center • Info line 983-3900 Th

COMING SOON The Santa Fe New Mexican’s

2015

Call 505-474-2921

Don’t scrap a Treasure Let the experts at

Hersch Wilson’s column appears monthly. Contact him at herschwilson@mac.com.

Brian McPartlon Rooﬁng LLC.

FOR BIG DOGS:

753-8662 or visit www. espanolashelter.org. Felines Santa Fe Animal Shelter & Friends: & Humane Society: Oso, a Calliope Almara, a 6-year-old German shepherd sweet and mix, is a television superstar. playful kitten, This pup has been featured on can be a bit the shelter’s monthly Bow to shy at first. Wow segment on KASA FOX Calliope is a 2’s The Style Show. Aleha, a handsome 12-year-old white-and-orange boy with a longhair male, takes time to Mulligan mediumadjust to new surroundings. These and other animals are length coat available for adoption from and gray tabby the shelter at 100 Caja del Rio markings. Road. The shelter’s adoption Cats are hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. available for Visit www.sfhumanesociety. adoption org or call 983-4309, ext. 610. from Felines Española Valley Humane Twreek & Friends and Society: Twreek, an active, can be viscurious 16-week-old cat, ited at Petco loves to interact with the throughout world around him. Mulligan, the week. a 4-month-old male dog, is Adoption sweet and loving. advisers are These and other animals available from are available for adoption at 1 to 4 p.m. Aleha the shelter, 108 Hamm ParkThursday, Friway. The shelter is open from day, Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. Monday and Sunday at Petco on Cerrilthrough Saturday and from los Road. noon to 4:45 p.m. Sunday. Call

Tracks

Visit www.santafescoop.com for more about animals, events, photos and the Off-leash blog.

his is a story about a The group trains dogs to dogs takes 18 months to two young girl, growing up assist individuals with a range years, and the dogs learn more with dogs, finding a pas- of disabilities, from mobility than 90 commands. sion and changing the world. issues, to socialization problems This is remarkable. To demonThe girl — now woman — is to individuals who need to be strate, simply compare that abila alerted to special Jill Felice, the founder ity to that of another common medical conditions and director of Trainanimal, the husband. As my wife, like seizures or a dia- Laurie, has often pointed out, ing and Programming betic emergencies. for Assistance Dogs of I really know maybe five comthe West. Yet the true mismands: Clean garage! No more sion of Assistance stupid jokes! Take out trash! Sit! Jill grew up a counDogs of the West is Stop talking! Even with just five, I try girl in a family much richer, a reflec- still tend to get distracted. I can’t of five with an older tion of Jill’s “bliss.” imagine knowing, much less sister, Karen, who has There are three obeying, 90 commands. cerebral palsy. Her Hersch constituencies in the father was one of those The next constituency is the Wilson work of Assistance individuals who had trainers. Assistance Dogs of the Tales of Tails Dogs of the West, the West recruits students to train special and deep reladogs, the clients and tionships with dogs. dogs. Working with a loyal, smart and wanting-to-please A dog wasn’t just a pet to Jill’s the trainers. The dogs accepted in the train- dog over months is a remarkdad, it was a constant companing program have to be special. able journey. The trainers learn ion. That special relationship They are the “inviting” dogs, the empathy, responsibility, kindwas passed on to Jill and her siblings. Her dad got them each ones that everyone wants to pet. ness and leadership. This has They can’t be selfish. Currently, been so successful that schools a Labrador retriever. Doing the most popular breed tends like Desert Academy, Monte del the math, that meant that their to be retrievers like Labs and Sol Charter School and Santa household had, at any given goldens. They are well-tempered, Fe Preparatory School have time, five Labs. Five. approachable and have that partnered with Assistance Dogs And yet, it wasn’t a pack of retrieving instinct, which comes of the West to help with its comdogs. Each child had his or in handy, since most of the community service programs. her own Lab. Each child was Finally, of course, there are expected to train their dog, care mands are retrieving-based. the clients who need assistance The training for assistance for it, feed it and the dog slept in his or her child’s room. These dogs were trained. It was not an unusual sight to see the family Labs carrying buckets across the lawn for various and sundry projects. Her father’s Lab would retrieve golf balls for her dad during driving range outings. Her sister Karen’s dog learned how to fetch her plate from the dinner table and deliver it to Jill in the kitchen to be washed. 39 Bisbee Court #7 | Santa Fe, NM 87508 For Jill growing up, this it just 505-982-6256 • www.mcpartlonroofing.com how it was with dogs. They were trained with positive reinforcement, they were loved, taken care of, played with and as a result, the dogs gave back. But like many idyllic childhoods, Jill’s abruptly ended FOR SMALL DOGS: when her parents divorced. As a sister, Jill found herself the primary caregiver for her sister, 1005 S. St. Francis Drive Karen, whose cerebral palsy had progressed. But here, the dogs changed everything. Karen’s dog, Pancho, became an assistance dog. Pancho’s presence allowed Jill to take breaks, go play in the woods and to be a kid. When Karen needed help, Pancho would track down Jill, wherever she was, and bring her back. This became their way of living together and taking care of Karen. 1229 Calle de Comercio Flash forward: What do you do with this kind of knowledge, experience, a clear passion for dogs and an obvious talent for working with dogs and people? A clue: You don’t ignore it all and think, “society wants me to be a banker.” In the words of Joseph Campbell, you follow your bliss. Jill followed her bliss, and in 1995 founded Assistance Dogs of the West.

CALENDAR

PHOTO CONTEST Photo by Joshua Sage

505.982.1890 SantaFeChamberMusic.com

Look for entry forms starting in August and enter your pet for a chance to win

PRIZE PACKAGES!

SAL A A M-SHALOM A cultural celebration for peace Featuring a talk by young women from Palestine and Israel