Juxtapose or Just Suppose?

In an e-mail this week, our HP instructor for the Monday class gave an excellent explanation of the difference between click and treat and luring the puppy to perform a certain cue. Her point was primarily that treats as a lure are short-term solution that ultimately inhibits our long term goal of encouraging our dogs to offer behaviors to solve problems to earn their reward. In short, to learn how to learn.

Those of you that have read my previous posts know that this topic is near and dear to my heart as well - particularly as it translates to raising our human children. Yesterday's op-ed piece on raising our collective I.Q.'s by Pulitzer Prize winning editorialist, Nicholas D. Kristof illustrates the applicability of the Helping Paws method for all - human or other. Mr. Kristof summarizes the research of Professor Nisbett on how to raise how collective I.Q.'s as follows:

Professor Nisbett provides suggestions for transforming your own urchins into geniuses — praise effort more than achievement, teach delayed gratification, limit reprimands and use praise to stimulate curiosity — but focuses on how to raise America’s collective I.Q. That’s important, because while I.Q. doesn’t measure pure intellect — we’re not certain exactly what it does measure — differences do matter, and a higher I.Q. correlates to greater success in life.

I do disagree with Kristof's conclusion that more intensive early-childhood education programs are the answer as long as the focus of that intent remains on the child. To be truly successful, the intensive education must be directed on the most important teacher any child will ever have - its' parent.

Pass Master

Belle and I are pleased to announce that Belle successfully completed her public access test yesterday. The test was held at Southdale Mall and is intended to "ensure that dogs who have public access are stable, well-behaved, and unobtrusive to the public". This test is a requirement for all service dogs placed by Helping Paws dogs regardless of whether they are placed with a client or are part of a demonstration team. Belle and I thank all the Helping Paws examiners and volunteers who participated in yesterday's test.

Taking a Page(y)

A friend of mine sent me a link about the life of a woman, Pagey Elliott who meant the world to the world of golden retriever lovers. She died recently at the age of 96.

She is credited with being one of the first to bring golden retrievers to the U.S. She bred them - raising 50 litters over the course of her lifetime. But more importantly, she was a mentor and an educator for breeders all over the world. Her work is reflected in the breeding program at Helping Paws.

We can all take a page from Pagey's life. What it means to love and learn and share what's been learned with all that are willing to listen. To find what we are passionate about and to give ourselves up to the quest of giving back or passing on the great knowledge we accumulate as a result of our curiosity. Her golden years are over now, but they will continue to gleam in hearts and minds and coats of those she leaves behind.

Anticipation

This morning, there are ten families waking up for the last time before forever taking on the title of Helping Paws Foster Home.

Of course, the person who wasn't excited for the arrival of a new puppy would be a very odd individual. But after meeting each of the foster families over the course of the last four weeks, and hearing their stories of why they decided to become fosters, I see again what the power of love for others can do. These families are taking on an awesome responsibility. Yet each is enthusiastic, excited, just-can't-wait-to-get-started-anxious for tonight's big delivery of their long-awaited pup.

As the journey begins I have just one piece of advice. Enjoy every minute - fostering this pup will always be one of the best things you will ever do.

Are You A Future Foster Home?

I went out to Fox9 to try and find the video played on yesterday's 5 PM news on the Hands On Volunteer Expo, but as yet the video is not yet posted. Instead, my search yielded another video on Helping Paws, done the summer of 2007, that demonstrates better than mere words could ever do, the joy, the freedom, and the love that these special dogs provide to everyone blessed with the opportunity to share their life and training.

For those who visited our booth yesterday, or saw our demonstration on the Best Buy Rotunda stage and are considering becoming a foster home for Helping Paws, this video puts paid to the value of what you will do and mean to the life of another - usually a total stranger. Belle and I hope you will join us soon. I can guarantee the experience will be one of the highlights of your life.

Fox9 provided the embed code for the video.

Expo - sing Ourselves

Belle and I will be strutting our stuff for Helping Paws today out at the Volunteer Expo at the Mall of America. With all the puppies arriving we need to replenish our foster home roster from the fertile sources provided by the Expo.

We will be on the Best Buy Rotunda stage at 12:30 with Molly S talking about the program and delivering our cues, Belle's beautiful (little) sister Skye, and the gorgeous Rio. Come join us!



(Helping Paws dogs from previous Expo's can be seen in the following video @ 1:03 and 1:40)

Cheers' Doggie Bloggie: Ten,X, diez, ti, zehn, deich

The magic of motherhood - perfectly pictured in every language.

Cheers' Doggie Bloggie: Ten,X, diez, ti, zehn, deich