Adopt A Husky News July/August 2006

The one thing that he showed from the start was his love of people, especially children. On our walks around the park, he has to get his nose into every stroller and greet every kid with a kiss. One day we ran into the Mann Park Special Olympics team. After the initial panic by the 20 or so kids and their chaperones, there began a love fest that has lasted to this day. It also got me to thinking that he might be able to do the same for other kids in the same predicament. That led to his taking, and passing, the CGC test in September.

In the fall and winter he seemed sad or “down.” Not many kids were around. So we tried the Therapy Dogs International Test in March of 2004 which led to his being recruited for the RAINBOW Animal Assisted Therapy program test, which he also passed. He began his therapy visits full time in June of 2004. Since then, we’ve logged more than 60 hours each of the last two years in visits to hospitals, institutions, schools and park programs. Even with that, all RAINBOW pups have to be retested each year in order to continue to work. The tests involve advanced obedience tests while meeting and accepting strange dogs (there’s no telling what other team we’ll work with at times), acceptance of all people, not reacting to noise, treats on the ground, or persons in wheel chairs, with crutches or walkers.

At present, we are regulars at Michael Reese’s Adolescent Psych, Rush-Presbyterian’s Bowman Therapy center (Occupational, Physical, and Geropsychiatric therapy) and SPEED, a special needs school for severely and catastrophically affected children in Chicago Heights. We have also done extensive programs at Miseracordia (south), SPECTRUM (in Downers Grove) and Hope Children’s Hospital (Oak Lawn). We have also been involved in Special Olympic programs at Mann and Marquette Parks in Chicago, the IKC Dog Show and the Arlington Pet show for RAINBOW AAT, along with various demo programs like Evergreen Park Library’s “Reading to Rover” (to encourage 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th graders to read), and this July 15^th we’ll be at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.

What’s involved in the therapy he does? Well, a lot of it is just “Tail wags and Kisses,” but we actually do work with therapists so that patients move their fingers, hands or limbs (to pet, walk, or feed him treats, or brush his teeth), turn their heads, or move their eyes. It doesn’t sound like much, but Cedar has to have a great deal of patience and not react to strange movements or sounds that the patients may make. He must also not react adversely if a patient should cause him pain, which happens at times. The one thing that he always brings to each visit, no matter where we go or what we do, is his genuine show of love and interest in each individual patient. For a few moments in time they have a dog of their own to love, help, and care for them like no human could.

Cedar is currently in training to become a "Crisis Relief Dog" (another name for TDI's "Disaster Relief Dog"). The training should take about 18 months of once a month sessions.

The training involves bringing aid and comfort to workers and victims of a disaster. Some of RAINBOW's trained pups went to Louisiana and Mississippi after the Katrina/Rita Hurricanes last year. It's mostly a "Tail wags and Kisses" routine, but they tell me the victims and workers really need that kind of lovin' under those circumstances. TDI pups worked the 9/11 disaster in New York.

As part of our training, we have been to the Railroad Museum in Union, IL, so they could learn to deal with a myriad of steps, inclines, railroad cars, riding in golf carts, and the crowded train rides. The reason for this is that there is no telling what kind of transportation we'll have to deal with if we are ever needed during a disaster.

We have also been to the Summit IL Fire Department so the pups could hear the sirens, horns pumps and motors up close and personal and not panic. The firemen also dressed in their complete fire outfits with air tanks and masks (and sounding like Darth Vader while their "locator" beepers were going off) just to see how the pups would react. Goofy Cedar was so unimpressed that he nearly stuck his nose into a screaming, bumper mounted siren, jumped up into a fire truck to play driver and crawled into the lap of Darth Vader so he could give his mask a kiss.

Therapy Dog work is not the normal domain of Siberians. There are only 2 out of nearly 160 pups in the RAINBOW AAT program. He is truly something special, but then we knew that the first time we saw him.

Ted K. - AAHI adopter and proud member of Cedar’s family

Want to Learn More About Animal Assisted Therapy . . .

Visit the following links to various programs to learn their individual requirements and visit your local hospitals and libraries to learn what programs they use at their facilities.

Delta Society is a nationwide program - www.deltasociety.org

RAINBOW AAT is located in the Chicago area - www.rainbowaat.org

Therapy Dog International is a nationwide program - www.tdi-dog.org

Your Siberian's Health: Proper Nutrition and Weight It's just as important for dogs to have the proper nutrition, exercise and weight as it is for humans too. Overweight dogs just like overweight humans can suffer from heart disease, diabetes and respiratory problems. Dogs that are obese are more prone to tearing ligaments and to having joint problems. Over half of the pets in today's society are overweight through no fault of their own. Below are some tips on how you can keep your dog healthy and in proper weight. Note: If you have concerns about your dog's weight, dog food and overall health consult your veterinarian first before making any changes to your dog's diet and exercise. Feed a high quality dry dog food. High quality foods have well balanced ingredients that will provide your Siberian with the proper nutrition and if fed the proper amount will not cause a dog to become overweight. Measure your dog's food. Do NOT free feed your dog. Only give your dog the amount of food that he/she needs to maintain his/her proper weight based on activity level. Remember most Siberians are "easy keepers." If feeding a high quality dog food, a Siberian typically only needs 2 cups of food a day. Obviously, with increased activity level, a Siberian needs more food. If unsure about the amount of food to feed, consult your vet. Provide your Siberian with plenty of daily exercise. Not only will it be good for your Siberian, but for you as well. Limit the amount of treats you give your Siberian daily. It's so easy to give in to those adoring faces. If you give them treats, make them work for it by requiring the dog to do something (an obedience command, a trick, etc.). And if you use a lot of treats with your dog on a particular day, then cut their food back a little that day. Use healthy low cal treats for dogs. Carrots are a good substitute to the normal dog treats. Many dogs like the crunchy texture. Avoid feeding dogs at the table. Not only does it teach them bad habits (begging food from people), but they are getting the extra food/calories on top of the treats and dog food they have had already that day. Feeding table scraps can result in a dog being a picky eater, which will ultimately result in a dog that no longer wants to eat the dog food that is necessary in order for him to receive all of his daily nutrients.	Peg and Nick (MO volunteers) at the Petropolis Adoption Days on May 20 in Missouri.
	MARK YOUR CALENDAR
	IL EVENTS Sept. 9, Bloomingdale Septemberfest, Bloomingdale, IL MN EVENTS Aug. 26-27, St. Croix Kennel Club Show, Lake Elmo, MN OH EVENTS Oct. 7, 4th Annual Husky Hike, Strongsville, OH
	HAPPY TAILS
	Recent fosters that have found their forever homes. Chugiak (IL) June 4 Denim (WI) June 7 Daunte (MN) June 11 Glacier (WI) June 18 Magnum (IL) June 24 Gilda (WI) June 25 Saturn (OH) June 29 Venus (OH) July 16

The one thing that he showed from the start was his love of people, especially children. On our walks around the park, he has to get his nose into every stroller and greet every kid with a kiss. One day we ran into the Mann Park Special Olympics team. After the initial panic by the 20 or so kids and their chaperones, there began a love fest that has lasted to this day. It also got me to thinking that he might be able to do the same for other kids in the same predicament. That led to his taking, and passing, the CGC test in September. In the fall and winter he seemed sad or “down.” Not many kids were around. So we tried the Therapy Dogs International Test in March of 2004 which led to his being recruited for the RAINBOW Animal Assisted Therapy program test, which he also passed. He began his therapy visits full time in June of 2004. Since then, we’ve logged more than 60 hours each of the last two years in visits to hospitals, institutions, schools and park programs. Even with that, all RAINBOW pups have to be retested each year in order to continue to work. The tests involve advanced obedience tests while meeting and accepting strange dogs (there’s no telling what other team we’ll work with at times), acceptance of all people, not reacting to noise, treats on the ground, or persons in wheel chairs, with crutches or walkers. At present, we are regulars at Michael Reese’s Adolescent Psych, Rush-Presbyterian’s Bowman Therapy center (Occupational, Physical, and Geropsychiatric therapy) and SPEED, a special needs school for severely and catastrophically affected children in Chicago Heights. We have also done extensive programs at Miseracordia (south), SPECTRUM (in Downers Grove) and Hope Children’s Hospital (Oak Lawn). We have also been involved in Special Olympic programs at Mann and Marquette Parks in Chicago, the IKC Dog Show and the Arlington Pet show for RAINBOW AAT, along with various demo programs like Evergreen Park Library’s “Reading to Rover” (to encourage 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th graders to read), and this July 15^th we’ll be at Indian Lakes Resort in Bloomingdale for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance. What’s involved in the therapy he does? Well, a lot of it is just “Tail wags and Kisses,” but we actually do work with therapists so that patients move their fingers, hands or limbs (to pet, walk, or feed him treats, or brush his teeth), turn their heads, or move their eyes. It doesn’t sound like much, but Cedar has to have a great deal of patience and not react to strange movements or sounds that the patients may make. He must also not react adversely if a patient should cause him pain, which happens at times. The one thing that he always brings to each visit, no matter where we go or what we do, is his genuine show of love and interest in each individual patient. For a few moments in time they have a dog of their own to love, help, and care for them like no human could. Cedar is currently in training to become a "Crisis Relief Dog" (another name for TDI's "Disaster Relief Dog"). The training should take about 18 months of once a month sessions. The training involves bringing aid and comfort to workers and victims of a disaster. Some of RAINBOW's trained pups went to Louisiana and Mississippi after the Katrina/Rita Hurricanes last year. It's mostly a "Tail wags and Kisses" routine, but they tell me the victims and workers really need that kind of lovin' under those circumstances. TDI pups worked the 9/11 disaster in New York. As part of our training, we have been to the Railroad Museum in Union, IL, so they could learn to deal with a myriad of steps, inclines, railroad cars, riding in golf carts, and the crowded train rides. The reason for this is that there is no telling what kind of transportation we'll have to deal with if we are ever needed during a disaster. We have also been to the Summit IL Fire Department so the pups could hear the sirens, horns pumps and motors up close and personal and not panic. The firemen also dressed in their complete fire outfits with air tanks and masks (and sounding like Darth Vader while their "locator" beepers were going off) just to see how the pups would react. Goofy Cedar was so unimpressed that he nearly stuck his nose into a screaming, bumper mounted siren, jumped up into a fire truck to play driver and crawled into the lap of Darth Vader so he could give his mask a kiss. Therapy Dog work is not the normal domain of Siberians. There are only 2 out of nearly 160 pups in the RAINBOW AAT program. He is truly something special, but then we knew that the first time we saw him. Ted K. - AAHI adopter and proud member of Cedar’s family Want to Learn More About Animal Assisted Therapy . . . Visit the following links to various programs to learn their individual requirements and visit your local hospitals and libraries to learn what programs they use at their facilities. Delta Society is a nationwide program - www.deltasociety.org RAINBOW AAT is located in the Chicago area - www.rainbowaat.org Therapy Dog International is a nationwide program - www.tdi-dog.org

Foster Spotlight: Skycat, IL Foster Looking for a "Furever" Family
Skycat is a 5 year old female Siberian Husky. She is a bouncy, happy-go-lucky girl who has never met a person she doesn't love. She was picked up as a stray and her owners never came to get her -- we simply cannot fathom why anyone would do something like that to a dog this sweet. Skycat's foster home is working on her dog social skills. Her energy level is more medium and not at the high end any longer, because she is getting daily exercise and working that energy off. She would love to be in a home that would take her for a walk once a day, and then pamper her with a lengthy petting session on the couch. She walks nicely on leash and gives Siberian kisses. Could you be Skycat's "furever" family?	Meet Skycat!

Click here to read Skycat's bio. Interested in adopting a Siberian, please read our adoption process and fill out our online adoption application.

A Reminder for Adopters: Have You Recently Moved? Adopters if you have moved, changed your phone number or email address, please notify Adopt A Husky immediately. Email your name, new contact information, an alternate emergency contact, your adopted Siberians old and new name to adoptahusky@adoptahusky.com. It's important for AAHI to have your updated information, so we are able to contact you if your dog escapes, becomes lost, is found and AAHI is contacted. Without your correct contact information, we will have no way to reunite you and your Siberian.