Assistance Dogs For Military Veterans With Disabilities

Hero Dog Tahoe taking a small break.

One of the things about living so close to the DC area is that we have many military veterans in our communities. So, it's only natural that Maryland has become the home of HERO DOGS, a nonprofit that trains dogs to assist military veterans with various types of disabilities, including PTSD and brain damage. This organization strictly focuses on the needs of our veterans and can train dogs for any type of assistance a veteran needs.

As those who have seen any news program about assistance dogs knows, the biggest benefit comes in the freedom this partnership provides to a disabled individual. Assistance dogs, by law, are allowed into businesses and commercial establishments where animals are otherwise forbidden, because of the amount of assistance they provide to their human companion with a disability.



All of the services provided by Hero Dogs is free of cost to the veteran and the disability need not be service-related. Hero dogs works with six staff members and about one hundred volunteers.

It all starts with a puppy, provided by local conscientious breeders, usually labrador or golden retrievers, but essentially the dog must be fairly easy to groom, so the focus is on shorter hair breeds. Around eight to 12 weeks old, the puppy is transitioned into Hero Dogs' puppy program, in which families raise the puppy until he/she is sixteen to eighteen month old. At the latter age the puppy is evaluated for temperament and health and if passed, comes back to Hero Dogs to work with professional trainers.

Hero Dogs also trains the veterans acquiring the assistance dogs, after a process of matching the dog with the veteran. Not all dogs make it through the program, so some become adopted by the general public, some provide therapy visits, and some are Dog Ambassadors for the organization. One of the Ambassadors happens to be a cat.

Tomorrow, Hero Dogs is participating in the Town of Laytonsville's Annual Parade, which runs from 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM along Route 108. Volunteers and staff will be walking the parade route dressed in Hero Dogs t-shirts and jeans, some with dogs and some without. Business cards will be handed out along the parade route.

Hero Dogs Zeke, Mae, and Lucy (l. to r.) at the Mid-Maryland Celtic Festival.

Then on August 7, dust off the golf clubs and get ready for the Hero Dogs Golf Classic, 18 holes at the gorgeous Norbeck Country Club. Included will be a breakfast and Bloody Mary bar, a swag bag with a Hero Dogs polo shirt and other golfing goodies, snacks and beverages along the course, an outdoor barbecue after the golfing, and their famous silent auction. It's all being done to raise money to continue to provide Hero Dogs' many services. And, hey, if you aren't that much into golf, you can even get tickets just for the cookout and silent auction. So, join in the fun, while supporting a good cause.

Veteran Ethel, with her service dog, Maverick.

Thanks for information from this Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pg/herodogs/about/; this article on Hero Dogs:  http://www.hero-dogs.org/hero-dogs-programs/puppy-program/; this blog post: http://www.hero-dogs.org/laytonsville-parade/; this blog post: http://www.hero-dogs.org/golf-2017/; and the above link.

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