Greetings! Welcome to the July edition of Dr. Pet Mom’s Delightful Pet Menagerie (DPM) Newsletter. This month I want to share my interviews with some of my fave animal rescue groups. Please enjoy and celebrate their stories!
I interviewed some wonderful people who help retired military working dogs, train therapy and service dogs, and provide a furrever home for senior dogs.
Read all about Jason Johnson, Founder of Project K-9, Laurie Williams, owner of Pup ‘N Iron Canine Fitness and Learning Center and Valerie Reid, President and Founder of the Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary (WWSDS).
Interview: Jason Johnson, Founder of Project K-9 Hero
Please remind our readers about the Project K-9 Hero Foundation.
We are a national non-profit organization that assists retired Military Working Dogs and Police K-9s with medical care, food, end of duty services, rehabilitation, rehoming, and adoption.
To date, we have 157 retired K-9 Heroes come through our program, and we have a 177 acre facility in Tennessee.
There we would evaluate him and see how suitable he would be for adoption or staying long term with us.
We have a very extensive adoption program and we post our adoption opportunities on our @projectk9hero Facebook or Instagram.
As the Founder and CEO, I have helped train over 2,000 Police K-9s or military working dogs during my 28-year career and we put the needs of the K-9 first and foremost.
We have a full-time Licensed Veterinary Technician on staff to ensure they get the best care possible and a Veterinarian on our Board of Directors.
To learn more about our organization please visit our Project K-9 Hero website. You can find more information on my background as a K-9 trainer and CEO can be found on About Us – Project K-9 Hero.
And for an example of our end of duty service, watch our video, Project K-9 Hero MWD Sita’s Honor Walk.
Project K-9 Hero past highlights:
- We helped 50 new K-9 Heroes including eight heroes needing rehabilitation or rehoming services at our facility in Tennessee.
- We implemented the K-9 Hero Awards to honor the nation’s top K-9s in seven different categories from the Police, Military, Search and Rescue, and Fire Service.
- We established Kennels for Heroes who don’t have a home to do to.
- We set up an office space at our Tennessee location for our staff to carry out their day-to-day operations.
I know your worked on the K-9 Hero Act. What’s the latest on the bill?
In 2021, we helped improve the K-9 Hero Act with a re-write. We are planning a new release of the bill with Congress in 2022. (Note: On December 18, 2019, the bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security).
You may learn more about how we are working with Congress to change laws for Federal Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs: Jason Johnson Discussing The K-9 Hero Act.
How can people help Project K-9 Hero?
People can help in several ways:
- Make a donation to our Medical Assistance Fund. We created this fund to honor Police K-9 and Military Working Dog Heroes in retirement, and ensure the best quality of life for them, by providing assistance with medical costs, food, and end of duty services.
- Purchase an item from our PK9HERO Shop to show your support. Products include our Project K-9 Hero 2022 Calendar, t-shirts, hats, books, hoodies, and much more.
- Use Amazon Smile when you shop to give back to our organization.
- Use your social media to spread awareness of our mission by telling others about the great work we do for our nation’s K-9 Heroes.
What are the main goals for Project K-9 Hero?
- Begin construction on our 14 run Kennel Building in Tennessee.
- Ensure the best quality of life for our nation’s retired Police K-9s and Military Working Dogs by providing assistance with medical costs, prescription food, rehabilitation, rehoming, and end-of-duty services.
- Educate the public, government agencies, and elected officials on the costs and responsibilities of owning a retired K-9 Hero.
- Provide a safe haven at our 177-acre Rehabilitation & Rehoming Facility for retired K-9 Heroes to live when they no longer have a home or an owner that can meet their specialized needs.
Is there anything else you want to tell our readers?
Please follow us on social media as we post often. If you are unable to donate, all we ask is that you share.
Project K-9 Hero 2024 Update
In July 2024, Project K-9 Hero announced the formation of the Project K-9 Hero Capital Campaign Committee, dedicated to securing funding for its planned Rehabilitation and Rehoming Facility. The Rehabilitation and Rehoming Facility, to be built at Project K-9 Hero’s 177-acre sanctuary in the Tennessee mountains.
The facility will consist of a rehabilitation building with capacity for 14 special needs K-9 Heroes, a corporate headquarters, a maintenance building, a K-9 caretaker’s residence to ensure staff is on site 24/7 and two adoption cabins, providing temporary accommodation for potential adopters.
The Project K-9 Hero team has completed blueprints, civil engineering, site preparation, and has a construction team ready to break ground as soon as the funding is secured, with a goal to complete construction over the next three years. Visit this link for more information about Project K-9 Hero’s Rehabilitation and Rehoming Facility.
Interview: Laurie Williams, Owner of Pup N’ Iron Canine Fitness & Learning Center
As a professional dog trainer, Laurie Williams knows dogs. Since 2005, Laurie’s family-owned business has helped “people form close, personal, life-long bonds with their dogs”.
Pup ‘N Iron is a daycare, fitness, activity, behavioral training, and wellness center for dogs located in Fredericksburg, Virginia.
Tell us how you started as a professional dog trainer.
I have loved dogs for as long as I can remember. I wasn’t allowed to have one as a young child. But when I was 13 my uncle convinced my mother to let me adopt a dog that a friend of his needed to rehome. I have had dogs ever since.
Tell us about your professional dog training business. Do you have satellite dog training facilities?
I have managed a brick and mortar dog training facility for 15 years offering classes from puppy kindergarten to basic manners. I also offer advanced training in competitive dog sports like obedience, rally and agility.
I specialize in therapy dog and service dog training as well. Private behavior consultations and online distance learning classes are also part of my business.
Talk about some of your training to become a professional dog trainer. How long does it take to be a professional? What’s your competitive advantage?
Unfortunately, the dog training profession is by and large unregulated, and therefore anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a ‘dog trainer’!
That’s why I made it a point to only offer my unique combination of services: My years of experience working with other trainers at kennel clubs and dog show handlers, along with my professional certification.
I have been a dog trainer and behavior consultant for 35 years. My competitive advantage is my years of pet training and competitive dog sport experience.
What is a canine education specialist? Tell us about your favorite dog training techniques. Do you mentor people interested in professional dog training?
A canine education specialist is someone who is not only qualified to train dogs, but also qualified to train people.
I’m a positive, science-based trainer primarily using positive reinforcement and dog-friendly techniques. Yes, I have an apprentice.
Do you have a dog training specialty?
My specialty is relationship based team building training in which I teach people how to have a rock solid relationship and partnership with their dog.
What are a few basic training tips dog parents need to know?
My top three non-negotiable tips that dogs need to learn:
- To “Come” when called 100% of the time.
- To “Leave it” when you don’t want your dog to have something.
- To “Walk nicely” on a loose leash.
Are certain breeds easier to train then others?
Working and Sporting breeds were bred to work alongside man, so that instinct can sometimes make them take to training a little easier.
But they also can be very high energy and difficult to manage if they lose focus and struggle with impulse control.
What is the average age of dogs you train? How long does training last? And how often do dogs need refresher training?
I train dogs of all ages, from eight weeks and up. When do we humans ever stop learning? Just like us, training is ongoing throughout a dog’s life.
What is the most frustrating part of being a professional dog trainer?
Lack of respect for our profession. People often want us to give advice for free whereas they’d never ask a lawyer or a doctor to give free advice.
We deserve to be compensated for our expertise just like all professionals.
What is the most rewarding part of being a professional dog trainer?
PUPPIES!!!! And also seeing people form life long relationships with their dogs.
Do you serve as a judge for any professional dog training competitions?
Yes, I am a judge for the American Kennel Club (AKC), the United Kennel Club (UKC), Canine Work and Canine Work and Games (CWAGS) and World Cynosport Rally Limited (WCRL).
What’s the biggest mistake dog parents make when training their dog?
They “expect” their dogs to do or know things without first showing and teaching them what is expected, and then rewarding them for compliance.
Any final thoughts for dog parents?
Be the person your dog thinks you are!
Interview: Valerie Reid, President of Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary
The Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary (WWSDS). Valerie is the organization’s President and Founder. WWSDS is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization in Hermitage, Missouri.
Many pet parents are afraid to plan for their pet’s future. And death is a frightening reality. When many animal shelters do not care for senior animals, WWSDS helps to fill the gap.
Whispering Willows specializes in end-of-life hospice care for senior dogs who have a short time to live, allowing some to experience love for the very first time.
Whispering Willows is a place for senior dogs to call home. Their motto: Where love is whispered to the last breath.
I love the idea of a retirement home for senior dogs! How did you make a pet retirement home a reality?
We originally lived in Overland Park, Kansas. It had been a dream of mine for about 10 years. My father passed from cancer and there was no where for his senior Doberman to go.
It opened my eyes to a need that was seriously lacking in the rescue community. My daughter was still in school. So we waited until after she graduated to make it happen. Her senior year I started looking for homes further out with land. Once we found the house and land we began the sanctuary.
Do your senior dog residents have to be a certain age?
We accept senior dogs ages 12 and over. Unless there is a professional medical diagnosis stating they need hospice care. It does differs with giant breeds since they age faster. We accept them starting at age seven.
What about visitors? Can pet parents who surrendered their dogs stop by for a visit?
No. Once they surrender they relinquish all rights to the dog. Allowing a pet parent to come back is truly emotional abuse on a pet who is trying to move forward.
They [older dogs] do not understand if a pet parent was to come and then leave without them.
Are your senior residents mostly local or nationwide?
Nationwide, all over the US. We transfer from shelters, communities, and personal surrenders. Sometimes we charge a fee to surrender a dog, but it depends on the situation.
We don’t have programs. These senior dogs are all lifetime residents here at WWSDS.
Do you have a waiting list for senior dogs? Is there someplace dogs can go until they come to WWSDS?
We have over 160 dogs on our current waiting list. We have no other place for them to go until they come here. We try to assist the owner and shelters in finding temporary placements if possible.
Do you have a limit on the number of residents you care for? What is your capacity?
Our limit is 75-80 senior dogs. Varies on the size of dogs currently residing at the sanctuary.
How do you train your staff to care for senior dogs?
Very similar to caring for an aging parent. Gentleness, helping them get around, soft pets, slower paces. They [senior dogs] work one-on-one with us until we are comfortable with them. We train by example.
It’s sad for any pet parent to think about the Rainbow Bridge. How do you celebrate the lives of senior dogs who crossed the Rainbow Bridge?
Each senior that passes is with the human they bonded to most. They are never alone and we always hold them as they pass.
Each senior has a watercolor portrait done of them as their rainbow picture.
Tell us about the challenges and rewards of working with senior dogs.
Physically, it is demanding. Hospice care is rough not only on your body but your heart and mind. It’s important to have good self care and take a break when you need to.
The rewards by far outweigh all of the heartache. Knowing that you saved these senior dogs from uncertainty and some having love for the first time in their life.
Senior dogs want a place to belong and call home. They love instantly.
What else would you like to tell our readers about Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary?
Whispering Willows is a very unique sanctuary. We operate as a family even though we are a licensed shelter.
The senior dogs do not know they are at a shelter. This is where love lives and is given freely. Death is not scary or something to turn away from. It’s about offering peace and love, what we all truly want in the end.
It may hurt to lose a pet, but either way it happens without our consent. You might as well accept it as a part of life and show them the way to their next life. We help end suffering and give comfort.
Is there a network of retirement homes or is WWSDS a rare place for senior dogs?
Whispering Willows is an extremely unique retirement/hospice sanctuary. There is not another rescue doing exactly what we do.
What is one thing you want people to know about senior dogs?
All they want is love. One day we will all age and need help. Whether that is with eating, going to the restroom, or help when lost.
It is easy to show compassion and the best part is that its free. One
Closing Thoughts
I enjoy learning about animals from people who work with them directly. Their real world experience inspires me to keep working towards creating my own animal sanctuary.
Thanks for stopping by!
Dr. Pet Mom
“All animals are minor variations on a very particular theme.”
–Richard Dawkins
2024 Book Update
Summer is almost over and it really is time to publish my book, Dr. Pet Mom’s Delightful Pet Menagerie (DPM) Newsletter book. I’m focused on finishing the text for my book cover to send to my graphic designer. Another project to finish this summer!
This was truly a wonderful article! I loved the background stories on the three organizations, all fulfilling separate, but beautiful functions for our canine friends. Thank you so much for sharing, Dr. Pet Mom! “Be the person your dog thinks you are!”
Thanks for stopping by Lou! Yes, I love these groups that help our animal friends in different ways. A good reminder that there are all kinds of ways we can do good deeds for them!