Service Dog Project

[Jeepers]

A site I'm addicted to is an organization that raises Great Danes for service dogs. It is a fantastic place. A 76 year old lady has a 12 acre farm and her dogs are treated like royalty. They show these pups from about 2 weeks before they are born (pregnant mom) during birth and through puppyhood. All in her home and 24/7/365 on live camera. They also have other cameras outside so you can see the older dogs that are in training. They have some paid people but mostly volunteers. Once these dogs are trained, they are worth over $25,000.00. That's not a typo. But she doesn't charge a penny for them. They are all donated to folks who have mobility issues or post traumatic stress syndrome. First in line for her dogs are veterans. But, last week a little 8 year old boy got his dog! It was a beautiful thing to see. Many tears of joy were shed watching him be able to walk with his dog and not fall down...too often.

 

Everyday is open house and Sundays they have a potluck outside for anyone who wants to show up. Monday through Saturday around 5:00 EST they have 'mail call' and they show her opening the letters and boxes the many viewers send in.

 

These dogs are huge meaning lean, tall and sturdy, so they make perfect service dogs for people with mobility problems. Plus they don't shed as much as other service dogs. Her dogs are mostly black and white but there are also some marbled gray ones that are beautiful and also some that are mostly white with black or gray spots. And some look just like Dalmatians. They also show them being fed which is a hoot. It looks like the Key Stone Kops trying to keep them in front of their own dish. Oh, and they feed them baby food from a spoon for a snack. Chaos reigns. Can you tell I'm smitten?

 

Sometimes on the outside 'Puppy Hill' camera you might see a beautiful teen size dog. She is mostly white with gray spots. On her left shoulder is a huge perfectly shaped dark gray heart. I am absolutely in love with that dog! Her name is Ethel. And I love her.

 

You can watch the pups live anytime day or night. Not a day goes by that I haven't smiled or laughed out loud because of watching that site. And you don't have to walk, feed or clean up after them. But I would in a heartbeat for Ethel.

 

Just thought I'd share a happy place in this world of doom and gloom right now.

 

If you read this far...here is the site to the puppies: http://explore.org/#!/live-cams/player/great-dane-service-puppies-indoor-puppy-room

 

P.S.

Another dog is due to deliver around Thanksgiving...just sayin'.

 

P.P.S.

Here is their official site. http://www.servicedogproject.org/ If you click all the way to the right where it says. "Photos" it will take you to a Shutterfly site. From there click on" Pictures and Videos" and you can see some of the pictures of the farm, the people and of course the dogs. The 'album' titled SDP 10/27/13 has a picture of Hunter the little boy who just got his dog. This might be a direct link to the pictures. https://servicedogproject.shutterfly.com/pictures

[out_of_the_ordinary]

 

 

Thank you for sharing this, Jeepers. I'm not clicking on the site because I'll just have to watch constantly and never ever get anything done.

[Jeepers]

It's true you can get stuck there. But the next time you are feeling down in the dumps, click on the puppy link. Before you know it you will be smiling and probably laughing out loud. It's cuteness overload. coughETHELcoughcough.