Happy Halloween!

 Here's a little Halloween photo fun.

Kira and Amanda preparing for Mickey's Halloween Party a few years back.

Supergirl and her trusty sidekick.

The new "chick", Cable.

 Walking for Woofs Update

Thanks so much to Brent Morning for initiating this event, to Elisa Laxdall, Paul Dutton and the snapd staff for organizing and running it, and to Dom Campitelli of Global Pet Foods for providing the prizes.  In addition to the $500 donation from Dom, $1000 was raised through entry donations bringing the grand total raised through “Walking for Woofs” to $1500!!  Lots of fun was had by all.

For participants who have not yet picked up their loot bags, be sure to take your ticket in to Global Pet Foods on Davis Dr. in Newmarket by tomorrow, Oct. 31, 2020.   Your dog will be very happy!

 Amanda picks up the funds raised by "Walking for Woofs from Elisa Laxdall and Paul Dutton during their socially distanced Halloween luncheon.

Epilepsy Awareness Day Online Expo

In pre-/COVID times our family would have been in California next week, representing Epilepsy York Region and gathering information about epilepsy to bring back to share.  This year we will access the event online;  you can too!

Take advantage of the first online, interactive version of Epilepsy Awareness Day this Monday and Tuesday November 2^nd and 3^rd to learn everything you ever wanted to know about epilepsy and seizure-alert/response service dogs.  Register for this free expo at

https://epilepsyawarenessday.org/event-info/information/

Keep in Touch!  FACEBOOK - https://www.facebook.com/epilepsyawarenessday/ INSTAGRAM - http://instagram.com/epilepsyawarenessday TWITTER - https://twitter.com/EpilepsyADDL YOUTUBE - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCA51ICzp51s_Ap7aBBWYqiQ         Previous years at the Epilepsy Awareness Day at Disneyland Expo, representing EYR.

How Kira helps in an Emergency.

Use of emergency button

Prior to her brain surgery for epilepsy, Amanda was having so many generalized seizures that the local paramedics soon became very familiar with our address.

 Many people living with epilepsy may experience a generalized (“tonic clonic” or “convulsive”) seizure, and recover from it naturally on their own, regaining consciousness within a few minutes.  Amanda, however, has a history of going into “status”. 

Epilepsy Ontario defines this state as such:

Status Epilepticus is considered a medical emergency. Immediate medical care is required. Most seizures run their course and end naturally on their own within seconds or a few minutes. Status epilepticus is a seizure that lasts for 30 minutes or longer, or when seizures repeat without recovery in between. Aug 8, 2011

Status Epilepticus – Epilepsy Ontario

 

After 5 minutes of continuous seizing, it is recommended that IV doses of emergency medications be delivered by a doctor at the hospital. As a general rule, if the person is still actively seizing at this point, the condition is considered status epilepticus and medical intervention is necessary to stop the seizures.

 

Although Amanda’s surgery decreased the frequency of her generalized seizures, there have still been a few.  Despite the surgery, medications and VNS therapy, when her daily seizures occur in clusters they may develop into a generalized seizure, and for Amanda that could be dangerous or even fatal. 

Safety precautions were necessary for independent living.

In preparation for training her dog how to activate an emergency button to summon help, Amanda taught Kira to practice on a Staples “That was easy” button. 

The practice button.

Amanda’s brother, Xander Robar who owns and operates OnSwitch IT, built an emergency button that Kira has now learned to activate whenever she sees that Amanda has collapsed and requires outside help. 

Xander's OnSwitch Emergency button.

Amanda regularly practices pretending to go into a generalized seizure so that Kira knows exactly what to do.  The dog recognizes the emergency and presses the button, setting off a series of pre-recorded messages to a list of emergency contacts to let them know that Amanda needs help. The messages will continue to cycle through the list of contacts until someone acknowledges that they are able to help.  At that point they can get to Amanda and assist her by administering emergency medication and calling 911 if the seizure persists. 

We are so grateful to Xander for his use of technology to allow Amanda to live an independent life.

See video for a demonstration of how Kira responds to a generalized seizure.

https://youtu.be/bL6VVxc9GN8

To donate to Cable's fund so that she can be trained to perform tasks such as this go to:

https://bit.ly/3fvYtxd

Today is SUDEP Awareness Day

 

“There are times when people with epilepsy die without warning and no cause is found.  This is known as Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy or SUDEP.  The risk is low but real.  And although it’s a difficult issue to face, it’s important to consider when making lifestyle choices, so you can lower your risk of SUDEP.”- www.MakingSenseOfSUDEP.org

 

Today is SUDEP Awareness day.  Did you know that approximately one out of every 1000 people who have epilepsy die from SUDEP every year?  Last year Disney actor Cameron Boyce lost his life to SUDEP, bringing further awareness of the condition into the news.

The cause of SUDEP is unknown, but researchers continue to investigate the connection between seizures and their effect on cardiac issues and breathing. The condition shares many similarities with SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.)

Risk factors for SUDEP include having frequent generalized seizures, particularly when they occur at night.  Males are more prone to SUDEP, as are people who have had epilepsy for more than 15 years and those who developed epilepsy before the age of 16.

It is important to be educated about SUDEP and to minimize your risks by seeing your neurologist regularly, taking medications on time, getting enough sleep, avoiding alcohol and other seizure triggers and making sure your network of family and friends are informed about your epilepsy and aware of what to do when you have a seizure.  If medications are not keeping your seizures under control, look into alternative treatments to achieve the best possible seizure-control.

 

Amanda’s neurologist has told her that she is at risk for SUDEP.  Stay tuned for a post about how her seizure-response service dog helps in the event of an emergency!

 

For further information on SUDEP you might visit the following websites:

www.dannydid.org

https://www.epilepsy.ca/sudep.html

https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/early-death-and-sudep/sudep

SUDEP.org

SUDEPAware.org

https://www.sudep.news/about-sudep

We can help!

Walking for Woofs Grand Prize Winner!

 Thank you to snapd newspaper and Global Pet Foods for sponsoring Walking for Woofs. Over 25 people submitted photos and participated in the event. The winner was chosen yesterday. Congratulations to Kim Matheson Nelson!! If you haven't picked up your loot bag yet you have until the end of the month to do so.

Thank you to Dom Campitelli for the donation of $500 from Global Pet Foods to Cable's training fund!

Click here to see Amanda and Dom make the announcement:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1264627787240573

Amanda, Kira and Dom of Global Pet Foods announce the grand prize winner of Walking for Woofs:   Kim Nelson.  Congratulations!!

Introducing Cable!

 Introducing...

We are so incredibly fortunate that Cable Carter Riley Robar will be training with Heather McLeod.  Heather runs Ontario’s Leading Positive Reinforcement Dog Services Company, using the method of building desirable behaviours with shaping.  She is the president and lead trainer of  RuffSport and the owner/operator/lead trainer of Aqua Dogs in Cookstown (New Tecumseth), ON. Check out her website for further information on her training style and experience.  https://ruffsport.ca

Heather McLeod of RuffSport, Cable's new trainer.

 

Today Cable will leave her first home at Greylaur Goldens, and begin her board and train program with Heather.  We are so excited that she has the opportunity to work with this amazing trainer and look forward to her progress over the next year or two as she learns the basics of obedience training and then prepares for service dog work.

 

Our thanks to Laurie and Greg Heron who have so generously donated Cable to Amanda, just as they did with Kira.  We are so grateful to friends, family and the community for their ongoing support in helping Amanda receive the help she needs from a seizure-response service dog.

Laurie Heron with Cable

Greg and Laurie Heron saying "Good-bye," to Cable.

Cable's calling is to be Amanda's future service dog.

Let the journey begin!

The Choice Has Been Made!

Today Amanda, Laurie and Heather spent the afternoon playing with puppies to sift through the cuteness and narrow down the options for Amanda’s next service dog.  It was a successful session!

These were the contenders:

Red

Blue

Purple

Clockwise from top:  Yellow, Red, Green, Orange

               Kira oversaw the selection process.

It was a rigorous session!  The puppies were exposed to new sights, sounds and surface textures; they were held in different positions and were encouraged to come, to follow and to chase and retrieve objects.  Their responses to different stimuli were observed.

Top priority was to see which puppy might have a good connection with Amanda.

Eventually the choice was narrowed down to the finalists...

The final contestants:  Red and Orange.

And the chosen puppy is….

Orange!  Orange is the new Cable!

Keep following our journey, and please share with your friends as we continue to fundraise for Cable's training.  

https://www.facebook.com/Cables-Calling-Born-to-be-a-Service-Dog-101555021631826/?view_public_for=101555021631826BLOG

https://cablescalling.blogspot.com/

GO FUND ME

Donate here:  https://bit.ly/3fvYtxd

Choosing the right pup

 The time has come!  This week, Cable will be selected from the litter of six puppies at Greylaur Goldens.  How do we choose?????

It's a tough decision!

I asked Amanda to tell us what she will be looking for. 

“First you have to check the puppies out a few times and see how responsive they are, their energy level, attentiveness, and see the wheel turning in the pups’ heads.  This takes a few visits before you know what puppy will make a good service dog.

You want one who has a chill personality with just the right amount of energy to work, and who focuses on you…

The temperament testing includes dropping items and seeing how the puppies respond.  Do they investigate, ignore it, seem startled?  Will the puppy follow you if you clap and coax it?  What is the pup’s response being held, being on its back?  Is the pup trying to seek attention or is it cool just chilling with you? There are so many tests to do in this stage of choosing the right puppy for work ethic.”

It could be one of us!

Pick me!

Amanda and trainer, Heather McLeod,  will check for specific traits listed in  The Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test  including social attraction, ability and willingness to follow, reaction to being restrained, social dominance, elevation dominance, retrieving, touch sensitivity, sound sensitivity, sight sensitivity and stability. 

Which traits do you see in these pups?

Confidence.

Aloof, affectionate, responsive, chill...

Patsy French of Florida’s Southeastern Guide Dogs says, You are “looking for a confident, people-focused dog. One that is sensitive enough to recognize a change in the client’s needs but at the same time is confident enough to handle a situation where the client may not be able to give the dog direction for a short period of time.”

“A strong work ethic, intelligence, trainability, and the ability to bond with an individual are the universal traits that make for successful service dogs.”

 

Stay tuned for the final decision!  

YOU can help with Cable's training by donating through GO FUND ME at:  https://bit.ly/3fvYtxd

or by participating in our walkathon, "Walking for Woofs," on until October 15th.  snapd.at/pewdjyc 

Are You Walking for Woofs?

 Walking for Woofs can be done ANYWHERE-- even at the beach!  

There are four more days left to enter the contest.  Just click the snapd.at/pewdjyc to find the Walking for Woofs event, choose to donate $10, $20 or $50 to buy your ticket, and then walk!  

You will want the snapd HUB app, free and easy to download.  That way you can enter photos of you and your dog walking and snapd may publish them in an upcoming issue.  You can also play virtual fetch with your dog, and click on "A Message from Amanda" to see a video of Amanda inviting you to participate.

Do take your ticket stub to Global Pet Foods on Davis Dr. in Newmarket and turn it in for a free loot bag for your pet.  You will also be entered into a contest to win a prize worth $200 at Global Pet Foods.

Oh, yes, AND you will be helping Amanda raise the funds needed to train her future seizure-response dog, Cable.  What more could you ask?

Kira's 8th Birthday Celebration

 On Tuesday Kira celebrated her 8th birthday!  

You can help her continue the celebration by joining in our virtual dog walking event, "Walking for Woofs," beginning tomorrow (Oct. 9) and happening throughout the week until Oct. 15.

When you click the link snapd.at/pewdjyc  and make a donation to buy your entry ticket, you will have a chance to win a grand prize worth $200 from Global Pet Foods. Turn your ticket in to Global Pet Foods on Davis Dr, east of Yonge St. in Newmarket and receive a loot bag for your dog as thanks for participating in the event!  

Click on the snapd HUB app to enter a photo of you and your pet participating in the event for a chance to have your dog appear in snapd newspaper!

WOW!  All this PLUS you will be helping to support the training of Cable as a seizure-response service dog!  How can you go wrong?

I've been asked if you have to have a dog to participate-- no.  We are an all-inclusive event!  Anyone is welcome to participate or donate. :)

Happy Birthday Kira!

Registering for Walking for Woofs?

 Here's the link to get your ticket for our virtual dog-walking fundraiser and contest:

snapd.at/pewdjyc

Five Weeks Old!

On Wednesday, we visited the puppies at Greylaur Goldens in Orillia.  They are just adorable!  Have a look!  This was the first time that the puppies got to meet Heather McLeod, owner and Head Trainer at Ruffsport where Cable will be trained.   

Laurie Heron, Heather McLeod and Amanda Robar with armfuls of puppies.