The "Angelic" Pit Bull

[loverocksalot]

I went to a craft fair today. Stopped at a table for the Guiding eyes for the blind. Of course we talked dogs etc and I said I have a Therapy Dog. Wanna see a picture. I handed the girls Rockys Therapy license which has the same photo that is my current profile photo.


The girls eyes went wide and I was expecting the Oh that looks like a pit bull I did not know they could be therapy dogs. (I hear this sometimes)
Well her response was OH MY GOD he is so Angelic. Look at how bright he is. He has an Aura around him.
I told them that I adopted him from the shelter and that he was just a pup.
She said well he is such a lucky dog I can tell by this picture that you take great care of him and he appreciates it. I was thinking she saw his breed on his card but later I remembered it says amstaff. I am wondering if she realized he is a Pit Bull.
Anyway I had a connection with her and I plan to make some of those clay dog ornaments to donate to them as they sell them for fundraiser. Did you know it takes like 40,000 to raise one of those dogs. Could that be right. Maybe I heard wrong. And they only serve a blind person for a few years. A blind person could have like 10 dogs in their lifetime. Fascinating stuff. They are in need of puppy raisers big time.
I will be sure to mention Rocky's when I send my donation.

[catstina]

He is very angelic! I love that picture of him!

It's crazy how much it costs to raise a seeing eye dog. Planet Dog's charity, the Planet Dog Foundation, raises money for grants for seeing eye dogs and other therapy dogs. I never knew how expensive it was until one of PDF's presentations. I thought it was 4,000 for each dog, but it could be 40,000. Either way, it's expensive!

[melonie]

Oh wow 40k? A bit sad it takes that much to raise and train a seeing eye dog.

[loverocksalot]

It seems ridiculous maybe she said 14,000 and I misunderstood. Lots of noise in the gym where the sale was held.

[johnr]

Looks like $40K is about right: www.servicedogcentral.org/content/node/410

[loverocksalot]

WOW yeah if just training cost 20,000. They are amazing dogs though.

[fureverywhere]

Yeah when you think about what those dogs are capable of doing. They start training right in the nest so it is a long learning period so it's gotta be expensive. But when they graduate they're someone's eyes for a lifetime.