Where did dogs come from? How did they become man’s best friend? Tens of thousands of years ago, before Facebook and smartphones, before the invention of the wheel and the advent of agriculture, early humans formed an unlikely partnership with another animal—the grey wolf. The boldest and friendliest of these grey wolves became the early ancestors of the modern dog. They loitered around campfires and scavenged leftover food, becoming increasingly tame with each generation. In a sense, early humans and early dogs chose each other. It was a mutually beneficial partnership: we provided them with a reliable food supply and …
Archives for July 2019
Volunteer Spotlight: Diana Adamson and Paul Oberhaus
If you attended the graduation ceremony last month, you would have seen graduate Greg Landeen and Mobility Assist Dog Nellie take center stage. And alongside them the volunteers who made Nellie possible: Puppy Raisers Diana Adamson and Paul Oberhaus. Vocalizing what a lot of us are thinking, graduate Greg says, “It’s amazing that people are doing this on a volunteer basis. I can’t imagine what it’s like to have a dog that’s this awesome and then have to say goodbye to her. Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Throughout their 17 years of service, Diana and Paul have given much …
Maintaining a Lifetime of Independence
Amy Sabot and Mobility Assist Dog Mable By Bobb Elsenpeter Amy Sabot’s life was forever changed when she had a stroke—at just 7 years old. “My brother went to get my mom up—she had just come back from the nursing home where she worked—and he said, ‘I think Amy had a stroke. But kids don’t have strokes,’” Amy remembers. After several more strokes at the hospital, Amy’s right side was affected by hemiparesis, a partial weakness on one side of the body. Her family helped her learn to adapt with walking, daily care, and activities, and she continued to adjust …