Sign Up For The Mighty Texas Dog Walk

By Sheri Soltes, Founder & President

Chris Horton & Stitch at The Mighty Texas Dog Walk

Texas Hearing & Service Dogs' 10th Annual Mighty Texas Dog Walk is our most exciting ever!

We've moved it to downtown Austin! We will start at the south end of the Congress Avenue bridge, march down to the Texas State Capitol, then through scenic downtown and back over the bridge!

We have a Texas size challenge - to win our THIRD Guinness World Record for "Largest Dog Walk".

You heard me right, folks. We've beaten Canada and England. Now, England holds the title with 10,272 dogs! Scandalous!!!

Who's bigger? TEXAS! Who's got more dog lovers? TEXAS! Who's gonna get those braggin' rights? TEXAS!

The walk starts a little later this year because RunTex's Congress Avenue Mile and 5000 take place early that morning on the same course. Dog walkers launch at 10:30 AM! That gives you plenty of time to find parking and visit our dog friendly sponsors, whose logos you see in the right column of this newsletter.

Austin artist Mauro Garza has designed his tenth collectors' shirt - based on the clay figurines of Oaxaca, Mexico. Each dog walker receives a shirt, along with a dog bowl and lots of samples from our sponsors.

And at the finish line - ah, the finish line where we shall make history a third time - each dog receives a gold medal proclaiming "World Record Breaking Dog"!

Save $5 when you pre-register online. Entry fee is per dog so the whole family can walk one dog for just one fee.

Proceeds from this year's Mighty Texas Dog Walk go towards our Assistance Dogs for Military Personnel program.

A Hearing Dog for Sergeant Conner

By Sheri Soltes, Founder & President

He could see the flames and hear the explosions. Black smoke filled the air as soldiers scattered everywhere shouting warnings and firing weapons. Sergeant Conner, an Army platoon leader who’d completed three tours of duty in Iraq, tensed as he felt a man’s hand grab his shoulder. Quicker than thought, he sprang at his attacker.

The fireman who’d come through Paul’s apartment window to get him out of a fire in the building wasn’t hurt, but he could have been. Paul hadn’t been able to hear the fire engine sirens or the emergency personnel pounding on his door in the middle of the night. They’d finally had to come through his bedroom window to rouse him.

Sgt. Conner practices “sit” with Spice.

It was then that Sergeant Paul Conner realized that he needed a Hearing Dog.

And thanks to Texas Hearing and Service Dogs’ Assistance Dogs for Military Personnel program, he’s on the fast track to getting one.

In 2007, Sgt. Conner was injured during his fourth tour of duty when he opened a door that had been rigged with an IED (improvised explosive device). The explosion threw him against a wall resulting in loss of hearing among other injuries.

Sergeant Conner is now retired from the Army. He volunteers at the American Legion and diligently pursues every method available to succeed at life at home. With the loss of his hearing there are still problems. He does not know when people are calling his name. He cannot hear emergency vehicle sirens or when someone is approaching him from behind. He prefers not to be in places that are crowded like big stores, or places that are dark, like the movies. He is much less comfortable in public and stays home a lot more than he used to.

Sgt. Conner takes a play break with Bliss

Since being on our waiting list for only two weeks, Sgt. Conner already has shown the same determination and leadership he obviously perfected in the Army. He has signed up to volunteer at our public education booths and started raising donations through his friends at the American Legion.

We are honored to have Sgt. Conner in our program. We look forward to helping him heal and bringing him some more independence, safety...and fun with his new Hearing Dog.

Applying For A Dog Easier Than Ever!

By Sheri Soltes, Founder & President

Applying to THSD for a Hearing or Service Dog is easier than ever. Simply go to our website www.servicedogs.org and click on the “Apply for a Dog” tab at the top of the home page. You can even fill out the main part of the application and submit it online.

Our application fee has not changed in 20 years! It’s still only $25! No fees for equipment, training or even the dog. Donations support the $17,500 cost of training – it’s free to you!

Once you get your paperwork in, we invite you to attend an Applicant Orientation Day at our training center in Dripping Springs, near Austin. You’ll learn more about living with a Hearing or Service Dog, participate in training sessions with the staff and our dogs and tell us more about your needs during your interview.

January Service Dog Class practices walking with their new dogs.

THSD still offers the extensive personalized service for which we’ve always been known. When matching you with a dog, we carefully consider your preferences, lifestyle and needs. Next, you’ll attend a five day class at the training center to learn how to work with your new best friend.

Then, we move the dog into your home to begin In-home Training. For 13 weeks, a Trainer will visit you weekly to work with you and your new Hearing or Service Dog in private sessions tailored especially for you. You’ll advance to working in public with your dog, including your office, favorite restaurants and even the mall.

Once you graduate, THSD will still be there to support you for the lifetime of the dog. We’re always a phone call or email away whenever you have questions or new training challenges.

We welcome applications for Hearing and Service Dogs. Thanks to our growth, the wait time is shorter than ever. Apply today!

Be A Foster Trainer

By Shahar Efrima, Senior Trainer

As our training program keeps growing and improving, so does our need for foster homes. Foster Families keep new or released dogs - it’s fun, friendly and easy. Foster Trainers work with dogs already in our training program including training and maintaining behaviors. It’s rewarding and involves a moderate to advanced level of skill.

Foster Trainers help socialize our dogs.

Contact Foster Coordinator Debbie Randall to learn more!

Foster Family:
Time With Dog: 1 - 4 months
Skill Level: Easy
Help us save the lives of dogs with great potential, when we don’t immediately have a kennel suite for them. There is nothing worse than leaving a fantastic dog behind bars at a shelter because our kennel is full. Foster families keep these bright, friendly dogs in their homes until we have room for them.

Foster Families also can keep a Career Change dog at their home until they get adopted. This gives the dog a much more comfortable place to live and opens up our kennel for the more new dogs.

Being a Foster Family gives you the fun of having a dog without the 10 - 15 year commitment.

Weekend Foster Family:
Time With Dog: Weekends
Skill Level: Easy
Too busy M-F to take care of a dog, but long for puppy love on the on the weekends? Join our weekend Fostering Program. You’ll pick up one of our Career Change dogs from our training center in Dripping Springs Friday afternoon and bring it back on Sunday.

Foster Trainer:
Time With Dog: 2 - 4 months
Skill Level: Moderate to Advanced
Foster Trainers house and socialize program dogs that completed their first stage of training as Assistance Dogs. You and your THSD dog will attend a weekly training class at our training center that will advance to training in public locations. This is a great opportunity to learn more about dog training and advance your dog handling skills.

Evening Foster Trainer:
Time With Dog: Evenings / Overnight; Ongoing
Skill Level: Easy - Moderate
One of the characteristics that makes a great Assistance Dog is orientation to people. We intentionally select dogs that want to be close to people. Some of these dogs have a hard time living in a kennel environment for long periods of time. Evening Foster Trainers keep a program dog at their home overnight and bring it to our center for training on weekdays. You’ll receive an orientation providing you with guidelines and ongoing support to ensure a smooth and successful fostering period.

Weekend Foster Trainer:
Time With Dog: Weekends
Skill Level: Moderate to Advanced
Weekend Foster Trainers care for a program dog during the weekend. We work with a minimal staff during the weekend and do not conduct training during that time. The weekends are a great time to let our working dogs get that "special time" in a loving home. Weekend Foster Families receive orientation training and ongoing support that provides them with the tools to handle an assistance dog in their home environment.

Check out our new Moving Photo Gallery at www.servicedogs.org
Music: “Flower Parts” by Bob Schnieder

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