WxtÜ `xÅuxÜá AAA A Very Special Foster 2

Willie, My Best Friend 3

Rainbow Bridge 4

Contributions 4

A Round of Applause for Our Trainers

6

GRREAT Scents 7

Homecoming 8

Things We Learn From Our Dogs

10

Adventures in Dog Training

11

Kibble 12

WANTED! 12

“Jessie Red” 12

Adoptions 14

Submitting Photos 14

Membership Form 15

Inside this issue:

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c .

JAN / FEB / MAR

2013

NOTE: To provide the most up-to-date contributions and adop-tions, the newsletter will be com-ing to you the second week of each quarter (January, April, July, and October).

WANTED: Web Warriors Webmaster and/or Website Content Managers.

Volunteers would help main-tain the content of the SEVA GRREAT website. Could use a team of 2-3 people to cover various aspects of the website under the guidance of the web-master. See website ad for full details. If you are interested, contact Pat at webmas-ter@adoptagolden.com.

With 2013 fast approaching, I look back on another year of "finding homes for homeless Goldens" and give thanks for the difference made in the lives of so many wonderful dogs because of the devotion that you, our faithful supporters, have given to us. Thanks to your generous gifts of time, talent and treasure, 125 deserving Goldens (many in need of significant care), have been made whole and given a second chance at life and love because of the efforts of so many in SEVA GRREAT.

When I became President in 2011, I have to admit that I wasn't entirely sure what I was doing. But I knew that I had a very experienced board to help me learn, and I couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity. As I have said countless times over the past 2 years, I am so impressed by the dedica-tion of our board members and volunteers and the amazing things accomplished for our beloved Goldens. There have been urgent intakes on short notice and plenty of transport/volunteer requests (sometimes for long distances), along with tremendous compassion from our fosters who open their hearts and homes to our new family members. Our veterinarians provide out-standing care at a deep discount for the rescue, and we have several talented training partners that volunteer their time and expertise to help our foster and adoptive families. The adoption and HE teams work very hard to help these "pups" find their forever homes - our greatest reward! Our bills get paid on time, our membership database is maintained, and our mail gets distributed. Fundraising has been a huge success this year, thanks to new efforts from the fundraising team. Many events are coordinated, and we have a wonderful website, newsletter and Facebook page to help spread the word about SEVA GRREAT!! That's pretty amazing "stuff" for a relatively small group of volunteers covering a big area!!!

So thanks to each and every one of our volunteers for all that you do for our Goldens. I have thoroughly enjoyed my role as president and look forward to continued involvement with the board and all of our volunteers. I am also pleased to introduce Dottie Cleal as SEVA GRREAT president for 2013. She is a long-time supporter of SEVA GRREAT, and has adopted 4 beautiful Goldens over the years. Having recently retired from her "working" career, she resides with her Golden girls, Prissy and Scarlet, in Richmond. I know she looks for-ward to offering her time, skills and energy to help us continue our GRREAT work in 2013.

Sincerely,

Jane Frye

SEVA GRREAT President 2011-2012

GOLDEN DAYS

Jan — TBD

Feb — TBD

Mar — TBD

MEMBERSHIP MEETINGS

Sandbridge—April

Dog Days in the Garden

Feb 2, 2013, 10 a.m.—4 p.m.

Strange’s Garden Center,

Richmond

Pet Expo

Feb 23, 2013, 10 a.m.—4 p.m

The Showplace, Richmond

Bark for Life

March 23, 2013, 10 a.m.—2 p.m.

Dinwiddie/Petersburg

FOSSIL ROCK FUNDRAISER

February?

Check our website for exact locations and times. Check back a week before

the event to confirm.

Mark Your Calendar

P a g e 2 JAN / FEB / MAR

(and scent) of security was gone. We had made the silly decision that only one person was needed to move such a tiny girl. I found myself alone with a heavily panting, whining, constantly twisting and wriggling Amber in my lap as I huddled in the right lane at highway speeds dodging the fish in the blinding rain. Amber insisted on trying to steer so I could keep at least one hand on her at all times. The 45 minute trip took an hour and a half! I was drenched by the time we got home ... with sweat, not rain.

From there on, it was all happiness. It took her less than a day to figure out where the food and water were. Within three days she had the house and yard com-pletely mapped out. The marking scents were a waste of time. She has a sensory system that goes far beyond just smells. When we approached her she would look up directly at us as though to say, I know you are there and who you are, so what’s up? She navigated with such precision, even around randomly placed sleeping dogs, we were sure there had a mental radar in play. She seemed so normal, we were convinced she wasn’t com-pletely blind. We took her to the canine ophthalmologist to identify her condition and see if anything could be done. The good news was she had no disease but the bad news was she was irreversibly and totally sightless. The cause was retinal degeneration which brings the onset of blindness very quickly, sometimes even a matter

(Continued on page 6)

Melissa called: “Would you have any interest in tak-ing a little 6-year-old female coming in next week? She’s a sweet thing; gets along with all dogs; house-broken and cute as a button. Oh, and she’s blind.” Oh, no problem. Wait....what? Let’s think about that one. We said yes, of course, but then ... We have a

deck with steps down to the yard and a pool behind that. Does that mean we will have to carry her out to do her busi-ness...? How will our two, some-times three, other dogs react to that disability?

How will she function in our house? Can she do steps? Wow. Lots of questions here.

If you know Melissa, you’ll understand that she antici-pated our every question. Somehow she managed to snag an on-line tutorial on living with blind cats and dogs. We got into it. We found some specific scents: lemon, rose, and a couple of others we could use to mark her food and water bowl, the back door and her bed. We had a clicker to guide her to us. We sat the other dogs down and lectured them ... Yeah, I know, blah, blah blah, Amber, blah blah. Is it treat time yet? … Well, we tried.

The day came. Amber was being ferried from Rose’s place in Richmond to a rendezvous in Ocean View, about 45 minutes from home. She arrived in the pouring rain with a wonderful woman, Leslie Trew, who had agreed to do the transport. Poor Amber was completely beside herself. She had lost the scent of her security and had no idea what was hap-pening. She had attached herself desperately to Les-lie. We actually had to pry her away to get her in the car to come home. The trip home was like something from a Hollywood comedy script … only I wasn’t laughing. It was 4:30 in the afternoon, I-64, you all know what that is like. Add rain so heavy, I swear there were fish swimming in it. Amber was close to insanity. She was frantically distressed. Every sense

A Very Special Foster By Bob Graham

Willie, My Best Friend By Patty McGuire

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c . P a g e 3

Today is the day after Thanksgiving, and seems an appropriate time to write about my very special SEVA GRREAT dog. I am thankful for my beloved dog every day. He means so very much to me. I can only say the experience is very much like the bumper sticker we’ve all seen that says, “Who rescued Whom?”

I grew up in Chesapeake, and, back in those days, it was real farm country. So, we always had animals. There were dogs and cats, and cows and ducks and, well, you get the idea. I was the one always bringing home a stray. I couldn’t bear the thought of leaving an animal I found who was out in the cold. When we lost our last beloved pooch, we were too heartbroken to get another one. So, for the next 20 years, I went without having a dog.

Circumstances worked out that after my Dad passed away, Mom and I decided to sell our separate properties and get a place together. We bought a picturesque Cape Cod just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was the perfect place for a dog. We had space, and I finally had some time in my life to devote to having a dog. Then the question became, what dog?

My best friend and her husband had started fostering Goldens for SEVA GRREAT. I would visit Virginia Beach fre-quently and usually stay with them. On one of those visits, they had recently taken in a new dog, Willie. It was abso-lutely love at first sight. I was unfamiliar with Golden Retrievers (that’s so hard to believe, isn’t it?), so Willie was my first introduction to this wonderful breed. I wanted to adopt him immediately. We went through the interview and appli-cation process and were approved. I am very impressed with this group and how careful they are in placing their dogs. It’s hard to imagine or even believe the trauma these dogs endure. To promise a forever home is a big deal. We are so in love with our adopted Golden, that you couldn’t pry him away from us!!

How do I describe Willie? He is the friendliest, most gentle and loving dog I have ever known. He has enough person-ality for 5 dogs!! He is my constant companion in life. He is a dog with more people friends than many people! Friends love the pictures I take of him, and he gets constant attention on my Facebook page. He even has his own blog at EverybodyLovesWillie.tumblr.com. He loves to have his photo taken and seems to know when I take photos for his blog. He will actually pose for me! It is just hilarious.

The hardest thing for me to believe is that Willie was considered a dog that would be difficult to adopt. He’s called a senior, because it was believed he was older than 5 years. When he was found wandering Richmond, he had heartworms, lyme disease, and ehrlichia. He was also about 30 pounds less heavy. He lived in a vet hospital for 3 months before he was well enough to go into foster care. It breaks my heart to think my baby was out there wandering around all alone and so sick. How could that be? He has had recurrences of Lyme’s since we’ve had him, but he’s great about taking his medicine. He has arthritis, so needs some pain meds from time to time to help. I am a Certified Massage Therapist for people, and also, much to Willie’s delight, do animal work. He gets special attention from me, and this has really helped him. So, he may have a few more needs

than a young dog, but he is worth any extra care that has been required. I am getting older myself, so I appreciate some of what he is going through. I cannot say enough about taking a chance on adopting an older dog. I would do it again in a moment’s notice. To anyone unsure about it, don’t be afraid. Goldens are quite exuberant dogs, so even an older animal will really keep you active!

We have been in dog training classes for the past 6 months. It has been as much about me learning how to work with a large dog as it is about him understanding what I need from him. He has made the most amazing progress, and I am one proud Mom! Currently, we are in the Canine Good Citizen class. I would love for him to earn this special des-ignation and to be able to go on to earning his therapy dog certification. The hardest thing for him is loose leash walk-ing and not pulling to greet people. It is such a challenge for such a friendly and exuberant a dog not to be enthusias-

(Continued on page 13)

Barbara Talley

In memory of Cash, Fozzie Bear, & Ben

Ellen Cassanos

Karen Pence

In memory of Col. William E House Jr, USMC, Retired

Richard Hoehlein

We still care about SEVA GRREAT and all its Golden gems

Kristen Goldbach

In appreciation for Giddy and our 2 Sebastians

Natalie Weimer

Keith and Diane Anderson

Mark Hampton

Barbara Mason

In honor of Rusty & Samantha Wilson—Merry Christmas

Jennifer Marshall

Christmas gift for Elton & Peggy Lane

Catherine Swan

In memory of Byron Swan.

Bethany Berdes

In memory of George Grammer

Jim & Marsh Witcher

In honor of Abby

Baron Miller

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 4

Jessie —The O’Connells

Our beautiful, kind, friendly, and wonderful Jessie crossed the Rainbow Bridge on 22 October 2012. She was born on the Outer Banks on 1 April 2001. She died from Hemangio-sarcoma, only six weeks after having her spleen removed and her vet’s suspected diagnosis confirmed. During this sad time for all of us she bounced back to pretty much her old self, regained her appetite, and didn’t let on to anyone that she was sick. If she was suffering or having any pain, she kept it to herself and never showed it. (see Jessie’s story on page 12)

Pebbles — The Richardsons

Pebbles has been with SEVA GRREAT for several years. She is survived by her brother, Bam Bam.

Duke — The Oberlanders Over the last two and a half years, Duke traveled just about every state in the nation with his forever family creating many fond memories. He loved riding in the back of he truck, camping on our property, wading in the streams, and, if we were-n’t leaving quick enough, he would get in the driver’s seat of the car looking as if he would leave without us!

Waiting at the Rainbow Bridge

Contributions Jane Frye

In memory of Jessie O’Connell

June Pritchett

For Schooner’s Care

Christine Shultis

Andrew & Jill Smith

Total Footcare, P.C.

Ann & Andor Czompo

Pat Winters

Courtney Filer

Bonnie Campbell

In honor of Peg & Bob Graham from Aslan

Kathleen O’Donnell

In honor of Reilly, Gracee, and Jack, my GRREAT companions

Joanna Simonsen

In memory of Jake Greenlee

William Buklad

Robyn & Bass Beasley

In memory of Jake Greenlee and Jessie O’Connell

Roberta Richardson

In honor of Pamela Murray

Jan & Clay Beall, III James Wilson

In honor of Dr. Jane Hiser

Megan Brown

In honor of Scout for his fight against heartworms

DJ DeCicco, Jr.

Corporate matching gift based on donation of DJ DeCicco, Jr.

Jim and Pauline O’Connell

In memory of Jessie

Lyle and Mary Sanders

In honor of Amber

MI State Housing Development

In memory of George E. Grammer, Jr., Lt. Col USAF Ret.

Kristin Tamse

John & Marie Kilcarr

Sherry and Bill Peterson

In honor of Teddy

Jo Vance

Diane Trinko

Nini & Peter Frey

Eddy Theisz

Lee Alford

Joan Trotti

Jessie O’Connell

Duke Oberlander

Gwen Holt

Jack & Jo Snethen

In Honor of Adam Akin’s Birthday & The Gracie Fund:

Noreen Hoi

Kai Wang

Graham & Helen Kessler

Susan & Vincent Pilato

In honor of Ivy:

Jim & Jenny Richardson

Our granddog

Joseph & Peggy Rudder

Margaret Richardson

Elizabeth Schneir

Joan Trotti

Carole Farnham

In honor of SEVA GRREAT Volun-teers for all you do to rescue, love, and find homes for Goldens

Brenda Penca

Tracy Minnich

Jerry Killen & Teresa Honeycutt, Jake, Killer, & Barnaby

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c . P a g e 5

We are very fortunate to have such talented trainers that work with our fosters and adoptive families. They provide insight and training techniques to help our dogs and their humans bond together into a successful family. Because of them, we were able to offer training classes to our SEVA GRREAT membership and adoptive families free of charge this past summer.

We could not be the success that we are without their commitment. Their dedication to our Goldens sets us apart from other rescues. We truly appreciate the personal time they commit to help our dogs find a rich and fulfilling life.

Please join us in wishing them and their families all the best for 2013! Our thanks go to--

Julie Harshaw, Positive Animal Training Solutions

Ellen Mahurin, Clever Critters

Dana Hutchins, First Paw Forward

Susan Altimore

You can find links to their websites on our "Vets and Friends" tab at www.adoptagolden.com.

From all of us at SEVA GRREAT, we thank you!!

A Round of Applause for Our Trainers!

Carol Culver

Ephraim Seidman

Carole Farnham

Donna & Sidney Pecht

In memory of Cysco Welch and Riley

Deb Hubbard

In memory of Miss Emma

Dave & Peggy Main

In loving memory of Scotch

Bob & Nicki Seger

In memory of Buzz

Robyn & Bass Beasley, Jr

Billy Pirtle

In memory of Ginny

E. Jane Lorentzen

In honor of the life of Nancy Gard-ner and her love of Rusty, adopted Golden

Ingrid & Michael Boehmer

In honor of our furry friend Woody Temme

W. Park & Beryl Lemmond

Eileen Walker

In honor of Wyatt, adopted 7/10

(Continued from page 4) Debra & Joseph Morris

In memory of our sweet Golden, Angel

Kevin, Paula, Andrew, & Emily Duke

In memory of Nugget

Dr. & Mrs. James Hayes

In honor of our devoted 14 year old, Sassy

Charles F. Burroughs, Jr., Trust

The Elias Family

Lisa & Mark Spenik

Bobby & Phyllis Brashears

In memory of Jessie

Mary Anne Herrmann

In memory of Bryce and in honor of Kelly O’Connor

Nancy Hawkins

In loving memory of Rusty

The Gracie Fund:

Pat & John Donaldson

Beth Homa

Ray Moore

Richard & Barbara Connor

The Deli Basket

The Carisbrooke Community

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 6

ites. Looking at her just hanging or sleeping with the pack made us feel comfortable that she was as happy as any “normal” foster.

Sadly, Amber had heart worm. Her first shot for the treatment was so painful it caused her to lose her map. She spent two days banging into things as she regained her bearings.

Because of the heart worm she couldn’t be spayed. When we went on a trip we had a good friend stay with the dogs. We got a frantic message from Bonnie that Amber was bleeding and she couldn’t tell what was hap-pening. Before we could respond, the truth was re-vealed: Amber was in heat. Only a true friend would stay with three males and a female in heat. Fortunately

the males weren't interested but what a mess.

We knew the day would come when we she would be posted for adoption. Our love for fos-ters always makes that moment difficult, but the pain is usually mitigated by the happy for-ever home they find. Amber would need a very special home and we weren’t sure we could find a family who would pass muster. But, things have a way of working out. Long story short, Joanne Even, as the HE, found and guided us to a match. Thanks to Joanne’s good work, Amber became companion to a wonderful woman who had specifically re-quested a special needs dog. Amber goes to the dog park and walks the neighborhood with Victoria. A happy ending for us all.

We learned so much from Amber. Dogs like Harry and Amber who seem to us to have dis-abilities, simply don’t accept any limitations. They never seek special treatment or complain. They just make do as well, if not better than most. It’s wonderful experience to behold.

of days.

Of course there were the minor trials. We took our eyes off her one day and the next thing we knew, she was in the pool! She calmly swam over to the side where her panicked foster parents yanked her out. That event re-peated itself a couple of times. Amber quickly figured out where the steps were and was able to get herself out. There is a body of thought that says she enjoyed those little trips to the pool, especially because the peo-ple would jump and shout and give her a towel rub down with lots of love. And a cool dip on a hot day isn’t all bad either.

She took charge of the boys. Amber is 45 pounds soak-ing wet and about the size of a Sheltie. A tiny but very pretty girl. The boys seemed to instinctively understand her situation and showed her the deference gentlemen should. No one approached her food bowl until she was well clear. If she decided to chew the well-worn deer antler, it was hers alone. Aslan, an eighty pound full-sized guy Amber could actually walk under, would lead her around the yard in a very protective way. He didn’t keep her out of the pool, but sometimes guys aren’t all that smart or perhaps there was some collusion in her little scheme. Even Harry, who has only three legs and is generally grouchy and protective of his turf, backed off for Amber. I think I spied a few subtle kisses on the nose shared between the two.

She had the sweetest disposition. She would meet us at the door with the boys, wagging and whining her greet-ing. She climbed in any available lap to snuggle and nuzzle. The picture of her kissing Peg is one our favor-

(Continued from page 2) FOSTER

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c . P a g e 7

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 8 P a g e 8 J A N / F E B / M A R

Kathy, Rylee and Hatteras (fostered Kathy and adopted by Peg and Dave Main.

HOMECHOMECBear adopted Josh and Eileen Nelson back in August and they haven't stopped laughing or throwing tennis balls since

This is my first parade.

There’s room for one more!

Virginia Beach’s Light Up The Town P

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c . P a g e 9

COMINGCOMING

Red Bear

Blondie

I’m hiding!

Tessa asked Santa for her furever home … and I think he heard her wish!

Parade Richmond Santa

Claws

Event

Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy. When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. When it's in your best interest, practice obedience. Let others know when they've invaded your territory. Take naps and stretch before rising. Run, romp and play daily. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On hot days, drink lots of water and lay under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. No matter how often you're scolded, don't buy into the guilt thing and pout...run right back and make friends. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 1 0

Things We Learn From Our Dogs

Yorktown Christmas

Parade

Faith adopted by the York County Events Coordinator Kevin

P a g e 1 1 S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c .

What does Google have to say about Dog Training? The web defines it as “the process of teaching a dog to per-form certain actions in response to certain commands which the dog is trained to perform.” (A lawyer must have written that one.) Wikipedia says: “Dog training is the process of modifying the behavior of a dog, either for it to assist in specific activities or undertake particular tasks, or for it to participate effectively in contemporary domestic life. While training dogs for specific roles dates back to Roman times at least, the training of dogs to be compati-ble household pets developed with suburbanization in the 1950s.” So it is agreed that dog training is about getting a dog to do a particular task on command. However, I would like to submit the following thought for your consid-eration: dog training is more about learning how to build a meaningful relationship with and discovering how to com-municate with your pooch. In order for this to occur, it’s vitally important to train the human as well.

I grew up on a small farm in Chesapeake VA in the 1970’s and 80’s. Everybody had dogs then. We had 3 at one point, though nobody was bigger than about 35 or 40 pounds. We had a very large yard, so when the dogs had to go out, we just opened the door and let them out. They could poop or pee wherever they desired and barked to let us know they were ready to come back in. They gen-erally spent their time chewing rawhides and sleeping on the furniture. We only used the leash when there was a vet visit involved. However, the two littlest dogs (Sheltie and Dachshund) were generally carried. We never got a reliable sit or stay from any of these dogs!

Years pass. Life changes, and stuff happens. My mother and I wound up purchasing a lovely house together in Central Virginia. We had two cats, but I was ready for another dog. It had been a really long time since we’d had a companion dog. I had been busy working and couldn’t devote necessary time as a single person to hav-ing a dog. Since Mom and I now shared a home, some-body would be around just about all the time. We had a nice yard, my work hours were minimal, and, with Mom sharing my home, someone would be around most of the time. Enter Willie.

Willie is my first large dog. He is my first exposure to the Golden Retriever breed. He is so sweet, and loving, and cute, and 80 pounds of STRONG!! Because of his back-ground, we were warned he was a “wanderer” so we had to really keep an eye on him. That meant walking him on leash, because letting him out to entertain himself might mean he would wander to the next county.

This is a breed that needs (and likes) to be exercised. So began my experience of walking on lead with an unruly, excitable and happy Golden Retriever. Once I took him to the Boardwalk for a walk in March. He pulled me off the curb and I suffered a nasty sprained ankle. It was my

Adventures In Dog Training By Patty Mcguire

right foot and I was then unable to drive home in time to go back to work. You can imagine how that went over with the boss. He pulled me down (flat on my behind, that is) two or three times sniffing bunnies over by the Virginia Beach courthouse. He would just about pull my arms out the socket when deer ran in front of us. And squirrels? I don’t even want to talk about it. I was having the worst elbow and wrist pain. Took me a while to figure out why!! Walking him at Sweet Briar College where we live turned into an exhausting and draining experience of constant pulling. It was becoming more of a chore to take him out than something we both enjoyed. However, the final straw was when my Mom took him out for his walk one day when I was away. He pulled down onto the pave-ment. She’s 80, so you can understand why this was so alarming. I couldn’t risk Willie hurting Mom, so, I had to find a solution.

Enter Canine Campus in Charlottesville. We started in basic obedience a little over 6 months ago. Willie was so unruly I couldn’t even have him in the main class area with the other dogs. He was pulling so hard to greet eve-ryone and whining to go visit on top of that. The distrac-tions were just too much for him. And quite frankly it was exhausting for me as well. We started out in one of the side rooms with Dutch doors. We could hear what was going on, and I could work with him in the room where he could focus on me and not the distractions. This is the brainchild of Deven Gaston, dog trainer extraordinaire. She focuses first on building a good relationship with your dog and then taking it one step at a time. By the end of the 6-week class, we were able to have the door open and sit partially in the room with the other participants. It was great. But it was only the beginning.

I have kept Willie continuously in class since basic obedi-ence. Once a week we drive to Charlottesville for doggie school. Let me explain that this is a big deal, because it requires 120 miles of round trip driving every time. Going there for class is a commitment, not just of money, but also significant time. Why do that? The next closest place is Pet Smart in Lynchburg, which would require 50 miles of roundtrip driving. It’s so much closer, but, what do you get? It’s a 6-week class taught by young employ-ees who did an online course as part of their job. That’s it. These are not the best-trained individuals out there. And there’s only the one class. That’s it. I cannot tell you how many people I meet who take their dog to that one 6-week class at Pet Smart and wonder why the dog still has no manners! Well, first and foremost, Pet Smart misses the aspect of training as being the development of a rela-tionship. Think about that concept for a minute. The hu-man needs to learn a few things, too. All dogs are differ-ent and have their own unique personalities. It takes time to get to know one another. Dogs, like people, have differ-

(Continued on page 13)

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 1 2

Are you watching your dog’s weight but he can’t seem to get enough to eat? Here are some things you can add to their meal to help fill them up: raw baby carrots, plain canned pumpkin (not the pie filling), or frozen green beans or broc-coli pieces steamed in the microwave just long enough to soften them. Don’t use canned because of additives, espe-cially salt. Air popped pop corn sans salt and butter make a great snack and dogs love it! Toss it for them to catch!

Make a resolution to brush your pet’s teeth. Always use a toothbrush and toothpaste specially made for dogs.

Get out there and walk with your pet. Don’t just let him out in the yard all the time, get the leash and go for a real walk. It will be rewarding to both of you!

Teach your pet a new trick this year. Try to capitalize on something he does that you could develop in to something cute he could do on queue. Use little treats to coax him and gradually taper them off as he catches on and just give a reward at the end. Great bonding exercise!

K I B BL E

NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Due to changes in staff schedules, we are once again in need of someone willing to put the newsletter together four times a year. Need someone with a good working knowledge of MS Publisher and Acrobat Professional, an eye for design, and great organizational skills. We need someone to train to take over within the next six months. A team would be great to share responsibilities. It isn’t hard and doesn’t take a lot of time.

CALENDAR EDITOR: This is someone with knowledge of Photoshop, MS Publisher, and Acrobat Professional, an eye for design, and organiza-tional skills. This person would be responsible for collecting and selecting pictures for the calendar, formatting pictures and pages in Photoshop to meet publishing standards, design/maintain the calendar pages, prepare final copy and edit proof for the printer. This job becomes a little demand-ing in June and July but it is fun and very rewarding. A lot of groundwork has already been developed. Need someone to start training now to take over the 2014 Calendar. Publication deadline is the end of August.

Direct inquiries to Liz Sumner at grreattimes@adoptagolden.com

WANTED! Newsletter & Calendar Editors

We were the SEVA GRREAT foster family for Jessie in 2002 and, shortly after meeting her, we knew we should adopt her. What a great decision! She was, in many respects, the focal point of our life and an integral member of our extended family. Shortly after getting to know her we real-ized how compassionate she was with elderly people – particularly Pauline’s 95-year old mother with whom she was always gentle and pro-tective. She passed certification for the therapy dog program with flying colors and was always a big hit when we took her to a local continuing care facility where she visited those in assisted living and also convales-cent care. What great memories we have – and our children and grand-children have – of “Jessie Red.” We will always think of her reminding us of her rigid schedule for eating, taking walks, retiring for the evening, etc. You could come close to being able to set your watch by what Jessie ex-

pected (and sometimes demanded) to do next. So you won’t think she was perfect, she never learned to like other than short car trips and was terribly afraid of thunder.

We are grateful that SEVA GRREAT found her for us. She reinforced our commitment to supporting this wonderful organization of volunteers – individuals and veterinary service that work tirelessly to save unwanted Goldens, treat their injuries and health conditions as necessary, place them in foster care and subsequently in a forever home where they will find love, compassion and happiness. We are also grateful – and Jessie was also – to Dr. Anita Weidinger and the staff at York Veterinary Hospital for the wonderful care she always received there and to Haurand Kennels in West Point where she went “to camp, not to jail” for almost ten years whenever we travelled. She loved the dog swim-ming pool there.

Jessie gave everyone she met the same uncompromising love she gave us. We miss her very much and still call out to her when we come home, look for her sunbathing on the screened porch or lying on the deck in Nags Head watching the ocean.

“Jessie Red” By Jim O’Connell

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c . P a g e 1 3

ent learning styles. If you can’t tell by now, I am someone who passionately believes in on-going dog training. Do you remember 9th grade algebra? If you didn’t keep practicing equations, how could you remember? Dogs aren’t any different. They need consistent reminders and homework to remember things, too.

Seek out a private dog trainer for your classes. There are several great ones in the Hampton Roads area. Find someone who utilizes Humane Partnership and not Dominance Theory. Humane practices focus on using compas-sionate consequences to reward good behaviors. Utilize praise and hugs and fetch along with food to reward the dog instead of a show of dominance to force the dog to do what you want. Which would you respond better to? Think about it.

What I have learned is that dog training is not just about getting a dog to do something you want on cue. It is also learning how the dog thinks and what their needs are. If you better understand your animal, you can communicate better. If you are communicating better, then everybody understands what’s being asked of him or her. I have learned to pay much better attention to my dog when we are out training. Now I can see when he’s overwhelmed and needs a break. I know how to help him feel confident in new situations. He is learning that the better behaved he is, the more cool stuff he gets to do. We both win.

We just finished our last class in the Canine Good Citizen course. We will be testing sometime in the next couple of weeks. I hope Willie can pass, but if he doesn’t, we will simply keep working and try it again. If we don’t pass, it’s not all on Willie. It means that, I, as his trainer, have not explained well enough what I need him to do. This whole thing is about partnership. And, even if he passes this first time, we will be in another class in January and take the Ther-apy Dog Prep class after that. We may never do any Therapy work, but I would like for Willie to have some options.

Adopting a dog is like any other long-term, committed relationship. It requires time and energy. It requires on-going work with communication and finding fun things to do together. Willie is my best friend and the love of my life. I am so happy we tried out the classes together and have developed a relationship that is on a far different level than any-thing I have previously experienced. I finally understand what having a companion, not a pet, means.

Patty McGuire and her SEVA GRREAT Golden Retriever Rescue dog live in Amherst VA where they take long country walks and engage in dog training several days a week all over the area. You can visit Willie at his home on the web at EverybodyLovesWil-lie.tumblr.com.

(Continued from page 11) ADVENTURES

tic when greeting people. We are taking it slow and he is learning that the more restrained he can learn to be, the more cool stuff he gets to do. My challenge is to work with his lov-ing personality without taking any of that away from him. The last thing I want to do is diminish his beautiful and loving es-sence. I am certain we can both learn the things we need to learn and will eventually be able to visit people who need his love in all sorts of settings.

Since having Willie, my best friend lost her battle with cancer. She died earlier this year. It remains very hard for me to ac-cept, and I find myself still thinking of her every day. I really miss her. Having Willie is a direct connection to her. I like to think she is present with us in doggie class and that she will walk with us when we test for his certifications. I’m going to ask her to be there. I know it will help us both.

Willie has lifted me from some pretty serious loneliness to be-ing a happy person again. He has shown me what’s important in life, and where my focus should be. He reminds me life is short and there is so much to be enjoyed in the simplest of pleasures.

Ed—Willie just had an accident getting into the van and has been diagnosed with hip dysplasia. Keep him and Patty in your prayers.

(Continued from page 3) WILLIE

Samantha

JAN / FEB / MAR P a g e 1 4

GRREAT ADS

GRREAT Times is now offering advertising space.

Rates per issue for vari-ous size ads are:

1/4 Page $ 50

1/2 Page $100

Full Page $150

All artwork must be in jpg format. Email requests to grreattimes@ adop-tagolden.com. Every effort will be made to put your ad in the desired issue.

GRREAT Times is published quarterly the second week of January, April, July, and October. Deadline for sub-mitting an AD will the 1st of the month prior to the publi-cation date.

Adoptions

Hank — 2 y/o male

The Coucher Family

Sammie — 3 y/o male

The Nelson Family

Precious — 1 y/o female

The Beall Family

Baby Ruth — 1 y/o female

The Adamcik Family

Chewbacca — 3 y/o male

The Wathen Family

Bear — 4 y/o male

The Nelson Family

Kato — 1 y/o male

The Crawford Family

Mickie/Cody — 1.5 y/o male

The Garner Family

Ellie — 5 y/o female

The Amick Family

Amber — 1.5 y/o female

The Wise Family

Samantha — 11 y/o female

The Nelms Family

Brandi — 1.5 y/o female

The Wilson Family

Sam — 7 y/o male

The Murphy Family

Porter — 8 y/o female

The Harr Family

Holly — 7 y/o female

The Face/Perez Family

We have decided to make “homecoming” a feature in each newsletter to feature dogs that have been adopted from us over the years. Send us a picture (identify everyone in it, please) with your dog’s name, when you adopted it, your name and a few words or more about your dog.

Stories are welcomed, too!

Email to: grreattimes@adoptagolden.com

Submit Your Story! Submitting Photos

When you submit your pictures for pub-lication in print, please submit the origi-nal digital image of no less than 300 dpi. If you aren’t sure, send the original for the best quality rendering. I can make a picture smaller but I can not make one larger. A picture of 72 pixels per inch is fine for on-line viewing but I find a mini-mum of 300 is needed for print. Don’t worry about the file size; if you can send it, I can receive it.— Ed.

Rebel — 4 y/o male

The Selfridge Family

Reef — y/o male

The Weber Family

Buddy — 7 y/o male

The Raymonds Family

Tanner — 7 y/o male

The Andersdon Family

Lacy — 7 y/o female

The Greenlee Family

Ginnie — 1-2 y/o female

The Turton Family

Buddy — 5 y/o male

The Kamperschroer Family

Simon — 1 y/o male

The Gay Family

Emma — 1 y/o female

The Butler Family

Bailey — 10 y/o female

The Lemmond Family

Tessa — 3-5 y/o female

The Jezierski Family

Legato — 3 y/o male

The Marquis Family

Chipper — 10 y/o male

The Morris Family

Simba — 5 y/o male

The Pritchard Family

Bear

Commonwealth of

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GRREAT Times is a quarterly publication of SEVA GRREAT, Inc., an all-volunteer, nonprofit organization dedicated to finding homes for homeless Goldens. For more information, call our Hotline at 757-827-8561 or visit our web site at www.sevagrreat.org. To contact the newsletter editor with suggestions, comments, or send materials and photos for inclusion, send e-mail to grreattimes@adoptagoden.com, or write Attn: Newsletter Editor, PO Box 8014, Yorktown, VA 23693. SEVA GRREAT disclaims all responsibility for omissions or errors.

SE VA GRREAT Contact Information

President Dottie Cleal president@adoptagolden.com

Vice President Jane Frye vice_president@adoptagolden.com

Treasurer Jim O’Connell treasurer@adoptagolden.com

Secretary Nikki Seger secretary@adoptagolden.com

Golden Day Coordinators Southside: Kathy Speak

Peninsula: Donna Roggmann

Richmond: Jennifer Dauzier

Intake Coordinator Rose Bennett intake@adoptagolden.com

Foster Coordinator Katie Show fostering@adoptagolden.com

Adoption Coordinator Kelly O’Brien adoptions@adoptagolden.com

Membership Jacob Kay membership@adoptagolden.com

Volunteer Coordinator Quanzhan Li volunteering@adoptagolden.com

Board Member Kathy Speak grreatrescue@gmail.com

Merchandise Justin Passori merchandise@adoptagolden.com

Fundraising Lindsey Downes fundraising@adoptagolden.com

RESCUE HOTLINE 757-827-8561

Press For

1 If you think you have found one of our Goldens based on the SEVA GRREAT tag or microchip.

2 To leave a message for the Presi-dent

3 To give up a Golden Retriever or get more info on our intake proc-ess,

4 For Information on Golden Days and other events.

5 To check on the status of an adoption or foster application.

6 For all other questions.

National Dog Registry 1-800-NDR-DOGS

Foster Dog Medical Care YORK VETERINARY CLINIC

Yorktown 757-898-3700

COOKE VET MEDICAL CENTER Chesapeake

757-547-9421 QUIOCCASIN VET HOSPITAL

Richmond 804-741-3200

ACREDALE ANIMAL HOSPITAL Virginia Beach 757-523-6100

ANDERSON’S CORNER Toano

757-566-2224

SEVA GRREAT

PO BOX 8014

YORKTOWN, VA

S o u t h e a s t e r n V i r g i n i a G o l d e n R e t r i e v e r R e s c u e , E d u c a t i o n & T r a i n i n g , I n c .

757-827-8561 www.sevagrreat.org

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