Shartlesville Lions heard a two-prong message from First Vice District Governor Ken Snyder when he visited the club recently.
His interesting presentation concerned both Leader Dogs, an International Lions program, in Rochester, Michigan and Chester County’s Canine Partners for Life, here in Pennsylvania.
VDG Snyder and his companion Linda experienced various aspects of Leader Dog training when they were in Michigan, said 1st VDG Snyder as he shared how he was blindfolded and walked with his temporary Guide Dog, Sasha.
Sasha and her four-legged colleagues follow similar paths to becoming a Leader Dog. That includes six weeks of puppyhood at the Leader Dog kennels, lately under renovation, and then sent being off to their temporary families for initial training.
After their time with those families the puppies, now over a year old, are evaluated and if they pass that evaluation, they begin formal training.
“The whole thing was an amazing experience,” said Lion Snyder.
Once the dog “graduates” and a match is found, the client lives at the facility for 26 days. Those dogs and clients come from all over the country.
“They typically give eight to nine years of service,” shared Lion Snyder.
He had visited Canine Partners for Life the day before speaking at the Shartlesville Lions Club and told the members and guests, “They teach the dogs to pick up things,” mentioning items in wood, plastic and metal.
“I was really impressed,” he said of the Cochranville facility.
The dogs trained at that facility include Service Dogs, Seizure Alert Dogs, Cardiac Alert Dogs as well as Companion Dogs.
Anyone wanting more information about either of these groups can visit their respective web sites, www.leaderdog.org or www.k94life.org. or contact Lions Ist Vice District Governor Snyder at kenwapiti@comcast.net.
