Hero Dogs Candy takes in views of the Shenandoah

We are excited to share with you our new email newsletter, The Paw Print. Upcoming events, announcements, stories and spotlights—these periodic newsletters keep you up to date on what is happening at Hero Dogs!

Hero Dogs Bert is a 20-month old Labrador retriever currently splitting his time between Advanced Training at Hero Dogs and the boarding school where he will soon be a full-time facility dog. Hero Dogs facility dogs assist people in ways distinct from other types of working and service dogs. In partnership with a trained handler employed by the facility, they work full-time with facility staff to achieve specific treatment or program goals through animal-assisted therapy. Bert's facility? St. Albans School —an all-boys day and boarding school in Washington, DC, for student grades 4 through 12. While Bert is currently only working part-time at St. Albans, he has already made quite an impact on the students. Alongside his school psychologist handler, Bert participates in activities including: visiting classrooms joining therapy sessions with students, parents, & staff going on "walking sessions" with students with the aim of managing stress and encouraging mindfulness Some of the most noteworthy benefits his handler has noticed: "[Bert's ability to] be a 'bridge' for students who would otherwise avoid coming into my office. Several students have come in 'just to say hi to Bert' and ended up talking with me as well. This has helped rapport with some hard-to-reach students, a huge benefit to the work I do ."

Follow Bert on Instagram to keep up with his work at St. Albans!

"There's one student here with Asperger's who has been particularly hard for me (and others) to connect with. . . . Since Bert has been here, this boy has come into my office almost each time [Bert]'s here and said hello to me. Even when Bert isn't here now, the student smiles and says hello to me in the hallway. This may seem like a small thing, but this is a kid I've been trying to connect with for 2 years ..."

Out & About

Hero Dogs staff and dedicated volunteers—along with service dogs in training and therapy dogs—are regularly invited to attend events around the DC metro region.

These welcome opportunities offer dogs in advanced training an audience as they refine their skills, introduce growing puppies to new people, places, and smells, and allow us to spread the word about Hero Dogs! Below are just some of the events Hero Dogs attended last quarter.

Fundraiser at Hornet's Nest Grille 8/19/19 Fundraiser at Mission BBQ 8/26/19 Damascus Freedom 5K 9/8/19 30th Annual All Chevy/GM Car Show 9/14/19

Executive Director Nikki Charles, Founder & Program Director Jennifer Lund, Ph.D., and Trainer Becca Cooper attended the 2019 Assistance Dogs International (ADI) Conference in Indianapolis, Indiana from September 8th through 11th. Hero Dogs is looking forward to utilizing the knowledge gained to continue preparing for the organization's accreditation with ADI in 2020.

Staff Updates Hero Dogs is happy to announce the promotions of two of its staff members. Sabrina Zambito passed the Certification Council for Professional Dog Trainers ( CCPDT ) exam in September and has been promoted to Trainer at Hero Dogs. Stepping up to fill Sabrina's prior role is Loren Spring. Previously a Kennel Technician, Loren was recently named Kennel Manager. Hero Dogs is very fortunate to benefit from their professional growth and accomplishments.

Sabrina Zambito Trainer

Loren Spring Kennel Manager

Hero Dogs' Breeding Program Update Hero Dogs Clara Barton

Our goal at Hero Dogs is to fulfill our mission while remaining committed to the continued health and success of our dogs and their humans. That goal continues as we develop our own breeding program. Originally, we had planned to breed Clara twice and then let her have an off-cycle before breeding again.  However, after talking with other programs at the Assistance Dogs International conference and looking at more recent research , we have learned that it is actually better for healthy dogs to breed every cycle. Dogs who skip cycles have a significantly higher risk of mammary cancers, and pregnancies help protect against life threatening uterine diseases like endometrial hyperplasia and pyometra.

As long as the female maintains her body condition during pregnancy, whelping, and lactation, then it is completely normal for her to breed each cycle . Assuming she and her puppies continue to be in good health , our plan is to breed Clara twice more before spaying her.

Upcoming Events November 10 th : Kennel Volunteer Orientation November 17 th : Puppy Program Orientation November 17 th : Introduction to Hero Dogs December 3 rd : Giving Tuesday December 14 th : Introduction to Hero Dogs

Participating in the CFC? Hero Dogs is #20303

Renovations at Hero Dogs

Lots of exciting changes are happening at Hero Dogs this fall! With supportive funding from the Philip L. Graham Fund , Hero Dogs has contracted with KMJ Companies to enclose the space between the kennel and the classroom to create dedicated administrative space for our operations staff, a new conference room, and additional storage space. This expansion will allow us to house additional advanced training dogs, increase efficiency, and professionalize the facility. We appreciate your patience and flexibility as we undergo the construction process. Kennel volunteers will be kept apprised of any changes in access and process via email from the kennel manager.

Follow Us! Do you enjoy cute dog photos? Follow @HeroDogsInc on Instagram to keep up with our adorable updates! Save the Date! Join us for our Spring Graduation ceremony on May 31 st , 2020 at 2pm at Our Lady of Good Counsel HS. More details to come in 2020.

Proud to be named "One of the Best" Nonprofits in the Greater Washington region by the Catalogue for Philanthropy

‌ ‌ ‌