Chips and Jed

Teamed Summer, 2003

"I have several chronic medical problems, some of them painful but none of them immediately life threatening, which together cause difficulty with strength, balance, coordination, walking, grasping and holding on to things. For the past 23 years, I worked as Dean of University of San Diego's John Muir College. I loved my job, but years before I ever wanted to retire, my health forced my departure on permanent disabled status. My sole option, it seemed, was to stay "home alone" without the entry or mobility to get out of the house, interact with people, and have some stimulation in my life. Then my wife Anna and I discovered Paws'itive Teams! to make a long story short, I'm now paired with Jed, a Golden Retriever/Yellow Lab cross, and this is proving to be a great match! Jed helps me in the traditional ways by fetching many items (including a phone in the 'Help! I've fallen and can't get up' scenario). I constantly drop objects and have difficulty bending to pick them up, but Jed is always there to lend a ... muzzle. Additionally, even though I still must walk with a cane, having Jed on a short lead in my other hand gives me extra stability. Jed's enthusiasm is both adorable and contagious, and he lifts my spirits as well as those he meets. Not only does Jed make it possible for me to have independent mobility, but he brings out the best in other people" Chips