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Now that Raven's puppies have been placed, we are turning to next steps at B.E.S.T. Service Dogs. I have started service dog training (owner trained) for a local VFW post here in Sacramento. It seems that owner trained service dogs - where the owner of the dog/puppy trains their own dog- is one of the ways that we can get more dogs to help more people. Stay tuned for more on the "T" (training) for B.E.S.T.!
Last September we hosted our first art show fundraiser for B.E.S.T. We had 20 local artists participate with all types of art! Photography, Graphic Design, Quilts, Mural Art, Mixed Media, Encaustic Wax Process, Pottery, Watercolor and more! It was a great show in a garden setting. People had snacks and drinks as they wandered through the art and talked with the artists. The art was donated and fundraised by silent auction. It was our B.E.S.T. fundraiser ever! We are planning another show in September this year, and we are already in the planning stages to make it bigger and better than before! Follow along on Facebook and here as we prepare for the next big event!
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Tucker aka Casa de Oro's Summer Moon and Raven aka Caercreeks Raven Heart at Casa de Oro had a litter of 6 beautiful YELLOW pups on September 17! I was pretty sure we were going to have all blacks! Nature is an amazing thing. The puppies are getting so fat and playful right now. They are 6 weeks old and will only be here for 2 more weeks! The time goes by so fast when you are taking care of puppies!! They are the sweetest litter ever, so quiet, sweet and playful, just like their mommy. Raven Heart is a first time mom and she has done beautifully. She still takes care of them and hangs out with them. I'm sure they are quiet and confident because of her gentle nature. At least 4 will be going to service, 2 at Good Dog Service Canines, and 2 to owner trained service dogs. One of those might even be a breeding prospect for Joyful Paws Service Dogs! So exciting! Wish all our sweet pups good luck on their new journey to change a persons life for the better!  Where does the time go? Our last post was about an upcoming event, and well, we changed the date. But that doesn't make it any less exciting!
Everyone thinks that their dog is the best, and they are right! Watch for the donation opportunities coming up and celebrate with us! We are so grateful for the BEST friends!  Baby Abby is growing so fast. All she wants to do it play/fight with the bigger dogs! We have to figure out who is good for who, as not everyone is as thrilled to play with the bitey baby! Especially Tucker. She is about 45lbs now and feeling her oats. Serious training is about to begin. She's super food motivated and is a smart cookie, but already looking at me like, where's the treats! Raven has come to stay for a bit and she is a delight. What a great girl. I can't wait to see her puppies! We are waiting for her time. We have an announcement to make! Stay tuned for our big announcement in the next week or so! Save the Date - August 28th! More to come  Meet Abby! our new puppy from Summer's Starry Skye and Spirithawks' Cheveyo! Her AKC name is actually Casa de Oro's Spirit! She is the last of our original Casa de Oro line and we are so excited to have her! We call her Abby, or Abby the Labby. Or right now, Abby the Alligator, as she has razor sharp baby teeth! She is adorable as you can tell and she is also super smart! She is a loving pup, happy to give kisses and snuggles and loves to fetch! I can't wait to get her in the water and see if the true Labrador swimmer is in there! She is brave and confident as well. We have great hopes for her in the future! Meanwhile, here at the Rancho we are all getting used to having a new puppy around! Big man Tucker is a grouch, doesn't like the sharp teeth, Sophie could really care less, and funny, Joy has become her complete buddy! She is teaching her that there is play time and quiet time, squirrels to chase and keep yourself to your own bowl of food! She is growing like a weed so I need to document her growth here. Stay tuned, and thank you for your support!  Well the time has come to say goodbye to two of the puppies that we have so lovingly raised here. Yellow collar girl has gone on to 4 Paws 2 Freedom, a non-profit here in Sacramento that trains service dogs for veterans with PTSD! We hope all good things for her in her new journey! And as she is local, we get to see what she is up to! We will share here when we get updates! And the ABSOLUTELY darling boy (my fav) found the perfect family with 3 active kids to keep him busy and them company. They too are local and they promise to send photos as he grows. That leaves little green collar girl. Last but certainly not least! She will be taking her place as out new addition to Casa de Oro kennel. She will be a hopeful for breeding in a few years, meanwhile we get to have fun with her! More to come about her!   Starry's puppies are here and are already 4 weeks old! Boy has that time flown by! The are doing well and growing leaps and bounds! One boy and two girls. We are so happy that Starry finally gave us some of the most beautiful pups! The sire is Ch Spirithawk's Chevyo. One of these beauties will stay with us for breeding more lovely, sweet dogs for our programs.
We are still hoping to place one or two of our pups in service. It really depends on if the puppy has the right temperament and work ethic to be a service dog. Time will tell! We test our puppies at 7 weeks of age to see how they are progressing. We need puppy petters! If you are local, just let us know and you can come and get some of that precious puppy breath! As you know, Covid 19 has devastated just about everybody and everything, and that includes service dog organizations! No opportunities to get out in the world, or to fundraise. Some service dog organizations are no longer accepting applications from clients! It is a crazy time for everyone. And we need your help! . We have many opportunities for you to support our work of creating independence through canine partnerships! You can donate here on our website- we have a new tribute section where you can dedicate your donation in memory of a beloved pet or family member. You can donate in celebration of an event such as a wedding or birthday. Or you can donate as a tribute to someone special in your life. Check it out! You can choose a recurring monthly amount to give and be part of our process! You also can go to smile.amazon.com and check out our puppy needs list. Find something that speaks to you to donate! it can be on the list or something you found that is fun! Last but not least, if you are like me, we are ordering ALOT through Amazon. Through www.smile.amazon.com, you can order like you normally do, just select our non-profit and Amazon will donate a portion of all sales to us, and you don't have to do anything! Thank you for the support of B.E.S.T. Service Dogs! - jan  Yes! You heard right! We are expecting puppies! Our dear Starry girl (daughter of beloved Skye) is finally expecting in February! We are beyond excited. This was our last effort in a a couple of years of trial. She will be retired after this litter.
We bred our sweet Sophie to Skye years ago in the hope that we would get a pup with the smarts of Sophie and the peaceful easiness of our dear Skye. The perfect service dog! He was my heart dog and I miss him still. He was 11 at the time of the breeding! it was truly a miracle that she conceived. She had 3 pups. One boy and 2 girls. I just knew that Starry would be the one to keep. We will be searching out placements for the pups, but won't know where exactly until they grow and we see how they develop.(the fun part). We hope most, if not all, will go to service dog organizations to help those in need of independence and companionship. Thank you to all our donors and supporters for hanging in there with us! Hopefully we will have a second litter later this year with our girl Raven Heart. Keep sending us your positive vibes that the pups arrive healthy and safe. Check this space and our facebook page at www.facebook.com/bestservicedogs  HOPE. I think that is what we all want to see, hear and believe. This year has been like no other, and it has strained just about everything and everyone in every walk of life. Here at B.E.S.T. Service Dogs this last year has been all about PATIENCE. We didn't get a litter of pups when we expected one and since then, we have been waiting for some new arrivals and new chances. We have been working on fundraising, software changes, updating the facilities, and keeping all the dogs happy and healthy. Baby Joy turned one years old in August and is turning into a beautiful girl! She has her own opinion about things, and we have not been able to socialize her as much. We did receive quite a blessing in September when a lovely gal named Lacy came to help with dog walks and getting her out and about! She has a way to go, but I think she will be just lovey and lovely.
We have HOPE that the new year will be one of rest and recuperation from all the stresses of covid, HOPE that the disease will come under control and we don't have to be as afraid, and HOPE that we will have some pups this next year! Now, more that ever, puppies are needed for children on the autism spectrum and for our veterans with PTSD. As many clinics and meetings are cancelled, people cannot connect to get the help they need. Dogs in general are in HIGH demand! and for good reason. Please keep us in mind as this year closes for your end of the year tax-deductible donations. Donations of $300 and below are 100% deductible (consult your tax person). go to - www.bestservicedogs.org/donate. We wish you all good health in the coming year, and we are so grateful to you all for your love and support of B.E.S.T. Service Dogs. Thank you! As part of this annual fundraiser, I wanted to offer something extra. We are raffling off this beautiful quilt! Featuring the beautiful art work of Dean Russo dogs, I created a windowpane look for the quilt. It is 38” x 50”, perfect to snuggle up with a good book, or a furry buddy. It would make a beautiful wall hanging as well for your home or office. Or for the veterinarian office! The backing of this quilt is called “Cuddle” and it is perfect! With a look and feel of soft velvet, but with the convenience of being completely washable! The top and batting are 100% cotton. The panel came from our local shop, Swifty Stitches and the Cuddle comes from our local shop CaliQuitCo! The raffle tickets are 1 for every $10 of donation. But if you donate $50 you will get 7 tickets! If you donate $100 you get 15 tickets! But for as little as a $10 donation, you could win this beauty! The raffle will be drawn on Giving Tuesday, December 1, 2020 at 5:00pm Pacific Time. Share with well, everybody! If you have already donated and want to be in the raffle just let me know. And for you monthly donors (Thank you!!) I will PM you. Donate at www.bestservicedogs.org and on Facebook at B.E.S.T. Service Dogs (I think it’s www.facebook.com/bestservicedogs)   |
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