There were a few cancellations due to Hurricane Sandy passing by the area a few days earlier, but there was still a nice turn-out. Caryn Self-Sullivan gave a talk on clicker training:
While she talked, and since Sadie and Katie weren't with us and I needed a greyhound fix, I took a moment to massage Beka's ear:
In between talks, Jim Nelson and René Agredano of Tripawds and the Sunday morning speakers stopped by with their tripod dog Wyatt. What a great dog he is:
Patti Goettler of Greyt Hearts Service Dogs gave her talk about Greyhounds as service dogs:
This is Liberty, a Greyhound service dog:
Dr. Nancy Gustafson talked about canine osteosarcoma:
After a nice dinner in downtown Fredericksburg, we returned to the hotel. I took a picture of TJ, who is 28 months post-amputation due to osteo. I was astounded when I learned that:
Then it was time to listen to Fabien Cousteau discuss man's relationship with the ocean and all the animals that dwell in it. It was interesting to learn that his grandmother often brought a dog along whenever his grandfather's research vessel Calypso sailed on a voyage with Fabien aboard. This only reinforced his love of animals, and in particular his love of dogs.
Then it was time to listen to Fabien Cousteau discuss man's relationship with the ocean and all the animals that dwell in it. It was interesting to learn that his grandmother often brought a dog along whenever his grandfather's research vessel Calypso sailed on a voyage with Fabien aboard. This only reinforced his love of animals, and in particular his love of dogs.
He is a really cool and down-to-earth guy. We had a great time talking to him.
After his talk was over I took a group picture:
I'll share a few pictures taken on Sunday in the next post.
How interesting! I wasn't familiar with Greyt Hearts Service Dogs. I'm so glad to see greyhounds breaking in to this area. Love your photo of TJ. I had to give a little chuckle about your need for a greyhound "fix." The weekend after our first greyhound died, Henry and I got in the car and went to a Meet & Greet because I needed to kiss some greyhound face.
ReplyDeleteone doesn't immediately think of greyhounds as service dogs, but patti showed it's possible. she had four or five service hounds there that weekend.
Deletei'll take any opportunity to love on a hound if a hound is willing to put up with it.
Wow that looks like a great time. The photo of TJ gives me hope having lost my own tripawd to osteo after 11 months.
ReplyDeletei'm sorry for your loss, and that you know all too well what that journey was like. all too few survive as long as tj has, but then i'm glad to see, with tj as an example, that it's not out of the realm of possibility, either.
ReplyDeleteI met Wyatt and his people at BlogPaws! He was the first dog I saw there, right in the lobby, and I felt so much better -- especially after he gave me his wag of approval. Your whole weekend must have been fantastic! I had a friend who had a dog make it almost three years post amputation. I am hoping they make a lot more advances soon.
ReplyDeleteas i understand it, wyatt lost his leg due to an injury and not from cancer. he has so much more head, fur, ears, etc. than the greyhounds. such a great dog.
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