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I am so thankful for your help Janice. It was just that ONE thing with Charity. That was it. It was the deal breaker. We got the food thing worked out. We got walking together worked out. We worked out how to play together and we got our routine down. BUT it was that ONE thing. That, no "OFF" button. If you hadn't come, Charity and I would have HAD to part company.
You would be proud....I think. Since you showed me how to "claim" things and "block," I 've been doing it. Yesterday I was putting up crown molding and using my dremel. Charity doesn't like loud noise, especially the noise of that little power tool. She growled and barked. She lunged to attack it in my hand. I kept it in my hand and advanced toward her until she backed off. Each time I turned it on and went back to work she advanced and did the same. I almost gave up and put her in the crate so I could get on with my job, BUT, I decided to hang in there, so we could, hopefully, extinguish this behavior.
I won the battle, as I did not give up or in, and Charity finally sat quietly and watched.
By the end of the night she was uninterested in the dremel completely. THANK GOD!!!
(Okay, Thanks Janice!)
Thanks for asking about Charity. She is.....adjusting. These long days when I go to work, she doesn't like, needless to say. I realized today, when I was in the bathroom getting ready, that she was walking around whimpering. She has now been around long enough to know, this comes before each long day. Before I left today she took that same sneaker, which you had claimed. I went and reclaimed it and she growled at me....of course, but finally gave in and sat down. This is a huge improvement! No escalation. No teeth! No lunging toward me. (Thank you Janice!)
She is doing better with the dog walkers too, since they had stayed that Thursday night before I had met you. They have since come over so I could show them what you had shown me. Charity is getting to know them. They left a more positive note for me this evening.
Just wanted to thank you, again and again, for helping Charity and I and for being there for us. We couldn't have made it without you. And......we have made it....And I am so proud of Charity! Below is the picture Companion Animal Advocates used on their poster, which we got to see today at the "Carnival for the Dogs," in Ridgewood. I think you can tell from the picture how inseparable we are......she's my baby!
Thank you for all of your help Janice. REALLY!
At times I have to keep rewinding the tape of you saying: "You have to stop feeling bad about her being in the crate.....where do you think she would be all the time if it wasn't for you.....in the crate all day and all night!" I need to remember that. These are the tough nights. She really didn't want to play by the rules last night on our walk. She ran away from me when I had let her go up at the office building lot which I lhave been letting her run at. Stopped before the street, where I got her. (Therein ended her freedom!) Then she refused to walk, esp. with the "Gentle Leader." I dragged her so far and so long (Back to scene of the crime), I worked up a sweat and got out to breath! She wasn't too happy either. However, once she decided it was easier to walk than to be dragged, she was the perfect lady. Go figure!
Thank you, again, Janice for coming to help me. These are the nights I would dread coming home from work. For the first two weeks I had her, I wouldn't eat, because that was going to be an issue I didn't have the energy for. I would come home to this dog full of energy....wound up...and ready for a fight. You have given me the edge. I just had to know how to "claim" my space!!!!!!!!!!
Just from meeting you and speaking with you for those few hours I got my mom's yorkie terrier "bowie" to stop jumping on me when i walked into the house or while i was eating dinner. My mom and uncle were pretty dumbfounded as to how easy it was to get him to stop doing this. Thank you for that :) I think the book will be a hit :) have a great night. tammy
Janice..
I can't thank you enough...You've changed quite a few lives-both human and canine-for the better today. I know I speak for the group, as well as myself when I say you are truly amazing. Thank you. 6.21.08 chihuahua.meetup.com/473/
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Janice,
Thank you so much for coming and speaking to us all and giving individual help to everyone in need. It was very helpful and inspiring. I never thought that a person would be able to hold Manny comfortably. I was almost brought to tears when I saw that practically everyone in the room could hold him. You have brought me a new understanding of dogs. I feel so bad for all the times that I have blamed the dogs, when it should have been myself making the changes. We still have work ahead of us and will be reading your book.
Thank you,
Nikki, Jay, Chico, Manny and Bebe
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Merlin’s Kids, Inc.
866-964-DOGS
(866-964-3647)
Harry and Emmy
Merlin’s Kids is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation established to provide services that are either unavailable or financially prohibitive, to the special needs community and family. There are several facets to Merlin’s Kids: (1) provider of autism service dogs as well as to others in need, regardless of the disability, on an “individual needs” basis, (2) rescue and rehabilitation of strays, shelter dogs, and others in need, (3) rescue and rehabilitation of horses and other domesticated animals, (4) provision of a safe haven and proper care for any animal or child in need, (5) a location for special programs including summer camp, to teach children how to better interact with the world around them, (6) provide delivery of services, at no cost, to elderly and disabled adults or children in need by way of community service of college-bound teenagers seeking to help others, and (7) to provide any service or fulfill any dream of any special child in need of hope.
Merlin’s Kids has a broad mission statement in order to ensure that no child in need is refused that which others more privileged would receive. The ultimate goal of Merlin’s Kids is to enable children “with issues” to become caring, generous, and productive members of society. Since animals have powers far beyond those of humans, to comfort, mollify, and “get through” to those with issues, Merlin’s Kids seeks to rehabilitate animals “with issues” with the help of these children “with issues”, helping both along the way. Merlin’s Kids will also assist these children, upon their completion of the program, in garnering job opportunities, scholarships, and apprenticeships, as they may desire. Once again, the goal is to provide services that are currently either unavailable or financially prohibitive to those in need.
Merlin’s Kids was first conceptualized and created as the brainchild of its founder, a cancer survivor, who searched for a reason why she survived while so many of her friends did not. She strived to help others who had nowhere to turn in times of dejection and sheer hopelessness, and thus set off to “save the world”. She learned that in order to change THE whole world, she only had to change one person’s world, for to that one person, HIS world IS the whole world. Thus, the odyssey ensued. This journey began and has been enjoined by a myriad of generous and altruistic benefactors, each an integral cog in the success of Merlin’s Kids.
Merlin’s Kids is named for the founder’s white Lipizzan stallion, whose magnificent stature and gentle, nurturing manner, changed many lives. His love of children and compassion for those in fear or in pain, the delicate way in which he caressed the cheek or hand of every creature he greeted, ameliorated fear, and gave hope to numerous children, adults, and senior citizens, all with a simple gentle touch of his soft silvery nose, an understanding blink of his huge brown eyes, and the bow of his massive yet perfectly chiseled head to allow a child or wheelchair bound person to hug his face and feel safe and loved. True, he was “just a horse” to those who simply do not understand, but the power of animals to touch those in need, is well-documented and obvious to those who simply observe the power of a precocious puppy to make a dejected person smile, or to give hope to the hopeless. Animals do have the power to connect with people in miraculous ways, and we use this phenomenon to help children and others in need.
Merlin’s Kids operates solely through the generosity and support of others. No child will ever be turned away simply because his or her family lacks the financial resources to obtain that which is needed. Like the children we seek to help, Merlin’s Kids has our own “wish list”. Within the near future, we hope to secure facilities to provide shelter to and husbandry of rescued animals, in the location of a permanent home to Merlin’s Kids. We seek a farm or other similar location on which to build several barns, kennels, a riding arena, meeting facilities, and dormitories for the animals and children who will be “saving” each other as well as for the staff who will be caring for them, so that we can continue our work with the security of a “forever home”. We strive to garner financial support and donations of goods and services from corporate sponsors and from private benefactors so that we never have to turn away a child or animal in need. As we are privately supported, Merlin’s Kids uses virtually all donations towards providing service dogs and other necessities to those in need. Donations of any type or denomination are gratefully accepted and carefully utilized. We are in need of a farm or similar location, feed, equipment, supplies, and veterinary care for rescued and service animals, provisions for the children in our facility, additional volunteers and staff members, and numerous forms of assistance in the day-to-day operations of our facility and programs. Merlin’s Kids also participates in fundraising activities and is graciously assisted in this activity by America’s Dog Whisperer®, and New Jersey’s Dog Whisperer, who donate their time and expertise teaching others to “Whisper” and in helping us to rehabilitate dogs with “issues”.
Please help Merlin’s Kids in any way you can, be it by donations of money, goods, services, or even by volunteering to help us to help more people and animals. Merlin’s Kids is proudly sponsored and supported by “There’s Hope!”©, America’s Dog Whisperer, Inc.®, New Jersey’s Dog Whisperer®, NUVET Labs, Inc.®, private and public benefactors, and many others, without whose help and assistance, this lofty dream would never have become a beacon of hope to so many others. Anyone wishing to provide financial sponsorship or to help us in any way should visit our website at www.MerlinsKids.org for further details or email us at MerlinsKids@aol.com or contact Janice Wolfe at 201-788-3882. We also ask that you tell others with a special needs child that “There’s Hope!”© We welcome all to help us help more children through the incredible healing power of animals.
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