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v--i 8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday August 17, 2004 Couple helping foster young canine9s calling Raisin g potential dog guide plenty of work, but rewards just as great By STEPHANIE THIESSEN The Champion One glance at Pletcher's shiny ebony eyes and you're hooked. With bis head cocked slightly to one side as he stares at you, his velvety ears dan- gling, it seems impossible flot to fait for this black Labrador retriever. But as mucb as it seems his purpose in ife is to iook cuse, Fietcher is actuatly in training for a much higher catting - one that involves using those dangerousty beautifut eyes of bis for more than just winning over comptete strangers. One day, if deemed suitabte, Fietcher may actuaity become tbe eyes for someone * who's visuatty impaired. serving as his or * er dog guide. But tbat's stiti about a year * away -if is happens at ail. * For now, Fietcher is content w ith ihe eariy stages of training. wbich invaniabty inctude romping about witb is friend * Max, a teitow poocb and iemporary broth- er. Fietcher is a t oster puppy that arived ai Jean and Doug Faits'rmrat Milton home in January at the age of 10 weeks as pars of' the Lions Foundation of' Canada's Dog * Guides program, based out of Oakviite. He's staying with the Fails famiiy untit ai toast December. when it'it be determined whether hes a candidate for tonnai train- ing to become a dog guide. Mr. and Ms Faits bave chosen to become Fietcher 's foster parents for the firs year of his ife to betp sociatize bim and teacb him basic commando. Tbe more Fetcher expe- riences of the everyday world, the better. So he accompanies the coupte when they go out, wearing a ite saddle-sype jacket that reado 'Future Dog Guide'. Altbough it's clear Mr. and Ms Faits con- sider Fletcher one of tbeir own - no dif- féent from Max, the famity's cross sbep- berd and border coltie - they botb admit i's a big commnitment tbey've taken on. "It's nos easy," Mr. Falls said. It's tike having a baby. We have to be around look- ing after him. Hes up as 6 a.m. and wants to go to the batbroom, and then 1 can gos maybe one more hour of steep. Tbe ltes I get up is 7 a.m." It woutd ho mucb more difficuit if tbey weren't botb retirod, Mr. Falls said. Rigbs now, the couple said shey're trying to train some of tbe enthusiasm out of Fletcher, in bopes of making him calmer -- a necessisy if he's to one day guide bis master tbrough fife. Its flot easy, though. Nearty every time somebody new shows up as the front door, Fletcher deems if bis job to be tbe one-dog wotcoming commitoe, and jumps up against tbe newcomers, tait wagging. lIt's one of the drawbacks of living rural- y. If be was downtown around people al the timo, be woutdn't bc ike this,- Ms Faits said. Part of' tbe reason Ms Faits said she decided Io become invootved witb the Dog Guides program is ber moshor was btind tor the last 15 yoars of1 ber fife in Engtand. A dog guide coutd bave given ber much- needed companionship and a greaser sense of freedoîm. "My mother's lite was ionety,' Ms Faits said. Sbe added sbe thoughî foiatering a poien- liai dog guide was something she coutd do) to hetp others ibai woîuidn'î necessarity change ber ife arornnd. -We aiready bave a (log, so tbis was someihing we coutd dos wiîhouî a major change in our ifestyte.' sho said, adding. lI'm not sure I was rîghî - is moire wsîrk ihan we thoîughî!" Aithough there's no moneiary compen- sation- Fleicher's food and vet bis arc paid tor, but thasi - the rewards can ho huge loir the osier tanilies, Ms Faits said, addîng she andt lier husband werenît pre- pared forjust bow quickly iboy'd hecome attachi.d to Floetcber. It didn't burt thai Fetcher arnived bear- ing the same name as the FaIts' osdesi son. -I say we bave two Fietebers, and neither one does wbat be's told," Ms Faits said, taugbing. lItii be a sad day - probabty in December - wben Fetcher teaves, sbe said. 0f cnurse, tbat's if be passes the requiremenso o become a dog guide. If be doesn't, theres a good chance tbe Faits will be able to keep bim as tbeir own pet. Ms Faits said, it's a win-win situation. Besides dogs for tbe visualty impaired, the Lions Foundasion aiso trains compan- ions for bearing impaired people and tbose witb physicat disabilities. The organizasion is currently tooking for more famities to serve as foster parents. Joanna Sharp. communications co-ordi- nasor witb the program, said posential fam- iies must bave lime and patience. so eigbî montbo before tbey're paired with their new owners. Labo are tihe mosi popular type of dog for the Dog Guides program, sbe said, because tbey switcb loyatties fairty easy from one owner to the nexs. "Most make transitions fairiy easity." For more information on Dog Guides, cati 1-800-768-3030, e-mail info@dog- guides.comn or visit www.dogguides.com. Stop/sanie Thiessen can be reacied at T7\yCQGl eCQjý Chaneo Cab4 Programming Schedule - Tuesday, August 17 - Monday, August 23, 2004 w w w .cogeco.ca 9, 1 0a Puggsd n! 91 I lias Pugged I! 910.11.. Plsoge ln! 910. lias, Pgged nf 9.10, liaI PIuge ln, 9 M1001 PluI n! 9 10, llan Pgsd 10 9230m12?0p & 230on 912 00m&12 nsp 10 30p TV soec np s & 12:3 NORTH lIALTON STUDIO 5pm np Pkfe n li 0 Haftw Hffs Miisçsa pncs Hlion Hdis n S p Piue n! 4:3p TV oioSports Canadan Gid Pffssee 5pn 6pI Piugc In 7:0p AA 6 ug16 7 0mCasadan GftPesssa Fslpch0asoo Laurier Piaza 18OOOpns afw Hslîs Coucsî - 5pm 6pm Plue lf 5 . 6 Plsgge ff Fan & 055411PSship4eil 500 Laurier Avenue 80ps HalHflOan iN . 7:51Puge n 3 Mon, ON L9T MR al 905-878-9306 Watch for the stan of TV Cogeco'a new season ln September Gulespro- Foite taicn Fletcher out for a stro1. Photo by GRAHAM Altbougb it's a lot of work, obe oaid, fos- ter famities gain a lot of satisfaction know- ing tbey're belping somneone else. -Their timne and dedication provides freedom and independence to someone wbo needs it," she said, adding attougb the families ofsen grieve wben their pup- pies leave, it's wortb it wben tbey see their dogs paired witb new masters. About 65 per cent of the puppies make it to the formai training portion of the pro- gram. Ms Sharp said, wbicb lasts about six a . 1 ý »Wâk"- Il& ,