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| Last updated on June 25, 2008 |
My Wonderful Dog is a nonprofit organization with a primary mission to raise, train and place highly trained service dogs for individuals with disabilities. With the help of our "puppy raisers", MWD spends more than two years raising, training puppies for their special life of service. Our dogs learn to turn on light switches, open doors and retrieve dropped items and provide balance support for their partners, opening new doors of independence.
Description:
Recognizing the very real benefits to those engaged in training these dogs, in 2001 MWD created the "Teen Trained Assistance Dog" (TTAD) program. TTAD teaches youth who are struggling with emotional, social and behavioral challenges to care for and train the service dogs at MWD. To be successful trainers, these young people must practice the very skills that challenge them most: empathy, focus, self-discipline and commitment. The payoff comes when they publicly present their dog for a new life of service to a person with a disability. By creating a bridge between two marginalized and underserved groups of individuals - youth coping with serious challenges and people with disabilities - My Wonderful Dog helps both to reconnect with their communities and their own capacity in new and meaningful ways.
History:
My Wonderful Dog was established in July 2000. The organization has two full time employees and one part time employee. My Wonderful Dog currently has 6 dogs in training and has placed six service dog teams. The Teen Trained Assistance Dog (TTAD) program has grown from four Spurwink students the 1st year to 30 teens from five different partner organizations.
Contact people:
Office fax number: (207) 780-9703
Address:
Web Site: http://www.wonderfuldogs.org
Directions:
Miscellaneous Information
| This agency has United Way funded programs |
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Yes
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| The agency places volunteers in these categories: |
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Families, ages 15 - 18, Physically disabled
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User Reflections
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Overall Experience 
I learned so much from Elsa, invaluable experience
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I volunteered for Elsa Larsen and My Wonderful Dog for 1 1/2 yrs. She taught me so much and the feeling of contribution especially to the at risk youths was very rewarding. The Dogs are amazing and I learned so much from THEM. Anyone who volunteers must always remember the true reason for doing so,it's not about us, it's about the difference we make in even just one person's life. Elsa's knowledge and those WONDERFUL dogs make it a life changing experience. I miss them all....
posted by cebala78 on November 13, 2004 |
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