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Raising future service dog has changed volunteer‘s life Continued from page 12 never acted on her interest. Then last December, after losing her own two dogs, Gowan decided to give NSD a call. "I love animals, and I‘m partial to dogs," she said. "I knew 1 didn‘t want to get another dog of my own; and 1 wanted to do some volunâ€" teer work. "My dad just recently passed away and my mother 583 King St. N. Waterloo, ON N2V 2E5 884â€"9518 T O A DV ERTJISE I|IN THE NEXT EDITION O F LYNN BARTOL Phone: (519) 623â€"7395 ext. 210 Fax: (519) 623â€"3532 Email: Ibartol@cambridgetimes.ca Curves *split service fee with a friend Valid to Saturday. June 5/04 The power to amaze yourself JOIN NOW 2 for 1* has Alzheimer‘s, so I wanted to have a dog in the house It‘s worked out so well." Gowan‘s committed to raising Jessie for the first 12 to 14 months of her life. The dog will then spend another six months in extensive training at the NSD training facility in Baden, before being placed with a family. Gowan said NSD‘s pur pose appealed to her. . _ Having friends who are raising an autistic child, she *Offer based on first visit enroliment, Min. 12 mo. c.d. program Mon. â€" Thurs. 7 am â€" 8 pm; Friday 7 am â€" 7 pm; Saturday 8 am â€" 12 pm The nation‘s largest regional parenting publication fi Designed to both assist and inform, this product helps guide parents through the decisionâ€"making f h process of selecting daycare, summer camps, ' fa tutoring and sports activities. City Parent is a | \ "priceless" publication distributed to high traffic f Et oc locations in the community. i pie J e‘ Don‘t miss this wonderful opportunity to have e & s i 7. PZ e = /# es your message in a consistent, targeted location. knows how beneficial a ser vice dog would be. "It can open up a whole new life for the child, as well as the family." Allison Sevard, NSD puppy program coordinator, said the service dogs give families living with an autisâ€" tic child more freedom. "They can go out with their children a lot more, and do things they may not have been able to do." she said. t AArent PLEASE CONTACT: Sevard believes autistic children who are paired with a service dog also do better in school. "They are staying more focussed on their work, they‘re anchored to their chairs, and they‘re making more friends," she said. "And the bond that forms between the children and the dogs is unbelievable." Sevard said the dogs that are chosen for training are fastâ€"learners. 133 Weber St. N. Waterloo, ON N2J 3G9 746â€"3222 Email: mmacavella@cambridgetimes.ca MARILYN MacAVELLA Phone: (519) 623â€"7395 ext. 206 Fax: (519) 623â€"3532 "When the jacket goes on, the dogs are focussed on (training)," she said. "They know they can‘t groom themselves in public, scrounge for food. grow!l or bark. "That comes from the basic obedience they get from the puppy raisers. They become socialized, and they learn to handle certain situâ€" ations like bridges, balâ€" conies and traffic." Gowan said she can‘t get over Jessie‘s intelligence. At such a young age, the pup already knows 22 comâ€" mands, she said. "She knows more than my 14â€"yearâ€"old dog did." Gowan said with a laugh. Carpenter‘s Union Southern Gospel Quartet in concert this Sunday, May 16, at 7 p.m. Waterloo North Presbyterian Church, located at 685 Highpoint Ave. in Waterl0o. For more information, call 888â€"7870. Free will offering appreciated. "I‘ve fallen in love with her." NSD volunteer And the mental stimula tion the pup has provided for Gowan‘s mother, Anna, is also a blessing, she said. "lessie has been a real help to my mother," Gowan said. "She relates to Jessie, and she loves watching and listening to her when she plays. I almost want to get a dog like this for my mother." Gowan admitted, she‘s going to miss Jessie when the puppyâ€"raising period is over. "I‘ve fallen in love with her," Gowan said. But knowing how desperâ€" ately NSD volunteers are needed, Gowan plans to welcome another puppy into her home. "The organization lives and breathes off volunteers. I know they‘re always lookâ€" ing for volunteers and donaâ€" tions." For more information on the National Service Dogs organization, or to become a volunteer, call 662â€"4223 or visit www.nsd.on.ca . "I‘ll likely do it again," she