One of the major goals for our Annual Training Time was to create the documents that would allow Stiggy’s Dogs to grow and market itself to the world.  Up until now, we haven’t had a document that adequately shows what we do as an organization from start to finish.  We have relied and will continue to rely on the people that have been our supporters from the beginning to spread the good word about our organization…but they shouldn’t have to do that alone.

So for the past few weeks we’ve been planning and organizing our first ever Annual Report.  This document is an important step toward Stiggy’s Dogs becoming the organization it can be, with the funds and support it needs to reach our goals.  The aim of the document is to give people a taste of what the organization does, the successes we’ve had and how we’re working towards even greater success.  It’s a document that is a long time in the making.  It’s not easy to summarize everything we’ve learned over the past year, but it is important.  It is the reason behind our Annual Training Time in the first place:  we need to be able to look back with a critical eye in order to look forward with an optimistic one.

So without further adieu, may I present to you the first ever Stiggy’s Dogs Annual Report for the year 2011.  Feel free to download it and pass it along.  Our Friends of Stiggy’s will be getting copies in their e-mail as well as the opportunity to request physical copies for themselves.

I write this post with a heavy heart.  There are two parts to this, so please bear with me…

I often get asked about this topic and I have had some tough conversations about it.  The issue is whether, as part of our program, we adopt out our dogs to the veterans.  The answer is simple.  We do not.  Some of our veterans haven’t agreed with this decision, and some have dropped out because of it.  But our program is organized this way for a very specific reason: to protect the service dog and to protect the veteran.  This continuing relationship requires constant monitoring and often training in new tasks or retraining in certain areas.  It would be impossible to properly support our veterans and protect the dogs if we had any other arrangment.  Further, this allows the veterans to receive the benefits of Stiggy’s throughout the career of their service dog.

Dogs have no voice, so we are the voice for our dogs. It is very important for constant communication with our veterans from Day 1 and moving forward. This ensures the best paring of the dogs, but also helps with the ongoing training needed. We do not just train and pair our dogs, once paired, the veteran and dogs are part of our “family”.  Pictures, videos and emails are all part of the follow up program. This ensures that the veterans are working with their dog, but also that the dogs are being properly taken care of while working. Because these programs are relatively new, this also helps us measure our successes, change the areas that led to failures, and continue to better our program for both our dogs and veterans.

We also do not adopt them to the veterans to help protect the veterans. Life can bring many changes, and for PTSD and TBI those difficulties are compounded. We let our veterans know that if they ever need to relinquish their dog, we are here for them, no questioned asked.  Our dogs are to help them heal. but if or when that isn’t the case, then our dogs have a place to come home to and our veterans need not worry.

*note: when the dogs are ready for retirement, we give the Veterans the option then to *adopt* their Service Dog for a pet.

We prepared and planned for this not knowing if it would ever need to be used. However, I write this with much emotion as we welcome home Tiger…..

Jamey Johnson, and your family, It has been an honor to know you. You will always be a part of our Stiggy’s family. We wish you well as you will be in our thoughts and prayers everyday. I hope our paths cross again.

With bittersweet emotions, I announce the arrival of Gunnery Sergeant Tiger, now known as ‘Gunny’. You have made us proud as your work as a Service Dog in North Carolina for over 2 years! You have worked on base at Camp Lejeune,  as ambassador at Martinsurg VA Hospital, and flown in many aircraft’s……you deserve the strips of ‘Gunny!’  Welcome Home …

Thank you for adding us in your show about Post Traumatic Stress. This is airing this week throughout the United States! Here it is for our fans to enjoy!

Last June, in a desperate plea for support, I posted a blog; A Cry for help. I received numerous emails and offers, and at that time, more than I could handle. (I believe I still have some of those in a *saved* folder to contact in the future). I tried to reply to the emails,  but with not having the time to organize my offers, I left many unanswered.  However, Kim had a personal connection (her husband, Garrett works with my husband) and when we first moved into the Barracks, they donated two big beautiful dog beds. Joe had told me at that time, that they lost their dog, Rocky, and those were Rocky’s  dog beds. I felt t their loss, as any *dog parent* does,  sad but yet grateful for their thoughtfulness. I remember Kim Saks email, sent June 6^th (days after my blog), she mentioned a multitude of areas that she would like to help; fundraising, promotions, proof reading…..her background ranging from running the Woman’s Center at EMU to her Law degree.    It took two months from that email for us to actually meet….

Read the rest here…

Kimberly Saks

Legal Professional, Non Profit Strategist and Educator