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NOMINEE FOR THE ANIMAL HALL OF FAME
I would like to nominate my “heart” dog, Dazzle, officially, Weymouth’s Autumn Dazzler, CD, JH, RN, RA (CD, Companion Dog; JH, Junior Hunter; RN, Rally Novice; RA, Rally Advanced) for her unselfish accomplishments. Dazzle is a 12-‐year-‐old yellow Labrador Retriever. Dazzle’s nickname is Doola. I realized several years ago, that the name doula, pronounced doola, refers to a support person during childbirth. While not a midwife, Dazzle has been my support through several major operations and is a very, very special girl. I have been a member of the Pinelands K-‐9 Club since before Dazzle was born. I started there working with her mother, Zoe, or Ambleside Zoe of Weymouth, CD, CGC, TDI. Raising dogs and dog training has been a wonderful hobby that has helped me find meaning in my life following numerous life threatening surgeries. In 1987 I received the worlds first knee transplant from an 18-‐year-‐old boy who died in a motorcycle accident, following the growth of a grapefruit sized giant cell bone tumor. In 1990, I had a thoracotomy – a difficult surgery to diagnose nodules in my lungs that had “transplanted” from the tumor in my knee. In 1993, I had a knee replacement, as my cadaver knee became unstable. My second knee replacement was in 1995. While we had several dogs by then, Dazzle was the only one trustworthy enough to not jump up and hurt me. I remember using my walker and telling Dazzle, “sit-‐stay” and I would walk a few steps with my walker and release her with an “OK!” Then I would start again with a “Sit/stay”, and walk a few steps again. She was amazing! Dazzle usually has her eye on me, wondering what I am going to do next. She keeps her eye on me and doesn’t like it if we are out somewhere and I am out of her sight. She is a very special part of my life. In 2006, I had my right leg amputated above the knee. Dazzle also babysat me through that surgery. During my first year afterward, I went to physical therapy 3 times a week at Marlton Rehab. Dazzle accompanied me often, as she was also in therapy for a torn cruciate repair. She would go to therapy with me (while helping me heal, as walking her was a challenge) and then I would take her to her physical therapy at Pet PT, where she went in the underwater treadmill. Her wonderful vet there is Russell Howe-‐Smith, VMD. She also acted as a therapy dog during this time, offering herself for petting with other patients in outpatient therapy. My physical therapist, Andrea Verone, was super about allowing Dazzle attend therapy with me. Dazzle would be great in a down-‐stay on her blanket, while I did my physical therapy exercises. While Dazzle’s first two titles happened before her cruciate repairs, and before my amputation, her Rally titles happened afterwards. It was a great accomplishment to have us both back in the ring, after both of us going through difficult times. Dazzle had one litter of puppies. Her “kids” are pets as well as titled agility dogs, and therapy dogs. Two of her puppies went out to C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs, Inc. in Illinois to their breeding program, as her Hip and other health clearances were excellent. Her grandkids are becoming service dogs through C.H.A.M.P. Assistance Dogs. I will never have another dog like Dazzle. She has demonstrated unselfish accomplishments,
had provided therapeutic benefits to me and has been a loyal companion. For these reasons and more, I would like to nominate her for this award.