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At the heart of every good service dog agency, there are two things. Good people who are there at the sacrifice of wealth (because in the nonprofit world no one is in it for money) and good dogs! So, in talking about good dogs, let’s address the number one question  asked about dogs. Why breed, why not use rescue dogs?     Shelters are full of amazing dogs who would make fabulous pet dogs! I would encourage anyone looking for a pet dog to explore his/her local shelters and see if the right pet dog for their family can be found among the many dogs who find themselves in shelters, through no fault of their own. However, to find a dog suited for service dog work in shelters is a feat that takes considerable time and money. A trainer could spend weeks searching shelters and testing dogs to find only 2-3 that seem suitable and then the graduation rate for these few is less than 25%.  On the other hand, a litter of purpose bred dogs, raised from birth to be service dogs, have a much higher graduation rate with expending far less time, energy, and valuable resources.  When a program is very small and only a few dogs are placed a year, using shelter dogs could work but when an agency places 100+ dogs a year we would need literally 4 working age dogs for every placement. This becomes unrealistic at every level.  

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Ben’s Corner By Karen Shirk

Breeding * The mating and production of offspring by animals.* the activity of controlling the mating and production of offspring of animals.* the good manners regarded as characteristic of the aristocracy and conferred by heredity.

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Front cover ....... Ben’s Corner Page 5 ................ 4 Paws is 4-Star Rated! Page 6 ................ Check this Out! Page 7 ................ Volunteers Needed Page 8 ….………… Check this Out! Page 9 ….………… 4 Paws Walk, Run, Bike Page 10 .............. The Adventures of Piper Papillon Page 13 ................ Going On and Coming Up Page 14 ................ March Class Graduates Page 16 ................ Meet the Players - 4 Paws Whelpers Page 17 ................ More Good News at 4 Paws! Page 18 .............. Star Volunteer - Jeam Palm Page 19 ................ April Class Graduates Page 21 ................ Whisper Pet Page 22 ............... Additional Supporters Page 23 ................ 4 Paws Puppy Program Page 26 ............... Spinoza’s Celebrates and All the Way from Illinois Page 27 ............... Check this out! Page 28 ............... Want to Help? Page 29 ............... Round of Appaws

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Inside 4PawPrints | Mar-Apr 2017

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So, what is purpose breeding? It is breeding a dog to do a specific job, having the  inborn qualities needed to succeed in that job. Using a purpose bred puppy, you have a background on the dog and can predict with fairly good certainty the health and temperament of the puppy you are working with. The puppies can enter an early puppy training program at  birth, giving them a jump start on their careers and setting them up for success.  Valuable socialization time is gained when breeding your own service dog puppies. At 4  Paws socialization begins at birth!     A crucial job at 4 Paws is a relatively new one, the Director of Genetics and  Socialization. With this job placement, 4 Paws has stepped to the next level in our  breeding program. Statistics are kept on every dog bred at 4 Paws and on their litters as a whole. We find the cream of the crop and selectively breed only those dogs who themselves would excel as service dogs. We are able to follow health along lines. Just because a dog tests negative for all known genetic issues does not always  mean a dog would not produce those same conditions. Some genetic issues cross  generations. So while Fred may not have, let’s say, hip dysplasia, that doesn’t mean that Fred’s offspring will necessarily be free of this condition. Frustrating, right?  This is why it’s important to track the information and evaluate the information before each breeding!   Following the breeding lines genetically is invaluable. Carefully screening each dog kept for breeding and following their offspring is indeed a full-time job (and then some). With each dog bred,  every fiber of what makes them who they are must be studied and a mate just as carefully selected must be chosen. Then the litter is followed from the day they are born.

The goal is to better the breeding line with each generation born.     With purpose breeding we also can look at our cl ient needs and breed for the  desired characteristics our dogs need to be successful in their jobs. We can breed lines  of dogs that we know will excel at scent work, which would include tracking and any kind  of medical alert. We can breed dogs that have a strong drive to retrieve and engage in physical work, knowing

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these dogs will excel in mobility work. Our clients have varied and complex needs and our breeding program must be able to meet these needs. We have classes scheduled out 2 years so we can look ahead and see what the needs of the kids or veterans are and breed dogs who are most likely to produce the qualities we need to enhance the training these future clients need!     4 Paws takes our breeding program quite seriously as it is the foundation for our  success. If you do not have good dogs, you cannot have good service dogs! We are  continuously tweaking, studying, and improving our program. This year we were able to  attend the International Working Dog Breeders Association conference. It was amazing. We were able to network with people and learn so much! It was just awesome to be in  the midst of others who, like us, know that the dogs they breed are the representation of  who they are and that their goals and aspirations cannot be met without the foundation of a well-bred dog behind them. Yet, the conference went even further to discuss and present concepts for early development of the puppies bred. Those first months are as  critical as the planning of the litter! There was just so much to take in. We wish they had one every year but for now we will not be able to attend again for 2 years.  We are definitely looking forward to it!   Make sure you read Piper’s Travels to hear more about the conference we attended!

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Cheaper Than TherapyCheaper than Therapy, an irreverent, snarky, adult coloring book launched this spring. Artist Sasha O’Hara decided to support 4 Paws for

Ability and donated proceeds from the first week of sales. In the end this t o t a l e d a $ 5 0 0 donation to support p l a c i n g s e r v i c e dogs!

Thank you Sasha O’Hara!

Queen City Connection AwardOn March 30, 2017, the 4 Paws for Ability at UC student organization received the Student Activity Board’s Queen City Connection Award. Congratulations to Meghan King, past President, and Sklyer Wilson, new President, and all of the contributing members for their outstanding leadership in organizing and developing the 4 Paws for Ability at UC student organization. All of the contributing members deserve recognition for this excellent accomplishment.

The Queen City Connection Award is given to a UC student organization for their programmatic efforts, community service, and innovation. The Queen City Connection Award recognizes a Bearcat student organization that has made a substantive and positive community impact through involvement and engagement. The organization that receives the Queen City Connection award not only excels in areas of leadership and scholarship, but also seeks to apply these

abilities in innovative ways to improve the lives of others.

Congrats 4 Paws UC!Thrivent Members Helping

4 PawsWith Thrivent Choice®, you can recommend where some of Thrivent Financial's charitable outreach funds go. 4 Paws for Ability is now one of those charities! You can donate by going to: https://www.thrivent.com/making-a-difference/living-generously/thrivent-choice/

Below is a video you may enjoy about what Thrivent members do for nonprofits! http://www.kaltura.com/tiny/l0g14

If you would like to know more about becoming a Thrivent member, please contact:

Terry J. Powers, ChFC® , CLTC®, CLU®, FIC Financial Consultant Thrivent Financial®

3775 Harvest Creek Ct, Dayton, OH 45430-1494 Office: 937-660-9444 Fax: 248-786-6833 Cell: 937-369-4768 Email: Terry.Powers@Thrivent.com Web: https://connect.thrivent.com/terry-powers/

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DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

Becoming a volunteer is a great way to meet new friends, feel engaged in your community and to

learn new skills! 4 Paws for Ability is in need of

all helping hands willing to help us fulfill our general mission. We have a huge need for volunteer dog

walkers and groomers, as well as other facility helpers. This includes bathing and brushing which is very important for maintaining a healthy, happy and well behaved dog.

F.A.Q’s

Q. What age is too young or too old to volunteer at 4 Paws?

A. All ages are welcome to volunteer at 4 Paws!

Q. Can I volunteer on weekends?

A. Yes! Once you’ve completed orientation, and any needed training you are able to volunteer on weekends until 8 p.m.

Volunteer opportunities

Our volunteer program is an ever growing program that offers lots of dif ferent opportunities for volunteers, such as general grooming, outdoor help, facility help, office aide, puppy play, dog walking, dog socialization, and a whole lot more!

C o n t a c t u s t o d a y ! Feel free to contact via email anytime Volunteer@4PawsforAbility.org

General facility hours are 9  a . m . - 5 p . m . M - F (937)374-0385

Lend a paw or raise a puppy!

4 Paws for Ability2016 4 PAWS FOR ABILITY - 253 DAYTON AVE - XENIA,OHIO 45385

4 Paws for Ability is a non-profit organization that aims to provide service dogs to Children with disabilities and military veterans.

4 Paws for Ability

4 Paws for Ability is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to place quality service dogs with children with disabilities and veterans who have lost use of limbs or hearing; help with animal rescue, and educate the public regarding use of service dogs in public places.

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Glass City Get DownMusic Enthusiasts, Josh Bollin and Steven Guerrero organized the first annual Glass City Get Down with The Low Down Music Festival and Bass Showcase on April 22 and 23 at Bier Stube in Toledo, OH. The event benefitted 4 Paws, and the organizers wanted the money to go to help a child with Autism in NW Ohio/SE Michigan. It just so happened that Cory Holland and his mom, Paige, of Saline, MI were able to attend the event, and the $2,177 raised will go to help Cory meet his fundraising goal for his dog. The no cover charge, two-day, indoor festival featured 15 bands, a specialty menu, vendors, charity raffles, custom guitar makers, and more. Raffle items were donated by Earthquaker Devices, Kalium Strings, GHS Strings, and Skjold Design Guitars.

Thanks to all of the attendees and organizers of the festival! Looking forward to next year!

Thank you Josh & Steven!

Helpful Donor Creates Play Space

Laura Gordiner, recently donated a new trampoline and playground set with "Turbo Deluxe Fort, 4 station swing beam, ramp, slide, pirates boat (for sensory and wheelchair), and web swing. She chose these accessories to provide as much accessibility to as many children as possible AND to provide an opportunity for 4 Paws pups to practice their playground skills. Laura shared that, “4 Paws has a special place in my heart and while I'd love to do more, this project honors my mother's memory. The play set will have a name plate "ZeZe's Place" on the swing beam. My children had fond memories of my mother pushing them in their swings. My mother was a phys ed teacher and in the early 1950s she worked with children to take the "dis" out of disability. Her legacy comes full circle with this project.”

Thank you Laura! The play space will be well loved!

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4 Paws - Walk, Run, Bike

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APRIL SHOWERS SPLASHED OUT OUR

WALK, RUN, BIKE EVENT. IT HAS BEEN

RESCHEDULED TO SEPTEMBER 30!

WATCH FACEBOOK FOR MORE INFO!

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Busy…busy…busy, yes indeedy. I have been all over the place the last two months! In March I flew to Boston, Massachusetts to attend the AANN Conference. That would be the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses, or in other words lots of nurses who came to fuss over me! They loved me I tell you! They all stopped by the booth to get their pictures with me. It was fantastic. There were literally lines waiting to see me! We had a booth, but we were not with Eisai this time. We had a booth with Medikidz. Medikidz is a comic book series that explains different illnesses to kids. They have a whole series on epilepsy and my friend Flame, the seizure alerting Papillon, stars in one of them. Did you know she got to wear a super hero cape????? I want a super hero cape!

So guess who else was at AANN???????? Our besties, Eisai and Paula Diamond. Paula is my best friend. She adores me. Seriously! You should see the way she looks at me! We got to spend a good deal of time with her too! Mostly though we were at the booth. Our job at this booth is to educate medical personnel about seizure alert dogs. Believe it or not many of them do not know that you can actually train seizure alert! I thought you had to be super smart to be a medical kind of person, but somehow in medical school they forget to tell them about us medical alert dogs. Many people think dogs just do this naturally and that is true as well. There are dogs, like my Grandma, Piper Papillon, who learn to do medical alert with no training at all. I have heard according to research about 10-15% of all dogs can do this naturally. However, here at 4 Paws of the dogs graduating as seizure alert dogs we have a 90% success rate! Obviously, when you look at those numbers and realize that the only difference is we trained ours to recognize the scent, you can see that indeed you can train this. Well, at least, 4 Paws can train this and they do it right good too! We have amazing alert dogs - our Diabetic Alert Dogs are the best of the best because they are almost exclusively Papillons!

We had some visitors to the booth also! Princess Peach and her family visited us one day. Peach is a 4 Paws Autism Assistance Dog but her child Gabriel did not come with her. We

also had Yaffa who is now called, Angel come visit and she brought her partner Hunter. Angel is a 4 Paws Multipurpose Assistance Dog who is trained in seizure alert. Finally, Paris also came to visit the booth with her young charge, Austin. Paris is a 4 Paws Seizure Assistance Dog! Those seizure alerting dogs have their hands full. They have to run and tell the parents every time they smell one of those seizures coming, so the parents can help the dog’s child.

So, while we were in Boston we did get to go exploring. We went to Faneuil Hall and did some exploring. Lots of cute stores in this place and old buildings, statues, and such. I am not sure what people see in visiting places like this. I myself

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The Adventures of Piper Papillon Starring Boone

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would be looking up all the dog stores in Boston, the newest and best ones, not some old historic building ones. We went around Boston on something called a “T” which is a very fast train that is located under the ground. I went on one like this before in Washington, DC. These ones were called by colors, Red Line, Green Line, etc. Karen used to live in Boston and said she rode the Red Line every day. We also went to the Boston Aquarium. I’m not sure what it is about fishies but Karen and Erin love them and so in every city we visit we have to go watch them swimming around.

At the Boston Aquarium there was something called a Sea Lion. Scary, right? Yeah, serious. They are huge animals that live in water, swim like fish, and bark like dogs! Well this one huge one, he saw me and came flying to the wall to look at me. I know he was thinking I was a tasty morsel. Well, everyone wanted my picture by this monstrosity, with nothing but some plexiglass between us and I was none too happy about this. I was sure this thing was going to break free and eat me for lunch. I was ready to go after like 30 seconds but we stayed and stayed and stayed with everyone being like, “oh so cute” and I’m thinking like, “no, what part of wants me for lunch is cute?” Later we had dinner with Paula. I have to say Paula is always the highlight of my travels because she is so much fun and she works for Eisai!

From Boston, we did not head home as usual, we went on a plane straight to Washington, DC! It was time for the Walk for Epilepsy in DC. I went last year, remember? I love this day! We get to go to DC (and no I did not poop in the Pentagon again) and visit all the famous places and then go for a fun day with many 4 Paws families. The walk brings awareness to epilepsy and how it affects the lives of all those touched by it. There were soooooooo many 4 Paws families I can not even list them all. Everywhere I looked I saw 4 Paws dogs and their kids. It was amazing! We were at the 4 Paws booth and guess what we were passing out???? Purple capes and I got one. My own super hero cape. However, we did not have enough and when a little boy came for a cape and none were left I gave mine away. Paula told me there might be more in Atlanta next month (more about that later). We talked to so many people about seizure alert dogs and all that they can do, it was just a grand day. AND lest I forget, Paula was in Washington, DC too! I’m beginning to think she is a groupie and is stalking me.

As if that is not enough, I also had to dust off my passport to head to Canada! We were flying into Calgary, but had to catch a taxi in Calgary to go to Banff National Park. This place it is way, way out in nowhere. We were in the taxi forever. I think I heard 1.5 hours but it seemed like forever and way, way up in the mountains. Karen was a bit nervous because she thought we were leaving behind all the Pokemon but nope, there were indeed Pokemon in Banff! So why were we heading way up in the mountains? Well, that is where the International Association of Working Dog Breeders was having the biannual conference. Karen and Erin were heading there to learn more about breeding fantastic dogs. Okay, so they were learning how to breed better Goldens, Labs, and such, because as we all know 4 Paws Papillons have already reached perfection.

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The conference was amazing. First of all, we made lots of contacts. There were other service dog agencies there and some of them will do “stud” sharing. This is when they share the sperm from their best stud dogs so they can bring in some new lines into their program. Erin came away with some good contacts. Contacts are people who work in these programs in the breeding department or as the Directors of Genetics (which is what Erin is at 4 Paws). We also met a lot of people who know tons about not only genetics but also about scent. We met a guy who can take scent and isolate it and we hope to one day isolate the seizure scent and thus be able to reproduce it for training reasons.

So what did we learn? We learned that this is an awesome organization and we plan to go to this conference as many times as we can. Sometimes they hold it in Europe so we may not be able to go to those, but we will try! We learned many things about breeding and whelping. 4 Paws of course wants to have the best breeding program ever so they paid close attention to the geneticists talking about breeding out diseases! There were also speakers who talked about whelping. Karen liked the veterinarian who talked about lactation and ways to improve the puppy formula you use if the mama dog doesn’t have enough milk. There were speakers who talked about early intervention programs like our own Puppy Enrichment Program (PEP). We learned from these speakers that our puppy Enrichment Program is pretty awesome! They were talking about things we already do, but we did learn some new things to add to our program too!

Lots of the speakers talked about scent. There were those who talked about breeding for scent talented dogs and those who talked about imprinting scent work on the puppies so they will be better scent alerting dogs when they grow up. Many of the speakers work with military and police dogs who scent for drugs, bombs, and people. There were also some speakers who worked with dogs who learned to find cancer! Nobody talked about training seizure alerting or diabetic alert dogs so maybe at the next conference this is something 4 Paws can present. There were also presenters who talked about how they were testing the intelligence of dogs through MRI’s and behavior testing. Overall, it was a pretty amazing conference and Karen and Erin plan to share what they learned in the executive meetings held at 4 Paws every week as soon as the conference presentations are available online to those who attended!

People at the conference were amazed by me. Some of the people from other countries asked me questions. Some wanted to know if I was a real service dog and what could I do. We explained about medical alert and then they understood size is not always important for working dogs. I told some of those military people they needed to employ Papillons. A big dog would have a hard time sneaking into the enemy camp to spy but a Papillon????? Who would suspect us of being military spies? Other people were amazed because the Papillons in their country were not let’s say, emotionally suited for a working life. They took pictures of me to show that bred right, a Papillon is a fabulous working dog! It’s all in the breeding. A working dog breeder must consider first the dog’s mind, health, and temperament. Many small dog breeders are just breeding for a foo foo dog to sit on the lap and be cute.

Well folks stay tuned for more amazing adventures of Boone Papillon. I will be heading to Atlanta to see my friends at Eisai and Paula Diamond, as well as a visit with Melissa Fay Greene!

In conclusion:

If you breed for foo foo you get cute and dumb. If you breed for mind, body, and soul you get a mighty working dog. Sea Lions are not your friend. Piper’s residence at the rainbow bridge is not in the skies above Calgary, Boston, or Washington, DC.

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4 Paws - Going On and Coming Up

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Ashtabula, Ohio. Event link: http://bit.ly/2paul4A

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Novi, Michigan Event link: http://bit.ly/2qPXVcK

Upcoming 4 Paws Graduations

*Open event. All volunteer, friends, family invited to attend!*

June Class: June 30 July Class: August 11

August Class: September 1

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March 2017 Class

We haven’t been home long, but I already know…4P

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…Madge has changed our lives and family dynamic in a positive way. Ruthie's confidence has improved greatly.

-Rebecca Cantral Boyle Ruthie & Madge

Raziel & Samuel

Madge & Ruthie

Lilac & Logen

Haymitch & Starla

Willa & Olivia

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We haven’t been home long, but I already know…

…Eaves is a great girl and is put to the test by Abi!

-Amy Marie Book Abi & Eaves

Sulley & The Wynkoops

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Admiral & Faith Ellen

Hooligan & Emily

Eaves & Abi

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Last year more than 400 puppies were born, or whelped, at 4 Paws for Ability! In order to do this safely, 4 Paws has a team of helpers - those staff specifically trained and prepared to help each dog mom through the birthing process. At any given time the team of around 15 members is scheduled and on call. Sometimes, staff are very fortunate and cooperative dog mommas decide to give birth in the middle of the afternoon, when everyone is already at 4 Paws. In this case, there are many hands ready to provide support. However, most often it seems that new mommas like to wait until it is very, very quiet, while all the other puppies are sleeping, and the humans staff has dwindled down to the night team. When moms start showing signs of labor, whelpers have to high tail it to 4 Paws. Throughout the process, whelpers must be ready to take care of both the mom and her pups. Mom might need potty breaks, water, or even food if the process goes a very long time. Some moms have their puppies quickly, but some might take over an hour between births. For a litter of 10, that’s an all night process! As puppies arrive, there is additional work to be done as well. Each puppy needs to be removed from its birthing sac, lungs cleared of fluids, checked for strong breathing, their umbilical cord tied off, weighed, and help latching on to mom for food. If everything goes as planned, whelpers watch each puppy arrive and head home. Strong, healthy pups are taken care of by moms who know just what to do and monitored by staff. Sometimes whelpers may have to deal with higher risk situations, like moms who are tired and need some coaching or medicine to get through the process. Most of the time, the whelping team is able to handle all of this with guidance from other staff and the veterinary team. Rare occasions occur where whelpers must transport moms and new pups to emergency medical facilities, but they are trained and prepared to do that as necessary! Members of the whelping team often sacrifice their own evenings and weekends to be a part of the process. “Whelping is a huge responsibility, knowing that you are the first one to handle what will hopefully be someone’s service dog and life changer,” says Jennifer (perhaps one of the most veteran whelpers at 4 Paws). There is an innate joy about meeting a new living being for the first time, and at 4 Paws it seems that’s a little extra special to those involved. “What's my favorite part of whelping? That's easy! Helping bring new life into the world. Looking at their cute little faces as they take their first breath and first little cry. As that first puppy nurses for the first time and you're waiting for the next pup, you can't help but think of all the lives this new puppy will touch,” (Foster). Amy, 5-year member of the whelping team, loves “helping a puppy start breathing that otherwise wouldn't have made it without your intervention.” You never know what that puppy will go on to do for someone. Whelpers take great care of each puppy, but also enjoy watching each mom “naturally step into their momma role,” (Brittney, vet tech). Lynn thinks one of the sweetest sounds is a momma’s cry as she impatiently waits to kiss her new pup while the humans finish all of their necessary steps (surely this seems like forever to each momma). Most importantly, it’s the beginning; the very first breath of what will be a very purpose led life. As each whelper sits droopy-eyed at 3 a.m. waiting on the next puppy to arrive, they have the joy of knowing with each arrival, “these pups are going to change and save a kids life,” (Jessica). Here at 4 Paws, we find that they most certainly go on to do just that. It seems that no matter whether a puppy is placed as a service dog, joins the breeding program, or the ranks of our adoptable fabulous flunkies, they are all well prepared to change the lives of their forever humans.

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Meet the Players - 4 Paws WhelpersWelcome to 4 Paws new Meet the Players article! Ever wondered how we do it? Get the mission accomplished, train service dogs and match them with children and veterans? You’re in luck - in Meet the Players we will explore roles from operational to strategic. Teamwork makes the dream work!

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More Good News at 4 Paws!4 Pawed Art

Legacy Christian Academy had a group of students and staff/parents come to 4 Paws to volunteer. They helped out in a number of different areas in the main building and puppy house. Olivia MacDougall, their art teacher, and five of her students came and did the six play poses from pictures taken of Coda, head trainer Jessa's demo dog!

Their hard work in all areas is so appreciated and families will get to enjoy this mural in the family grass/play area!

Thank you Legacy Christian Academy!

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PupdateI'm writing in reference to Jingle, (October Pupkins 2009). Jingle has been given the status of in home companion since Riley has gotten older and doesn't need her so much for support associated with her Asperger's. Riley will be 17 this year and is doing well. We are thinking about volunteering over the summer to bring Jingle in to an assisted living center for visits! Jingle LOVES people, and I think she is a little bored, and it would be a great opportunity for Riley.

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STARVOLUNTEERJean Palm

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Jean Palm is profoundly grateful to her daughter Catherine’s failed service dog, a yellow lab named Kirby. The Palm family adopted him after he failed advance training to become a lead dog for the blind. He helped her then middle school child from experiencing tachycardia on a March snow day in Wisconsin.

“Out of nowhere, there was a crash of thunder and lightning. At that time a house five doors away was hit by lightning. It was thundersnow. The walls in the house shook, the lights dimmed. The surprise caused adrenaline to surge through Cat’s veins putting her on a path to V tach. Her skin turned that awful color of grey which happens before a cardiac event,” recounted Jean.

From the first lightning strike, “Kirby moved to Catherine immediately and she began petting him as her gaze locked with his. He never gave up and stayed practically in her face as the symptoms appeared. Then a miracle happened…..she slowly regained her color and her cardiac attack was avoided,” Jean stated with awe. This made clear the need for a service dog in Cat’s future.

Since that time, due to the companionship of their hearing service dogs from 4 Paws, neither of her 23 year-old twins, Cat and Ian, have experienced cardiac events. The twins were born with Jervell and Lange-Nielsen Syndrome and have been deaf since birth. They are also aided by ICDs, internal cardiac devices, that were implanted when they were in kindergarten. Mattie, a Papillon has been with Cat since January 2009, and Ian has been paired with Mika, also a Papillon, since 2011. Both are hearing dogs as well as medical alert dogs.

Jean found 4 Paws on the internet. Initially, Jean’s daughter was turned down for a service dog. “The other agencies heard deaf and said my daughter needed to be living alone to qualify for a service dog. They never considered her electrical heart rhythm disorder,” she said. When her son was at 4 Paws in training, Karen Shirk saw a butterfly covered mat that Jean had made for Mattie, and her eyes lit up as she admired it. Jean realized that selling the mats would be a way for her to give back to the organization that has done so much to help her children.

Six years ago, Jean began donating “Mattie Mats” to benefit 4 Paws. They are quilted from cotton fabric with batting in the middle and are designed to be mats for dogs to lie on when they are given their “place” command. They come in three sizes: medium, large, and extra-large. Papillons use the medium size. Medium sized “Matt ie Mats” are fashioned with butterfly fabric, while the larger sizes are made with colorful fabric.

Jean’s educational background is in horticulture, and her passions are gardening and quilting. Thirty years ago she started creating gardens to attract butterflies and began collecting butterfly fabric she uses now to make the mats. Jean is eagerly approaching the milestone of 100 mats donated!

Thank you, Jean for using your talents to help 4 Paws! You are a star volunteer!

By Carla Steiger

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April 2017 Class

Abby & Rachel

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We just left 4 Paws for Ability. The last two weeks felt…

…Like an emotional roller coaster. Moments of feeling excited, scared, concerned, confident, anxious. I'm sure these feelings will continue to change. I will take it day by day to do my best to make this journey be all I hoped it would be.

-Shannon O’Neil Shavor Rachel & Abby

Caprice & Mikayla

Ducky & Robert

Arlo & Sophia

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April 2017 Class

Flickr & Ben

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We just left 4 Paws for Ability. The last two weeks felt…

…I felt like we were heard and finally found an amazing group of people who listened to us and believed in Ben. Thank you 4 Paws staff from the bottom of our hearts.

Amanda Dueck-Ben & Flickr

…Like Karman's Journey has come full circle.

Jeralyn Burkett Hines -Karman &

Bunyan

Bunyan & Karman

Newton & Emma

Ziva & Byron

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We are so thankful for everything our supporters have done to help us over the past several years. Because of you, we've enriched the lives of children with disabilities and our honored veterans with our service dog training and placement. Recently, we've partnered with a new Cincinnati/NKY-based company called Whisper Pet in a fundraising effort! They'll donate up to $2.00 directly to us for every purchase.  We tested out their product on one of the worst smells out there, mink urine, and it completely got rid of it!

Whisper Pet's Odor Eliminator spray is pet- and family-friendly. For every purchase of Whisper Pet, they'll donate up to $2.00 directly back to us! There's a link below to Whisper Pet's site where you can learn more about their products.

Thank you so much for your continued support!https://whisperfresh.com/pet/

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4 Paws for Ability - Additional SupportersAstenJohnson Lends a Paw

The great folks at AstenJohnson, a company based in Charleston, SC, held three fundraisers for 4 Paws in honor of Autism Awareness Month in April:

- A dine to donate at Chipotle - A dine to donate at Sesame Burgers - An ice cream sale at the company

All together, $708 was raised. Special shout out to Tina Bryant from AstenJohnson who contacted us and organized all of the events!

Thank you Tina and AstenJohnson!

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

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America’s Farmers Grows the 4 Paws Community

4 Paws was surprised and delighted to receive a $2,500 check from America's Farmers Grow Communities from the Monsanto Fund on behalf of Greene County farmer, Mark Thordsen. Mark selected 4 Paws to receive this grant.

The purpose of this program is to partner with farmers to make a positive impact in farm communities across the country by supporting local nonprofit organizations. Thank you, Monsanto Fund and Mark Thordsen!

PHOTO CAPTION Dogs from left to right: Hulu, Widget, Jerbal, Curtiss, and Caprice. People from left to right: Molly Borkowski, Caitlin Hayes, Venus Morgera, Brit Insley.

Thank you Mark!

Emma Ruth Jewelry April Autism Support

Thank you to Emma Ruth's Jewelry for choosing 4 Paws as its April recipient to receive 50% of sales from the Cause Collection; $155 dollars was donated to 4 Paws!

V i s i t h e r s t o r e a t : h t t p s : / /www.facebook.com/emmaruthsjewelry/

Thank you Emma Ruth Jewelry!

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4 Paws Puppy Program Check out these fluffs

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

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4 Paws Puppy Program Check out these fluffs

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

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4 Paws Puppy Program 2017 Puppy Count

Papillon

Boys Girls

Golden Lab

Poodle

Goldendoodle

German Retriever

Golden Retriever

Labrador Retriever

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

7 4

0 0

19 11

25 24

0 0

0 0

6 5Newfoundland Retriever 13 15

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Fifth graders,  Madi Groharing and Reese Little,  from Byron, Illinois, decided they wanted to help our kids get service dogs so they spread the word about 4 Paws  to their family and friends and directly donated and got others to donate approximately $700 to 4 Paws. 

Madi and Reese, you are inspirations to others, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts and paws!

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

On April 13 Spinoza's at the Mall at Fairfield Commons in Beavercreek celebrated its 8th Anniversary!  And 4 Paws was invited to be its charitable recipient of the celebration! Many service dogs and service dogs in training and their handlers came out to enjoy the delicious pizza and salads and the fantastic entertainment.

Specially designed t-shirts and raffle tickets were sold and a percentage of sales from the evening went to 4 Paws. Total raised was almost  $1,000. 4 Paws is so grateful! Thank you to  Spinoza’s patrons, owner, Glen Brailey, organizer Dina Nocifora, and  puppy raiser/guardian home, Lori Humble. 

Spinoza’s Celebrates with 4 Paws!4P

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All the way from Illinois, 4 Paws gets girls’ support!

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4 Paws for Ability - Check this Out!Mount St. Joseph Softball

Team Hits a Home Run for 4 Paws

A huge shout out to the Mount St. Joseph University Women's Softball Team, and in particular, Dani Nickson and Morgan Hoehn. How did this women's university team from Cincinnati decide to hold a fundraiser for 4 Paws? The backstory is that Kayla Williamson (sister to Dylan Williamson--July 2015 Class) and Dani Nickson have played softball together since they were young, and they played together and against each other all through middle school and high school. When Dani found out Dylan was in the hospital a few months back, she talked to her team about doing some kind of benefit game. Dylan's mom talked to her about 4 Paws and how much Coffee has changed their lives and how they would love for the benefit to be for 4 Paws.

So, off the team went and organized a fundraiser for 4 Paws on April 26 where honoree, Dylan, threw out the first pitch. Cheering on Dylan was his service dog, Coffee; his mom; his grandma; Kelly Camm, development director; and Lucy, 4 Paws ambassador dog. Through split the pot and food/soft drink sales, the team raised over $600.

Thanks ladies! You have proven yourselves winners on and off the field!

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Delainey Donates Her Birthday

Delainey is a wonderful kiddo who helps 4 Paws by raising puppies! Her family is currently fostering Telgar. This spring Delainey decided to help 4 Paws even more by donating her birthday! She left the cutest note with the gifts she

delivered.

Thank you Delainey! The puppies loved their gifts!

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4 Paws for Ability - Want to Help?Name a Dog Run!

Looking for a way to help 4 Paws or honor a loved one? Consider one of our available Naming Opportunities. We currently have 5 outdoor dog runs available for naming and sponsorship! Sponsorship of an outdoor dog run is $5,000. If you’d like to know more about this or other sponsorship opportunities, please contact Kelly at kelly@4pawsforability.org

How Can I Help?Our online wish list is always available! You can find things for our puppies, for our staff, and for our families here all the time! We welcome any and all assistance!

http://4pawsforability.org/wish-list/

DONATE NOW!Donate to our Building Fund!

4 Paws Perpetual Plaque Want to create a permanent and lasting tribute  to someone special? You can do so by sponsoring a plate on the Perpetual Plaque hanging in the 4 Paws lobby for a $2,500 donation.    - Your child and his/her service dog - Your favorite foster dog(s) and your name - Your 4 Paws adoptee and your name - Your pet dog and your name - Your children, family, mom, dad, or other family members - Classes can pull money together too!   If you are interested, send an email to Kelly Camm at Kelly@4pawsforability.org and let her know what you'd like it to say.

Photography Credits:Thank you to the 4 Paws volunteers, staff, and friends whose photos are in this issue of 4PawPrints!

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4PAWPRINTS 4 Paws For Ability

253 Dayton Ave. Xenia, OH 45385

DO YOU HAVE A STORY OR PHOTOS TO SHARE WITH 4PAWPRINTS? SEND THEM TO JAKI AT MEDIA4PAWS@4PAWSFORABILITY.ORG

Did you know that you

can sponsor a placement

class?

Find out more here:

bit.ly/4PawsBuilding

Thanks to all our supporters! (Over $5,000, March-April 2017) Round of Appaws!• Angela Knapp - $8,350 • Jim & Mary Reeves - $7,500 • John C. Hench Foundation - $15,000 • Amy Crawford - $10,718 • Once Upon an Alpha - $5,000 • Mitchell Winkler - $10,871 • Brandi Winston - $15,000 • The E. Kenneth & Esther Marie Hatton Foundation - $6,000

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