While Valen walks the beat of the Autistic children and kids with Cerebral Palsy, Zap has truly found her home with those recovering from orthopedic surgery, kids with CP, Rett Syndrome, and varying degrees of autism.
Her work ethic is most certainly different than that of the retrievers I have worked with in the past. She has a lot more energy, and a lot more focus than most of the others I've trained. Her uncanny ability to predict what our "runner" children will do surprises me still to this day - she has prevented many an accident while working outdoors (especially on "traffic sense"!) with her lightening-quick reflexes.
Zap enjoys work in general. She makes friends wherever she goes. While working, she's a very different dog - hyperfocused, precise, serious (yet she maintains her sense of humor... and style)... and very very efficient.
Off duty, but always on call - Zap supervises children at play, ready to come when called
She maintains a large vocabulary of individual words and command "strings" in three languages (English, French and ASL) and has also learned to adapt to a number of variations on sign language, depending on the motor skills and ability of those she works with. She has learned to open doors, operate light switches, fetch up dropped objects, carry awkward household items, accompany her young charges to outings, shopping, or anything they fancy doing. She's even gotten quite good at pulling IV stands without whacking herself in the hocks!
Zap looks forward to resuming intensive work come September, with our big move to Minnesota. Our research has found a home (and funding!) here, and we are looking forward to expanding our program into the Twin Cities... There certainly isn't a lack of demand!
Keep your eyes open for an upcoming book on this research project, late in 2004. Zap and her brother are pretty proud of their work, and I am too... they certainly do what they can to help change lives... one little step at a time.
Zap and Valen (and me!) are always happy to take part in the giving of conferences and seminars. If your club or organisation is interested in having us come by for a talk, or even for a therapy dog evaluation/CGC evaluation round, let us know!