Fidelco client SSgt Michael Malarsie, USAF (Ret) with his Fidelco Guide Dog “Xxon”

Heroes will again be honored at the fourth annual Ride for Independence to benefit the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation in Bloomfield, Connecticut on Sunday, July 20th. This family-friendly motorcycle fundraiser celebrates the freedom and independence that Fidelco Guide Dogs bring to men and women who are blind across North America, especially blinded military personnel.

The family-friendly event begins and ends at Fidelcos beautiful Bloomfield campus. Riders enjoy a scenic, police-escorted 50 mile route through the Farmington Valley and return to Fidelco for a gourmet barbeque lunch by Black Eyed Sallys, a live concert by the Southern rock band SHOVELHEAD and more. Non-riders are encouraged to attend to cheer on the riders and enjoy lunch, vendors, entertainment, on-site K-9 demonstrations and Fidelco puppy visits.

The 2014 Ride for Independence Grand Marshal is a blinded military hero and Fidelco client, Staff Sergeant Michael Malarsie, USAF (Ret). Malarsie was blinded in an IED attack while serving in Afghanistan in 2010. One year later, with his Fidelco Guide Dog Xxon leading the way, Michael returned to work as the only blind airman on active duty in the Air Force.

Fidelcos Field of Flags — a tribute featuring more than 500 American flags planted in honor of fallen military heroes, first responders, veterans and personal heroes — will be on display. For a $ 10 donation, a flag will be added to the Field of Flags on the day of the event or online at http://www.fidelco.org/honoryourheroes.

WHO: Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, blinded military hero SSgt Michael Malarsie (interviews available) WHAT: 2014 Ride for Independence motorcycle event to benefit Fidelco WHEN: Sunday, July 20, 2014; Registration 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.; ride leaves at noon, lunch served at 1:30; K-9 demos all day Day-of registration: $ 40/bike (includes passenger) Non-rider: $ 15 each (includes lunch) WHERE: Fidelco, 103 Vision Way (formerly Old Iron Ore Road), Bloomfield, CT 06002 WHY: To support Fidelcos mission of promoting increased freedom and independence to men and women who are blind, especially blinded military personnel, by providing them the highest quality German Shepherd Guide Dogs

ABOUT SSGT MALARSIE: On January 3, 2010, in the remote mountains of Afghanistan, then-Senior Airman Michael Malarsie was blinded and severely wounded by a powerful improvised explosive device (IED) that killed four team members and blew him off a bridge. Blinded and broken, Michael stayed in the fight loading ammunition for his comrades. He was later awarded the Bronze Star with Valor for heroism on the battlefield.

Exactly one year later, following months of determined rehabilitation and painful facial surgeries, Michael was partnered with his Fidelco Guide Dog Xxon. Michael returned to active duty status as the only blind airman serving in the United States Air Force, leading a Wounded Airman Recovering Mentorship Program to help other wounded veterans transition to civilian life.

About Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation The Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Bloomfield, CT. Fidelco is an internationally accredited organization and an admired expert throughout the world for its highly valued German Shepherd Guide Dogs.

Each Fidelco Guide Dog takes two years, 15,000 hands-on hours and $ 45,000 to produce. They are given to clients at no cost. Fidelco provides 24/7 client support for the entire working life of its guide dogs typically 10 years. Fidelco relies solely on the generosity and financial support of individuals, foundations, corporations and civic organizations to help Share the Vision.

Fidelco has trained and placed over 1,350 German Shepherd Guide Dogs throughout North America in 41 states and five Canadian provinces. Fidelco pioneered In-Community Placement in the United States a process that allows all guide dog users to be trained in the communities where they live and work.

Fidelco also has placed hundreds of its German Shepherd Dogs with law enforcement agencies, first responders, search and rescue, and missing child recovery organizations to help protect our fellow citizens and keep our communities safe.

For more information, please visit http://www.fidelco.org or like us on Facebook at facebook.com/fidelcoguidedog

###

Garmin/Tri tronics PRO 550

Dogs Unlimited is excited to introduce 3 new products from Garmin that are sure to light a spark in the world of hunting dog trainers and dog training enthusiasts.

The recent purchase of Tri-Tronics by Garmin has ushered in a new lineup of advanced electronic dog training collars. These three new collar designs–the PRO 550, PRO 70, and PRO Trashbreaker–are based on Tri-Tronics’ iconic Field and Pro Series systems, and use proven Tri-Tronics technology. But Garmin has added its own twist to make them an even better dog training tool than their predecessors.

A new feature that Garmin has added to this class of dog training collar is the built-in BarkLimiter, a no-bark collar built into the Dog Device collar itself. The BarkLimiter is activated by the Dog Device and features Autorise technology which automatically adjusts to the appropriate correction level to help stop unwanted barking.

Alan O. Davison, owner of Dogs Unlimited comments, “Garmin just upped the ante with its recent introduction of these three dog training collars. It’s absolutely ingenious of them to include the BarkLimiter. It’s something that our customers have been asking for. When it comes to their customers, Garmin listens.”

While similar in appearance, these electronic dog collars are actually very different in their overall functionality to the user. Below is a brief description of each collar’s features:

PRO 550 – 1 mile range, train up to 3 dogs at once, total of 21 levels of momentary and continuous corrective stimulation, vibration and tone correction, the ability to activate available accessories from the transmitter, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards. PRO 70 – 1 mile range, train up to 6 dogs at once, 6 levels of continuous corrective stimulation, tone correction, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards. PRO Trashbreaker – 4 mile range, train up to 9 dogs at once, 6 levels of continuous corrective stimulation, tone correction, and an LED Beacon Light on the Dog Device that can be seen up to 100 yards.

Garmin is always on the cutting edge of whatever they do, and electronic dog training collars guarantees to be no different. Proven Tri-Tronics technology and the addition of exciting new features show that Garmin is serious about taking electronic dog training collars to the next level of performance.

Pet dog enthusiasts like you are surely encountering the difficulty of educating a cat. While there are lots of verified techniques as well as viewpoints on just how you can train your pet dog, there are still usual concepts that can be considered. Before you begin your training, one point you need to not forget is the fact that your pet dog knows his position in your residence as well as in your family members. If you train it well, you will be a winner in the cat’s eyes as well as it will end up being a delighted, loyal dog.

Educating methods instructing your canine to connect socially and also to communicate well with you and also with people. That’s why it is a good idea to establish a leader-follower partnership with your animal. If you assume management, your pet will certainly see the have to submit to your commands. If you are now encouraged on the relevance of pet dog training, then you much better begin acquainting on your own with the easy ways on how you can train a dog.

Amongst the simple ways to instruct your cat is to get the solutions of an expert cat trainer that will deal with you and also your dog in a one on one setting. It will, of course, cost you cash, however this is an easy pet training option that will swiftly bring result. The fitness instructor will certainly instructor your pet on ways to appropriately act when you are out for a walk and when you are asking him to do something. The instructor is likewise able to educate your canine on how to respond in complex situations.

And if your cat locates it hard to act well in a group atmosphere, or if it appears hostile or uncontrollable, the easy means to train it is to obtain an expert in pet behavior or an expert dog whisperer. This is a quite gentle approach that will certainly aid remedy the cat’s behavior. It will certainly likewise help with the way you interact with your dog. The moment your cat becomes interested in interacting with you, that’s a sign that you could now begin training him. So if you are among those which are on the look-out for means on how you can train a cat the very easy method, much better keep these points in thoughts. However mind you, you will go a long method if you use these pointers in your cat training.

This past week in Arizona, seventeen dogs were killed at a kennel from heat distress after one dog chewed through dry wall and the electrical cord to the air conditioner. But is this really a freak accident that could not have been prevented as claimed by the business owner? The Dog Gurus, Robin Bennett and Susan Briggs will tell you this type of incident is a known risk. Professional pet care facilities invest in materials designed to safely house dogs and follow pet care safety protocols to avoid these kinds of incidents.

Understanding the environment where you leave your dog is key to safety, but you also must realize that a dogs behavior in an unfamiliar environment may differ from their behavior at home, stated Bennett. Professional pet care providers first ensure the safety of the physical environment, but more importantly train staff to observe dog behavior for signs of stress. Chewing is normally a result of stress and boredom. Extra safety precautions should be available for dogs who are anxious when they are left in a boarding facility.

So how do you recognize a safe environment and professional pet care center? Tour the facility prior to making your reservation and confirm that all areas that house dogs are constructed with dog management and safety in mind. Drywall is not an acceptable material when providing professional pet care. Those facilities that have drywall, which is common in homes, usually use material to safely cover the walls to prevent damage and injury or the dogs are property supervised to prevent chewing incidents. Electrical cords, plants and other items that can be chewed or ingested should not be accessible to dogs when left alone. Most importantly, professional pet care providers understand canine body language and behavior. They monitor all pets for signs of stress and take steps to alleviate the cause of stress so that they can keep your dog safe and healthy.

Bennett and Briggs wrote an article on Identifying Great Pet Care Centers and are in the process of creating a directory of pet care professionals that offer off-leash play services to assist the public in making good pet care choices. It is heartbreaking to hear of tragedies in professional pet care, states Bennett. Briggs added, When this type of situation happens, it is frustrating as we know it could have been prevented if the public understood what to look for in selecting quality pet care. We created our website with that goal in mind. Our directory will include members of The Dog Gurus community that are invested in ongoing education and providing excellence in pet care services they provide.

Before you make a reservation for your dog online, be sure to visit the pet center and see for yourself the environment where your dog will be kept. These types of accidents are avoidable! A home environment may seem like a happier place for your dog, but safety protocols must be your first priority in pet care selection. If you are using a home-based provider, be sure they are following those safety protocols and are a reputable, licensed business. To your dog having a professional that understands their emotions and offers activities they enjoy will make them happy. Members of The Dog Guru community provide safe and fun pet care every day.

About The Dog Gurus: Co-creators Robin Bennett and Susan Briggs have over 30 years experience as operators and consultants in the dog daycare and boarding industry. Their staff training program, Knowing Dogs, has quickly become the best off-leash dog play training program available and is based on their best selling book: Off-Leash Dog Play: A Complete Guide to Safety and Fun. They continue to create resources for the professional pet care industry with the goal of keeping all dogs safe. For more information, visit their website: http://www.TheDogGurus.com or join their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/TheDogGurus. Susan and Robin are available for interview at the following numbers: Susan (713) 582-8520 or Robin (571) 336-2078.