Wendover Service Dogs

09/09/2024

Buddy 24/04/2023-09/09/2024

Buddy developed neurological issues on Friday (Stargazing/Flycatching syndrome). The behaviour was causing him immense distress, and he was unresponsive and unable to be snapped out of the behaviour during the episodes. He was sedated throughout the weekend to help minimize the behaviour.

Euthanasia was the kindest choice for him, even if it was a difficult one to make.

He left us today at 4:12 PM CST with his head in my lap, my husbands head on his chest, and his favourite vet tech giving him scritches.

He was given the best last day he could ask for, with raw chicken drumsticks, pepperoni, and reeses peanut butter cups, followed by a run in a big open field where he couldn't run into anything. Oh, and as many bum scritches and snuggles as he wanted.

He was, and will forever be, the goodest boy.

04/09/2024

Edited at 5:50PM CST September 4th, 2024

Hello friends and followers,

There has been a lot going on behind the scenes to get our online, self-paced program up and running.

Unfortunately that isn't why I am posting today.

Some of you know that SD Buddy, who has grown up in our program, was transferred into our founders care this summer. Our founder was in need of a Service Dog, and Buddy was in need of a home.

The past few months Buddy has been working beautifully for Luke, alerting to Cardiac episodes, learning item retrieval, and being the Service Dog he worked so hard to be.

It has been a lovely few months for the pair.

Buddy was retired suddenly and without warning yesterday. On Monday, his pupils dilated and were unresponsive to light. Despite numerous attempts to get him into an emergency vet, neither of the 2 emergency clinics would see him as they didn't think it was emergent. As it was a holiday, Luke wasn't able to get a hold of either of his regular vets.

Luke immediately called both his vet offices Tuesday morning, and got Buddy in to whoever could see him soonest.

At 1pm Buddy was diagnosed with SARDS, Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome. Both of Buddy's retinas spontaneously detached, causing permanent and irreversible total blindness.

As of today, September 4th, the diagnosis has changed to PRA and suspected Choriaretinitis.

Buddy will live out his life as a pet, and Luke is working hard to "blind dog proof" his house.

It's not an update we ever want to post, but we also want to give everyone a reminder to hug your dog's a little tighter today. Medical emergencies can happen out of nowhere, and can be life changing.

I've attached some pictures of Buddy through his training journey, and over the past few months with Luke.

04/08/2024

Hello everyone,
We've gotten a few messages of people expressing disappointment with us removing the owner trained program.

I'm trying to find a solution to allow us to still offer an owner trained program, while eliminating the issue that has caused us to stop offering it.

The #1 issue is that I am not available to see clients in person, as we have clients across the country.

I'm wondering how everyone would feel about some sort of online course that clients could take instead? It would still require homework be sent in (Videos of you working on tasks/training) so that I am able to give input/advice.

Please let me know what you think.

Send a message to learn more

02/08/2024

Big congratulations to SD Ryder and handler who successfully passed their BC Certification test!

Super proud of all our graduated dogs, and all those dogs lining up to graduate soon. 💙🥳

30/07/2024

🚨 Important Update from Wendover Service Dogs 🚨

Today, we experienced an unfortunate incident where someone called us, pretending to be something they were not, in an attempt to obtain information about one of our clients.

Following this, we have been threatened with negative reviews from individuals who are not our clients. We want to be transparent about this situation.

At Wendover Service Dogs, our clients' safety and privacy are our top priorities. We will always stand by our clients and support them fully. This commitment is unwavering.

We are particularly protective of our younger clients, and we make no apologies for that. Their well-being is paramount.

To address this situation, we have contacted the RCMP, and there is an open file on this matter. The recordings of all interaction between this individual and ourselves have been forwarded to the relevant people, including the RCMP.

Thank you for your understanding and continued support.

- Luke Wendover and the WSD Team

22/07/2024

Dear Friends and Clients,

We hope this message finds you well. We have some important and exciting updates to share with you regarding the future of Wendover Service Dogs.

As part of our ongoing commitment to providing the highest quality of service and training, we have decided to shift our focus entirely to privately training dogs as Service Dogs and then placing them directly with individuals. This means that we will be phasing out our Owner Trained and Pup-to-Partner (P2P) programs.

What This Means for You:
If you have been through our program or are currently enrolled, rest assured that you will continue to receive our full support. We will still be here for you with video calls, training advice, and any assistance you need.

We also want to acknowledge that things have been quiet from us recently. Our founder has been prioritizing his health after years of prioritizing clients. This change is part of ensuring that he can continue to provide the best service possible while taking care of himself.

We are incredibly grateful for your trust and support over the years and look forward to this new chapter in our journey to improve lives through our dedicated Service Dogs.

Thank you for being a part of the Wendover Service Dogs family. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us.

Warm regards,
The Wendover Service Dogs Team

20/05/2024

Hello everyone!

For all of our Saskatchewan followers... We are officially taking clients for our Owner Training program in Regina, Moose Jaw, and the surrounding areas north of Regina.

We are always available for virtual lessons as well :)

Message us today to get started!

01/05/2024

Major congratulations to SD Apollo for successfully graduating from the Wendover Service Dogs program! This dynamic duo has tackled challenges with unwavering determination to reach this milestone.

We can't wait to witness the remarkable achievements you'll conquer in the future!

01/05/2024

Huge congrats to SDiT Buddy for advancing to level 4 in our program at Wendover Service Dogs! His Handler has dedicated tremendous effort and time to his training, evident in each lesson.

We're thrilled for both of you to embark on level 4 and look forward to your upcoming graduation!

23/04/2024

Big congratulations to our team Janice and SD Morgan!

They passed their BC Certification today. I could not be more proud of everything they have accomplished over the past year.

All that work paid off, and I cannot wait to see what you two get up to in the future.

09/04/2024

Hello everyone,

We have been informed that the JIBC will no longer be involved in the BC Service Dog Certification process.

At this time, JIBC does not know who the new provider is, but will know in the next couple of days.

They are unsure if the test format is changing.

Please be patient with us as we navigate this. For the dog's close to taking their test, we will be focusing on the new test format in lessons if it does change.

Thank you for your patience. We will update as soon as we know more.

23/03/2024

🐾 Important Announcement from Wendover Service Dogs 🐾

Hey there, wonderful WSD community! We've got a little update to share with you all.

Our founder and head trainer will be taking a well-deserved mental health break until April 6th. It's essential for all of us to take some time to recharge and refocus, especially when we're working hard to provide the best service dog training around!

📌 What Does This Mean for You?

Urgent Matters: If you have an urgent issue or concern, please feel free to send us an email or a text message. Our founder will make sure to get back to you as soon as possible.

Scheduled Lessons: Don't worry! All previously arranged lessons will continue as planned.

Emergencies: In case of emergencies, our founder will be available to assist.

🐕‍🦺 We want to thank you all for your understanding and support during this time. We're committed to providing top-notch service, and this short break will help ensure we're at our best for you and your furry friends!

Stay pawsome, and we'll see you back in action on April 6th! 🐶💙

Warm woofs and wags,
The Wendover Service Dogs Team

13/03/2024

Hello everyone!

Not to worry, we are still here and busy with lessons. Everyone is doing fantastic!

Unfortunately the rescue litter we are raising is a little more complicated than we hoped it would be. Momma Precious was so emaciated from her time on the streets, that her milk dried up. Our head trainer, Luke, and his partner are on bottle feeding duty for the 7 puppies, which is making responses to messages a bit slow.

We appreciate your patience, and we promise we will get back to you in between feedings and naps!

Much love to our wonderful community.

03/03/2024

SDiT Isla is learning all about hind-end awareness! We love seeing how proud her handler is of her when she learns something new.

03/03/2024

SDiT Tilley is doing extremely well in Level 4! She has been going on outings with SDiT Morgan, and attending we have seen such a positive change in her training in the past few months.

03/03/2024

SDiT Morgan has been working hard preparing for her JIBC test in April!
Her handler's dedication shines through in every lesson.

03/03/2024

SDiT Apollo has been working hard on his skills! He is now accompanying his owner to a few different stores to gain more Public Access skills outside of lessons.

03/03/2024

Some photos of one of our newest program dogs, Jinx!

Jinx is doing fantastic, and we are thrilled that shes joined the program.