New Trees Take Root at WCC

If you’ve ever been to Warrior Canine Connection’s Healing Quarters in Boyds, Maryland, you know it’s a sight to behold. Situated on 88-acres of Maryland state property, WCC leases a small portion of it which is surrounded by cornfields, a cattle-grazing easement and is anchored by an iconic dairy barn. Then, of course, there are the adorable service dogs in training who can be found hard at work, as well as at play in the outdoor corrals.

Built in 1938, the barn is under renovation and soon will be a haven for Warriors involved in WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery Program. As with any renovation plans, many man-hours have been spent on the design plans to accommodate training areas, kennels, office space, storage and more.

Julie Walters, WCC board member and supporter, says, landscaping is often the last item on a long list of “to-dos” on a project like this. That’s why she donated eight new trees and had them installed on the grounds in the spring.

“Well, I’m a bit impatient with this process, so I decided to jump ahead of the construction schedule,” said Julie. “We need shade trees now so the dogs and trainers can use all the beautiful areas our Healing Quarters offer. And trees are an item which you wish you had planted five years ago; with that in mind, I have only started with the planting of these eight native varieties on the property. I’m not done yet!”

The eight-foot, field-raised trees have taken root around the property and along the large outdoor corral. The generous donation includes several varieties comprised of three Tulip Poplars, White Swamp Oak, Princeton Elm, Red Sunset Maple, Black Gum Wildfire and a Willow Oak.

“Julie’s support of our organization runs so deep; from being our largest, private donor to everything in between, including helping to deliver furniture —her level of support knows no bounds,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, WCC. “She’s not afraid to roll up her sleeves, and is just so supportive and so attentive to detail, it is just amazing to me how humble, kind and caring of a person she is to our Veterans and this organization.”

Julie, who serves as president of WCC’s board of directors, got involved with the organization 10 years ago. A self-proclaimed animal lover, Julie says she has always had cats and dogs in her life and knows full well the benefits they have given her throughout both her childhood and adult life. That’s how she knew WCC was the perfect “fit” for her involvement.

“The greatest advantage to our location at Schaeffer Farm [WCC Healing Quarters] is the peace and quiet and beauty of the natural setting,” said Julie. “It’s not a hospital or a clinic or a government installation — it’s the Maryland countryside and a very peaceful backdrop for healing and bonding and recovery for the veterans who come into our programs. With a big barn and our wide-open spaces, WCC will expand further and continue to offer the best supportive environment for our mission.”

You can learn more about the history of WCC’s property, as well as check out the “construction cam” to track the renovation process here.

WCC’s Calli Gets Private Flight to Maryland from Volunteer Pilot

It’s not all that uncommon to see a service dog accompanying its owner on a flight. But it’s not every day that a dog gets its very own privately chartered flight. That’s precisely what WCC’s Calli recently got, thanks to a spectacular volunteer, Mark Horton. 
 
Calli, a WCC military family support dog from the Welcome Home Litter who was paired with his military family earlier this year, recently had some health issues that required some specialized medical care. The problem? He was in Memphis, Tennessee and WCC’s veterinary team is in Sandy Spring, Maryland. 
 
It just so happens Mark, who is a Veteran himself, lives next door to one of WCC’s team members who told him about the situation. That’s when Mark happily agreed to get Calli where he needed to be via his personal four-seater plane. 

“There are two types of pilots — a pilot who flies because it’s a good job and the others who fly because they love it,” said Mark. “I often look for an excuse to fly and this was a good one — it was a win-win for everybody.” 

A civilian pilot part of his career, Mark says he “got distracted” and ended up going to the military medical school as a naval officer and then he took a position with another commissioned uniformed service that took him to the Indian Health Service where spent 32 years as an eye surgeon. 
 
In his role, Mark often found himself in remote locations where Native Americans didn’t have access to specialty healthcare. He convinced his leadership team to start a small flight department so he could help get physicians and specialists in and out of the area to help provide medical services that otherwise wouldn’t be available.  

Mark served as the chief pilot of the flight department for 15 years and recently retired from medicine. Clearly, having spent most of his life helping others isn’t just a job for him, but a way of life.     

“I don’t need much excuse to go flying since I retired from my federal job,” said Mark. “Before this, I’ve been around service dogs only on commercial airlines. Calli was absolutely superb. In fact, he was far better than a lot of passengers I used to fly. He was great, he curled up and couldn’t be happier, I was very impressed.” 

Calli is back in Maryland, where he’s resting comfortably and in good hands with WCC’s medical team. 

We are continually amazed by all that our volunteers and supporters, like Mark, do to help our Veterans, dogs and our organization. Please join us in thanking Mark for going above and beyond to help Calli! 

 

WCC Unleashed

Warrior Canine Connection is pleased to announce a new video series, “WCC Unleashed.” Born out of the popularity and success of WCC’s virtual Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program, “Unleashed” is designed to teach Veterans how they can strengthen their bond with their pet dog while also learning about training from their own home.  
 
“There’s a real need for programming like this to help Veterans at home tap into the human-animal bond with their pets,” said Rick Yount. “We know not all Veterans need a service dog, but they can certainly learn time-tested methods for helping them improve their relationships, including communication, training and improving their bond with man’s best friend.” 

The first installment of WCC Unleashed, which covers training concepts and how Veterans can teach their own dogs different commands, can be viewed here. 
 
The series will focus on different topics in each episode — with all videos designed to help explain, improve and enhance the enjoyment of the bond between a Veteran and his/her four-legged friend. Future topics include grooming, the human-animal bond, stages of learning, among many others. 

“Unleashed” isn’t to prepare pups to become future service dogs, rather, it will help explain and, in some instances, decode the what and why of how your dog may be thinking, feeling and behaving. 
 
Subsequent “Unleashed” episodes will be released in the new feature — stay tuned! 

Harlem Kindergartners Take Virtual Field Trip to Warrior Canine Connection in Boyds, Maryland

Most of us know Warrior Canine Connection’s most recent puppies as Diamond’s Litter. After learning about the WCC puppy cam on Explore.org, kindergarteners at Harlem Village Academy in Harlem, N.Y. began watching them almost daily during their classes. They even created their own nickname for the litter: The Seven Dwarves. (Yes, Diamond’s Litter has seven puppies.)  

The Harlem Academy class of 25 has been, like most classrooms around the country, learning virtually for months now. Holding a kindergartener’s attention can be challenging under even the best of circumstances, so just imagine teaching more than two dozen kindergarteners virtually.  

That’s precisely what co-teachers Hannah Tejeda and Galila Ahmed at Harlem Village Academy have been doing since March. Both Hannah and Galila were in search of lessons that would capture their students’ attention span, be visually pleasing, fun and engaging. That’s when they stumbled on the WCC puppy cam on Explore.org and introduced it to the class. They posted links to the puppy cam on the students’ Google Classroom, where students and parents access their daily lessons. And now, it’s become part of their daily routine. 
 
“The first thing the kids do each morning is check on the puppy playroom and the nursery,” said Hannah. “It’s been really fun to take in their thoughts. Everything they say to me is very quirky and funny because of their age. When all the puppies are sleeping on top of each other, the kids always make comments like ‘get your foot out of my ear’, ‘how are you sleeping like that — isn’t that uncomfortable?”  

Hannah says watching the puppies isn’t just about fun and games, it’s also been a great lesson in age and development. 

“The class decided that when they first started watching the puppy cam, the puppies were in pre-school,” said Hannah. “After several weeks, they decided they look like third–graders. They make lots of comments on how quickly they’re growing.” 
 
Last week, each pup in Diamond’s Litter has since been placed with their new puppy parents, WCC volunteers who will care for them during their training for up to the next two years.  
 
Hanna says she is grateful that the puppy cam is available to help entertain, educate and touch the hearts of their students. She says they’re also looking forward to watching WCC litters in the future. 

“As an adult, my co-teacher and I really appreciate what the organization is doing,” said Hannah. “I’ve had service family members and I think it’s an awesome way to show what you’re doing by using the webcam. It’s really cool because it’s providing an inside look on something we normally wouldn’t have insight on.” 

A Round of A-Paws for WCC Volunteer Karen Chiu

Like most people across the United States, WCC puppy parent Karen Chiu has been working from home for almost three months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. She’s been observing the “stay at home” policy enacted in California, except for necessary trips for food, essential supplies and, of course, dog walks for Frank. 
 
A WCC service dog-in-training, Frank is a one-year-old Golden Retriever — the sixth WCC dog that Karen has helped train. And the sixth to capture her heart. 
 
“There’s just something about dogs…they’re loyal, they always have love for you, they’re always happy to see you and there’s never any judgment with dogs,” says Karen. “They see a human, they love them, and they are always there for them.” 

First came Jenny. Then Katie. Then Lisa, who was followed by Greg and then Tommy. And now, of course, Frank, or “Frankie” as Karen calls him. 

Like so many of WCC’s volunteers, Karen discovered WCC through the Explore.org puppy cam back in 2015. Shortly after, she found out about its Menlo Park location in California, started volunteering, and has been hooked ever since. 
 
“I love the work that WCC is doing here in Calif., where the dogs are working with Veterans almost daily,” said Karen. “It’s really awesome to hear their stories, even from those who help train the dogs. It’s so awesome to hear how these dogs are changing their lives and see the impact they’re having on them.” 

Besides helping to care, feed and train six dogs, Karen’s attached her name to numerous other events to help WCC, including past graduations and fundraising events. All WCC has to do is cite the need, and Karen’s name can be found on the list of those willing to help. 
 
“Karen is a great source of historical dog information and she plays a huge role in supporting the West Coast WCC site,” said Alexis Baker, California Program Manager. “She’s an incredibly experienced puppy parent, and willing to go the extra mile for her dogs in whatever ways they need. She’s also an amazing social media maven and has single–handedly fulfilled our Wishlist twice in the last 12 months. Because of her and her amazing skills, we have access to a lot of supplies for our dogs and veterans to use during training.”  

Together, Karen and Frank are continuing their WCC service dog training virtually. Although they attend their weekly classes via computer, Karen senses “Frankie” is missing his in-person interaction with the Veterans with which he regularly works. 
 
“He recognizes people on the calls — his ears perk up when he hears their voices,” says Karen. “He’s such a social fellow, there’s no doubt he’s missing that regular close connection he had with the Veterans.” 

Both Karen and Frank hope it’s just a matter of time until they’re able to return to in-person training but, in the meantime, they’re subscribing to their training schedule and enjoy sharing some of their new lessons, at-home adventures and antics on Frank’s Facebook page.  

Thank you, Karen, for sharing your time, talents and treasures with WCC! 

 
 

 

WCC Service Dog-in-Training Scores a Page in a Maryland Middle School Yearbook

This year’s St. Jude Regional Catholic School yearbook features a very special pupil — one with four legs, a wet nose and a tail. After spending several months attending classes at the school, students decided that Andrew, a service dog in training with Warrior Canine Connection (WCC), should be included in their 2019-2020 yearbook. 

Middle school teacher Pat O’Connell, who was a puppy parent to Andrew, meaning she was a volunteer who helped raise, train and care for him for several months, brought him to school every day from September – December 2019. 

“The kids took having Andrew in class very seriously,” said Pat. “They understood he was in training and some students already had experience with a service dog. Most did their best to ignore him, others couldn’t help but stare at him because he was so cute.” 

A yellow Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, Andrew, like all dogs in WCC’s training program, is being groomed to become a service dog to assist a Veteran who has visible and invisible wounds. 

Classes at St. Jude let out in December for the holiday break, and when students came back to school in January, they were sad to learn Andrew was not. 
 
Due to Andrew’s intelligence, eagerness to please and love of training, WCC service dog instructors decided he was best suited to continue his learning at WCC’s Denver, Colorado program location at the Marcus Institute for Brain Health, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, where he spends his days learning and training with Service Members and Veterans who have traumatic brain injuries (TBI). On-site training has been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic but Andrew and other service dogs at MIBH are still participating in virtual classes online. 
 
Pat says students know Andrew moved on to train for a greater purpose, yet he made such an impact on them in the brief time he was there, that’s why they decided to include him as a highlight in their yearbook.  

“Everyone at the school knew of Andrew,” said Pat. “He was in our classroom, could be seen walking up and down the hallways by my side, at recess and at dismissal each day. He was so happy, well-mannered and lovable, and he managed to reach the hearts of everyone he met.” 

ISI Demolition Helps Warrior Canine Connection Remove Barriers for Barn Renovation Project

This month, Warrior Canine Connection came 4,000 tons closer to its large barn renovation project taking shape. The centerpiece of its headquarters, the iconic Schaeffer Farm dairy barn, is getting a major overhaul to transform the 1930s-era structure into a new facility needed to breed, train and place future service dogs.  

As scenic as the farm is, there were many tons of concrete that had been dumped on the property over the years, as well as concrete pads that flanked older buildings no longer standing. In order to upgrade the utilities, install proper storm water runoff and adjust the grade of the land around the barn, most of the concrete had to go. The debris was not only unsightly, it also presented a major obstacle to the barn renovation, that is, until ISI Demolition got involved. 

 Based out of White Marsh, Maryland, ISI Demolition has been overseeing demolition projects for 29 years. After finding out about WCC’s needs following the February tornado, ISI graciously offered its services to WCC pro-bono.  

“We knew there was a tremendous amount of concrete that had to be removed for the barn renovation project to continue on,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “Quite frankly, we were concerned about the cost to get this work done and how that would impact our construction efforts. In two short weeks, the ISI team did amazing work and removed a huge barrier that has enabled us to move on to the next phase in the barn renovation process. Thank you, ISI!”  

Not only did the ISI team demo 4,290 tons of concrete, but they also crushed it into gravel so it can be repurposed for some grading projects around the barn and under the floor of the soon-to-be new kennel space. 

“Our organization is honored to partner with Warrior Canine Connection,” said Dino Trombetta, president, ISI Demolition. “It gives us great pride to serve those who serve our country by supporting WCC’s mission and goals. Anytime we can offer our services to such a noble organization, we will.”  

In all, the ISI team spent 153 hours on-site at WCC, spanning two weeks. With two hard-working operators, they processed a total of 4,290 tons of concrete and mobilized three pieces of equipment, along with the crusher, to complete the project. 

“We were privileged to offer our services and pleased to leave a product onsite that will be reused for the new Warrior Canine Connection Headquarters,” said Jake Stocksdale, project manager, ISI Demolition. “It was a pleasure working with WCC and lend a helping hand to those who help our service veterans.” 

Over the past year, WCC has completed some modest renovations, including the restoration of the gables on both ends of the barn. Now, with the concrete removed, more extensive site preparation and infrastructure work can begin. Final layout plans are in progress and WCC anticipates that permitting will soon be underway. The entire project has been a collaborative one, with WCC getting much-needed assistance from Montgomery County, the State of Maryland, and incredible corporate friends, like ISI, who have generously shared their valuable expertise, time and manpower. 

 

 

DAV Charitable Trust Helping Veterans Heal Through Support of WCC’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery Training Program

Doug Arbon and his family can’t say enough about how much they’ve enjoyed participating in Warrior Canine Connection’s Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) training program.

The MBTR training program is unique in that it enlists Service Members and Veterans in recovery to help train service dogs for a fellow Warrior. Those involved in the training benefit from the process along the way, including improved communication skills, improved self-esteem and lower anxiety.

This summer, Doug will medically retire from the Army, a career in which he says he’s been honored to serve in for 15 years active duty and five years as a Reservist. He started his career in the Naval Reserves, then he enlisted in the Army and a few years later he was commissioned as an Officer in the Army. He spent most of his career as a military intelligence officer, so he can’t share many details about the who, what, where or when of his service.

Aside from concerns about life post-military, Doug and his family are also grappling with larger health issues. Both Doug and his son have undergone surgeries for cancer due to a shared rare genetic mutation called SDHB. Doug has also finished radiation treatment for additional cancerous tumors that have grown since his initial surgery. His daughter also wrestles with serious health issues, including debilitating migraines. But Doug says being around the WCC service dogs in training has been a most welcome distraction.

“Since we started the program, we noticed a huge difference when we’re around the dogs,” says Doug. “Just being around them changes our outlook. We feel like we’re giving back a little bit and it really helps to know we’re helping to train these amazing dogs that will go on to serve Veterans and their family members who really deserve them.”

Warrior Canine Connection’s MBTR program is funded, in part, by Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Service Trust. The Trust recently provided WCC with a $150,000 grant to support MBTR; this latest grant to WCC brings The Trust’s total support to $350,000 over the past four years.

“We are so thankful to DAV Charitable Trust’s continued support for our programs,” said Rick Yount, founder and executive director, Warrior Canine Connection. “They have been an amazing partner — not just founded on financial support, but a shared philosophy when it comes to improving the lives of our nation’s Veterans.”

The Trust was established for the single purpose of empowering Veterans to lead high-quality lives with respect and dignity. As part of that mission, the Trust ensures charitable initiatives around the country have the resources they need to benefit our nation’s heroes. That includes programs that provide service dogs to Veterans, including Warrior Canine Connection.

The Arbon family is hoping that once responsible to do so, that they can return to WCC to continue training service dogs for their future placement with fellow Warriors.

“WCC’s program is helping so many Service Members and Veterans, me included,” said Doug. “We’d go back in a heartbeat — we were going once a week and we’ve seen a loss without that connection already. Just being around those dogs has really made a huge impact on our family. There’s a little bit more happiness, a little bit more peace in the family after we see these dogs and have that experience.”

Thank you, DAV Charitable Trust, for your continued support of WCC and our nation’s Veterans. Visit https://cst.dav.org/ to learn more.

Virtual Classes New Norm for WCC

Over the past couple of weeks, thousands of schools, universities and other organizations have transitioned to online meetings and learning, and Warrior Canine Connection is no exception. Due to COVID-19 concerns, WCC recently moved its focus to support Veterans by using new virtual formats. 

Veterans whose Mission Based Trauma Recovery (MBTR) programming was interrupted by the current global crisis are receiving weekly emails from WCC with resources and instructional videos. The content focuses on training skills, canine behavior and theories of learning, and other foundational training techniques.  

Warrior Canine Connection is hopeful that the virtual social engagement, content and consistency of programming will allow Veteran participants to make even greater contributions to the dogs’ advancement, as well as their own personal progress. Right now, the goal is to keep as many Warriors involved in MBTR programming as possible to ensure they have the critically important Warrior Canine “Connections” that research shows reduce stress and isolation.  

 “This is a new design for all of us at WCC, so we’re learning as we go in an attempt to serve our Veterans, and ensure they continue seeing the benefits of MBTR, albeit virtually,” said Emily McNeal. “The challenge is a fun one as we work to create new content and educational pieces!”  
 
And so far, it’s working well. 

In addition to the Veterans and Service Members, it’s also crucial to keep the service dogs in training on regular training schedules. Those currently in the training pipeline and participating in MBTR will go on to be placed with Service Members and Veterans with visible and invisible wounds, once it’s responsible to do so. 
 
Puppy Parents, volunteers who raise WCC’s service dogs in training for up to two years, also have new online programming dedicated to helping them keep future service dogs on-track. Although they typically come to WCC’s program sites once a week for classes, they’re now logging on to their computers and phones to take a class. So far, puppy parents in Boyds, Maryland; Denver, Colorado; Menlo Park, California and Asheville, North Carolina are participating in the online classes.   
  
Service Dog Training Program Manager Kevin Simpson, who leads WCC’s service dog training program, says, “The ability to continue with group classes is helping restore a sense of normalcy for us all — if even only a little bit. And although face-to-face training is preferred, it is nice to see the teams working together in their home environments, too. Everyone appears relaxed with the online support and the training instructors are still able to provide immediate feedback as the puppy parents practice skills — it’s working.”  

In these extraordinary times, we’re fortunate to have not only have each other but also extraordinary technology to help see us through.  

Love at First Click

It was eight years ago now. Stacey Rumptz was at her local library using one of its computers. She landed on a website that had an ad to “watch puppies.” A dog lover, she clicked on it and was instantaneously hooked. 

“There were these six puppies and this mom, and she was so good with these puppies,” said Stacey. “They just made me smile… I wasn’t even petting them or holding them but the next day, I had to get back on that camera, I don’t know why, but I had to see the puppies.” 

That was Holly’s Half Dozen, Warrior Canine Connection’s second-ever litter of pups back in 2012. (Rain’s Patriotic Pups Litter was the first.) 
 
At the time, Stacey, her husband and their two sons had just moved from Detroit, Michigan to Green Bay, Wisconsin. Although the move was made for cleaner air, wider spaces and a better quality of life, with no friends or family locally, Stacey felt like her walls were closing in around her. She never thought — not for one second — that she would find solace in a website full of puppies. 

“It was the best click on a computer that I have ever made in my life,” says Stacey. “It has opened up so much for me in the way of friendships, happiness and support when I lost my own pup. It’s just knowing that these pups are going on for greater things to help the Warriors who have defended our country, our way of life.” 
 
While she says the mission and puppies, of course, are what drew her in, she found much more than that on the site.   

“At first, I just watched and read the chat thread on the site,” says Stacey. “Someone made a comment, I can’t remember what it was, but I posted… and it was the beginning of some really good friendships. I found myself sharing on the site and talking with people who helped me through some really tough times.” 
 
But it’s not only the friendships, Stacey also credits the site for helping to deepen her relationship with her own sons. Both of her boys have ADHD and Asperger’s Syndrome, so finding things that hold their interest and that they enjoy is challenging. 
 
“When they were younger, the kids would watch and count the pups in the litter, call out each of their names by their colors,” said Stacey. “And when they learned that each dog was named after actual people, they became really hooked and would read all of the name announcements.” 
 
She adds with a laugh, “My son could tell me the names of each of the litters, but could he clean his room? No.”  

Life has changed a lot since then. The boys are grown and are preoccupied with other interests. Stacey has a full-time job supporting a trucking service, which has become very busy with the current demand on our trucking and shipping industry due to COVID-19.  

Stacey still routinely tunes into the puppy cam and chats with her fellow Extreme Puppy Watchers (EPWs), a tight-knit group of people who follow the WCC puppy cam. She says she hopes to one day make it to a WCC graduation and meet Molly Morelli, WCC’s director of dog programs. 

She says “I will always be in debt to Rick and Molly for allowing us into their living room and their lives. From that one webcam, a blue bear bed, and a whole lot of wonderful people, WCC is something VERY special to me.” 

Contact Us

14934 Schaeffer Road
Boyds, MD 20841

(T) 301.260.1111
info@warriorcanineconnection.org


Warrior Canine Connection
is a 501(c)(3)
Nonprofit Organization
# 45-2981579