Jean Meade admits that she’s more comfortable with animals than humans. At the age of 42, Meade co-founded the non-profit organization, The Human-Animal Bond, which conducts service dog research, provides education, and trains service dogs through its Hearts of Gold program. Meade, a One Health Initiative proponent, has found joy working with four-legged and two-legged […]
Diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia “POTS” at age 16 Sage’s diagnosis was just the beginning of an unpredictable roller coaster ride of fear and the unexpected Sage Chador was devastated. She’d been paired with a service dog to help her cope with POTS, a rare condition that raises her heart rate by about 30 beats per minute—or […]
Patriotic act honoring Marine and Navy terror victims led U.S. Air Force Veteran to a golden path For five days in 2015, Jim Brennan stood on a bridge on Interstate 77 near Athens, West Virginia, clutching an American flag. Brennan, a U.S. Air Force veteran, was honoring four Marines and a sailor who had been killed in Tennessee. His patriotic objective: To provide a […]
Veteran Josh Walker of 101st Airborne questioned PTSD existence for six years before seeking treatment Before his dog Baxter changed his life, Josh Walker was suffering from night terrors. In 2005, Walker was deployed to Iraq as a cavalry scout in the 101st Airborne, enduring ambushes and firefights. The nightmares started when he returned home, along with hallucinations, fits of anger, and fear. He’d slam on the brakes when he was driving, thinking a roadside […]
On October 24th the service puppies in training and their foster parents got the chance to experience some Halloween fun all together. The training took place at the Spirit Halloween store in Westover where the puppies were able to become a little familiar with some spooky objects that they may have never seen before. This […]
Service dogs are one of the many beneficial aids when dealing with disabilities or mental health issues. They help guide and support the owner through various tasks and are specialized in training for emergency situations. In recent years, fake service dogs have become an increasing issue due to the ability to bring pets anywhere once […]
Service dog training prepares dogs to work or perform tasks for a person with a disability, including visual, hearing, and mobility impairments, mental disorders, etc. Below are five steps that provide a little insight into how a service dog is trained. First, you will need to pick a dog that is perfect for you. This […]
By: Megan Hudock, WBOY MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – Hearts of Gold provides service dogs for individuals with mobility impairments and PTSD. The program has been making a difference in the lives of many. “I’ve always recognized the positive impact that animals have on people’s lives,” says Jean Meade, founder of the Hearts of Gold program at West […]
BY JIM BISSETT Courtesy of The Dominion Post OK, so Jim Brennan didn’t necessarily look nervous when he positioned himself in front of that classroom in WVU’s Robert C. Byrd Health Sciences Center, on Friday afternoon. But Stryker knows how deep those waters can go. That’s why the 4-year-old golden retriever took up a position […]
Teaching behavior analysis in a service dog training program. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Seattle, WA, May 26-29. Foreman, A., Parenti, L.M., Meade, B. J., Wilson, M. E., Scotti, J. R., Wirth, O. (May, 2012). Response acquisition by dogs using a signaled 10-second delay to reinforcement. Poster presented […]