Seacoast Bark Magazine Sept/Oct 2022

Seacoast Bark is distributed at stores & businesses in: Portsmouth, Exeter, Rye, North Hampton, Hampton, Hampton Falls, Greenland, Stratham, Seabrook, Kittery, Newburyport & everywhere in between!

Published by Bark Media Group LLC six times a year. Hampton, NH

Please email Nancy nancy@snazzyjazzypet.comDewar/Publisher(603)498-3237words hear of the amazing

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seacoastbarkmagazine.com 3 8 4. words of wisdom Senior Helpers 6. animal lover's profile 8. k9's + wine

Mrs. and Mr. Design info@mrsandmrpublishing.com publisher

Nancy Dewar nancy@snazzyjazzypet.com - 603.498.3237

from our advertising partners who support the magazine…thank you. For all

people I’ve met through Seacoast Bark…what a gift! With much gratitude… Cheers + Chow Nancy

Interested in advertising with us? Have a good story idea or a suggestion on a great animal or person to feature?

12. fun things to bark about 14. match.com 16. I love my job 18. feature We’d love to have you start following us on (Instagram.com/seacoastbarkmagazine)Instagram! 2014 20. local tails 22. let's pawty Ristorante Massimo 23. flips + flops This fall I’m feeling very grateful…for the wonderful stories we can share via Seacoast Bark…thank you all for sharing your stories & info with us. For the special comments I hear from people that are enjoying the magazine…thank you. For the positive

Walter’s WORDSWISDOMOF

Wagon Hill Farm, where an iconic wagon sits on the top of the hill marking its location on Route 4 in Durham. The farm boasts 139 acres and a great trail system that meanders through grassy areas, the forest and along the shoreline of Great Bay. This is a perfect spot for a walk, run, picnic or for taking some great pictures. P.S. Us furry guys are welcome too, but on a leash.

Senior Helpers provides in-home, non-medical care offering tailored ser vices ranging from companion care for seniors who need daily assistance to in-depth specialized care for those with Alzheimer’s, dementia, Parkin son’s and other chronic diseases. They’ve worked with clients ranging in age from 25 to 104. Senior Helpers has been voted “Best of the Seacoast” in the Home Health Care 3 years running and was recently awarded the Provider Circle of Excellence and National Employer of Choice by Listen 360 client and caregiver ratings.

Stratham Hill Park, located in Stratham just off Route 33. This beautiful park features lots of areas to walk including grassy fields and a well-maintained trail system. At the top of the trail, check out the fire tower for some superb views of Great Bay and the foliage. The colors are simply gorgeous from this vantage point. There are lots of places to explore; even a marker commemorating the location where President Abraham Lincoln’s son Thad, who was a student at Phillips Exeter Academy, read the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1860. I love going to this place!

Well folks, here are a few ideas to get you up and out of the house. Enjoy the change of seasons, catch some of that beautiful Vitamin D and take in the local sights. Maybe I will see you there!

Stratham, NH – (603) www.seniorhelpers.com/nh/se-new-hampshire583-4580

Making a Difference...

Goodbye Summer, Hello Fall…

Apple Cider Donuts, a New England Fall must! Although the recipes may differ, the love for this tasty donut is universal. You can find them at Applecrest Farm Orchards in Hampton Falls, at the Emery Farm in Durham (close to Wagon Hill Farm) and at Rawson’s Farm Stand in Stratham to name a few. Perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack!

When school starts, it signals the end of summer. Routines change. The kids have after school activities, and with summer vacations over work meetings become more prevalent. Looking back over the summer we begin to lament on the things that we never got to do. We notice a chill in the air when we leave our homes in the morning or as the sun sets.

“Autumn Teaches Us That Change Can Be Beautiful.”

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By Walter Eugene Davis Senior Helpers – Stratham, NH

Are you struggling with a “times up” mentality? This can lead you to the seasonal change blues. I suggest that you shift your thoughts and get out there and experience a few great spots right in our back yard.

Back in December before Santa flies, Walter Eugene

wisdomofwords

New England BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) Festival, Sunday September 25th from 12-6:00pm in the Vida Cantina parking lot located at 2456 Lafayette Road in Portsmouth. Experience food from Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam, India and more! The smells will captivate you. Performers will entertain you with music, song and dancing. Browse the unique offerings displayed by vendors featuring art, jewelry and clothing. Come join me!!!

Fort Constitution overlooks the Piscataqua River and Atlantic Ocean in New Castle. This is the original site of Fort William & Mary. If you are a military history buff, this is the place for you. The location is the site of the first victory of the American Revolution led by Captain John Langdon and Major John Sullivan. It features great underground tunnels open for exploration. Plus, a bonus, the Portsmouth Lighthouse is also located on the property. I checked it out from the car because no dogs are permitted on the property.

At Senior Helpers we are blessed to make a difference in the lives of our clients, their families, and our team every day. We lead with our hearts helping those in need. Extending our capable hands to lighten the load. Whether it be a medication reminder, preparing a meal, an escort to a doctor’s appoint ment or a good game of Rummy, the Senior Helpers Team changes lives one client at a time.

Fondly…Dwight & Gayle Davis, our special team & Walter too!

If they were people, who would they be & why?

Don Knowles & Tara Datro

They all are rescues. Georgia came from Georgia from Go Dogs Go Res cue. We got Drax from Paws of New England, and Ruby came from a special family friend who I promised that I would take care of her.

Meet Knowles & Tara Datro…

A bit about your dogs?

Toby, Georgia, Drax & Ruby

Drax Knowles

and Their Special

What do you love most about them?

Don Knowles is the owner of Knowles Tree Service and Tara Datro is the company’s customer service manager. They have three adored dogs. Ruby is a 15-year-old Boston Terrier mix. Five-year-old Geor gia is a Pitbull, and Drax is a two-year-old Pitbull/Siberian Huskey/ Shepherd mix.

Don

Drax, Ruby & Ms Gerogia

They all would be characters from our favorite movie “Guardians of the Galaxy.” Drax would be Star Lord… strong, kind, handsome and protector of his girls. Georgia would be Strong-Serious…a heart of gold and protec tor of her Ruby. And Ruby, she’d be Rocky Raccoon…sassy, strong, very loving and despite her small size, she is the boss!

Ruby Knowles

www.OMTMulch.comPack

They are a huge part of our life, and we are fortunate they are with us every day! They bring us so much love, laughter and are great com pany.

The Journey from Producing Dog TV Shows to WOOF Signs

Though John is now the Executive Producer of This Old House TV series, the couple origi nally came to Boston to do “Dogs 101,” a show John created for Animal Planet. That’s when Pam’s love of dogs became intertwined in her professional life. “We did that, Cats 101 and other spin offs for about five years. I had a blast working on Dogs 101. Each show was about a specific breed, giving details about the breed. In the middle of the show, we’d include a fun, real-life story about the breed which I produced.”

Pam’s career took a major change in 2020 after she made a hand-painted sign for her house out of nautical flags. The flags spelled “Clam Box,” which is what the Tomlin’s call their home. To stave off boredom, Pam began to make more nautical signs when things shut down in March 2020 due to CO VID. On a whim, she posted one of her creations on Facebook and received ten orders the next day. Thus, the be ginning of her new company, Ipswich River Craft

John&Pam

profilelover'sanimal

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Pam’s first episode on Dogs 101 was about Weimaraners. “I went to NYC and met the famous photographer William Wegman. For another segment I flew to Italy to do a story about Black Russian Terriers, a breed trained to jump out of helicopters to save people from drowning.” Pam’s husband John was

In just two-plus years, Pam has shipped over 3,000 signs all over the US. Each letter block is hand painted with a colorful flag that corre lates to the nautical flag alphabet. The blocks are adhered to a solid color painted MDO

Pam and John, who live in a wonderful riverfront cottage in Ipswich, were devastated when they lost Jake several years ago. They now have two dogs, both Brittany Spaniels. Pam explained, “When we were finally ready to get another dog, John liked medium size dogs, and I liked little ones. We had done a show on Brittany’s, and it was a breed that we both really liked. So, we got our first Brit tany puppy and named him Jack. He is now 13 and slowing down a bit. Last November we got our puppy Cruiser.

By Nancy Dewar

then commissioned to do the Puppy Bowl for Animal Planet, and they produced the show for about three to four seasons. It was taped in a NYC studio, and they flew dogs in from all over the country to participate in the faux football games. “He even interviewed Mi chelle Obama for one of the shows,” Pam said.

Pam Tomlin of Ipswich, Massachusetts has always been a huge dog lover but never imagined the part they’d play in her professional life as well. She grew up in Connecticut with poodles…Dolly, Poopette and Coco. Until COVID hit, Pam was a freelance television producer for more than 25 years working on programs such as Montel Williams and the Maury Show. In 1989 Pam met her husband, John Tomlin, while working on Inside Edition. John was the creator and Executive Producer of the show, and their paths crossed again years later at a convention. They dated for six months and were married six months later. Pam not only fell in love with John, but also with his dog Jake, a wonderful Vizsla.

Cruiser

Brothers

animal lover's profile

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wood plank, and the signs come in five sizes. Through her connections with the profession als from This Old House, Pam has gotten expert advice on the best quality of materials, the best paint (top of the line Benjamin Moore ex terior!), cutting techniques and more. “Mauro Henrique, the show’s painting expert, shared invaluable painting techniques. Tom Silva, the master carpenter, came over and showed us cutting and assembly techniques. These TV pros taught us how to do it.”

The business that started in her garage is now run from a rented home located next door. It is convenient, has wonderful water views and Pam’s little pack loves to go to work with their mom. Jack and Cruiser, who are featured in many of Pam’s Instagram videos, make the congenial work atmosphere even better than ever. They are now best friends though Pam said that when Cruiser first arrived, Jack was like “why did you get this dog?” When Cruiser was sent away to puppy boot camp, Jack was sad and lonely…and so happy when his bro came home.

Once an order is placed, Tomlin and her small crew get to work to make the custom sign. Jo hanna Corwin, one of Pam’s artists, has been working with her since last August. “Johanna is a single mother, so this is a perfect job for her as we do flexible Mommy-hours.” The team paints about 120 signs a month. In ad dition to home names, which are often hung outside, many people order signs with last names, boat names, their dog’s name, town name and more. “Many realtors give our signs as a gift to clients and what a wonderful gift to give a friend with a new dog or puppy,” said Pam. They recent ly began making door

(IpswichRiverCraft.com)

In addition to work, the dogs go everywhere with Pam and John. From motorboat rides on the North Shore to overnights all over New England, Jack and Cruiser are their constant companions. Reflecting on her 25+ years of producing TV shows, Pam said, “I had the

hangers with either “Woof” or “Meow” on them…another great gift for pet owners.

But being a dog-mom is most important to Pam. “I’ll always have dogs. Jack is older and easy. Cruiser – is sort of settling down. He ate the couch and a comforter and was kicked out of dog daycare. Now he has a morning play group and a dog walker in the afternoon. His problem is that he’s smarter than Jack! He’s a counter cruiser and eats mice! Jack is bird driven. Cruiser is bunny driven, and they both are just absolutely perfect.”

doorhangersMeow&Woof

In just two-plus years, Pam has shipped over 3,000 signs all over the US. Each letter block is hand painted with a colorful flag that correlates to the nautical flag alphabet.

Pam painting

best job in the world. It was a dream job, and the animal shows were our favorites. We’d fall in love with all the fur babies.” Regard ing her new business venture, “We’re a little company that has a huge heart, and we’re spreading the love. We’re like a little family, and people are so happy when they get a sign. They’re great for shower and wedding gifts,

Pam, Jack & Cruiser

In terms of exposure, Pam got a big break in November 2021 when David Muir from ABC World News featured Ipswich River Craft on a Made in America segment. “We got around 700 orders that night for Christmas gifts. There were only four to five people working here then, so I hired about 30 local “elves” to help. Some days we’d start at 6:00 a.m. and some we’d work till 8:00 p.m. We had just gotten Cruiser that week, so we had all of this going on while we had the devil-dog new puppy,” Pam said with a chuckle.

wine+k9's

Story Smith Wine Cellar’s first release was in 2015. They operate out of a custom crush facility (where they use the equipment and resources provided by the facility) and have a wonderful, dog-friendly tasting room in Healdsburg. As they were raising funds, many people wrote asking if Sandwich would be getting his own

Story Smith Wine Cellars, located in Healdsburg, California, started a bit differently than most vineyards and cellars located in the lush valleys of Sonoma County. Founders Eric Story and Alison Smith-Story both are passionate about wine and had been involved in the industry for years. Eric had expertise in wine buying and retail man agement. Ali had experience in hospital ity, wine buying, consumer marketing and sales. With no large trust funds behind them nor the sale of a high-tech company, the duo turned to online fundraising to launch their new venture in 2014.

Lord Sandwich is now ten and is a well-known and loved local fixture, not to mention the TRUE LOVE of his parents’ life! He is a pro at greeting guests at the tasting room and has the distinction of being named the company’s “Employee of the Year” every year! Eric, Ali and Sandwich have certainly made a splash in wine country, and their boutique organic wines continue to garner outstanding reviews. Their 2022 Fall Release is outlined on their website where you may also purchase directly from their wine shop.

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wine! Initially, their thought was “no critter wines for us!” However, due to his enormous pup-fluence, they produced 600 cases of Lord Sandwich Red in 2016 and have continued with subsequent releases.

TheSANDWICHLORDWineryDoodle

They believe that they are one of the few, if not only, US wineries that was crowd-funded with their launch of the Story Smith “Farm ers First” campaign on Kickstarter. The Farm ers First theme was about pledging to pay a fair price to their grape growers, and they raised over $25,000 in 30 days by 150 backers. Eric and Ali’s passion played a big part in their fund ing success, but it also was helped along by their somewhat-famous Golden Doodle named Lord Sandwich. As the donations came in, they noticed an interesting trend. A lot of their sup porters were followers of Sandwich’s Instagram account. This handsome, “tall as a doorknob,” 80-pound doodle dog had captured the hearts of many; and today he has over 71,000 followers on Instagram!

Lord Sandwich Red is a non-vintage blend, meaning it is made by blending multiple years together; and each release is noted by a paw print on the back label. Eric and Ali added a philanthropic twist by donating a pair of new socks to charity for each bottle sold through the non-profit they created, Socks for Sandwich. How did they come up with the socks idea? Well, as Ali explained, “All doodles are sock thieves!” Apparently, Sandwich loved socks as a puppy; and over 40,000 pairs have been provided to others in need through their non-profit.

AliandSandwich

By Nancy Dewar

Be sure to include a bottle or two of the 4th release (marked by four paw prints!) of Lord Sandwich Red (a blend of Sonoma Mtn. Cab ernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc). Not only will you enjoy a delicious blend of black currant and dark cherry combined with fall spice notes, but you’ll also help families in need with new sock (@sandwichthedoodle)(SocksForSandwich.org)(StorySmithWineCellars.com)donations.

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thingsfunto bark ABOUT

Vermont is the perfect place to enjoy extraordinary fall foliage and you can do so while also attending the annual Fall Dog Party at Dog Mountain in Saint Johnsbury, a beautiful 2 ½ hour drive from the Seacoast. Dog Mountain, set on 150 mountain-top acres where dogs can roam freely, was created by renowned artist Stephen Huneck and his wife Gwen. The party will be held on Saturday, October 1st, from noon to 4:00. Bring your pup for a wag-filled day exploring the gorgeous grounds, enjoying some live music, great food, dog treats from local vendors and more. This could be a wonderful fall weekend get-away! (DogMtn.com)

Dog Mountain Fall Party

12 seacoastbarkmagazine.com aboutandout

Dover Dog Howloween

Photo by WSET

The Comfort of Dogs

Saturday, October 15 in the Rotary Arts Pavilion at Henry Law Park in downtown Dover from 11:00 – 3:00. The highlight of each year’s event is the dog costume parade. Starting at 1:00 costumed dogs and their owners will parade down Central Avenue, and the costume category winners will be announced at 2:00. There will also be a police dog demonstration and a variety of vendors with great pup stuff. All proceeds will be donated to Pope Memorial Humane Society in Dover. A salute to Greg West Photography of Somersworth and Golden Dog Adventure Co. in Barrington for producing this fun event. (DoverDogHowloween.com)

Photo by WOAI TV

The 4th annual Dover Dog Howloween

Twenty-six LCC (Lutheran Church Charities) K-9 Comfort Dogs and their teams from eleven states are in Uvalde, Texas to be with children and staff as they return to school. The K-9s and their teams are at each of the district’s schools for three weeks each morning through September 23rd to be a calming and comforting presence for the students as they return to school. They are also available to the staff and parents to walk with them during their healing process. If you’d like to donate to their travel fund or for stuffed animals to give to students, please visit their website. There truly isn’t anything much more comforting than the unconditional love of a dog. (LutheranChurchCharities.org)

aboutandout

Blessing of the Animals

Every year on the 4th of October, many people celebrate St. Francis Day in honor of the patron saint of animals, Saint Francis of Assisi In remembrance of his love for all creatures, people traditionally take their animals to church for a Blessing of the Animals. St. Andrews-bythe-Sea in Rye will be blessing family pets on Tuesday, October 4th from 4:00 on until all are blessed. Reverend Rob Stevens will bless each family pet (including dogs, cats, fish, parakeets, etc.). All leashed, crated and well-mannered animals are welcome. There will be cider and cookies as well as treats for the pets…. even carrots in case any bunnies or horses show up! Donations will be gratefully accepted to benefit Mary’s Dogs Rescue & Adoption in Northwood, New Hampshire.

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Auction for the Animals

Don’t miss one of the Seacoast's most anticipated fundraising events that helps save the lives of thou sands of animals. The NHSPCA’s an nual Auction for the Animals will be held on Saturday, November 19th at the Wentworth by the Sea Hotel in New Castle. The evening will feature both a silent and live auction, a cocktail reception followed by dinner and is a wonderful way to spend time with fellow animal lovers and support animals in need. Tickets may be purchased online.

Meatball

(NHSPCA.org)

30 Church Road, Rye, NH off Ocean Boulevard (StAndrews-By-The-Sea.org)

The Police Department of Amesbury got their newest K9 member earlier this year when German Shepherd “Meatball” joined the department. To help with the care of Meatball (his training, equipment and food isn’t entirely covered by the department) a portion of the proceeds of Newburyport’s 19th Annual Chocolate Tour will be donated to the Amesbury PD. The tour will be held on October 1st from noon till 4:00. Tickets may be purchased at the NBPT Chamber of Commerce, the Candyman, the Brass Lyon, the Olive Oil Company and online (see their Facebook@nbptchocolatetour). The walking tour will offer ticket holders a chance to browse through 30+ stores, sampling an array of chocolates in each. What a sweet way to help support an important pup.

Newfie Fun Days

Newfoundland Club of New Eng land’s 26th annual Newfie Fun Days will be held September 17th and 18th from 10:00 to 4:00 at the Piscataqua Boat Basin & Park, El iot, Maine. Bring your Newf(s) to this event to celebrate the greatest working dog! Both days will offer demonstrations of the work this breed excels at: water rescue, cart ing and obedience. A food truck will on site and don’t miss the spe cial visit from JB’s Doggie Delight Ice Cream Truck as well as vendors with clothing, dog treats and more. (NewfieFunDays.com)

ChocolateNewburyportTour

To be honest with myself, I was comforted by the fact that our carpet was over 25 years old and in bad need of re placement, so my confidence that I could make this work was high despite the difficulties I anticipated as a result of this decision. Nonetheless, the decision was made. In May 2016, Buck the Beagle entered our lives. We found him on the Lewiston, Maine Animal Refuge League site, and we just knew he had to be ours. He was one of a large ship ment of puppies that had been rescued from a kill shelter in Louisiana, and he was not yet available for adoption. We called to verify his availability date and the procedure for getting in line to be considered as an adoptive family; and we crossed our fingers. And our toes. Twice!

To this day, Buck is the center of love in our home, and we are centered because of him. And we could care less about all those aspects of dog ownership that we had seen as insurmountable inconveniences in the past, especially the carpet. We don’t know where we would be now had Buck not entered our lives, and we can’t imagine life without him.

By Rachel Reed – Co-Owner RE/MAX Shoreline – Portsmouth, NH & Portland, ME

Buck was Max’s high school graduation gift, and training Buck became his summer project. When Sam arrived home from his first year of college, and Max was going off to travel with friends, Sam took over some of these tasks, as well. There was even more talking and more caring and more love. Over time, we became a happy, functional family again. Buck had saved us.

Then, in the winter of 2014 my husband died suddenly. My two boys and I were very trauma tized, and we were each grieving in our own way, yet we somehow kept it together thanks to the love and kindness of our amazing friends, relatives and community members. However, when my oldest son Sam left for college in the autumn of 2015, just Max and I remained in our home together and our relationship became quite polarized. As the months went by without happi ness in our home, I remembered my friend Marcy’s words; and I decided that, for us, it was now an important time to get a dog.

When Buck came into our household, it became a home again. There was love and laughter and fun again. There was talking again, too. We had to discuss the care and train ing of our rather stubborn little Beagle puppy with his great sense of humor. We had to find a daycare for those days that neither of us could be home and choose the very best dog food for him and figure out transportation to the vet…there was talking again.

We never saw ourselves as “dog people.” Dogs seemed messy - they got into the trash, peed in the house, shed lots of fur, rolled in God-knows-what outside and then brought it in, collected ticks… and besides, we didn’t have the time to devote to properly caring for one, given our two busy careers and our children’s sched ules. Children love to have pets, so we had two very special fish, Bluey and Goldie.

Our son Max really wanted a dog, and he would spend hours with our friend’s dog. Our friend Marcy would try to explain that dogs provide unconditional love; that no matter what the dy namics were going on in the house, the dog loved everyone; and that it was a tremendous source of happiness and comfort to have a dog. Still, we just couldn’t find our way to dog ownership.

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"HOW I MET MY TRUE LOVE"

Buck the Beagle

Max&Buck FunWinterRachel&Buck

match.dog

love stories about real dogs + their humans

jobmyloveI

We both have so many connections in the dog world from our decades of experience that most of the people we invite on as guests have

Listen to the Podcast: TheQuirkyDog.com

When & why did you start your podcast?

Overview of The Quirky Dog…

Our podcast has 150 episodes jam packed with valuable information and casual banter. We highlight all our favorite products in the indus try and share endless tips to help you help your dogs. We talk about anxiety, aggression, potty training, loose leash walking, barking, running away, destructive chewing and the list goes on.

Anything else?

At the end of the day, we want to empower you and your dog no matter what your situation currently looks like. A reasonable plan of ac tion and a competent professional can provide great benefit to almost every dog and owner. And having someone in your corner who be lieves in you and your dog often has the great est impact as it relates to a team’s success. We believe in each and every one of our listeners, viewers and their awesome dogs!

Least favorite part?

Jess: As opposed to the structure of many other podcasts, we record live each week. Therefore, everything we say isn’t always as well thought out as other podcasts that can edit their audio and video before releasing their episodes. But if I’m being completely honest, the off-the-cuff format sometimes provides the most memo rable moments of comedy and sometimes even clarity, so I probably wouldn’t choose to switch to a more formal set up today.

Biggest challenges?

MEET JESS & SCOTT WILLIAMS

We began our podcast The Quirky Dog in Au gust 2019. We had recently started our online business Canine Healing and planned to use the podcast as a vessel to advertise our virtual offerings. We also wanted to use our voices to help people throughout the country, and po tentially people all over the world, because af ter decades of working with pet dogs on both coasts of the United States, we wanted to share our unique approach to spread the love.

How does one start a podcast?

Favorite part?

The biggest challenge is catching up! We just launched our very own website for The Quirky Dog this year and getting each episode on the website and clips of each episode onto TikTok (@thequirkydogpodcast) and Instagram (@ thequirkydogpodcast) is no easy endeavor!

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Scott: My least favorite part is the time it takes to get each episode recorded. Driving back and forth to Salem, NH and recording an episode takes up most of my Wednesday, which makes it harder for me to be on the road seeing my in-person clients on those days. However, we have a great community at the podcast studio between the employees who work in the ad joining cigar shop and our awesome producer, Chrissy Cunningham, so I suppose it all evens out in the end.

been friends or colleagues of ours at some point. We have also invited valued clients from our in-person dog training business Beyond The Leash to discuss some extreme case stud ies, and we have interviewed various compa nies to help promote their products or services.

First and foremost, we podcast at Studio 21 Podcast Cafe in Salem, NH and couldn’t be hap pier with their services. We even filmed an epi sode with Nancy and Flip Flop from Seacoast Bark at this spot! Another way to get some guidance on how to begin is by booking a dis covery call with Crackers in Soup, which is a local New England podcasting company. Ide ally, to begin you have a logo, high quality au dio equipment, expertise in your field, a wide knowledge of topics to discuss and commit ment.

How to find people to feature?

However, once officially caught up, it will be a cake walk to only be responsible for one epi sode clip weekly.

Online Dog Training: CanineHealing.com

Owners of Beyond The Leash & The Quirky Dog Podcast

Hands down what we enjoy the most is get ting our message out to the masses. Dogs don’t have to be as complicated as everyone makes them out to be! We want to offer a simple ap proach to dog owners from all walks of life that promotes enjoying your dog, keeping your dog healthy and having control over your dog. It truly is as simple as that.

seacoastbarkmagazine.com 17 Route 1 Antiques (603) 601-2554 106 Lafayette Road, Hampton Falls, NH The Collector’s Eye (603) 772-6205 132 Portsmouth Avenue, Stratham, NH doggone Something for everyone & prices for every budget. Support Over 100 SmallUnderBusinesses2Roofs! Lionel & Greg Route 1 Antiques & The Collector’s Eye Stop in to Finds!GreatnewseeFALL Open 6 Days a Week 10:00 to 5:00 (closed Tuesdays)

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Prior to basic training, all the puppies are profiled to make sure they are cut out for service work. “We want puppies that want to work,” Laura explained. When I asked how they profile them, Laura laughed and said, “That would take a whole other conversation another day as it’s quite involved.” People contact Laura to become volunteer puppy raisers. “It takes a special person to do this. Take and raise a puppy and then give it back. First-time volunteers have the hardest time with this. The pups go to their temporary families around 12-16 weeks old to learn basic obedience and return to Hero Pups after about 6 months.”

Most of their dogs are puppies from a network of rescue shelters Laura works with. Periodically breeders will donate puppies, but this is less than 10% of the total pups they get. This past spring Hero Pups received a Mama dog with 10 puppies and then another Mom arrived with six…so they had 16 puppies at once! Laura and her team care for the puppies at their headquarters until they are old enough to begin basic training, which is mostly done by volunteers called “puppy raisers!”

Hero Pups also has an incredible Inmate Training Program that they started in conjunction with the Merrimack County Department of Corrections. Laura had researched similar programs in the past when they were short on puppy raisers, though never proceeded with implementing one until Ross Cunningham, who was the Merrimack Country Department of Correction Superintendent at the time, reached out inquiring about the possibility of inmates training puppies. “We had a meeting with about six people, and I went in with files of information. I thought I was going to have to pitch them on this idea. and they thought

Laura founded the all-volunteer, non-profit 501(C)(3) Hero Pups in 2016 with the mission of using 100 percent of funds to acquire, train and pair support dogs with veterans and first responders. Their focus is on those with post traumatic stress, depression and other service- connected challenges. There are no fees to obtain a support dog though applicants must meet specific criteria as outlined on their website.

Raising the HeroPuppiesPups

The trajectory of Exeter resident Laura Barker’s professional life changed in 2011 while she was caring for her son during his stay at a military hospital following an injury he received during a tour of duty with the Marines in Afghanistan. As he was recovering, she saw how a seriously injured warrior positively responded to a therapy dog that was brought in to interact with the patients. Witnessing the dog helping this man’s emotional state in such a positive way led Laura to her big, life changing Aha moment. “I’m the quintessential dog person. I’d been rescuing and training dogs forever. And I had a real job like everyone else. And then I found my true calling…finding and training dogs to help others.”

By Nancy Dewar

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Hero Pups also trains comfort dogs for local police departments and placed the very first comfort dog in the state in 2017. Training the comfort dogs and police officers is entirely different than training support dogs. This is not a traditional K-9 program as there is no patrol, search & rescue, etc. involved. Rather these dogs assist their officer handlers within the community dealing with trauma and mental issues. Thanks to Hero Pups, over 173 service dogs have been placed to date, and there are now comfort dogs in Concord, Claremont, Manchester, Hudson, Franklin, Salem and UNH as well as several in other states. There are four police comfort dogs in training now, including one for the Exeter Police Department.

The impact of this program is remarkable. As Laura explained, “Jails aren’t happy places. These puppies bring some joy and happiness. They make the environment much more positive and help people move forward with their lives. These individuals don’t get paid or receive any special treatment. They simply volunteer. They want to have a purpose. And dogs don’t judge. Treat them fairly and kindly, and the dogs will just love them.” Several inmates have continued with Hero Pups upon their release or have gotten involved in some aspect in the canine field. “Once an inmate was told he was being released and he asked, ‘Can I just wait until I finish training this puppy before I go?’ Having that purpose is so important, as they lost their purpose along the way.”

veterans and/or first responders apply for a dog, Hero Pups looks at their lifestyle so they can pair the right dog with the right “Hero.” The dogs are trained specifically for the person they are matched with, i.e., task training, anxiety, depression and so forth. Training is held at Hero Pups’ headquarters in a large, but not fancy (like no bathrooms or running water) building.

they were going to have to pitch me! We all then just agreed. We don’t have to sell each other. Let’s just figure out how to do this! We had puppies there within a month, and they’ve trained approximately 20 puppies,” Laura said.

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The inmate program, which was put on hold during COVID and will resume soon, not only helps Hero Pups but also provides a wonderful sense of purpose to the participants. Generally, there are four puppies at the jail at one time. Each puppy has two inmate handlers, a staff member and a canine coordinator. The pups live in the cells with their volunteer inmate handlers, and Laura trains them to work with the puppies. She checks in weekly and teaches the handlers new skills each visit.

With the help of a very generous donor, Hero Pups will soon be announcing a major fundraising effort for a new facility with access to 46 acres with miles of walking trails. “This will be a game changer for us,” Laura said with joy. “In addition to a more functional training facility, it will enable us to also have other dog-related professionals work with us such as trainers and groomers. We’re always looking for other professionals to volunteer to help us out.”

Kudos to Laura Barker, her team and the many generous donors and sponsors for all the wonderful things they are doing for veterans, first responders, community members and rescue dogs. This program benefits so many…on so many levels. Hero Pups is 100% volunteer-run with no paid staff. They currently have about 150 people on a wait list, so the opportunity for growth is huge. As Laura says, “This is the least we can do to support our veterans and provide them a companion to help them lead a happier life…free of charge.”

If you’re interested in getting involved, please visit their website to learn more. (HeroPups.com)

InmatePups&Peeps

“This is the least we can do to support our veterans and provide them a companion to help them lead a happier life…free of charge.”

Once the puppies are done with basic training, they spend about six months training with their new owner. When

Bentley (AKA Baby) - Epping

Here are some of our readers’ adorable dogs. If you’d like your pup’s picture in an upcoming issue, send an email with “Local Tails” in the subject line to: nancy@SnazzyJazzyPet.com. All breeds welcome!

Oliver - Newfields

Lola - Stratham

Ember - Farmington

Meet Some Special Seacoast Pups…

Cassie - Greenland

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Feta - Hampton

Tedi - Hampton

Micah - Hampton

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Misty - Rochester

Moxie & Ginger - Portsmouth

Ole Miss - Portsmouth

Stella - Amesbury

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½ C peanut butter (make sure it is Xylitol-free)

Doggone Grrrrr…eat dog treats!

Freeze for 24 hours

Bake at 375 for 12 minutes ½” apart on ungreased cookie sheet

2 C flour

Articles inside