We have a friend, Betty, who is a volunteer at Canine Assistants: http://www.canineassistants.org/ This is an organization that trains Golden and Labrador Retrievers to be Service Dogs for the handicapped.

These dogs are given at least a year and a half of training to do for the wheelchair-bound people things that they can't do or is hard for themselves.  A side benefit is that these dogs provide the handicapped with a loyal and loving companion, something they may not have in their handicapped state.

When friend Betty informed us that a CA dog was being taken out of the training program and put into the breeding program (where they live with volunteer families)  we had to go up and see "Weber".  This dog was so handsome, we just HAD to to convince CA we could care for and protect him.  So after installing a secure fenced-in area in a side yard, it worked!

The name Weber was selected by the volunteer keeper of the mother dog who named the litter for summer activities, such as Weber (grill), Teva (sandals), Sprite, Coleman, Sebago (shoes), Freeport, Frisbee, Indigo, and Clipper.

One-year old Weber is the fourth Golden Retriever we have cared for -NONE of them belonging to us!  Our Golden #3, Sunny (owned by a neighbor who died four years ago) had to be put to sleep in May due to bone cancer.  Weber has been the perfect "remedy" for that very sad event.  And the fact that we're contributing in some small way to the unfortunate makes it all the better.

Service dogs cost almost twice as much to train as police drug-detecting dogs. These dogs are covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and are allowed to go into any restaurant, airliner, public place, you name it.  They wear a distinctive green jacket with a copy of the Act stuffed inside! See: http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/svcanimb.htm

As you can see by the pictures below, Weber loves his WSM (Weber Smoky Mountain Cooker/Smoker), affectionately known to its fans as the "Weber Bullet."

Click on thumbnails for larger views
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MUST be something good to eat in there -better than any DOG food!

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Have to keep an eye on this thing; something might fall out of it....

Triple Webers (A little trick photography)

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Mr. Happy Dog              °                                Dog meets Dog          °                              Two can pet as well as one

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Chastain Park Friends

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Masom Mill Park Friends