| "Chuck graduated from the Therapy Dog Prep class. I loved this tie you sent so I had him wear that to the nursing home. The residents and employees just LOVED it! The all smiled and laughed. Chuck did a great job. He was very calm and just walked from person to person letting them pet him. He put his head in the laps of some of the residents. The nursing home worker said there are some residents who don't usually talk but when the dogs are around, they open up and talk to the dogs. That's definitely Chuck's purpose in life. :) Thank you so much for sending the ties. He was adorable and I'm excited to keep taking him to this nursing home to cheer up the residents." Jessica + Chuck Norris  |
||||||||||||||||||||
| Frederick (retired Army) and his mobility service dog, Attis "We really appreciate your generous gift. Attis doesn't tend to like mats but he does like yours, as does our daughter's dog who fight over who gets to sleep on the bed."   |
||||||||||||||||||||
Parkes is a service dog who enjoys "Reading with Rover" and does "Freestyle" dog dancing competitions at dog shows.  |
||||||||||||||||||||
Ben is a Service Dog for an Air Force Veteran who suffered a traumatic brain injury while serving in Iraq.  |
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Annette Ramirez, a South Bay California wife and mother of a young girl and boy, lost her arms and legs to a massive infection following a routine surgery for a hysterectomy in 2012 where the doctor
perforated her bowel. As the previous Director for Alumni Relations and Events at UC Berkeley's Cal Alumni Association (CAL) for 20 years, and the Director of Reunions for USC immediately prior to the surgery, Ramirez had been incredibly active in both her community and her children's and husband's life, but she would never know life as it was before. She spent nearly two years in three separate hospitals, endured countless surgeries, and due to the massive infection and toxicity within her body, contracted Necrotizing Fasciitis and over 50% of her body burned from the inside to out. As luck would have it, while Ramirez was in the hospital, a good friend and previous co-worker from Berkeley reached out to Annette with more than condolences. Instead she reached out to Ramirez with HOPE, hope in the form of a four-legged friend from Canine Companions for Independence who pairs highly trained service dogs to those in need at no cost to the recipient. Her friend had just taken a job at CCI, and after hearing the story of what had happened, felt one of the dogs would be perfect for her. In August 2016 hope was indeed granted with her forever friend and HERO Patch, the white/golden Lab and Retriever mix that Annette and her family has been paired with. Patch spent two years being trained to help Ramirez with the tasks she is no longer able to do as a quad amputee, such as opening doors and handing her items, giving Annette the assistance she desperately needed and her family a break from the round the clock care she requires. Now, being blessed and smitten with Patch, she feels it is her turn to campaign for awareness with Canine Companions for Independence along with her four-legged HERO on the life-changing importance these dogs bring not only to people with disabilities, but also to their families and loved ones. (below) Annette and Patch, volunteering at "Haute Dog," a dog fashion show in Beverly Hills in October 2016, benefitting Canine Companions for Independence. www.cci.org  |
||||||||||||||||||||
Brody, a 10 year old Bichon Frise, has been a Therapy Dog with Alliance of Therapy Dogs for 1 1/2 years and works with the local chapter in Dallas, Heart of Texas. Brody loves to work every day with people of all ages. He works with advanced memory care patients, assisted living residents, nursing home residents and patients at rehabilitation centers. However, Brody's favorite therapy time is when he gets to work with children, going to elementary schools as well as libraries to assist with the Reading to Rover program. Kids of all ages love to see what 'duds' Brody will be wearing when he comes to visit them.  |
||||||||||||||||||||
Rowdy is a 9 year old Bichon Frise. A Therapy Dog who truly doesn't live up to his name. When Rowdy goes visiting, all he wants to do is snuggle up in bed or a chair with a resident or patient. What most people love about him is that he looks still looks just like a puppy and his hair feels like silky cotton. Rowdy visits Nursing Homes, Alzheimer's Facilities, Assisted Living & when he has a spare moment, he'll drop in on an elementary school or 2 to do some 'Reading with Rover'.
He wore his jelly bean tie with his Calvin K Nine shirt-style collar yesterday and everyone was blown away by how handsome he looked.
Rowdy looks forward to more beautiful 'Designer Duds' so he can be 'stylin' while he works.
 |
||
Rubicon, a Canine Hero at Mayo in Phoenix |
||
| Duke Duke is an animal assisted therapy dog. He visits patients in behavioral health, rehab,and many other units at our local hospital. He is a Rottweiler and has been serving for about 4 years now. Patients love to just pet him and tell us stories about their dogs that they may be missing due to being in hospital. The ties are a big conversation starter- where did you get these ties? Patients are happy and smiling when Duke leaves their rooms. We have even had people follow us to just get a picture of him in his bow ties - they say it adds to his cuteness. I can't thank Designer Duds for Dogs enough for all the great ties and for making Duke look so handsome.   |
||
General George S. Patton - a therapy dog.  |
||
Linus working as a Service Dog.  |
||
George working as a Therapy Dog at the San Diego Kaiser Hospital Pediatrics department while wearing your Halloween Candy Corn bow tie and collar. He's famous now at Kaiser and the San Diego VA Hospital because of your bow ties/collars that we change every month. |
||
Jake wearing "designer duds" at the Orthopedic Clinic in Marietta. Jake is a therapy dog and calms kids as they get casts removed and helps others in the clinic. |
||
When Pfc. Colton Rusk was felled by a sniper's bullet last December, his best friend and bomb-sniffing dog Eli stayed by his side to the end. You can read more about it here. Now living on Rusk's parents' farm in Texas, Eli has embraced his role as country dog and still embodies the rough hewn nature that an ex-Marine working dog embodies. When he's not running around the farm, Eli rests comfortably upon his sleeping mat, donated by Designer Duds for Dogs. If you know of a veteran we could honor with the gift of a sleeping mat for his/her service dog - in honor of service to our country - please contact us. |
||
|
||
 Michelle and Lucky Working the fundraiser circuit for breast cancer. |
||
 Oxford is a 4 year old Black & Tan Lab (100% Lab) acquired from Guiding Eyes for the Blind in Yorktown Heights, NY after an 18 month training period (in which only about 160 out of 500 dogs make the cut). He now resides in South Dakota with his master Ed (Pinky) and wife.When in harness he is 100% focused on guiding his master. When out of harness he is our lovable house pet. |
||
Know a Canine Hero? |
||
