Olaf the Autism Therapy Dog
From taking movement breaks and learning to care for an animal to learning the soothing comfort of having a loving, gentle fur friend. OLAF truly is a superpower dog.
Paws on the Peak: A Superpower Dog Story
On the trail with the world’s only professional blind hiker, Trevor Thomas, and guide-dog Tennille.
Tennille and Trevor Have Hiked Thousands of Miles Together
Photograph by Trevor Thomas
Each trek offers the chance to learn, to set a new goal, then surpass it. More miles on trail have brought more encounters with potential hazards, honing Trevor’s senses and expanding his physical, mental and emotional limits. Life on the sharp end means seeking out an ever-changing set of challenges that demand an equally evolving set of skills, which is why Trevor’s astounding journey to becoming a world-class, record-setting blind hiker tells only half the story. At the completion of every expedition, Trevor insists on sharing his accolades with his four-legged partner, Tennille.
Aside from being a naturally selfless companion, Tennille is a dual-mode dog, meaning she has mastered both specialized guiding skills and backcountry navigation skills. Such a combination is so rare that Guide Dogs for the Blind was the only organization willing to help pair Trevor with such an extraordinary animal, a process that would take over three years of intensive training. Over the course of this time together, Tennille has become as fit and gritty as her human companion with daily training hikes up to 15 miles. But even more vital to her role on the trail is her incredibly keen environmental awareness. Similar to Trevor’s process, each time out on the trail presents her with new obstacles, so while Trevor manages the big picture, Tennille’s prowess is in the details.
Team FarSight Foundation is devoted to empowering blind and visually impaired young adults through outdoor adventure programs.
Photograph by Trevor Thomas
Booter, a 4-year old black lab with a large, jovial smile, and his handler John Dean of Arizona Search Dogs, were one subset of the superpower team of first responders that deployed to the massive landslide that took place outside of Oso, Washington in March 2014.
Flattened houses, uprooted trees, dispossessed families, sirens, flashing lights…
For most of us, picturing a community in the aftermath of a natural disaster brings to mind powerful if not heartbreaking scenes of destruction. While these types of images usually inform the media narrative of such events, taking a closer look can reveal a story of inspiration lying just beneath the surface of tragedy.
Despite the vulnerability humans face when thrust into intense, unexpected circumstances, these moments also elevate us to collectively be at our best. Disaster can serve as a catalyst for solidarity and selflessness, and remind us of the special bonds we create through a common purpose of helping others. To see this phenomenon in action, look no further than the most important members of any disaster response team: the search and rescue dogs.
Booter, Arizona Search Dog responds to Oso, WA Landslide
Photograph by Arizona Search Dogs
When John and Booter arrive at the scene of a disaster like the one in Oso, they don’t take long to find a familiar rhythm. One can tell by observing their unspoken communication that they’ve spent thousands of hours training together. But despite all of the elite skill these two exhibit, the most important factor in any situation is the bond they share. Through many challenges John and Booter have come to count on one another, and it is their mutual commitment that enables such effectiveness in dire situations.
Booter Searches the Scene of the Oso Landslide
Photograph by Arizona Search Dogs
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