We are so excited to announce that our sweet sable and white male, Gentle Prairie Star, has gone to live with his sister, Lady, at Divine Acres Ranch to train to be a therapy dog at Elijah’s Retreat.  Elijah’s retreat is a wonderful ministry that is just getting started to help support families with autistic children.  The retreat is set in the Piney Woods of East Texas and will be a place where families can come to get away from hectic life and enjoy some quiet time in a beautiful, peaceful setting.  The retreat is in the process of building their first cabin.  They have 2 full size horses.  They also have 4 miniature horses that have been going to therapy training to work not only at the retreat, but also at area hospitals and nursing homes.

We have decided that we will donate one puppy each whelping season to a worthwhile organization where they will receive training to help make a difference in one or more people’s lives.  We chose Elijah’s Retreat to be our first recipient for several reasons.  One is that Jeff and Kathie Moore, the couple who founded Elijah’s Retreat and named it after their grandson who is autistic, have become our friends over the last months and as we have gotten to know them and understand more about autism, have realized the wonderful impact a collie could have on the children that come to visit.  Another is that autism is so misunderstood and can be such a stigma for children.  They need a place where they can go and know that they are loved and accepted for just the way they are.  What better way to feel that than to go to a peaceful country setting and have a soft, loveable collie snuggle up to you! 

You can learn more about Elijah’s Retreat by going to their website at:

www.elijahsretreat.com

You can also learn more about the growing problem of autism from The National Autism Association at:

http://www.nationalautismassociation.org/

I have already started my basic research for our next litters that will come somewhere between 5 and 9 months from now.  This has added a whole new exciting part of the puppy process for me!  If you know of any groups who could benefit from a donation next time, please feel free to comment to this post or contact me (Dixie) through our contact page.  I will be continuing my research and will consider any request that comes in and make my final decision once the litters are here.

Braveheart’s Prayer, one of Wrap’s boys, went home today.  They are considering obedience and/or agility competitions for him and may him enter him in some confirmation shows.  That was all cool to me, but I got even more excited when I found out that he will also go to therapy training.  They visit nursing homes with their church regularly and want him to be able to go with them to encourage the people they visit with.  I am so excited to know that another of our babies will be doing their part to make the world a better place!

I just found out that another one of the puppies we are raising is going into therapy work.  Foxy (one of Wrap’s girls) is going to live with a lady who teaches an animal therapy elective at a college near her home.  Foxy will be going with her to class to be a living example of therapy training and then will get to use her skills!

We are so excited about all the good work our wonderful puppies are going to be able to do.  Collies are exceptional around kids and are quick to learn which makes them perfect to help humans!  We couldn’t be more proud to see our little ones grow up to spread their love to lots of lots of people that need encouragement – whether it is autistic children, children with learning challenges or people in hospitals that just need a friend to come cheer them up.  Collies love unconditionally and we know (because they have already proven how much love they have in their young lives) that they will have lots of love to pass on!

Can you tell I am excited!?!

One of Honey’s sons, Bentley was featured recently on his local news channel for his work as a therapy dog.  You can see Bentley here:

Therapy Dogs on Fox News Austin

We also found out that one of Honey’s pups will start therapy training as soon as she goes to her new home in a couple of weeks!  Her name is Lady and she will be mainly working with autistic children.  To learn more about Lady’s new home and their wonderful work with autistic children and their families, visit

www.divineacresranch.com