Tundra: From Abandoned Pup to Certified Therapy Dog

World, fulfill Tundra, a five-year-old border collie/mastiff born in a rescue center and embraced by caring human beings at 10 weeks old.

Despite her challenging start in life, Tundra is a success story. She went from abandoned puppy to dog with an extraordinary objective in simply a couple of brief years.

Thanks to the devotion of her precious human, Carey Hawkins of Niverville, Tundra is a qualified treatment dog with St. John Ambulance (SJA). Since then, Tundra has actually ended up being the deliverer of convenience and delight to the ill, the lonesome, and those having problem with life’s difficulties.

Tundra was born at the Steinbach and Area Animal Rescue (SAAR) together with 9 brother or sister puppies. Her bedraggled mom, found by SAAR employees in the cold month of December, was appropriately called Winter. Each of the 10 puppies were similarly called for the cold season in which they entered the world.

From the start, Hawkins was surprised by Tundra’s calm and mild character.

“You can’t train temperament,” Hawkins says. “It’s either there or it isn’t.”

Even so, Hawkins registered her fur child in obedience training classes as quickly as the dog was all set.

“It was important to my husband and I that she be polite and well-mannered so that we could bring her wherever we went,” she says. “She’s not allowed to beg. She’s not allowed onto furniture unless she’s invited. She can’t pass through a doorway until we say go. That all led to her making a good therapy dog as well.”

Gentle and caring as Tundra might be, however, she’s part border collie, a breed with impulses for rounding up.

In Tundra’s case, she had a natural propensity to guide individuals she satisfied by carefully understanding their arm with her jaw and leading them. This, too, needed to be trained out of her. Now she brings a toy in her teeth when she feels the desire to herd.

It didn’t take wish for others to be attracted by Tundra’s sweet manner. It definitely didn’t hurt, either, that the dog with the glossy black coat is soft as silk to the touch.

“The joy that she brings to me and my husband and family and friends, I just wanted to share this with people.”

The last push for Hawkins to think about licensing Tundra for treatment, however, didn’t take place up until an employee at the family pet day care which Tundra went to informed Hawkins her story.

That day, the day care employee had actually gotten problem—and while she kept her feeling in check as finest she could, Tundra noticed the employee’s angst and stayed with her side as convenience care.

That’s when Hawkins followed her gut and registered Tundra into the SJA family pet treatment program.

Unfortunately, at that exact same time, the province was struck by COVID-19 and whatever came to a dead stop.

For the next 2 years, Hawkins remained watchful with Tundra’s training up until December 2022 when Tundra lastly got the SJA examination and passed with flying colours.

“I actually started crying when she passed because I was so proud of her,” Hawkins says.

Of course, Hawkins’s delight was entirely warranted. Not simply any dog has the perseverance to pass the rigours of an SJA examination.

According to the SJA website, dogs and their handlers undergo a range of scenarios, stress factors, and difficulties which might be experienced on a check out to any health care center.

“This will test their temperament, sociability, and ability to follow the handler’s lead,” the SJA website states.

Throughout the test, the dog cannot show afraid or aggressive behaviour, despite the tension came across. They should get along towards other dogs and complete strangers and be simple for the handler to manage.

“A good therapy dog will beg for attention, using a quiet mannerly disposition,” the website continues. “The dog cannot show rejection, nor be too boisterous or assertive in its behaviour.”

Tundra and Hawkins excitedly started their voluntary service this February, beginning with a check out to the locals of the Niverville Credit Union Manor. Since that time, the duo has actually been making weekly sees to the senior citizens in the center who request it.

“It’s been very successful,” Hawkins says. “There was a bond [formed] very quickly with especially one woman. It’s really amazing to see.”

Since then, Hawkins and Tundra have actually likewise been dropping in at the month-to-month senior citizens breakfast, held at the Niverville Golden Friendship Centre.

“No one has yet to say no to having Tundra there. They’re all pretty smitten with her.”

And while Hawkins has every objective of continuing to provide delight to regional senior citizens, she’s got a couple more container list places to strike.

This month, Hawkins satisfied among them when she checked out the trainees at the University of Manitoba throughout examination week. When she and Tundra got here, she says, they might hardly survive the crowds of trainees to their publishing.

“The amount of students that were there and loved on her, it was just incredible.”

Next on Hawkins order of business is a check out to the Winnipeg International Airport, using dog treatment to tense and worn out airport clients.

Working a full-time job in Winnipeg doesn’t stop this Niverville local from offering her time in in this manner. Hawkins works nights and weekends if essential to fit the volunteer check outs in throughout the day.

“This has had such a positive impact on my life,” says Hawkins. “I feel less stressed myself… A part of me feels selfish in a way because this has been so rewarding for me. To be able to bring smiles to so many faces and see the impact she has on people everywhere she goes.”

In the previous year, Hawkins has likewise end up being the occasion education organizer for SAAR, and Tundra is the organization’s main education ambassador.

“Because Tundra’s from the rescue, we like to showcase that these dogs can still be wonderful pets, even though they’re not pure breeds.”

On May 12, Hawkins is thrilled to be welcomed, together with Tundra, to an assembly with all of the trainees at the Niverville Elementary School on behalf of SAAR.

As if all this wasn’t enough, Tundra has another objective: to help animals in distress. Every couple of weeks, Tundra and a doggy friend likewise contribute blood with the Canadian Animal Blood Bank.

To learn more about Tundra, visit her personal Instagram account at Rescued Tundra.