Testimonials
Arthur (Ireland and Takumi baby)
"Hi Mary,
Arthur is doing very well! He enjoys playing with his "sister" Tula, going for walks, and (his favorite) picking up the kids from school! He loves to greet everyone as... they come out and everyone just adores him.
He is such a wonderful puppy...no one can believe how good he is for his age. He already knows sit and down and will start puppy class tomorrow...
Thanks again for giving him such a great start in life. He is a joy to everyone he comes across.
Kara"
"Hi!
Quick update...Arthur is doing great!
2x a week the girls have dance downtown, so now that it's not below zero he goes along to explore and be socialized. Here we see him on the Milwaukee Riverwalk. Everyone we pass absolutely loves him. He is so sweet and good and getting more confident all the time. No one believes me that he is a baby...he's so good they think he's an adult!
He finished pre-school with flying colors (though he fell asleep on his first day) and really enjoys running through tunnels...I think we may have a future agility dog on our hands!
At home he and Tula are best buddies...Tula chases squirrels and Arthur sort of waddles behind. When she goes somewhere he cries, when he goes somewhere she goes nuts looking for him out the window. This is cute but we are doing it more often so they learn, or remember, how to be alone. Artie has free reign of the house now and loves to be with his people and be snuggly. He likes to wake Aaron up after a night shift...softest alarm clock ever. He also likes to help kids with their homework...I remember a pic of him with one of your kids and a laptop...he definitely remembers that a laptop means snuggle time.
We love him so much. So long as his ears are clean we continue to have no allergy issues so he has the cleanest ears in town!
Have a good night, Kara"
"Arthur failed....as an alarm clock! I sent him in to wake up my daughter and minutes later found him like this...
Oh how we love this dog! Kara"
"Arthur won Best Sit Stays during Musical Sit Stay competition at class tonight. So proud of our boy @ 10 months old!"
Winston (Ireland & Takumi baby)
"Winston C. at 1 week away from being 5 months old. He is doing great. He is a very energetic puppy, very loving and learns quickly. Hope all is well with you and your family. Denise"
Messi (litter name Memphis / Ireland & Takumi's baby)
Anubis (litter name Morocco / Ireland & Takumi baby)
"Tell your girls we promise we will keep in touch. He is at work with me now asleep under my desk after playing with the 3y/o standard poodle down the hall - so he is happy and not lonely and settling in fine."
"Hi Mary,
Just thought I would drop a note to you and your daughter. Tell her that Anubis (Morocco) is doing great. He is mostly potty trained (occasional poop accident, but the pee thing he totally gets) even without a crate, and at his 12 week vet appointment yesterday weighed in at an astonishing, whopping, 26.6 lbs. He knows how to sit and give paw and is working on stay and good leash behavior. And, most importantly, he is very loved.
Thanks so much for our darling new family member!!"
"Hi Mary,
Anubis (Morocco) just returned home from his first road trip - a spring break stay in a cabin on a horse farm in the Smokey Mountains. He wanted to show your daughters how much fun he had - pics attached. Everywhere we go people remark on how sweet, well behaved and beautiful he is.
Hope all is well,
Carole"
"Hi Mary, our little Etta James continues to amaze both Steve and I. She is a little over 3 months old, and defies the odds of what a typical puppy should be acting like...not Etta! Confidence is armor in Etta vocabulary. She has been at two events that involved over 400 people. Today, she came to... school to meet my kids! WOW is all that Steve and I can say!!! Noted by other staff, she put on the best of the best! She is amazing! A true gift of God, and your willingness/vision for a beautiful gift to many! She calmed a little guy down today that clearly has some genetic issues down to a point that he was reasoning in a way that I didn't expect. Mary, thank you! Here is Etta at home with us at her finest...yes she is expected to cheer for the Badgers! From our Little Red to Big Red....Go Big Red! Thanks Mary, to you and your family! Ann"
Precious Boomer found the most amazing family. His new dad already has a doggie bed set up for Boomer in his law office.
"Boomer is doing terrific. He does great being left alone during the day and has started visiting the dog park. He got his rabies shot and some other boosters the other day and the vet said he is a very healthy and big boy. I swear he's gained five pounds since we got him. He will be getting neutered at 6 months and microchipped.
It feels like he has been living with us forever. We work on training and tricks each day and he's starting a manners class in October. We all love him so so much.
Amy"
"Boomer got his first haircut and did great! He's doing wonderful with us. We all love him so much."
"Hi Mary:
Just wanted to check in after a full week of Rafa in our lives. He is a joy! He seems very comfortable in our house (even with the cat) and he loves running around the yard with a toy in his mouth. Yesterday we had our first walk on the block with a leash, and he did great! Also, last night he just ran right into his kennel when we said kennel up/bedtime—that’s the first time he went without a nudge. Last week he went to the vet and she said he was in excellent shape. We still have a ways to go on the housetraining, but I’m sure that will come eventually.
The picture is of Rafa in front of my poetry collection.
Thanks again for a great dog!
Anne"
North Star Foundation
Titan is being raised as a service dog for a very excited boy with Autism in Georgia & Starfire is being raised as a service dog for a boy with a seizure disorder in Texas.
On their way to their training home in Pennsylvania, Titan & Starfire, trotted up to greet everyone they saw at the airport along the way & gave the check in attendant tons of kisses. She said, "They are sweet. So loving."
"The puppies arrived safe and sound...they are both little lambs!"
"Sooooo sweet...."
"Thanks for these babies"
"Please thank your daughter and other children for us, as these pups are just lovely tempered! I'll keep you posted on their journeys...Titan will leave tomorrow with a young woman who is a teacher at a school for children with Autism and has worked with animals all her life with her family...Starfire will leave in about a week to join Marya, one of my best standard poodle raisers...thanks once again! These pups are doing wonderfully." ~Patty, CEO
"Dear Mary,
Thank you for sharing your information and feelings about Starfire, Titan and Buddy. Buddy was part of my family for four or five months before his placement with the Elys. He is a wonderful dog -- quiet, calm, affectionate; a true poodle. One of our weekly activities was
joining 30-35 senior citizens for three hours of bridge each week and periodically fellow bridge enthusiasts still asked about him:
• Do I ever hear about him from his family (Yes. I just received some pictures of Buddy and Brianna which I will try to
attach to this e-mail)
• How is he doing? (Great. He is very much a best buddy to the little girl Brianna, and her father Chris seems right fond
of him as well,regularly taking him along on trips to the store, the post office, etc.)
• And the most frequent question: Marya, when are you getting another dog? (This question is asked almost as a reprimand
that I have gone so long without a puddle-jumper poodle be my side, but I hope that will be remedied next week-end when
Patty brings Starfire down to become the 29th service dog (plus one Helping Hands monkey) I have had the honor and the
fun to help raise and socialize. There is also the possibility that a dog-loving neighbor may be able to take on the care the
short-term care and raising of Titan. These two pups are still quite young; they've just been separated from their mother
and under gone a long trip to new people in Connecticut,, with a lengthy drive to Pennsylvania and still more new people. I
think it would be very good for them if we can arrange for them to be neighbors for at least a little while.)
Mary, you are doing a great job. Thank you for your part in enriching and enlivening my life as well as though children in need of true friends. Keep up your good work! -- Marya Hunsicker"
"Gertie again. Should've named her Long Tall Sally! Ha. She's doing great. Weighed in at 23.6 lbs at her booster shot visit to the vet last week. She's into everything and loves playing with her half-sibs, Ruby and Andy, down the street and our neighbor-mutt Nahla. So food motivated is she that when she was first home with us she was a little nervous about sprinklers. One night we stood in every kind of sprinkler we could find; she got treats. For two days after she ran to every sprinkler we saw and sat down in the spray waiting for a treat."
"Hi Mary! Hope all is well with you, the kids, the pups and the horses!
Otter is doing great. He is a really charismatic little guy and he is learning at lightning speed. We are starting puppy classes with him on Tuesday. So far he has nailed "sit", "down" and "rollover". Next on the list is "shake". He's doing great at sleeping and calming down at bed time. He is sleeping on the floor of our room but eventually we are hoping to move him out of our room. (We tried to crate him the first night but the barking was too loud for us to justify having neighbors so close). He is quite quick to submit to us when we ask him to...."
Sydney
Babs
"We made it home. She is the best!"
Margo joins her owner in her therapy office.
"Here r a few pics...one of Margo and Ron first meeting. :)"
"Jack & Margo chill'n. :) She's doing really well, she's a lovey."
Felix
"Hi Mary!
I wanted to give you an update on our little boy Felix.
He has been so great. The ride to Minneapolis was very smooth. He slept the whole time! He's adjusted very well to our home and family getting familiar with everything. He absolutely LOVES to be outside and run around the yard too.
Training has been great. You aren't going to believe it but he hadn't had a single accident! It's crazy. He's been peeing, pooping and eating well. We are also getting him used to walking outside on a leash. He is already getting "fetch" too! He's very smart and perceptive.
Crate training has been a little more difficult, esp at night and he is crying a lot. We are going to stick with it knowing he will get it eventually. He's also been teething a lot so I'm trying to redirect to toys as those little things are sharp!
Overall he is such a cuddler and has a great personality. We are so happy he is in our family. Here are some pictures :)"
"Felix is great. He's got such a playful personality. He loves being outside in playing in the yard and bushes. He's our jungle boy. He's also a very serious napper. Everyone loves him and he's a people person."
"Hi Mary!
Hope all is well! Felix continues to astound us! He is learning things so quickly and absolutely loves meeting new people and dogs. We are so happy."
Sendaya has met her match--she is going to be a hunter & fishing companion!!
Blaise (pronounced Blaze)
"Hi Mary!!
We got through a good week with little Blaise. He is a fun pup!!
He whines in the crate at night, but he settles down eventually. He is getting lots of attention from the people in our building and the park!
He loves his duck toy… I think he may be a hunter.
I took him to school (Marquette) yesterday. Here he is in the library foyer: How cute!! There is a double entendre here. The historical Blaise Pascal had a famous conflict with the French Jesuits, and my Jesuit colleague were teasing me about naming our dog after their most famous critic! So I took this picture of him as a sign that (after almost four hundred years) :). The real Blaise Pascal actually looks a bit like a poodle. :)
We hope that you're well! Warm wishes !!
Jeanne-Nicole and Matt"
"Dear Mary,
Many, many thanks for this!
We are trying our best, but sometimes we make mistakes. It is a learning process for us too!
But Blaise is a special special animal. People are always complimenting us on what a good disposition he has (and really “chill” and calm for a pup), and Matt and I laugh because he seems to have come that way to us from your expert upbringing.
I really enjoy how he engages with other doggies. It is fascinating!
We really look forward to meeting Boomer and his family. I asked Blaise what he thought, and he wagged tail at the prospect of reunification!
Thanks again for these tips and your continued kindness,
Jeanne-Nicole"
Aarie (Aaron Rogers)
"This is Aarie at 3 months and 23 pounds. Stuart's [the wonderful therapeutic standard poodle that recently passed away] collar was on the coffee table...I heard noise and came to check and it was on Aarie! He loves Stu's collar...so do I...will never forget this happening..."
"Lily did great on the way home! She seems relaxed in her new home. The girls just can't get enough of her. She is a sweetheart. We love her! Thanks so much." Faith
Jazz (litter name Bob)
Pixie
"Writer's Block....Just can't put my puppy thoughts into words!
Xoxo,
Pixie"
-Jools