First, I chat with Sharon Morton from Gravenhurst, Ontario and Kim Marsden from Barrie Ontario about Guide Dog Users of Canada’s first-ever virtual annual general meeting.  On the same call, I also speak with Kim Bannatyne from Winnipeg, Manitoba about GDUC’s new on-line merchandise store, and the tea-shirts that she co-designed.

First, Marcie Davis of Santa Fe, New Mexico tells Devon how we can celebrate International Assistance Dog Week, August 2 to 8, in spite of Covid-19. Next, we hear an article called A Frankie Assessment of Service Dog Training, written by Devon’s guide dog, Frankie. Third on the docket is Devon’s monthly chat with Kim Kilpatrick from Get Together with Technology. This time, Kim assures us that the Instant Pot is very blind person friendly. We bring the show to a close with a demonstration of the Google Home Mini.

We begin by asking Marcie Davis, founder and co-ordinator of International Assistance Dog Week, August 2 to 8, 2020 how we can celebrate the week with breaking social distancing rules.

We also hear how a woman gave her dog an anti-allergenic capsule, totally unaware that it contained Xylitol, an artificial sweetener that can be fatal to dogs.

This time, we feature the first episode of a podcast from Southeastern Guide Dog School called Dogs and Storms. This is very timely, since June marks the beginning of Hurricane Season, which lasts until November.

Devon speaks first with Guide Dog Users Inc.’s outgoing president, Penny Reeder about this coming July’s convention that will be available to anybody and everybody who registers.  No membership required.

Next, CNIB Guide Dogs newly appointed president Diane Bergeron speaks with Devon from her treadmill about a 5-km. Virtual Pup Crawl taking place during the month of May.

Today, we begin by chatting with Rob Cramer, a guide dog mobility instructor with Canada’s newest guide dog training program, CNIB guide dogs about how to keep your dog engaged during these times of social distancing. Next, we hear some tips from the medical director at Guide Dogs for The Blind about keeping your dog safe and healthy during the current pandemic. Finally, we learn that the National Federation of The Blind in the U.S. is taking both Uber and Lift back to court for noncompliance with a previous settlement.

First, we hear from Lynn Merrill, treasurer of Guide Dog Users Inc., about how she and her guide dog successfully climbed the highest mountain in the state of Maine.

Next, we share messages from three guide dog training centres about the care of your dog during the Covid-19 pandemic.

When Brittni Williams from Angus, ON trained with a PTSD dog, she never dreamed that Xia would end up being both a service and a guide dog.

This month we feature a presentation which was originally given last July at the convention of Guide Dog Users Incorporated. Veronica Morris talks about how her psychiatric service dog helps her to cope with her ongoing mental illnesses. We thought we would play this because January 31st is Bell Let’s Talk Day.

We finish the half-hour with an article written by Devon’s guide dog called ‘A Frankie assessment of service dog training.’

First, we hear an article by guide dog handler and Labrador breeder Patti Ellis which contains a whole list of Yuletide reminders that dog owners should keep in mind.  Next, Wendy Campbell, a groomer at one of Peterborough, Ontario’s PetValu Store, talks to us about toys that are appropriate to various sizes and breeds of dogs.