Adventures With!
WORDS: Ruth Lando
When Zita Kollar, of Bradenton,
got her family involved in puppy
raising a sweet yellow Lab
named Charlie, she didn’t really know
what to expect.
As a rental property manager and
owner of Gulf-Bay Realty of Anna Maria
in Holmes Beach, Zita made friends
with clients from England who highly
recommended their experience with the
Puppy Kindergarten Adventure Activity
at Southeastern Guide Dogs’ Puppy
Academy in Palmetto.
They also talked about how much Zita’s
son wanted a puppy, but not a “forever”
dog. Zita says she had great respect for
those who could take care of a puppy for
years and years as it grew into a full-sized,
lifetime pet, but she didn’t really want to
be one of them.
After signing her family up for the
Puppy Kindergar ten Adventure,
Zita spent some time researching
Southeastern Guide Dogs online and
learned that that volunteer puppy-raisers
were always needed to foster young
canines for about a year or so. The
support system for novice puppy-raisers
inspired condence, Zita says. Plus, the
temporary nature of the arrangement
sounded perfect for her sons Elek, 12,
Asa, 8, and husband, Jesse.
Charlie
had dogs, horses, cats, chickens, goats,
and donkeys growing up, and loved them
all. “But it’s just never felt quite like it does
with Charlie,” Zita added. “He is sweet
and loving and picks up on our emotions
when we are upset. He loves human
contact, which is one of the main reasons
I feel like he would make such a wonderful
companion. He has truly touched all of us.”
It will be a tearful parting when Charlie
embarks on his formal training at Canine
University on his way to becoming a
guide dog for someone who is visually
impaired, or a service dog for a veteran
with disabilities. As Zita said: “It will be
hard to let Charlie go, but we are all ready
to deal with it for the better good of the
person who needs him.”
In addition to boating and other fun
excursions with Charlie, the boys have
learned lots of responsibility taking him
on walks, following training protocols,
mastering commands, and encouraging
proper house manners. These techniques
will also be helpful with future dogs (yes,
Zita says there will be future dogs!)
And they look forward to bringing Charlie
to participate in the Bradenton Walkathon
on March 10 with friends from Anna Maria
Elementary School. Another great way to
support Southeastern Guide Dogs and
some very special pups!
As puppy-raisers in their Bradenton home,
they could “help the community and
raise a dog as a potential companion for
somebody who needed one,” she realized.
And since puppy raisers return their
charges to the Southeastern Guide Dogs
campus after about a year of home-based
socialization, basic training and lots of love,
there would be no permanent commitment
to a four-legged family member.
Enter Charlie, now a nine-month-old
bundle of joy.
“Charlie has moved us so much,” Zita says.
“We’ve really bonded with him and he’s
been so wonderful and amazing!” She has
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