Kings Valley Collies

In the News: Collie has been a blessing, indeed

I still smile when I remember my first encounter with Blessing. It was years ago, when Rebecca Tolby still had a practice in McMinnville. My modus operandi, then and now, is that I make an appointment in McMinnville and then leave Dayton exactly five minutes before I am due to be there. Now you can get to McMinnville from Dayton by the back roads or by the highway, but there is no way you can get to McMinnville from Dayton in five minutes, especially if your are a law-abiding citizen, as most days I strive to be.

So I arrived at Dr. Tolby’s office late, breathless and flustered, sank down into one of the chairs in the waiting room, looked around for a magazine and met the gaze of the most beautiful collie I had ever seen. This dog had a lush blue-gray coat, a magnificent build, and a demeanor so calm I felt myself relaxing even as I silently admired her.

Kings Valley Collies

originally published in the MSSP newsletter Multa Specs
written by Leslie Crane Rugg

If people with multiple sclerosis (MS) share one goal, it’s to remain independent for as long as possible. That one life quality sustains hope and determination above all else. A major aspect of independence is mobility, often a tricky if difficult maneuver to achieve. Certainly, mechanical aids are available from shoe orthotics to leg braces, from canes and walkers to wheelchairs and motorized scooters. They all offer useful support at some point and in many circumstances.

But life quality means more than the use of props. It means interaction, relationships, communication, contact. So imagine the possibility of maximizing both mobility and support through service dogs trained specifically to respond to people with MS. Imagine Lassie at your side, not only alert and intuitive but prepared to handle issues of balance, fatigue, proprioception, and spasticity. Imagine a collie who not only helps you manage stairs, elevators, sidewalks and curbs, but who also is a stabilizing presence at home. Imagine your best friend at your side wherever you want to go.