Happy New Year from all of us at Paws for Purple Hearts!

We hope your holidays were full of family, friends, fun, and good food! With the change in year comes our New Year’s resolutions. In the spirit of the season we here in the Southeast Region discovered that one of our trainees, Katie, has a New Year’s resolution herself! She had quite a list for such a young service dog in training, which included working with counselors and psychologists to provide therapy for our Veterans, gracefully turning one in February, transitioning to adult food, advancing her training, and getting that much closer to her dream job of being a service dog for a Warrior in need! Like the rest of us, she also has listed “keeping a slim figure” right at the top of that list. Just like humans, this time of year can take its toll on our figures. Katie’s goal is to work hard, play hard, and eat right!

For a young dog like Katie, turning one is a big deal! After turning one year old, she will start the transition to a new food, begin more advanced training, and start to figure out what her career path will look like. Just like us, all of these changes can be stressful and overwhelming. However, that doesn’t mean she should turn to treats and food for comfort! Through it all, her Veterans, puppy parents, and highly-qualified Paws for Purple Hearts trainers will help her stick to that New Year’s resolution and keep moving forward! Katie has grown up in a goal-oriented environment since she was just 8 weeks old, so even though sticking to a plan can be tough, Katie is ready for the challenge!

The New Year gives us all an opportunity to reflect on the past year.  As we reflect on 2018, we are humbled by the selfless contributions to our mission made by our wonderful healthcare professionals, volunteers and our generous donors.  Without them Katie’s journey and our important work overall would not be possible.  As 2019 dawns, we renew our commitment to America’s Warriors.  We will continue to dedicate ourselves to providing Canine Assisted Warrior Therapy^TM so we can give back to those who have given us so much.

If you would like to personally help Katie and her fellow trainees along their journey in the New Year, we encourage you to check out our volunteer program or donate.