[Cagdu] FW: Home Depo and service dogs

[Tina Thomas]

Subject: Home Depo and service dogs

 

  

A CANINE CONNECTION TO SERVICE IN THE STORE
January 5, 2015

Within the aisles where customer service is a top priority, Home Depot store
2806 has a unique canine connection to service. The store is home to three
service dogs, Breena, Fritta and Truffles, who are trained for the unique
needs of their owners.

Breena works with her owner Jo in the appliance department. After serving as
a captain in the Marine Corps for 10 years, Jo was diagnosed with an
inoperable brain tumor, and her sight began to fail in October 2013. Before
losing her sight completely, Jo put her photographic memory to good use by
mentally cataloging everything she could at her job in Home Depot's
appliance department. Her fellow associates also labeled products in
Braille, which she quickly learned to read.

Jo traveled to Oregon to train with Breena, a black lab, before bringing the
guide dog home to acclimate in her store. While Breena is still a seeing eye
dog, she has also developed additional skills to adjust to Jo's needs as a
seizure alert dog.

"It's been really neat to see Breena adapt to Jo's life," said Sharon
Pettit, associate support department supervisor at the store. "They have
worked so closely together for so long, and it's been wonderful for her to
be able to keep the same dog and still work through all of the changes that
are happening in her life."

Breena's four-legged friends, Fritta and Truffles, also guide their owners
through customer service and daily responsibilities in the store. Often
found resting in her bed behind the pro desk, Fritta alerts pro cashier Tom
of drastic blood sugar changes as a diabetic alert dog, and Truffles helps
her owner Amber, who is legally blind, as a guide dog through the store.

"Being able to accommodate all three of these dogs has been a really
positive thing for our store," said Sharon. "The dogs have really helped us
build connections with each other. They have a whole store of associates who
want to give them love, and lots of frequent customer friends who bring them
treats, too."

Overall, the store is an advocate of service dog awareness and training.
Last year, the team partnered with local service dog organizations to
provide a clinic for customers, which included obstacle courses with goggles
and guide dogs. The store also opens its doors to local service dog
training. While each dog is trained to the specific sounds and surroundings
of its owner, the store offers a training ground for helping an owner
navigate a shopping cart through the store and picking up items in the
aisles.

"We're really grateful that our employees and services dogs function so
easily in the store together," said Sharon, "and being able to raise
awareness and help local organizations train dogs is an added bonus."

Keep up with all the latest Home Depot news! Subscribe to our bi-weekly news
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Becky Frankeberger

Butterfly Knitting

-           Ponchos

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360-426-8389

becky at butterflyknitting.com

 

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