Redford's Story:
Plain and simple, Redford is one of the reasons I’m still alive today. Physically, he was my late service dog. But more importantly, he was my best friend, my partner in crime, and the captain of my kayak. During my search for the right four legged lovable companion, I was told by a close friend that if Redford wasn’t the perfect fit for me then “the fabric of the universe would unravel”. Fortunately for everyone reading this, it ended up being true and there were no universal consequences. Humor aside, I was in a very dark place at the time. I had just lost my best friend to a fight with PTSD and was really struggling to find meaning in life. My purpose was lost and I was quickly running out of avenues to turn to. Little did I know that a eighty pound dog with brown human eyes would end up bearing the weight of a six foot five two-hundred seventy-five pound struggling marine. He came into my life at the exact time that I needed him. I can confidently say without a doubt that he saved my life.
Speaking as a marine, Veterans have this quality about them that I’ve picked up on over the years. We seem to put everyone around us first, even if it means at the detriment to ourselves. It’s a double edged sword because on one end we do everything possible to make sure that the people around us are thriving, but on the other end we unfortunately accomplish this by ignoring and neglecting our own problems. The same can be said for first responders who’s job is quite literally to set aside their feelings and emotions and respond to calls of service. This interesting dynamic is why I believe service dogs are such a beneficial treatment for struggling veterans and first responders. While we may be struggling ourselves, it’s in our nature to give these dogs the greatest life possible. There were definitely days I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, but I knew that simply wasn’t an option because I had an obligation to Redford. Fortunately for service dog owners, obligations to these dogs means getting outside in nature which benefits both parties in the end.
Redford and I were inseparable. I think I can count maybe ten times where he wasn’t sleeping beside me in my bed. He was a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon who loved the water just as much as I did. Nothing brought me more joy than taking him to the water's edge and seeing him get so excited that he started to shed. The look on his face after I opened the car door and took his vest off can only be described as pure joy. I’m convinced that he knew he was “off duty” and that for the next few hours, he felt the same release from life that the water provided for me. Redford was described by many as an old soul. As he got older it seemed like his goal was to seek out and comfort the people around him that weren't doing well. It was an amazing experience to watch him gravitate towards those who needed him the most. I had a friend one time that was really struggling to find their purpose in life. He asked if he could come visit me because he just needed a friend. Well, he ended up getting more than one friend those next few days as Redford put in overtime working for two. He told me that he was contemplating taking his own life until he felt the love of Redford. I’ve never met a dog that was capable of loving a human being as hard as Redford did. He was truly a gift to this world and I consider myself extremely lucky to be the one that got to care for him. I named this foundation after Redford because he represents the joy and purpose in life that I believe are necessary to make an impact on reducing the suicide numbers for veterans and first responders in this country.
In Redford's last days, he planted the idea in my head of continuing to pair Griffons with those who need their healing the most. In keeping my promise to him, during the next year we will be completing the requirements to apply for our probationary acceptance period, which is required to become recognized as an ADI(Assistance Dogs International) accredited organization. As part of this probationary period, our foundation must show a total 10 working service dog teams. Once accredited with ADI, we will be eligible to apply and receive outside funding from public resources such as the VA and other nonprofit organizations. Additionally, we are grateful for the support from reputable breeders. We are currently working with 4 breeders who have provided Redford Ranch Foundation with suitable Veterans service dog prospect puppies. As we get off the ground and build our veteran and first responder application base, we will have an increasing need to source puppies with excellent cooperative dispositions. If you are interested in supporting this mission as a breeder, puppy foster or donating supplies please send us a message through the "contact us" page.
Our immediate goal is to procure, train, and match 4 pups with approved applicants by the end of 2023. For this to happen, we are looking to raise $70,000 as soon as possible. This will allow us to pair Griffons as service dogs with veterans and first responders. As things develop, please continue to check back for more updates regarding our new service dog program. Thank you for your time and generous giving, with your help we will continue to change lives!
Speaking as a marine, Veterans have this quality about them that I’ve picked up on over the years. We seem to put everyone around us first, even if it means at the detriment to ourselves. It’s a double edged sword because on one end we do everything possible to make sure that the people around us are thriving, but on the other end we unfortunately accomplish this by ignoring and neglecting our own problems. The same can be said for first responders who’s job is quite literally to set aside their feelings and emotions and respond to calls of service. This interesting dynamic is why I believe service dogs are such a beneficial treatment for struggling veterans and first responders. While we may be struggling ourselves, it’s in our nature to give these dogs the greatest life possible. There were definitely days I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, but I knew that simply wasn’t an option because I had an obligation to Redford. Fortunately for service dog owners, obligations to these dogs means getting outside in nature which benefits both parties in the end.
Redford and I were inseparable. I think I can count maybe ten times where he wasn’t sleeping beside me in my bed. He was a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon who loved the water just as much as I did. Nothing brought me more joy than taking him to the water's edge and seeing him get so excited that he started to shed. The look on his face after I opened the car door and took his vest off can only be described as pure joy. I’m convinced that he knew he was “off duty” and that for the next few hours, he felt the same release from life that the water provided for me. Redford was described by many as an old soul. As he got older it seemed like his goal was to seek out and comfort the people around him that weren't doing well. It was an amazing experience to watch him gravitate towards those who needed him the most. I had a friend one time that was really struggling to find their purpose in life. He asked if he could come visit me because he just needed a friend. Well, he ended up getting more than one friend those next few days as Redford put in overtime working for two. He told me that he was contemplating taking his own life until he felt the love of Redford. I’ve never met a dog that was capable of loving a human being as hard as Redford did. He was truly a gift to this world and I consider myself extremely lucky to be the one that got to care for him. I named this foundation after Redford because he represents the joy and purpose in life that I believe are necessary to make an impact on reducing the suicide numbers for veterans and first responders in this country.
In Redford's last days, he planted the idea in my head of continuing to pair Griffons with those who need their healing the most. In keeping my promise to him, during the next year we will be completing the requirements to apply for our probationary acceptance period, which is required to become recognized as an ADI(Assistance Dogs International) accredited organization. As part of this probationary period, our foundation must show a total 10 working service dog teams. Once accredited with ADI, we will be eligible to apply and receive outside funding from public resources such as the VA and other nonprofit organizations. Additionally, we are grateful for the support from reputable breeders. We are currently working with 4 breeders who have provided Redford Ranch Foundation with suitable Veterans service dog prospect puppies. As we get off the ground and build our veteran and first responder application base, we will have an increasing need to source puppies with excellent cooperative dispositions. If you are interested in supporting this mission as a breeder, puppy foster or donating supplies please send us a message through the "contact us" page.
Our immediate goal is to procure, train, and match 4 pups with approved applicants by the end of 2023. For this to happen, we are looking to raise $70,000 as soon as possible. This will allow us to pair Griffons as service dogs with veterans and first responders. As things develop, please continue to check back for more updates regarding our new service dog program. Thank you for your time and generous giving, with your help we will continue to change lives!