Eleven-year-old Harley Claypool has a rare brain disorder that can cause him to have hundreds of seizures a day. He needs to be watched at all times, especially at night when the seizures are at their worst.Two years ago, things seemed hopeless for his mother, Colleen Claypool, who spent her days attached to her son's side and her nights tensed and ready for another seizure.

Then, Riley came along. Riley, a 4-year-old English Labrador retriever, came to the Claypools from Tender Loving Canines, Assistance Dogs.  Based in Solana Beach, Tender Loving Canines is a non-profit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to providing trained dogs to people with disabilities in San Diego County.

Riley, constantly at Claypool's side, is specially trained as a seizure response dog.  If Claypool has a seizure, Riley goes to get help.  If no one is available, Riley stays with Claypool, pushes him on his side to prevent any choking and comforts him until help arrives. He barks if Claypool's head goes underwater during a bath and wakes Colleen Claypool if her son has a bad seizure in the night. "If you looked at them today, you would think it's a kid and his dog,” said Colleen Claypool. "You wouldn't know that that dog has saved Harley's life multiple times."

Riley's rescue stories sound like something out of "Lassie.” During a bad seizure that stopped Claypool's breathing,  he fell and cut himself on a piece of metal.  Riley ran to alert Colleen Claypool, who was distracted in the house. When she didn't immediately react to his barking, Riley took her by the sleeve, forcing her out to where Claypool was. Discovering her son blue-faced and bleeding, she performed rescue breathing and got him to the hospital, where he received 18 stitches.

"My mother's heart filled with the 'what if,’” said Colleen Claypool. "Had Harley been out by himself or if Riley had been distracted, I'm not sure the outcome would have been as good."

Sally Montrucchio, Tender Loving Canines' training director, trained Riley.  Subscribing to the motto, "one dog, one trainer, one handler,” Tender Loving Canines matches each dog with the specific needs and personality of the applicant. Dogs are usually trained for about two years, including several months of training with their chosen handler.  The organization usually turns out two dogs a year. A volunteer since Tender Loving Canines began in 1998, Montrucchio is completing training for her fifth dog, another Labrador named Laci.

There are four types of assistance dogs offered: signal, facility, seizure and service.
Signal dogs help people with hearing impairment by alerting them of sounds such as ringing phones, doorbells or a person calling to them. Facility dogs help therapists and counselors in calming patients and helping them work through problems. They can also aid in physical rehabilitation. Service dogs assist those with limited mobility,  such as people in wheelchairs.  The duties of service dogs, like Laci, include retrieving dropped items, working light switches and holding telephones.

Pat Harper's standard poodle, Celeste, was trained as a service dog through Tender Loving Canines. Celeste helps Harper perform tasks made difficult by her severe arthritis.
Whether it's picking up a dropped quarter or taking off Harper's socks at night, Celeste knows more than 100 commands. She is even learning to take the clothes out of the dryer.
"It makes it a lot easier on the body,” said Harper. "Of course, she's a constant companion, too." Harper, a poodle breeder since 1974, trained Celeste through a Tender Loving Canines program that allows owners to put their own dog through training.

Other dogs, like Riley and Laci, are donated or discounted to the organization by breeders and trained from puppyhood. While they mostly deal with Labradors, golden retrievers and standard poodles, Montrucchio said they take any dog determined to be suitable for service.

All the time and effort volunteered by the certified trainers is worth it, said Montrucchio, as the two-year training process ends when the dog fulfills its destiny with their new handler.
"People ask me, how can give the dog up, and I always reply, how could I not give the dog up? It's a gift,” said Montrucchio. "It's such a high when you see the dog work for somebody, and you walk away and you see how it changes their life. That's my paycheck."

Tender Loving Canines filled a gap that Colleen Claypool said she didn't even know was there. Although "not a dog person,” she said life is easier because of Riley, who has given the family such freedom and independence. "(Riley) is Harley's friend and protector and playmate and source of joy,” said Colleen Claypool. "I can't imagine our lives without him."

For more information or to make a donation, visit www.tenderlovingcanines.org.

By Erin Spry  - Del Mar Times June 200