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Pawsitive Dogs Algarve New Project of Guide Dog Training

Pawsitive Dogs Algarve New Project of Guide Dog TrainingLast June, dog behaviourist and assistance dog trainer, Karin Holmström Forster, announced the new Pawsitive Dogs Algarve project to train two guide dogs that in early 2018 will be delivered to two visually impaired young people living in the Algarve, where she has lived for 18 years.
Karin and her two dogs began their training on August 21st in Devon, England, with Alan Brooks, one of the most experienced British guide dog trainers, with several articles and books edited, and a former Guide Dog UK regional manager. In this training period, which will last for 12 weeks, each dog has two daily training sessions. In addition to this practical component, Karin has to do an intense theoretical work, composed of reading articles and viewing videos about guide dogs training and animal welfare.

Karin and AbbeAbbe is a 15-month old whippet standard poodle that has had such a good performance that his training is ahead of schedule. Fred is a young labrador cross which was only 7 months old when the training started. Considering his young age, Fred is evolving faster than expected, despite needing to continue his intensive training after returning to the Algarve.

In her stay in England Karin as had the opportunity to witness the difference in the integration of the visually impaired in Portugal and in the UK. Every day Karin sees 3 to 4 visually impaired people in their daily routines with the support of their white stick, guide dogs or human guides. Karin explains that “all towns have audible crossings and crossings with texture to help a blind to feel with his feet where he should cross the road" and also adds that the government "supports the medical expenses as well as help with equipment for the blind to be able to live as normal as a visually able" and summarizes that “being blind does not mean staying at home”.

With the skills and experience acquired in her training with Alan Brooks, Pawsitive Dogs Algarve intends to start a guide dog training project in the Algarve region. In Karin’s words “having worked all my life with people in health and rehabilitation then lately dogs and their owners I feel the way I can best give back to society is giving independence and a friend to someone who otherwise may never be able to leave home on her or his own”.

Karin and FredHer vision for this project has several specifics that Karin explains “my vision is to start a program, training dogs in need of homes, giving homeless dogs a purpose. It would help the shelter dogs get a better status and the visually impaired get a chance to feel like they belong in our society too". Being a certified assistance dog trainer Karin will be able to train combination dogs that can not only guide the blind but also be a medical alert dog or assisting them in other disabilities such as being wheel chair bound.”

Karin intends to train 6 to 8 dogs each year, and in order to do so she seeks partners who can support Pawsitive Dogs Algarve and help make a unique project in the region become a reality. A project with a huge impact on the lives of many visually impaired people in the region and in southern Portugal.

In addition to financial support, essential to the sustainability of a project of this nature, Pawsitive Dogs Algarve seeks partners in veterinary medicine and pharmacy as well as animal food, meaning that anyone can contribute to the fulfilment of a project with such a profound social impact.

Pawsitive Dogs Algarve
W: www.pawsitivedogsalgarve.com 
Epr.pawsitivedogs@gmail.com 
T: 917 076 040

About Karin Holmström Forster

Abbe and FredExpert Dog behaviourist, Karin Holmström Forster, has been working with dogs and their humans in Portugal for almost two decades. Originally from Sweden, dog psychologist, Karin, has always had her focus on rehabilitation. She has worked as
a nurse and a massage therapist. She has a qualification in Kinesiology and is still involved in running classes as a Pilates instructor.

As her focus shifted to the canine community, she studied with some of the luminaries in the field (Karen Pryor in the USA, Fernando Silva in Portugal, Audrey Finns and Gary Landsberg in the USA, Cilla Danielsson in Sweden, Victoria Stillwell in the UK, as well as Grisha Stewart and Ian Dunbar in the USA). All are internationally respected dog behaviourists. Karin is currently finishing a three-term course in Ethology and Dog Behaviour & Cognition at Linkoping University in Sweden.
In addition, she educates new instructors both in Sweden and in the Algarve. Her primary Algarve focus is her company, Pawsitive Dogs, through which she trains dogs and their humans and helps address dog behaviour issues.

As an expert in the field, Karin is a catalyst for change in dogs’ wellbeing and is a respected speaker at dog training events. Most recently she was a keynote speaker at an animal cruelty prevention seminar run by Safer Communities Portugal. This event led to the creation of an animal welfare umbrella group for shelters and individuals seeking information and assistance with animal welfare issues. Through her love for dogs and an urge to give something back, Karin became an Assistance Dog Trainer and helped form the association Alertalegria – Associação de Cães de Assistência Internacional / Association Assistance Dogs International.