Puppies get playtime with Veterans Home residents
An Airedale terrier puppy yawns as Gus Mariner pets it at the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls on Wednesday. The 8-week-old puppies were brought to the center by Judy Howell and Patty Kelly. Howell, a breeder and exhibitor of airedale terriers, has been bringing her puppies to the Veterans Home for nearly 15 years. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Joyce Siers holds an 8-week old Airedale terrier puppy at the Montana Veterans' Home in Columbia Falls on Wednesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Helen Hauser plays with an 8-week-old Airedale terrier at the Montana Veterans' Home on Wednesday. (Aaric Bryan/Daily Inter Lake)
Puppies barked in the background as Judy Howell tried to count the number of litters she’s taken to visit the Montana Veterans Home of Columbia Falls.
“It’s probably safe to say 50 puppies,” she said.
Howell got her first Airedale terrier show dog in 1983. She’s bred Airedale terriers since 1997.
In 2004, Howell decided to introduce a new element to her puppy training with a field trip to the Montana Veterans Home.
“It’s important to socialize puppies, to introduce them to different sights, smells, people — old people, young people, people in wheelchairs,” she said. “And it’s great for the residents to play with the puppies — it’s a win-win.”
She said as young pups develop, they form critical socialization patterns between eight and 12 weeks old. Whether they’re properly socialized could determine whether they respond to new situations with curiosity rather than fear.
Howell said in the first weeks of a puppy’s life, she puts them through “puppy kindergarten.” She changes the toys and elements in the dogs’ surroundings to help them develop.
The end of the program wraps up with a visit to the veterans home residents.
“I tell their future owners that each puppy has to go on the field trip to the vets home before they can go home with them,” Howell said. “It makes so much sense, for the puppies and the people — I wish more breeders did it.”
Howell said each puppy in the most recent litter that was for sale already has a home.
Reporter Katheryn Houghton may be reached at 758-4436 or by email at khoughton@dailyinterlake.com.