Luna

In Loving Memory

April 3, 2020 - August 12, 2020

With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of sweet Luna. She was born with a heart murmur, which she was unable to recover from. Luna was so loved throughout her short life. Her foster family gave her constant love and attention, and she impressed them daily with how quickly she picked up on commands.

Luna left an impact on anyone who was lucky enough to meet her. She will be remembered for her sweet yet spunky personality, and for giving the best puppy snuggles. 

Sponsor Announcement

I am thrilled to be sponsored by CBE Companies in Waterloo, Iowa. I am named in honor of the owner of the company, Tom Penaluna. They raised funds to sponsor my journey to hopefully become a service dog! I hope to make Tom and the entire company proud throughout my training. Thank you, CBE Companies!

Stage 1 Introduction

Hello! My name is Luna. I am proud to have been selected to enter into the Retrieving Freedom training program.  My parents are "Spirit" who is fostered by the Nash family and "Echo" from PAWS With A Cause. During this stage of training I will be spending approximately 8 months with my new volunteer foster, Madalynn.

Throughout Stage 1, I will learn the basics obedience, public behavior, and a lot of socialization. I understand that it takes a very special dog to complete the program as there is a high standard to become a Service Dog. I am aware that I may be one of the dogs whose purpose is outside of service work so I will be updating my profile on a monthly basis for all that would like to follow my journey through the program. 

May 2020 - 7 weeks old

     

Right at the end of this month, I transitioned from my wonderful breeding foster home to my new puppy foster home with Madalynn! I'll begin to work on crate training, walking on a leash, behaving in public, potty training, and learning my name! Also this month, my human brother graduated and I "played" tennis (took a nap at the tennis courts - see pictured). 

June 2020 - 2 months old

      

I've had so many new experiences already! I visited Wartburg College, where my foster Madalynn is a student. Hopefully I can spend lots of time with her there this upcoming school year. I also got to watch my first baseball game, and look forward to many to come! I was finally able to fit into my puppy vest this month. It's hard to believe I'll outgrow it in a few short weeks!

July 2020 - 3 months old

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I continue to impress everyone I meet with how laid back I am! I've earned the nickname "Lazy Luna" - not much phases me. I attend softball games weekly, and tend to just sleep through them! This month I was able to train alongside my sister Basil. I sported a fun red, white, and blue collar for the 4th of July, and then got a new orange leash, bow, and collar for Wartburg! Even though I am still young and little, it's important that I'm introduce to all sorts of working equipment. I was able to explore at the Retrieving Freedom facility and become comfortable with the working equipment in a calm, controlled environment.

August 2020 - 4 months old

        

I was given the green light to move in with my foster Madalynn on her college's campus! I am so excited to officially become a Wartburg Knight! I also got my first Kong box this year, which I was thrilled to find was full of new toys and treats! When I was younger, the veterinarian noticed a murmur when listening to my heart. I have to get some more tests done to make sure I'm healthy. Wish me luck!