Heidisaint
Noteable Saints
Heidisaint's Strauss
Friend - Companion - Rescuer - Service Dog
A Heidisaint Saint of Note
Strauss at 6 months old
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Lalita was disabled by polio as a child when she immigrated to Canada from India with her family. When post-polio began to take away many of her remaining strengths she searched for alternatives and decided that a service dog would make a difference for her, despite the fact that service dogs for people with disabilities other than vision loss were not widely accepted or even known about in Canada. Bucking the trends already, she also decided to choose a Saint Bernard as her service dog.
She picked a puppy from Heidisaint Kennels and that pup was trained by Larry Nault to meet Lalita's need. Strauss grew and developed into a true representation and a credit to his breed. Working out of an office in downtown Calgary with Lalita, Strauss would pull Lalita along on busy sidewalks, open heavy doors, and of course, attract attention everywhere he went. He would stand as steady as a rock when she transferred, bearing Lalita's weight with the grin only a Saint Bernard can give. When Lalita could no longer work Strauss gave her a reason to get out of bed each day, and when she couldn't do that, Strauss would rest his head in her lap just to let her know he was there.
Among Strauss's other accomplishements are several High in Trials in the obedience ring, and a commercial.
Strauss is missed by all who knew him.