Project Canine

Project Canine, Harmonious solutions to urban living and canine companionship

Operation Opie™ is an interactive program created by Great Dog to teach children about dog bite prevention. The Operation Opie team consists of Opie; an 11 years old rescued Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) and his human companion, Judi Anderson-Wright, co-owner of Great Dog. Judi holds a double Master’s Degree in Special Education and has many years experience teaching children, adults, and dogs. She also is a Certified Professional Pet Dog Trainer and a Humane Educator. Opie is a Connecting Canine dog so they make a perfect team!
Operation Opie was created once Great Dog owners and staff recognized how gentle and patient Opie treated children who encountered him in obedience classes or in the retail shoppe. Judi developed the S.T.A.N.D. process a quick and easy way for children of all ages to learn and remember how to behave when encountering dogs.

Opie and Judi will come to your school, club, event or party and share the S.T.A.N.D. bite prevention program. The program is suitable for children and youth of all ages. Each presentation is tailored to the developmental and social skills of each group of children. During the presentation Opie will first win the hearts of the kids by demonstrating his delightful tricks and obedience skills, then he and Judi demonstrate how to safely approach and interact with dogs, as well discuss how to avoid stray and unknown dogs. During the program children are encouraged to read a book to Opie and then each child is invited to meet Opie. Each child is given the opportunity to role-play how to meet and interact with a dog. Thanks to Opie’s positive attitude and small stature children are drawn to him-there is nothing threatening or overwhelming about Opie so children who have been bitten or who are frightened of dogs are generally eager to approach and touch this personable little dog. Depending on the size of the group the presentation will take 30-60 minutes. We are able to schedule multiple classrooms for same day visits. There is no charge for this program. We do encourage groups to make an appropriate donation to either a rescue group for JRT’s or a Humane Education/Service provider.

Dog Bite Statistics
Each year thousands of children sustain dog bites and they are usually from dogs that children attempt to pet without knowing how to avoid unknown dogs or how to safely approach and interact with a pet dog. Unfortunately children comprise 60% of the dog bite victims. Severe injuries occur almost exclusively in children less than 10 years of age. The face is the most frequent target (77% of all injures).

Opie’s Story
Opie is a mascot and ambassador for Great Dog and the Jack Russell Terrier (JRT) breed. As with most terriers, but especially JRT’s, Opie needs to be very active to keep him from getting into mischief. Once an orphan dog, in and out of shelters and eventually facing no home at all, Opie has now found his forever home and his mission in life via his work with Great Dog’s Operation Opie™. Opie has become a working dog and is a better and fulfilled dog for doing his work! Now Opie and Judi go to different schools and humane education programs to teach children how to be safe around dogs. Opie allows each child to meet him, pet him and even read to him! He loves to do tricks for the kids. He also visits nursing homes, and sick children to help brighten their days! He is very attuned to children and people with special needs. He is warm, gentle and patient when he visits and his antics and tricks are sure to bring a smile to each person that he meets. Opie ends each day tired, but happy knowing that he is safe, loved and doing his part to help keep others safe and feeling loved too!

If you would like to email Opie he has his own email address opie@gogreatdog.com or stop by and meet him in person at Great Dog in Seattle’s Northgate/Pinehurst neighborhood. He will be happy to do some tricks for you and teach something that might keep you safe the next time you meet a dog!