Maureen Levetro's Life Expands after Work with Dog Whisperer

I'm a great fan of the Dog Whisperer. His shows teach me more about human beings that practically any show I've seen. Maureen Levetro's story of working with Cesar Milan aired today on the National Geographic TV channel. This April 17, 2007 article talks about the work Cesar did with Maureen and her two dogs, that resulted in her ability to walk her dogs.

What's remarkable about that? Maureen has cerebral palsy, so she walks with a walker. The ability to walk her dogs really expanded her confidence and has taken her into new directions that help others with handicaps.

From Cesar's Newsletter of March 2007:

Next Cesar travels to Brooklyn to meet dog owner Maureen Lovetro, who was born with cerebral palsy. When she was four, Maureen’s grandfather promised to buy her a dog with the hope that, by walking the dog, her legs would grow stronger. Now Maureen is seventeen; her “gift dog”, Cocker Spaniel Chloe, is eight…and things haven’t exactly turned out as her grandfather planned. Maureen’s mother Wendy never felt that Chloe respected Maureen but instead treated Maureen like her own puppy. Chloe will often take things from Maureen’s hands and “taunt” her. While on walks with Wendy, Chloe obeys; however, with Maureen, Chloe goes where she wants and pulls on the leash, often knocking Maureen from her walker. If people try to greet Maureen in the house or on the street, Chloe will bark and nip at them. Wendy would like Cesar to teach Maureen how to gain Chloe’s respect, so she can become a real service dog, as intended.

Maureen has since won a Girl Scouts Gold Award, in 2008 I believe. She was the keynote speaker at an October 2008 event. I couldn't find a lot about it. Most of the news on the net about her happened when she was run into by someone while at an event with Laura Bush.