Welcome. We're So Glad You're Here!

An Interview with a Service Dog 

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1). "What's the most UNEXPECTED thing to happen since you started training?" – The Pandemic. We used to go everywhere, now we’re stuck home a lot more. But Momma made it really fun, we built forts and tunnels, played brain games, I even got to walk across the table and chairs to learn stairs. She made crafts so I could learn to open doors, bring bottles, phones and so much stuff that the time flew by. I even learned scent detections so I could be a medical alert service dog.

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2). "What's the biggest STRUGGLE you've had as a SDiT?" – I’ve handled most challenges fairly well, and certainly some took longer than others to master, there were days when I didn’t think I’d make it, and it was hard work, but I passed all my classes and tests. Phew! I also had some food allergies that made me really sick and it was hard to focus for a while, but I got some shots and I’m much better now. But what I really don’t like is “Other People Interfering” with the Team dynamics.  Sometimes I have to go from navigating and working to protecting when people get in the way of me being able to do my job, because I am trained to counterbalance, block, and brace. It’s very frustrating for me to have start, stop, turn, or not be able to heel or find my place because people are pushing me out of the way or reaching over to touch me when they shouldn’t. I don’t like their dirty gloves on me, I could get sick or get momma sick. I don’t like the smell of other people’s hand sanitizer all over me when I trying to scent alert for momma, I don’t like people talking over me or calling me a horse, when I’m trying to hear (or see) navigational commands from Momma. But I’m much bigger now, so it happens a lot less.

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​3). "What's the BEST thing about being a Service Dog?" –  Wherever Momma goes, I go.

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4). "What's something you are AFRAID of?" - Momma Dying = Rehoming Me. I don’t ever want that. Most of all the things that used to scare me, I’ve grown up and overcome already like jumping out of the car and taking baths. I still don't like Wally the robot at the grocery store, but I ain't ascared of him. 

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5). "What's the coolest TRICK you know?" – I don’t typically try learning to perform tricks because as a Service Dog, I already have an important job to do that takes up most of my time, but I am learning to Salute - out of deference.  

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​6). "What's your weirdest HABIT?" – I ONLY like to chomp on Grammy & Grampy’s Ice Cubes, nobody else’s.

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7). "How did you get your Nicknames?" -  Everytime we went somewhere, someone would inevitably say "Wow that's a Big Puppi"... and dubbed me as such over and over again. For a while I thought maybe that was my name because of all the gasps, oohhs and ahhs we would get all the time.  And"Chewzilla" - Well let's just say I earned that one while teething, it was really hard for me ... and Momma probably earned her angel wings putting up with me back then. She thought I might of had PICA because I chewed on everything and anything not nailed down (except the car.) I chewed on the walls, rugs, toys, stuffies, fluffies, toilet paper, bones, kongs, etc. So called Indestructible toys didn't stand a chance ... anything that went in my mouth came out looking like it went through the woodchipper. And then one day I just stopped and don't really do that anymore. Right now I'm working on trying to earn my"Chewbarker," merit badge - everytime someone passes our front window I bark like holy heck. Mainly just because it's really funny to see walkers jumping out of their skins. Of course Momma tries to scold me for this, but she can't keep a straight face either and I like it when she laughs, we have such a jolly good time together. So maybe you'll see our shenanigans on AVF one day really soon !!! <wink> 

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