Getting acquainted, training

     So Roxie has been here for a week. She and Raven are best buds. Sometimes I wish we knew more of her history and other times not. We had to teach her how to climb stairs. I had to talk her into getting up on the couch (if you don't like wearing dog hair, don't sit on our couch, the dogs live here, you don't). While she doesn't object to car rides, she drools...a lot. We have a bundle of washcloths we keep in the truck for her now.  I get a sense that she's afraid she's going to be abandoned again, because she always seems overjoyed when she gets home, as if she wasn't expecting to come home with us. 

     We have found that she's very smart and eager to learn. She went out on her first training exercises recently.

First stop was Lowe's... she's still drooling from the car ride.

Then it was Walmart...

Had to stop and admire that dog in the fancy vest in the mirror!

Then the grocery store....

Then time for a nap....

... on the bed, with the cat. 

All in all, a very busy day. She did great for her first 'official' outing and promises to be a great service dog.

Chapter (Dog) 2

     In the weeks that followed after Bella's death, the neccessity of having a service dog became obvious. Having a service dog isn't a 'luxury' for DH, (Dear Husband), but a vital resource. One that makes ˙his daily life easier. So I began searching for a new candidate.

      Qualities that we needed were intelligence, temperment and size. A dog that got along well with other dogs and cats since we have both. So a larger working breed mix. Running around to shelters seemed an inefficient way to search so onto the web I went. 

     The first problem I encountered was that while I limited the search to 'local' shelters, i would get 'listings' for dogs as far away as Louisiana, Texas....dogs that if you 'paid the fee' would be transported up to New Jersey.  These 'listings' were always associated with 'rescue' groups. So those were weeded out. 

     The second problem was the 'rescue groups' themselves. I work a 12 hour night shift as a 9-1-1 dispatcher. So when I come home I have to go to sleep so I can get up and go back to work. When I'm off I'm either trying to catch up on sleep, taking DH out to doctor's appointments or shopping, and catching up on all the stuff I can't get done when I'm working. 

     When did 'rescue' groups become social workers? I can understand trying to insure a 'first time' adopter is prepared for the responsibilty of having a dog. References? No problem, how many do you want? Vet info? Here you go, they're expecting your call. . You wanna drive by, make sure I have the 6 ft. fence around the back yard, fine. Home visit? Not gonna happen. Can you supply me with a recent criminal history background check prior to your 'home visit'? No? I don't know you, yet you expect me to let you roam through my house to 'inspect' it. Did I mention I work nights? As a 9-1-1 dispatcher? 

The final straw was when one of these 'rescue' group representatives told our vet they were denying the application because no one knew why Bella died. 

     Through all this, I kept going back to a picture of a dog at a local shelter, the Port Jervis Humane Society (www.pjhumane.org). She was obviously a rottie mix, so a working breed, intelligent, and a good size. I emailed to be sure she was still available. She was. So we went to meet her. We liked her. So we came home, picked up Raven, (my daughter's rottie shepherd mix) and went back to introduce them. 

Twin sisters from different mothers! 

The true irony? This dog had been 'placed' with her previous family by...a 'rescue' group! That family had her for 3 DAYS before surrendering her to the Port Jervis Humane Society. 

Roxie, formerly known as Lilo, on her way to her new forever home.

     

Loss

January 24, 2015 

     It was cold, but it had been colder this year. Bella went outside to play with Raven, our lab/rottie mix, like any other day. When our son went to call them in, Bella got to the back deck and then collapsed. CPR was tried to no avail. We rushed her to the Vet, 5 minutes away. Even the Vet was mystified by her sudden death. The only consensus they could come up with was possibly an undiagnosed heart condition. She had just been in for a checkup and there were no signs or symtoms of anything wrong with her. We had her creamated and she sits on the dresser, near her partner, whom she served so well. Heartbroken is too small a word.