What does one do when they have a love for puppies, are ready to head off to college and are looking for something to occupy their time? Puppy raise of course. Our Canine Companions for Independence story started two years ago when my daughter Haley and I took our pet dogs to Ledge Pool in Hinckley, Ohio. There we met Staicey Scholtz and Johnson IV, manning the Canine Companions booth. The following week Staicey sat with us in a local coffee shop to share her story and love of the organization with us. At that point, we decided being a puppy raiser would be something Haley and I could do together before she headed off to college. Little did we know the impact Canine Companions for Independence would have on our lives.
That summer Haley went on a few training outings with the Northern Ohio Chapter and was totally hooked from the beginning. The day of DogFest last year should have been a difficult day for her as her boyfriend and closest friends were all moving into their college dorms and she was facing an entire school year without these lifelong friends. However, she spent the day surrounded by adorable dogs and fantastic humans. They all helped her direct her focus on volunteering rather than waiting by her phone. As Haley’s friends adapted to college life she was making changes as well, getting ready for our first puppy, a Lab Golden cross named Samford. In September, our lives changed as we picked up Samford from our regional center in Delaware, Ohio. This tiny dog laying at her feet on the drive home was about to play a huge role in her life.
After going through the first few weeks of school without much to do outside of school and homework, she began to feel the distance that hadn’t sunk in on DogFest day. Starting from that day with a new puppy in the house, she didn’t have time to think about her friends living many miles away. Instead Samford kept her busy. They spent hours together, learning a routine, teaching Sam commands and testing Haley’s patience. Finally, the golden age of five months came around and we were confident that Sam could handle outings. This created an entirely new Canine Companions experience for us. Suddenly we found ourselves surrounded by other puppy raisers who couldn’t wait to help us and have fun along the way.
Haley has always been introverted and didn’t care much for conversations with strangers. She quickly had to adapt to this lifestyle of being in the spotlight wherever you go with the dog and now loves answering questions and sharing the mission of Canine Companions. Haley became an ambassador for Canine Companions. She’s more confident with Samford sitting next to her, sharing his story. Months of outings have opened her eyes to struggles that she would not have known about without this experience along with listening to the many fantastic graduates in our area and stories told in TEAM Volunteer Leadership Conference. Her goal is to speak to and educate as many people as possible with Sam by her side so that those with disabilities and trained service dogs do not have to. As her mother, I can’t be more proud. She is a distinguished young woman who can speak eloquently about issues and her opinions. As she heads off to OSU, it’s up to me to finish this mission. Samford and I will be spending the next six months together. I will be calling her and asking her for advice. Thank you Canine Companions for Independence for providing such wonderful dogs for those in need and for giving Haley and I an opportunity to be a part of raising one of your puppies. We cannot say enough about how amazing this experience and group of people is, and look forward to seeing where he will be placed and raising others. She and I will be forever grateful.
No comments:
Post a Comment