I moved to Ohio from New Mexico in 2013, where I volunteered for a local assistance dog training program. After we decided to make the move to Vermilion, my Mother-in-law could not stop talking about how I needed to meet Staicey. “Staicey raises assistance dogs, I KNOW you’ll be interested in the organization…You are going to love Staicey and her dogs.” This was my first introduction to a cause even I was unaware of how involved I’d become. I knew I wanted to be a puppy raiser, but I didn’t know I was going to gain a whole network of, for lack of a better term, CCI family.
Bringing a puppy into your life, knowing it’s temporary, is a strange balancing act. I began telling myself, I won’t fall in love. Then after about 8 seconds, I’m in love. (Both times.) It’s a journey from potty training and no sleep, to sheer amazement at how these dogs affect my life for the better. Knowing that the way they will affect their forever home will be intensely different from how they change mine. It’s a balancing act of taking all I can for 18 months, so I can give it all away when it’s time.
Currently I am raising Maurice, he is just 6 months old and already is gaining confidence and self-control that are hallmarks of a successful service dogs. He makes us laugh, and he makes us wonder why we want another puppy, but mostly he just makes us happy as he works through his journey to become whatever he chooses to become!
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