Kinsman,
my service dog, is awesome!
I
use a wheelchair. My daughter’s friend has a diabetic alert service dog and
suggested that I look into getting a service dog for myself. She searched
online and found Canine Companions for Independence. I filled out the online
application. Two years after, I drove to Delaware, Ohio, for an initial
interview. It was so worth it. There are other service dog organizations that
have you pay up to $60,000 for a service dog and training. Canine Companions
does it all for free because of the donors that support them.
Team
Training was awesome, but not easy. There was testing every day. But the
trainers were always there to answer questions. I worked with three other dogs
besides Kinsman. I didn’t get to pick my dog. The trainers chose the dog that
they thought would best suit me. They made the perfect match!
Kinsman
makes life easier. When I drop things that I can’t reach from my wheelchair,
Kinsman picks them up for me. I use a manual wheelchair, so my hands are busy
wheeling me to where I need to be. If I’m at a store, I can’t wheel myself
around and carry things. That’s where Kinsman comes in. I tell the check-out
clerks not to overload my grocery bags because they need to be light enough for
Kinsman to carry.
Right
now, I’m working with Kinsman on increasing his stamina. He can pull my
wheelchair and is now learning to pull it uphill. I praise him when he does
well. It’s important to let him know he did it right.
I
have two children—13 and 10 years old. They hate it that I don’t let them give
Kinsman treats. He only eats his dog food. But one day, Kinsman got ahold of a
sour gummy worm that the kids dropped on the floor by accident. He got the
worst stomach ache and then diarrhea. But even with that, he never had an
accident indoors. He woke me up asking to go outside to relieve himself.
He’s
so well-behaved in public. I take him everywhere, even to church. I was in the
doctor’s office and a woman said, “Your dog looks so sad.” I said to her,
“Ma’am, do you look happy when you go to work? No one looks happy when they’re
working. Because they’re working. They look serious.”
Kinsman
doesn’t lick, kiss, groom himself, or shake in public, which is good because
boy does he shed. He sheds once a year—and it’s all year. So, I appreciate that
he controls himself and doesn’t shake in pubic. The lint roller, Furminator,
and slicker brush helps with the hair. I brush him outside and the grass looks
like its growing hair. The birds use it for their nest!
When
I put his food down, Kinsman won’t move until I give him a command. But his
favorite command is heel. He does it so well. He gets super close to my
wheelchair. He lays right against the wheels, so I know right where he’s at and
I know that he is out of the way.
Kinsman
lets me trim his nails, and he loves to get his teeth brushed. He’s very quiet.
I’ve only heard him bark twice!
Kinsman
has an awesome veterinarian. This is her first service dog patient and she
treats Kinsman with respect, like he’s on the job. She even gives us a discount
for her services.
I’m
hoping to get back to work this year, so I’m looking into pet insurance. He’s
had ear infections and stomach issues and I’ve had to take him to the vet. Then
there’s flea and tick medicine to buy. Kinsman is my responsibility. I take
care of him. Pet insurance could help with that.
Kinsman
is worth every penny. My life is better because of Kinsman. I’m a single dad,
so Kinsman makes such a difference. But Kinsman plays, too. When he’s in
release mode and you stop petting him, he won’t let you. He wants more and
more. And he loves to play with his toys.
I’m
completely happy that I applied to Canine Companions and received Kinsman. And
I’m proud of his name and the story behind it. There are a lot of dogs in the
program with names and a number after it. But Kinsman is named after a woman
that Staicey, Kinsman’s puppy raiser, met. The story is wonderful and important
to me. I’m proud that he’s named after a donor.
Kinsman also means
“blood relation.” It couldn’t be more true, because Kinsman is part of the
family.
