Six Weeks

Over the last six weeks I have sat down to write on my little blog more than once.  Sometimes I got a few sentences in and erased it all; sometimes I couldn't bring up any words at all.  These past six weeks have brought a lot of change.  Some good, some hard, but all God's perfect plan. A post like this will never be how I envisioned chronicling these events, but life doesn't always play out how you envision it either.

Before turn in, Moray had one last adventure with my family.  We did some traveling which included a visit to New York City, and his first flight to Orlando:

November 7th was my last day holding Moray's leash as a puppy in program.  That afternoon, I gave my little buddy one last kiss goodbye as he entered Professional training.

Two-and-a-half short weeks later, on the day before Thanksgiving, our puppy program manager called with the news no puppy raiser wants to hear.  Moray's release from training was not a complete surprise, but much of what she had to say was hard to process.  Moray decided that being a service dog just was not for him, and has been adopted by my grandparents to live as a spoiled Change of Career pet.  

From when he was still a PIT

Moray, 

You were a joy, always.  The sixteen months that I was blessed enough to have you were some of the best in my life so far.  I don't know all that God has in plan for you or I, but I know it's going to be pretty amazing.  Thank you for loving so freely and always knowing how to make everyone around you laugh.  I will always be proud to have been your puppy raiser.  I love you forever.

Week of Lasts

Moray and I have had a busy, busy semester.  He has been on many an adventure lately, despite my lack of writing.  

Field trip to the Fire Station

We have been to a puppy raising workshop, group trips to the fire station and airport, we have done promotional events for Canine Companions, and many other training outings.  

Checking out the ambulance

Airport exposure 

Getting ready to go through security

The TSA were fantastic to help out Moray and Hardy in their training! This is hopefully the beginning of a long relationship with them and our Canine Companions puppies!

The Week of Lasts is always an emotional week.  Yesterday was Moray's last outing with his local Canine Companions friends.  Today was his last day of Community Bible Study, tomorrow will be his last day of class with me, as well as his last puppy class, Friday will be his last day of Awana...the list goes on.  

My chest tightens and my eyes fill as I think that next time I am at ____, there will be no bouncy black lab at my side.  My hand won't be nudged by a jovial puppy who knows I still carry the occasional treat for especially good boys like himself.

I can willingly go through the heartache of goodbyes a million times over because it means that I have gotten to share the last seventeen months with an amazing creature who has taught me more than I have taught him.

Excuse my dorky face, and know that we laugh together...a lot. And it makes me smile.

And there's something even better coming ahead.  This week of lasts is needed.  It's essential in order for Moray to make a new set of Firsts.  Firsts with his new trainer, Firsts with his forever human in whatever career he chooses.  And that is a beautiful thing.

Home

 On Monday, November 25, 2013 Dante arrived at his forever home.  

He came eleven days after he was released.  At times during that week-and-a-half, it seemed way too long, but I am glad I had a little time.  Don't get me wrong: I love Dante with all of my heart, and am truly, very, really, so happy to have him as my very own, but I needed that time.  

Dante's career change did not come as a total surprise, but it is still hard news to digest.  After twenty-three months of training, hoping, and striving, letting go of that dream for him was hard.  

Maybe it was the fact that he was So. Close. to making it into the Hearing Dog program.  Most likely, it would not have been any easier if it happened a month or two ago.

But one thing I have come to learn in the last eleven days: Dante is truly where he belongs.  

It may not be where I originally envisioned him, but I have no doubt that his purpose in this world is just beginning.

More than that, I know I cannot keep all this Happy to myself.

But I sure am blessed to get to share in it.

(And since you made it through that long, sappy post: here's the video of the reunion.)

11.14.13

About 9:40am Thursday morning, Moray and I were just getting out of the car to head to Chemistry class when I received a text from my sister.  It was the simple words that our Puppy Program Manager called and our mom was on the phone with her right then.  There is one thing every puppy raiser dreads when they have a puppy in Advanced Training, and that is a phone call.  

All I knew as Moray and I walked into the building was that it was indeed the dreaded call, and that it had been decided that Dante will be released from Professional Training.  I was still waiting with a promise that my mom would call me as soon as she was off the phone.  I thought I was holding it together fairly well.  My best friend was waiting for the previous class to let out, and as soon as she saw me knew something was not right.  She hugged me and the tears that started then came and went for the rest of the day. 

Dante is Dante and there is no one that can change that.  Our PPM told us that although Dante's behavior and commands are impeccable on-leash, as soon as he thinks he can get away with something, he gets a mind of his own.  Dante is off the charts smart, very independent-minded, and needs a strong hand to manage him and give him the discipline he needs.  She told us that when she told his trainers Dante was our first puppy, they could not believe we were able to teach my hard-headed boy all that we had.  Not that I want that to come across as bragging or anything like that, but she assured us it was just his personality, and there was not much we could have done differently to curb this behavior.  

She told us that Dante's release was a hard decision for them as well.  They had been doing a lot of sound work evaluating him for the Hearing Dog program, and he was doing fantastic and excelling in it.  The decision boiled down to the fact that Dante is just not trustworthy enough for placement.

Even though I have seen this coming for some time, it is hard news to accept.  For almost two years, we have worked and striven toward the dream that Dante would become a Service Dog.  There have been many ups and a few downs along this journey of puppy raising, and it is extremely hard to let go of that dream.  Being honest, it is hard to realize that Dante's future is no longer in "limbo" with the hope he could still make a placement.  It is final, and even though he will have a great life, and still will share his love and laughter in different ways, the passing of this dream for him is hard to come to terms with.

While we are still figuring out a travel plan and agenda for Dante, we know he will be coming back to spend life as a spoiled rotten "Change of Career" pet; me as his forever family, and he as the very first dog I will ever call my own.

Update!

Yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to get my first update on how Dante is doing in Advanced Training.  I will not receive his first training report for another month, so while this was just a generic email sent to all puppy raisers who recently turned in pups, it was still nice to get something.  

In the last three weeks, Dante has made it through his preliminary temperament testing, a thorough health exam to clear him to continuing in training, as well as a field trip.  He has been assigned to a trainer (I will not know who until his first report), and has been working on proofing the 30 commands he learned with me.  

While it is so, so, so hard to not get minute by minute updates on Dante; right now no new is good news.  Dogs in Advanced Training (or the puppy program for that matter) can get released at any time, so no phone call from CCI today means he is doing well enough that they want to keep him tomorrow.

I miss that little Firecracker like crazy, but am also very excited for him.  Now to start counting down to his first real training report, and not die of impatience before it comes!

Our "last hurrah" of an outing -- SeaWorld Orlando, the day before Turn In.