For a couple of years I have been researching about service dogs; the pros and cons of having them, the cost, etc. I learned about what they can do , what kind of dogs work best, the different ways you can go about it and specially the cost. Until last year it seemed to be far away from our reach. I had no idea that things were already coming together to make it happen.
After church hopping for several months we started to attend one church more frequently and were invited to have dinner at someone's house. We had a lovely time and learned a lot about the other couples that night. One of them were owners of a K 9 , dog training company and we started to talk about service dogs. We decided to ask more questions. Of course by then my brain is working in all different directions searching the web for ways to do it, saving money and making it happen as quickly as possible . by then our son Emmanuel is having a lot of problems in school. He is still trying to read at a kindergarden level at age 11. We have tried therapy after therapy, testing, research , tutors, more tutors and still the same thing. Giving up is not an option.
Then before school was out and summer came I received a text from our babysitter who was taking her puppy to dog training school. She had heard about a lady with two one year labradoodles who needed a home. Their owner's husband was having heart problems and it was becoming difficult for her to care for him, their 5 acres , a horse and other dogs. We requested to meet the dogs and have the trainers from Southland dog training come to do a temperament test with both dogs. It was love at 1st site and after a couple of meetings they passed the test and now we had to decide which one we would get. All happened very quickly and soon Annie the girl was living with us. We worked out the cost with the owners and training started. Our dog Sparky had to be trained before Annie did so that he would not make things more difficult with his not so great behavior. That our journey into the world of giving Emmanuel a companion who would help him deal with things when we are not around. Our goal is that Annie will help Manny to find his way out of the memories of suffering past into a life full of possibilities. Learning to accept his disabilities and finding ways to have a "typical" life is no easy task for an adult much less for a child. As a parent I have to love him enough to continue to push him to break his own limits to become the man that God intended for him to be.
In our county that has never been a student with a service dog attending classes. Many have tried but have not been successful. I feel the weight of making sure this is done right so other families can have the privilege we are having to bring the 1st service dog into our county's schools. It is taking a lot of work, money and time but when I see Manny and Annie together during an episode of PTSD, I see her laying down over his legs even when he pushes her away I know that their relationship is getting stronger every day.
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