How many of you thought about getting a puppy during the lockdown in the spring? How many actually did? (This is me raising my hand.) Everyone is home and in need of cheering up, what better time to bring a puppy into the family?!?
In our family of six, everyone was home when my oldest daughter reminded me that while the children were growing up I often said: “No, we can’t get a dog because no one is ever home.” (Children remember everything!) And so, we researched and discussed and applied to be Southeastern Guide Dog Puppy Raisers. This was the best option for us, we needed guidance on how to train a puppy and unsure if we wanted a dog forever.
On April 3rd, 2020 Ida came into our lives. She arrived with a manual, strict instructions, weekly puppy zoom meetings, and a community of fellow puppy raisers for support. During the first few months, Ida was instrumental in raising spirits and comforting everyone (especially, my daughters who were missing high school and college senior activities and milestones). Ida has taught us how to slow down, play in the middle of the day, take frequent walks, and not get angry with animals who don’t do what you ask the first time. I watched my children initially attempt to rationalize with a puppy and learn to take responsibility for another living creature even when they were emotionally drained.
Ida is now a beautiful part of our family. Now that all of the children are in college, I call her my “transition child.” She is my constant companion, traveling with me to in-person therapy sessions and assisting me in providing in-school support. Sometime next spring we will find out if Ida meets criteria to go off to guide dog puppy college. In the meantime, Ida is getting plenty of exposure to becoming a therapy dog. And, as with all the children, my wish is that Ida grows up to do great things!
