Over And Out

Hello all!

I never wanted to write this post. And it hurts my heart that I have to.

I don’t know how to soften the blow here, so I’ll just spit it out.

I had to turn in the vest last night. Yaha has washed, and will no longer be training to become a Service Dog.

How did this happen? I hear you asking. According to my trainer–who has been doing this a lot longer than I have and knows a lot more–Yaha’s livestock guardian part is coming through a bit too strongly.

Originally Josie had campaigned for German Shepherds “to keep the boys away”. Unfortunately, it came out that, while they might keep boys away, they’d likely become protective and keep away people trying to help in the event of a seizure as well.

The strength with which Yaha’s Great Pyr is coming out is starting to take that route. As a result, it’s dangerous for both of us to continue this way. Unfortunately, he also doesn’t enjoy the job. He loves me, and wants to make me happy, which is why we’ve gotten this far. The job and strangers–dogs and people–stress him out, though.

In a single-dog household where he can protect his humans, he’d thrive. But continuing training as a Service Dog will only stress him out and lend itself to burn out, which isn’t good for anybody.

My trainer did say that, had he been placed with someone else, she probably would’ve pulled him sooner, but, because I was so determined to help him succeed, she figured we’d try to make it work. How’s that for stubborn, younger me?

Where do we go from here? We are working on finding a perfect forever home for Yaha as a pet/guard dog. We have a few open-adoption candidates lined up already all ready to take him. God is so good!

My only concern with this? I’m at least his 3rd owner already and he isn’t even a year old yet. I pray he takes to his new owners as well and joyfully as he took to me. He isn’t born to fail. After all…

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
― Thomas A. Edison

Yaha and I have only found three ways each that won’t work. Apparently, we’re nowhere close to failure.

As for me? My goal is still a fully-trained Service Dog.

My trainer says that, because I’ve done so well with a dog whose only motivation was me and food, I should fly through training with a dog that actually likes the job.

Maybe, then, this is a blessing, as much as it hurts. Because, yes. It sucks. It sucks. I wish there were a harsher word that wasn’t an expletive. BUT. I wouldn’t want to force him to do this any more than I’d want someone to force me to be a full-time extrovert.

Or Josie to be an accountant.

Or Marina to be… I don’t know, a professional mourner, maybe. Is that a thing?

What does that mean for the blog doggie adventure diary?

Well, I’ll keep typing and taking pictures as long as I’m blessed to have a dog under this roof. (I’m not done sharing Yaha pictures and antics, don’t worry! We’re going to cling to every moment of pethood we get!) And in the in-between times, well, Luke Skywalker was still in Star Wars when he didn’t have a lightsaber, right?

… does that track?

… I… think so.

ANYWAY, moving on from that weak parallel… I’ll continue writing about what is happening to move closer to the Service dog puppy goal. Which… considering how my life has gone so far, may be sooner than we think.

Remember, none of us was born to fail.

Look toward the horizon, and bare your teeth at the future if you must. ….uuuunless you’re training to be a Service Dog. In which case, you may be demoted.

Regardless, keep going.

<3 Lauryn