Yesterday is history/ Tomorrow is a mystery/ Today is a gift/ ...
~Eleanor Roosevelt~
Met was my first service dog. When you
lose that first one, it changes you. Each of us have the power within though
to decide whether to let the changes be for good or for bad. I could have
chosen to stay lost and depressed for years to come, or to embrace the
wonderful pup offered to me. The latter was so much more who I am as an
individual. Though this writing is not about Met, he is a very integral
part of it all. After all it was Met who taught me how to look more deeply
at the medical side of things and to train a dog for multiple disabilities
where most programs would have just said I was crazy.
When Met died, I never thought I could love another, bond with another, find joy in another- not like that heart deep connection that one gains when partnered with a magical dog who has been their eyes, ears, arms, legs and so much more for a decade, but then I also never knew Thane.
Shortly after Met's death, I began to think about what breed I might like to have as my successor. To many, it is obvious when watching me, that I am a Border Collie Girl- plain and simple. When I thought about what would make me happy for years to come, it was the image of another wonderful Border Collie at my side. And so began my journey that would welcome Thane into my home- into my life- into my world.
When Scarlet had her litter, I dreamed of one day being entrusted one of her special pups to train as my successor dog. I had her picture where she was laying in the crate with all her puppies. With it I had written the words, What the Future Holds. Fate seemed to be playing a dirty trick on all of us though. Scarlet was spayed. It broke my heart amongst many others. Though I had been offered this one last male pup when he was born, as were others, it just was not meant to be- or so I thought. Met's health was a bit precarious at the time- sometimes up while others down, but I certainly did not expect to be losing him within the year. I did what I thought was best for Met, best for the pup, and best for me. I chose to let him go.
Met passed away and an amazing thing
happened. My quests to find a Border Collie to train were not going well.
It had nothing to do with what I was wanting to do, nothing to do with
my living environment, but everything to do with the fact that I had disabilities
which they felt would limit the dogs needs being fulfilled. They did not
want to hear about everything I accomplished with Met. They did not want
to hear how I was the kind of owner that goes the extra mile and then some
to help my animals stay healthy or return to good health. All they heard
was multiple disabilities and their minds were made up. I went through
this when trying to find a pup the first time around- then I found the
group who entrusted Met into my care. It was hard to think right then of
something positive coming out of these constant negative responses. In
hindsight, I truly believe that no one offered me a chance, because there
was the perfect Border Collie pup out there for this life, this job- Scarlet's
son, Shane (now Thane).
Shane was living with the most amazing people who I am proud to call my very special friends. They loved and cherished this boy enough to let him go, giving him the chance to reach his fullest potential with his own special job. In doing this, they also paved the way for me to have a magnificent assistance dog who would be devoted to me in that *magical* way that Met was.
You know I never imagined a dog could worm his way so far into my heart and life in such a short time, but Thane has done just that. He never met a person he did not like, or in my case love. From the outset, he smothered me with the love and companionship that I was in such desperate need of from a four pawed being.
Many people are shocked by this transformation,
myself included honestly. But when the perfect dog prances across ones'
broken heart- it happens and no one can stop the dance that has begun to
take place.
©1997 - 2013
by Karyn LaGrange
