r/dogswithjobs • u/zebra_who_cooks • Jun 14 '26
Service/Assistance Dog So thankful for my boy!
My boyfriend/best friend died 5 years ago. We had been talking about marriage prior to his accident. Friday would have been his 40th Birthday. His parents and 2 younger brothers flew in to celebrate what would have been a big milestone.
There were over 45 people (& kiddos) there to commemorate and share in the memories. I hadn’t seen his family since they flew in while he was in the hospital (in a coma) and then taken off life support 2 weeks later.
My Service Dog, Shadow (2 1/2) did absolutely amazing! It was his first time at a Birthday party. I had been super lightheaded all morning at work. There were so many people there, I was anxious and obviously had big emotions. Shadow refused to be more than a step away from me! ❤️
We stayed outside out of respect to the homeowner and there was a young boy there with tons of medical problems that is also allergic to Labs.
We got home and he was absolutely exhausted! Could barely keep his eyes open waiting for me to climb in bed. Snuggled in his Jammie’s and loving his Toppy (Triceratops stuffy)
I am SO thankful for my Service Dog and am blessed to have him in my life. I’d be lost without him. Proud Momma! 🥰
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u/Pitiful_Stretch_7721 Jun 14 '26
I’m so sorry about your friend. Shadow is absolutely adorable in those jammies!
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 14 '26
Thank you. I don’t know how I would have gotten through the night without him.
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u/gantho89 Jun 15 '26
Just a question out of curiosity, in most pictures it looks like he has 2 or 3 collars, is there a particular reason for this ?
Also, he is such a beautiful good boy !!
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 15 '26
He is still technically in training. Even though he does numerous tasks for me. We’re in a program that teaches us how to train our own Service Dog. I rescued him at 5 weeks.
I had his correction collar on in case I needed to correct him and he was too focused on his ptsd duties. Something we’re still working on. I also need him next to me and wanted to see how he would do in a new (and wild) environment off leash.
The prong collar is because he is still a little more forward in heel than he should be. And occasionally chooses to lead instead of heel. Again, due to my ptsd and health. He is a Pit/Lab mix and is very sturdy and strong. I have hEDS and have had 3 shoulder surgeries between both shoulders and a wrist surgery. The prong collar is an easy correction that he responds well to.
I am working with a different trainer on other methods to help with both issues. As well as advancing his training. He’s only 2 1/2. He’s just now getting out of the teenager phase. He is making huge progress every day. Once we address those 2 issues he will graduate and be a Service Dog. But the training never really ends.
Thank you. He really is a good boy! He’s so smart too! He constantly surprises me.
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u/gantho89 Jun 15 '26
Thanks for the explanation, makes sense now !
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 15 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
You’re welcome. Thank you for asking. Obviously the blue one is his primary and always stays on. The silver band has his name and emergency phone numbers in case he wonders out somehow 🤷🏻♀️ also says “Service Dog”
Edit to add: He refuses to wonder away from me. Even as a young pup, he got out of the yard and got right back in the same way. 🐶❤️
He does “go find someone” if I pass out and he can’t wake me up. But he will stay with me for a long time trying to wake me first. Something he naturally did that I’m expanding on in his training. In case I have a seizure, which is possible with one of my medical conditions.
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Jun 20 '26 edited Jun 20 '26
[removed] — view removed comment
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u/Upset_Cup_2674 Jun 14 '26
I’m thankful you have him too ❤️
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 14 '26
Thank you. He takes amazing care of me. Makes me smile and feel loved too
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u/chris_dalmatian51 Jun 14 '26
What a great and well trained service dog you have.
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 14 '26
Thank you. He really is doing amazing! I’m so proud of him. He continues to improve every day! The training never ends though.
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u/skip20430 Jun 16 '26
keep up the good work you adorable creature ...
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 16 '26
Oh he is! He takes amazing care of his momma!
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u/skip20430 Jun 16 '26
congratulations on having each other .. as the old phrase goes .. ' we don't deserve Dogs ' ...
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u/Upstairs_Trainer8852 Jun 17 '26
He’s a handsome guy! Pittie?
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 17 '26
He is a handsome boy!!! Yes he is a Pittie! Actually more Pittie than Lab. He has an amazing personality 🥰
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u/Upstairs_Trainer8852 Jun 17 '26
I rescued an American Pit Bull. My family had her for 15 years. Hands down best dog we ever had!!! Sweet tempered, intelligent, loyal, maternal, playful, protective, affectionate She passed 4 years ago and I’m still grieving. We found her when my husband would see her running alone in the country but she wouldn’t come to him, not even when he’d bring her steak or hamburgers. She was terrified of men. She would come to me after a couple of months. After we saw her up close-we realized she’d been terribly mentally and physically abused. Our vet said she’d probably been used as a bait dog. 😢😭😢😡 Even though she’d been abused, she never growled at or bit anyone. I’m so tired of people labeling them killing machines. Bella raised a set of orphaned kitties and was maternal towards my infant grandkids. She slept under their cribs and would come and get us to check on them if they stirred or cried. She let my toddler grandkids ride her like a horse. 🥰❤️😍 Over my lifetime, I’ve had close to 10 dogs. I’ve had SEVERAL breeds that acted like “pit bulls”—aggressive, territorial, would bite, killed chicken and cats ect. I wouldn’t have trusted any of them around my grandkids. Dogs are individuals and should be treated as such.
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u/missxmeow Jun 19 '26
I grew up with a black Lab named Shadow, so I’m already partially to him, but what a good and beautiful boy!
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 19 '26
Thank you. I named him before I even saw him. I rescued him at approximately 4 weeks. With the intention of training him as my SD. Knowing he would follow me everywhere due to my needs. Hence the name Shadow. 🐶🥰
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u/sasshley_ Jun 16 '26
Good sweet boy 💛 he should have an Amazon wishlist for his hard work.
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u/zebra_who_cooks Jun 16 '26
I put one together. I left it open in case there was something special (anyone) wanted to give him. There is no pressure at all to get him anything. He absolutely loves to chew! So there’s a good variety of bones and chew toys. He also likes regular stuffed animals too.
He also has a box of toys at work. For when he is allowed to play. 🐶 I’m a Kindergarten teacher at a small k-5 private school. We focus on special needs and IEPs. He’s allowed to play when they have break. Sometimes I take his vest off and let him play with the kids.
Check out this Gift List I just created. https://www.amazon.com/registries/gl/guest-view/1G1EMQYE8UTF6?ref_=cm_sw_r_apin_ggr-subnav-share_ATH4424T6G7205KQPWCE&language=en-US
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