A Loving, Energetic Service Dog
Early on, we realized Eddie was a precocious, high energy pup who needed a puppy raiser (and eventually) a recipient she could love that would give her all the exercise, service dog tasks, and doggy play dates she could get! The star of her service dog training class, Eddie, a black lab, was ready to become a service dog earlier than most. At just 18 months (6 to 8 months earlier than usual), Eddie met Sarah, and an immediate friendship was born.
For Sarah, there was a lot leading up to that special day when she met Eddie. Having suffered a stroke a few years ago that caused physical disabilities, Sarah’s confidence was hit hard. “It was challenging for me to do the simplest things. Anything that required leaving the house — like running to the post office or going to the supermarket — was difficult physically. But my worst fear was falling in public and having to wait for someone to come get me.”
After searching online for solutions, Sarah discovered a service dog could be just what she needed. Putnam Service Dogs turned out to be the right service dog organization for her:
- They seemed much less corporate and a lot more personal.
- Their process and how they let the dogs choose who they wanted to be with was unique and gave Sarah something to look forward to.
- Most of all, they really cared about people and their service dogs.
Sarah submitted her service dog application to Putnam Service Dogs. Within a few months, she was invited for a “meet and greet”. The Head Trainer felt Sarah was a good potential match for several dogs featured at the Meet & Greet, and she had a fenced yard!
Sarah immediately liked Eddie when she met her. “Eddie was the friendliest, most loving dog! I remember thinking, ‘There’s no way I’ll get paired with her,’ because everyone wanted her.” Eddie still had a few months of training left, so when Sarah received a call to come see Eddie again a few months later, she was surprised — and thrilled!
Over the past couple of weeks she’s begun to pick up on signs that I’m getting tired before I can even feel it and she slows me down. My hands get very shaky at times and I struggle to grip things, so having her pick up dropped items has been a life saver for me.” — Sarah
Sarah remembers what it felt like that day. “Being chosen by Eddie restored a sense of confidence in me that I had lost after having a stroke. It was easy to see she was looking and watching for me that day. And that’s never stopped. She’s always looking out for me.”
Training alongside Eddie
Next up was some personalized training to be sure Eddie knew all of her cues and that Sarah understood how to give them (and reward them!) properly. “We spent the day at the trainer’s home having Eddie follow me, making sure she would respond to me when I walked away, stay focused or look for me — and she did!”
With Sarah using a cane to walk, Eddie can be significantly faster. They had to work on adapting Eddie’s speed to match Sara’s, but it only took a day and Eddie knew what to do.
More recently, Sarah and Eddie joined Melissa (Putnam Service Dog’s trainer) for additional training and to take the Public Access Test. “Melissa is wonderful! She’s given me a lot of great tips. In public, Eddie has a tendency to get up to greet others passing by. She just gets excited, but we’re working with her to stay on task. She’s great at not exiting the car until I tell her to; she stays at my pace and walks at my side, not away from me; she stops when I stop; she can walk through a food aisle and not go after food.”
Daily Care, Love, and Service
For Sarah and Eddie, the caring, loving, and serving goes both ways — and is quite natural. “She will lick your face off the moment she meets you. She makes everyone around her feel loved, which I love about her. I have friends and family members who are leery of dogs, but it didn’t take long for Eddie to win them over.”
Putnam Service Dogs take great pride in their humane treatment of their dogs. As a pup, Eddie had itchy skin and weighed on the lower end of her expected range. Sarah regularly takes Eddie for check ups at the vet and keeps her on the vet-recommended prescription diet. Eddie gets brushed every day and a bath once a week. So far all tests have turned out fine.
As socializing is one of Eddie’s specialties, Sarah takes Eddie to work with her at a Center that provides ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) Therapy. Eddie also joins her when Sarah coaches Varsity Cheerleading — a real treat for everyone! “When we’re out, I ask others not to pet her. I need her to stay on task, and she does.”
What life looks like today for Sarah and Eddie:
Having Eddie has truly been a life-changing experience for Sarah.
“The biggest impact Eddie has had on my life is the amount of independence I’ve gained. I can do so much more by myself like running general errands, going shopping, even just taking walks without needing someone to come with me. When Eddie walks with me, she helps me keep my balance. It can be easy for me to get anxious when I’m out. But not with Eddie by my side. When she’s with me, I have a sense of normalcy that I’ve not had in a long time — and I’m grateful.”
For Eddie and Sarah, they’re both living their “happy ever after.”
Volunteer to Raise a Service Dog Puppy!
Want to create puppy-raising memories you’ll treasure the rest of your life? Bring a great pup into your home to raise and love, and help someone less fortunate than you!
Learn more about the joys of being a puppy raiser.
Nancy Teague, the founder of Putnam Service Dogs, is a dedicated advocate who embodies the mission of the organization every single day. Alongside the passionate individuals who have joined the cause, she works tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of both people and dogs. With an unwavering commitment to championing service dogs, Nancy understands the transformative power that occurs when a service dog is matched with its recipient, forging a remarkable team.