Stuff happening

Oh @Former-Member ,

I'm sorry to hear this has happened. I appreciate you sharing this with us.

So do you train the dogs, or do you foster them while they are being trained?

I hope you can find space to practise some self-care at this time. I hope tomorrow's dog will bring you much comfort and joy.

Take care, tyme

@tyme I train them for me, because getting a fully trained dog would cost me about $30,000-$50,000 and I don’t have that kind of money. I don’t know anybody who has that kind of money!

But I hope this one will train up and be my assistance dog for a good decade until she retires for old age.

Oh! Thank you for clarifying @Former-Member - makes sense now.

An assistance dog would be great - but yes, I have heard how expensive they are to train.

With the other dog, because it was trained right to the 'end', could you not have kept it as an assistance dog? I really don't know much about this. It's like a person in the last semester of their 4th year for a degree? That's what I'm thinking. And if high demand, they get permission to work in the industry.

@tyme No. We were hoping she would settle into her role as she matured, but an assistance dog has to be a very high standard of behaviour. My dog could behave at that high standard 80% of the time, but she needed to be closer to 99% for assistance. The public will not tolerate an assistance dog that misbehaves 20% of the time. She is 2 years old and still very silly and over the top, so it turned out to be personality more than maturity.

That makes sense now @Former-Member - sorry I'm sounding so daft. I get it now. I forgot that it has to 'behave' in public.

Oh, hugs. I hope you get your companion soon.

@Former-Member , are you getting your dog today? If so, all the best with it!

Oh @Former-Member that is such a shame for you, and as you said it happened so quickly and by the sounds of it she was nearly through the program which would have been even more of a shock.

It sounds like the trainer is supportive and I hope you find another canine soul that can support you. It's hard though, bonding with animals is such a special thing and often not given the credit it deserves.

Best of luck with your appetite

Thanks @tyme . I picked her up this morning. She is quite confused and upset because of the change, but seems to be managing it well. She looks quite “release the hounds” like, but is very sweet in reality. She’s currently lying on a dog bed chewing a toy. She is 16 months old, hasn’t had any formal obedience training but has already started learning “sit” with me this afternoon. She’s a quick study! She has had manners training, though, so is easy to live with in the meantime.

How exciting @Former-Member ,

Hope she settles in.

Any photos of her?

@tyme She’s pretty confused, but settling as well as possible. Here’s a not very good photo!