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A few months after we
adopted Heisman, we got a phone call from another adopter stating they
couldn't handle Ashley's separation anxiety any more. She was
becoming more and more destructive to their home and also to herself.
They didn't know what else to do other than return her. My words
were clear - bring her to me. She can live here with us.
That evening, they brought Ashley over to our house with all
of her belongings. It was a very tearful time for them because
they loved her so but for Ashley, she never blinked an eye when they
left. She was 3 1/2 when she came to us.
Her destruction consisted of eating a vari kennel and
pottying all over the house. When they got her a wire crate, she
broke her canine teeth off trying to get out. When they allowed
her to have free reign in the house, she tore a door completely off it's
hinges laying it out in the hallway. The door and the door frame
moulding around the doorway were completely chewed. It was very
obvious Ashley didn't want to be there.
We went back to square one with Ashley - just like we did
with every other foster dog that came through my door. Little by
little, she did better each day.
When Heisman was diagnosed with Wobbler's, it brought a
devastating blow to not only to Heisman but to me, too. Heisman
was my service dog and now had to be retired from service duty.
But something clicked in Ashley. She started taking up where
Heisman left off. When I saw that Ashley had a knack of knowing
when I needed help and where I needed help at, I started training her.
After all, she was a big, strong girl, younger than Heisman, healthy and
I thought she could handle the job. She was fairly good with
people, could sit and lie down on command and was very attached to me.
So, Ashley began an 18 month long extensive training to
become my service dog. We worked hard and she finally achieved her
status as a medical alert service dog last November 2005. Her
primary duties are helping me with balance issues, alerting me to
someone at the door and also waking me up when I stop breathing at
night.
When she's not on duty, she's a playful pup that does some
adorable things. And as for her separation anxiety, well, let's
just say she no longer exhibits any of those behaviors. She needed
to find her place in the family and to know she was loved
unconditionally.
She's trained to not bark if she knows the person entering
the home lives here. She barks once if it's someone she knows but
doesn't live here. She barks twice if it's a stranger but poses no
threat to the home and she will let out a loud long roo if it's someone
she does not know and she feels poses a threat to the home. During
the hours of 3am and 5am, I stop breathing so Ashley is trained to wake
me up to jump start my breathing. Since I also have MS, she's also
trained to detect the changes within my brain due to the MS and alert me
to when a Transient Ischemic Attack (mini stroke) might happen.
She does extremely well at her job.
Ashley is a marvelous service dog even if her ears curl
backwards! We call her Curly Sue for short sometimes - especially
if those ears of hers are in an alert position and curled at the tip.
Since she's been with us she's never looked back. She enjoys her
job as a service dog, a member of our family and I wouldn't know what to
do without her........
Thanks Ashley for stepping up to the plate and taking over
where Heisman had to leave off.......
Ashley's Pedigree on Greyhound Data |
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