Team
Aspen
Ability - Teamwork -
Excellence
By
Katherine Huggins
I believe
Aspen's mission in life has always been to help me find myself so
we could in turn work as a team to help other people. When we
started Aspen was a rambunctious
eight-week-old puppy and I had little experience in dog
training. If I didn't learn to channel Aspen's exuberant
energy into positive behaviors we were on
a collision course for disaster. Few people
believed we would survive beginning obedience class.
Aspen started giving me medical alerts and picking up dropped items.
She set out to convince me the job she was
destined to perform and loved most was
helping me. Whether I wanted to admit it or not I needed Aspen's
help. I started to consider training Aspen
as my service dog. "You can't do that!"
was the most common response to my questions. Research left me
wondering "Why not?" Training Aspen as my
service dog was one of the best decisions in
my life. I had to believe in my own ability to make what
other people viewed as impossible happen.
I started researching training techniques, attending
seminars by nationally recognized trainers, developing my own
lesson plans and taking Aspen on field
trips. Aspen and I forged a bond one step, one day
at a time.
Aspen actively engages me to work through the challenges of Cerebral
Palsy, intractable chronic pain and grand
mal seizures with a positive attitude.
She is my lifeline providing two to six medical alerts each day
enabling me to take steps to avoid a
seizure, safely stay where I am or send her for
help. Aspen assists me with balance and mobility, adjusting
her position to pull or brace, giving me
fluid motion that was never possible with my
forearm crutches. When fatigue results in a loss of fine
motor control Aspen retrieves dropped
items placing them in my hand. She carries items such as
loads of laundry placing them as directed. She finds items
and people by name.
Aspen's skills go beyond assisting me. One day she refused to go
inside until I followed her down the
street to an elderly neighbor who had fallen,
hit his head and was unconscious. He was completely
camouflaged from view in the tall grass.
Aspen helps me teach children life safety behaviors and how
to interact appropriately with dogs. Aspen has graciously
welcomed 55 veterinary referral clients
and their dogs into our life for consultation on
behavior modification.
Through my partnership with Aspen I have had the opportunity to meet
people, go places and do things I would
not have done otherwise. Aspen has taught me
the importance of utilizing "teachable moments" in reducing
barriers and educating people about
service dogs. Aspen's impeccable manners,
professional execution of skills and charismatic smile leave no
doubt in the mind of an observer that she
loves her work. Aspen serves as a positive
example that through teamwork we can accomplish what we never could
alone. I thank her often telling her what
a magnificent dog she is.
Sher-Mi Golden Quaking Aspen, CGC
Four years volunteer service as a Delta Society Pet Partner
2000 Regional winner service dog category Delta Society Beyond
Limits Award
Member International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP)
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From
the AKC Gazette
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