We’ve officially been home from our trip to 4 Paws for Ability in Xenia, OH for about a week and a half and it seems like our time there was only a dream.
Of course, I know it wasn’t a dream. No. Saul will come home, but unfortunately, he had to stay back at 4 Paws for more training. We’ve been told that we can pick him up in 3-5 weeks and I just keep counting the days on the calendar. Has it been two weeks yet? No. Darn. In the meantime, we’ve been preparing for Saul’s arrival. We bought him a brand new kennel now that we know the exact size and we made room for it in our little two bedroom apartment.
We have been working endlessly and aggressively on fixing our credit so that we can buy a house with a fenced in backyard and at least a bit more space. I even did some Google searching to find out that Chewy.com has the lowest prices on the expensive gluten free food and dog treats that we have to buy for Saul since Thatcher and I both have Celiac. So, yes, Saul will also have to be gluten free, and really, should dogs be eating gluten containing grains anyway? That is, wheat, rye, barley, and oats when they’ve been grown near fields of the previous three grains? I think I will stick to a gluten free diet for Saul. That’s just what is best for the best dog in the world, right? Even Thatcher misses Saul and tears up a bit when we mention him. I keep telling him not to worry and that Saul will be home soon, but 3-5 weeks seems like forever when you are just waiting. And as far as Christmas spirit goes? Well, I’m not sure we have much at the moment because we just want Saul to be home.
Everywhere we go, we think about where Saul will be in a down and how comfortable will this be for Saul. Will his paws get too hot if we go to the outdoor mall when it’s warmer? Where will Saul go potty if we are here? Would it be safe to bring Saul here? The Grayson family has Saul on the brain and everything that is being done right now in the Grayson household that isn’t a part of the every day routine is with Saul in mind. All of this is being written here and I know there are people out there who say that service dogs have it hard being made to work, but this just isn’t the case. Service dogs and really any dog has a life that is better than any human that I know. I think that the Grayson family wants to make Saul’s life the most perfect life for any service dog, especially since he is giving us something that is priceless. That is, peace of mind when it comes to Thatcher and his very dangerous wandering/elopement behavior. I think that maybe, dogs were put on this earth to show people how truly unworthy they are to have such creatures in our lives.
Thatcher and Saul practice tethering which prevents dangerous wandering/elopement behavior:
Saul finds Thatcher during tracking training:
Jo Grayson Author 