(Continued from page 32)
is something wrong and she doesn’t get as sick as she used to. I know to bring her some‐
thing to eat and can open the drawer to get it. I also know how to get her a cell phone and
her glucometer. If she falls, I wake up Dad. That is a little harder to do now; but, he has
learned to trust me too. Eventually I began going to stores, appointments, and on trips
with Mom when she said she had a hard time seeing. I helped her know when there was
someone or something in her way. I also made sure she knew if there was a car coming or
a hole in the path.
Jean Tatro: "How did you meet your mom?"
Sneakers: I first met Mom when I was a 9 month old puppy. She opened my crate door
and let me out at the airport after a long flight from my puppy home in Texas. I was very
happy to see her and she knew my name and how to play with me right away. At first we
went to beauty pageants where she was really happy when I got a big ribbon. Then, we
played games called obedi‐
ence, rally, and agility to try
to win green ribbons; but,
she always would take me
swimming when we were
done. I really prefer swim‐
ming. We went hiking in the
mountains and for long
walks on the river before
Mom got sick. She even
takes me to visit sheep and
cows. I really love to go to
the farms.
Jean Tatro: "What are good qualities for a service dog?"
Sneakers: We are smart and bred to be attentive to our people doing their bidding. Ser‐
vice Dogs need to be reliable, healthy, loyal, and sound. You have to know how to take di‐
rections and reliably do what you are supposed to do. A good service dog can remain
calm and neutral around all other dogs and people as well as in a wide variety of situa‐
tions. That means a good service dog needs to have lots of socialization, handling, and
proper conditioning as a puppy. When things are stressful we often need to provide a
calming effect and stabilize the situation. There is a time to be goofy but when you’re on
the job it is all business. Australian Cattle Dogs as a breed make a very good choice for a
service dog. Any dog that is a Working Service Dog must be very, very, very well behaved
ALL of the time. It’s not easy for any dog.
Jean Tatro: "What is it like to be a service dog? How do you feel about it?"
(Continued on page 34)
SPOTLIGHT on Dogs with Jobs
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