Meet Miss Stoney

I've been so excited about getting my new service dog that I forgot to post more about her. She got to come over the other day & check out my place, so you get a peek at her!

Her name is Stoney & she's a rescue. The original owners had her & 2 min pins. They brought her to my trainer (who also happens to be my daughter Chelsey) for boarding & they never came back for them. This economy really makes people do desperate things. Chelsey found a home for the min pins, but it didn't take long for her to realize that Stoney would make a great service dog. Stoney is a big ball of fur that just wants to be loved. She has done an excellent job in her training, so she will be a godsend to me.

Notice her harness. This is a sign that a dog is a service dog. You will also see them with different colored capes that may or may not say service dog. If you see a dog with these things, make sure you ask before you pet them. The dogs are very protective of their owners & can sense all kinds of things. The harness is used for lots of things, but the main thing is for bracing when I need to get up. You can't expect a 20 pound dog to help with that!

It will really be a blessing to having her around. I have trouble picking stuff up when I drop it, so she is trained to pick up small stuff. Have you ever seen a dog pick up a coin off the floor? Stoney can! Now if I drop something when I'm making my cards, I can have her pick it up & finish the card instead of having to do something else because I'm too sore to bend. If I get on the floor to do my yoga, she will brace me so I can get up which will help with my dexterity. With the help of Stoney, hopefully I will be able to build up some endurance. I will be walking more when I take her out, even though it will just be for short walks in the beginning.

The biggest thing I learned from having animals is that they sense when you're hurting. They just nuzzle up to you so you can stroke them & take your mind off your pain. That's why you see so many dogs in nursing homes. I've really missed having my dogs, so now Stoney will serve two purposes. She will be my buddy & guardian angel all in one!

Lee