[nagdu] Question about puppy raisers - A DIFFERENT poem for puppyraisers

Dailyah Patt dailyahpatt at yahoo.com
Mon Jun 25 01:14:01 UTC 2012


Greetings,

What follows is part of a blog post written by a friend and puppyraiser that includes a poem I wrote for puppyraisers at Canine Companions for Independence after receiving a Service Dog them and developed an amazing and life-long relationship with my dog's puppyraisers.  (Indeed, it was to their home that I fled when I learned that my Father had died.  I LOVE my Flynns!)  Many years ago, I realized that the poem isn't just for CCI's puppyraisers...it's for puppyraisers everywhere who make it possible for people like me to have such amazing partners.  I hope it will ring true here.  The poem is more geared towards those turning in a puppy for advanced training, but I think it's valid here.  We couldn't have our dogs without puppyraisers (most of us anyway!).  

I think that there are valid reasons that some grads might be hesitant to get in touch with/interact with the puppyraisers, but I think it's important to examine what most of those reasons revolve around...Is my new dog not going to come home with me after seeing their puppyraisers?  Maybe my dog loves them more than me?  What if my dog listens to the puppyraisers more than listening to me?  Are the puppyraisers going to judge me or the life that I can give my new partner?  Etc. Heart-wrenching questions...OMG, this new, wonderful, partner that I've been gifted might like someone else better than they like me?!?!?!?!   I think that if a puppyraiser steps back and tries to put themselves into the new grad's shoes, those questions are understandable.  I've also yet to meet a puppyraiser who isn't proud of the pup they raised and TOTALLY supportive of the new grad...however the grad needs supporting.  Every once in awhile, the new team needs some
 space. Usually, it's just a matter of time and gentle understanding, though.  More often than not, I've seen wonderful and enduring friendships (indeed, families!) formed when a team graduates.

Thank you to all the puppyraisers out there,
Dailyah


At CCI, less than 50% of the dogs that begin the program graduate to become a service dog. This is because CCI maintains such high standards for their working dogs in order to make sure all of the dogs they place with someone with a disability are reliable and safe, and only a select few dogs meet this requirement. Some puppies are released for medical problems, such as vision issues or hip or elbow problems. Others are released for temperament issues, like high energy, fearfulness, barking, too distractable, to name a few. But even those dogs that aren't suited to be service dogs will still get their own happy ending: some are placed with other organizations if appropriate, such as search and rescue or bomb detection, others go on to make someone a great pet. In fact, there is a waiting list some odd two years long of people wanting to adopt a CCI release dog.


Sometimes it can be disappointing, as a puppy raiser, though, to have raised and worked with this puppy for over a year in hopes of him or her becoming a service dog, only to get that call to say it didn't work out. However, a internet friend of mine wrote a beautiful piece about how, even though some puppies aren't meant to become service dogs, they are still wonderful dogs that we, as puppy raisers, did great jobs with. She has given me permission to post her poem, so I'm delighted to share it with you:




"Flowers and Fur"
by: Dailyah Patt (copyright 2002)
Someone told me you're trying to grow a beautiful rose for us.
You might not have even been told that was your goal.You were probably handed some healthy startings, told vaguely to nurture them and told that we'd see you back in about a year.
As time has gone by you've doted, fretted and fussed. You've given those startings every chance possible. The plant is healthy and hardy.
The flowers are stunningly gorgeous. No one who sees your bundle isn't amazed at what you've helped grow from the small startings you were given...nobody could've possibly done a better job.
But you're trying to grow us a rose. And while tulips, orchids and sunflowers are very pretty and special indeed, they're not roses...
You couldn't have known what those startings would grow up to be. No one could have...unless someone like you had loved and nurtured them for over a year so they'd flower.
Raisers, please remember that no matter how badly you want to give us a beautiful rose...
If you were handed tulip bulbs - you've done a phenomenal job raising if the tulips are the vision of what a tulip can be.

If you were handed orchid startings or sunflower seeds, please know that the world wouldn't be complete without their color and zest.

If you were handed a rosebush, thank you for helping us make sure that all of the flowers go where they should.
Now, if you were given some startings and they withered away because you didn't shower them with attention and care...well, nevermind - I've never known any Puppyraisers like that.

A special thank you to Dailyah for letting me post that!

Orianna was adopted into a loving home and now lives only about eight miles from me. She may not be a rose, but she certainly is a beautiful flower nonetheless. I know her new family thinks so, too! 



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