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Client/Dog Team

Nancy and Arty

    

I have Parkinson’s disease.  It seems I have had it forever.  My son was 2 and I was 30 when I came down with it.  That was when I was 30, 26 years ago. 

I can also remember dogs being special to me.  Even as a child, “Zipper”, was an important part of my life.  I was the youngest child with two much older siblings so Zipper was the one I told my troubles to. 

We live in the country and have always had a dog or two trotting beside us up the hill to the prairie or down in the woods.  We have 6.5 acres to roam around on. 

As I become less able to do things I want to do, I thought, “Why not have a dog help me with those things?”  Like getting up out of a chair when I am stiff, getting my meds from a drawer in the kitchen when it is difficult for me to walk?  Or fetching things for me, like getting the phone, or my cane?  It would be such a comfort to me to have somebody around me - someone to talk to who doesn’t get bored with my complaints and also wants to be with me almost all the time.

I waited almost 3 years for a WAGS dog and Arty came to us on April 2006.  After 2 weeks of training, I was allowed to keep Arty overnight.  I was shown how to make a first aid kit, especially for dogs, as well as taught the signs and symptoms of illness, and general dog care.  They also taught me how to work with a specially trained dog so he won’t forget the 40 or so commands he does understand.  I learned about necessity of using positive reinforcement to get a dog to want to please you.  They showed me some insight into dog behavior and emotions.  This information is invaluable to me.  I wish I had known this before.  I would have been a better dog owner. 

Arty has changed my life, with his 2 year old zest for life, I am now greeted at the door by a dog whose whole body is waggling as he has a toy in his mouth.  He is honestly SO happy to see me.  I know Arty and I are going to be good friends for a long, long time. 

I would recommend that anyone who has physical needs or is homebound to consider a dog as a companion, it’s worth it!   --- Nancy Lerner

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