A Different Way of Life

As much as having a service dog has been helpful for Charlie, it still brings it's challenges.  We want to thank all of the people who have embraced this new way of life with us, those of you who have welcomed us AND SUNNY into your home for visits and playdates or those of you who have accepted Sunny as another member of our family.  You have no idea how grateful we are to those of you who don't even bat an eye at the 80lb giant laying under the table when we come to visit you at your house. Thank you for being so warm and welcoming.  We appreciate all of you who never second guess having Sunny with us during a playdate- no matter where we are. 

Even though at times it seems like she isn't doing anything, she is helping Charlie far more than it appears.  Even though Charlie seems to be doing wonderful while we're visiting or out and about, it's the aftermath, the transition of our activity with you to going home that is the hardest for him.  That is when he feels comfortable enough to let go of everything he has been holding together during our time with you. It's not something personal to you, it's something that happens no matter where we are.

And if you happen to be with us when Sunny is off-duty, thank you for realizing she isn't a typical "pet" and still has an important job to do at a moment's notice.  Even at home when she doesn't have her vest on, Sunny can be "on-call" at any time.  We never know when Charlie will go into meltdown mode or have difficulty with something that requires Sunny's intervention. 

If you have friends/acquaintances/family that have a service dog, I ask that you please be aware of how different a person's day to day life can be-even with a service dog.  When given the choice, I'm sure many of us service dog teams wish there wasn't a need for a service dog.  But since there is a need, we thank you for embracing this different way of life with us.  When you accept this and embrace it- you will see what a wonderful relationship this is for Charlie and Sunny (and our whole family, really).