The touching story, of Reata's retirement.
I have been raising dogs, for 35 plus years now, not counting the years that I spent helping my mom raise them. It has been a very interesting journey, meeting many new people and a new experience with each dog and litter of puppies.
One part of this job that was always the hardest for me, was retiring the adult dogs and rehoming them. I get so darn attached to them, but it is a necessary part of the job to keep my breeding program going.
I have specialized in not only developing bloodlines that will make good family pets and companions, but also dogs that will make good Pet Assisted Therapy dogs and Service dogs. Several of mine have gone on to do that type of work. I refuse to over breed my dogs or breed them past an age where I feel it could risk their health. I just care way too much about them. I always dreaded the days where I had to say good bye to my adult dogs. I am always very picky about who gets them as well. I usually meet with the people multiple times, before I let the dog go with them. We talk for a long time, as I find out sort of what they are looking for, and explain to them what that particular dog is like and what they can expect from the dog. Every good bye has been hard, but every good bye has had such an interesting story with it, that made me feel like I had really done something good for someone else. You see, not all people can have a puppy. A puppy can be just too much for some people. Some people need a trained dog. One that does not pull them around, or jump on them, or bite them.
A large portion of my adult dogs go to either the elderly, or to people with handicaps or disabilities. When I hear their stories, and figure out what they need, by getting to know them a little, I can usually tell whether my dog will be a good fit for them or not. It is sort of interesting, how the right people just show up sometimes. You know, it just make me feel like it all has been worth all of the work, time, and money, when I see how my dogs have added so much to someone's life. Not that I don't miss that dog when it leaves, but I just feel like that person needed that dog more than I did. You see, I am an experienced dog trainer/handler. I can take lots of dogs, and make them into really good dogs. To begin with, I know how to pick them, and then, I know how to train them and get them to trust me. I have spent my entire life doing it.
Maybe I should start sharing some of my stories. Here's one.... I got a phone call a few years ago. It was an elderly lady. She was looking for a trained adult dog. I wasn't planning on retiring any that year, but I was planning on retiring two the following year. She told me a little about herself. She was a friend of a friend, so my friend told me a little about her too. I told the lady that I was sorry, but I didn't have anything available at that time, and wouldn't until the following year. I finished the conversation, and then I hung up the phone.
Well, I couldn't get that lady out of my mind. Her husband had just passed away a few months before, and none of her family lived near by. I just kept thinking about her, and how lonely she must be. I knew that I had the perfect dog for her, but I wasn't really wanting to part with it just quite yet. Still, I couldn't get her story out of my mind. I finally called her back. I told her to come visit, that I wanted her to meet one of my dogs. It was a Standard Poodle named Reata. The lady came. She was a little petite, pretty, classy and very spry woman, for being 80 yrs old! I liked her from the beginning. I brought out the dog. They hit it off immediately.
Reata was all dolled up in a fresh poodle cut, looking like a princess. The white of her fur, seemed to look perfect standing next to that classy little white haired lady. I let them warm up to each other, then demonstrated how Reata would heel on a loose leash with an automatic sit. I explained how I cued the dog, and then handed the leash to the lady and asked her to give it a try. There the lady went with Reata. They walked out my drive way and back and forth on the road in front of my house. That classy little white haired lady, with that fancy looking prancing poodle on her left side, not taking her eyes off of that lady for a second. She was so in tune to her and watching her every move, so that she would know what the lady wanted her to do.
Long story short, I felt that lady needed that dog, so I retired her early, and Reata went to go live with her.
A few months later, the lady called me up. She thanked me over and over again. She said that Reata was doing so awesome for her and the lady was totally in love with her. Then the lady told me this... She said that since her husband had died, she hadn't been able to sleep at all. She hadn't ever lived alone before, and she had been scared. She said that since Reata came to be with her, she has felt safe, and for the first time in a long time, she could finally sleep. She was so very grateful for that dog! That is what it is all about. Right there! I knew that woman NEEDED that dog. I can train about any dog to be like that, but not everyone can. She couldn't. She was up in age a little too much to do it.
It was sad day to say good bye to Reata. It always rips at my heart some, but then when you hear a story like that, it seemed like such a small price to pay, to bring that much joy into someones life. Not only joy, but a sense of security. A best friend. That is what this is all about. The pay is pretty lousy, considering the hours spent, and the cost of doing it. No days off. No paid holidays. No retirement plan, etc. It is the joy. The knowing that you touched someone's life, and made it a little better. That is what makes it all worth it! I wouldn't trade those moments for nothing! I believe it is why we are here... to help make someone elses life to be a little better when you can.
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