If you had made a career out of whatever you were passionate about when you were ten…what would you be doing?
Though I can't pinpoint the exact date, it was most likely right around age 10, that my obsession with animals had started. I can remember going to the library and checking out book, after book about dogs, dog training, dog breeds, dog stories. I wanted a dog so.badly it was unbearable at times. Its funny now, to think of my obsession with dogs at the time, simply because a few years prior to this, I was deathly scared of them. Makes me wonder if I wanted one more so because my childhood friends Brittany and Jeffery (siblings), and Warren and Wesley (brothers) had both gotten puppies recently. Brittany, my best friend at the time, had gotten a Boxer puppy named Durango and the "W" brothers a Golden Retriever mix named Ralph. Who knows.
I remember leaving little notes around the house for my parents trying to convince them to let me have a dog! It was to know avail. Meanies. But in the meantime I dreamed of becoming a dog trainer, or even a veterinarian,I really had no REAL preference..other than it had something to do with dogs.
One time I can remember, my mom came into our room one morning, all excited about a surprise she had to show us. We were half asleep, but when she said this "surprise" was indeed alive, I can STILL feel the intense excitement I had that perhaps, FINALLY, I had gotten the puppy I had longed for. My sisters and I jumped out of bed, and went through our "morning routine" as fast as we possibly could. Going through ideas of what we would name said puppy, if that were indeed the case. Who knows, I might have prayed and asked God to please, let us get a puppy!
You can imagine our disappointment to find a pot full of budding seeds, we'd planted a couple of weeks earlier. I can still remember rushing outside, and looking around for the "live" surprise. I can still remember faking my "happiness" that our stupid plants were blooming. My heart was broken.
However I didn't give up hope, and it 2002 - Miss Bubbles came to live with us! We were such bad dog owners at first, but the dog is still alive, and in reasonable health. Poor Dear. At least her last years will be lived out in relative peacefulness. Grins.
 |
| Bubbles would really like me to leave her alone, so she can get back to her nap. |
It wasn't until 2006 that was finally able to "fulfill" my dream, and in a completely different manner than I'd even thought of. That's when I saw my first guide dog puppy. We were at a 4-H Achievement Night, were all the clubs gathered together and we gave awards for different programs we'd done through out the year.
I, at the time was ...probably Secretary of our county and rushing around, attempting to make sure everything was were it was supposed to be.
I was standing in the middle of the auditorium where the event was being held, and see a woman walk by with a 4 month old, black lab puppy wearing a vest. My curiosity was peaked, and I was dying to go over and find out why she had that dog in here, but alas my duties called and I wasn't able to find out any information.
As soon as the event was over, and the photo taking had ceased, I streaked for the "dog lady". I was surprised to find my mom had reached her first, and had already gathered information. I nearly fell over when she turned to me and said these magic words: "I was thinking we might get involved in doing something like this." Truthfully I really didn't know WHAT it was the lady was doing, but I did know if it had anything to do with dogs you could count me in!
Long story short 4 years later, I'm still "living my dream". From my first guide dog puppy, to multiple jobs at Dog daycares, shelters, working as a trainer for a local service dog organization, as well as volunteering as a puppy raiser for the Guide Dog Foundation. Yeah, its a little crazy to actually get to do, what you wanted to do as a child! Granted I'm not getting paid to do it at the moment...but volunteering is just as good..or better even!
 |
| Me meeting my first guide dog pup Jake. |
And that, my friends, is my story.
What "career" goals did you have as a child?
But here's the real question: 12 dogs later...do my parents regret getting me my first dog?
You can see more stories at Mama's Losin It.
