It's all about the self-control...

Mom says that's one of the first things she looks for in a Service Dog. She thinks it's so important to have self-control in this line of work. We Service Dogs experience so much...we have to be prepared for anything and everything.

How do we handle ourselves in the face of big distractions? Do we bark, lunge, whine or do we just hang out calmly with our human partner.

Very few things get me excited when I'm working. I really get excited about flyball...but when we're out on the lane for the meeting before racing, I can stand there calmly next to John. I don't start barking until my SD cape and harness come off, and my flyball harness goes on. That's because I have self-control.

Dogs and other animals don't get me excited like some dogs. I don't go crazy to see other people. When I'm working, I'm only happy to be with John.

Mom's new SDiT, Denver, is a lot like I am. He's calm and collected when he's out in public. Nothing ruffles his feathers, so to speak. Mom loves this...it's so much easier to work with him when he's not pulling to say hi to someone...or whining because he sees something exciting.

We dogs have to be taught self-control...but some of us have more of it naturally. ;)
~SDS