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Löfte has been going to work with me now for a week. We have a routine down and a schedule. Löfte is loving coming to work and not being home by herself anymore. We are working on her placing longer and longer. Today we got to 20 minutes before I gave her a break. It’s important to go slow when training and not to fast. We started at a minute, 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and finally 20 minutes. She’s been doing great. I ask her to place randomly while doing school work and even had her place while cooking dinner. She’s loving life. She’s getting spayed at the end of next month so I’m a bit nervous about that. But we got this.

Can we talk about independence for a moment? I just moved to a new college. A bigger college. A university. I know no one here. I used to be so dependent on people. I wouldn’t go to the cafe without someone with me, even if that meant not eating till later, I wouldn’t never go to stores by myself, even if I needed something right away. Löfte gives me some more independence. I don’t have to go to the cafe anymore (kitchen in dorm) but I do have to go to stores etc. Tonight we went to Target to grab some juice. Anxiety was high and I didn’t want to go in. But I had to. I went in and we walked around a bit with headphones in and mask on of course. Made it through and got the juice. Looking back years ago, I’d never have done it. I would have waited. But I know no one here. This is a big step for both of us. Steps some disabled people never get to take. Do not take your independence for granted. When you loose it, you loose a lot. You sacrifice a lot. Here’s to firsts and starting the new year right.

Meet Löfte! She is a medical alert multipurpose service dog. Her primary tasks are heart rate alert and psych tasks. She is 20 months old and is a Greater Swiss Mountain Dog.