Introduction

Hi! My name is Sheena. I am a graduate student working on my M.S. in Agriculture at my university here in the great state of Texas. I have a yet-to-be-diagnosed progressive neuromuscular disorder that affects my balance, energy levels, my hearing and my ability to do activities of daily living easily/without adaptive equipment. I am ambulatory, but walk with a cane (sometimes with my walker if I am having a bad day neurologically.) I also am on the autistic spectrum --my attention to detail has gotten me far in school--though I still am a bit awkward socially. :)

I am creating this blog to chronicle my partnership with my successor service dog. He is a black Labrador Retriever named Leon. He will be my second service dog from Canine Partners for Life (which is located in Cochranville, PA --about an hour's drive from Philadelphia.)

After my first dog retired (a yellow Labrador Retriever named Pebbles --she retired at age 7 due to developing a hip problem), I have struggled with the loss of some of my independence --I fatigue more easily and I have had to depend on my roommates to help me with a lot of things.

After Pebbles retired, I tried working with a local service dog trainer here in TX to train my own successor dog (with her help.) I had purchased a Standard Poodle/Lab mix from a local breeder to train. Handsome didn't work out as a service dog,

though. He is now a pet with a loving family.

So I realized that owner-training wasn't going to

work out right now. I applied for a successor dog through Canine Partners for Life.

I was ecstatic when I received the phone call that I had been matched with a dog!

I will be flying out tomorrow morning to go to Team Training (7:20 am --that means I have to be at the airport at 5 am!) I will be staying with a local host family with another recipient --and we will drive together to Team Training every day.

The 3 weeks of training are very strenuous and emotionally/physically taxing, but coming home to TX with my new Canine Partner will be well worth it!!