Five things my owner-trained Service Dog has taught me.

As a first-time service dog handler, I have learned much from raising and training my service dog with my family's and local trainers' support.

Disclaimer: Owner training is just as if not more expensive than a program service dog. Sometimes, a service dog is not the best-fit program or owner-trained, and some dogs won't make it as service dogs even if you do everything right.

1. Doing things at your pace is OK!

When I began my owner-training journey with my puppy, Harper, I was worried she was too far behind at times. I would see other handlers with their dogs or puppies and be jealous that my dog wasn't further along in her journey. I soon realized the online service dog community is the exact opposite of what it should be.

I learned not to look up to handlers in the community. It's hard to make friends, even though we rely on dogs to keep ourselves safe and more independent. I learned a lot from online communities, but I stayed far away from some regions of the community.

I learned to walk at my dog's pace, not mine. It made a massive difference in our team's success, which has me.

2. Constancy is Key

I will admit I struggled with keeping up with training when Harper was young, and I began to work with Harper more and more each day. Our bond grew, and thanks to the trainers' help and guidance, I finally got here. We could go for walks together and start public access training to a point where. I was able to work more on Harper's training.

3. Persistence pays off

For the longest time, I believed I would never get Harper to where I needed or wanted her to be. I was so worried I was failing not just her but myself, too. Once, we found ways to communicate better through training tools and learning new things together. It clicked for both of us. We enjoy every minute of each other's company and give each other space, too. Service dogs need breaks just like humans, and when we get breaks from each other, it strengthens our bond because when we reunite, we are so excited to see each other and ready to continue to work together.

4. Caring for a service dog is a huge commitment.

Let's face it: pets are a huge commitment. There are food, treats, supplements, vet costs, and more expenses—no matter what pet you own. There are things you have to research and learn about before having a pet in your home. For a working animal, however, there are a few extra steps you have to do to make sure you can handle it.

If you go through an organization, there are ways a dog is trained to be well-behaved on or off duty. How do you care for the dog, what food to feed, gear to use, etc.? If you owner-train, though, you are in charge of all of this yourself and your family if they are helping you in this journey. It is essential to research a dog's breed, its needs, how to train it, etc. I did all this and more to prepare myself for this.

I was excited but also nervous about whether I could succeed at this with the help of my family, trainers, and my learning. I was a breeder to get the dog I wanted and needed. I continue to expand my knowledge of caring for Harper, the best service dog she can be. It takes a lot of work and can. I also worked with her so that she could be challenging sometimes, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

5. I learned how to advocate for both of us. Not just myself.

As a disabled young adult, I was taught to always advocate for myself in any situation where I am not being accommodated or mistreated. As a service dog handler, I've learned to do it for both of us. I learned to fight to have Harper with me, that I could, and I learned to fight not just for us as a team but also for other teams that might get turned away or mistreated.

I never thought Harper would be approved to come to school with me, but we were because demonstrate my knowledge as a service dog handler and the ADA itself, I continued to. Harper attends school and college with me, and having her as my service dog makes me feel so independent.

I thought I'd have a service dog, let alone owner-train, or have one go to school with me. Harper is my pride and joy, my lifeline. She is the most significant accomplishment in my life to date; I was able to show myself and everyone, and I now know just how capable I can be. She inspired me to work with a high-quality dog treat company that hires people with disabilities. She has given me so much, and I will forever be grateful. She is and always will be my Heart dog.

Thank you, Harper May, for giving me independence in ways I never thought possible. I love you.

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