Latest Stories
Most recently published stories in Petlife.
Not All Disabilities Are Visible
My name is Brittany. I have been diagnosed with anxiety and depression. I also suffer from panic attacks. This is why I have been training my dog to be my service dog. The one thing that really annoys me is when someone says "Isn't he too little to be a service dog?" The answer is no. Any breed of dog can be a service dog. This also depends on what you will need the service dog for. Having a smaller dog works well for me because when I feel like I am anxious or about to have a panic attack, I can easily pick him up and hold him close to me. I have also trained him to recognize when my breathing is changing and he will jump up on my leg so I can pick him up. If I am sitting, he will lick my face as a way of stimulation. (Some people have judged me on stimulation, however this is a very successful technique as it calms me down and distracts me from the situation.) I feel like some people don't understand this. I also trained him to do this when I say "Alert" so that he knows something is wrong in case my breathing has not changed.
By Brittany Nicole Allen8 years ago in Petlife
Cat Flap Diaries
I am a mom to three boy cats, all of whom adopted me on separate occasions, obviously. They didn't all rock up together one day asking if there may be any room at the inn with the possibility of some nosh thrown in, if one might be so kind. No, they all arrived at different times but all with one sole purpose in mind, to claim me as their human.
By SusieSquirrel Moon Gazer8 years ago in Petlife
Raising Louis (Part 1)
So it snowed. For the first time properly in a long time. Not as much as some places get, but a lot for the south of England.Louis is nearly 10 months old, and about to see snow for the first time. I'm not sure what he'll make of it, as he's very sensitive to change (even the neighbours putting up a Christmas wreath has set him off), but he's got to go out in it sometime.
By Isaac Rose8 years ago in Petlife
A Letter for My Service Dog
Dear Kodiak, Since you came into my life six months ago, you have been nothing short of a godsend. When my seizures took my independence, you gave me stability. When that weird guy came in that I didn't know, but that slowly reminded me more and more of my past and scared me, you were there to pull me back from flashbacks and nightmares and back into normalcy.
By Danielle Dowdy8 years ago in Petlife
A Dog Named George
I have been a Correctional Officer for twenty seven years. In 2003, my little jail closed and I was relocated to a new jail an hour away from my home. Compared to my former jail, this one was huge, which I found a little overwhelming. That first year was a hard one. My marriage ended, I was suspended from work exactly one year later, in January 2014, and to make it that much more difficult, the day after my suspension, I moved to a new town of 2,500 people knowing not one of them. It was just myself, my two cats, a litre and a half of red wine every night, and my anger. Then depression set in for the first time in my life. I found myself staying in bed all the time.
By Leah Whalen8 years ago in Petlife
A Pet Owner's Journey (Pt. 13)
If you've ever owned a pet you know that they are a bit of a mystery. It's hard to get inside of their heads and figure out what is really going on. We can look for subtle hints and signs, but sometimes there is really no road map to understanding your pet.
By Samantha Reid8 years ago in Petlife
