I have owned many dogs over the years. Some were service dogs, some were service dog prospects, some were breeding dogs, and some were show dogs.
None of them were quite like Izzy.
If you asked me to describe Izzy in one sentence, I would say she is the world’s best dog. She has never chewed anything she shouldn’t. She has never destroyed furniture. She has never caused trouble, and she has never looked for trouble.
The problem is that the qualities that make Izzy the perfect companion dog are the same qualities that would prevent her from becoming a successful service dog.
Izzy doesn’t do anything wrong. She just doesn’t do anything.
She doesn’t retrieve. She doesn’t problem-solve. She doesn’t seek out challenges. She doesn’t insert herself into situations. She is perfectly content to observe life rather than participate in it. For many families, that is exactly what they want in a dog.
For a service dog, however, the requirements are very different. A service dog must notice things. A service dog must take initiative. A service dog must interact with the world. A service dog must be willing to work.
The qualities that make a wonderful pet and the qualities that make a successful service dog are not always the same.
Izzy taught me that some dogs don’t need a job to be extraordinary. Sometimes, just being a perfect companion is more than enough.
