A Life Unleashed Success Story
This is a story about Sparrow…
by Lisa Lima on 11/03/2022
I met Sparrow a little over 6 months ago at 11 months old. She was brought to Colorado by a friend after her previous owner fell ill.
When I met this sweet girl, she was very skeptical of her new world. She grew up as a farm dog, and aside from her living situation at the time, had very little knowledge about the rest of the world. The first day I met her and clipped a leash to her collar, she immediately froze in uncertainty. As a result of not having had adequate socialization during the critical developmental stages in her life, she became easily stressed and was quick to shut down in unfamiliar situations.
A wonderful client of mine made the decision to adopt Sparrow, and upon doing so, decided that she wanted the best possible start for her. So she asked me to put Sparrow into a long term boarding program, and to work with her for as long as I felt she needed in order to gain the confidence necessary to become a happy and obedient pet.
Fast forward a few months later while Sparrow was still in my care, my client inquired about the need for a Service Dog and wondered if there was a chance that Sparrow could one day fulfill that role. Knowing Sparrow’s challenges and also having seen how far she’s come at the time, I was as honest and fair in my response as I could be. “Sparrow simply lacks the resilience and drive needed in order to effectively conduct herself as a Service Dog at this time. I don’t know if that’s something that will ever change, despite how much I provide for her within her training program.”
Regardless, as a result of my client’s trust in me as a Trainer, she asked that I continue working toward building Sparrow’s confidence and resilience. And if, and only if, Sparrow seems like she might enjoy the work of a Service Dog, that I was welcome to open that door of possibility for her. And in the case that she didn’t seem to be cut out for it, that would be ok too.
Not only did Sparrow learn how to walk beautifully by her handler’s Heel, but today she has become fluent in obedience, public access, and has even begun learning some tasks to one day assist her handler’s disability. Throughout her time with me, she has tagged along on road trips and even accompanied me to Disneyland.
Those who met Sparrow during her time with me would understand my skepticism with her becoming a Service Dog. Although incredibly sweet and easy going, there was a time where she had some obvious difficulties working through new situations and would easily tense up and be slow to come back down.
Today, during her transition session, I immediately passed her handler Sparrow’s leash and instructed that she casually walk and enjoy her company as we take a stroll through the shopping mall. Remember… this was an entirely new picture for Sparrow. She has only met her handler a few brief times before I started working with her, and that was well over 6 months ago. So we threw A LOT on her plate in that moment. However, if we are going to open the Service Dog door for her, pushing through unknown factors throughout her day to day routine is to become her norm.
For the duration of our session, Sparrow was happy, eager to work, and sifted through new situations, distractions, and crowds of people with ease – as if having done so her entire life. She has progressed unbelievably in what seems like such a short amount of time, and although we don’t intend to push her further than what we believe she can handle, she has so far continued to show us that this is what she wants.
Every dog I have had the pleasure to work with has something to teach me as a Trainer, and Sparrow and her owner taught me something very valuable these past 6 months. I truly believe that a good Service Dog is 50% born, and 50% made. But in cases like Sparrow’s, perhaps a little extra TLC can go a long way.
