Hey everyone, it’s me, Skaha. Can you believe it—I’m already 11 months old. Just one month away from the big “one-year-old” milestone. Time flies when you’re growing, learning, and… well… becoming a lady.
Yep, you heard that right. This month I had my first heat. That meant no public outings or classes for 30 days (apparently it’s a PADS rule, not my choice). So instead of strutting my stuff in class, I got to rock some very fashionable “fancy pants.” I had three different pairs—pink, blue, and purple. Let’s just say I rocked them. Who knew being a service dog-in-training would also involve dabbling in runway fashion?
Since I couldn’t go to all my usual spots, I kept busy with neighborhood walks, lots of backyard pool time, play, and maybe the odd head dip to the bottom for a treat, and plenty of one-on-one training with my raisers. Honestly, it was kind of nice to slow things down and really focus on my skills. Plus, the house has air conditioning, so I was living the comfy life out of the Okanagan heat.
Oh, and Mother Nature decided to throw some thunderstorms my way this month. Big, loud, rumbling skies. Did they scare me? They did not, I was solid as a rock. My raisers were pretty proud of how calm I stayed through all the booms and cracks.
By the end of the month, my cycle wrapped up, which means in September I’ll be back in class with all my Okanagan PADS buddies. I can’t wait to see everyone again (and maybe meet some new recruits too). It’s going to feel great getting back into the swing of things.
So that’s my August—maybe not as adventurous as some months, but still full of learning and growing. Next month’s going to be extra special though… because I’ll be turning 1 year old. You better believe there’ll be cake. (Dog cake, of course.)
Until then… Skaha out.
Submitted by: Terry & Sandy
