I’ve been wanting a puppy of my own for a long time. In my boredom I would look at dogs online and borrow my parents dog. I would play with other dogs I found or dog sit for friends. But I seriously wanted a pupper of my own.
Openly speaking, I was diagnosed with Complex PTSD (I will discuss this topic at another time). Due to my diagnosis, my therapist decided that I qualify for a psychiatric service dog. This dog would not be a pet though, so this would be something new for me. A working dog is not a pet and is to behave differently (again, more on this topic in a future article).
I searched shelters and rescues, I went through many interviews and went through many processes until I found the perfect puppy… a purebred German Shepherd that I named Zara!
Her full name is Zara Blue Vom Rohaus Everly. Blue Vom Rohaus is her working title name. She looks like a little black female Zorro, so that’s how she got her name.
Due to C-PTSD, I suffer from panic, anxiety and depression, among many other things. But because of Zara my symptoms have been less prevalent in my life.
It is harder to wake up depressed because when I open her crate in the morning, I am mauled by floppy paws, hugs (she knows how to actually hug) and kisses that could drown me. The love and affection that radiates from Zara brings so much joy to me every morning that I barely have time to even feel depressed because I am taking in her overwhelming lovingness.
When it comes to my panic and anxiety, eventually she will be trained to detect my panic attacks or anxiety melt downs before I know that they are coming and get me out of them when they do come on. For now, since Zara is still a young pupper of 4 months, she notices when I am struggling and comes and gives me affection. I have had a few instances when she already sensed I wasn’t doing well and just came and gave me kisses and layed on my lap.
Zara comes with me EVERYWHERE. When I say everywhere, I mean EVERYWHERE.
She comes with me to restaurants and stores.
She knows how to behave while we wait in line at a cash register or when I am eating at a restaurant and she lays under the table by my feet.
She comes with me to my construction job and onto the construction sites.
She comes with me to the dance studios that I teach at and my studio owners and my students adore her, even though they aren’t allowed to play with her or touch her while she is working.
Although she is a working service dog and not a pet. She still has a fun and happy life. As a German Shepherd she loves pleasing me and working for me with the tasks and commands that I give her. She stays by my side at home, at work and we have our own little adventures.
She stays by my feet when I cook.
She loves chai tea and lazy Sunday mornings.
She makes every day a little bit better. I still have my moments with her, as would any person with a new puppy would. She can still be a little booger. But those little moments far out weigh all that she does for me.
Zara is my best friend, my medical tool, my baby, my cuddle buddy, my pupper.
She helps me stay calm. She brings a smile to my face when everything inside of me hurts. She is adorable to hug and squeeze when I feel alone. She helps me stay positive when everything is bleak because I don’t want to let her down. She calms me down in my anger because I don’t want to frighten her.
Although she has a ways still to go in her training, what she has done for me so far has vastly improved my mental health as a whole and I love her forever for it.
