03/26/2021
What is Auxiliary K9 all about?
In the beginning of 2020, a woman called Royal Paws Inc. and asked if we would be able to groom her husband's service dog because she struggles to do it herself and has not had great success at other places. Without asking any other questions, just knowing we had to help them, we booked her an appointment. When she arrived she asked for help getting the dog out of the car and if we had anything she could clean her car with because the dog had made a mess on the drive over. We jumped into action even though we were a bit puzzled because it is not typical of a service dog to behave like that. During the grooming, the "service" dog showed signs of severe anxiety, a complete lack of boundaries and zero socialization skills. She was adorable and had potential to be better but she really should not have been a service dog. When the grooming was over, we asked where her husband got the dog and what task the dog was specifically trained for. She immediately broke down in tears and started to tell us how her husband, a former Marine, can no longer leave their bedroom. He was never the same since returning home. There was not a dry eye in our lobby as this woman told us how her husband stopped going out to dinner because he would completely shut down. Then how he stopped going outside in the yard to play with their children because he would become overwhelmed. Then how he just stopped leaving the bedroom all together because he could not function when he did. My heart broke into a million pieces as I stood there listening because I personally have lived the nightmare her husband is struggling to survive. What has created his fears may be much different than what created mine but I related to his suffering. The woman then began to explain how there was an organization that trained dogs to be service animals for veterans to cope with PTSD. (this was not the only dog to come through our doors from the same organization presenting with same behavioral issues) She explained the process of how stressful it was to get the dog, how they love the dog but never felt it was a true service dog because it was never fully trained, and how the organization dropped the ball when it came to follow up and assistance after they took the dog home. We spoke about numerous reasons why the dog was not as helpful as intended and when she left, we all talked about how unbelievable it is that the men and women who put their lives on the line to serve and protect our freedoms and safety are not getting the help they deserve and clearly need. Our day had to continue but thinking about their situation made me lose sleep that night and the following night and the night after, and the night after that one. Naturally, anything that causes me to lose that much sleep is important and something I must address. Which brings us to Auxiliary K9. Having lived with anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, fear and a constant feeling of dread. Having lived a life where I could get up and go at the drop of a dime to slowly retreating further and further into a dark hole where my bedroom was. Having lived through these horrible feelings to be blessed and supported by wonderful people who understood and who helped me regain control over the life I stopped living. I was waiting for the opportunity to show my thanks and I knew this was my chance to give back and help others the way I have been helped. If there is anything in the world that we know better than most, its dogs. When I was engulfed in misery my Cane Corso, Valentina, barely left my side. She would lay by my bedroom door while I was asleep. She would let me hold her and hug her whenever I needed to. She would sit as solid as she could so I could lean on her and cry when I was just too overwhelmed to hold it in any longer. She had my back unconditionally and at that point in time it made such a difference to feel that amount of love. Valentina was trained in obedience from the time she was a little puppy. She was never trained for any specific service task or any training outside of your standard obedience commands and still, she knew what I needed without having to ask. It is just a dogs nature to serve, protect and provide unconditional love. They are a wonderful gift from above to help us navigate this world. I know we can not help everyone but we will try our hardest to do everything we can for the brave men and women who sacrifice everything for us. Dogs are not the magic wands to a better life but they can be a part of the team that has your back. They can support you on your journey of baby steps to a life you will enjoy, filled with happiness and love. We promise to do our best to provide first responders and all those of the armed forces who are in need, with balanced and properly trained service dogs. We want to make tough situations easier to cope with, not create more stress for these individuals and their families. If you, or someone you know would benefit from a service dog please reach out and let us do our best to help. If there is a task a dog can do, we will be the ones to teach them how to do it. Reach out anytime to learn more or to ask questions. We look forward to sharing a lot of hope and many great experiences with you!
Sincerely,
Taylor Chiacchere
Co-founder
