STEVE
The first time I laid eyes on Steve, I thought, “That’s him. That’s my boy.” Claiming him mentally this way was quite presumptuous, but I was coming from a place of readiness to open my home to a dog in need. Steve and his brother, Leo, were donated to a training & boarding group outside of Saskatoon to be trained as service dogs. The pandemic made service dog training and running a business nearly impossible for the group, so they put both pups up for adoption. Steve, formerly Lux, received 100 applications! I obviously made a compelling case for why Steve belonged with us because my partner and I were 1 of only 4 families invited to meet him.
(Photo from Paws Republic, 2019)
(Photo from Jeremy Kuzma, 2020)
(Photo from Paws Republic, 2020)
I like to think that Steve chose us. I’ve rarely made or held eye contact with unfamiliar dogs, but Steve and I shared a moment of gazing into each other’s eyes/souls that I swear lasted at least 20 seconds! Steve also enthusiastically played and ran around with my partner. So truly, all signs pointed to us being chosen, but one can never be too sure. I cried the whole way home, listening to “Your Song” by Elton John on repeat, worried that Steve would go home with another family. The very next day we received word that we were far and away the best fit for Steve, and the rest is history.
By meeting his breed-specific needs, engaging in various forms of canine enrichment daily, prioritizing consent, letting him make choices when possible, working with a canine behaviouralist/trainer, and applying a positive reinforcement training approach, I’m proud to say that Steve seems to be a very happy, affectionate, and loving dog. Some of his favourite activities include obedience/rally training, agility, scent detection, tug, rolling in grass, chewing tasty treats, and following me everywhere I go. You can follow Steve’s adventures and learn more about him on Instagram @heeler_steve.