2018 May June

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Flynn
A Junior’s View
Janelle Farkas
Northridge, California
Putting Our Dogs First
Bret Kofford
Imperial Valley, California
The thing I admire the most about my mom is the fact that she
always puts her dogs’ well-being first.
Over the last few months, we have been rehabbing her
dog, Oscar, through some back pain. This has meant
that Oscar has mostly been unable to do agility, run
on the beach, or do his therapy dog visits. However,
Oscar’s well-being always came first. My mom, as sad and
disappointed as she was that Oscar and she were unable to do
some of the things they loved to do, always put his needs and his
health first.
When Oscar initially started showing signs of not being 100%
sound, my mom’s first reaction was to get him healthy. She always
wanted to ensure that Oscar
was happy, pain-free, and
well. Of course, she wanted
him to be able to do agility and
run on the beach again, and of
course there were moments
of sadness over wondering
if he would ever be able to
go back in the ring, but, even
throughout all of that, my
mom never lost sight of what
really mattered: Oscar being happy and healthy.
I chose to write about this because I think, all too often, some
of us sometimes lose sight of what’s really important. As I have
watched my mom and Oscar adapt to their new normal, I am
constantly in awe of how my mom has handled the situation. She
never once wavered from the idea that the fact that Oscar was happy
was the most important thing. She chose to focus on getting him
healthy to be able to go on his therapy dog visits and his beach runs,
because she knew those were two of his most favorite things to do.
My mom is only a handful of Q’s away from her ATCH with Oscar,
and yet, she has not wanted to rush him back into an agility ring
because she wants to make sure that he is 100% pain-free before
doing so. Her patience, and her willingness to put agility on hold,
is admirable, and I think we all can learn something from it.
It is so easy to get caught up in the “It’s just one more Q!” or
“As soon as she gets 4 more gambles, I’ll retire her,” mindset. But
90 AUSSIE TIMES May-June 2018
I chose to write about this
because I think, all too often,
some of us sometimes lose sight
of what’s really important
these statements can be dangerous. We have to remember that our
dogs are not the ones signing the entry forms and dropping the
check in the mail; we are. And they rely on us for their safety and
well-being. We need to be responsible and confident enough to stop
if they are showing signs of pain. It is not just the right thing to
do, but it is our duty to take care of them. Our pride should never
be more important than our dogs.
Almost six months later, I am so happy to say that Oscar is
feeling much better. He is not 100% back to normal, but he is
back to being healthy enough to go on his therapy dog visits and
has even had a few beach runs.
Agility is still taking a backseat
for now, but I know my mom is
happy that he has begun some
of his normal routine again. I
know, though, that this would
not have been possible had my
mom not put in 150% effort into
his rehab exercises. My mom
is determined, rarely misses an
exercise day, and puts his needs
first. She is always making time for Oscar and has gone above and
beyond to ensure that her boy is happy and healthy. The journey
has not been easy, and we all wish that they were not going through
this, but she has handled it so well, and I am so incredibly proud
of her for putting her dog’s health first. I know that it will pay off
in the long run.