Five years ago on a beautiful fall evening we brought a new yellow Labrador retriever puppy into our home. “Maggie” became our “girl” and part of our family. We enrolled Maggie to take the beginner and intermediate training classes with Canine Academy. While this training provided Maggie with the tools she needed to follow our commands, under high distraction she was still unpredictable. The following Spring while on a walk on Paint Creek Trail, Maggie had the urge to go swimming. She pulled her leash out of our hands, jumped into the creek during the spring high water runoff and was swept downstream where her leash got hung up on a branch of a submerged log. Sue and I looked at each other with horror as we both thought Maggie was going to drown. Somehow the leash came undone and Maggie swam to the bank and climbed out wagging her tail, smiling! It was at that moment we decided to enroll Maggie in Off Leash Training. It was a difficult 6 weeks without her around but after completion of the training we were elated with the entire process and the Canine Academy staff that trained and cared for Maggie. Off Leash training was just what we (and Maggie) needed allowing us to travel, walk downtown Rochester, shop in pet friendly stores and shopping malls, go to outdoor concerts in parks and dine in pet friendly restaurants. She learned to always come when called ensuring her safety. In other words, having a dog that we could make part of the family on any variety of outings.
So fast forward to the fall of 2017. A phone call from Lisa about another young Labrador retriever that has a medical issue, needs post-surgery care and a forever home. He’d been a Leader Dog in training with Lisa until sidelined by elbow dysplasia and would be making a career change. “Would we consider a brother for Maggie”? So after thinking it over, we said yes! We met “Sully” and discussed physical therapy and surgical after-care with the veterinarian. We knew we were in for a lot of work and the work turned out to be more than either one of us imagined but we were committed. We followed doctors’ orders and grew to love Sully as much as we love our Maggie! It was a long 3 months of crate rest, therapy and veterinary visits but in January of 2018, Sully was finally off restrictions and entered Canine Academy for Off Leash Training. The Canine Academy staff did a marvelous job training Sully and now we are the proud owners of two off leash graduates! We are so grateful for the dedication, the caring and compassion of the Canine Academy staff as they train and care for our dogs. Just this past week, both dogs used their skills as they accompanied us to a local elementary school where the children read to them as part of March Reading Month activities. We couldn’t be prouder of both of them!
After Sully completed his Off Leash training, Lisa set up visits for Maggie to be re-introduced to her brother and it went very well. When we took Maggie and Sully home, Sully entered the house, got a nice long drink out of Maggie’s water bowl, looked around, sighed and laid down on his bed. Sully knew he was home and settled right in. It was like Joanna Gaines was saying. “Welcome home Sullivan, welcome home!” Thank you, Lisa and Canine Academy staff, for enabling our dogs to be Great Dogs!
David and Sue Boes