I named him Foxrun’s Ever Forward. Call name, Walker.

He was my new puppy to be trained and would hopefully become my third service dog. I picked his name very deliberately. Foxrun is his kennel name and is always included. But the rest was decided upon after much thought. I wanted his name to mean something. After everything I had been through. MS, disability, breast cancer, Matilda’s heart failure and NM-DCM, I felt as if I had weathered a storm and yet was determined to stay focused “Ever Forward.” He would be my living representation of that. I chose Walker well, because I’m always going to be a bit sarcastic. I wondered, how many people would get the joke? The giant mobility dog that functions as a walker, named Walker. And if you put it together “Walker Ever Forward”, it sounds like walk her ever forward. I liked that.

Little did I know when I named him, how true his name would truly be. Or how much he would live up to his name.

This boy had just begun his training when my breast reconstruction was recalled as it caused lymphoma. So, his training was interrupted when I had my reconstruction, reconstructed. He patiently did training drills bedside.

Just as we were getting back to “normal” Covid hit. For me, it hit earlier than the general population. Being immune suppressed and immune compromised, I was advised to lock down much earlier. Again, his normal training routine was interrupted. Again, he patiently worked with me where I could. As if he knew “Ever Forward” regardless.

Lockdown has been impossibly difficult for me. Isolating. Frustrating. But we continue, ever forward.

Walker somehow has found his way through this challenge. He’s become a wonderful service dog. Happy to do his job. Always reliable, resilient. But he’s also given his gift to others at a time when we all need it.

I actually teach my service dogs “Go say hi” as a way to handle the constant requests to pet them. There are times I will say no as it’s unsafe for me or truly inconvenient. But, if I can be seated or otherwise safe, I’ll give the command “Go say hi” and Walker will approach the person to be petted. Often placing his head on their chest. During Covid, the very few places we’ve gone have been health care facilities. And the people he’s interacted with are doctors, nurses and other health care workers. I watched as he brought so much joy to the nurses at the vaccine clinic when he decided he was the official greeter. Normally, I would have been far more strict but I realized just how much this brief distraction was needed. I could see it in their eyes. Covid had taken it’s toll on them too. This giant black dog was a much needed reminder of the joy in the world. Albeit brief.

And they were so impressed when I said “Back to work” and he quickly returned to my side. Ready to move on. Ever Forward.

I definitely got his name right. Or perhaps he just understands what is needed from him. Either way, it’s as should be. Ever Forward.

#Disability

#ServiceDogs