04 Jan Happy Tail for Tootsie (FKA Juju)!
I adopted Juju in March this year, her name in my family is Tootsie and she is always by my side. I’m a disabled Army veteran with PTSD and anxiety. I was looking for a dog to replace my previous service dog who crossed the rainbow bridge in 2020. Tootsie has proven to be everything I need in a service dog. She went through all the classes with me and tested out perfectly in record time for a new dog to the program. She is so smart and has so many innate doggy skills that allow her to be an excellent service dog without even having to work or train to develop a certain skill like some dogs in the program. She is always “checking in” with me, if I feel anxious, she’s right beside me pressing into me. Shopping for groceries she’s watching the people around me and in line she turns around and faces the people behind me…she’s got my back. I feel so full and confident with her by my side. She enables me to go places I used to be afraid to go. And then she’s got her fun, silly side. We have a good time together, whether we’re helping mentor a new class of veterans at Patriot Assistance Dogs, shopping at Walmart, playing in the backyard with her little rescue brother, or running in harness along side my recumbent trike. We have a good life together.
