Working 9-5

Guest post by Becky Dombrowsky, puppy raiser

What does a typical day look like for SSD Lucky? On most days, he comes to work with me.

Our mornings start at 7 am when my alarm goes off. He sleeps in a crate in my bed room right now because he’s still a young puppy. When he gets older, he’ll learn how to sleep in a dog bed at night. We head outside so he can “get busy,” and then he has breakfast. We play until we’re ready to leave for work.

Our commute is about 40 minutes. Lucky is now old enough to ride in the car without a crate. (When puppies are little, SSD has them ride in a crate in the car to help them settle in the car more easily and to keep them out of trouble. Lucky rides in my backseat or in the back of my SUV. He’s not quite big enough yet to jump in and out of the car on his own, since his bones and hips are still growing. Eventually, he’ll learn the cue to get in and out on his own.

When we arrive at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, we park in the garage beneath the building, head for the nearest elevator, and find a place for Lucky to potty. Before entering any public space, Susquehanna Service Dogs requires that dogs be given a chance to take care of their business. Since I work in the city, Lucky’s options are limited, and he often has to use a small patch of grass near a busy road.

As we approach the Capitol, we have to walk past a giant fountain. Lucky loves to swim, so it’s tempting to investigate the splashing water. We enter then building and head to the mail room to pick up the day’s mail. The curved stairs on the way present a challenge for Lucky. There are only 10 steps, but because they’re curved rather than straight, they appear different to him. Lucky has a hard time walking in a slow, straight path and often turns himself around or just runs up them. I plan to continue trying to make this set up stairs a positive experience.

While I sort the mail, Lucky lies under the desk and ignores anyone who opens the door to the office. His focus remains on me as I load the electric mail opener that zips letter through a conveyor belt and slices them open.

The rest of Lucky’s day varies day by day. He spends a lot of time in my cubicle, either hanging out in his crate or under my desk. He has bones and toys he can chew on, but he spends a lot of time snoozing. When I need to run paperwork to offices throughout the Capitol, Lucky usually tags along, giving him a chance to go outside. He has gained all kinds of experiences. He’s walked by protesters and loud drums in the rotunda. He attends meetings and lies under the table, only interrupting with the occasional puppy dream whimper.

I am very thankful for the opportunity to take Lucky to the office. He is the second dog I’ve raised in this office, and it’s a great training opportunity for him.

It has also been a positive experience for my coworkers. When I first started bringing a dog to work with me, my neighboring coworker was afraid of dogs. Over time, she began asking to say hello to the dog, and a few months later, she welcomed under her desk.

A couple of my coworkers wanted to share their experiences:

“Having a service dog in training in our office has been a really unique and positive experience. I’ve never worked with service dogs in any capacity before, so this has been a great opportunity for me to learn about the process and see it in action. Lucky is the first service dog puppy we’ve had in the office and it has been fantastic to see his growth and progress every week. He brings so much joy to our work space, even when he’s having a rough day, and he can always make us laugh or provide a soft head to pet when our workday is particularly stressful. I’m very grateful to work with an SSD volunteer!”

“Having a service dog in training in your office is a cool experience because you’re indirectly helping the dog become a working dog that will one day help someone who really needs it. Plus, being in an environment that is constantly changing and sometimes stressful, a dog is helpful to ease the tension in the room. Since moving away from my dogs, I do not have that stress reliever to come home to, so it’s nice to have one at work with me. Who would not want a dog as a coworker?”

Help Susquehanna Service Dogs train more dogs like SSD Lucky to become life-changing service dogs! Donate to build a new training center, where SSD’s dogs in advanced training can learn specific tasks to support their future partners: http://crowdrise.com/susquehanna-capital-campaign