Rescued Dog Turned Working Dog

Six years ago, a young German shepherd was surrendered to a Minneapolis shelter. Pepsi's owners surrendered her because she wasn't potty trained. Although unfortunate, this scenario is unremarkable. Everyday, thousands of dogs are surrendered for similar reasons at shelters around the country. But Pepsi had a certain something about her that meant she wouldn't be at the shelter long, and her life would turn out to be anything but unremarkable.

Recognizing potential

Kim Hyde, director of training at Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota (HSDM) happened to make a trip to the shelter soon after Pepsi had been surrendered. Kim saw something in Pepsi that her impatient owners obviously didn't: a potential service dog.

Pepsi was a large puppy - a necessary requirement for dogs that may need to carry a person's weight, open a heavy door or pull a wheelchair. She was friendly and attentive to people, calm and eager to listen.

HSDM has been rescuing dogs from shelters, training them and matching them with clients for more than 20 years. About half the dogs in the program are donated by breeders, while the rest come from Twin Cities shelters. When Al Peters, executive director and founder of HSDM started the program, he wanted to use shelter dogs when possible. Says Peters, "I felt those dogs should get a second chance."

Ten dollars and a commitment

When Pepsi passed her initial medical and temperament tests, she was officially adopted from the shelter and on her way to learning the skills she'd need for her career as a service dog. All told, a dog like Pepsi costs HSDM an average of $25,000 in training and medical care. But clients who get the dogs are asked for nothing more than a commitment to the dog and a $10 application fee.

Meeting Pepsi

Debra Burke- Owens has always been an animal lover. She has volunteered at animal shelters and has several rescued cats of her own. Debra has a condition called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, a lack of collagen in her bones and tissues that causes deformities in her long bones and severe scoliosis. She is about three feet tall and uses a wheelchair to get around.. In 2004, just after Debra moved into a house, she decided it was time to apply for a dog from HSDM.

When she first met the looming, seventy-pound Pepsi, Debra's first thought was, "Look at those big feet! This is a huge dog." Initially, Debra was introduced to three promising service dogs: a yellow Lab, a black Lab and Pepsi. Everyone agreed Debra and Pepsi made a good match. Next thing she knew, Debra had a giant, longhaired German shepherd to be her constant companion.

Training

Clients and dogs learn to work as a team, first at the HSDM training center, then in public places and finally in the client's home. Pepsi learned commands that were custom-designed to meet Deb's needs. Even though Pepsi's training was ongoing for several months prior to meeting Deb, the team training to get Deb and Pepsi ready for a new life together was complete after only a few weeks of intensive work. Says Debra, "It didn't seem like work at all because Pepsi was so well-trained already."

Pepsi can retrieve objects, open and close doors, retrieve a cordless phone in case of an emergency, and even though she's not specifically trained as a hearing dog, she does alert Debra when she hears a noise.

Mutual companionship

Debra was already a successful businesswoman, running a company downtown and living on her own, but having Pepsi around made a big difference in her life. "I managed, but you don't realize how much you value something until you experience it yourself," says Debra. "Pepsi is definitely a comfort. When I'm out I don't have to rely on strangers to do things for me."

An added bonus is the sense of security Pepsi brings with her imposing size. Debra says, "Sometimes I'm here at my business downtown until late at night, and I feel much safer with Pepsi. It's funny to see a man cross to the other side of the street when we walk by."

Pepsi has come a long way from being just another dog dropped off at the shelter, deemed too difficult to potty-train. Pepsi works diligently and happily, but when she's off duty, Pepsi is a ham for belly rubs, and will throw herself on her back to offer her belly to anyone willing to pat it. Says Debra, "I think animals know when they were left alone out there. And they know when somebody's there for them and somebody cares." In Debra and Pepsi's case, it's safe to say the feeling is mutual.

For more information about Hearing and Service Dogs of Minnesota, visit: www.hsdm.org

Kelli Ohrtman is a freelance writer from Minneapolis who works at Best Friends Animal Society in Kanab, Utah. www.kelliohrtman.com