WHERE THE DOGS AT ! ! !

Its been really hard these last several months. I say that because I wasn’t assigned a dog this last training session. So I haven’t had a dog in the cell to hang out with for a long time. The last session ended on 6/22/16. That’s when all the dogs graduated and left.

I was so excited to get a new dog and start training it. I’m always excited to get new dogs in the facility. About 2 to 3 weeks after graduation they start to trickle in.

When I think dogs are about to start coming in, I usually take a few days off work so I can be in the unit when a dog is brought in to me. That way if it gets assigned to my cell, I am in the unit and able to start taking care of it right away. Plus, its my favorite part of the session. Getting handed that leash is such an awesome feeling.

I was coming back from work everyday at 11am for a week and a half in anticipation for that special delivery. It never came.

I got real disappointed and sad. Then we were told that training was to start the following Tuesday. There will be no more dogs coming in. I got even sadder.

We had 6 dogs total in this session. What a downer that was to hear. Two sessions ago there were almost 12 dogs in a session. Back in 2014 we were having up to 16 dogs each session. I don’t know why the change. The sessions just keep getting smaller.

However, we did have one dog in our pod. His name was Lt.Dan. Just like the guy from the movie Forest Gump. Every so often my celly and I got to have him for a few hours. That was always fun.

There were 3 in the pod next door. One was a dog named Babe. We got to have her over for a few times also. But it just wasn’t the same as having our own dog to train.

Last week we got to spend 5 whole days with Babe in a row. At first it felt like, oh it’s cool, but she’ll be gone before I know it.

A few days went by and the routine of having a dog every day felt good. Having some responsibility every morning like taking her out side to pee. Making sure she ate dinner every night.
That she had her time outside for walks and such.

Day 5 came around and she had to go back to her trainer. Man I was just getting used to having a dog and then she leaves. Bummer.

I have been in this program 7 years now. The times I don’t have a dog I feel so empty inside.

Looking at the empty crate and the dog mat next to it everyday is hard for me. Its needs to be occupied by a dog.

I love helping and saving dogs now. Its part of who I am. I act different, think different and live different. I think I am better with a dog next to me than without one.

I am not as lonely. I feel happier. I’m in a good mood more often and my spirits are higher when that dog is around me. They become apart of me I guess.

I hope it doesn’t go too much longer for me before I am assigned another dog. Its going on four months now and I have never been very good with patients. But, I guess that’s all I can really do is wait, right?

I bet that’s why Sir Fredrick has been on my mind so much lately.

Guess I’ll just have to wait a little longer for that new pup….

If you have any questions or comments that you want to ask or share with me. Feel free to contact me at JPay.com

Jesse Bailey
DOC #879476