..so I’ve accepted the inevitable and started browsing around for a new dog that might be suitable for a service dog.
I expect that Keegan will have another 12-18 months in her before she says “enough” or before she gets so feeble that she won’t want to go anywhere or do anything.
That means I need to start training a dog sometime in the next 6-12 months. Or so.
I’m checking out service dog organizations here in TX, checking for new rules, regulations, “accepted opinions”, etc etc.
I’ve found one dog that I’m seriously interested in but I haven’t had the guts to email them and see if she’s still available.
I’m not set up to where I can take in a new dog yet. That may happen soon but it hasn’t happened yet (and soon is such a wide open variable).
Maybe the fates I refuse to believe in will throw the dice my way and keep her available for me.
Homeless Adventures 
Sam
/ February 21, 2012😦 Keegan is such a good dog. It’s too bad she can’t live forever. You never now, though. It’s kind of shocking how long Godzilla (my brother-in-law’s dog) has lived. He seemed to be on his last leg four years ago, and although he’s in terrible shape, he keeps going and going.
stillstrange
/ February 22, 2012What is going to happen to Keegan if you get a new dog? Were you planning on giving her up sooner? That’s a shame because you two are so attached.
Homeless Adventures
/ February 22, 2012I’ll never give up Keegan!
She’s mine mine mine and I’m hers hers hers. 🙂
I don’t want to get a new dog while I still have Keegan but it’d be stupid not to. Keegan can’t do most of her service dog duties anymore, she’s too old. And it will take a 8 months or so to train a new dog to be reliable in public, longer really, but at least that long before it can be useful outside the house.
I doubt I’ll actually get another dog before Keegan goes, no matter how much I know I should. But just thinking about doing so is a big step because previously I was so determined that I’d never get another dog after Keegan (because no dog could ever match Keegan) and many of the people that work with me were a bit concerned about my refusing to even think about it.
stillstrange
/ February 23, 2012Keegan might like the company too.
Tim
/ February 23, 2012I can see it now. She looks up at you excitedly, you brought me a puppy!!
Homeless Adventures
/ February 23, 2012Ohhhh Tim…
I’m not really sure that’s the reaction I’d get. 😀
Most likely I’d get “A puppy? What do we need *this* for? Seriously??”
But I never know, every once in a while she meets another dog that she falls in love with and they’re immediately best friends. I could hope this might happen for any new service dog in training.