Page 761 - Total War on PTSD

got a dog within a few months. I had a German Shepard as a pet, and she died nine months after I got Truman. They were best friends and he was whimpering...he missed her so much. I was like, do I get another dog for my dog? So, I prayed about it, and my husband is like "one dog's enough." But then the prison contact called me and they had a dog for me that they said was all trained up, and was sitting there waiting for me. She was trained for all of my disabilities...she was a mobility assistance dog and her graduation date was the same date as our wedding anniversary. So, I ended up going to meet her and when I did it was like love at first sight. I brought her home and she instantly bonded with Truman.
Bessie is always smiling about something. Even when she is practicing a sit/stay she will just smile at you to get you to laugh at her. Bessie does get bored and has not perfected the art of doing nothing. She knows she is not allowed to bark so she will start making these cooing noises and 'sing' to let me know she is bored. I used to feel guilty that I have two Service Dogs, but Bessie likes the busier venues, whereas Truman likes the quieter ones. Bessie will start 'singing' because she gets so bored without enough stimulation. She is also such a lifesaver at home, helping me pick up things, opening and closing doors, etc. It's also nice to use each of them for the right purposes and give the other one a break every so often. She's also our comedy relief.
I can honestly say there is surviving life before Truman and then living life after Truman came to me. He has taught me how my emotions affect the environment around me and how to be more patient. Our relationship is based on unconditional love and trust. When we are out in public he will watch my back, alert me when my anxiety gets too high, and even gets people to engage with us in a positive way. Truman is trained to put pressure on me to calm me down,
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