I am currently a student with the Animal Behavior College for Dog Obedience and Service Dog Certification on top of being a mom to three beautiful children and two German Shepherd pups. I love every moment of my day; from learning my coursework so that I can one day provide life-changing service dog or obedience training to someone in need, to spending time with my kids and training my two four-legged mischief-makers, my day is full and busy! And of course, keeping me on track and supporting me every step of the way, there is my amazing life partner who is truly my other half.
It is actually pretty simple! A heart dog is the one special pup in your life that has had the most amazing impact on your heart. You can have more than one heart dog in your life, but I believe every dog is a heart dog for someone.
Here is my Heart Dog Story:
When I was younger, my family got a young German Shepherd Dog (GSD for short). She was beautiful, she was smart, she was named by me! Nyla; she was my heart dog. She, of course, was the family dog, but I feel as though she and I bonded more uniquely. She touched my heart in a place I never expected. She was truly an amazing companion and she really did change my life before I even realized it.
Since Nyla was a GSD, she was prone to some behavioral issues - just like any dog who did not have the opportunity to receive proper training. We tried though. We took her to puppy classes at the local big-name pet store, but the training was tragically incomplete. She knew “sit”, “down”, and “stay” - but we didn't have the necessary knowhow or tools we needed to continue her training. (I now consider that nothing less than a ploy by this particular pet store to have people buy more sub-par dog training from them.) Later in life, we found that she became increasingly nervous and preferred hiding behind me or one of my parents as opposed to the usually confident and hard-working nature of a typical GSD.
**From one heart to another: this is a trigger warning for those sensitive to the loss of an animal companion. Please skip to the next paragraph.
Fast-forward to a few years later, much earlier than it should have been - I had moved out of my parents home and attended Basic Combat Training, I got my first apartment with my at-the-time partner, I was engaged to him and had my baby girl and then - I got the worst phone call of my life. Nyla, my beautiful shepherd girl, was sick. Very sick. My stomach twisted into knots and my heart sank right to the soles of my feet. I visited my parents a couple states away soon thereafter. Nyla was in bad shape. her head tilted to the side and she could barely walk on her own - as I sit here writing this, my breath hitches and my eyes sting with tears threatening to spill over. All too soon after I returned home, my parents had found out that Nyla had a brain tumor. Then... I got the call. My mother's words got stuck in her throat as she tried to tell me - she was gone. They had to let her go so that she wasn’t suffering anymore. I cried so violently that I was sick in the restroom for hours. As I wretched, hunched over myself with grief, I could only think of how her life could have been better.
Let’s Fast forward a little!
Years later, my fiance turned out to be a not-so-nice person and I had to call it quits for my and my daughter’s safety. My current life partner came into my world and with him, he brought two beautiful boys whom I fell in love with immediately! I moved in with him and my little family of two became a family of five real quick! When I did so, he supported every dream I had and even encouraged me to pursue my passion at the time, which was my music. I have been playing my violin since I was about eleven years old in 6th grade in middle school - to date, about 13 years! I went to my local Community College and got accepted into their Music Education and Performance program. Needless to say, that didn't pan out for me. Something was missing. So - on to the next idea. I wanted to be a baker! He bought me all the knick-knacks and baubles I needed to be a professional baker and I did it! I made graduation cakes and birthday cakes - I even did my first wedding cake and it was awesome! But... there was still something missing. I went to call center jobs that I hated and explored the unexplored parts of my heart and my brain and I kept coming up dreadfully empty. So I kept looking for my purpose. I knew I had to have one somewhere.
Almost there, I promise! Keep going!
Even after all that has happened- I still think about Nyla. Only now, I think about her with a fresh mind. Other than that which caused her to become ill, there was nothing wrong with her. I threw myself into research, into videos, into papers, into articles - looking for a solution to dog behavior and quality of life. Then I realized I had to do more. Nyla’s fearful and spastic behavior was no more her fault than her illness. And she wasn’t “just born that way”. It was US. It was sobering to learn that we were the ones who never gave her the leadership and structure she deserved. After my momentary breakdown over how bad I felt, knowing I couldn't do anything then, I knew I had to do something now. There were people out there and dogs in shelters, going through the same thing that we went through with Nyla. And the one thing that made me realize that I could make a difference in every one of those lives?
I knew it could be fixed.
I realized then that knowing it could be fixed and dogs could be rescued from their own insecurity, meant I could no longer sit dormant. I found my purpose, my calling. I went and applied at Animal Behavior College for their Dog Obedience Program and then - why not take it a step further. There are people every day who suffer from a mental or physical disability and a service dog is sometimes terribly out of reach for any number of reasons. Including for myself. So in addition to the Obedience Program, I chose to pursue a Service Dog Training Certification so that someday soon, I can provide that help to people who are just like I was: uninformed and in need of help.
The Heart Dog Club is a place for people and their four-legged partners to learn, grow, and come to truly understand each other in the company of others doing the very same.
And my job? To make sure every person and every dog, has the tools they need to make their lives easy, happy, and most importantly - balanced. The Heart Dog Club Training Academy is my way of giving that balance to dog owners and also guiding future service dogs and their handlers to achieving their mobility and functionality goals together.
If you're here reading this last bit - That is Awesome!
It means a lot to me that you took the time to read my story and come to know a little more about me and my journey. And if you're considering allowing me to guide you towards your goals, I would like to say, the dedication to read this all the way through will be reflected by my determination and commitment to your goals tenfold.
I look forward to meeting and working with you!
Sincerely,
Bella Sweet
Owner/Founder - The Heart Dog Club
