About the walk, but not about the walk...

I really want to write an exciting post about the walk -- it was amazing, and there is plenty of material to pull from but it just won't come. Also, the powers that be...namely Dee and Melissa won’t tell me how much the walk raised yet. I’m trying to be patient. There are big numbers out there...it’s record breaking. We know that much. Be excited! I know, I feel the same way, real numbers would be better, but we shall be patient together.

So, now that we covered that in 7 sentences, I feel bad. That’s not a post. I don't want to write about me, because it feels rather selfish and self absorbed, but I can't think of anything I’d rather write about than what happened to ME at the walk.

Those of you who know me well, know that I wound easily and frustration often ends in tears much to my “grown up/professional” chagrin. I get very upset with myself, when I am trying to explain why a situation or challenge frustrates me and I have to stop because stupid liquid starts leaking out of my eyes. It’s embarrassing, I’m an adult I say!!!

Tears shouldn’t be a surprise, except, that unlike my mother...I don’t cry because I’m happy. I don’t understand why people do. Until Sunday, August 30th, 2009. This happened to be "Walk & Roll Day" or in my case "Walk & Cry Day"

I had just begun a conversation with my friend Steven (sorry Steven!) and someone else, who sadly I don’t even remember because of what happened next.

I looked up and saw a black labrador.

I cried.

Stupid, uncontrollable tears of sheer joy dripping all over the nose of a pretty black lab. Black labs again are nothing shocking – I think all 7 of “my” crayon colour litter puppies (that lived in my kitchen in December of 2008) were in attendance not to mention a couple extra blacks...and they are all very similar in appearance. But there was no question that this was not your ordinary run of the mill black lab puppy-in-training.

It was MY RUBY!!!!

I have not seen this precious gem for nearly a year, and the sight of her, followed by “her” people, VIP (PADS Very Important Pet Program) kids Kiarra and Rylan and parents Dean and Fiona came as a total surprise.


She reciprocated, initially wagging her tail as if to say “pleased to meet you” but as I crumbled to the ground in a mess of tears, I felt her whole body language change as she realized this crazy lady was her first “Mum” and she smothered me in kisses and uncontrollable wiggles.

For the 3rd time in my life I cried because I was happy. The first two were at the birth of my beautiful kids T'ea & Matthew (and I would argue they were tears of pain/relief more than joy...no doubt they were my MOST happy moments, I was thrilled...mostly that they were no longer trying to pry themselves out of my body).

Ruby was my initiation into PADS. Beautiful and brilliant in her first 9 months as a puppy-in-training she established herself as the class obedience superstar (much to the chagrin of every dog I’ve attempted to badly train since), I ran out of things to teach her she learned everything so quickly. Ruby was the beloved “first dog” of not only me, but everyone who met her at Kwantlen University College where I was going to University and the elementary school where I worked. Her exit from training was sudden and devastating to my “new kid” eagerness. My frustration at not being able to “fix” her sensitive spirit resulted in many sad, frustrated tears.

But the Sunday joy that flowed out in the form of tears were 9 months of love...poured into a little black Labrador that has changed the lives of her VIP family forever. When she was career changed from service dog work I thought I was a failure. PADS staff (which I wasn’t yet) were kind and said all the “right” things, and their love of this little black dog overshadowed my petitions to give her a second chance, or to give me some magical training formula to fix her. What I realize now is that her greatest weakness is actually her greatest strength. I am grateful for the experience and wisdom of PADS staff who saw this when I couldn’t yet.

Ruby has changed the lives of the McLure family forever, she is a gift to each of them in different ways: pet, confidant, running partner, soccer buddy, stuffy-zoo-keeper... best friend. My tears were as much pride as they were joy, she is who she’s always been, and everything she was meant to be!

Some of you will raise dogs that aren’t cut out to be service dogs...but if they are canine they are destined to make a difference...it’s our job as staff and volunteers to help them find their way even if it’s not the path we expected.

At the walk there were many kinds of dogs...hopefuls-in-training, working dogs, released dogs, VIP dogs, pet dogs, agility dogs, big dogs, little dogs, a few tiny dogs in funny clothes and even a giant stuffed Scooby Doo riding shotgun in the Music Machine! They are all part of the PADS family and their presence brought a richness to the day that far exceeded the money we raised (which I will tell you....as soon as I know...).