The process of finding Clementine was a hard one for Welland. The search for a suitable dog took a great deal of time, specifically trying to find a rescue that would pass certain temperament tests needed for service.
“I met seven dogs in the process, and Clementine was the second to last,” said Welland. “She passed with almost a perfect score. I knew she was the one. I looked at her, picked her up, and knew it.”
Welland laughed, looking at Clementine before starting again.
“And then she was terrible. She’s a seven-month-old puppy that was on the streets for six. Parts of her training were fabricated, like potty training or crate training. So that caused a bit of an issue moving in, because you’re supposed to crate your ESA.”
Despite everything, Clementine came out of her training with the beginnings of a service animal. Welland demonstrated some of Clementine’s skills, like an anxiety alert, or deep pressure therapy on Welland’s lap, and chest therapy (which looks like a dog giving a hug.) Every once and a while, however, Clementine will remind Welland she’s still young and fresh in her training.
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