Emotional support trainee dog Vlad has spent eight months preparing for his future with sophomore Lauryn Fuller. Vlad himself shares his experiences in this interview.
At a Glance:
Breed: Plott Hound
Wet or dry dog food: Dry
Indoors or outdoors: Both
Squirrels or rabbits: Rabbits
Favorite chew toy: Balls and KONG Cozie Moose
Looking Deeper:
The Red Ledger: What is your job?
Vlad: My job is to provide emotional support to the humans around me. They have a lot of tough issues to deal with. There are many different jobs for dogs in training like emotional support, service, and therapy dogs.
TRL: How did you become an emotional support dog?
V: I feel my destiny in this life is to be an emotional support dog. I still have training to complete in order to officially be considered an emotional support dog, but I’m on my way.
TRL: What is it like being a trainee dog?
V: It’s hard some days, and I have a hard time staying focused on my job. There’s so many different smells to explore. But I do love people staring at me, all the attention from the humans, and being able to help people. Free belly rubs are also an added bonus.
TRL: Is it difficult being a trainee dog at a high school?
V: I love going to school. I go to classes, the cafeteria (my personal favorite), choir performances, basketball games, pep rallies, and so much more. I get to experience things not many dogs can. Not many of my doggy friends can say they graduated high school.
TRL: What does your training consist of?
V: My training consists of taking classes to better enhance my manners and walking around high school with my owner, Lauryn. This helps me learn the criteria needed to be the best emotional support dog I can be.
TRL: How do you maintain your own happiness and health in such a stressful job?
V: I have four other doggy friends at home to play with, so there’s never a dull moment. They help me keep my mind off of all my other very important responsibilities.
TRL: How do you feel about cats?
V: Yes [I like cats], but not all cats. [Some] are very rude and impolite. They obviously need some serious training. Others are really scary, like the Siamese cats from “Lady and the Tramp.”
TRL: Do you like when humans pet you?
V: Yes, I love all the pets and attention. It’s really a big part of my job as an emotional support dog. It’s a really big part of walking around the big building. Pats sometimes hurt more than you would think, but most of them don’t mean any harm.
TRL: Do you have any children?
V: No way–I’m only 2 years old. I’m waiting until I’m 4 and more financially stable. I always say you should wait until you are at least 4 to have pups of your own.
