Excuse Me. I Have Been Unfairly Suspended From Work.

By Onyx, Professional Sassy Teenager and Service Dog in Training

Onyx pauses mid eye roll after learning that greeting every client with kisses and Husky conversations is apparently not considered proper service dog etiquette.

Hello, friends.

It has come to my attention that many of you have been asking where I am.

Apparently, my mommy has decided I am taking a little break from coming to Rebel Wellness.

Rude.

She says I'm in my "teenage phase."

I prefer to call it my Independent Thinker Era.

The trainers keep saying things like, "He's becoming more vocal."

Excuse me?

I have always been vocal. Now I'm just better at expressing my opinions.

When Mommy says, "Leave it," I simply feel she deserves to hear my side of the story.

Arooo.

When she asks me to "Focus," I would like to discuss all of the squirrels that deserve our attention first.

Woo woo.

And when a client walks through the door?

Well...

Obviously they came to see me.

They clearly need puppy kisses.

They definitely need Husky conversations.

And I am more than willing to provide both.

Unfortunately...

Mommy says that is not what a service dog is supposed to do.

She keeps explaining that service dogs need to stay calm, ignore distractions, and wait patiently until they're asked to work.

Personally, I think giving free kisses should count as therapy.

Apparently, the Americans with Disabilities Act disagrees.

Now before you think I'm slacking off, let me remind you of a few things...

I graduated Puppy Exploration classes at Knox K9 Training. Thank you very much.

Then I marched over to The Zoom Room and started collecting badges like they hand out treats.

So far I've earned:

🎓 Puppy Preschool Graduate

🎯 Focus

🐾 Position

🐾 Heel

🐾 Wait

🐾 Touch

🐾 Eyes

🐾 Place

🐾 Table

Not to brag...

Actually, yes. I'm absolutely bragging.

I'm kind of a big deal.

Mommy says these badges aren't just cute ribbons. Every one represents hours of training, teamwork, and learning how to think through distractions. Apparently, that's important when you're training to become a service dog.

But there is one badge...

Manners.

The trainers say it's one of the hardest badges to earn.

You know...

Not greeting every person like they're your long lost best friend.

Not assuming every human wants kisses.

Not telling everyone exactly how you feel with dramatic Husky songs.

I'm so close to earning it.

I just...

Still have important things to say.

Apparently, "Arooooooo!" is not considered professional communication.

Who knew?

Here's something many people don't realize about service dog training.

A good handler doesn't bring their dog into every public place just because they can.

Part of training a service dog is understanding the stage your dog is in.

Sometimes the best training happens away from the public.

Right now, I'm in what trainers call my teenage phase.

That means my brain is still developing. I'm testing boundaries, becoming more independent, and yes... I suddenly have a lot to say about everything.

That doesn't mean I'm failing.

It means I'm growing.

Instead of putting me in situations where I might struggle, Mommy is helping me build confidence one step at a time. That's what good handlers do. They set their dogs up to succeed, not to fail.

Every training session now is an investment in the dog I'll become later.

So for now, we'll keep practicing.

We'll keep going to classes.

We'll keep earning badges.

We'll keep working on Focus, Position, and someday... Manners.

One day, when I can walk into Rebel Wellness without assuming every client came for my autograph and unlimited kisses, I'll be back.

Until then...

Please don't think I've been fired.

I'm simply attending continuing education.

With snacks.

Lots and lots of snacks.

Thank you for cheering me on while I grow into the best service dog I can be.

Now if you'll excuse me...

I hear a squirrel outside that would like to debate me.

Arooooooooo.

Paws and sass,

OnyxProfessional Fluff GoblinService Dog in TrainingFuture Employee of the Month