Those of you who have been following my original blog, My Golden Life, for a while might remember that I completed my Dog Obedience Training Instructor course through the Animal Behavior College in May of 2012. It was because of the externship phase of that course that Ducky and I found each other. It is what it is.

Well, since completing the training course, I’ve also completed five of the school’s Continuing Ed courses. The first two I completed in late 2012/early 2013. Then I took an extended break before starting the third course.

I started the Pet Nutrition and Diet course just before we found out Callie had lymphoma. I tried to stick with it that first week of August but just couldn’t. Callie’s health and well-being occupied all my time, energy, and thought processes. So I got another extension to the beginning of January 2016. When I realized I was close to the exam due date, I called my program manager and got her to give me a two-week extension. I explained about Callie and how 2015 had been “the year from hell”. Well, the course was really intense but I got through it and passed the exam with a grade of 80%. Not bad considering I hated science and math in school.

Recently I finished the Pet Massage (really, it should be called Canine Massage) and Pet CPR and First Aid courses, with grades of 97% and 100% respectively. I wish I had taken these two courses first, while Callie was alive and well, so I could have helped her more through her illness; but it is what it is. At least the massage course taught me how to help Shadow when her arthritis is bothering her. And I have a manual to go by if either Shadow or Ducky should need first aid.

In a couple of months I hope to be starting the Vet Assistant course. I don’t regret waiting to take this course. If I’d taken it first I may have never found Ducky. And, as insidious as cancer is, there’s no guarantee I’d have recognized the signs of Callie’s illness before her annual exam in early August. I just want to have the knowledge so I can better help Shadow and Ducky if the need ever arises.

Okay, so now that I’m done tooting my own horn, I’d like to thank Jodi of Heart Like A Dog and Linda of 2 Brown Dawgs for hosting the Thursday Barks and Bytes blog hop.

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