Brent and Apollo
We started our journey with Apollo and Soldier’s Best Friend a little over a year ago. I didn’t really know what to expect. My wife had said this dog would help with my anxiety and difficulties in crowds, but I wasn’t really sure how that could be true. When we brought Apollo home, we all fell in love with his sweet spirit and floppy ears. He became my companion in those first weeks -- even when he chewed up my SBF backpack and the buckle off his training vest.
Six months into our training, I had my sabbatical from work and Apollo travelled with us in our trailer for eight weeks all the way across the US. He was “working” far more than he ever had before. Sometimes 8-12 hours a day. And he did great. We went to a lot of amusement parks and spent a week at Disney in Orlando and he just kept going. It was so helpful for me to have him provide some space between me and the crowds and also to give me an excuse to walk away for a break to “find a place for my dog to pee.” I especially remember one evening at Disney, we’d been going strong for hours and hours. The kids were tired, the babies were exhausted, patience was running thin and the crowds still weren’t letting up. I remember looking at him laying “down” at my feet and realizing how much calmer I felt with him at my side.
I’m so thankful to SBF and their incredible program that rescued my dog so he could help rescue me.
