A three-legged puppy named Lucky got his opportunity to make a difference last year. In 2020, the darling canine accomplished his training to become a certified therapy dog, where he is making use of that leverage to help the students and staff of a Maine elementary school.
He completed his training last December and passed all of his training evaluations with flying colors. The journey had not been an easy feat, as it takes months of training, plus several behavioral tests to become a therapy dog. Eventually, he was assigned at Maine’s Leeds Central School, where he makes himself available for anyone who might need a little tender, love, and care.
The school’s principal, Danielle Harris, said that the little darling is popular with students and staff alike. Lucky came to the school every day and spent time with everyone before the COVID-19 pandemic required them to shift to online learning. He would sit happily with their students as they read aloud to him and was a calming presence in their institution. Harris also noted that Lucky was a great listener.
During his downtime, Lucky resides with Claire Parker, his handler, who also works as the administrative assistant at the school. And lucky fits right in the Parker family and is especially loved by Parker’s daughter, who runs excitedly downstairs every day to greet him when he comes home from a long day at school. Aside from this, the pup is well-loved in their town, too, where he is a regular companion to his fur mom at the hardware store and grocery.
Parker said that Lucky gets easily recognized by their neighbors. She noted how it was heart-warming to have people stop and ask questions about him despite their busy schedules. And it wasn’t surprising that this special tyke is well-loved by friends and strangers alike.
Three-legged Lucky had always been destined for greatness. When he was born, he had a leg deformity that affected his elbow development, so specialists had to recommend amputation for his leg. Before the operation, Christy Gardner personally met him from a breeder at Lewiston, Maine. The self-proclaimed dog lover asked if she could raise him herself and train him to be a therapy dog for a local school.
The breeder was touched by her plans and gave Lucky to her at no cost. However, she had to shoulder the dog’s surgery and take charge of his extensive training to become a certified therapy dog. And these were challenges that Gardner was ready to take on.
Adversities are something that Gardner is familiar with, as she is used to training canines that would eventually help others as service and therapy dogs. This is something that the retired Army Sergeant and Paralympic athlete does to give back. She also has her own Golden retriever service dog named Moxie, with whom she shares an unbreakable bond. In a 2017 ESPN interview, Gardner shared that Moxie saved her life.
During a peacekeeping mission in Korea’s demilitarized zone in 2006, Gardner became injured, which required both of her legs to be amputated. To make matters worse, this resulted in brain injuries that caused frequent seizures, threatening her to be alone. The incident was a lowlight in Gardner’s life, making it difficult for her to live independently with the uncertainty of how she could enjoy life given her situation.
However, things looked up when Moxie came into her life. Being an animal lover, Gardner immediately opened up to the idea of having a service dog around, especially since her doctors recommended getting a four-legged companion. So in 2010, Moxie was placed with her, and the effect she had on her was instantaneous. Moxie uses her sharp sense of smell to detect upcoming seizures and alerts Gardner of the danger that looms ahead.
According to her, the beautiful pup has saved her life. She gave Gardner’s family peace of mind as she became independent and served as an extra set of hands to help her carry out her tasks. The proud fur mom said their bond has deepened through the years, and Moxie’s skill set has grown significantly.
Gardner says she couldn’t imagine getting through a day without Moxie, who motivates her to stay active and healthy. They enjoy going out on walks which helps her muscles keep moving and keep her weight down.
Moxie’s presence in her life helped her gain back her independence and try activities she didn’t think were possible due to her injury. At present, Gardner is a world champion para-athlete, who serves as the assistant captain of the USA Women’s Sled Hockey Team, three-time track and field, discus and shot put national champion, and joined the U.S. Para Surfing Team recently. And it was Moxie who inspired her to embrace these activities to live life to the fullest. Gardner said that if it weren’t for Moxie, she would have given up – but her presence gave her a purpose to help others.
Moxie also had a significant role in Lucky’s service dog transformation. Post-surgery, Gardner and Moxie worked hand in hand in 2019 to prepare Lucky as a three-legged therapy dog. According to Gardner, Moxie helped teach Lucky how to behave in public.
To cover all of Lucky’s training and medical expenses, Gardner had to work multiple jobs to get the money. However, as soon as he began his therapy dog training after surgery, both of them gained traction from many admirers. Through the help of businesses and private individuals alike, donations towards Lucky’s cause poured in – to help cover his veterinary services and post-surgery and future medical needs.
Gardner, who has trained several puppies, claimed that she and Moxie share a special bond with Lucky. According to her, while Moxie had been stern and quick to put other pups in their place, she particularly liked Lucky, whom she has been protective of since day one. Both of them had been incredibly proud to witness Lucky pass all of his tests, so they felt particularly sad to see him go.
Despite a shift in his duties as a therapy dog due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this hasn’t stopped him from helping others. Lucky comes with Parker to school every day, and the teachers regularly invite him to their Zoom classes, where he gets excited just hearing the children through the computer.
Parker shared that Lucky was particularly attached to their students, whom he would wait for in the doorway of the main office when they came to school. And most of them would pet the lovable canine when they would get off the bus, greet him and make their way towards class.
Sadly, they couldn’t expand his duties since he had been in the school full-time for only three months, then the pandemic happened. She and Lucky still have plenty of responsibilities to fulfill, so they hope that Lucky would join the children’s literacy lessons as soon as classes resume. And every time a student comes in for registration or a pick-up, the therapy dog can interact with them – and he loves it!
Despite the lack of time in the classroom, the inspiring pup has impacted the children’s lives who see perseverance in him. Gardner says that because of the challenges he faced – such as losing one of his legs – Lucky was able to show the students that being different is okay and that struggles are part of life. Excelling at everything isn’t necessary for them to be amazing.
Meanwhile, Gardner and Moxie often visit Lucky and watch him whenever he needs a sitter. Lucky may have been Gardner’s first special needs canine, but since he has excelled at his role as a therapy dog, Parker continues to pay it forward. They have a new trainee named Gidget, whom they are preparing for a veteran as a service dog, too.
His disability has not hindered the brave pup from doing what he needs to do. When he’s not working, he is an active dog who loves playing with his four-legged pals and even became a good friend to Douglas, the newest member of Gardner’s family. The two are like peas in a pod, who love playing together all day long and cuddling for naps in between.
Canines have played such a vital role in Gardner’s life – and there is nobody who has an even more critical role in the equation as Moxie, who continues to inspire her to achieve other things, too. In January of last year, she was in California to train as a para-thrower for the 2020 Summer Games, became part of the U.S. Para Surfing Team, and even competed in the world championships two months later. When she moved back to Maine in the middle of the year, she regularly saw Lucky and Parker, which gave her time to continuously pay it forward by focusing on training canines like Gidget to help other veterans.
Gardner says she is hoping that Lucky would be an excellent example for the children at Leeds. According to her, Lucky is a fantastic canine who could bring a lot of compassion and understanding within their community. She wishes he could be an ambassador for other working dogs too, so children would learn the different types of dogs like him who offer services for others, and at the same time, know how to respect them despite their differences.
Source: Rinck / Facebook
