Service dog or just a rescue?

Next on the list of what's keeping me up at night, hence the 4AM time stamp on this post ;) Is a the thought of seeking out a service/companion dog. The main interest I have where this relationship might be concerned is overall safety awareness, and of course the ability to connect with an animal who won't expect things from him but just be there for him.

Especially as he started exploring the neighborhood on his own. When he figured out the side gates, or when someone forgot to use the child lock on the front door and used the restroom or something. Too quiet, we do a search of all the doors. Another fabulous milestone, that doubles as an extremely scary and stressful issue to be hyper aware of, is that earlier in the year, he realized that one of our best family friends, who live around the corner, is a place he loves to visit! To be honest, he actually began this exploration with our most remarkable immediate neighbor. Who, thank goodness, is like a grandmother to the kids. But when it stretches down 7 houses, it's a real scary heart thumping anxiety which it triggers.

My daughter really, really, really, really, really wants a dog. That has been the only thing she has wanted  since our sweet Bella passed. But between our construction fixes we were living through for the first 6 months, and our trip to Japan (which needs to be a post, I know) it just didn't make sense. Now we are back with most of the construction done and back to school schedule, she's pushing even harder.

But mommy is not ready ;) Between the possibility of having a professional dog to help with Ian, and the worry that I might not be able to handle yet another potential stresser to my life (our last sweet girl would jet when the door was left open and was not good with other dogs) I'm not quite ready.

I've been reading a fabulous book, Chester & Gus, which has also definitely added to my fantasy of a service dog making a difference. My daughter turned me onto it, which she often does when she reads something she thinks I'll enjoy. And it's quite an interesting perspective, told from the dogs point of view. Anyway, more research is definitely needed. A friend who trains dogs for an agency gave me the info but when I called to speak to someone the lady was quite rude and totally put me off. So I'll try again. And L will need to wait.