Roll Over U is a dog training business owned and operated by Cindy Peters. I originally stumbled upon Roll Over U (ROU) while I was looking for a job at a dog boarding facility. I drove down highway 18 to get to her small facility and walked in with a resume in hand. Inside it was homey and the kind of messy that made you want to kick up your heels and relax. Dog toys were spread out throughout facility and a good dusting was in need. She wasn’t hiring, as she didn’t have the means to hire anyone, but she did offer to let me watch her training classes that weekend. That was the first weekend I came, and I went every weekend I could after that. For every section, there are 4 classes and then an off week. That Saturday I headed back to ROU for
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Although I love any wet nose that wants my love, getting to work with these future working dogs struck a special cord in my heart. Venus is the dog that I take the most pride in working with, as I see great things with her kind soul in that fluffy body. I think Venus is so special to me because of the couple that trains her. I’m not sure if they are training Venus for the husband, or for another person, but her specialty is going to be retired military personnel. In the beginning, I was only told the end goal for Venus, that she was going to help someone with the pain that often comes with serving our country. My “AHA” moment came about a month ago when I was watching the husband playing with Venus between Cindy teaching the next lesson. The husband was sporting “Army” on his hat, was kneeling on one knee with some slight joint discomfort, showing in stature, and he was playing tug with Venus. The moment it hit me was when I looked at his eyes when he was playing that game of tug. They do this all the time and he often plays with Venus between commands, but this was the first time I had noticed this. In his eyes was pure love. This is exactly what Venus was being trained to do, this exact moment. It wasn’t just the cool tricks like opening doors and pushing buttons that service dogs are so often taught to do, it was the acceptance they give. It’s the snuggling close to their handler’s leg in a crowded room, it’s standing between their legs on Fourth of July, and it’s playing tug with a furry creature that they have never loved more. Although training a service dog, especially one as young as Venus, can be very stressful and frustrating, I think Venus is one of the best things to ever happen to that
Although I love any wet nose that wants my love, getting to work with these future working dogs struck a special cord in my heart. Venus is the dog that I take the most pride in working with, as I see great things with her kind soul in that fluffy body. I think Venus is so special to me because of the couple that trains her. I’m not sure if they are training Venus for the husband, or for another person, but her specialty is going to be retired military personnel. In the beginning, I was only told the end goal for Venus, that she was going to help someone with the pain that often comes with serving our country. My “AHA” moment came about a month ago when I was watching the husband playing with Venus between Cindy teaching the next lesson. The husband was sporting “Army” on his hat, was kneeling on one knee with some slight joint discomfort, showing in stature, and he was playing tug with Venus. The moment it hit me was when I looked at his eyes when he was playing that game of tug. They do this all the time and he often plays with Venus between commands, but this was the first time I had noticed this. In his eyes was pure love. This is exactly what Venus was being trained to do, this exact moment. It wasn’t just the cool tricks like opening doors and pushing buttons that service dogs are so often taught to do, it was the acceptance they give. It’s the snuggling close to their handler’s leg in a crowded room, it’s standing between their legs on Fourth of July, and it’s playing tug with a furry creature that they have never loved more. Although training a service dog, especially one as young as Venus, can be very stressful and frustrating, I think Venus is one of the best things to ever happen to that