One of the challenges of having a service dog like Ethan in your house, when he’s not in service of you, is remembering that you’re just there in a supervisory capacity; you’re not “the customer” for the magic powers of the dog.
In our household this means that Catherine and I have to allow Ethan’s primary bond be with Oliver.
And most of the time we’re successful at that.
And then there are lapses.
Like last night. Ethan was exhausted after a day of playing with a new ball that friends helpfully left him on Saturday when he took a shine to it. When I put the ball away at the end of the night so he could calm down, he was distressed, and so in an effort to calm him down I invited him up on the chair with me. Where he immediately fell fast asleep.
If you ever harboured any doubts that a 65 pound standard poodle could be absolutely adorable, it’s time to let them go.
I am 
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