I couldn’t tell you exactly when Soca became a service dog. Looking back at her youngest days, it seemed she was always a service dog at heart, caring most of all for the well being of her family and friends. Soca knows that more than anything else, her family and friends need to see her chase critters at top speed through the woods. And should there be no woods, should there only be a boring suburban sidewalk with the occasional lawn mower, Soca will pretend that there is a great woods full of great prey—just to serve us and make us feel good and happy!
That said, to most passersby Soca does not look like a service dog. Once we walked into a small college museum in a weird, fussy town. The person at the reception asked, “I’m sorry, is she a service dog?” We said yes. Soca had lots of fun running through the museum halls, celebrating her promotion. Soon after we acquired a medal to mark her accomplishment.
The medal states, “Soca Neshama—Service Dog—Eudaimonic Assistance—acutis canis.” Eudaimonia is apparently Ancient Greek for “good spirit” or “happiness.” “Acutus” is apparently “sharp” or “wise,” but you can also sound out the word so it resembles a weird form of “a cute canis,” “canis” being “dog.” All in all we have, “Soca Neshama—Service Dog—Happiness Helper—Cute Dog.”
Soca’s new medal was fixed to her pink “Soca Neshama” collar that someone had gifted us (Abby?). She recently lost this collar on one of her adventures, along with her medal. I must make her a new one. In the meanwhile Soca is enjoying her interim position as Strawberry Dog.
2 responses to “Soca Becomes a Service Dog”
Excellent topic for 2nd year paper . Try to
Show tighter connection to post office ,
Fire fighting , Soviet literature and Yiddish ,
And this could even be dissertation material.
Nice shout out to Northampton