What's up dog?

My assistance dog, Harry, is a Labradoodle who has been by my side for the past five years. He is trained in medical alert and response, helping me manage my health conditions that affect my blood pressure, heart rate, and joint stability. He alerts me to changes in my body, assists during episodes, and helps retrieve items when I can't bend or reach safely. But his impact goes far beyond his tasks. Harry has completely changed the way I experience the world. Knowing he is there gives me the confidence to go out alone, where before I might have avoided leaving the house altogether. With his support, I've been able to attend playgroups with my daughter something that would have felt overwhelming without him. He's even helped me travel to different parts of New Zealand to take part in an empowerment program, which pushed me far outside my comfort zone in the best way. Even on the days I'm struggling, Harry motivates me to get up, get outside, and keep going. He provides not only physical assistance but emotional grounding a steady presence when things feel uncertain. Because of him, I live a fuller, more connected, and more independent life. Harry has made a big impact on the people around me and the general public. Having Harry brings peace of mind to the people closest to me knowing I'm safer and more supported, which means they don't have to constantly stay close to me when I'm out, he will always help me find my way back to the person I was with. When out in public Harry gets a lot of attraction, many people stop to ask about him and again more knowledge about assistance dogs, many people then open up about there own health experiences and challenges Even in more structured settings he has made a clear difference where one of my teachers commented how much more present I was in class and how she felt she didn't need to keep as much of a close eye on me during lessons Harry also helped support some young people during my placement providing comfort and became part of the learning environment Harry doesn't just support me, he's helped the people closest to me, helped the public understand more and break down stigma around invisible disabilities and helped young people feel connected