One door closes and another opens.

Or, more aptly, where one blog ends, another begins. As the Dog Swap (http://dog-swap.blogspot.com) officially ended today, we embark on yet another journey, although this one will be a journey taken in our hearts and souls instead of the roads of the U.S. and Canada.

People tend to be curious about how service dogs are trained, how the process unfolds, how the magic is created. And we really try to respond to these questions, shed some light on the decisions we make, the choices that mold the final outcome for any dog or recipient. Often our decisions are made on impulse (You're trading Tag for a pit bull?!? And letting some actors raise and train him?!?), others are more thoughtful (I can't think of any right now, but when I do, I'll come back to this point.)

Sometimes we know exactly where a dog will be placed. Moose, who left today with our friend, Steve Hirsch, will become a Pet Partner with American Humane's Denver Pet Partner Program. Eric and I grew our roots and our wings with Denver Pet Partners and it means a great deal to send a dog back into the program that gave us so much inspiration.

Other times, we start a service dog and watch the story unfold, letting circumstances guide our decisions. Forming relationships with the local chapter of the National MS Society to honor a puppy raiser's contribution and hopefully placing a dog through them; meeting with the Office of Veteran's Affairs and starting discussions because we have a dog that would make a wonderful match for somebody with PTSD. Some decisions are made because we want to capitalize on a dog's natural disposition; other decisions are made because they just feel right.

Most of the members of this unique community will never meet each other in person. But their efforts come together over and over again, influencing so much of what happens behind the scenes. It is apparent that our newest addition, Kurth, is going to bring a large group of people together. With that, many people will be interested in how it is we got to this point and have expressed an interest in watching Kurth develop into a service dog. We bring to you, another blog!

Paws & Effect was anticipating another service dog puppy this year from Formaro Labradors in Indianola, Iowa. We had a puppy raiser all lined up in Eric Olmscheid, an education manager at the Civic Center, our paths having crossed subsequent to one or more of my impulsive decisions. Eric graciously stepped down from receiving the puppy that would arrive in September, allowing me to raise and train the puppy we now call Kurth.

Karla's family is coming over this afternoon to meet Kurth and, I hope, join us over the course of the next two years as we see how the story unfolds.