Humans of BluePath: Patience Pechette, Puppy Raiser

Patience is raising her third service dog puppy, Sundae. The black Labrador has brought joy, cuddles, and spunk into her home in Albany, NY. Patience enjoyed her first puppy raising experience so much that she immediately knew she wanted to do it again.

Patience is a former teacher and has 10 years of experience mentoring youth for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She currently works one-on-one with children and young adults with disabilities and has noticed her clients respond well to having Sundae around them as they learn.

“It blended together so seamlessly. For one client, just having the dogs here puts her in a state of glee. They clown with her and pick up on what makes her happy and try to make her more happy. They play off of it and she just rolls with it and it’s so much fun.”

What puppy raising has taught Patience:

“Puppy raising has taught me that each dog is unique. Getting to know them and picking up on all of their subtle nuances is almost like a spiritual process. I’ve learned a lot about love and patience and creating a better environment for Sundae to be successful.

“She brought a lot of joy into the home, especially during the pandemic when things can be stressful. Having Sundae here was a welcome distraction and taught us to refocus on the things that are important. There is no doubt that raising these dogs changes our lives too.”

Favorite parts of puppy raising:

“Puppy kisses, cuddles, and all of the connections early on where the puppies look for guidance from you.”

Fun Facts:

• Patience loves taking the dogs to Grafton Lakes State Park and watching them play together.

• Sundae is currently learning to play in the water with Patience’s two dogs, Heddy and Willow