Animal House Academy Dog Training

06/01/2026

Our own Animal House Academy Trainer in action!

AHA dog trainer Carrie Healy from our Georgia location recently competed at the Tallahassee Dog Obedience Club Rally Trial with her dogs.

Riley, who was once a reactive dog, earned scores of 84/100 (featured first in the video) and an impressive 96/100! Be sure to catch him next Friday on http://AKC.tv in the AKC Team Dock Diving Challenge.

Memphis, Carrie’s newest addition, competed in his very first trial ever at 7 years old, proving it’s never too late to start training, learning, and succeeding.

At Animal House Academy, we don’t just teach dog training, we put it into action. Through obedience, rally, dock diving, and other dog sports, we demonstrate the power of building communication, trust, and teamwork between dogs and their people. 💜

05/29/2026

When the Pain Comes

One moment I am moving through
my day
and the next
It feels that the razor blades are twisting deep inside me.

I shift.
I curl up.
I turn from one side to the other,
searching for the relief
searching for comfort,
searching for something
that never seems to come.

And then I remember.

There was a time
When I didn’t face these moments
alone.

Before the pain could consume
My thoughts,
before the tears could find their
way to my eyes,
you were already there.

Before I could tell anyone that I was hurting,
you were already there.

A gentle nudge.
A warm body against mine.
The study pressure that somehow
made unbearable feel survival.

You were my service dog.

But you were never just a service dog.

You were my partner in every battle
my body forced me to fight.

When the pain came,
you came too.

And somehow,
that made all the difference.

Now the pain still comes.

The flare still arrives.
The sleepless nights still find me.
The aches still settle deep within my bones.

Only now,
I face it without you.

That’s the part no one prepares you for.

Not the empty bed.
Not the missing footsteps.

It’s reaching for comfort
during your hardest moments
and remembering that the one who
always brought it
Is no longer there.

My heart breaks all over again
when I remember the way you
helped me.

The way you stayed.

The way you helped me carry the
weight of it, day after day.

I miss your comfort.

I miss your presence.

I miss the quiet reassurance that no
matter how much pain I was in,
I wasn’t facing it alone.

And on days like today,
when my body hurts more than I can explain,
I realize that what I miss most
is not what you did.

It’s you.

By Sandy G.
Missing My Service Dog, Thor ❤️

05/15/2026

My Best Friend

Thor, you were my best friend. It’s been three weeks, and somehow this hurt grows deeper with every passing day.

My heart still isn’t ready to accept that what we had now lives only in memories.

You dug yourself so deeply into my heart that everywhere I go, I still carry pieces of you with me.

I miss everything about you.
The sound of you beside me,
the comfort of simply reaching my hand out and feeling you there.

Sometimes that’s the hardest part,
not being able to reach over
and feel you beside me anymore.

By Sandy G.
For Thor from my aching heart

05/08/2026

The Spaces You Once Filled
For My Thor

The house is quieter now.
Not silent,
just missing you.

The little things you left behind
remain untouched,
waiting for you in the places
you once filled so naturally.
Such simple things,
yet now they stop me every time I see them,
because it still feels like you should be here,
helping me in all the quiet ways you always did.
And somehow,
the emptiness they carry
hurts more than I ever imagined.

Your toys remain scattered
through corners of the house,
little reminders
of the life that filled these rooms.
The squeaky ones you loved,
the chewed-up ones you claimed as treasures,
the ones I still can’t bring myself to move.

I catch myself listening for you.
For your paws against the floor,
for the shake of your floppy ears,
for the sound of you settling into your bed
after making sure I was okay.

Even now,
part of me still expects to see you there,
watching me the way you always did,
like loving me
was the most important job in the world.

And maybe it was.

Because through every ordinary moment,
every hard day,
every quiet night,
you were there.

Not asking for anything.
Just loving me
with your whole heart.

People say dogs leave paw prints on our hearts,
but Thor,
you left pieces of yourself everywhere.

In the doorway.
Besides the couch.
In the empty spaces near my feet.
In every room that still feels
a little too still without you.

And though this home now aches
with the weight of missing you,
it was once made warmer
simply because you lived here.
What a blessing it was
to have been loved by you.

By Sandy G.

05/04/2026

Day 7 Without Thor

Losing Thor has been so hard.
I wake up every day at different times,
feeling as though he’s touched my nose to wake me.
Each time, it’s like coming up for air,
gasping, then breaking into sobs
when I realize he’s not there anymore.

My days go on,
his steps no longer audible,
yet I still sense him in quiet ways.
There’s no need to go outside now,
but if I don’t, I fear I might miss you.

Walks through parks
have become a journey through memory,
where everything still feels alive.
But when I reach my hand for you,
it meets only empty air.

My eyes fill with tears,
maybe from the way the wind blows,
or the sound of a pesky squirrel
running across the roof,
and they fall without warning.

Will this get easier?
I’m sure it will,
as others share their own heartbreak
from loving a dog
who left a mark on their hearts,
I know I’m not alone.

The leash has been unclipped,
the collar removed.
If I shout, “COWABUNGA!”
will Thor come running back to me?

By Sandy G.
Words from my heart to Thor

04/30/2026

Grief Is Just Love That Has Nowhere to Go
For My Thor

God lent to me for a while a Doberman,
strong and true
A gift of love placed in my life
a gentle soul entrusted to me.

Not long enough, it now feels clear,
no span could ever be
For the time I had with Thor
was a gift so freely given.

He brought his strength and gentle soul
to brighten all my days,
And though his time was far too brief,
his love forever stays.

I knew, somehow, it could not last,
that all must one day part,
But I did not know how deeply
he would root within my heart.

Still, I’m grateful I was chosen
to be his home, his guide,
To walk with him through life’s short path,
with Thor there by my side.

And when the day came far too soon
for God to call him home,
I felt the weight of love and loss
that only dog hearts know.

Yet I would not trade a single day,
nor shield myself from pain,
For all the joy that Thor has brought
outlives the grief that came.

If love was all God asked of me,
then I gave it, full and true,
And in return, he gave a bond
so pure, so deep, so true.

Though Thor has left this world behind,
his spirit lingers near
In quiet moments, gentle signs,
I feel him still right here.

And while my heart still aches for him,
I know this much is true,
That God’s most precious gift to me
was loving Thor, and being loved too.

By Sandy G.
💔

04/26/2026

Thank you for your service Thor. You will always be the Bestest BigOl’Boy!

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

04/26/2026

Pack Walk Cancelled Today

Hi everyone, unfortunately, we have to cancel today’s Pack Walk.

My dog Thor is currently sick and we’re at the hospital with him. Right now, our focus needs to be on his care.

We’re so sorry for the inconvenience and truly appreciate your understanding

We’ll be announcing a new date soon, so stay tuned!

Thank you for your support,
Animal House Academy

04/25/2026

Interesting read… taken from the the article “Now, scientists from the University of Lincoln have uncovered the three key factors that drive pets to turn on their owners.

And surprisingly, they say it has nothing to do with the breed.

Instead, researchers claim that the owner, the environment, and the dog's individual history are the biggest warning signs to watch out for.”

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

Scientists from the University of Lincoln have uncovered the three key factors that drive pets to turn on their owners. And surprisingly, the experts say it has nothing to do with the breed.

04/19/2026

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