Information
Get has a minion!
Squish the Flarb
Squish the Flarb
Get
Legacy Name: Get
The Chibi Kumos
Owner: Paddy
Age: 9 years, 8 months, 4 weeks
Born: June 29th, 2014
Adopted: 8 years, 7 months, 3 weeks ago
Adopted: July 31st, 2015
Statistics
- Level: 6
- Strength: 14
- Defense: 11
- Speed: 13
- Health: 9
- HP: 9/9
- Intelligence: 6
- Books Read: 5
- Food Eaten: 0
- Job: Underpaid Art Student Intern
Trigger Warning
This pet's story does involve mental health - particularly anxiety & depression. However, I have tried to not mention anything 'too heavy'.
Continue scrolling down for the story.
Ever since she was a child, she'd been fascinated with dogs. The pet fish and budgies she'd owned, while very good pets in their own right, were never quite the same. She would dream for hours of the dog on her wallpaper magically coming to life, and the adventures they could have. She bought a collar and leash in the pet shop for her toy dog, taking him for 'walks' around her bedroom.
A year or three later, she was playing tennis in the park when a large dog bounded up behind her, and put its front paws on her shoulders. The "he's just playing" called by his owner did nothing to help her, and she felt betrayed by the owner's lack of control over their pet. She was still interested in dogs, but was a little more reserved with her dreams after that point - the 'wallpaper dog' still featured, however, as (of course) he would be much better trained.
Years passed, the wallpaper changed, and despite a huge dip in her mental health she passed her exams. Deciding she'd had enough of education, she didn't go to university and got a job in a local shop instead. That job took up so much of her day, she didn't know what it was like to have a social life, or even spare time. When she finally decided to hand in her notice and leave, she volunteered at the local dog rescue centre as a dog walker - the first time she'd ever walked a dog.
She had a few successful walks, including a couple of collies, a massive Mastiff who took her for the walk, and a Doberman, before they gave her a 'new' dog to walk - this one was far too excitable for her to handle, and resulted in her getting bitten (a "play bite") on her leg.
Her confidence dropped again at that point, feeling let down by the staff member who had allocated her a totally unsuitable dog for a relatively novice dog walker. She still liked dogs, but felt uncomfortable with them around her legs.
Years passed once more, and her mental health took another downturn, resulting in her having to leave her job. One day she was strongly encouraged to go for a short walk with a relative, and pushed herself to get out of the door - by now, it wasn't just anxiety and depression, but agoraphobia had also decided to join in. While they were out, they met a neighbour who was walking his greyhound. As if the hound could sense her anxiety, he nearly dragged his owner over to them; the hound leant against her legs, asking for attention. As she stroked the hound, she could feel her anxiety heading into the background a bit, rather than it being the main element.
Back home, realising the positive effect that meeting the dog had on her, she researched assistance dogs. She was heartened to find that mental health assistance dogs exist in the US, but after a few emails, discovered that the assistance dog charities in the UK said they only supported "physical disabilities" rather than mental ones. Disheartened, the idea was pushed to one side, and she plodded on, trying to improve her mental health in other ways.
Several years later, feeling 'abandoned' by the medical professionals who seemed determined to only want to prescribe medication and not any therapies which would help to address the root cause of her problems, she came across a video of someone in the UK who had a mental health assistance dog. Confused by this, she sent off another email and realised that while the large charities don't train them for mental health, there's nothing to stop someone "owner-training" an assistance dog - in fact there are a few organisations out there who help to train the owner, to train their dog!
Right now, things have levelled out - she can get out for walks to the town centre with a relative, but doesn't go out alone. Some days, as much as she wants to get out, the 'invisible wall' of agoraphobia takes over, and she can't even set foot outside the front door. She's still not in a postition where she could take care of a dog, but it's given her something to work towards. Maybe in the future she'd be able to walk her dog to the town centre without needing a relative with her - that's something she would love to be able to do, as while the relative is currently able to walk those miles, he's obviously getting older, and there'll be a point where he can't handle walking that distance.
Overlay by Paddy
Pet Treasure
Live Love Bark Sticker
Harvest Pet Harness
Bell ID Tag
Pet Bed
Ruffie Food Bowl
Diet Wet Dog Food
Puppy Wet Dog Food
Puppy Crescent and Bone Biscuits
Ziara Pet Bed
Bones Retractable Leash
Angus
Jakbut Dinner Canned Dog Food
Happy Tree
Monpetitchou
Spectrum Nylon Leash
Bloodred Pet Harness
Mallarchy and Carrots Wet Dog Food
Jakbut Dinner Wet Dog Food
Circle ID Tag
Heart ID Tag
Devonti Delicacy Dry Dog Food
Torrent Supper Canned Dog Food
Ruffie Healy Bones
Scruffy
Ralph
Guide Dog Jacket
Mini Delivery Sled
Raucous Dog Figure
Pupliacci
Mopley
Sun Dog
Pupetal
Willow
Happy Birthday Kumos Treat
Angelic Puppy
Time Keeper Stop Watch
2007 Puppy
Sundog
Summer Fun Kiddie Pool
Terre
Pruteekt
Black Puppy Beanbag
Frankenpuppy Plushie
Puppy Dental Sticks
Small Dog Dental Sticks
Medium Dog Dental Sticks
Large Dog Dental Sticks
Senior Dog Dental Sticks
Puppy Dry Dog Food
Senior Dry Dog Food
Diet Dry Dog Food
Feathered Friends Dry Dog Food
Endless Seas Dry Dog Food
Bovyne Roast Dry Dog Food
Small Dog Crescent and Bone Biscuits
Medium Dog Crescent and Bone Biscuits
Large Dog Crescent and Bone Biscuits
Senior Dog Crescent and Bone Biscuits
Beaubell Buffet Wet Dog Food
Torrent Supper Wet Dog Food
Senior Wet Dog Food
Puppy Canned Dog Food
Diet Canned Dog Food
Senior Canned Dog Food
Mallarchy and Carrots Canned Dog Food
Beaubell Buffet Canned Dog Food
Finger Pet Toothbrush
Double-Sided Pet Toothbrush
Senior Pet Toothpaste
Peanut-Flavored Pet Toothpaste
Torrent-Flavored Pet Toothpaste
Mallarchy-Flavored Pet Toothpaste
Bovyne-Flavored Pet Toothpaste
Pee Pad
Turf Pad
Centropolis Pet Bed
Delphi Beach Pet Bed
Omen Islands Pet Bed
Veta Lake Pet Bed
Peka Glade Pet Bed
Shadowglen Pet Bed
Shengui Guo Pet Bed
Saherimos Pet Bed
Ytiva Pet Bed
Sprinkler
Chewed Up Cane
Lovely Red Collar
Chain Leash
Flame Nylon Leash
Camo Nylon Leash
Black Nylon Leash
Black Leather Leash
Pink Leather Leash
Yellow Leather Leash
Brown Leather Leash
Blue Leather Leash
Red Retractable Leash
Black Retractable Leash
Spades Retractable Leash
Moon Retractable Leash
Field Pet Harness
Aqua Pet Harness
Arid Pet Harness
Striped Nylon Leash
Red Search Vest
Orange Search Vest
Green Search Vest
Yellow Search Vest
Orange Service Harness
Blue Service Harness
Purple Service Harness
Dotted Party Dog Horn
Flower Party Dog Horn
Striped Party Dog Horn
Doggy Fruit
Blue Toned Staying In Sweater
Gray Toned Staying In Sweater
Green Toned Staying In Sweater
Pink Toned Staying In Sweater
Red Toned Staying In Sweater
Kumos Day Kumos Plushie
Lovely Vintage Ruffie Plushie
Stucky
Faithful
Plaid Vintage Ruffie Plushie
Dhokhi
Chibi Kumos Plushie
Spotted Puppy Beanbag
Raining Ruffies
Sheeza
Flarb
Vintage Pup Plushie
Schnowi
Zhuzhu Plushie
Papku
Vintage Pup Plushie
Domrad
Party Pup
Babboo
Chichi
Pupalup
Canine Facts
Fake Kumos Plushie
Wiggles
Lunatike
Chamos
Tyuu
Laskie Puppy
Laskie
Dogo
Lucks
Puddles
Hollie
Druskar
Frenchie
Pompom
Angus
Black Huskers
Pleeez
Sabaa
Stone Pup
Folipup
Beagyle
Ears
Queenie
Hund
Kizzy
Yellow Petunia Pup Plushie
Digger
Sheeza
Finder
Ivak
Reindog
Brown Huskers
Doogle
Tramp
Jettpak
Starla
Red Slipper Pup Plushie
Trixter
Riffy