Family pet becoming owner's service dog

TUCSON, Ariz. — Cheryl Stewart, who has arthritis, adopted Jordi about a year ago and is now having her furry friend trained to be a service dog.

Sometimes when Stewart's rheumatoid arthritis flares up, it's almost unbearable, but a furry friend with a moist nose helps her endure the pain.

Jordi is Stewart's 14-month-old Labrador-chow mix. He has shaggy black fur, a Labrador face and long legs. She adopted him from the Foundation for Animals in Risk about a year ago. At the time, Stewart and her children, Ellen, 7, and Jared, 11, had a Doberman mix, Freeway, four cats and a corn snake. They've since adopted another cat.

Just over a year ago, Stewart stopped at the FAIR adoption center to let her children pet the animals. Stewart cuddled a few herself before she was handed Jordi.

"He looked up, and something about his face brought a tear to my eye, and he licked the tear off my cheek," Stewart said. She learned Jordi came from a litter of eight or nine dogs, all of which had died or developed serious symptoms from distemper. Jordi was the only pup unaffected.

Initially, Jordi was another family pet. But just a week after his arrival, he showed potential as a service animal. One night Stewart was in extreme pain as she was trying to walk down the hall.

"I was hurting so bad I was almost crying, and I looked back and there was Jordi going so slow right at my pace, and I was so touched I decided to call Handi-Dogs," Stewart said.

Stewart considered calling the service-dog training organization when she adopted Freeway from Castaway Treasures Animal Sanctuary, but the dog didn't have the right temperament to be an assistance dog.

"She doesn't have the right personality like Jordi does. If she doesn't like a person, she will not shut up. Freeway just doesn't have the outgoing personality. Jordi does," Stewart said.

Even though he's still young, "Jordi is Mr. Mellow," Stewart said. "Nothing fazes this dog. . . . He just trucks along through life."

Jordi has completed nearly a year of training that can take up to three years, and he is committed to his owner. He has accompanied Stewart to work, the store, doctor appointments and family trips to the mountains.

Once Jordi is fully trained, Stewart hopes the dog will pick up things from the floor, press the automatic-door button when she is in public buildings and wear a harness to help support Stewart if her footing falters while walking.

Once Stewart fell while walking in a parking lot at night. She lost her grip on the leash, but Jordi stayed by her side until passers-by could help her up.