Dante

Linda and Dante

Dante's Community

When I enter a school building to substitute, and I have my friend, Dante, with me, I hear "hi Dante" from excited students as he walks through the halls. He is definitely a popular dog. Being with Dante is a humbling experience. If Dante is not with me at the mall or school or church or the salon or a basketball game, then the question, where is Dante, echoes around me. Never in my life have I ever been identified by a dog, but now it's just the way it is. Dante has not only changed my life, but the lives of many others as well. One student put it very clearly. "Dante makes everyone smile." And he does it without really trying. In harness he is a quiet, well mannered dog that follows commands with little hesitation. This is the Dante the public sees and adores. Throughout our area he is recognized and greeted constantly. Strangers often comment on how beautiful he is or how his eyes follow my every move. Those that know the Labrador breed can not believe he is only 3 years old and so calm. But alas he is not always the mild mannered dog they observe. The Dante that changed my life is the dog that greets me every morning jumping up and down, wagging his tail so hard it looks like he is going to take flight! He attacks his food bowl with such gusto that one day we timed him and he ate in eleven seconds. He's the dog that looks back when I call him in the yard, but doesn't always come right away. Sometimes, the smells and wildlife are just more important than my pleas to come. However, when he does decide to come, it is at a speed that looks like he's missed you for hours; full throttle. I have shared him with local nursing homes, hospitals, and schools and each time he leaves with high praises. One lady at a nursing home hugged him so hard and so long I was afraid I wouldn't get him back. But he just took it in stride and calmly walked away with me. The stories are endless, but the pride I take in him astounds me every time. Each school day he is not with me he goes to another school to work with children with social, physical or mental disabilities. Dante cheerfully greets his driver each morning at 7:00 am and returns home equally happy at 4:00 pm. To him this job is a joyful time to visit with other dog friends and children that adore him. But when I tell students that I don't have him with me because he is working, their disappointment is evident. Teachers and students alike take pleasure in seeing him walking around the school. Recently I realized how far my identity had fallen from a woman, to, a dog with a woman. When my mother's passing was announced in church, the pastor told the congregation that if they didn't know who I was, I was the one that brought the dog each Sunday. I teach Sunday school and am on the Finance Committee of the church, but they only know who I am because of this beautiful dog at my side. Like I said - humbling.