In this special installment of the DDCE staff profiles, we would like to introduce you to a highly dedicated member of our team who goes above and beyond to serve his long-time human companion, Emily Shryock, assistant director of Services for Students with Disabilities. He was kind enough to sit down with us to share some insight into his daily life as a service dog here on the Forty Acres.

Home for Christmas…Although he was originally assigned to another client, things fell through and he ended up right where he belonged: by Emily’s side.

“I’ll never forget the day when she came back to Indiana to take me home for Christmas. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship!”

A life behind bars…Back when he was a pup, Morey spent some time in an Indiana prison. No, he didn’t get caught shoplifting squeaky toys. This dog is so good, we doubt he would even sneak scraps from the dinner table! “I spent some time behind bars, but that was only to work with prisoners who helped me become the best service dog I could possibly be. The Indiana Canine Assistant Network is a very powerful program and I’m so grateful for that experience!”

Service with a smile…”For seven years, I’ve been honing my many skills, such as opening doors, pulling my companion’s wheelchair up those troublesome hills and retrieving objects. Boy do I ever keep in shape! Of all my daily tasks, my favorite is pushing the automated door button with my nose. Such fun!”

It’s a wonderful life…Not every dog gets to interact with people and visit different places on a daily basis. When he’s not joining Emily at her disABILITY Advocate training sessions or various other activities on campus, he can be seen at the Turtle Pond where he enjoys playing fetch in the green grass and watching those peculiar reptilian creatures sunbathing on the rocks.

To pet or not to pet? Before you give in to the urge to wrap Morey in a hug, be mindful of his vest. “When my vest is on, I’m all business, but when it’s off you can come and give me all the love and affection you want!

Dog therapy…On the side, I give pet therapy to Emily’s friends. They tend to stop by her office just to say hi to me! I have a keen sixth sense, so when someone is feeling uncomfortable around me, I pick up on it right away and give them their space. This happened not too long ago when a shy human stopped by the office. I wanted her to be happy and comfortable, so I sat quietly under the desk. When she came back to our office to tell Emily that I’m the first dog that didn’t frighten her, I was so flattered! She even let me lie down for a snooze beside her feet while she chatted with Emily. Aren’t humans the best? I love my job!

Lassie, eat your heart out…”One thing a lot of people don’t know about me is that I once rescued a kitten that was stuck in a drain pipe. The rescuers couldn’t find him, so it was up to me to seek him out. Morey to the rescue! You can learn more about my many adventures and misadventures on my blog, Tails from Texas.”

Morey also proves to be quite the athlete! Visit his YouTube channel to check out his agility skills.