Thanks!

[hivin]

Wow ... thanks for adding the Service Dog Forum ( we're definitely going to pass the word around to our on-line friends who have SD's). It's nice to have it included in a general site that covers all sorts of information. Most Message Boards for SD's are exclusively related to Service Dog information and other matters are ignored ... hey SD's get to have a life and have some fun too!

For anyone that's interested we have lots of information regarding Service Dogs ... Accessibility Legislation, Training Tasks, Necessary equipment and where to find it, etc. Please let me know if I can answer any questions or offer assistance.

My Service Dog, Bailey, has added so much to my life ... she's trained for general assistance, Hearing tasks and Psychiatric Tasks ( I have Agoraphobia and Panic/Anxiety Disorder & PTSD ... Psychiatric Service dogs are a relatively new classification for SD's and it's only been fairly recently that they've been recognized for Universal Access ). Bailey has been an integral part of my ability to function and have an active life, without her I'd probably be housebound.

Again, Thanks so much for adding the forum ... and I'm definitely going to get the word out that there's a site where SD issues are open for discussion and there are opportunities to discuss and share information outside of SD's issues.

Take care all: Hivin

 

[yoyopoodle]

Hi Hivin! I 'do' service dogs too

My program is new: http://www.americanpoodlesatwork.org

I volunteered at NEADS for 5 years, and went to school at the Assistance Dog Institute, learning directly from Bonnie Bergin (who pioneered the service dog movement 30+ years ago).

Out of curiousity - did you train Bailey yourself, and are you affiliated with a particular organization?

 

[Jean Cote]

No Problem! Glad to do it actually, I will most likely learn a lot from your conversations in this forum! :dogsmile:

 

[landseer]

Thanks so much Jean for this new thread:great:. I guess it will be very interesting and useful for all those who are into Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs. Chantal belongs to the second part. As I told in myprofile she has got her degree with a good quotation although, for the moment, she can work only in Level 1 environments that is schools and Daily Activities Centers. Anyway I'm sure that all what Jean and all the Academist are teaching me will help to improve me and Chantal in this fantastic way of doing things.:yhug:
Just like an Italian song says " Love is a destiny in our spells among people needing angels ". We and our pet partners are angels:ange:for those who live daily in their difficult situations and we can really make their days.
For what I can, I'll try to give my help in this thread although Italy is a long way late in Pet Therapy and Service Dogs. It has been recently since Pet Therapy has been recognized by the Health Department as a therapy system.
Let's enjoy our job with our friends,
Landseer and Chantal.

 

[hivin]

Hello to one and all!

Oh wow, we're so glad to see that we're not the only one dealing with SD's and universal access for our animals.

Yes we did end up training our own SD ... we were put on a waiting list to receive a program trained dog was 2 to 3 years. Our trainer that we worked with for general obedience training ... suggested that since we have an educational/employment history of working with behaviourally challenged clients/student where we were required to make use of behaviour modification principle, operant conditioning, etc .... well, she figured that we could train our own dog in a fraction of the time we'd spend on waiting to qualify for a program dog. It's worked out great for us .... think we've ended up with a greater bond with our dog, her training is very specific to our personal needs and we can continue to grow and learn together. We'd recommend training your own dog to anyone with the knowledge and dedication to devote to the process.

Bailey works hard for us and learning more and more daily ... since we're on LTD .... and have issues with agoraphobia/Social Anxiety ... we have a great deal of time to devote to her training. Recently we've been working on adding tricks to her repetoire of behaviours -- it just adds to her helpful nature and most people find it amusing ... also, we're working on her certification as a therapy animal ... can't wait to complete that program because it will increase our ability to overcome the agoraphobia related difficulties and give us a new purpose for living.

Again we have many links to sites dedicated to SDs, legislation regarding universal access, lists of tasks for the dogs to learn in order to further support their companion human and challenging our dog further. She's most happiest when she's working and learning (perhaps it feeds a dogs need to feel there is a purpose for being her and their need to have a job/duty to fulfill in their lives.

We still have much to learn ... as does Bailey ... training is on-going ... and she really needs to be challenged as she tends to get into some mischief when bored .... hmmmm guess that's a common factor to the dogs and the humans in their life.

We'd love to hear more about your dogs, the services they provide for you and hopefully we'll be able to share training methods and techniques.

Take care everyone ... Belly Rubs from Bailey to all your SDs ... looking forward to hearing more from everyone and meeting your animals and hearing your stories about training, challenges, successes.

TTFN: Hivin

 

[landseer]

My experience in Pet Therapy

Hello Hivin and hello Academy friends,
it's wonderful to have the chance to make another post. Today I'm a little in apprehension because my Chantal is by her vet for having RX to see if there's dysplasia in her flanks and elbows. Hope everything will go fine.:yworried:
About Chantal in Pet Therapy I can't say so much because we are waiting to be called for a Pet Therapy project. I'm not so optimist in this case because I suspect the Fellowship which manages all the projects doesn't want to share this. Yes, we can say there's a little "mafia" and they are afraid you can intrude too much in their "feud". Anyway me and Chantal we are going to work with kids in schools and with psychotic people. Her task is to teach them to respect social rules, to have much more confidence in themselves, to improve their social relationships, make their attention much more alive, to improve their space-time organization, to stimulate all the group activities. And more, improving thei linguistic patterns and skills, stimulating a sense of responsibilities towards living creatures and things, taking a task to fulfill and improving coherence, making dialogue in family and at school. Anyway, most of the tasks me and Chantal have are in the social areas.
So, while waiting for someone to call us, we are working on some tricks and in July I'll attend a more specific course in Pet Therapy.
Mario aka Landseer and Chantal.

 

[zcoonhound]

I don't have a service dog, but I am training my own SAR dog, so I enjoy hearing about the training, and adventures associated with a SD. My little girl is only 1 year old and is just begining the search training, she is continually working on her social, public, and obedience skills. We keep her entertained with trick training as this helps to improve all the others! She is a wonderful companion, full of love, devotion, energy, and mischief!

 

[landseer]

Links to sites dedicated to SDs

Again we have many links to sites dedicated to SDs, legislation regarding universal access, lists of tasks for the dogs to learn in order to further support their companion human and challenging our dog further.

Hello again Hivin,
I would be interested in these sites. Wish you could recommend us many good sites:great:
Landseer and Chantal

 

[yoyopoodle]

I am training my own SAR dog...

Awesome - me too!

I'm going to start another thread on the subject in a different forum

 

[felicity]

I dont have a service dog myself but i am hoping to register one of my own as a P.A.T dog in June!:dogtongue2:

 

[snooks]

I just joined the forum not too long ago and almost yipped out loud when I saw this. I am training my own service dog and it's the best thing in the world. I have another dog who is trained to help around the house that I just asked to do things and we figured them out together. She helped me learn how to teach this new one and I am doing a Karen Pryor clicker class and privates.

I have a long agility/obedience/rally/beginning rally/beginning skooterjoring background and am now on LTD but so excited to be able to do full time training with my dog. I have PD which will progress but I can still do most everything everyone does so I have much time to get this sweetie in shape to help me and get her certified.

I would be so appreciative of help for people certifying who are self training. It seems from talking to other self trainers there is some predisposition against self training for some reason. Not sure why, maybe the solidty of the training? So I want to go into this planning for success. My older dog is just a tad shy to ask her to do public work all day. So we do what makes her happy-help at home. Her latest trick is telling me you dropped paper, do you want me to get it? It may get wet? I didn't teach her that she figured it out.

Puppy also taught herself to alert me when my meds are wearing off! What luck I have and look forward to with both. I'm so glad to see this and it's wonderful to read about others' experiences on this topic.

 

[harleymom]

I joined because i have a young sheltie that needs more stimulation than i am physically able to give him so i need to mentally challenge him. It was a delight to also find a service dog forum as i also have a 5 yr old sheltie that is my SD. He is trained for balance and mobility work but has become such a huge part of my life as all of you with a SD know. I look forward to getting to know you and your dogs.

Harleymom