General Disability Lifestyle

Posted on: Sat, Dec 13 2008 10:55 AM

Posted by: rainey826 Posts: 8,871

OK EDUCATE ME !  I NEVER HEARD OF A SERVICE DOG UNTIL I JOINED DISABOOM . I DID HEAR OF A SEEING EYES DOG ! DO THEY BASICALLY  DO THE SAME DUTY ? BOTH ARE ALLOWED IN ALL BUILDINGS ? WHEN A SERVICE DOG IS TRAINED IS IT A ROUTINE PROGRAM OR ARE THEY TRAINED FOR YOUR PERSONAL NEEDS ?  DO YOU TRAIN TOGETHER  ? DOES THE DOG WEAR SOMETHING TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING ? DO THEY USE ALL DIFFERENT BREADS OF DOGS ? DO YOU GET TO PICK THE DOG ? SORRY SO MANY QUESTIONS I AM JUST VERY INTERESTED AND COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF THINGS YOUR DOG DOES THAT MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR YOU ! THANKS 

                                                      RAINEY XO  

Posted on: Sat, Dec 13 2008 11:32 AM

Posted by: Midge Posts: 182

While I don't have one, I learned about them from a friend of mine. They have a regular training program, and they are matched to your needs. For example, they can open and shut doors, turn on and off lights, etc. You do train together just like a seeing eye dog.

They wear a blanket type of thing to show that they are a service dog, and they are allowed to go anywhere a seeing eyes dog goes (everywhere - it's the law). They use different breeds of dogs, and they pick the dog to your personality matches.

I recommend you google service dogs and visit the different sites. I hope this helps.

Midge

Posted on: Sat, Dec 13 2008 3:48 PM

Posted by: Olivette Turbeville Posts: 537

rainey826:

OK EDUCATE ME !  I NEVER HEARD OF A SERVICE DOG UNTIL I JOINED DISABOOM . I DID HEAR OF A SEEING EYES DOG ! DO THEY BASICALLY  DO THE SAME DUTY ?

No, seeing eye dogs are trained to keep their partners on a sidewalk away from overhead obstructions, and the dogs are trained to watch/judge oncming traffic and crossing lights, etc.  

Service dogs do not compensate for their partners eyesight at all.  Service dogs are most generally for mobility assistance.  They are taught to help pull a wheelchair, or help a person balance getting up from furniture, up and down stairs, transfers, etc.  Retrieve dropped objects, phone, clothing, shoes, laundry, etc.

rainey826:

BOTH ARE ALLOWED IN ALL BUILDINGS ?

Yes, full public access to all buildings and transportation. 

rainey826:

WHEN A SERVICE DOG IS TRAINED IS IT A ROUTINE PROGRAM OR ARE THEY TRAINED FOR YOUR PERSONAL NEEDS ?

Canines go thru a basic training program - then they are fine tuned to specific needs of their partner when the dog and person are matched (near the end of their training)  

rainey826:

DO YOU TRAIN TOGETHER ?

In the final months of training, yes.  Depending on the facility and the dog's needed skill level - training can be extensive or kinda minimal of course.

rainey826:

 DOES THE DOG WEAR SOMETHING TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING ?

Yes.  Service dogs generally wear a vest with ID tag or patch to identify them.  However, this attire and ID is not legally mandatory.  Simply an easier means of identification so people will be less likely to intrude on the working team. 

rainey826:

DO THEY USE ALL DIFFERENT BREADS OF DOGS ? DO YOU GET TO PICK THE DOG ?

Many facilities breed and choose canines from their own puppy-raising program.  

Freedom Service Dogs of Colorado rescues qualified dogs from shelters and custom trains them to assist people with disabilities.  These dogs get a second chance at life to become service dogs, therapy dogs, psychiatric dogs, autistic assist dogs, etc.  ((For dogs that are unable to develop the higher skills necessary to be a highly trained service dog... the facility develops calm secure companion animals!))

Clients do not pick out their own dogs.  The reason for this is that trainers are intimately familiar with the nature and skill level of each dog after months and months of training.  The trainers have the final task of matching the personality of each dog with the personality of each applicant/client - along with the skill pairings of dog and client need.   

Clients are interviewed and reviewed in depth months before being paired with a canine.  The "client" side of this process can take a year or more.

Believe me, admin & trainers to a fantastic job of acessing the character and nature of dogs & people - their matching skills are second only to their remarkable training abilities!  

rainey826:

COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF THINGS YOUR DOG DOES THAT MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR YOU !

Service dogs enhance critical life-skills - which include (but are not limited to): 

     ~  picking up dropped items

     ~  retrieving and carrying

     ~  finding or removing coat / shoes / socks

     ~  turning lights on /off

     ~  pulling 'up' drifting bed covers

     ~  holding open and closing heavy doors

     ~  finding a person  (or, go get help)

     ~  finding the phone

     ~  pushing a LifeLine or 911 button

     ~  assisting with pulling a wheelchair

     ~  helping with transfers

     ~  brace and counterbalance a person that's fallen to get back up

     ~  pull a partner up stairs - and pause / brace going downstairs

     ~  remove laundry from dryer and deposit in laundry basket
         (and tug the laundry basket to another room) 

     ~  deliver a beverage from refridgerator

     ~   alert partner [or parent] to dangerous diabetic blood sugar
          levels  (determined by 'ketoacidosis' breath odor)

and many other specialized life-skill tasks - as needed per client. 

For children with autism; a social-skilled dog can serve as a bridge to the world, and as a dedicated companion and much-needed trusted “buddy”.  Autistic assist dogs can help a parent locate and retrieve a child - calm the child during an anxiety attack - and distract a child from self injury or mutilation episode.  These dogs are amazing!!!  

An increasing influx of military personnel return to the states with injuries affecting mobility and function.  In too many cases lives are shattered and confidence is lost. Service dogs can renew purpose and provide dependable companionship while enhancing critical life-skills.

Rainey - click to read my story about our first week of training (and meeting my service dog!)       (video and pic's to share!)

Good Question... Thanks for asking!!!

~ Olivette ~ 

 xx0x0xx

Posted on: Sat, Dec 13 2008 4:16 PM

Posted by: rainey826 Posts: 8,871

just amazing !!!!!    

Posted on: Sun, Dec 14 2008 1:07 PM

Posted by: Midge Posts: 182

Rainey, are you thinking of getting a service dog? My friend just loves hers, and she is on her second one. They have been good companions for her, and even though her first one retired, it is a good friend to the second one. :

Posted on: Sun, Dec 14 2008 3:13 PM

Posted by: rainey826 Posts: 8,871

not at the monent !  dont know if anyone will see this or not for this thread is all over the place on my pc and i cant see the postings by others and it is only this posting all the others are just fine ! 

                                               rainey xo   

Posted on: Mon, Dec 29 2008 10:41 AM

Posted by: SDOnCall Posts: 67

Sorry a little late in responding, due to the holidays and hope everybody had a nice and safe one.

I DID HEAR OF A SEEING EYES DOG ! DO THEY BASICALLY  DO THE SAME DUTY ?

Seeing Eye Dogs are known as Guide dogs or Dog Guides in which they were the first type of service dogs in this country. And Seeing Eye Inc was the first programme school around.  Other types of service dogs  are Signal/Hearing Dogs, Mobility/Brace Dogs, Medical Alert/Respond Dogs, Psychiatric Dogs, Parkinson Dogs, Autism Dogs, as well as Alzheimer Assistance Dogs, and it keeps adding. For more details about these wonderful animals as well as the history you should check out: http://pwdsdawareness.freeforums.org/general-information-f21.html

All types of service animals under the new law ADA Amendment Act are all allowed in all types of public buildings that the general public goes. This also includes buses, taxis, trains. Air Planes falls under the Air Carrier Act and apartment complexes under the Fair Housing Act in which these two acts also includes service dogs in training.

http://pwdsdawareness.freeforums.org/state-local-federal-laws-f23.html

 WHEN A SERVICE DOG IS TRAINED IS IT A ROUTINE PROGRAM OR ARE THEY TRAINED FOR YOUR PERSONAL NEEDS ?  DO YOU TRAIN TOGETHER  ?

Programme Service Dogs are train in general form, starting off with the puppy stage (House manors, and socialization).  It's a 12 - 15 month programme. These puppy raisers or puppy walkers have to follow the set rules from these programme schools. Each are basically different and yet the same with some standards. (eg healing ~ may be strict right to the side or may be loose so the trainer could work with the needs). 

Next stage would be the formal tasks training done by the school professional trainers. This part is done with the dogs only and takes an average of 4 to 6 months. Then 2 to 4 weeks after depending on the schools criteria you are partnered with a dog that matches your needs, in which the two of you learn together to become partners at the schools facilities.

Now that is if you are going that route. But there are other avenues one could take. Private professional service dog trainer. This could cost lots of money but less then training your own dog by yourself and yes one could do this too.  However this is not for everybody because you really have to be committed, patience, consistent, and comprehend the dogs breed, character and personality. Not to mention comprehending how to evaluate making sure your dog you pick has the right temperament.

DOES THE DOG WEAR SOMETHING TO SHOW THAT THEY ARE WORKING ? DO THEY USE ALL DIFFERENT BREADS OF DOGS ? DO YOU GET TO PICK THE DOG ?

Service dogs may be any breed, size or colour. They might sometimes wear identifying equipment such as a harness, backpack, cape or a special collar and leash.  This actually depends on your needs if your dog needs to wear a backpack for you to carry your medical stuff, or a harness for bracing. A cape is basically alerting to people that your dog is a service dog but this isn't necessary. Though it may or may not help when out in public and being confronted. As I have been stopped some times with my dogs backpack and sign stating service dog.  No ID or Certification is required to gain access. It's actually against the law for businesses to insist on these documentations.

As for picking a dog some schools will ask what your preference are, basically if you have a fear of a certain breed, allergies, etc. Although some people may request having a certain colour but this doesn't fall under ones needs. Although they consider breeds because of majour issues and this is some schools not all schools. 

COULD YOU PLEASE TELL ME WHAT KIND OF THINGS YOUR DOG DOES THAT MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR YOU !

I have a combinational dog in which I opted to train myself.
This is my fourth dog and I have been teaching service dogs over 25 years. One reason I opted to teach my dogs was the fact that at the time schools were not teaching dogs to multi task for different disabilities. At the time too there wasn't any real laws in effect either so that should tell you how long. grins.

All four of my dogs were of different breeds because when I choose to pick my dogs I look not at the breed per say but the right temperament and compatibility as I cannot have a dog not as active as I was. There are many other things I look at for my dogs this would include their characteristics and personality along with the standard type (breed). As breeds have certain traits such as Collies are herding animals therefore walk not in what one would call a straight line.

My needs have changed as the years goes by and I also look at the breed to see if they will be able to train for additional needs.  Enhancing their natural behaviours. At this moment in time now my combinational dog does more then my first. Not only does he guide me over obstacles and stops at traffic, he also braces, counter-balance and alerts me when I get dizzy.

Posted on: Mon, Dec 29 2008 7:31 PM

Posted by: Justin DeCastro Posts: 1,428

 I'm in the market for a service dog -- a Chihuahua.  I'll train it myself.

Justin