The Adventures of a Service Dog

Disclaimer: this does not apply to puppies in fear periods. This applies to dogs whose issues cannot be resolved.

If your dog displays any type or form of anxiety that cannot be resolved, your dog is not fit to be a Service Dog.

• • Anxiety
    – car sickness
    – separation anxiety
    – anxious around people
    – anxious around dogs
    – fear of sound/thunderstorm etc

If your dog is not environmentally sound and you have to train a dog for two months so he can walk over a shiny floor (for example), your dog is not fit to be a Service Dog.

• • Environmental Soundness
    – can’t walk up and down stairs
    – scared of elevators
    – scared of shiny floors
    – scared of changing surfaces
    – won’t go through sliding doors

If your dog displays any type or form of reactivity or aggression towards people or animals, your dog is not fit to be a Service Dog.

• • Reactivity/(Prey)Aggression/Possession
    – any type or form or dog/small animal reactivity/aggression
    – any type or form of reactivity/aggression towards people
    – this may not always present itself in outward aggression, it can also manifest in stiffening up and freezing
    – any type or form of resource guarding

If your dog is not healthy or motivated, your dog is not fit to be a Service Dog.

• • Health & Motivation
    – any form of chronic illness
    – HD/ED or Back issues
    – no food/ball/tug drive etc.

I am honestly not sure how to title this post and what I actually want to talk about. It’s been so long that I had a real blog and I kind of got out of blogging because it’s so much easier to just share your thoughts on facebook. Also, I don’t like to keep up with all the different social media platform. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and what else is out there? I’ve got Facebook and Instagram, and my Instagram is basically dead because I never use it. Anyhow, I digress.

My life has been such a mess in the past years and the worst part is the dependency on people. As a disabled person you are dependent on someone and while a Service Dog gives us independence, we are dependent on that dog to give us the independence we so desperately seek. I’m a very independent person and it’s killing me that sometimes I’m in so much pain that it hurts to stand up and walk those few meters to the car to let one of the dogs into the training building. It’s not even a 100 steps to do that. So I’ve given in and let others do that for me but then I always fear that eventually people will get sick of it. That they feel I’m just being lazy because on other days I can move and do it myself.

This isn’t how it was supposed to go. This isn’t what I envisioned my future and I’ve never actually voiced those insecurities. People always think I’m so confident, a force of nature, but they don’t realize that I’m basically hiding behind my dogs. With all the weight gain as side effect, I’ve become self conscious. I know how people look at an obese person.  The  judgement is real. But with my dogs, I can distract from myself. I know my dogs are well bred, well trained, and they are something you don’t see a lot in public.

Athos was never supposed to be a Service Dog. He was supposed to be my next Search Dog but thats when me health went South. That’s when everything escalated. I went from walking, to walking on a cane, to having thrombosis, to not being able to walk at all without crutches or a wheelchair. And of course, all of that had to happen when my husband went from Active Duty to the Reserves.

He would have been a phenomenal search dog and boy do I miss being out there ground pounding and having the camaraderie of a team. The sense of purpose and the sweet pain after you crawled through heavy brush during a search. And not speaking of the euphoria after a subject was located alive. That was the best feeling, ever.
I mean, look at him go! Look at this dog. He’s pure perfection. He’s everything a Shepherd is supposed to be. He’s a Jack of all Trades. No matter what you throw at him, he can do it all.

This is what makes it so much worse. It feels like it’s wasted potential. He should be out there competing at a National Level because he is that type of dog, or have a successful Search Dog Career, instead he’s a Service Dog. I know, it’s a very important job and the dog doesn’t care what he does. But he’s the type of dog that could have left a mark on the breed. That could have really made a name for himself, and in a way he is. It’s just not the same and I sound like a whiny bitch thats sorry for herself.

I’m not even sure what I’m even trying to say, other than getting all this off my chest. I usually don’t talk about this stuff … guess I’m going to put my big girl panties back on….

If there is one topic Service Dog Handlers gripe about it’s the general public distracting Service Dogs. We all know what happens when we hit the public, there is going to be at least one person that’s trying to call your dog over.

Today I went out during the peek hours, which I rarely ever do. I try to avoid the “rush” as much as I can and go around Midnight because that’s when it’s quiet and more enjoyable to go grocery shopping.

Anyways, today I went during the rush time and so many people talked to him. Kids screeching “Oh my god, it’s a dog” and adults baby talking.

Here is the thing though, it’s expected. We know it happens, so if your dog is getting distracted by that you need to work on his engagement. Service Dogs are supposedly highly trained dogs and that includes to proof them off of any distractions that can possibly arise. Other teams, screeching kids, adults trying to call your dog over…

Also, be your dogs advocate, either completely ignore people or tell them outright “No, back off, you can’t touch my dog. ” or say “He’s working” and keep going. Don’t stop. Once you stop you are being engaged into a conversation. If someone says “Nice Dog.” say “Thank you.” smile and keep going.

At the end of the day it all comes down to training though. A real SD should be able to ignore the general public and focus on his handler!