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Posted by Steven Scott on September 25, 2014
A Little Background About me
My name is Steven and I am 54. I have multiple physiological and
psychological issues and have been on disability since 1994. I have
had anxiety/panic and depression issues throughout my life. I have had
various diagnoses depending on the doctor at the time, but they more or
less followed the same theme.
As time went by, I would go through periods where I did fairly well and times
when I was affected and quite limited by these issues. My overall
trend though was getting progressively worse where I was avoiding things
that caused me to have anxiety and panic attacks. That worked well
for a while (a number of years actually), but as time went on, the list of
things that caused me to have anxiety and panic issues grew. I kept up my
avoidance behavior as I learned what did and did not cause me
anxiety.
What started in the beginning as helpful, changed into something that became limiting. I was becoming anxious about so many things that I started to develop agoraphobia where I would only leave the house when I absolutely had to and then only for very short trips to the market or the doctor, etc. This trend continued and I began to develop a social phobia where I couldn't be around people for any length of time without it causing me great anxiety. The only place I felt safe was when I was at home.
This didn't help my depression at all, but getting out caused extreme anxiety,
so I was caught trying to decide which was the least of the two evils.
I have never been particularly social, but there was a time when I did
enjoy getting out and doing things.
A lot of the major shift really started taking hold after I bought the house
where I am now living. That was in 2006. After the first year,
I really started to stay home most of the time and I didn't have many visitors
either. I had my dogs and they kept me company and gave me comfort.
I have always known how beneficial animals and in particular, dogs
are for people and my dogs were of great help to me. They were always
there and never judged me. They gave me love and attention. I
would often take one of them with me in my truck when I had to go to
the store or something like that to help keep me as calm as possible for as long as possible. Because my dogs were pets, I knew I couldn't take
them into the places I had to go, so I had an alarm installed in my truck,
I also had an auto-start/run package added so that I could have the A/C on and
the truck running so that my dogs would be comfortable while I was in the
store. I could remote start the truck and have it locked and all of the
controls in the truck were not functional in this mode so there was no
possibility of the dog accidentally putting it in gear or something.
That was one of the best decisions I had made.
As time progressed, my world started getting smaller and smaller to the point
where I just stayed at home and maybe 2 or 3 times a month, I would go out
briefly to the store (only because I ran out of something). At the
same time, because I was not getting out, my depression was worsening.
I was going down into a deep dark hole and I didn't know how to stop
it. The medications I was taking were only helpful to a point and could
only see things getting progressively worse.
Early in 2013, for reasons I still don’t understand, a lot of memories from my
childhood started coming up. Through those memories and through
therapy, I was diagnosed with
Complex PTSD. The more memories
that came, the more things and behaviors in my life started to make sense.
Before this, I just had anxiety/panic and depression with no known cause.
When I was diagnosed is also when I learned about Psychiatric Service Dogs.
Up until that point, I only knew about the better known sight,
hearing and mobility dogs. I also knew about Therapy Dogs used in
hospitals and nursing homes and helping children with reading and
emotional issues.
Always being a dog lover and having them most of my life, I was very interested
in checking into getting a Service Dog for my PTSD. I was lucky and
ran into a man with his PTSD Service Dog who was training with someone who
specialized in training dogs for people with "invisible
disabilities". He gave me her card and I contacted her.
It turned out that she only lived about 4 miles from me and she had
started doing this because she herself had
PTSD and other health
issues.
I of course was very excited to hear about this and so I went to meet with her
and learn about her program and more about Psychiatric Service Dogs
.
I only knew of Service Dogs that were trained at a training facility and then
purchased or given to someone who needed them. The dogs were trained
for the individual’s particular disability.
I knew that I couldn't afford to get a pre-trained Service Dog and since I was
not in the military, I didn't qualify for any assistance through any VA
source.
The trainer that I spoke to said that some of her clients found their dogs
through Craigslist or got them form local animal shelters. I decided
to try that route since I had a lot of experience from my 10 years of
volunteering as a Dog Walker at the local
SPCA where I used to live and my
experience having dogs since childhood. I knew how to train dogs as
pets, so I knew with the proper guidance, I could train a service dog myself
which is what I wanted. I wanted to be involved from the start.
Training your own dog strengthens the bond between you and your dog.
My Hunt for a Service Dog
I started my hunt for a suitable service dog…one that is under a year of age to
get the maximum amount of time from the dog for service work and one that
had the right temperament. I found a couple of dogs and tried them out.
It turned out that they were not a good match for me, but my trainer
was able to place them as Service Dogs in Training with some of her other
clients that were also looking for a service dog. They worked out
perfectly for them.
It is very important to match the dog to your lifestyle. If you are
active, then a sedentary breed wouldn't be the best choice for you, and
the reverse is true. The trainer gives a temperament test to any
prospective dog to make sure that they would be appropriate for service dog
work. If you get a puppy, there is a puppy temperament test that
is commonly used called the
Volhard Puppy Aptitude Test which is given at
7 weeks of age.
After my two not so successful attempts at finding a rescue dog to be my service
dog, I decided that I would start saving up money to be able to purchase a
puppy. Being on an SSDI income, it is difficult to be able to save very
quickly and so I started selling things that I had to raise the money for
a dog.
I had decided that I wanted a Golden Retriever because they are my favorite
breed and they are often used in service work because of their
temperament.
Choosing a Breeder
Choosing a good breeder is of the utmost importance, especially when you are
looking to get a service dog. I contacted the local
Golden Retriever Club and asked for breeders that had or would be having puppies. I was
given a number of breeders to contact. There are usually local clubs
that specialize in specific in most areas, so if there is a specific breed
that you are interested in, you can check into a club that is local to you.
Keep in mind that some breeds are more suited for service dog work
than others. The size or the breed doesn't matter. There are service
dogs that go from Shih Tzu’s to Saint Bernard’s and everything in between.
The key is the proper temperament. You want to get a dog
that has a nice even temperament that isn't too shy or too aggressive.
You want a confident dog. Some things can be taught, but the
dog needs to have the right basics to start with or you will not have any luck
in training them as a service dog.
When you contact the breeders, you want to tell then that you are interested in this dog to be a service dog. I will warn you up front that some breeders don’t like to deal with that. I don’t understand their reasoning, but they are out there. If you understand the breed enough to know that they generally have the right temperament for service work, then I leave it up to you whether you tell the breeder the dog will be used as a service dog or not.
Hopefully you will find a breeder that doesn't have any problems with placing
one of their puppies for service work and will work with you to help you
pick the right puppy out of a litter. I was very lucky with the breeders
I chose. I chose to tell them I was looking for a puppy to be my service
dog and they had placed service dogs before, so they were great with
it. I also chose them because they used techniques of raising their
puppies from the Puppy Prodigy Program where the puppies are handled from
day one and as they grow are introduced to new sights and sounds and are
socialized with trusted people (usually friends of the breeders) to get
the dogs used to new things. They played sounds of thunderstorms and
traffic noises to get them used to those things.
They brought me in at week 4 to start to socialize
the puppies and get to know each of them and watch them as they progressed.
It was my hope as well as the hope of my trainer, the breeders that
a puppy would choose me, because the bond with a service dog, especially a psychiatric
service dog is extremely important. I started to go up twice a week
from week 4 to week 9 when I brought my puppy home. The other people
that were getting puppies out of the litter were brought in a week 5 to help
socialize them and so they could see the puppies develop. My
breeders went the ultimate step in giving me pick-of-the-litter because I
was getting a service dog. I can’t say that would be the rule, but
since they were not keeping any of the puppies of this litter, they gave
me that choice.
From the very first visit, one particular puppy paid more attention to me than
the rest. Yes, they all paid attention to me and I them, but she
paid special attention and I had noticed her as well as there was just
something about her that I couldn't put my finger on, but I was drawn to.
As the weeks passed, she continued to pay special attention to me.
I socialized every puppy and watched them all, but she kept catching my
eye. By the 6th week, I was becoming pretty sure she would be the
one, but I wanted to give it as much time as I could to be sure, because this
was such an important decision.
At week 7 (day 49 to be exact), my trainer came up and gave her the Volhard
Test and she did great in it as I knew she would. In fact most of
the puppies from that litter I think would have done well in that test because
of all of the work that the breeders put into the litter. The
puppies were also socialized with the 6 adult dogs the breeders had which
is invaluable since dogs can teach each other things that we can’t, like dog
etiquette and boundaries and things like that.
After the test, I made my decision known, not that it was any surprise to the
breeders. So then they let everyone know which puppy they would be
getting. If you have good breeders, they will know the puppies better
than anyone else and they will have also taken the time to get to know you
and your lifestyle and what you plan to do with you puppy so they can
match the right puppy to the right person/family. Everyone was thrilled
at the choices the breeders made and of course I was ecstatic.
At week 8, the breeders had their vet come out and give all of the puppies a
checkup, dewormed them and gave them their first puppy vaccine. We
picked up our puppies just before week 9. I know a lot of people want
their puppies as soon as possible, but those early weeks are extremely
important to the development of the puppies and to be taken away from
their litter-mates too early is not good for them at all. You would be
robbing them of lessons that they can only learn there and at that time.
After that time, the opportunity is lost…so be patient. Allow
the puppies the time they need to be with their litter-mates and mom and
don’t take them home too early. You will have a lifetime with them.
I can’t stress that enough.
So now, I had my puppy at home. Because your puppy isn't fully
vaccinated, it is critical that you do not let you puppy socialize with
any dog that isn't fully vaccinated and you do not want you puppy to go to a
park or anywhere that other dogs go because their immune system isn't
fully developed yet and there are diseases out there that can kill a puppy
like Parvovirus.
I checked with my vet to find out what was prevalent in my area and Parvovirus is, so I literally carried my puppy around everywhere I took her, including to the vet where I didn't let her touch the floor. I wanted to give her exposure to as many things as possible as early as possible, but in a safe way. I took her to my doctor’s office and to my therapist’s office.
I took her in pet friendly stores where I could put her
in the seat of a shopping cart (that, by the way, isn't covered by the
ADA.) In fact the
ADA only covers full service dogs, not service dogs in
training. Service dogs in training are regulated by each state.
In
Oregon where I live for instance, they have given the exact same
rights/privileges to service dogs in training as full service dogs which
is a wonderful thing as real world experience is the best experience. You
do have to know your dog though, and it is up to you to be responsible to
your dog as well as the public and not create a bad situation by either
taking your dog/puppy into an unsafe environment or if your dog exhibits any
kind of aggressive behavior, you need to have that completely under
control BEFORE you take you dog out into public. That is not to
say, you won’t have instances where your dog barks a couple of times.
In fact sometimes, a service dog is trained to bark to alert their
partner of a medical issue or in the case of a hearing dog, to let the partner
that there is someone there. It all depends on each individual situation.
Basic Service Dog Training
Training your dog/puppy is one of the most basic and important things you can
do. It will not only teach the dog
manners and commands, but it will strengthen the bond between you and your
dog. Having a strong bond with a service
dog is extremely important.
Take as many classes you need (or want) to teach your dog the basics and to socialize your dog. They can be a lot of fun and don’t be afraid to take the same class more than once. There will always be different dogs in the class and it will give you and your dog that much more experience. I know depending on where you live there might only be a few training resources available to you, but utilize what you have available. If you like training your dog, you can even get into things like Rally or Obedience or Agility for Competition. There are usually AKC or UKC sponsored classes available that are given my local chapters of each organization. Training can be great fun and provide you and your dog a wonderful outlet to enjoy and learn from at the same time.
Besides the AKC and UKC sponsored classes, I know that PetSmart has classes, but I don’t know much about them. Also, so much depends on the trainer, so I can’t blankly say that all PetSmart Classes are good (or bad).
Currently. I have my dog Kaeley enrolled in the AKC STAR Puppy Class
given by the local AKC Club. The next class is the CGC (Canine Good
Citizen) Class. Your dog does not have to be a purebred to attend
those classes and they are not very expensive (usually about $75.00 for an 8
week class which is really quite inexpensive considering that is 8 full hours
of training over an 8 week period) but are exceptional beginning classes
for both you and your dog.
I have been working with Kaeley quite a bit, especially since she is now fully
vaccinated by taking her with me into stores and to my doctors and I have
even taken her into the hospital when I was having problems. I only do this because she has already
exhibited a lot of basic manners and is of no danger to anyone, other dogs or
disruptive to any situation I and taken her to. Be sure, especially in the
beginning that you start out slowly and choose places that are safe for you
dog. You want all of these experiences to
be positive ones. Having a well
socialized dog is extremely important regardless of whether they will be a
service dog or a pet.
When her service dog Training officially starts on the 8th of Sept., I will
stop socializing her with people and have her concentration solely on me.
Because I want to be able to allow her to be a dog as well as a service
dog, I am planning to use her vest
as the cue to let her know that when the vest is on, she is working and when it
is off, she is a dog and can play. Having a “work” and “release”
command is also good to have if you just want to have a tag instead of a vest
perhaps when it is very hot outside.
Know the Laws
The ADA DOESN’T REQUIRE ANY IDENTIFICATION OR SPECIAL ATTIRE, like a
service dog vest. Personally, I like having the
service dog vest as it clearly shows that Kaeley is a service dog. My vest has a patch that says, “
Service Dog in Training”. As far as what a business can
ask and cannot ask is quite simple. You
can only be asked two questions.
1.)Is your dog is a service dog to help you with a disability?
2.)What task does the dog perform?, i.e. the dog alerts me when I am becoming anxious or that my blood sugar is low (for Diabetics), or the dog helps steady me when I am not balanced.
There are many things a dog can be trained to do and they are all dependent on your particular disability and special training in these areas is what differentiates a service dog from a pet dog.
You can find out about ADA Laws at ADA.gov. There are also many organizations out there that can be very helpful for information and resources. There are also many organization that are downright fraudulent and try to take advantage of those who don’t know the laws. DO YOUR HOMEWORK and check things out in as many places as you can. Compare information. Since I, myself am new to the service dog world, I am learning something every day. This is an area where you need to be your own advocate and be able to handle any question that arises, whether it is regarding a challenge or just someone wanting to know about the laws. It is up to you and your comfort level on how in depth you want to get.
You can be very instrumental in helping people that don’t realize the many types of service dogs that are out there. You might be the first person that they found the courage to approach. Use your new knowledge and the fact that you will gain the attention of many people as you are out with your service dog or service dog in training. With my experience so far, my interaction with people has been really positive. Always present yourself and your dog in a positive way and leave a good impression because you are laying the groundwork for the next Service Dog Team that goes through there. Be a responsible person and keep things like poop bags and moist towels on you whenever you are out. Get a “bait bag” to carry treats. Many of them have additional pockets where you can keep a small supply of cleaning supplies if your dog has an accident in a building. Your dog should be house broken before ever taking it into any public place, but just like people, dogs can be ill or have needs that just pop up even if you potty your dog regularly and you need to be able to take care of it. You can also carry treats to help with training your dog in these bags. I have found them to be invaluable and always have mine on when I take Kaeley out.
There are a number of organizations that can be very helpful in providing resource information, member support through hosting a private support listserv (which acts sort of like a Forum but sends out individual emails as each post is made), legislative notices and involvement as well as numerous other benefits. I belong to a group called Psychiatric Service Dog Partners (PSDP). They have been extremely supportive and have been a great resource when I have been doing research or wanted advice on certain training techniques. They are becoming a non-profit organization and basically already run like one. They are free to join, you only need to email them and they will call you and tell you about the organization and see if they would be of benefit to you. I wouldn't be nearly as far along if it weren't for their help and the help of my trainers.
Training yourself, with the help of a
trainer or have your dog trained
You can train you service dog yourself, train your dog with the help of a
trainer or have your dog trained for you. Each one of those options
have their own advantages and costs. Obviously training the dog yourself
is the least expensive option and if you are confident in your abilities
and do your homework, you can find books and DVDs on the subject and train
your dog so it can pass the
Public Access Test (PAT). THERE IS NO
REASON THAT YOU CANNOT
TRAIN YOUR OWN SERVICE DOG. Just like you can
train your dog to sit or lay down, you can train it to do what you need it to
do for your particular disability, whether it is to alert you to increasing
anxiety or to take your medication or you need it to steady you or pick up
something you dropped. All of that behavior is trainable. I am not
an expert on how all of it works, especially the more medical side of
training, but I do know that dogs sense things they we ourselves don’t.
They can detect different odors that could signal a drop in blood
sugar for instance. They can recognize when you are getting stressed
and you can train them to “snap you out of it” or to remove you from the
situation/find the nearest exit. You can train them to get between
you and someone else that is getting too close to you.
I am using a trainer, Dogs for Invisible Disabilities, to help me because I am somewhat dyslexic and don’t read and retain well and I also have major issues with self-esteem that can take me way down and feel like I am ruining everything when the fact is, everything is fine and I am overreacting. For me personally, having a trainer there to help me and be that third party to be able to see what is really going on is very important. That is me though, and you could be totally fine in those areas. So much of this is individualized. That is another reason I think being involved with the training of your dog is important. It allows you to see exactly what is going into it and how to do it and why certain things work and others don’t. Having a trainer for me also gives me access to different thoughts and from someone with a lot more experience and training than I have.
You can do what I am doing and work with a trainer, but still do most of the
work yourself and at the end of the training period, they can administer
the
PAT.
The last option, which of course it the most expensive is to give your dog to someone to train and return it to you trained and ready for you to do your part of the learning so that you can take the PAT as a team. Just so you know, the PAT is NOT required for service dog work. It is however a good measurement on how well you and your dog are doing and if it is truly ready to be a Full Service Dog.
All of this depends on your comfort level and how much research you want to do.
I recommend that you learn the laws regardless of how your dog is
trained. If you are ever challenged, you need to be able to respond
properly and correctly. Knowing your rights and the rights of your service
dog is imperative, so doing your homework there is invaluable. I am
not saying that you have to become a lawyer, but being well versed in your
state laws regarding service dogs in training and service dogs, and
knowing the ADA Laws is something that you do need to know.
I am not trying to direct you in any specific direction. I am simply
trying to show you the options that exist and tell you why I made the
decision that I made. If any of this information is helpful, use it to
get what you need…anything else, you can disregard.
One thing to be aware of is that until you and your dog becomes a Full Service
Dog Team you will not have the protection of the ADA law, only state law
and as I mentioned, that varies by state. If you choose this route, you can do
the training which usually takes between 1 and 2 years, then you and your
dog, as a team take the PAT from someone or an organization trained to
administer the test. Keep in mind that
there are no organizations that are “certified” to administer the PAT
regardless of what they might say or what you might hear. Once your dog is able to pass a PAT and
assist you with your disability is when you can start calling your dog a Full Service
Dog and have the ADA protection.
I hope that you have found beneficial information in what I have written.
Like I said, I am very new to this and am learning every day. I have
days where Kaeley and I make great strides and others where we seem to stand
still. That is natural and things like training is cyclical. I
was told by someone that in dog training, “slow is fast”…and I can see
that is true. The younger your dog is the shorter their attention span
will be, just as it is with a child. It is better to do a few 5
minute sessions per day sometimes that try to do an hour of training all at
once, especially if you are training a puppy. I know from
the classes I take Kaeley to, that by the end of that hour, she is tired
and wants to either play or rest.
Always be attentive to your dog and give your dog everything you can from
proper nutrition and veterinary care to proper socialization and exposure to
other people of all ages, genders and types as well as other safe dogs. If you do these things, you will be rewarded
beyond your imagination. Just remember everything takes time.
My best wishes to all of you and good luck in whatever choice you choose.
Steven Scott - freelance writer & contributor to Vests For Service Dogs
Photos of Steven and Kaeley were taken by Stacey Keys of Keys to Your Heart Photography
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