tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71935735391858427292024-03-24T16:32:37.118-07:00Growing Up Guide PupA blog about puppy raising, service dogs, and Growing Up Guide Pup in general.Growing Up Guide Puphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06182057241687420397noreply@blogger.comBlogger30125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-63424537969508249012016-03-15T08:00:00.000-07:002016-03-15T08:00:20.039-07:00My puppy keeps barking!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barking is a natural behavior for dogs, and some dogs bark more than others. Some bark at certain things, some bark at everything. Sometimes it is an alert bark, sometimes a happy bark, or sometimes a protective bark. But for a service dog, barking is almost always a no-no. Nobody wants to be seated in a restaurant at a table next to a dog that barks because they heard a noise or someone that looks weird to them walks by. Or be in a hotel room next to another room that has a dog staying in it that barks at every bump or noise. One of the worst is walking with your own dog and having someone else walk by with a crazy reactive dog that goes nuts when it sees your dog. Unfortunately, I seem to be the poor person walking by with the crazy dog-reactive dog.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patrick barking at other dogs has been an issue since we got him as a baby puppy. He is great with dogs he knows but very reactive when he sees dogs he doesn’t know. Around 14-16 weeks of age he was making pretty good progress and doing better and we were very excited by his progress. And then while on a hike (on a trail where dogs are supposed to be leashed) an off-leash Golden came running up to Patrick, Ricki, and me. It stood in front of us and stared. Well, Patrick really didn’t like that and went into a huge barking fit that went on even after the owner of the dog came and took it away from us. That one moment set Patrick’s progress back—all the hard work and training seemed to just disappear. After that day, Patrick was very reactive with almost every dog he saw on a walk or out in public. We had to start our training all over again.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb57izMjigDvLzlhaEr6je3S3qSjqVUk2S4otYkXN_cDtG2nt1O9_UOgtqgedKQqoMpDheiEktHcrn24Gd2Pvq32ad1OUxOdhEJy-ETEzq1CNtbaQeDyT74kMRkZwRHQ3p8FLfYn1aGH91/s1600/FB_IMG_1458015123083.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb57izMjigDvLzlhaEr6je3S3qSjqVUk2S4otYkXN_cDtG2nt1O9_UOgtqgedKQqoMpDheiEktHcrn24Gd2Pvq32ad1OUxOdhEJy-ETEzq1CNtbaQeDyT74kMRkZwRHQ3p8FLfYn1aGH91/s320/FB_IMG_1458015123083.jpg" width="180" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How can you fix this issue? Every dog is different and will respond to training differently. This is our first time working a puppy through this specific issue. I have raised puppies in the past that were very fearful of different situations and the best thing for them was to take a break for a few weeks and not expose them to what was bothering them. Patrick, on the other hand, does better the more stimuli you give him. As an experiment I decided to take him to a pet expo a few months ago where we knew lots of dogs would be there. He barked a little bit with excitement when I got him out of the car, but then no more while we were there. Although I had a hard time keeping him from pulling at times while walking, to my surprise he was quiet despite being around over 100 strange dogs. Now this hasn’t fixed the problem but it was definitely a step in the right direction. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Since then I have been working Patrick to walk quietly around dog parks—not in them, just around them. There are multiple dog parks close to where we live, so it is easy to work him at many different locations. My goal is to be able to walk Patrick up to the fence and have him watch the other dogs inside running and playing, all while being able to remain calm and quiet. We aren’t there yet but making baby steps. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqr5jtMBqlhI17qAn_MjxD0ceD84jYNQ1hX0M5bB9jPlOQ2geBJyyg-3NdKicnvFDoUhCAC-xZDSdJQ3p7b4edSNOxB0RJVnvtH9PArDo3Moivh2dJ9yfBOD9sD-E6fTQppZzhyphenhyphenqnKKJIC/s1600/FB_IMG_1458015145990.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqr5jtMBqlhI17qAn_MjxD0ceD84jYNQ1hX0M5bB9jPlOQ2geBJyyg-3NdKicnvFDoUhCAC-xZDSdJQ3p7b4edSNOxB0RJVnvtH9PArDo3Moivh2dJ9yfBOD9sD-E6fTQppZzhyphenhyphenqnKKJIC/s320/FB_IMG_1458015145990.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are also making trips to pet store, where the goal is to be able to walk calmly and quietly through the store even if he sees another dog. Once again, he isn’t perfect at this yet, but making progress. For me, it is a lot less embarrassing to be in a store that allows dogs if Patrick lets out a bark or two, than in a store where we may run into a pet dressed as a service dog and he lets out a couple of barks (and yes, this has happened). </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patrick can smell if there is a dog close by him and his body language does change. One time, we were shopping in Target and I noticed his body language change. Sure enough, someone was passing by with a small dog in the shopping cart. I got lucky that Patrick didn’t see it in the cart and we were able to continue without any outbursts. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are also now attending dog training classes to get Patrick around other dogs in a controlled setting. I purposely put him in a class called “dogs with attitudes” so that he would at times be “set up” to be around other dogs that bark at things, because he will often bark if another dog by him barks first. After attending two classes I already see some improvement. I did have to laugh a little bit when I first joined that out of the seven dogs in attendance five of them were German Shepherds. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I will admit that I do get a little anxiety when working Patrick in public. I never know when we will come across another dog. While Patrick is doing much better when multiple dogs are around him, it seems to be the surprise appearance of a single dog that sets him off the most. His barking is embarrassing at times.One time we were walking in a mall and he saw another dog across they way and barked. He completely frightened the people walking in front of us, who had no idea that Patrick was behind them. Not to mention that a 65-pound Shepherd barking can be a little scary to some people. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Another time we were having lunch with a friend and were seated outside on the sidewalk because Ricki and Ozzy were there as well. Along came a person walking down the sidewalk with their dog. That dog barked at us and then everyone was barking. That was probably our most embarrassing moment. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9s0LDuHhM9bxxYMfHEr1lJDPAHmo1gunmWvecuO3C8Eb9Wjz8UBZou1Nyx7ybcVjsoE2s1_RWv6Q0xR3FDInD0u6TTrCy4LJgnpFszE0hZ4N3l6vTea5NlRVyWj8YlF4PdzdFPBehSv7/s1600/FB_IMG_1457939704680.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji9s0LDuHhM9bxxYMfHEr1lJDPAHmo1gunmWvecuO3C8Eb9Wjz8UBZou1Nyx7ybcVjsoE2s1_RWv6Q0xR3FDInD0u6TTrCy4LJgnpFszE0hZ4N3l6vTea5NlRVyWj8YlF4PdzdFPBehSv7/s320/FB_IMG_1457939704680.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patrick’s barking issue isn’t going to away overnight. Issues like this take a lot of time, work, guidance, and patience to get through. Despite this issue being frustrating and embarrassing at times, I still have high hopes for Patrick. He has been making progress in the right direction and he is so solid on almost every other aspect a working service dog needs. He settles nicely, has great relieving habits, is very confident, super smart, loves to learn new things, and most of all seems to love to work. I hope that by sharing some of my struggles with Patrick’s training I can help other people who are raising not feel so alone with their struggles. Puppy raising is a journey with good days and, well, let’s just say not so good days. I have learned with past puppies not to give up when things are hard—sometimes they will really surprise you. Some puppies take a little longer to mature and learn, so give them a chance to grow and learn at their pace. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Amie</span><br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-34321183500247545202016-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:002016-03-01T08:00:10.384-08:00Don't get your kid a dogWhen I was seven, like a lot of kids, I asked my parents for a dog. Like most (smart) parents, they said no. They told me I could have one when I turned nine.<br />
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I turned nine. They said I could have a dog when I was 13.<br />
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I used to be kind of bitter about this. Many of my friends' families had dogs, and <i>they</i> didn't have to be 13. How unfair!<br />
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But as I've gotten older, I realized that what my parents did was brilliant. And if they hadn't, I doubt I would be the type of dog person I am today.<br />
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Since I had to wait for what seemed like forever for my first dog, I researched. Well, as much as an elementary-school kid can. I went to after school care at the local Rec Center, where once a week or so they'd troop all of us off to the library down the street. Methodically, I managed to check out and read every single book in their dog section. Every week, I'd return the five or so books I'd taken the past week and get the next five on the shelf.<br />
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I learned about all the different breeds I could. My parents thought it was a hilarious trick that I could be walking down the street and immediately rattle off the breed of every dog we passed. I learned about what happened when you put time and effort into training a dog, and what happened when you didn't. I learned about The Seeing Eye, the oldest guide dog school in America, based in Morristown, New Jersey. I realized that my dream dog (at that time a German Shepherd) was probably not the best choice to have in a townhouse where it would have to amuse itself alone for six to eight hours.<br />
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By the time my parents and I seriously began our search for my first dog, I knew pretty well how to pick a dog suited to our lifestyle. We needed a young adult dog; nobody was ready or willing to take on the challenge of a puppy. We could offer about an hour of walking a day, so a high-energy large dog was out of the question. Short coat was a must, since extensive grooming wasn't and still isn't my favorite thing. We decided to adopt, and went through several shelters before arriving at Pets In Need, a rescue I'd done a report on in sixth grade. (When I was in school, if you gave me an open-ended project you could bet money that it would either be about Jackie Robinson or dogs.)<br />
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There, we found Buddy, a black Lab mix with some emotional baggage. I wanted him; the parents were less sure. Finally, I convinced them. My mom called Pets In Need and discovered that just that morning, someone had walked in and adopted this dog who had been in Pets In Need's care for more than twelve months.<br />
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I was devastated. But just a short time later, Pets In Need called to tell us that a two-year-old female Doberman mix had come in, and they thought she'd be perfect for us. She was gorgeous. She was sweet. She wasn't loud or pushy. She, like Buddy, had certain baggage; she had had at least one litter, and had a somewhat shy and reserved temperament. We brought her home and named her Angel (not because she was so lovely, oh no—because I was and still am obsessed with Buffy the Vampire Slayer and she <i>had</i> to be named for the vampire with a soul, Angel).<br />
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Lots of kids, when their parents get them dogs as soon as they ask for them, lose interest fairly quickly. To be honest, parents need to expect that on some level, and not turn the dog into some kind of life lesson where if the child forgets to walk him, the parent returns the dog to the shelter (yes, this happens). I, on the other hand, had been waiting six years for this dog. I was so ready. I had enrolled us in a training class, I was getting up early to walk her before school; if Angel needed something, I was going to do it. Except for walking her alone late at night, which became my dad's job.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angel and me a few weeks after we got her.</td></tr>
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I made a ton of mistakes with Angel, and she taught me a lot. I still cringe when I think about how often I walked her on a Flexi leash let out to its full length, or how I let other dogs get in her face to "say hi." I did not keep her nails nearly as short as they should have been. I also let her wear nylon collars her whole life (mea culpa!).<br />
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But Angel was a perfect first dog. Within three days of coming home, she was refusing to be confined in the dog-proof front hallway. So we let her have the run of the house, and she never destroyed a thing or stole a morsel of food. She was super food-motivated, so I had a fantastic time in training classes with her. She learned to be a lady in public, and everyone loved her. I was able to take her anywhere that dogs were welcome and know that she would behave properly. She wasn't a service dog, but looking at old photos, I realized that we did do a rudimentary type of deep pressure therapy together.<br />
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Angel did freak out during thunderstorms and when she heard fireworks, but otherwise, you couldn't have asked for more in a dog. I was heartbroken to leave her with my parents when I went to college, and crushed when she passed away while I was in Michigan in December of 2007, and not home with her.<br />
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Because of Angel, and how I had to work and wait for her, I was a much better dog person when I got Juno, my wild woman turned service dog. Angel taught me how great life with a dog is when you fulfill that dog's needs. I don't just mean food and shelter—I mean proper exercise, mental stimulation, and affection. She also taught me that Dobermans are the best. I'd known Dobermans most of my life, as my childhood best friend always had a rescue Dobe in the house, but being quite a short person, I was often intimidated by them. They were basically at eye level with me a lot of the time, after all. But once I got Angel, I knew I always wanted a Doberman or Doberman mix in my life.<br />
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Without the work and wait for Angel, and the rewards that followed, I wouldn't have become so passionate about dogs and dog training. It's not enough just to love dogs. I was and am constantly learning new things about dog body language, dog etiquette, dog training, the works. I am convinced that you cannot be a successful owner-trainer of a service dog unless you are devoted to learning constantly about dogs in general and training specifically, as well as doing all you can to improve your own training techniques. Training has to be something you think about every single day, something you're passionate about, something you want to talk with people about endlessly.<br />
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I doubt I would have developed my passion, and therefore my skills, if my parents hadn't made me wait six long years for a dog. So, Mom and Dad—thanks for NOT getting me a dog when I asked for one. It was a really good decision, and one I'll be grateful for the rest of my life.<br />
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Colt<br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-229374281868836102016-02-16T08:00:00.000-08:002016-02-16T08:00:02.999-08:00Dobermans are service dogs, too!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you might have guessed, my service dog, Kaline, is a Doberman. It's not a breed that is commonly used in the service dog world, although they are gaining some popularity. Working a Doberman can sometimes be a bit different than working a Lab or Golden.<br />
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Happily for me, Kaline generally does not get questioned as to his legitimacy due to his breed. We do get a ton of comments along the lines of: "I didn't know THEY used Dobermans as service dogs!" (No word yet on the identity of the mysterious "they.") The one major access challenge we've had as a team, oddly, was because of his custom-made, very professional-looking mobility harness. Apparently it looked like some sort of extreme control device. (Pro-tip: If you try to control a dog's movements with a mobility harness, you will fail. Spectacularly.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline in his big mobility harness.</td></tr>
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Most of the public seems conditioned to think that dogs of a certain (read: medium to large) size wearing service dog gear are "real." This has worked out nicely for me with Juno, a big black mutt who does look a little Labby, and with Kaline. You will get a little more scrutiny with an uncommon breed, as far as behavior goes, but it's generally not extreme. Obviously this is not so handy for handlers of small service dogs, who regardless of breed or impeccable behavior, seem to be viewed largely with suspicion.<br />
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If you love taking advantage of photo opportunities, Dobermans will certainly help you there. Kaline, anyway, is a huge ham. He absolutely loves to pose for photos. Where some dogs (read: Juno) require high-value bribery like string cheese to put their ears up nicely for a picture, all Kaline needs to see is that camera. Once, while he was having an off-duty romp at a beach, Kaline galloped past a guy with a massive camera who was getting pictures of the scene. Kaline screeched to a stop, made a U-turn, and began cavorting in front of the camera, much to the photographer's delight. While I don't usually like to be in photos myself, I love few things more than taking photos of Kaline looking handsome.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This was a completely irresistible photo-op.</td></tr>
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The big issue Kaline's breed can cause is some bizarre questions and assumptions from members of the public. If I had a dollar for every time someone tried to begin a conversation by asking, "Does he bite?" Kaline's collar collection would be twice the size it is now. This should go without saying but: 1) all creatures with teeth have the capability to bite, and 2) any dog who is likely to bite without provocation should not, and generally is not, working as a service dog.<br />
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Many children will ask if he's a police dog, which I find completely adorable. Less than adorable is when parents, though usually not on a regular basis, use Kaline's breed to frighten their children away from him. While I appreciate parents who educate their kids about why they shouldn't pet working dogs, it's quite unnecessary to tell the children that if they go up to Kaline he will bite them. Kaline's major failing with kids is he <i>really</i> loves to kiss them. And given that he's at face level with small children, sometimes that can surprise and startle them; this is why he only gets to greet kids taller than he is.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">"Of course I would love to pose on this rock!"</span></td></tr>
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And then there are what I like to call the storytellers. Every service dog handler can tell you about the innumerable times someone has interrupted an errand to tell them, "My dog at home looks <i>just</i> like yours! Only a different breed, size, color, and gender. ... She died last night." When you have a Doberman, or other perceived "scary" breed, you get a special kind of storyteller. These are the people who, after they've asked permission to pet your Doberman, will launch into a long and intensely uncomfortable story about how they, or their sister's boyfriend's second cousin once removed, was horribly mauled by a Doberman. That's when you smile and nod—and wish you could just disappear.<br />
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You might wonder why Dobermans are so uncommon, given how fantastic they can be as working dogs. Being taller than most Labs and Goldens, they can be a better choice for people who need mobility. They tend to be very in-tune with their handlers' emotions, a plus as long as you can keep that from becoming serious separation anxiety or overprotectiveness. They're incredibly snuggly and delightfully low-maintenance when it comes to grooming. They're also fun to train and quite intelligent, if not so very biddable as Labs and Goldens.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A love of snuggling means Kaline is great at deep-pressure therapy.</td></tr>
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However, Dobes tend not to be the best choice for first-time owner-trainers or handlers. They're much more likely to give you the "<i>Make</i> me, why don't you" face than a Lab or a Golden. They can also become overprotective if their handler isn't careful to curb those tendencies. They are a guarding breed, after all, and if the handler allows it, a Doberman will take on the handling of a situation, which can end badly for everyone.<br />
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They're also well-known for health problems, despite the tireless work of ethical breeders. One of the major health issues that crops up in Dobermans, as well as the most devastating, is dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart disorder that is inevitably fatal. It generally crops up in older dogs, and there isn't yet a reliable genetic test for it. By the time a breeder learns that one of their dogs has the condition, the dog is likely to have been bred already.<br />
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Dobermans aren't the greatest candidates for service dog programs, in the sense that they tend to bond very strongly to their person, and may have major difficulties shifting that bond to a trainer or trainers, and then again to a new handler. While you can't go on autopilot with any dog and expect it to maintain its training without regular refreshers, doing this with a Doberman can be especially bad.<br />
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Then you have the diva aspect. Dobermans' shiny, beautiful coats are pretty much only for show. They get cold very easily, and aren't shy in the least about informing you about their distaste for the situation. If I take Kaline to a baseball game in Oakland in the summer, for example, and don't bring his various jackets and his cocoon-blankie, he will shiver dramatically, fix me with utterly miserable puppy dog eyes, and poke me every inning to see if it's finally time to go. Ask him to lie down on a marble floor without his mat, and he'll drop his head into your lap and stare at you mournfully: "But it's so <i>cold</i> on the floor. I couldn't <i>possibly </i>lie down <i>here.</i>"<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline enjoying summertime at the ballpark.</td></tr>
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There's also the fact that almost nothing pre-made will fit them. This works out pretty well for me, since I'm a complete gear-nut and have several friends who make high-quality custom harnesses and other equipment. Nonetheless, it does tend to get expensive, and it was quite sad when the PetJoy vest that I loved to use on Juno just would not fit Kaline, no matter how I adjusted it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My favorite old vest. Alas.</td></tr>
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The best part of working a Doberman, when it comes to the general public, is that you attract other Doberman people. I was somewhat prepared for this, having graduated from the University of Michigan. If you wear Michigan gear anywhere in the world, you will inevitably be greeted with cries of "Go Blue!" from perfect strangers who also went to Michigan (we're everywhere). It's very similar with a Doberman. Since Dobes are not terribly common, either as working dogs or pets, lovers of the breed tend to get delightfully enthusiastic when they see one out working as a service dog.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sometimes we attract both fellow Wolverines <i>and</i> Doberman aficionados.</td></tr>
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It's lovely being able to educate receptive people about the versatility and all-around greatness of the breed. Like any breed, they're not for every person. But many times, when someone who has been scared of Dobermans all their life sees one working calmly and quietly in public, that can be just the impetus they need to ask some questions and find out that Dobes aren't scary after all. Kaline, even though his breed as a whole is usually fairly aloof with strangers, loves getting to say hi to new friends, and is so sweet and goofy that he can usually change people's minds about his breed. There are few things more gratifying than opening someone's mind about Dobermans.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline makes a new buddy.</td></tr>
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Colt<br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-85966898425409221022016-02-09T08:00:00.000-08:002016-02-09T08:00:20.022-08:00Why I call my service dog medical equipment<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nv1FztmY-daJiuSTVHbih_gkFe9dxPRmgFHPn4GSlVqc7Rn36Ksm1r4RiUDHk3MWjfgrubvN2MWIpoEpn6XbCQAZINOXyTf-v8z9Z223-IWP5iR0oVPDs3nUKws8bHdLqKTUFGdo3tY4/s1600/Sulley%2527s+Cards.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nv1FztmY-daJiuSTVHbih_gkFe9dxPRmgFHPn4GSlVqc7Rn36Ksm1r4RiUDHk3MWjfgrubvN2MWIpoEpn6XbCQAZINOXyTf-v8z9Z223-IWP5iR0oVPDs3nUKws8bHdLqKTUFGdo3tY4/s320/Sulley%2527s+Cards.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Medical equipment comes in many forms to help mitigate many types of disabilities. There are wheelchairs, insulin pumps, canes, oxygen tanks, and more. There are also dogs. Yes, those cute, cuddly, lovable creatures that many of us just ooh and ahh over. As a dog lover myself, I definitely get that big smile and sometimes the giggles as I see a cute pup or a breed I love walking down the street or playing with their owner in the park. However, there's a <i>big </i>difference between a pet dog and a service dog. The latter is, indeed, medical equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When my service dog, Sulley, gears up and we head out that door, he is working. He's no longer just a dog. Really, he isn't a dog anymore. He's my highly trained and very much needed medical equipment. He is my monitor for my anxiety levels to let me know before it gets out of control. He is my guide when fibromyalgia leaves me in a heavy fog and I can't think or function well. He's my movement when my legs feel like they are on fire, or when I'm extremely fatigued from living with chronic pain. He's my hands when I drop something and I worry that bending down will mean vertigo and a possible fall. He becomes as much an extension of me as any other medical equipment does for another disabled individual. He serves a very important purpose: to keep me safe and able to live my life. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi355qZ-1dyt59m3WIzLFjR_jaD6S8dUvOPXvXGulZnjmv-7jdT2MMfTLpOpd7LUmZj4WneY3xAycu_qEGN5_2GhjqehBknp-OXbQe0QIK5Nwg4VGDF3mJHKIg8O6Rqqhl0iT6Z6L8-4JkC/s1600/Disney+hands+wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi355qZ-1dyt59m3WIzLFjR_jaD6S8dUvOPXvXGulZnjmv-7jdT2MMfTLpOpd7LUmZj4WneY3xAycu_qEGN5_2GhjqehBknp-OXbQe0QIK5Nwg4VGDF3mJHKIg8O6Rqqhl0iT6Z6L8-4JkC/s320/Disney+hands+wall.jpg" width="174" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recently we took a trip to one of our favorite places, Disneyland! Sulley loves it because it means <i>lots</i> of work. The crowds, the noises, and other distractions can be very triggering and very difficult for me to deal with. Without Sulley, there's no chance I would be capable of going and enjoying as much of it as I do. There's another aspect of it, though, beyond the basic over-stimulation of the parks, that makes it tough for me as a disabled individual who uses medical equipment—particularly the kind that is furry with a beating heart.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Oh my <i>gosh</i>! Quick, kids! Look at the doggie! Look, look, look! Say, 'Hi, doggie!' He's so cute!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Now, some of you might not understand what the big deal is. A parent is simply helping her children to enjoy a moment of a very adorable dog passing by. They might not even be encouraging their kids to pet, though that does happen despite Sulley's multiple stop signs and "do not pet" patches affixed to his vest and harness. Fortunately, this is such a frequent occurrence that I can share a few things that have happened in the past.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Due to my panic disorder, I startle extremely easily. Loud screams, even of joy, can cause me to fall and hurt myself, cause a panic attack, cause me to have such a sudden burst—then decrease—of adrenaline that it leaves me very dizzy and fatigued.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QnE91Qb6dIwRURMvSpOKwd-teA7pzvbmr7Tby9GJjnMr92u5Rq-AK7mlI96SyyHMvXiinusITaO_vW0PkK7gBFttb8LZn3KrjNmwhnlhxi8jjyMbfWORfo6JzNbH1IYMNFQwt3BDKyOO/s1600/Give+space+patch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8QnE91Qb6dIwRURMvSpOKwd-teA7pzvbmr7Tby9GJjnMr92u5Rq-AK7mlI96SyyHMvXiinusITaO_vW0PkK7gBFttb8LZn3KrjNmwhnlhxi8jjyMbfWORfo6JzNbH1IYMNFQwt3BDKyOO/s320/Give+space+patch.jpg" width="221" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) These noises can distract my service dog from his job due to him needing to investigate the sound, even for a second, to determine what caused it. If he's in the middle of mobility work and needs to turn quickly to investigate a sound, that can put me in harm's way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">3) He could attempt to seek attention, as he is still a dog and has off days, which would require me to correct him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In these situations, I do my best to make a short but educational statement to people while still moving on. Confrontation is very taxing on me and can trigger my anxiety, so by keeping it short and to the point, I hope to avoid any medical issues on my end. This, in turn, makes it so the cute dog they want to enjoy doesn't have to work harder after an anxiety attack from a confrontation.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Do not distract my service dog. He's working."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My point here is clear, at least to me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">1) Do not distract my service dog. (This is a service dog who needs to focus.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">2) He's working. (This dog has a job.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVze1XQ4zsHSH9KIIn80frHlFoeBDPJ6qneBu5-uwVdTB2bwZTD4ahyphenhypheneEcUt-_mloyKdQkwNnbCqFYKNpF7iKIv8yQ9XTOlMYBpFa_BX_psiNN5Yk4XpM9VxUjtLL86bq3-lxOpONcxWlV/s1600/Sulley+and+credit+card.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVze1XQ4zsHSH9KIIn80frHlFoeBDPJ6qneBu5-uwVdTB2bwZTD4ahyphenhypheneEcUt-_mloyKdQkwNnbCqFYKNpF7iKIv8yQ9XTOlMYBpFa_BX_psiNN5Yk4XpM9VxUjtLL86bq3-lxOpONcxWlV/s320/Sulley+and+credit+card.jpg" width="179" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sulley after retrieving a credit card on the floor and placing it back on the counter.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sadly, this is all too often met with hostility. I'm called everything from "rude" to many various expletives. I'm yelled at because "we were just saying hi!" I'm told I shouldn't have a dog in public that can't be played with.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This particular trip, it dawned on me that there was something happening with these exchanges. They didn't see or hear "<i>service</i> dog." They saw and heard "service <i>dog." </i>No emphasis in the world would help them see past the word that meant "adorable fluffy plaything here for my entertainment." They couldn't see the harm in greeting, petting, calling a dog. Obviously, he's friendly and not a biter. What's the harm? They saw a dog. They didn't see medical equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The remainder of the trip, I practiced. I do my best to practice responses to people so that my anxiety won't get in the way of what I want to say. The rest of the day and back at the hotel room, I practiced. I asked friends to randomly pop questions about my dog at me. I failed at responses over and over, and grinned when I would finally get one right. The next day, I felt a bit better. I felt nervous, but ready to deliver my new responses to the public when they intruded on my day.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcEU-IeyguAyrP_2J7WrkHX_eWPVMgmkNS9V_fIHRiFQbd3uU2sWtln4_aKApqTol7nfjIJZ1RJuYAmhH6hAajM13uC7vqJ7_Gp3YuXjbQXhAsINL1kvz3xjR5i0EqgizkbANOJbvap6e/s1600/DPT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAcEU-IeyguAyrP_2J7WrkHX_eWPVMgmkNS9V_fIHRiFQbd3uU2sWtln4_aKApqTol7nfjIJZ1RJuYAmhH6hAajM13uC7vqJ7_Gp3YuXjbQXhAsINL1kvz3xjR5i0EqgizkbANOJbvap6e/s320/DPT.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sulley doing deep pressure therapy to lessen a fibromyalgia flare or panic attack.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sulley is no longer a service dog. He is, and always has been, my medical equipment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I placed Sulley in the crate provided at the roller coaster and began to board. An employee ran over while I struggled into my seat, squealing about my cute dog and demanding to know his breed.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Deep breaths. You've got this. You practiced countless times.</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I don't feel comfortable discussing my medical equipment."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>She looks confused. Please go away ...</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"No, no. I mean your <i>dog</i>!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>More deep breaths. Stay calm, you've got this!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"No, you mean my medical equipment."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>NAILED IT! Did you see that lightbulb come on?!</i></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Just as the employee scowled a bit and rolled her eyes, there was a pause. I could see it click in her head. She never even thought that the dog, my dog, was medical equipment. It lit a fire in me. The rest of the day, I struggled through getting the proper words out. It began to get a bit easier. I began plotting new ways to say things. What to say if someone said something terrible back to me. It was brilliant!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneOChgy89CCTYP9RpSN7moihSO0kUkhWAFmbcGdKHt3Bnd8Mec_6Zcts8YTrH9ag6v5M7_VrnvkyUcccqpNsweGjlw1wbNKzma8nlCo-lcANI2F34Ud0t4oWjrxcEvxi2HwCd2q6y-UE3/s1600/With+Pluto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneOChgy89CCTYP9RpSN7moihSO0kUkhWAFmbcGdKHt3Bnd8Mec_6Zcts8YTrH9ag6v5M7_VrnvkyUcccqpNsweGjlw1wbNKzma8nlCo-lcANI2F34Ud0t4oWjrxcEvxi2HwCd2q6y-UE3/s320/With+Pluto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I felt confident and self assured that I could handle these confrontations. More and more people throughout the day had their lights turned on. Even if it was just a teeny spark, it happened every single time. Something that never happened when I explained him as a service dog.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Ma'am, keep your child away from my medical equipment."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Sir, do not distract my medical equipment."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"Interfering with my medical equipment is a crime."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">"I am not comfortable discussing my medical equipment." (Insert rude reply.) " ... And that is <i>why </i>I am not comfortable. Good day!"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On an ending note, I would like to point out that never once do I say "sorry" or "please." When it comes to my safety and that of my dedicated medical equipment, it is never, <i>ever </i>a request. I also will not apologize for not wanting to be grilled about my medical equipment, or having it played with or distracted. This does not make me rude. It makes the person forcing their way into my personal space, and interfering with Sulley, rude.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">No one, disabled or otherwise, deserves to feel intruded upon or made into a spectacle. Remember that service dogs are medical equipment, and respect their and their handlers' space.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Kymi</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RiVc3gB3vFkqZcq9iB1Hh-jVp_L9MAZ3tJ3N1c9dtzbbFvUCG7KvFnPEv7piwPCL6XVfY6OCpG9g11aJaKAo7UFFC7Ec-0hPNYm4s37kVpvR9SZOxeRErziRrKKlmPMwfXpQwwot7u-n/s1600/At+Disney+museum.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RiVc3gB3vFkqZcq9iB1Hh-jVp_L9MAZ3tJ3N1c9dtzbbFvUCG7KvFnPEv7piwPCL6XVfY6OCpG9g11aJaKAo7UFFC7Ec-0hPNYm4s37kVpvR9SZOxeRErziRrKKlmPMwfXpQwwot7u-n/s320/At+Disney+museum.jpg" width="179" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-80369844840113348812016-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:002016-02-02T08:00:18.240-08:00The rights of businesses<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<span style="font-family: 'helvetica neue', arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Most people are aware that service dogs must be permitted to accompany their disabled handlers into non-pet friendly businesses. Unfortunately, many business owners are not aware that they too have rights concerning service dogs, and whether or not those service dogs are legally allowed to be in their business. There is much misinformation and fear surrounding the rights of service dog handlers, and thus, business owners. This article hopes to clear up some of these misconceptions, and to educate businesses on their rights, outlined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What is a service dog?</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The Americans with Disabilities Act defines a Service Animal as:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">“A dog that has been house broken and individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability. The task(s) performed by the dog must be directly related to the person's disability.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Contrary to popular misconception, a service dog can be any bree</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">d, or combination of breeds, of any dog. This could be your standard Labrador Retriever, or it could be a Terrier mix. Breeds are not discounted based on size, breed specific legislation, or public opinion. I personally work an American Bulldog/English Pointer mix named Cow. You cannot determine whether or not a dog is a service dog just by looking at their appearance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">You also cannot determine a service dog by the gear they are wearing. The ADA permits disabled handlers to work their service dog in whatever gear they so choose; this includes working the dog completely free of any identifying gear. Some handlers choose to dress their dogs in a singular vest or cape with patches identifying the dog, and possibly asking the public not to pet or distract the dog. Some handlers require more intricate gear to accommodate their disability, such as a guide harness, or a mobility harness. Some handlers use a simple bandanna, a leash wrap stating "service dog," or no gear at all.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrakJ_ZQstEAQW4hz2EpC0ToCHkfkDDhRZCHpoKZ6pGT9TqvQAnAASGxsaQ0ZzAjy8omM3W4ezYz9KxWNRgtjvCveIoBbVxWbWEYIkz7V43QhvMwZeBSLx-AVq51Jfx2neLgcxJJvAkXU/s1600/Cow+face.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMrakJ_ZQstEAQW4hz2EpC0ToCHkfkDDhRZCHpoKZ6pGT9TqvQAnAASGxsaQ0ZzAjy8omM3W4ezYz9KxWNRgtjvCveIoBbVxWbWEYIkz7V43QhvMwZeBSLx-AVq51Jfx2neLgcxJJvAkXU/s320/Cow+face.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What if I don't think a dog is a service dog?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This is a fair question. Unfortunately, as any business owner will tell you, there has been an influx of pet owners dressing up their pets in vests and bringing them in public by claiming they are a service dog. Most businesses leave it at that, despite the dog’s misbehavior, out of fear or being sued or vilified by the media for discrimination.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As a business owner or employee, you have quite a few rights in this situation. First, per the ADA, you are allowed to ask two questions of any service dog handler:</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">(1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task.”</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What do they mean by "task"? A task is considered any trained behavior that mitigates the handler’s disability. For example, this includes, but is not limited to, mobility and balance assistance, medical alert (cardiac alert, diabetic alert, seizure alert, blood pressure alert, etc.), guiding, alerting their Deaf handler to sounds, pulling wheelchairs, picking up dropped items, performing grounding tasks for psychiatric disorders, medication reminders, seizure response, blocking the individual from a crowd, removing the dissociated handler from the public space, alerting a person with PTSD that a stranger is coming up behind them, and more. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What is </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">NOT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">meant by "task," includes, but is not limited to, emotional support, comfort, protection, intimidation, or any other benefits unrelated to disability. While service dogs may provide comfort by their mere presence, this is not considered a task under the ADA. If the animal is not trained to do anything else but provide comfort or emotional support, then they are not a service animal, even if their owner is disabled. More importantly, service dogs </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">MAY NOT</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> be used for protection or intimidation. Service dogs may intimidate people by their very presence, but this is not considered a task, and is highly frowned upon by the Department of Justice and other handlers. Service dogs should not have a high protection drive, and should not automatically protect their handler unless genuine harm is befalling them. After such an event, service dogs should be reevaluated by a qualified behaviorist to confirm that they are still fit to work around the public. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What about documentation or certification that the dog is indeed a service animal? This will come as a surprise to most people, but there is no such thing as a certification or registration for service dogs. As a result, there is not legal identification or "paper" for service animals, and asking for one will only get you a long lecture by the handler, a sobbing handler in the middle of a panic attack, or a call to the Department of Justice or the police. In my personal experience, the people who carry and offer identification for their dogs are typically pet owners who have paid $75 to "register" their pet on a scam website in return for a vest, identification card, and paperwork stating that the dog is a service dog. This does not require any training or proof that the person is disabled and the dog is trained. It’s simply a scam that needs to be made illegal and prosecuted. Of course, this does not include paperwork from specific programs that some handlers carry as an extra precaution, or the fake identification that some legitimate handlers carry and use as a last resort if asked for it by an uninformed manager, as the handler’s disability prevents them from educating the often-belligerent employee. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OBq3r5PmWseKrZJRXR8Eh38IOda74_cuRAjzdPqKYa390ub6dbaZ8RGFPzv7vo7U821FNjiKIqCI9nxY8UKl_YXTWtPvzuC9M7hzDAJhlWrASn39ylv_cFfVdIg70NW4iFPrKCGp07Mj/s1600/Cow+pumpkin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; line-height: 19.2px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center; white-space: normal;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6OBq3r5PmWseKrZJRXR8Eh38IOda74_cuRAjzdPqKYa390ub6dbaZ8RGFPzv7vo7U821FNjiKIqCI9nxY8UKl_YXTWtPvzuC9M7hzDAJhlWrASn39ylv_cFfVdIg70NW4iFPrKCGp07Mj/s320/Cow+pumpkin.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin Balancing Level: Expert<br />This, unfortunately, is not considered a task.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>How can I tell if a dog is a service dog?</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Despite the lack of uniformity and identification amongst service dogs and their handlers, there are a few good ways to tell if a dog is really a service dog. The most important, and surest sign of a dog’s legitimacy and training is behavior. Behavior always shows, whether it be the behavior of the dog or the handler. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">A service dog will have their basic obedience down pat. They will not be incessantly sniffing merchandise, soliciting attention or barking at passersby, taking products off shelves, or leaving their handler to explore on their own. While some handlers do carry their small service dogs in their arms or in a sling, businesses do not have to allow dogs in shopping carts or baskets, and service dogs should never be on the business’ furniture unless their task demands it, such as performing deep pressure therapy on the lap of the handler. However, even during this task, the dog should not be using this opportunity to sniff food on the table of a restaurant or merchandise on higher shelves. The dog should be focused on their handler, not on the benefits of being higher than the floor. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, there are some tasks that appear to be the dog out of control. For instanc</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">e, my service dog, Cow, will perform a gradual alert if I am shut down and need to be led out of the public area. First, he will nudge my hand with his nose. If I don’t respond, he will graduate to more incessant alerts, such as pawing at my leg, with him finally ending up jumping his front half into my lap, pawing at my chest, howling quietly, before he hops down, and grabs his leash in his mouth and attempts to pull me. If I’m unresponsive to the first quieter, more subtle alerts, he will always end up performing the alert that looks as if he’s just misbehaving. Seizure alert dogs also occasionally use barking if their handler is unresponsive to their alerts. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It takes a trained eye to spot the difference between a service dog performing a task, and a pet dog throwing a fit, but the differences are there if you know what to look for. For instance, the service dog will always be focused on their handler, and will be trying to get the handler to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">do</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> something, even if it’s not immediately obvious what that something is. For me, it is to allow Cow to lead me outside and to a safe, quiet place. For others, it could be to lay down to prepare for an impending seizure. Either way, the dog will have an obvious goal in mind, and they will not just be barking wildly and jumping on passerby. Seeing both in person often allows the layperson to discern the difference.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">No dog is perfect, no matter their level of training or professionalism. This applies to service dogs as well. All service dogs have their bad days. The days where they don’t ignore the person calling out to them, or they sniff at some merchandise, or their handler doesn’t notice that their dog has an upset stomach. These things have happened, or will happen, to every single handler, no matter the training of their dog. For every handler, this is mortifying. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">We are often our dog’s biggest critics, as our dogs are an extension of ourselves. The important thing is that we take actions to control our dog’s behavior. If a service dog is soliciting attention from passerby, their handler will correct the behavior. If the service dog is throwing a legitimate hissy fit because they do not want to be doing their job that day, the handler will take immediate actions to control or remove the dog. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Pet owners who are fraudulently representing their pet as a service dog</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> will usually do none of these things. I’ve had pets in vests attack my service dog, doing their best to hurt him, while their owner just laughs and shrugs. I’ve seen pets in vests urinate all over merchandise, as their owner looks around and walks away as quickly as they can. Service dog handlers are not looking to get away with things. We are just trying to go about our lives. As such, we take responsibility for the actions of our medical equipment, no matter how humiliated and close to, or way past, tears that we are. </span></span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrsHFElYPoXGeE8icQQlLcRORaobM_3GLCMRDYMwFucTkuxjruNWIovNVJu7_sCSzxvjgMY_umXwLkLFaKlALSlmyAvac2L4wYM6XwKTFuKb_AiXpeCJkwA00w0u-vM6Ge4ePK_HQQE8B/s1600/Cow+Sula.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUrsHFElYPoXGeE8icQQlLcRORaobM_3GLCMRDYMwFucTkuxjruNWIovNVJu7_sCSzxvjgMY_umXwLkLFaKlALSlmyAvac2L4wYM6XwKTFuKb_AiXpeCJkwA00w0u-vM6Ge4ePK_HQQE8B/s320/Cow+Sula.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Cow thinks that if he stares deeply into my soul and makes googly eyes—also known as checking in—I’ll give him food. He’s usually right.<br /></span></td></tr>
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<b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></b><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>What can I do about out-of-control dogs?</i></span><br />
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Service dogs must be under the control of the handler at all times. Service animals must be leashed, tethered, or harnessed at all times unless this interferes with the handler’s disability, or the dog’s ability to perform their job. If unable to leash the dog, the handler must still maintain control of the dog through signal, voice, or other commands. If a dog, even a legitimate service dog, is out of control and the handler takes no appropriate and effective steps to correct the behavior or remove the dog, then staff may request and demand that the dog be removed from the premises. If the handler removes the dog and wishes to obtain goods and services without the dog, this must be allowed. Out of control could include, and is not limited to, jumping on patrons, barking incessantly or in a non-alert, handling merchandise, showing dangerous or aggressive behavior, urinating or defecting on the premises, or wandering alone without the handler. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Why should I risk my good name by removing possible service dogs?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Even when I’ve had dogs who are obviously pets attack my dog, businesses have been afraid to remove the pet, despite the danger it poses to myself, my medical equipment, and any other member of the public, including children who may run up to and hug or pull on the dog. Businesses are afraid th</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">at they will be sued or that the owner will immediately go to the media and cry discrimination. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">These are legitimate fears. Many a pet owner has attempted, and sometimes succeeded, in ruining businesses who have asserted their legal rights against their out-of-control pet. In these cases, service dog handlers have risen up to defend the business and reveal the fraud by the pet owner. In fact, service dog handlers generally prefer business owners to assert their rights. Too many good service dogs have had to be expensively rehabilitated or retired early because of an aggressive pet in a vest who attacked them while they were working, because the business was unaware of, or afraid to assert, their rights. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I am writing this article because I </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">want</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> businesses to start asking me the two questions. I want businesses to listen to me when I beg them to please, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">please</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> remove the aggressive dog on a flexi lead that tried to rip my dog’s face off when it saw us. I want them to stop being afraid of fraudulent pet owners who know that they have the power to make businesses cower under the threat of litigation and bad media, and who use that to endanger the safety and life of myself, my medical equipment, and every other patron they come in contact with, as well as the life of their “beloved” pet when that pet is pushed over their threshold and bites a kid. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyPK4zRT3B_gmWjbRiJYVXqLcQBiItMQnNmJKVjDDvJBzLY2WhqdkYl0ESFTMTyuj6bDsDg-JZlX7z7UVdzKkXsOT8vO-t_uCSVtmkXkSXT2eRmXdfuUa7VZpV5bhFd_87uYrvrXKB0rQ/s1600/Cow+sit.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLyPK4zRT3B_gmWjbRiJYVXqLcQBiItMQnNmJKVjDDvJBzLY2WhqdkYl0ESFTMTyuj6bDsDg-JZlX7z7UVdzKkXsOT8vO-t_uCSVtmkXkSXT2eRmXdfuUa7VZpV5bhFd_87uYrvrXKB0rQ/s320/Cow+sit.png" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cow is a sensitive flower who has a lot of feelings about everything, including the floor.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Is that it?</i></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Not at all! I couldn’t even begin to cover everything in this article. I only covered the major points. If you’d like to learn more about the specifics of the Americans with Disabilities Act in concern to service dogs, you can visit their <a href="http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/service_animal_qa.html#gen">FAQ</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. For a “too long; didn’t read” version of this article, go ahead and read the <a href="http://www.ada.gov/svcabrs3.pdf">ADA’s Business Brief</a></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. For more information about service dogs and what they do to help disabled persons like myself, check out the rest of Growing Up Guide Pup. There are videos, articles, and cute puppy pictures made specifically to inform the public about service dogs and their many attributes.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "helvetica neue"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lindsay</span></div>
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-62588122819166901582016-01-19T08:00:00.000-08:002016-01-19T08:00:00.205-08:00New Year's ResolutionPart of being a service dog handler is transitioning from one dog to another. Unfortunately for us, service dogs can't work forever. Each dog has his or her own quirks, strengths, and weaknesses, and the transition can be hard.<br />
<br />
You're with your service dog practically 24/7 for years on end, which means you both get used to each other's needs, signals, likes, and dislikes. Changing partners is a huge adjustment, and it's nearly impossible not to make comparisons between your previous and current dog (usually in the older dog's favor).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/F7B63735-0A3B-48FA-BBBB-150D014E5536_zpsgiptbzar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/F7B63735-0A3B-48FA-BBBB-150D014E5536_zpsgiptbzar.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Muir Woods with baby Kaline (then still in training) and Juno<br />
(then still working mostly full-time).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Which brings me to my New Year's Resolution, which I'm going to do my best to keep: I want to stop (as much as I can) comparing my current partner, Kaline, to his predecessor, Juno. Well, except for right now, since I think it'll be interesting to do in a blog post!<br />
<br />
Juno started service dog training when she was an adult, nearing middle age. Even when she was a pet, when we first adopted her, her general M.O. was to follow me around until I sat down somewhere, then curl up at my feet until I was ready to go somewhere else. You can see how that was a really handy tendency when she started working.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/AD20AC52-2946-4348-A742-EF480D861FBD_zpsj1h6ijxj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/AD20AC52-2946-4348-A742-EF480D861FBD_zpsj1h6ijxj.jpg" height="210" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno during her training period at the San Francisco zoo with<br />
her mentor, Jolanda (front), and SDIT pal, Hunter (left).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Though she was something of a hot mess as an under-socialized adolescent, by adulthood, Juno had grown to be an unflappably calm, solid presence. The only thing I can think of that ever fazed her during her working career was a performer cracking a whip on stage during a Cirque du Soleil show in Las Vegas.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/42871282-C805-482F-8A06-4F7E006EC273_zpsryzmjk5b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/42871282-C805-482F-8A06-4F7E006EC273_zpsryzmjk5b.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno ignoring the festivities of Gay Pride in San Francisco<br />
to pose for a photo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Juno is also an extremely eager, creative learner. Not only will she do almost anything for food, she also took readily to clicker training. If she doesn't get rewarded for one behavior, she'll start running through a repertoire of behaviors and even think up new ones. Teaching her to do new things—like retrieve, carry objects around, and open and close drawers—was nearly always delightful and struggle-free. (Extinguishing bad behaviors, like her adolescent dog reactivity, <i>was</i> a struggle, though we eventually succeeded!)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Juno%20Vegas_zpscpliz6eb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Juno%20Vegas_zpscpliz6eb.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Juno in Las Vegas.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And another fabulous thing about Juno: Being part Lab, she has a basically Lab-shaped body, and thus every single piece of gear I ever got her fit her like it was custom-made for her. You don't appreciate that until you get a weird-shaped dog, let me tell you!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/5B7F4D1E-5114-4FEF-B9DB-440129956DC0_zps4otlb1v2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/5B7F4D1E-5114-4FEF-B9DB-440129956DC0_zps4otlb1v2.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Everything fits me, and I fit anywhere."</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As you can see, Kaline had very big shoes to fill.<br />
<br />
Kaline started training as a baby puppy. I like training dogs in general, but I especially love training puppies. They're a blast. But I'd never had my own puppy—Juno was adopted at 18 months, and my first dog, Angel, was about two when we got her. As a puppy, Kaline was a pretty quick learner, food-motivated like Juno, but it was <i>exhausting</i> being out and about with him. I thought I'd been pretty vigilant when working Juno—you're always on the lookout for possible distractions or threats to your service dog—but I didn't have to worry about her <i>behavior. </i>Not so with a puppy! Everything we encountered was a training opportunity: both a blessing and a curse. I quickly learned to wear a bait bag at all times so as not to miss one of these opportunities.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20blocking_zpsvr9gpdmm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20blocking_zpsvr9gpdmm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">SDIT Kaline works on blocking (also known as covering).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
He also wasn't, and isn't, nearly as creative about learning as Juno. Kaline does very well with luring (using a treat to help show him the desired behavior), but becomes easily bored and frustrated if he isn't getting hints. He won't just come up with new behaviors; he'll sit there and stare at you, then decide that your food isn't actually that enticing and go find something else to do.<br />
<br />
Did I mention that nearly all of Kaline's gear beyond simple cape-vests has to be custom made? There's a reason he's lovingly known as the Princess Diva.<br />
<br />
Where Juno is fairly aloof with strangers, Kaline is a social butterfly with both dogs and people. He just assumes that all new dogs and people are going to love him and be his new best friends. It was much harder for him to learn to ignore people trying to distract him, and it's something we are constantly working on. So many things that just came naturally to Juno, Kaline had to learn, sometimes laboriously over weeks. He had trouble learning to hold a long down-stay, so I began attending the "classic" movies religiously with him every Wednesday night. The ticket packages were cheap ($30 for six movies) and the movies sparsely attended—fewer people to notice if we had any trouble! I think we ended up getting three of those packages, and by the end his long down had improved markedly.<br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/11F7FF7F-241A-4CF1-9685-2E0E0DCAA55D_zpsh0iw6rie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/11F7FF7F-241A-4CF1-9685-2E0E0DCAA55D_zpsh0iw6rie.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Teaching him to retrieve to hand seemed to take forever. What Juno picked up during one slow night at work, back when I had a job that wasn't dog-centric, Kaline took over a year to put together. Juno is very quick and doesn't need much amping up; once she realized there was a cookie in it for her if she picked things up and gave them to me, all I had to do was point, receive the object, and feed her. What Kaline needed was his Auntie Sonja, a soft zip-up pencil case full of high value treats, and for me to get SUPER EXCITED about everything to do with retrieving. Food just wasn't enough when it came to learning that. He needed me to be far more demonstrative than I'd ever been with Juno. Once Sonja helped me come to that realization, his retrieve improved swiftly and we're now to the point where I can use retrieving an object as Kaline's <i>reward</i> for doing something else.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/016715EA-90BC-4C60-9D26-A291C4B69603_zpsmjyazzk0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/016715EA-90BC-4C60-9D26-A291C4B69603_zpsmjyazzk0.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During a long, boring airport wait, I can now<br />
entertain Kaline with retrieving games.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Enough about Kaline's shortcomings. Now that we've had our own place for a year, I've come to realize anew just what a fantastic partner he is. For one, he is just about the most hilarious dog, service dog or pet, I've ever met. He makes me laugh every single day. Much of the time he falls asleep with all his feet in the air. Sometimes he finds tennis balls on our walks and, since he knows if he can get it home he can keep it, will doggedly carry the slimy object for a mile or so and then cuddle with it when we get back. He also has a huge obsession with sardines, and watching him struggle to contain himself while I make his dinner is endlessly entertaining. Kaline is quite a silly boy when he's not working, and he has no inhibitions about showing it!<br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Upside%20down%20Kaline_zpsdgomjxkp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Upside%20down%20Kaline_zpsdgomjxkp.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
Things that Juno does because I ask her, Kaline does because he absolutely loves to do it. Juno is not, in general, a cuddler. She would do deep pressure therapy for me, but she would get off whenever I told her and be very glad to be finished. Kaline will sometimes just <i>do</i> DPT, because he already knows I need it, and he will refuse to get off if he senses that I am still not calmed down enough. As an added bonus, he adores cuddling in bed and basically sleeps on me or pressed against me as tightly as possible. This might sound like annoying bed-hog behavior, but for me, it has improved my sleep tremendously.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/5A8CA2CC-51F7-4120-BB81-63B0C2319751_zpsgnnkeblv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/5A8CA2CC-51F7-4120-BB81-63B0C2319751_zpsgnnkeblv.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline delights in snuggling (off duty) and deep pressure therapy <br />
(on duty).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Momentum pull, a task I use a lot and which Juno never found all that wonderful, is Kaline's calling. Where Juno never really got past needing a target person to follow, Kaline learned to pull in a straight line, follow directional commands, and seek out the path of least resistance in record time. He <i>loves </i>it. He's great at it. It's something you can end up taking for granted, since it seems so natural for him (much like holding long downs was natural for Juno).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/544FA418-92A6-43DC-9850-7E7FD9ACE0E2_zpsge8fxkmv.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/544FA418-92A6-43DC-9850-7E7FD9ACE0E2_zpsge8fxkmv.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline in the early stages of his<br />
momentum-pull training.</td></tr>
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And while as a puppy, Kaline could be momentarily unnerved by random things—a fire in a fireplace, period costumes, large plastic figurines—as an adult, I think he's even more solid than Juno.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20and%20fire_zpsw0sbuqey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20and%20fire_zpsw0sbuqey.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline as an adult in front of the fireplace that scared him<br />
as a SDIT.</td></tr>
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His reaction (or lack thereof) to fireworks never fails to amaze me. We can be in the lower deck at a ballpark, with fireworks being set off on the field, and he just chills out on his mat, either watching the show or staring at me in hopes of getting rewards. I taught him early on that loud noises of all sorts mean he's probably going to get food, and have never regretted this!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20fireworks_zpscrhtq39z.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/Kaline%20fireworks_zpscrhtq39z.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fireworks in Toledo—"Food now?"</td></tr>
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He lay by my feet in the front row of Odysseo, a Cavalia show featuring about 30 horses performing each night, and had no problems (well, he didn't really like being splashed by cold water at the very end of the show, but can you blame him?). He still doesn't particularly like trucks rumbling by very close to us, but otherwise, nothing fazes him.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/FAD8027C-7AB0-421D-B35A-48262B589C19_zpsucltgnap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/New%20Years%20Resolution/FAD8027C-7AB0-421D-B35A-48262B589C19_zpsucltgnap.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Odysseo.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Learning to teach the way Kaline learns best—which is not always the way Juno learns best—was a really big part of us becoming a good working team. In some areas he needs more or different motivation than she does, while in others, where Juno needed a ton of encouragement, Kaline's got it, thank you very much, and please stop chattering, Mum. It took a long time, but for about a year and a half or so, we've been working smoothly as a team. It's become much less me showing him what to do and how to do it, and more both of us just knowing what needs to be done.<br />
<br />
He now knows all my weird little signals, and I know his. For example, I taught him to shake off on cue because 1) I really don't like it when he does that inside restaurants and 2) even when he's out of gear, each shake off seems to last several minutes, like I just soaked him in water. Kaline knows he isn't supposed to shake in restaurants or when he's doing harness work, so he'll let me know if he needs a quick "shake break" by doing what looks like a head tremor. He'll just twitch his head a couple times, and then wait for me to take him to an appropriate place and give him his cue.<br />
<br />
It takes a long time to reach the level of comfort and trust with your new dog that you had with your previous dog. And even though I've had that for a while now with Kaline, I still compare him to Juno (along with other friends' service dogs) far too often. Sometimes you forget that your previous partner had some things they struggled with, and some working quirks you found annoying. No dog is completely perfect, and even the ones you think can do no wrong have off days. It's important to appreciate everything that's wonderful about your <i>current</i> partner, and that's what I've set as a goal for 2016.<br />
<br />
Because one day, I'm going to be training NextDog. (Hang out around service dog handlers enough, and you realize that we are constantly thinking about and tweaking plans for NextDog. It never stops.) And when that day comes, I know I'll be wishing I could just work with Kaline forever.<br />
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<br />
Colt<br />
<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-60615740424911047802016-01-14T08:00:00.000-08:002016-01-14T18:16:22.988-08:00To know Lee Shenk was to love him<b>Lee Shenk, GDB Puppy Delivery Specialist: A Friend to All</b><br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Puppy%20handoff%202_zpsprewcoy2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Puppy%20handoff%202_zpsprewcoy2.jpg" height="640" width="456" /></a></div>
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Lee Shenk, who died on January 8, 2016, was more than just a puppy truck driver. Lee was a friend to <i>all</i>. Lee loved the puppies. Lee loved the returning dogs. Lee loved the career change dogs and retired guides. Most especially Lee loved the puppy raisers and all the people he met at each puppy stop. Lee loved the opportunity to deliver these wonderful little bundles of warm and squirmy little furballs to their very special homes and puppy raisers.<br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20Raylene%20off%20to%20raiser_zpsnxtbzptk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20Raylene%20off%20to%20raiser_zpsnxtbzptk.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></div>
My memories of Lee's joy and extreme kindness to all puppy raisers is endless. I think of Lee and see a tall man with a wide happy smile looking out over the crowd of puppy raisers from the open door of the puppy truck with a beautiful new pup in his arms and bubbling over with the exuberance he displayed at every puppy delivery stop.<br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20with%20Robert_zpsgznjuuc4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20with%20Robert_zpsgznjuuc4.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></div>
Lee was always poised to begin the fun of handing out new little puppies—sharing the love and joy each puppy brings to their puppy raiser.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20puts%20on%20puppy%20collar_zpsq2rxifhc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20puts%20on%20puppy%20collar_zpsq2rxifhc.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee carefully puts on a black Lab puppy's collar.</td></tr>
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I can't remember for sure the first time Lee delivered one of our puppies. But I can tell you that each and every time he placed a new puppy in my arms or those of any other puppy raiser, I/we all felt it was just us and Lee and our new puppy—a "personal puppy delivery," especially for that one raiser and family, in the spotlight of that moment. We always felt like the special ones. We knew we were the lucky ones.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20with%20Black%20Lab%20Hedy%201_zpspphugasj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20with%20Black%20Lab%20Hedy%201_zpspphugasj.jpg" height="400" width="285" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee with black Lab puppy, Hedy, who later became a working guide made famous in the story "Steady Hedy."</td></tr>
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For my family there have been 32 puppies. Some came before Lee arrived at GDB. But once Lee started making the trip to Colorado with the puppies, a deep and lasting impression of his goodness and kindness began to grow with us and other puppy raisers. Over the years, my husband Ken and I developed a wonderful friendship with Lee that was to also include his wonderful wife Deb.<br />
<br />
Our deepest expression of sympathy goes out to Deb. There are really no words that can adequately express our deep sorrow. Lee and Deb were a wonderful and fun couple to spend time with. How blessed we are to have been graced with their friendship. And friends forever, they are.<br />
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Looking back through my piles of pictures, I have discovered many pictures of Lee gently placing those special little pups into the arms of many puppy raisers. And there I found a picture of Lee enthusiastically placing our dear little Miss Pat into my arms. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20off%20Pat_zpsjlkcucrc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20off%20Pat_zpsjlkcucrc.jpg" height="320" width="228" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee hands off Pat to Alice.</td></tr>
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Thank you, Lee. Thank you so much. Little did we realize that it would be Lee that delivered Pat to us and then the following year be the one to drive her on her return trip to the campus in Boring, Oregon, for advanced training.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Getting%20dogs%20back%20from%20raisers%20too_zpsa6kmdru8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Getting%20dogs%20back%20from%20raisers%20too_zpsa6kmdru8.jpg" height="228" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee helps a puppy raiser load his charge into the van to go back for advanced training.</td></tr>
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This was such an incredibly special happening for us and little Miss Pat—special beyond description as Pat is the last guide dog puppy we would raise for GDB. <br />
<br />
We have chosen now to raise puppies for a wider range of services through service organizations. We always felt totally at ease and comfortable knowing that Pat, as all the pups, was under Lee’s watchful eye and very special care. He treated those dogs like his own and he loved his dogs. This meant everything to us.<br />
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Each and every time the puppy truck arrived in Colorado, there was Lee with his infectious smile. Meeting up with Lee each time the puppy truck pulled in for a puppy delivery was like no time had passed since his last visit to Colorado. Timeless!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20off%20puppy2_zps49tcpvup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Lee%20Shenk/Lee%20hands%20off%20puppy2_zps49tcpvup.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lee hands off a yellow Lab puppy to a mother as her daughter looks on.</td></tr>
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We will miss you, Lee, so very, very much. Godspeed, dear friend. Just knowing you were doing what you loved and what we all loved for you to do—delivering our four-legged bundles of joy—was a special and comforting thought for us all.<br />
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We pray you are now surrounded by all those guides and career change pups that crossed the rainbow bridge ahead of you and will now snuggle up close to you as they remember your gentle and caring ways, when they too traveled with you across the western United States.<br />
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We can never forget your smile, Lee. We will never forget you, standing there so tall with that wonderful broad and joyous smile at the puppy truck door. The kindness, joy and friendship you spread at every puppy delivery, to all of us, is our gift from you. Thank you, our dearest Lee. Thank you again for all you gave us beyond our sweet little puppies.<br />
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God bless you, Lee, and God bless your dear Deb and special Sigmund. <br />
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Alice (& Ken) and all our pups, especially Cotton and little Miss PatColthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-21194100155320440552016-01-12T08:00:00.000-08:002016-01-12T09:03:59.989-08:00Choosing a service dog breed<div dir="ltr" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
<i>Editor's Note: Not all of the breeds pictured are suitable for inexperienced handlers/trainers. However, in the right hands, they can be excellent working partners.</i><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Cow%20Luke%20Watson_zpsxmxf83rk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Cow%20Luke%20Watson_zpsxmxf83rk.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Cow, Pointer/American Bulldog Mix<br />
Service Dog Luke, Plott Hound/Lab Mix<br />
Service Dog Watson, Standard Poodle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">You've done your research, spoken to family and friends, and you've decided a service dog will be a valuable part of managing your disability. Now you need to pick a breed.</span></div>
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First and foremost, the most important tip you'll ever hear: <i>Do not assume you'll be the exception to the rule.</i> </div>
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The goal of having a service dog is to be able to gain back some independence. Getting the same high-energy breed you had and loved as a kid now that you're an adult couch potato is not such a good idea. Just like when training our dogs, you want to set yourself up for success.</div>
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I'll mention this a lot throughout the article: It's about the specific dog, not the breed. It's important to remember that dogs are living creatures. They will all have their own personalities. Knowing the common issues for breeds is going to help you narrow it down from all to a few, and from there you can start to look at the individual dogs instead of individual breeds.</div>
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You'll also need to research your breeder and the lines they have. Just because a breeder is registered or has papers for their dog does not mean they're a responsible breeder. Take the time to ask questions, see where the dogs are raised, ask around.</div>
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<b>Good First-Time Service Dog Breeds</b></div>
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These are just examples, and good first-time breeds are not limited to those mentioned here.</div>
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<i>Labradors: </i>There's a reason these are some of the most commonly used dogs. While not all Labs will be happy-go-lucky lovers, there are a lot of responsible breeders out there with some fantastic working lines.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Daphne%201_zpsyei9exhk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Daphne%201_zpsyei9exhk.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Daphne, Yellow Labrador</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">One of the best things about these dogs is the general public recognize them as "working dogs." Yes, they generally recognize them as guide dogs, so you may get a few comments about that. However they're also likely to instantly connect a guide dog handlers' well-known right for public access to you and your dog, causing you fewer issues.</span></div>
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<i>Golden Retrievers:</i> Again, there's a reason they're common. While grooming maintenance will be a little more for Goldies than Labs, they tend to be a willing and loyal breed.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Sky_zps1tg8osvi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Sky_zps1tg8osvi.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Sky, Golden Retriever</td></tr>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Standard Poodles:</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> A wonderful breed, but do take a lot of grooming. Keep in mind as well that a service dog's level of hygiene and grooming compared to a pet dog are generally worlds apart.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Watson_zpso0ro3bbf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Watson_zpso0ro3bbf.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Watson, Standard Poodle</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Some lines of Poodles have shown aggression issues stemming from fear. So, as with all dogs, well-balanced socializing is key.</span></div>
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<i>Collies (Smooth & Rough): </i>An incredibly smart breed with a good will to work. However, if you can't keep up with them, they'll leave you in the dirt. Remember to match your potential breed with your own lifestyle. Don't get a Collie if you're hoping to go from a couch potato to a world class mountain climber. Because if you don't make it to be a world class mountain climber and this dog is left to sit around all day, you will suffer. They will find their own thing to do and you will most likely not enjoy it. There are very few dogs out there who wouldn't love to go exploring with you, no matter their breed. So be sure to match a potential dog with your potential worst day to give you the best chance of success.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Lucas_zpsnhrmvkqs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Lucas_zpsnhrmvkqs.jpg" height="218" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Lucas, Rough Collie</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Billy_zps0vkcezqy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Billy_zps0vkcezqy.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Billy, Smooth Collie</td></tr>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Greyhounds: </i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">A newer breed in the world of service dog work, they're quickly picking up popularity. More and more people realize these dogs are bred for sprints, not endurance. They give you the large size which most people appreciate, without the buckets of energy.</span></div>
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However, they are restricted in some countries. So please be sure, no matter what breed you get, to think long term. Do you plan on travelling? Ask around and see if there are any odd breeds that are restricted in places you're likely to go. In Australia, unless a Greyhound has passed a special test they must be muzzled at all times. Will a muzzle get in the way of your dog's tasks?</div>
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This leads me to an important tangent. It's important to be honest with yourself about the impact a dog's breed/looks will have on your life.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Cow_zpsjqfkmlnz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Cow_zpsjqfkmlnz.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">You're about to start going out into public areas with a dog, like it or not people will stop, they will point, they will try to take photos, they will notice you more.</span></div>
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The breed you choose will affect things like public access. Cold hard truth here, and I'm sorry, but if you go for a bully breed type dog over a Lab, you may find more people acting like morons around your service dog. Of course that's not always the case. I had a Shar Pei service dog in training that I worked with briefly. A lot of people would take the time come over and express how wonderful it was to see a "bully breed" out in public working so nicely.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Doogan%202_zpsu8xihuen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Doogan%202_zpsu8xihuen.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">So the public may not always have the reaction you think they will. Nonetheless, it's something you have to be willing to consider in great detail. Once again, please don't assume you'll be the exception to the rule. Going off of that belief will only heighten your chances of failure, especially if this is your first service dog. </span><i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Please</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;"> think about your options and set yourself up for a win.</span></div>
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<b>Poor Breed Choices for First-Time Service Dog Handlers</b></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Shanti, German Shepherd Dog</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">German Shepherds</span><br />
Dobermans<br />
Rottweilers<br />
Huskies<br />
Belgians<br />
Malamutes<br />
Any brachycephalic breed<br />
Any breed that will have a short working career such as a Dane or Mastiff</div>
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I won't go into all of the reasons for these because basically they're all the same. These are breeds that are incredibly intelligent and often this intelligence comes with a lot of free thinking.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">These breeds can without a doubt make wonderful working dogs, but you need to know how to work with them. Experience is important here. You can, of course, be one of those people who just gets on with it and does fine, but you're trying to set yourself up for a win, remember. So take steps towards these breeds by all means! But don't just jump in because you saw one on a show once and they were amazing.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Link_zpsyxxe5fy8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Link_zpsyxxe5fy8.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Link, Icelandic Sheepdog</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Brachycephalic breeds are not on here (squashed-faced dogs, like Boxers, Bulldogs, Pugs, etc) because they can't make wonderful working dogs. They can. However, if you don't know how to work a dog and condition them and read their body language, you'll likely miss the important warning signs of their health issues and they'll be washed out earlier than need be. These types of breeds take a lot of care and usually for a first time service dog handler, it's a bit overwhelming.</span></div>
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Finally, the slow-to-mature breeds. Again, there's always the exception, but on a whole these types of breeds tend to be more difficult for first-time service dog handlers because they can take longer to mature, which can be tricky when you're hoping to have a dog to support you.</div>
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If you're going to go with a giant breed, it is even more important to make sure you find a very reputable breeder and know your breed inside and out. The bigger the dog, the bigger the health issues they tend to have.</div>
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<b>Factors To Consider When Considering a New Prospect</b></div>
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<i>Size at maturity:</i> What is the size of the breed that interests you? Keep in mind that males and females can often differ in sizes. It may not be much, but those extra three inches can be the difference between a safe working dog for mobility support and a huge vet bill. Please don't go to a breeder who breeds above-standard sizes—this is a dodgy way of breeding and I can guarantee they're not a reputable breeder if they do such things.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Rico%20amp%20Travi_zpsgnxbg5mh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Rico%20amp%20Travi_zpsgnxbg5mh.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Rico, Papillon, and Service Dog Travi, Chocolate Labrador</td></tr>
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<i style="font-size: 12.8px;">Longevity</i><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">: This is a big one to consider when thinking of larger breeds for mobility assistance work. Another factor to investigate is the average lifespan of a breed. Please be sure, once again, to be honest with yourself about this issue. You may have heard of that one exception to the rule, a Great Dane who lived to be 10, but know that as a whole the breed on average lives for 5-7 years.</span></div>
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A larger or giant breed dog may not mature until well after their second birthday. Make sure to consider its <i>working</i> longevity as well as its general life expectancy. Most Great Danes, while living for 5-7 years, only get 2-5 years of solid mobility work in, as they take longer to mature and if pushed into work too young will need to retire sooner as well.</div>
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<i>Hereditary breed traits:</i> Each breed was developed for a purpose. While there are always an exceptions to the rules, you need to think about the general standards of breeds. This dog will be there to make your life easier. Picking your breed based on false or unrealistic possibilities will likely lead to issues for both you and your future partner.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/fa0c8c55-6947-4e15-97a9-0790514b0269_zpseo5rlorg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/fa0c8c55-6947-4e15-97a9-0790514b0269_zpseo5rlorg.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Apollo, Australian Shepherd</td></tr>
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If considering a breed developed for hunting, herding or guard dog work, realize that the traits that made a dog of that particular breed an excellent hunting dog, an effective sheepdog or a successful guard dog do not disappear just because the traits are no longer highly desired by most dog owners. The ancestral urges to hunt, swim, chase livestock, sound an alarm, kill predators or drive away strangers that dare approach are likely still there lurking under the surface.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Gir%20_zpswghvwlot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Gir%20_zpswghvwlot.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Gir, Shetland Sheepdog</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Guardian breeds or breeds originally bred for fighting/aggression can be a little more difficult for the newer handlers to train. If you choose to ignore this warning and work with a stronger breed, please respect their heritage. Learn how to train with their breed traits, using their weak points to turn into strong points and strengthening the traits you were attracted to originally.</span></div>
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<tr><td><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Evan%202_zpsi0vxfst1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Evan%202_zpsi0vxfst1.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;">Be sure to consider the traits of your own disabilities as well. Breeds with these types of instincts are not generally suggested for people with psychiatric issues as they can become overly protective in times of trouble.</span></div>
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<i>Coat Care:</i> A simple point that a lot of people don't take into full consideration when making the final choice on breed is that a service dog must be kept at a very high level of grooming and hygiene as they're in areas not usually open to dogs. Once again, please be brutally honest with yourself about this.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Sulley%202_zpsr9r6fv6n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Sulley%202_zpsr9r6fv6n.jpg" height="320" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Sulley, Mixed Breed (aka Slovakian Mop Dog)</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Picking a service dog takes a lot of planning and thought. If you don't think you'll have the financial or physical ability to manage the grooming needs of your final chosen breed possibilities, then take some time to reconsider.</span></div>
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<i>Age</i>: One of the most important decisions to make is whether to start out with a young puppy or to seek an adult dog, 18 months to three years old, which can commence training immediately. This is a huge thing to consider and has its pros and it's cons.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Willow%202_zpsozxerysa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Willow%202_zpsozxerysa.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Service Dog Willow, Bully Mix</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">If this is your first service dog, I would suggest starting with a young adult so you have more of an idea what you're working with by way of temperament etc. While training can take up to three years to transition from service dog in training to Service Dog, it's generally easier for an adult dog to get into work sooner as they're physically and mentally more mature.</span></div>
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<i>Gender</i>: A female usually is smaller and has a shorter coat/less feathering when compared to their male counterparts if spayed. A female is equal to a male in terms of competency in this career. Both genders tend to be pretty even in temperament, but do take into consideration desexing (neutering/spaying).</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Bindi_zps84mdider.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Breeds/Bindi_zps84mdider.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Females who are intact may have issues with hormones and spot bleeding, whereas males who are intact may have issues ignoring other female dogs who're in heat.</span></div>
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Keep in mind, there's a lot of interesting research being done about when and how to alter dogs. So please consult a vet and/or do some research online for further information about the pros and cons of these choices to make sure you have the latest information.</div>
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Bottom line, everyone is different. Just as every dog is different.</div>
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Please take all of these things into consideration when choosing a breed. It's not a decision to take lightly<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Robbi Flynn</span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12.8px;"><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Robbi is a service dog handler in Australia who owner-trained her dog, Musa. She </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">can be reached through her </span><a href="http://musathemarveloussd.weebly.com/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">website</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></span><br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-66647253318419494942016-01-05T08:00:00.000-08:002016-01-05T08:00:08.369-08:00When not to crusade<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Sara%20article%202/Velvetaquarium_zpsrbc7ajaa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Sara%20article%202/Velvetaquarium_zpsrbc7ajaa.jpg" height="400" width="220" /></a></div>
One day, I was browsing through my newsfeed on Facebook, as per usual, when an interesting photo popped up. It was a peer of mine holding her dog in a locally owned arts and crafts store. I looked at the comments, and the most recent was one of her friends asking: “Wow, they let you bring him in the store?”<br />
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For some people, this would have alarm bells ringing in their head. Because somebody is obviously going to reply, “They asked me if he was a service dog, I said yes and that’s all I had to do,” or “Ha ha, yeah, I just say he’s a service dog and they can’t kick him out.” It’s a struggle many handlers have come across. “Fake” service dogs, or more accurately, pets that are portrayed as service dogs, are certainly a problem for service dog teams. I know of some teams where the service dog has had to either go through retraining or be retired from work entirely, due to an unfortunate encounter with a pet dog in a place where the pet should not have been.<br />
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Yes, it would be a real kick to the face for this peer of mine to have responded with affirmation that she had, in fact, misrepresented her pet as a SD. Considering we have had classes and outings together, before and after Velvet and I were a working team; I should have every right to go in tooth and nail, bombs away, right? How dare she do this to me, to other teams?<br />
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No. All I had seen was a photo and the poster had not responded with any indication that she had posed her companion dog as a service dog. In fact, my phone had a notification that there was an additional comment on the photo. Scrolling down, she had responded to the person asking how she took her dog into the store. Her response: “I asked the owner if it was okay if I brought him in.” Bingo! Some stores, as long as they are not violating health department codes, are pet friendly. I commented explaining how some non-pet stores can be pet-friendly, and was thanked for the explanation.<br />
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Now, imagine if I had gone in prepared to start a war over this. Feelings probably could have been hurt over my assumption. Rather than being known as a friend who would gently educate, I would be known as a trouble-maker who can’t enjoy a good photo of a cute dog in a dog-friendly store. Also, this person knows I am a service dog handler. What example would I be setting for her as one of her few, possibly only, friends who uses a service dog to mitigate a disability?<br />
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How long did it take to avoid potentially starting a fight? About five minutes. Unless a person is blatantly saying, “I’m just saying my pet is a service dog to get him into stores,” we cannot know the full story behind a picture. Many people are uneducated about the laws behind service dogs. How many handlers knew all of the laws before utilizing a service dog to improve their daily life?<br />
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I am not saying to sit every person down and start with the history of service dogs being utilized. You do not have to go out of your way to educate, especially when you have your own daily life schedule to attend to. All I am saying is, be kind and do not make assumptions. Proper education of service dog laws in America is desperately needed. Simple misunderstandings due to lack of service dog education are experienced by different teams every day, such as a greeter saying “Dogs aren’t allowed in here,” or a child exclaiming, “I didn’t know they let dogs in here!” It doesn’t take an entire lecture to gently educate these simple misunderstandings.<br />
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With the emergence of social media, many people have assigned themselves the task of hunting down fakers. Do some people blatantly pose their pets as service dogs, knowing exactly what they are doing? Of course. There are also many other cases that could be the story which people do not know. What if the person has been advised by their health professional to get an emotional support animal and is not educated about the different between ESAs and service animals? What if the individual does have a disability that could be mitigated by a service dog specifically trained to assist with the individual, but doesn’t know how to get started? Until the full story is posted, assumptions should not be made about a snapshot.<br />
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Many misunderstandings service dog users encounter with the public are not direct insults to the team, but simply a lack of education. This is why I am glad Growing Up Guide Pup is dedicating themselves to educating the general public in various ways. Aside from laws, Growing Up Guide Pup also showcases the adventures of puppy-raising, introducing readers to the various types of service dogs, and much more. Even as a service dog handler, I love reading the articles that are posted by guest bloggers and watching Matt and Amie’s vlogs of their puppy raising adventures. The website, videos, and social media tools utilized by GUGP are a vault of valuable educational tools.<br />
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Sara<br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-3832889148215341392015-12-30T08:00:00.000-08:002015-12-30T08:00:02.645-08:00Holidays with a service dogKaline worked his first Christmas this year. It may seem a little odd, given that he's over three years old. But the holiday season can be a special kind of challenge for service dogs and their handlers.<br />
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Juno, my now-retired service dog, has been working Christmas since she became my partner in 2011. It's very different than working in public. You don't always take your dog "dressed," because you're with family and may want to allow more socializing than is normal for your dog when on duty. It's easier to tell strangers to leave your dog alone than well-meaning family members. You can also end up in close quarters for much longer than normal, with more tempting food in easily accessible places. For some dogs, the whole thing can be a little confusing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno doing Serious Work Face even without her vest on.</td></tr>
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All of the above assumes that your family and friends accept you and your partner at the holidays. Juno, Kaline, and I are very fortunate in that our family and extended family understand my need for a service dog and don't bar my dog from the festivities. For family events, you have no ADA protection. Family members who don't comprehend the importance and necessity of a service dog can put handlers in an uncomfortable position: Do you leave your crucial medical equipment at home and get to be with family/friends for the holidays? Or do you stand your ground and refuse to attend without your partner, missing out on the traditional family gathering? It's an awful decision to force someone to make at any time, but especially around the holidays.<br />
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Kaline's first Christmas was a lot of fun and probably the most hectic one I've experienced with a service dog. Four more people than usual came, and four young children were running around. Gift-opening was kind of chaotic and ended up being overwhelming for me. So in the midst of all the noise and excitement, Kaline calmly did deep pressure therapy on me, ignoring everything going on around him. He also did a great job resisting the tempting morsels all around during dinner.<br />
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I kept Kaline in his harness for most of the time we were there, since he has a harder time than Juno transitioning to working behavior while he's out of his gear. Especially at an event like a holiday celebration, it's important to know your dog's individual quirks and set him or her up to succeed as much as possible.<br />
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Juno is the kind of dog who doesn't much care about socializing and will dependably pad just behind you no matter what is going on or what she's wearing (or not wearing). The only thing you have to worry about is her wagging her long tail near low tables or children.<br />
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Kaline <i>loves </i>to socialize when he's not vested or harnessed. He also adores children, but doesn't quite realize how intimidating his size can be. Two of the kids at Christmas this year haven't had much exposure to dogs, especially big ones, so it was important for Kaline to make a good impression. Happily, his cute little Doberman nub isn't capable of knocking anyone over. <br />
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Another reason to keep Kaline geared up was that I just needed more help this year than last year. I have fibromyalgia—it's a problem all the time, but this year about a week before Christmas I began what most people with fibro call a "flareup." You get used to your usual level of pain, and can pretty much fake feeling fine most of the time (provided you still do good self-care). But when you get a flareup, the usual level of pain ratchets up dramatically.<br />
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Last year, even though Juno was retired from public work, I let her work Christmas because I knew I wouldn't need assistance that she was incapable of providing (like counterbalance). This year, there was just no way I could have had anything resembling a good time without Kaline's help. He did a lot of counterbalance, which would have hurt Juno.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20holiday/D32C47A0-082A-43E2-A0A5-93FC2BF12591_zpscmtlyl2y.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20holiday/D32C47A0-082A-43E2-A0A5-93FC2BF12591_zpscmtlyl2y.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In addition to his work, Kaline posed for silly photos with good grace.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Anytime I had to get up from a couch, he helped me. Walking around mingling, he provided stability. And with the added crowding, his deep pressure work was crucial. Don't get me wrong—these are people I love. I was so happy to see and catch up with everyone who was there. That many people in such a small space, however, especially when it gets loud, can just be too much for me to handle without either my dog's help, or flat out leaving the situation until I can get it back together again. <br />
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Kaline did an excellent job. I was really proud of him. Because of him—and my wonderful family—we had a fantastic Christmas. It wouldn't have been possible without his help.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline got some cozy and well-deserved rest after the festivities.</td></tr>
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Colt<br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20holiday/B71DAF73-FAF4-4409-9A35-1C0C68EC4196_zps7uryrgi4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20holiday/B71DAF73-FAF4-4409-9A35-1C0C68EC4196_zps7uryrgi4.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-2911625784426572652015-12-23T08:00:00.000-08:002015-12-23T08:00:08.618-08:00So you want a service dog ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">The first and most important thing to ask yourself before pursuing a service dog is: Do you have a disability?</span></div>
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It sounds a bit silly, but some people don't quite understand that to have a service dog, you need to have a professionally diagnosed disability/ illness. I continue to make a point of the professional diagnosis, because self-diagnosis does not, by law, mean much. For you to have a service dog with you in public, you need to have a doctor's acknowledgement of your disability. If they also support you having a service dog, then fantastic! However, a lot of doctors have not heard of service dogs assisting anyone other than the blind, so they may not want to sign their name to something they don't understand. Try to educate them if you can, but don't loose sleep over it. Their job is to simply say: "Yes, this person has [insert disability here]."</div>
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Next you'll need to think about what you want the dog to do for you.</div>
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<br />There are many things a dog can do, but there are also many things they cannot. Some tasks may be easy to teach, while others may take many months of practice. </div>
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<b>Are you prepared for this specialized training? <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">What effect will a Service Dog have on your day to day life? </span><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Does your family/partner/flatmate approve of this decision?</span></b></div>
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The people with that you live with will understandably have opinions about adding a dog to the household. A flatmate, for example, may not want a dog around, so it may mean getting a new flatmate or changing accommodation. However, if your partner has an issue with a new dog in the house, you've got a whole new problem. Not to sound negative, but do not underestimate any possible resistance to you having a new dog in the home. To do so may leave you and your dog open to very difficult situations.</div>
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<br />Is the dog for a child, and are there other children who may want to be involved with the dog? How will the dog fit into the daily schedule? Who will supervise training? Who will be ultimately responsible for the dog? Allergies may also be an issue, but this might be overcome by getting a hypo-allergenic breed of dog.<br /><br />Please do proper research on this. No dog can actually be classified as a "allergy free dog." People with allergies to dogs are usually allergic to the <i>dander</i> of the dog's skin, not the actual fur. If you have a dog that sheds less, like a Poodle, Schnauzer, or Italian Greyhound, they are usually easier for allergy sufferers to deal with. Again though, you need to think of how this breed will fit in as a working dog, how much exercise they need, are they people oriented, how much grooming will they need, and so on.</div>
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<b>Have you considered your friends?</b></div>
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<br />You may lose friends over a decision to get a service dog. It's sad to say, but I have lost a few friends who did not understand or like my decision to get a service dog. As training intensifies after a year or so, you may find more friends drop off. Not everyone feels comfortable around dogs. Friends may not understand why you are choosing to use a service dog instead of other options. Your friends may not want you to have the dog in their homes or even around them. Talk to your friends before you decide to get a service dog and see the effect it may have on your social life. You may decide that the benefits of using a service dog are greater than keeping the friends who don’t agree with your decision, but it is good to be aware.</div>
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<b>Are you ready for the greatly increased public attention?</b></div>
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You will draw attention to yourself (and your disability) with a service dog. A service dog attracts attention, both to the dog and to the handler. This can really change how people perceive you, especially if your disability is invisible. A service dog openly labels the handler as a person with a disability. People who had not known you as disabled will suddenly have it drawn to their attention, and you may find that their perception of you changes when you get a service dog. Members of the general public will want to stop and talk to you about your dog and often also about your disability. Small children may chase your dog and try to pat it or even hug it. If your dog is large, small children may try to climb on it and ride it. A service dog is not a good option for someone that cannot tolerate a lot of public attention.</div>
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<b>Can you handle confrontation?</b></div>
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Even if you get to the level where your dog is a fully trained service dog, some people will deny you access to places you have every right to enter. You will also have people tell you that dogs should not be in public places, or you may even be accosted by an animal loving activist for enslaving an animal (of course we know this is false, however some people don't understand).</div>
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<br />These confrontations can be emotionally exhausting and hurtful. They can also be time consuming. Are you able to stand up for your rights to business owners and insist on access? This is a very real and unfortunate part of having a service dog. If you are not able to deal with this, you probably should not get a service dog.</div>
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<b>What about the responsibilities of service dog/pet dog ownership?</b><br />Financial responsibility comes with dog ownership. Medical emergencies may pop up, with the average emergency vet bill coming in at $1000-$3000.</div>
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<br />Further costs include leads, bedding, service coat/jacket, toys, grooming equipment, shampoo, flea and worming treatments, council fees. If you are not financially stable, a service dog (or a dog at all) might not be the best move. Check your local council regulations regarding the housing and keeping of dogs. This does need to be explored, particularly if you already own other dogs. Some councils' restrictions are severe, while others are more accommodating. All will require some form of licence. And they usually have a limit of 2-3 dogs per house.</div>
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<b>Are you ready for the long term commitment that comes with dog ownership?</b></div>
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<br />Dog ownership is a commitment! If you're lucky, the dog will be a good worker for roughly 8 years. On retirement, you must decide if you will keep the dog or find a new and suitable retirement home for them. What will you do if the dog develops behaviour problems or health issues and must be retired early? Will you be able to keep them? Will it be safe to keep them if you need to get a new service dog to replace them?</div>
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<b>What are the responsibilities of Service Dog ownership?</b></div>
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<br />Do you have the time and patience to work with a service dog both initially in the partnership and commit to ongoing training during the dog's life? Getting a service dog, regardless of whether it comes fully trained from an organisation, or for you to train under supervision/on your own, is a huge transition. Initially you need to spend a lot of time going over the basics, earning their trust and learning to work comfortably with a constant canine companion. </div>
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<b>Have you ever trained a dog entirely on your own? </b></div>
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Learning to understand and “read” your dog and learning to work with your dog in public is not a walk in the park, so to speak.</div>
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<br />As you progress together, the amount of time spent on dedicated training may decrease, but a certain amount of ongoing training is necessary during the working life of the dog. If the training is not maintained, your dog's skills will deteriorate.</div>
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Training your dog to be a service dog is not something that can be done in a weekend or even in a month. It will be an ongoing process continuing for the whole life of the dog. However, the most intense training will be in the early months/years, especially if you opt for getting a puppy instead of a young dog. There will be days when you will feel you are not progressing and in fact you may think the whole process is going backwards. These days are normal. Training requires consistent, daily effort even when starting with a dog that has already had significant obedience and socialisation. If you do not have the time to do this, or you are not willing to spend time working and practising with your dog daily, a service dog will not be a good option. You may decide a companion dog that you can just enjoy at home is a more appropriate choice.</div>
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You need to understand the basics of dog training before starting to train your Service Dog.</div>
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<br />It is important to use humane, balanced, science-based training techniques when training any dog. Improper training techniques will at best decrease the dog's performance reliability and at the very worst can turn your dog into a dangerous, unpredictable animal. A service dog must be able to demonstrate very high standards in both public behaviour and task performance. If you do not already know the current basics of training methods, you should first seek professional assistance and instruction before starting. A service dog is still a dog. Even the best trained dog in the world will not be a perfect dog. If you cannot handle imperfection from your dog, you definitely should not train a dog, and probably should not consider working with a service dog.</div>
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<br />While service dogs are highly trained, they are nonetheless animals, and will make mistakes. They will have good days and bad days. Someone who struggles with the ups and downs of dog training will not be an effective trainer and may compound the situation. You should be willing and able to seek outside help if you need it. If at any point you realize that you are not succeeding with your dog, you must be willing to discuss this openly with a specialist trainer.</div>
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<br />This help could come in a variety of forms and it could be as simple as a telephone call to talk over the problem. If you are not the sort of person who is able to ask for help, please reconsider attempting to train your own service dog.</div>
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<b>What breed of dog should you get?</b></div>
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<br />There is no one breed of dog that is a better service dog than other breeds. However, there are breeds which are known for this work because of their trainability and easy recognition by the public. Common service dog breeds can include Labradors, Golden Retrievers, and Standard Poodles.</div>
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While many people have had success working with breeds such as American Pit Bull Terriers, Dobermans, and Rottweilers, you need to be aware that certain breeds invoke strong negative public feelings (especially the stronger breeds/bully type breeds).</div>
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Back to the question, from where should you get your dog and what sort of dog?</div>
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<br />Look for dogs that are healthy, with the right temperament, and suitable for the tasks you want the dog to do. Shelters at times have great dogs that are available for adoption for unfortunate non- behaviour related reasons (e.g. owners moved, passed away, had a new child etc.) This may mean that a temperamentally great dog may become available. However, there are also many dogs in the pound because they are no longer wanted, or have issues, either in health and/or behaviour. Sometimes too what you see of the dog’s behaviour while it is in the lost dog’s home is not the behaviour it will exhibit <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1644647841" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">two months later</span></span> in your home.</div>
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A good service dog is near bomb proof, and restores to its "natural behavioural settings" in a very short time. This is very important as the dog needs to be able to cope (or learn to cope) with any type of situation, noise or visual stimuli, crowds, or confined spaces etc.</div>
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A rescue dog can bring greater risks as usually there is a very limited history of family backgrounds and of care and treatment that has been given. Within breed groups there are also specialist re-homing services, normally operated by and for a breeders' group to protect the breed and ensure that re-homing is done to the best possible homes. There can be terrific candidates available, and being a breed related group, health and temperament information is more readily accessible. </div>
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<br />Once again, be careful to do your homework, because anybody can call themselves a breeder. Ask if the dog is registered through a state body; ask for references from the breeder’s vet and other people who have bought dogs or puppies from them. They're usually delighted to give you these details if they have the breed’s interests at heart. You may also be asked or references about your ability to care for a dog.</div>
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<br />Similar risks apply to puppies—their parents may be great, but puppies are still developing their personalities. Puppies need to progress through the juvenile periods, they will be silly at times, push boundaries and may not make the mark.</div>
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<br />The International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) believe that around 30% of puppies out of well-bred adults will make the mark to become a Service Dog.</div>
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<br />Another source to consider is recruiting from "Show Ring" dogs that did not make it in that world, but are genetically and behaviourally very balanced—that is, unless they are being discarded from the show ring and breeding plans <i>because</i> of behavioural issues. The dogs that are being discarded because they do not meet the breed standard (e.g. too tall, too short, etc.) are better bets and often have reasonable social skills and are normally sound of health. Like anything, the cost associated with getting a dog this way may be higher than through a rescue.</div>
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<b>Do you need a dog to perform retrieval based tasks?</b></div>
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<br />Most dogs, with enough training, can be taught to retrieve - not just breeds with "retriever" in their name. However, some dogs love to retrieve and do it naturally or can be easily trained to do it. If you need a dog that can do a lot of retrieving, it would be in your best interest to make sure you point that out to your chosen source of a dog.</div>
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<b>How active do you expect to be with your Service Dog?</b></div>
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<br />Your activity level and expected daily routine is an important consideration. Be sure to be 100% honest with yourself about this, a bored or under exercised dog can be destructive and difficult to train.</div>
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<br />Do you work at an office job where your dog will be sleeping under your desk for hours at a time? Do you have an active job where you are up and about for most of the day? Dogs are as individual in their activity levels as people. If you have a dog that needs frequent stimulation and activity and you sit behind a desk all day, the dog will not be happy. However, if you have a dog that enjoys his naps but is still ready to go when the day is over, then you have the perfect office companion. In the same way, if you are very active and your dog is not, you will find yourself dragging your dog along everywhere you go, and no one will be happy with that! Keep in mind that all dogs need some level of physical activity to stay healthy and happy, and if that cannot be provided by either yourself or by arranging for your dog to get exercise you may want to reconsider getting a service dog.</div>
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<b>What kind of personality do you like in a dog?</b></div>
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Dogs are individuals; your partnership success depends on the compatibility of you and your dog. Some dogs are sensitive and responsive. These are usually easily corrected and want your approval and praise. They work because they want to make you happy, and they are satisfied when you are satisfied. This is often (but certainly not always) a good type of dog for a first-time dog owner, or a sensitive, quiet person who does not want to try and "talk" an independent dog into working.</div>
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<br />At the other end of the scale is a hard dog. They are stubborn, independent and self motivated. They can be frustrating to train. They work because they want to, and because they like their jobs. They like praise, but don't necessarily need it. They are happy when they feel they have done a good job. Hard dogs are often the best dog for an experienced owner/trainer, or a handler that is more outgoing, loud and assertive or someone that wants a self-motivated independent thinker in a dog.</div>
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<br />Realistically, most dogs fall somewhere between these two extremes. Look critically at your preferences, personality, and training experience as you do the selection process. Like the difference between hard and soft, some dogs have independent characters while others are more social creatures. Most dogs have times when they need both their own space and close companionship. </div>
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<br />When evaluating preference for independent or social dog, take into account the preferences of other family members or house mates. If you like an extremely social dog, but others do not, it might be best to compromise.<br />When considering a dog, think about the size, where it will live—in an apartment with a small yard, will it be required for mobility assistance (support when getting up or walking). Think about the longevity of the breed as some giant breeds have a very short lifespan (5-6 years). Consider the coat care, the amount of grooming needed, how much clipping is required (will it need to be professionally done to maintain an acceptable standard for public access? Professional groomers can cost a lot), will the dog to cope well with the your climate? Some people are very concerned about doggy odour, and some breeds have more than others. This may cause irritation in a relationship or even with a very sensitive person.</div>
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There are other issues to be considered, but this might help focus your ideas and expectations. And of course after reading all of that, if you have any further questions or worried feel free to contact me. Again, I'm no expert by any means, but sometimes it's nice to know you're not alone. </div>
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Robbi Flynn</div>
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Robbi is a service dog handler in Australia who owner-trained her dog, Musa. She <span style="font-size: 12.8px;">can be reached through her </span><a href="http://musathemarveloussd.weebly.com/" style="font-size: 12.8px;">website</a><span style="font-size: 12.8px;">.</span></div>
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-68418153560188846882015-12-17T08:00:00.000-08:002015-12-17T22:08:31.100-08:00Time flies!<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Time%20Flies%20A/FB_IMG_1450170224223_zps5xvku7ep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Time%20Flies%20A/FB_IMG_1450170224223_zps5xvku7ep.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Where does the time go? It seems like just last month Patrick was a little puppy—now my little brother is bigger than I am! He hasn’t just grown in size but in knowledge as well. He has been a pretty good boy and I have been trying to teach him as much as I can. He knows all his basic commands pretty well now, and is getting really good at posing for photographs. I often look unhappy in my photos because doing obedience skills makes me nervous. I don’t like messing up and being wrong. Mom and Dad are really nice to me if I make a mistake, but I hate disappointing them. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Patrick doesn’t pester me nearly as much as he used to. We can now go outside and play as a family in the yard. Mom and Dad used to have to take Patrick out by himself instead of with Ozzy and me. Patrick was really bad about chasing me and trying to herd me. I didn’t like it very much and got a little nervous about running after my ball when he was out with us. Now that he knows to play with his own toys instead of nipping at me while I run, it’s so much better. I run after my ball and he runs after his own toys. We still play tug a lot, and now that he is bigger and stronger Ozzy comes and helps me—we double team him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ozzy seems to have finally accepted him as part of the family and is playing with Patrick a lot more these days. Ozzy playing with him has helped take some of the responsibility of teaching Patrick manners and have more time to myself to enjoy chewing on my bones. Mom has been trying to do special outings with me as well so I don’t feel left out. She spends a lot of time with Patrick, since he is even more needy than I am! </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But I have to say Patrick is doing pretty well. Now if I can just get through to him that we aren’t supposed to bark at other dogs, and to stop trying to pull when walking he would be pawesome. I try to show him by example, but he is having a hard time paying attention when other dogs are around or if he is really excited to be going out. Oh well, I guess I will keep trying. </span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Time%20Flies%20A/IMG_20151208_212810_zpsyqqjt6eq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Time%20Flies%20A/IMG_20151208_212810_zpsyqqjt6eq.jpg" height="320" width="255" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This boy has even more energy than I do! But he is also doing much better about being calm and quiet in the house. He finds toys by himself now rather than trying to steal mine. Patrick has also being going out more by himself in his blue jacket. This makes me happy that he is out working and learning about his future job, but I don’t like being left home. At least I have Ozzy with me. I’m so happy that we kept him. He is my best friend. Well, it looks like it’s about bed time here, so I better go claim my spot next to Mommy before Ozzy or one my kitty siblings takes it. She’s </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>my</i></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> mommy! Just kidding—I will share her.</span></div>
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-56192957180169222012015-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:002015-12-08T08:00:00.702-08:00Holiday Safety Tips<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Ricki%20and%20Santa_zpsyg7luvfj.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Ricki%20and%20Santa_zpsyg7luvfj.jpg" height="320" width="237" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">The holiday season is a time to spend with family and friends. That often includes the four-legged ones. Unfortunately there are many harmful things associated with the holidays as well. The tips we are listing are for all dogs and puppies, not just service dogs or puppies in training.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 24px; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Decorations</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/IMG_20151127_211719_zpsh4ldwva6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/IMG_20151127_211719_zpsh4ldwva6.jpg" height="320" width="270" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Lots of people like to decorate for the holidays but here are a few things to keep in mind if you are a pet owner. Before setting up a Christmas tree, think about where in your house to put it where you can both enjoy it and keep your dog/puppy safe. Ornaments can be </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: italic; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> attractive to puppies or dogs, and not just cloth ones. Cloth and plastic ornaments can cause intestinal obstructions if ingested. Glass ornaments can cause lacerations in the GI tract if pieces are ingested, and yes dogs <i>are</i> crazy enough to chew glass ornaments. Tinsel can also be very attractive and is dangerous if ingested. Christmas light cords can also cause life threatening injuries if chewed. Dogs also like to drink out of the tree stand, so be very careful about putting additives to your tree's water, as some can be toxic to dogs. If you have a young puppy or even an older dog that likes to grab things other than their toys, consider putting your tree in a room you can prevent your dog from entering. You can also set up a pen around the tree. Also as beautiful as Poinsettia plants are, they are also toxic if ingested. Keep them out of reach or consider fake ones.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Holiday food and treats</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Eli%20and%20Prudy%20Xmas%2007_zpsfohcltfm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Eli%20and%20Prudy%20Xmas%2007_zpsfohcltfm.jpg" height="320" width="227" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Many people love to bake yummy treats for the holidays, and they smell great to dogs as well as people. Make sure to keep your goodies out of reach of your puppy or dog, and remember, some things can be very hard to resist even to dogs who normally don't take things from the counter. Baking items that are toxic to dogs are chocolate (the higher percent of cocoa the more dangerous it is, with baker's chocolate being the most dangerous), raisins, and macadamia nuts. If you plan on gifting baked goods or boxed chocolate to friends and family as a wrapped gift, it would be a good idea to let them know not to place it under their tree and keep out of reach of their dogs if they have them. </span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/christmas%20sled_zpsoxlxsueb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/christmas%20sled_zpsoxlxsueb.jpg" height="216" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now, house guests may not seem like a possible safety hazard, but they can be. If you are having a party, or guests staying with you, they may not check with you first before giving your pet a treat. If your dog has a sensitive stomach or isn’t used to certain foods, this can be an issue. Guests coming and going can also lead to pets slipping out an open door or gate without being noticed right away. Make sure your guests know to be careful about not letting your dog out the door. If you are having a party and want to allow your guests to share treats with your dog, have a clearly labeled dog treat dish out with treats you know your dog’s stomach can handle and limit the amount your guests can feed so your dog doesn’t get too many. Eating too much food in a short period of time can cause a very uncomfortable tummy. Remember that having guests can also be very stressful for your puppy or dog, if they are not used to having visitors or large groups at their home. Have a quiet area where you dog can feel safe away from the group.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Travel</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Copy%20of%20micky%20mouse_zpsm2dczjxr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Copy%20of%20micky%20mouse_zpsm2dczjxr.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Travel can be very stressful for your pet whether they go with your or stay behind. If your puppy or dog is traveling with you make sure you bring along some comforts of home and their own food. A different food along with stress can lead to GI upset. Make sure you have current ID tags on your pet, and if your pet is microchipped, make sure it has been registered and the information is current. Most importantly, if your dog isn’t an accustomed traveler to remember they may behave differently in a place they are not familiar with so use good judgment about what activities you do with your dog. If you are leaving your dog behind, again make sure tags and microchip information is current and your pet sitter has a way to get in touch with you in case of an emergency.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 24px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 700; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Other helpful tips</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Macklin%20wearing%20santa%20hat_zpspc9fq3mg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Macklin%20wearing%20santa%20hat_zpspc9fq3mg.jpg" height="320" width="212" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">Home or away, know where your closest emergency veterinary clinic is located and have the number handy. Most veterinary practices are closed on major holidays. If you think you pet has ingested something toxic the best thing to do is call the ASPCA Animal Poison Control center at 1-888-426-4435. They are open 24 hours a day and can answer the questions of if something is toxic or not and what treatment is required. It does cost $65, but very much worth it. You will be able to talk directly to a veterinarian and they have a database with almost every product at their fingertips.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Have a very happy and safe Holiday Season!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Amie</span><br />
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Amie%20and%20macklin%20in%20front%20of%20tree_zpswtpwqbei.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/holiday%20tips/Amie%20and%20macklin%20in%20front%20of%20tree_zpswtpwqbei.jpg" height="200" width="132" /></a></div>
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-18591586583033762092015-12-02T08:00:00.000-08:002015-12-02T08:00:09.017-08:00Service dog retirement<div dir="ltr" id="docs-internal-guid-764f00d1-6089-638a-bfc2-469e833b1737" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When
a service dog retires, it's different from washing out or being career
changed. A dog who retires had, at one point, everything required to be a
service dog. A dog who washes out is in one way or another unable to be
a service dog. </span></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/548F4EE6-2B49-477D-B37D-359768C00847_zpsx7t0xg38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/548F4EE6-2B49-477D-B37D-359768C00847_zpsx7t0xg38.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Some service dogs retire themselves. One day, you realize your dog isn’t quite as
excited as she </span></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">used to be about getting “dressed.” Or that he isn’t as
enthusiastic about doing his tasks. Maybe he’s even reluctant to do
certain things. It’s very important to remember that no one forces a
service dog to work, and sometimes they just decide that they’re done.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Some
dogs have to be retired—they still want to work, but they are no longer
able to do their job safely and comfortably. This happened to my first
service dog, Juno. At age five, she was diagnosed with sudden acquired
retinal degenerative syndrome (SARDS). This genetic defect causes
blindness. Her vision was restored by an experimental treatment for
about two years, but then I noticed her vision deteriorating again. She
couldn't navigate as well in the dark and got startled if touched
suddenly on the left. Around that time she was also diagnosed with
spinal arthritis. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She still wanted to work. In fact she still </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">wants</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">
to work—despite the fact that she's almost nine now, and completely blind in her left eye. Anytime she knows I'm getting Kaline ready to go, she bounces
around us and sometimes hands me her leash. </span></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/27457062-1DF5-44A1-B58D-B39DDBC3CCFC_zpsejwgvlwn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/27457062-1DF5-44A1-B58D-B39DDBC3CCFC_zpsejwgvlwn.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno knows how to pull on the old heartstrings.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38;">But it's no longer safe or
appropriate for her to work in public. Her spinal arthritis means that mobility tasks like counterbalance or momentum pull are painful, even if she doesn't show it. Due to her visual impairment, she
can't help me navigate a crowd or find an exit. She also can't see
surprises coming and would constantly be getting startled. It's just not
right to put her in that position. Dogs are very stoic and dedicated creatures, Juno especially so. Just because she still wants to work doesn't mean it's okay to let her. As the person in the partnership, it's my responsibility to make decisions that are in her long-term best interest, even if those decisions make both me and Juno unhappy in the short-term.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Just because Juno can’t work in public doesn’t mean she can’t help at
home. Helping at home—her favorite tasks have always been retrieving and
opening the fridge, both of which she is still very capable of doing—is
a big deal for her. She loves it and it makes her feel useful. Also, it
gives Kaline a bit of a break, since he isn’t as excited about doing
those tasks. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">For an owner-trainer like me, it’s much easier when you can
retire your service dog gradually. It gives both of you time to get used
to the idea, for one. It also gives you time to get
used to your up-and-coming partner. Thanks to the experimental
treatment, I was able to do this with Juno. I freely admit that there
were days when I was just not up to taking the puppy in public and
having to deal with being in trainer-mode every minute. On those days,
it was wonderful to just put Kaline in his crate and head out with my
fully trained girl, who knew exactly what she was supposed to be doing
without being told (most of the time). And by the time Juno had to stop
working completely, it wasn’t as much of a sudden change for her—or me. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">When
a service dog retires, there’s always the question of where they will
go. Many handlers keep their retired dogs as pets. When this isn’t
possible, the dog is rehomed. Some handlers don’t have the funds or the
space to care for a pet dog; some are in situations where they aren’t
permitted a pet, even a retired service dog. If the dog came from a
program, often she will be offered back to her original puppy raisers.
There are also long waiting lists of people waiting to adopt these
retired service dogs. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">In
Juno’s case, she’s in what I like to call joint custody. Kaline and I
have our own apartment, which does not allow pets, so Juno officially
lives with my parents. This is a win for everyone (with the possible
exception of Kaline, who is filled with unrequited love for his big
“sister”). </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/5C9AC337-C4B2-41FA-81BA-A6ECB82FBB94_zpsauct9naq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/5C9AC337-C4B2-41FA-81BA-A6ECB82FBB94_zpsauct9naq.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline and I still spend a lot of time hanging out with Juno.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Juno is still with me nearly all day during the week, since
she is my trusty sidekick for walking my packs of dogs. </span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/652671BA-1455-4DDC-899F-9A27E4B31051_zpsq0b3okfo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/652671BA-1455-4DDC-899F-9A27E4B31051_zpsq0b3okfo.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno, Kaline, and our Boxer packmates.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She also comes
to my training job with me, unless it’s cold and/or wet. But she also
gets a nice break every night from her loving but sometimes very
annoying little “brother.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Juno
loves retirement. When Kaline and I head off for a trip, she gets to go
have “spa time” with her Auntie Sonja and her devoted suitor, Sonja’s
service dog Chief. Instead of working, she gets to hike off leash and go
running on the beach. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">She also clearly enjoys not having to be quite so
professional. Juno is still the queen and not interested in paying any
attention to strangers who lack food offerings. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/188B0EEB-ACB9-49B2-AD6C-46F87D4ADAC9_zpsaork2wq2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/Retrirement/188B0EEB-ACB9-49B2-AD6C-46F87D4ADAC9_zpsaork2wq2.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The patented feed-me face.</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">But she loves making sad
puppy eyes at all meals (it usually works), and being able to greet her
human friends with wounded-bear sounds, kisses, and tail thwacks any
time she sees them. After all Juno's hard work, it's great to see her getting to enjoy her retirement to the fullest.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Colt</span><br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-85109186776009861172015-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:002015-11-24T09:28:17.685-08:00A Greyt difference<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">
Since becoming active in the service dog world through my daughter's needs, I've realized that I would benefit from a service dog.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Before we go too far, I'm an actively practicing registered nurse. I also have disabling conditions. I work 40-60 hours a week in a fast-paced field in nursing. I'm advancing my degree. I drive. I have a disabled child that I have raised alone since she was born. I cook, do laundry, clean, work, and go shopping. I am also a person with physical and psychological conditions that are disabling.</span></div>
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I decided that, after much weighing and measuring, once my daughter's service dog in training was nearly finished I would pursue the service dog route with my healthcare providers. I couldn't simply decide that I had disabling conditions on my own. Diagnosis does not necessarily indicate that you are disabled. </div>
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Last year in March my bipolar disorder, severe depression, and PTSD were put into hyperdrive by several things that occurred within a very short period of time—the last one being an attempted armed robbery while working as a hospice nurse. I ended up in a day program for people who experience mental health issues to get things under control as quickly as possible. While I was there, I spoke to the certified mental health NP about the possibility of the benefits of obtaining a service dog candidate to train for myself. She agreed wholeheartedly that not only would I benefit, but it might be a necessity. </div>
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I came loaded for bear when I presented the idea to her. A lot of practitioners have no clue that there is a difference between an emotional support animal and a task-trained service dog. I came to her office with printouts, a list of tasks I needed, etc. I was lucky that she was educated in this arena, and she had documented the areas of my life that were impaired by my diagnoses.</div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.8px;">Next, I went about thinking about what type of dog would meet my needs, what were my current and probable future needs, did I really want to do the puppy thing yet again, etc. A wonderful friend of mine, Patti, trains retired greyhound racers to help people with disabilities. I was leery of a greyhound. They're so slight. I'm not. They seemed unintelligent, from the few I'd met. Could they actually be taught everything I'd need? Would one meet the ethical guidelines to assist me with mobility? Would it run away? Would it be timid? They look timid compared to the pit bull mixes I'm used to training. </span></div>
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So, I took a leap of faith. I trusted Patti, literally, with my life. We chatted over this hound, the other hound,for months. This one's too small. This one looks too "pet-able". That one just seems too ... everything.</div>
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Then Robin Hood, a Saluki-Borzoi mix puppy, came along to the Greyt Hearts Service Dog program. He was bigger than most greyhounds as a puppy. He would grow to be a gentle giant. He was a gangly, elegant, poofy goof. I was hopeful, but didn't want to put all my eggs in one basket. I had had two prospects fall through in the last few months, and I couldn't take another heartbreak. Patti asked me, between the two she had picked for me, which did I want. Robin Hood, now named Ivan, was my tenative pick. Patti was going to get him started for me. I was worn out after training two service dogs for my daughter. I couldn't start from scratch again. </div>
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I will never forget when Patti came to drop him off. It was like someone handed me a leash, and at the end of it was my life. My life that I had wanted back for so long. My life where I traveled to big cities, went to movies, shopped for groceries, went for walks, hung out at coffee shops, ate at restaraunts, felt safe at home, all without being in such a panic I became physically ill or feeling absolutely unsafe. It wasn't instantaneous, but it came after a couple months of learning each other. </div>
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Ivan came home in July. In September, with great trepidation, I decided we were going to Boston. I was going to travel. It was a trial by fire. A trial he aced. He had never been to a larger city. He was still in training, but he met every new challenge like a champ. We went on the train all over Boston. He had never been on any mode of mass transit, but he was so steady and did his job so well you would have never known. We went to the museums, restaurants, the aquarium—everywhere I had always wanted to go. I hadn't traveled to a big city in at least five years. I couldn't. Even with a "service human," it was difficult and beyond uncomfortable. This trip was how I remembered my "real" life being. When I loved NYC. When I ate wherever I wanted to without requesting a corner booth, to protect my back. </div>
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Not every day is a trip to Boston. Some days are mundane things. It's the grocery store trips where I don't feel like people are crowding me, because Ivan is providing a passive buffer between me and other shoppers. The trips through the checkout that used to be so anxiety inducing I'd have panic attacks, but aren't anymore because he's doing his job "watching my six." He will let me know if anyone comes close and block them from coming too close, triggering a panic.<br />
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It's him alerting to a rise in anxiety while I'm shopping so I can take a minute and do some breathing exercises to head it off from panic level.<br />
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It's coming home, and asking him to make sure there are no intruders in my house, so that I can enter and know that it is safe. It's the little things every day that he is trained to do that make my disabling conditions easier to deal with.</div>
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He is my rock. He is the reason I can leave the house and do things most people do without a second thought, but are impossible for me without him. He is the reason I can live some semblance of a normal, happy life again. Is it easy taking a service dog in public? No. The pointing, the invasive questions, the squealing because "he's so cute" are tough to deal with. Without his help, I can't do them. For me, it's worth the extra hassle.</div>
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R. Jones<br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-40903979006996288712015-11-17T08:00:00.000-08:002015-11-17T12:59:09.000-08:00The Gift<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;">I sometimes find it ironic that one of the biggest gifts I’ve ever received was given to me by complete strangers. I usually reserve the most valuable, time-consuming presents for my close family members, so the idea that someone would put such great effort into a gift for a stranger is, at times, baffling to me. </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The idea that someone would prepare such a gift 38 times is downright mind-boggling. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">But that’s exactly what my dog, Roja’s, puppy raisers did. They raised 38 puppies prior to Roja. Of course, not all of those became guide dogs and not all of them were long-term raising situations, but from what they shared, they have seen a significant number of their pups graduate as guide dogs. In Roja’s case, they actually co-raised her with another family, due to work scheduling issues. The cooperation of two remarkable families resulted in the creation of a very adaptable, calm guide dog, which is exactly what I needed. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">My raisers’ hours of work and play with Roja resulted in a 4-legged angel with a set of eyes that help me move smoothly through life. As if that gift weren’t enough, my raisers gave me other gifts on graduation day. They brought a toy they made for Roja, but more meaningful to me, they gave me the words I needed to hear that day. They told me that they could tell Roja was meant to be a guide dog from the time she was a puppy. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before meeting them, I had been nervous that the interaction would be difficult, that maybe they’d be sobbing over the sadness of saying goodbye to her, as I had heard some classmates describe about their graduation day meeting with their previous dogs’ raisers. Such a reaction would have been understandable to me. I know that puppy raisers wake up in the middle of the night with their puppies in the early days, that they spend countless hours working with and training these pups that are constantly by their side and become part of their families. It wouldn’t have surprised me nor annoyed me in the least if there had been tears. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One of my classmates had told me that her first raisers had told her they had hoped the pup would never make it as a guide dog so that they could have adopted it instead. She felt bad taking their pup as her guide dog. Even this remark, as awkward as it sounds, is understandable to me. I could see how the sheer amount of time and effort spent raising a puppy could evoke such feelings. But I had also heard about raisers who gave incredible reassurance and encouragement to new guide dog users on graduation day. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">One classmate told me that his first puppy raiser’s parting words were: “She may be our puppy, but she’s your dog.” I appreciated hearing the distinction put in those words. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">And I appreciated the words of encouragement from Roja’s raisers. I think after raising so many dogs, they had learned to detach themselves emotionally, and maybe since she was co-raised, they weren’t as attached. But they put a tremendous amount of time and effort and love into a puppy that they eventually gave up for a complete stranger. And then, as if that weren’t enough, they drove several hours to send Roja off with a proper farewell, and they offered that same stranger the gift of letting yet another puppy go graciously and with meaningful words. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">They later sent me an email, telling me that they both felt that Roja seemed happy with me. They had no idea how much I doubted Roja’s and my bond at the beginning, so the idea that they would encourage me in that exact area meant so much to me, especially since they had spent enough time with her as a puppy to assess whether she looked happy. </span></div>
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<div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.666666666666666px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The interesting thing about receiving such a sizable gift from strangers is that there’s no suitable gift I can give in return that would be able to convey my gratitude. I gave Roja’s raisers framed pictures of Roja and myself, which seemed almost comical in its simplicity on graduation day, compared with the gift that would be leading me home. I can only hope that Roja’s raisers received an intrinsic gift as they watched Roja and me graduate. That watching a stranger gain newfound mobility, confidence and freedom as a result of their sacrifice made it somehow worth it for them. I have the sense that this must be true, or they wouldn’t have continued raising pups all these years. Even if it’s not an equal exchange, however, that’s the best part about gifts. When given genuinely, they are given without expectation, even to strangers. </span></div>
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-82992007336898504502015-11-10T08:00:00.001-08:002015-11-10T08:00:03.099-08:00Travel with a service dogThe last time I wrote, I talked about flying with a service dog. Now it's time to talk about the actual trip!<br />
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A few weeks ago, my service dog Kaline and I headed to Michigan with my mom (retired girl Juno went for a "spa week" of frolicking on beaches with her Auntie Sonja). It's a tradition for us to go to Ann Arbor every fall, where we visit the Henry Ford and Greenfield Village to celebrate Hallowe'en, and attend the University of Michigan's fall musical.<br />
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When we landed in Michigan that Tuesday, our first objective was the terminal's service dog relief area. Kaline loves to do momentum pull, which involves some elements of guiding when there are crowds. The Detroit airport is one of his favorite venues. It's always a straight shot from our gate to the relief area, but with many delightful challenges in our way. It's always great fun to see him assess crowd shapes, the placement of clusters of people, and decide which path offers the least resistance to us. According to my mom, the people in our wake were pretty impressed.<br />
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Our hotel in the fall is actually pet friendly, and has a long strip of lawn behind it for running a dog or playing fetch (plus unlimited free poop bags!). After unpacking, the first thing I did was have a game of Chuckit with Kaline out back. Trips are tiring for both of us—at home, he never spends as much time officially on duty as he does when we're traveling. The best way to keep him spunky and fresh, oddly, is by having at least one vigorous game of Chuckit every day. Service dogs really need their time to be ordinary, rambunctious, ridiculous dogs. Kaline runs like a maniac for his Chuckit balls!<br />
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One of the best but most challenging parts of our fall trip is the time spent at Greenfield Village in Dearborn. The village is one of the foremost history attractions in the U.S., containing numerous historical buildings as well as replicas that Henry Ford collected from all over the country.<br />
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In the village are multiple horse-drawn omnibuses, Model T Fords, antique Ford buses, and steam locomotives. The locomotives are extremely loud, as they have to obey the state laws governing trains, even though they just go in a small loop. Therefore, their whistles have to be audible <i>three</i> <i>miles</i> away. Kaline has had to get acclimated to all of them, and since we are only there twice a year, it usually takes him a little while at the beginning to relax fully in the presence of all these things.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing our Hallowe'en spirit! Well, Kaline, anyway.</td></tr>
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This was the first time he had no acclimation period! He's been going to the village since he was 16 months old, so maybe it's become old hat to him. It's lovely when we see some of the village presenters who remember him from his first trip—they can see how far he's come since then! Half the Model T drivers know him now; when we wait in line to ride them, the driver we're paired with inevitably lets out a joyful cry of "Kaline!" as we're about to get in.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline on the Model T.</td></tr>
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When we were the only ones on a particular horse-drawn omnibus, the driver let Kaline rest his chin on the window between the carriage and her driver's seat as she told us about her team, Wilbur and Orville. On the locomotive, he just objected to holding a down on the icy cold metal floor (can't really blame him). Kaline also enjoys riding the carousel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline on the horse-drawn omnibus.</td></tr>
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Another challenge of the village in the fall is our favorite special event, Hallowe'en Nights. We go to dinner in the packed Eagle Tavern with about 150 other guests—this year two of our tablemates were dressed as Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett! It's dark, warm, and noisy—no electric lights—and a fiddler goes from table to table taking requests. Kaline was practically invisible, sleeping under the table until it was time to go out into the village.<br />
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After dinner, we followed a jack-o-lantern-lit path all through the village. There are performances of Hallowe'en stories and songs. Most of the visitors come in costume, and at various points on the path, village presenters greet everyone dressed in elaborate vintage costumes.<br />
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It's a lot of moving through crowds in the dark—at one point we walked over a fog-filled, laser-lit covered bridge. There are buildings lit up to look like someone is raising a Frankenstein monster inside; the carousel runs backward to creepy music; and a pair of horses run up and down in a field to reenact the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It's a lot to ask of a dog, asking them to focus with all that going on. Kaline just did his first one last year.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline with some of the hundreds of hand-carved pumpkins.</td></tr>
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This year, he was totally unfazed by anything, except for one part in the excellent new Top Hat Sideshow where a performer was cracking a flaming whip. Suitable application of treats fixed that promptly. Kaline is quite willing to tolerate bizarre sights and strange loud noises if they mean he's going to get food. And while he doesn't need treats to perform his duties in normal locations, for events like Hallowe'en Nights I always make sure to take some high-value morsels with me. I like to think of it as hazard pay!<br />
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Kaline ably led me through all the crowds, ignoring all the costumed distractions. He was fantastic. We ended at the big restaurant, with Kaline passing out under a table while Mom and I shared some delicious mini-donuts and hot chocolate.<br />
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The next night was the fall musical, American Idiot, presented by the University of Michigan's amazing musical theatre department. If you've never seen it, it features songs from Green Day's album of the same name, at rock-concert volume. Earplugs for the human theatregoers were handed out at the door; for Kaline, I had purchased Mutt Muffs.<br />
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The ear protection for him was a rousing success—while the musical was blaring, I could feel Kaline twitching against my feet, so deeply asleep that he was having a fantastic dream.<br />
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It may be called a vacation, but it can actually be more exhausting than regular life, both for me and for Kaline. We are both under more stress than normal, and he is on duty far more than usual. He can go for twenty miles of pack walks and still want to do zoomies when he gets home. But after a full day of work—not just helping me, but maintaining his professionalism at all times—Kaline completely crashes.<br />
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Staying super focused in public is one of the hardest parts of being a service dog, sometimes even harder than learning the actual tasks. A good night of sleep restores him, though; it took me about a week after we got home to recover from our awesome and fun-filled vacation! Still, I can't wait to do it again.<br />
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Colt<br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-61537323862185209532015-11-03T08:00:00.000-08:002015-11-03T10:19:09.654-08:00She is So Much MoreWe've been home a little more than a month, Megan and I. We've walked our neighborhood, gone to the doctor, been to the hospital, been grocery shopping, "stuff" shopping, and dress shopping for a fancy schmancy gala we will be helping with. We've been to the pumpkin patch and on walking trails and along the beautiful St. Croix River. We've been on an airplane, a hay rack ride, and trains, buses, and cars. We've packed a lot into a little bit of time so far.<br />
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When I tell people about her and our young partnership, I tell them that we don't walk together, we fly. Every time we go out, I am awestruck by our pace and by Megan's precision and near perfection. She is exceptional. We are a fast-flying pair and we're becoming stronger and more attuned to each other every day.<br />
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Thank you—every day, I think, "Thank you." When I safely cross at an intersection, or step up a curb without tripping, or find the stairs, or walk with grace, poise, and confidence with Megan by my side, I think, "Thank you."<br />
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She is so much more than a dog ...<br />
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She is so much more than a friend ...<br />
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She is so much more than a mobility tool ...<br />
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She is so much more than a gift ...<br />
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This dog—she is beautiful, impeccably trained, hard working, happy to snuggle, loving, protective, curious, and an incredible gift of the most precious sort imaginable. She gives me freedom, independence, confidence, assurance, and safety. She is so much more ... She is part of me, part of my family, and part of our community.<br />
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Thank you, Guide Dogs for the Blind, for both of these gifts: my retired guide, Picassa, and my new active guide, Megan. They are both so much more ... than I could have ever asked for. <br />
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Nicole Schultz-Kass<br />
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-55856204834480566122015-10-20T08:00:00.000-07:002015-10-20T08:00:03.069-07:00A Service Dog in CollegeGreetings! My name is Sara, and I am a full-time college student studying biology. My owner-trained service dog, Velvet, is an Australian Shepherd. There are many educational posts about service dogs and public access, but that is only a small part of their daily activities they experience with their handler. I have seen various potential handlers and current handlers wondering how being a service dog handler works while in college. This sparked my idea to do a write-up about how an average day in college while accompanied by a service dog works for me.<br />
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Let’s start off with how I prepare for Velvet’s day with me.<br />
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<b>Supplies:</b> I have a bag filled with Velvet’s supplies. These supplies include a mat, a popup crate, a travel water bowl, boots, and a rain coat. We don’t use each of these supplies every day, but it’s good to be prepared.<br />
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<b>Potty Breaks:</b> I am fortunate in that I have a ten-minute break in between my back-to-back classes, and that all of my classes and laboratories are in the same building. When you are creating a class schedule, as a SD handler it is important to factor in time for your dog to be able to take a break and do their business. Especially for those on bigger campuses where you might have to go from one side of campus to the other in a mere ten-minute window.<br />
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Now on to our day!<br />
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<b>Lectures</b><br />
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Currently, my lectures can last from 50 to 90 minutes depending on the days the class is scheduled. For this, Velvet has to lay quietly and not be a disturbance to the class. I also picked out a seat where she wouldn’t be obstructing an aisle as she cannot comfortably tuck under the desks in the classrooms. This is where the mat comes in handy, so she can lay beside my desk while I’m taking notes and participating in class.<br />
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Along with sitting through calm lectures, she also has to be calm during the more exciting lectures. One time my physics professor was throwing a ball around the classroom to various students while lecturing about free-fall objects. This was a big test, but I had worked with Velvet on impulse control around various distractions. Even in “boring” lectures, you have to be prepared for anything!<br />
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<b>Around Campus</b><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Velvet at the coffee shop.</td></tr>
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During my longer breaks in between lectures, I might go to the computer lab to work on coursework. In this case, Velvet will go into a tuck underneath the desk as to not take up additional room. If I don’t have anything to work on, I will go to the coffee shop and chat with friends over a frappe. I also have to consider that Velvet has been cooped up in lectures, and could use an off-duty break. This is especially important to remember if I have a lab that day, as that can last 3-4 hours. So often, I will take her for an off-duty walk around campus to let her stretch her legs and have some fun. After all, at the end of the day, she is a dog!<br />
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<b>Laboratories</b><br />
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This is one topic that has different responses. To take your service dog to laboratories or not? In my experience thus far, it depends. For example, I do not take Velvet to my biochemistry lab due to the chemicals we are working with. I do not want to expose her to that, or disrupt that kind of environment by bringing in a dog. But for my physics lab, as long as we aren’t working with projectiles, I bring her. She is underneath the lab table on her mat, and I let her work on her Benebone for entertainment while my lab partner and I work on the experiment.<br />
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Along with my credit hour labs, I am also doing independent research in paleobotany. Part of my research includes making acetate peels of specimens, part of which involves having to etch the fossils in a tub of hydrofluoric acid. I am in a lab coat, rubber apron, rubber gloves and a face shield, so I obviously wouldn’t bring Velvet into this environment. My research setup is in a lab side room, so when I am working on my project, I have Velvet's popup crate set up in the main lab. The lab room she is set up in only hosts introductory level biology courses, so she is not exposed to chemicals there.<br />
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Overall, while we had to make some adjustments, we were still able to work around having a service dog in college. While it might seem daunting to have to not only adjust from “college life” to “college with a furry shadow life,” the benefits of the accommodation were worth it. My daily life has been enhanced with Velvet by my side as I go through my education.<br />
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SaraGUGP Bloghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15316184621499656668noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-75328562891644127392015-10-06T08:00:00.000-07:002015-10-06T08:00:02.898-07:00First flightFlying with a service dog is a lot like traveling with a very obedient and helpful toddler. As long as you are well prepared, and anticipate pretty much any need that may arise, you'll be fine. You'll just be carrying a lot more stuff than usual, and most of it won't be yours. And you'll have a preoccupation with pottying that will be perplexing to anyone who has never traveled with a dog.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My service dog's gear always takes up at least one drawer in the hotel room.</td></tr>
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That first flight though ... It can be a bit scary, especially if you've never flown with a service dog before. And even when you have, it can still be nerve-wracking to take your young, inexperienced partner on his or her first plane trip.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Experienced traveler Juno: <br />
Unimpressed by all airplane-related things.</td></tr>
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Juno, my first service dog, made her first flight when she was almost five years old. I was headed back to Ann Arbor, Michigan, so we flew Delta (the only airline that flies direct from San Francisco to Detroit). Delta is the only airline I've flown where I have never had a bad experience getting my tickets. Their disability hotline staff are impeccably well-versed in the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which is the federal law covering service dog access on airplanes.<br />
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As ever, my girl was a pro, despite my nerves. At security, she got a pat down from TSA because I chose to call her through the metal detector wearing her service dog gear. Hilariously, when the first TSA agent discovered Juno was female, he immediately called for "female assist." (This has never happened with Kaline, my current—male—service dog, even if he's about to get a pat down from a female agent).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno just past security at SFO.</td></tr>
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We got on the plane and Juno promptly curled up in the tiny bulkhead space at my feet (I have since learned to fly economy plus, where the dog usually has more room to stretch out under the seat in front) and went to sleep. Her powers of sleep and relaxation have always been fairly mind-blowing, but even so I couldn't quite believe that she slept through both the takeoff and the landing.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Juno on her first flight. <br />
I always remove my dog's service dog gear <br />
for the flight so s/he can fully relax.</td></tr>
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Juno was also a very easy traveler because she has efficient relieving habits. You tell her to "get busy," and she does. <i>Immediately</i>. No. 1, No. 2, and done. She also seems to have an iron stomach (no matter what she eats, it almost never upsets her digestion) and an iron bladder. Her only requirement is that the pottying happen on something other than cement or asphalt.<br />
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I should note that airports legally must have a service dog relief area. However, that area does not have to be conveniently located or in any way appealing to dogs. San Francisco's area seems to be miles away from everything useful, and is slightly smelly and rather uncomfortable rocks dumped into a chain-link enclosed pen. They've tried to make it cute by having you follow little pawprints to get there, but after fifteen minutes of following said pawprints, you start to get a little annoyed.<br />
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Which brings me to one of the major perks of traveling with a male service dog who lifts his leg. <i>Any</i> vertical surface can be a potty spot! No need to wander about looking for grass, dirt, or gravel. Find a handy pole somewhere out of the way, and you're golden.<br />
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In that regard, Kaline has learned to do something Juno never had the opportunity to do: How to pee inside in the best service dog relief area ever. Just before Kaline's first flight, the Detroit airport put in a fabulous relief area <i>inside</i> security. The amount of anxiety this relieves can't really be overstated.<br />
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First of all, having to go through security twice due to needing a potty break is just a pain, especially if your disability affects your stamina and/or mobility. Trying to get out to the distant potty spot and <i>then </i>having to do security during a layover is even worse. Having a relief area inside security saves a handler innumerable amounts of stress and energy.<br />
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And you may have seen the story that made news of the service dog who had such a bad accident on a plane that they had to make an emergency landing ... That story features prominently in the nightmares of many handlers. The easier it is to potty your dog right before you fly, the better! The first time I asked Kaline to eliminate there, he looked at me like I was insane—"We don't PEE inside! What's the matter with you?" Now, when we get off the plane in Detroit, he books it straight to the area by Gate 34.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can't beat the Detroit relief area.</td></tr>
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Kaline's first flight was nerve-wracking in different ways from Juno's. With him, I had a good idea of what to expect at the airport and on the plane. I was able to prepare him more specifically for the ordeal. We practiced the stand for examination endlessly, since he is a far more stranger-social dog than Juno and would likely try to lick the TSA agent to death if allowed. He learned to curl up in a little ball at my feet and ride in the passenger foot-space of the car, getting comfortable in a small space and becoming accustomed to the rumbling feeling, as well as occasional "turbulence" if my dad was the driver.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baby Kaline in the passenger foot space of my car.</td></tr>
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We even did a practice run through security with my friend Sonja, whose service dog Chief is Kaline's best buddy. Practice runs are far more to settle any handler nerves than to settle the dog's. Kaline was completely fine, and once I saw him do it without the pressure of a flight to catch, I was able to be much more relaxed during the real thing!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline waiting to board his first flight.</td></tr>
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Kaline was only sixteen months old when he did his first flight. It worked out that both my parents were going on the trip, so we took up a whole row on the plane. This turned out to be really good, because Kaline did not sleep through takeoff or landing. I had armed myself with high value treats, expecting this to happen, so he got rewards all during the scary parts in addition to being cuddled by the whole family.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kaline on his first flight, once the excitement of takeoff had ended.</td></tr>
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Being a diva Doberman, Kaline was also more high maintenance in flight than Juno because he believes any temperature under 60 degrees to be extreme cold. Our last several flights have been so warm as to be nearly uncomfortable, but back then all the planes were very chilly. Where Juno just curled up on a thin mat and conked out, in "cold" Kaline requires: a thick Ruffwear pad to insulate him from the plane's cold floor, his Ruffwear Cloudchaser, his fleecy pajamas, and sometimes a Delta blankie from a kind flight attendant.<br />
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Though Kaline did well in the air, his apprehension during takeoff and landing was a bit worrying to me. However, with every flight he took, that diminished. Today, Kaline is a pretty experienced flyer and is unimpressed by all the strangeness of air travel.<br />
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All he needs is a comfy headrest, and he's good to go!<br />
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Colt<br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-87308093593888796712015-09-29T08:00:00.000-07:002015-09-29T08:00:03.025-07:00Patrick is growing!Hi everybody! Sorry if my last blog was a little sad, I promise this one won’t be. Patrick has been with us for two and half months now, and boy has he grown! I can’t believe it—he is as tall as I am now! None of the other puppies I have helped raise have grown this fast. <br />
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He is doing pretty well, but can still be an annoying little brother at times. He is always moving! If Patrick wore pants, I would say he acts like he has ants in his pants. I thought that I had a lot of energy, but Patrick even wears me out sometimes. When he does finally tire out he likes to lay really close to me. He’s actually pretty sweet when he is tired.<br />
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Patrick is learning a lot. He finally knows to go potty outside like me and Ozzy, which is nice. I don’t like potty inside the house—it makes Mommy upset. He also know how to walk with us much better now, but sometimes likes to hold either my leash or his own leash in his mouth as we walk.<br />
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He can still be very loud at times, especially if another dog barks or if he sees another dog, Mommy is spending a lot of time trying to help him with that.<br />
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Patrick has also earned a little more freedom in the house and he is constantly trying to get someone to play with him. He likes to take toys to Mom or Dad and drop them at their feet or in their laps and stare at them.<br />
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He will also bring toys to me and ask to play tug. I love playing tug! But don’t tell that to Patrick. I like to be cool and say, “ I guess I will play with you—if no one else will.” I don’t want him to know that I actually like playing with him, it may go to his head. Sometimes I let him win ... just to be nice. I do worry though that he is going to get so big that I won’t be able to win if I want to. Ozzy is also starting to play with him a little and Patrick likes to try to play keep away with toys with him. Patrick is pretty smart and tries to outwit Ozzy, but Ozzy is pretty smart too.<br />
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Now that Patrick is getting a little bigger, Mom and Dad have been taking him out on his own more often. I don't like this as much. I don’t like being left out. But Mom has made a little special time for me too. We recently went to the pet store, just the two of us. She let me see all the little animals there, which was fun. I tried to convince her to let me get a pet rat because they were so cool to watch, but no luck.<br />
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I did guilt her into buying me a new toy and a special treat, hehehe. I have great sad puppy eyes. I learned this trick from Eli—he was the master of the sad puppy dog eyes. When we would go to the store when he was still with us, the people at the checkout would just keep giving him treats! His eyes had special powers on people, I’m good, but not Eli good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ricki attempts to channel Eli in order to get a bite of that yummy sandwich.</td></tr>
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Oh my Dawg! I almost forgot to tell you about Sebastian! Mommy brought home a super tiny kitty last week. We had a naming contest and Sebastian was the winning name. l really wanted his name to be Koda, just like the bear I met at Disneyland.<br />
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I was a little frightened of him at first, but he was calm and nice. Anyway, I love kittens! They are really fun to lick and clean. Ozzy really likes him a lot too, I think he misses his kitty, Fidget.<br />
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I’m trying to be as helpful as possible with Sebastian because Mom’s pretty busy with so many other things. The first week we had him Mom had to get up in the middle of the night to feed him and I would always get up with her to see if she needed any help. Ozzy just kept sleeping and wasn’t very helpful. He prefers to just play with him rather than help with the hard stuff.<br />
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Patrick is very interested in our older kitties and wasn’t sure what to make of Sebastian when he first arrived. I think Patrick thought Sebastian was a toy at first and tried to grab him from Mommy’s hand. Mom and I have taken some time to show Patrick how to be calm around a baby kitten.<br />
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I have to say I’m really proud of Patrick. He actually took the time to slow down and listen to what we were trying to teach him. He can now sit quietly next to Mommy and me while Sebastian gets fed. Anyway that’s all the update that I have for now. I think I hear Sebastian crying so I better go help Mommy get him fed and clean.<br />
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Wags and kisses,<br />
Ricki<br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-62335780566259682492015-09-24T08:00:00.000-07:002015-09-24T08:00:02.831-07:00GUGP and Puppy in Training TV<div style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.2; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is it easy to start a web video series about puppy raising? No. The number one most difficult part about starting a web video series for me was getting that first Puppy In Training TV video published. In fact the series was supposed to start with the puppy before Dublin.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Puppy in training Derby at the beach</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Before picking up Derby, puppy in training No. 2, I had a grand idea to document his journey as I had done with my first pup, Stetson, on the <a href="http://puppyintraining.com/blog/">Puppy in Training blog</a>. T</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">his time, however, I would use my brother</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s camcorder and publish videos instead of writing on a blog.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Armed with my brother</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s camcorder and a couple of friends, we drove out to <a href="http://www.guidedogsofamerica.org/">Guide Dogs of America</a> </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">to start Derby</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s video adventure. I got some nice video clips of Derby and his littermates at GDA puppy pickup. The following weeks, I took more great footage of Derby and his pals playing at puppy kindergarten, obedience classes, and outings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Then everything went wrong. I had no idea how to edit a video. I had no idea how to do voice over or talk to the camera. I still don</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t know many things about creating a good video, but I</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">m learning.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So what happened to all the great footage I had of Derby? I took baby steps. I edited and put together a short movie of Derby and his two siblings Dexter and Dutch attending puppy kindergarten. These movies were never posted to Vimeo or YouTube, but instead I shared them with my fellow puppy raisers when Dexter and Dutch went on to guide dog college.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I also uploaded short movies of Derby testing a slow feed dog bowl. Derby was a fast eater and sometimes choked on his food (I know, unusual for a Lab). I</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> put together these movies using my Macbook, iMovie, YouTube, and my brother</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s camcorder (I think I may have had a tripod, too).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Raising Derby taught me the basics of web video and gave me the foundation I would need before launching Puppy In Training TV.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Influence Of GUGP on Puppy In Training TV</span></h3>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dublin working hard at the office</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I remember as clear as day: </span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Growing Up Guide Pup</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">” </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">in my Google Reader Dogster news feed. I clicked through to find an embedded YouTube video with the heading, "Check out this week's vlog for an update on our favorite guide pup's progress. Ricki is getting so big!</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Arimo;">"</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It was so cool!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The featured video was episode five, so I went back and watched episodes one through four, and saw my future web series unfolding before me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Amie and Matt put together something much better than I could have ever dreamed of and it gave me the template I needed, motivation, and inspiration to start my own web video series.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had no idea what I was doing when I picked up the camcorder and started shooting video of Derby two years earlier. Growing Up Guide Pup helped me get more organized. That night I started writing the scripts to my first few episodes for Puppy In Training TV.</span></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmIOzX6Aip4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ep1 Picking Up Your Puppy</span></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E36B7pp-Htw" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ep2 Taking Your Puppy To Work</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ep3</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I tried to put together weekly episodes like Growing Up Guide Pup, but I found it way to difficult to keep up. I was lucky to get one episode a month published to YouTube.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It took over two years to publish my first episode of Puppy In Training TV. In August 2010, I uploaded </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmIOzX6Aip4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Puppy In Training TV - Ep1 - Picking Up Your Puppy</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> to my YouTube channel.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I had never discovered Growing Up Guide Pup, I would never have completed my vision of a web video series about puppy raising.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 18.6667px; font-weight: 400; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Influence of GUGP on Puppy Raisers</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ve been fortunate enough to get piles of positive feedback from the Puppy In Training TV video series. I can only imagine that the influence of Growing Up Guide Pup is ten-fold of what I</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ve experienced.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What does GUGP do for puppy raisers?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It brings in new puppy raisers. I would guess that GUGP has brought in tens, if not hundreds, of new puppy raisers across the country.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GUGP shows puppy raisers some of the many outings they can go on with their puppy in training, from the ball games to county fairs to Disneyland. Getting your puppy out and about and used to public places is a big part of puppy raising.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Training issues. Puppies don't come to puppy raisers as a finished product. GUGP shows that our puppies aren</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">t always perfect. It takes time, patience, persistence, consistency, and a lot of other adjectives to get your puppy ready for guide dog college.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Help! I bet Amie and Matt have had to answer thousands of questions about puppy raising. Growing Up Guide Pup gives puppy raisers a forum to ask experienced puppy raisers questions like, </span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">How do you give up your puppy? I could never do that</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; font-style: italic; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">…”</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This might just be my own personal thing, but GDB Fun Day! Ever since I saw the episode on Guide Dogs for the Blind Fun Day I</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ve wanted to go. Maybe someday you</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ll see me and my puppy in training at GDB Fun Day at the San Rafael campus.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">What do you guys think? Has Growing Up Guide Pup influenced you in some way? What has GUGP done for you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Thanks Amie, Matt, and Ricki for all you</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ve done with GUGP and here</span><span style="font-family: Arimo; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">’</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">s to your continued success with </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLC85hVEuGymWECH9leH90nKs6MYnmj8G4" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">GUGP 2.0</span></a><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Colby</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue'; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; white-space: normal;">Have a service dog or puppy raising story you'd like to share? <a href="mailto:gugpblog@gmail.com">Send it to us! </a>We will be featuring posts by guest authors on a regular basis.</i></span></div>
</span>Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-89550901172003717712015-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:002015-09-15T08:00:05.091-07:00The variety of service dogsIf you're a fan of Growing Up Guide Pup, you probably know a fair amount about guide dogs and their job. You know that Golden Retrievers and Labradors are the most commonly used breeds, with a smattering of German Shepherds.<br />
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However, a service dog can be any size or breed, as long as the dog possesses what it takes to do his or her job. And these dogs can help disabled people with a variety of challenges, not just visual impairment. I'd like to introduce you to some of the amazing dogs whose handlers I've gotten to know in my time in the service dog community.<br />
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<b>Lucas</b></div>
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Age: 2.5 years</div>
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Breed: Rough Collie</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Mobility and life assistance</div>
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Favorite Task: Retrieving objects and getting items off of shelves</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Roughhousing with his brother, Soren</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And, sometimes, dressing up like a bunny.</td></tr>
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Naughty Moment: Lucas once got into his handler's makeup when he was off duty and chewed up all her lipstick. She came home to him covered in red. When he was younger, he also once ate all of her left shoes. </div>
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<b>Rico Suave</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Sadea-Rico2_zpso1hzklwq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Sadea-Rico2_zpso1hzklwq.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Age: 9 years</div>
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Breed: Papillon</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Medical alert & psychiatric service dog</div>
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Favorite Task: Leading his handler to exits</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Sleeping</div>
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Naughty Moment: When Rico was still in training, he once crawled under a bathroom stall divider and scared the woman in the next stall by looking at her. </div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Sadea-Rico1_zpssg12wjcf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Sadea-Rico1_zpssg12wjcf.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Gir</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Tyla-Gir2_zpsyz4axsih.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Tyla-Gir2_zpsyz4axsih.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Age: 2 years</div>
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Breed: Shetland Sheepdog</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Medical alerts (including blood sugar, migraine, low blood pressure, and heart rate spikes). Psychiatric work such as deep pressure therapy, interrupting self-harm behavior, and response to panic attacks.</div>
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Favorite Task: Engaging with his handler to interrupt flashbacks</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Playing with a flirt pole</div>
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Naughty Moment: Gir enjoys counter-surfing for goodies.</div>
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<b>Rory</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Rory3_zpsqjoz1jyd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Rory3_zpsqjoz1jyd.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Age: 2</div>
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Breed: German Shepherd/Newfoundland mix</div>
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Status: Service dog in training (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Mobility support and psychiatric tasks</div>
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Favorite Task: Retrieving objects</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Swimming</div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Rory1_zps9moizwgl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Rory1_zps9moizwgl.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Parker</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Parker2_zps5bkmzzck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Parker2_zps5bkmzzck.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Age: 8 years</div>
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Breed: Rat Terrier mix</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Psychiatric support, minor mobility tasks, retrieving</div>
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Favorite Task: Searching rooms before his handler enters</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Killing and unstuffing squeaky toys</div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Parker1_zpsbgduvu7k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Karry-Parker1_zpsbgduvu7k.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Doogan (Full Name: URO1 CH'PR'PPK's Sir Doogan Gooseberry CGC TT)</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Amanda-Doogan2_zpsya2qhipu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Amanda-Doogan2_zpsya2qhipu.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></div>
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Age: 3.5 years</div>
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Breed: American Pit Bull Terrier</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Medical alert and mobility assistance</div>
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Favorite Task: Carrying all the things, no matter what the objects happen to be</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Posing for the camera and strutting his stuff in the show ring</div>
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<b>Watson</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson3_zpsqqtcw7pm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson3_zpsqqtcw7pm.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Age: 2.5 years</div>
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Breed: Standard Poodle</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner- and program-trained by Dreamrun Dog Training LLC)</div>
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Job Description: Mobility/balance, medical alert & response, anxiety alert & response</div>
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Favorite Task: Finding "grandma" and picking things up</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Playing with his frisbee, flirt pole, or tennis ball launcher</div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson1_zpsweh2w7rz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson1_zpsweh2w7rz.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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Naughty Moment: Watson once destroyed his bed inside his crate.</div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson2_zpsseu6epk7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Katie-Watson2_zpsseu6epk7.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<b>Voltaire</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Heather-Voltaire1_zpswb9kxzem.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Heather-Voltaire1_zpswb9kxzem.jpg" height="320" width="215" /></a></div>
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Age: 2 years</div>
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Breed: Beauceron</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Mobility assistance and medical alerts</div>
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Favorite Task: Retrieving objects</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Playing ball, raising puppies, swimming, swimming while retrieving balls</div>
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Fun Facts: Voltaire is originally from Burgundy, France, and was able to fit under the airplane seat as an eight-week-old puppy. He is now over 100 pounds!</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Heather-Voltaire2_zpsgzchpswc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Heather-Voltaire2_zpsgzchpswc.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Voltaire with one of "his" puppies</td></tr>
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<b>Bruce</b></div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Lindsay-Bruce1_zpsfmj2qnb8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Lindsay-Bruce1_zpsfmj2qnb8.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Age: 6.5 years</div>
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Breed: Doberman</div>
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Status: Fully trained service dog (owner trained)</div>
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Job Description: Psychiatric and light mobility assistance</div>
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Favorite Task: Deep pressure therapy and interrupting behaviors</div>
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Favorite Off-duty Activity: Running on the beach</div>
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<a href="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Lindsay-Bruce2_zpsa3qvqsm5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w62/officialgrowingupguidepup/SD%20Bios/Lindsay-Bruce2_zpsa3qvqsm5.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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Fun Fact: Bruce, being a Doberman, is pretty high maintenance when it comes to chilly weather. No matter how many layers he's wearing, though, he's always professional.</div>
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Colt</div>
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Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-33639898957586881332015-09-08T08:00:00.000-07:002015-09-08T08:00:03.988-07:00Saying GoodbyeMany people think that dogs don’t have feelings, but we are actually very sensitive creatures. We feel emotions just like people. I get really excited every time I see a tennis ball. Happy when my mom and dad get home from being gone or when I see my friends. Upset if I make a mistake and displease my family. Annoyed when my new little brother, Patrick, tries to take my toys or pesters me to play when I’m tired or not in the mood. Worried and anxious when I’m left alone somewhere I don't know well. Sad when someone close to me leaves.<br />
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I have gotten used to new friends and foster siblings coming into our lives and leaving, I never know what or when my mom will bring home. In my five years on this earth, we have had a few foster kittens and puppies stay with us, and I've helped raise four other guide dog puppies in training.<br />
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In fact, just before Patrick came we had a two foster chihuahua puppies that stayed with us for a couple of weeks.<br />
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I know that these fosters are usually temporary, but some stay longer than others. The guide dog puppies usually stay the longest. Every once in awhile a foster will stay with us permanently like my little brother Ozzy—and me, I guess. But often we say goodbye and these friends go off to live with others. These goodbyes aren’t too difficult because we know that they are happy, loved and well taken care of. We even get visits sometimes like from my previous little sister, Pilaf, who didn’t make it as a guide dog. She is over for a visit right now and is keeping me company as I write this. Sometimes our goodbyes are not happy ones, and I get very sad.<br />
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I have had to say goodbye to three family members over the years. The first was my kitty sister, Faith.<br />
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She got sick one day and went to the vet and never came back. I was confused at first but Mom explained that she went to heaven and I felt a little better. I still miss her—she was always so nice to me ... but she did like to hog Mom’s lap.<br />
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The second family member was my big brother Eli, my best friend. We did almost everything together. We went for walks, played tug, got yummy treats and snuggled. He was sick for awhile but was really brave for all his doctor appointments and medicine. I did my very best to help take care of him.<br />
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When he went to heaven, Ozzy and I got to say a final goodbye. We both miss him so much. Our house isn’t the same without him.<br />
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The third was our little special kitten, Fidget.<br />
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I helped Mom raise him. He was an orphan when he was just a tiny newborn. He was more bonded to Ozzy than me, but I still miss him snuggling up against me for comfort.<br />
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The other day my mom came home from work and sat me down and gave me the news that my oldest and best friend, Lucy, joined Faith, Eli, and Fidget in heaven. This made me very sad. But my mom was there to comfort me and we spent a lot of time talking about the fun times we had together.<br />
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Lucy lived with one of the veterinarians my mom works with. When I went to work with my mom, I often saw Lucy there. We sometimes would hang out in the same kennel together, and if our parents weren’t too busy, we would have play time.<br />
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Lucy also came for sleepovers when her dad went out of town and couldn’t take her with him. It was always so much fun when she came to stay. Eli, Lucy, and I were the three amigos, the best of friends. We would have fetch contests to see who could get to the ball first. She was amazing at fetch and my best competitor.<br />
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We often went for walks and off leash adventures together and had fun tearing up toys together.<br />
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We even took trips to the snow with Lucy and her dad—those were awesome trips!<br />
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Lucy was also always a great help with raising me and all the other guide dog puppies. She was very patient with puppies but also firm with them if they got too pushy. I was really looking forward to her helping me out with Patrick—he can be really pushy sometimes and I think he thinks it is fun to annoy me. Puppies always listened to her, and Patrick laughs at me and doesn’t take me seriously when I try to tell him to knock it off. I could have used her advice.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lucy with guide dog puppy Chanel.</td></tr>
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Having to say goodbye to one of my best friends this week is what inspired me to write about this topic instead of giving an update on how things are going with Patrick. I just wanted humans to know that we dogs do mourn and need time to get over the loss of our friends and family members. Thanks for listening to me talk about my feelings. It has made me feel better sharing some of my favorite memories.<br />
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Wags and kisses,<br />
Ricki<br />
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<br />Colthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02018204804830072123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7193573539185842729.post-37791675250469851252015-09-01T08:00:00.000-07:002015-09-01T08:00:08.621-07:00Bringing back Growing Up Guide Pup: A Cause for Hope<div class="p1">
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As we head back to California on another Growing Up Guide Pup adventure, I ponder what to discuss for my premiere topic on the GUGP blog. I usually don't have a problem finding a topic I want to blog about because it seems I always have something to say. Amie tells me I never shut up. <br />
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As we work out of our mobile work station—a 2001 Toyota Highlander—returning through Lake Tahoe, I find myself in a bit of a mental freeze. I don't know if it's the foul stench of that disgusting rest stop in Nevada, or the gas station pizza near the California-Oregon border I should have avoided like the Black Plague. All I know is my brain is fried, so I ask Amie for ideas. She says, "Why don't you talk about bringing back Growing Up Guide Pup and what it means to you?" Given that Amie and I often come to the rescue for each other, and she has not failed me yet, I take the idea and will run with it ... so here goes.</div>
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Bringing back Growing Up Guide Pup means many things to me, but most importantly it means hope.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Guide puppy in training Pilaf at a fire station.</td></tr>
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Hope that we at GUGP can make a difference with our non-profit. Hope that the many obstacles we have observed in the service dog world may be addressed in some fashion. Hope that our various forms of new media will inspire more service dog volunteers. Hope that GUGP may help attract more financial backing to the service dog industry.<br />
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Hope that puppy raisers will have increasing societal tools for training, as well as the support of governing laws and culture to allow them to do their job at the highest level possible. Hope that service dog teams will find their lives more productive and easier to live as culture moves towards a better understanding of disabilities. Hope that people will acquire knowledge about service dogs' crucial role, and not assume this is just a person who put a jacket on their pet.<br />
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Hope that service dogs may be able to help increasing numbers of people with disabilities. Hope that service dog organizations will look towards a unified goal of helping the disabled regardless of economic, societal, fundraising, and political obstacles that may get in their way. And most importantly, I hope that GUGP will take all these needs and shake them up, stir them around, and pour them into a glass for enjoyable consumption. </div>
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In the following years, the likelihood of coming in contact with a working service dog team will reach critical mass, yet the general public has limited knowledge of these wonderful animals, their jobs, and how to interact with their handlers. The demand for more service dogs to help people with disabilities will grow and the level of awareness and understanding will need to grow to keep up. Growing Up Guide Pup would be honored to assist as much as we can! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Matt with his and Amie's first guide pup, Macklin.</td></tr>
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Five years ago Amie and I observed that despite dozens of service dog schools in existence, something was missing that not too many organizations prioritize. What is missing is education that bridges the gap between the service dog world and the average person who knows nothing about the topic. I hope our that our new media approach and other developing visions for Growing Up Guide Pup may directly improve this area. Service dog schools have their hands full with their primary missions of breeding, training, and partnering service dog teams. Growing Up Guide Pup's goal is to raise awareness about service dogs, service dog etiquette, and service dog laws. This is an important public service to assist the service dog organizations throughout the world.</div>
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Therefore GUGP's hope is to:</div>
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1. Continue displaying the joy as well as benefits of raising service dogs.</div>
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2. Provide education and understanding to the general public, so people are familiar with services that service dogs provide, and how to engage when near a working service dog team.</div>
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3. Spotlight service dogs, service dog users, and service dog training organizations.</div>
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4. Advocate for service dog users, raising awareness about issues including access and what rights are granted by the Americans with Disabilities Act.</div>
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5. Raise awareness about fake service dogs, whom they hurt, and what we can do to fix it.</div>
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So as I see it, a cause for hope is what bringing back Growing Up Guide Pup means to me.</div>
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Now let's get back to work!</div>
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Matt<br />
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