The Beginnings

Learning about Psychiatric Service Dogs

(to learn more about service dogs, and more specifically the tasks psychiatric service dogs can do, please go to the service dog page and it will have a more detailed explanation)

I first started learning about service dogs as a teen.  I babysat for a mother who was blind, and then slowly through out my teens I started hearing about stories of all kinds of different dogs doing amazing things for their owners and I really wanted one of these “special” dogs.  It wasn’t until a few years ago that I came across a magazine article in the Open magazine that I realized that dogs can be trained to help people with mental health issues.  The article was about K9-Helpers, a unique non-profit organization that trains dog specifically for each individual needing a service dog.  That’s when the spark happened.  But I didn’t do much about it, although I did keep the magazine to remind me what I was after.

It wasn’t until I was walking through the mall that I saw a display and Sue Alexander, (the head trainer) with her service dog and the deminstration of how a dog can aid someone with anxiety issues.  I signed up to be a volunteer, and now I help them out when I am able.  I was very eager, and still am eager to learn as much as I can about service dogs.

And now here I am about a year or so later, working towards my own service dog! WOOHOO!  I am very excited about this opportunity to help myself out!

Under Construction!!!

Right now I am going about this site trying to figure out how to best make if flow, and to put a lot of the resources down, one to help myself, but also so others have information to go through.  I am still doing things on my own like reading books, and dog walking and doing a few other things to prepare myself.

Please let me know if there is anything you’d like to see here, as I am always open for feedback, and I am learning as I go!!

My Tattoo

Well, this has absolutely nothing to do with service dogs, but it does represent some freedom and hope for me… as that’s what this tatoo represents.  I will be adding more about service dogs shortly, but for now,I have my tattoo pictures!

This was the template that the tattoo artist did for me.  I got the tattoo done by Laurie at Night Hawk Tatoo & Gallery.  It took me a long time to search for this tattoo, and to decide this was the one i wanted, but I now have this tattoo!! I asked her to make it more realistic    She did!

This  is the picture of the tattoo immediately after it was done   I love it so much!!  Anyway, i was surprised that it didn’t hurt that much… There were places that really stung, but some places actually tickled a bit…  I was told I was an excellent client and to come again   And they only charged me $140 instead of $150+  So I am very happy with my tattoo.  A bit bigger than I was wanting, but I think if it was any smaller that it wouldn’t be right.

This is a pic my friend took from a video image…. not that bad of a picture! much better than my cell phone picture!

This is a much better picture of my tatt! I love it so much! It keeps getting mroe beautiful each week! I’ve been told that it will look even better in a few more weeks

A Service Cat??

I currently own two lovely cats.

One I adopted from my niece who due to health reasons could not look after him anymore, I also adopted this very cute kitty just a day before I adopted my niece’s cat.  I have been doing some research just for fun about service cats.  Here in Canada if I do train one of my lovely cats I cannot bring them with me to stores, however, they can help me with my anxiety attacks.  Mitchy, my 8 month old kitten jumps up onto my lap and stays there for a while, and I am searching the internet to find ways to train Mitchy to be a bit more on cue.  I may start with clicker training!  It might be difficult with the two cats, but I just want to train the one cat.   I know for now, i start with click, treat, click treat click treat….  I’m wondering if i carry the clicker with me whereever i go, and my anxiety is rising, if i can click for him to come running to me, and then give him a treat.

I understand clicking marks the end of the behavior – so just keep feeding him treats while he’s on my lap? we’ll see what happens! i also hope to bo talking to someone shortly about this and how they trained their cat!  They say it takes a special kind of cat…  My first cat I had would alert me to being sick… which is interesting..and he knew when i was upset… so i am wishing that i did have him still, but that’s ok i suppose.

I am still planning on getting the dog, but my anxiety gets all over the place, and it would be good to havea service dog for myself down the road… i just need something in the meantime!

step one:  Click

step two:  treat

Thinking of Dog Names

I am sure this post will be updated quite a bit!  I have been thinking about unique dog names that would go for a Portuguese Water Dog.  Because the are known for swimming and endless amount of energy I want a name that will suit him or her.  I also want it to somewhat link (at least in my own mind) to how I hope she or he will be able to help me as a service dog.  For example, about 6 months ago I almost purchased an apricot poodle.  His name was going to be chai.  Partly because of the colour of his hair, but because Chai is my favorite spice!  I love chai tea!  Chai, the spice helps keep my brain stimulated, but also calms me down at the same time… helps me stay focused on what i need to… and that is somewhat of what I want a service dog to help me with.  to help me stay focused on reality, and not focused on my fears. I hope this makes sense!

Portuguese Water Dog names I’ve thought of:

1. Scuba – they are great divers and swimmers
2. Splash – obviously they like to splash in water
3. Wake – as in a wave in the water
4. Fish – (i thought of this idea because a friends dog named “Pig”)
5. Fisher
6. Aqua (English pronunciation)
7. Aqua (pronounced ahgwa)
   • because the portuguese name is Cao de Aqua (pronounced Kownd’ ahgwa), “dog of the water”.
8. Dogwa – play on words of dog of water!  Don’t think I like this one though!

I was speaking with some friends from a owner-trainer forum, and they suggested a few other names also:

1. aquarius
2. Wave,
3. Ripple,
4. Stream,
5. Brook,
6. Ocean,
7. Oceana

I prefer Scuba right now, but I don’t want people to think I stole the name from Sue Ailsby’s dog who happens to be scuba!  (I was looking at dogs names and fell in love with the name scuba before I found her blog!)

Please feel free to comment with any other names you may think fit

I’ve been thinking about this for a few days since I first posted…  I REALLY love AHGWA!!

Mono & Research

Two weeks ago I was diagnosed with mono.  It sucks big time.  My doctor told me that I needed to rest and to listen to my body, but what do I listen to my body for?  How do I really know when something is too much, and when I should be doing something?  It really sucks.  My constan exhaustion has caused me to be quite irritable and I have sworn at a worker already (which is unheard of for me) because he was not listeing to me and pushing me way too far.  I appologised to him, but I still feel that he had it coming to him.

Because I am not sure what I can and cannot do I’ve really been taking it easy.  My days consist of sleeping and resting as much as possible.  So I’m reading, watching TV and movies and doing stuff on the computer and the internet… so while I was on my computer the other day I came across an extremely fascinating blog.

STITCH – the weBlog of a service dog in training

Some of you may know Sue Ailsby, a highly respected dog trainer known for clicker-training seminars.  I have come across her blog.  (click the title and you will be directed there) I find her site fascinating on many levels.  This blog is specifically about her service dog Stitch, and her training.  It’s amazing… I forgot to mention that Stitch is a PWD. The EXACT breed of dog I’d want for a SD (service dog!)  So I have been reading up about her adventures with Stitch and the progress Stitch has been making.  I am so glad that I am doing research well in advance because the PWDis known for it’s endless energy, and is not a dog for everyone.  Breeders and dog behaviorists reccomend that first time dog owners don’t get a PWD, however, I do know what I am in for and I will be prepared.

I believe that many first time dog owners get dogs because of the novelty and they don’t realize how much time and effort should go into owning one.

I should log off or something because I do have mono, and I am getting tired!  Hopefully I’ll sleep well tonight!  And as always, if you have ANY comments or suggestions please send it my way!  I enjoy getting comments!

Against All Odds Part 2

Yesterday I was an emotional wreck and I wasn’t thinking clearly at all.  I have mono, and I am still not sure what I am able to do and what I am not able to do.  After having what I thought was a normal sunday gathering, and sitting down relaxing most of the time caused me to exhaust myself beyond limits.  And even today I am exhausted from that.  I don’t regret writing anything I did yesterday, as it does show some of my anxiety, however, I am learning that I really shouldn’t be doing research when I am exhausted.  I have a community of people in which I talk to.  These are lovely people, and they all train their own service dogs.  The community is called Service Dog Training Help 4 Owner Trainers.  Many of the people there read my post, and gave me a bunch of helpful information.

Some of the folks agree with the statistics, and others don’t, however, truth be known, there are so many good reasons for self training.  As one of my friends on the forum said the following

“Sometimes getting a pet, any pet, is like having a baby. If you wait for the right time, finances, housing, baby-proofing, etc., you will never have one. Maybe if you start working on getting a puppy, (and I still think a letter to breeders explaining your circumstances and needs might get you one free or at a greatly reduced cost) it might allay some of your issues.

Most programs dogs have been with 1. the breeder. 2. the puppy raiser. 3. the school 4. the final owner. Most owner/trainers can eliminate at least two of those folks, unless a rescue dog, so the dog bonds and responds much better to you.

As the pup grows and matures, so will your confidence and your confidence grows, so will your pup’s. And that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? Growing together and helping one another as a team.”

The joys of being able to have my own puppy, to train it.  The bond that will happen.  If I went with an organization, it would be difficult for me to bond with the dog because I won’t be getting the dog until the dog is no longer a pup!  And I have heard of many organizations where the dogs are not really well behaved.  I have seen program adult dogs peeing in the malls, and some service dogs that don’t seem focused on their handler.  By self-training, the pup/dog will better know me and I will know it much better.

I am looking around my area for private trainers that will train my dog in a certain way.  There are so many different theories out there, some of them work, some of them don’t always work, and some might work, but they can be dangerous!  I believe there are two potential people that will help me train, but I will be doing most of the work!

So yesterdays post is not a complete write off as this is a learning journey for me, and we all have doubts.  This is just another adventure in learning for myself!

Against All Odds…

I was just reading up about the problems associated with owner trained service dogs here.  Self-trainers have a much lower success rate than the average trainer… Wanna know what the success rate is of self-trainers? 1 in 100.  I have a 1% chance of picking out the right puppy, and training it properly…  the stats for a trainers and service dogs…. 1 in 6  and that is considered high!

I am now wondering why I am even doing this…  I do have a friend that trains service dogs, but I cannot expect her to train my dog for me, besides she’s extremely busy!  And this site also seems to mention that a lot of owner-trained dogs can be problematic, and inexperienced owners don’t have the skills to tell if their dog is suitable to work or if they are insufficiently trained.

Now, I am doing this way ahead of time, and I am doing a lot of research and reading and volunteering around dogs, so I do understand that I am gaining a bit more knowledge than maybe that of another person doing this, however, I have not owned a dog for 13 years!  The odds of me getting a dog and training it successfully are quite slim, the odds of me picking out the ideal puppy for this are slim as well, however, my friend did tell me of a breeder in Ontario that would have the type of temperament I am looking for in a Portuguese Water Dog.

I have also been reading about what an owener-trainer should know about before training their service dog.  I am now getting overwhelmed in what I need to know.  Obviously, reading online isn’t enough.   The site mentions the ways I should already know how to train a dog.  (I don’t have a dog I can practice any of these on – I can ONLY read about them.)

1. Fix a dog with housebreaking problems.
2. Fix a dog who doesn’t come when called.
3. Fix a dog who pulls on the leash.
4. Fix a dog who counter-surfs.
5. Fix a dog who begs at the table.
6. Fix a dog who jumps up on people.
7. Fix a dog who chews on furniture.
8. Fix a dog who nips.
9. Fix a dog who is afraid of the vet.
10. Fix a dog who bolts out the door

I am not sure how to do some of them.  I have watched videos and read books about how to stop these, but i haven’t actually been able to practice any of these.  I do volunteer for  puppy socialization classes through Dogs In The Park however, I realize that it is not good enough.  I am also volunteering for the human society as a dog walker, and when I am over this mono as a kennel assistant/supervisor.  I also volunteer for K9 Helpers however, with K9 Helpers, I don’t do a lot of hands on work with the dogs.  So in some ways I will be getting ahead of the game, but at the same time, I am just starting off.

So back to my original question… WHY AM I DOING THIS?! It seems like this will never work out, and yet I also feel that if I don’t do this, that my life will become much worse and harder to cope with.  I don’t really fit the organizations mandates because I have both autism AND mental health issues…  Also, most autism service dog organizations only train their dogs for childen…  And although I may act like a child from time to time, in reality I am an adult.

A Long Way to Peace

I really wish that I had a service dog now.  I know I am not ready to have one now, I’m not even ready for a dog as a pet, let a lone the responsibility of a service dog.  I have a long ways to go before I am ready to have a service dog.  There are things that I need to do personally to prepare myself.  Things that someone may not think about.  I need to start puppy proofing my place now.  I’m sure you are wondering if I am planning for two years from now why I would need to start doing this now.  Well, the reason is quite simple, I have never lived (on my own) in a place that has been puppy proofed.  Dog  and cat/kitten proof yes, but a puppy is a whole new ball game.  I don’t do well with change, I need to implement change gradually into mylife or things get way out of hand.  And it takes me a while to implent new things into my routine.  It’s not that I am lazy or that I can’t be bothered, it’s that I get stuck, and also because when my anxiety goes all wonky on me and I freeze.

Last week is a prime example of why I wish I had a dog now.  I’ve been feeling really crummy the last few months, and I couldn’t figure it out.  I just assumed it was a new way my body was expressing my anxiety and stress, although, I didn’t think it was that, but it was the closest thing that made sense in my mind.  Anyhow, last Tuesday I had a dentist appointment.  I have the most amazing dentist in the world (i’m just a tad bit biased), and i have a great dental hygienist, and yet, I still keep putting it off.  I finally went.  The night before I didn’t sleep very well do to my legs kicking all night long. (I’d say I have restless leg syndrome, although i have not been officially diagnosed.)  I also had really high anxiety all through the night and in the morning.  If i could’ve cancelled my appointment I would’ve.

Now I should mention that the anxiety had nothing to do with going to the dentist, it was due to some personal issues I am working on.  So, I drove to the dentist, and I was hoping to have a few minutes to sit down, but they brought me back early.  (I really like having a chance to sit for a few minutes so I don’t feel like i’m rushing)  My anxiety was already through the roof, and all I wanted to do was go home and curl up in bed and cry.  But I had to sit through a 1.5 hour dentist appointment while I’m being poked and prodded.

I should mention that the worst feeling in the world for me, that i cannot handle at all is nails on a chalk board, my nails being filed… AND my teeth being cleaned.  I can feel it through all my bones… I just can’t handle the sensation… so being over stimulated when i was already on an emotional overload was not a good thing… and i couldn’t help but wonder how much a service dog would’ve brought down my anxiety.

And on nights like tonight when my neighbours are noisy, and it’s triggering my anxiety…  A dog would help immensly.   So here I am, tonight, with mono, unable to sleep because of the noise outside (even after the bi-law officers came by and gave them a ticket)  I can’t sleep with my airconditioning on because of the air quality it puts in the room, and the noise it gives off… Oh how a dog would help reduce my anxiety!

But I can’t have a dog now, and I didn’t have a dog then.  I need to keep reminding myself, that soon I will have a dog of my own, and it will help me immensly.  It’s hard though.  I wish I could be ready as of tomorrow so I could get one ASAP, but the truth is, even is money wasn’t an issue, the change of me from having no dog, to having a puppy that will be a service dog for me would be unbearable at this time.  I doubt i’d be able to keep my place clean enough for a puppy.  It sucks, but this is where I am at right now.  A long way to peace.