Types of Service dogs

[NicoleLJ]

Some great information you've supplied us with.


I believe her dog is a pure bred White GSD. Which BTW, I thought of Sheena the other day. This lady had a White GSD at the dog beach I take Kiara and Moo to. Five month old female. Mufasa absolutely loved her. Have pics of the two of them that I need to post sometime.
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Your welcome. I am very passionate about Service dogs of course. lol. I got more info and links if anyone has any questions.

I hope you post the pics. White Shepherds are my passion. I love all breeds of course but these dogs have a special spot.
Nicole

[NicoleLJ]

Another interesting Service Animal link is the Guide Ponies:

http://www.guidehorse.org/

This one is defiantely worth a look.
Nicole

[NicoleLJ]

Service Monkeys:

http://www.helpinghandsmonkeys.org/

Nicole

[mike001]

I took a break for a while because I received an e-mail from a member. I was filled in in great detail about the whole thing. No wonder no one wanted to find the site...lol...

[NicoleLJ]

http://www.ifgdsb.org.uk/page.asp?code=00010018

This link is really interesting. It is the history of the Guide Dog. Very interesting read.
Nicole

[borzoimom]

http://www.ifgdsb.org.uk/page.asp?code=00010018

This link is really interesting. It is the history of the Guide Dog. Very interesting read.
Nicole

I had a belgium that came out of the Morristown seeing eye. She refused to disobey - a trait needed as a guide dog- she was an EXCELLENT obedience dog!

[NicoleLJ]

Yeah that is called "Intelligent Disobience". A must for a Guide Dog. They have to know to disobey a command when that command will lead to the handler being harmed. For example a handler telling the dog to "forward" to cross a street when the dog sees a speeding car coming. They learn to then disobey the command and in fact push their handler back with their side.
Nicole

[borzoimom]

Yeah that is called "Intelligent Disobience". A must for a Guide Dog. They have to know to disobey a command when that command will lead to the handler being harmed. For example a handler telling the dog to "forward" to cross a street when the dog sees a speeding car coming. They learn to then disobey the command and in fact push their handler back with their side.
Nicole

That was exactly the type of problems we had with her but man- she was GREAT IN THE RING! My ex told her one time to jump up on a deck in construction- and she tried like heck to do it.. ( idiot!!!!).. Chancey was great. I miss her... http://i12.tinypic.com/2hp6iya.jpg

[Karen]

I know Gina - sandragonfly - has had problems with bus drivers not picking her up because she has Crayola with her and is not blind. He is her Hearing Ear Dog, just as important as a seeing eye dog - people need to be educated!

I also once met a lovely Bernese Mountain Dog who was her person's Stability dog. She needed a breed tall enough, stable and heavy enough to counter her own weight, as she otherwise has equilibrium problems that give her trouble walking or standing. The dog had a handle on her harness, and her job was just to be there and help mom not fall over. Sounds funny, but if you've never had balance problems, you don't know how awful - never mind painful physically - it can be.

[NicoleLJ]

I know Gina - sandragonfly - has had problems with bus drivers not picking her up because she has Crayola with her and is not blind. He is her Hearing Ear Dog, just as important as a seeing eye dog - people need to be educated!

I also once met a lovely Bernese Mountain Dog who was her person's Stability dog. She needed a breed tall enough, stable and heavy enough to counter her own weight, as she otherwise has equilibrium problems that give her trouble walking or standing. The dog had a handle on her harness, and her job was just to be there and help mom not fall over. Sounds funny, but if you've never had balance problems, you don't know how awful - never mind painful physically - it can be.

That is quite common. I am blessed with Sheena and living in an area that is very knowlegable about Service dogs and accepting of them. But I have heard many stories form people about access problems and transportation problems because people just don't have the right info.

Bernese Mountain dogs are very popular as Mobility Dogs. Their carting back ground gives them a natural gift for the join of aiding someone with a mobility disability.
Nicole

[NicoleLJ]

Karen I thought this might interest you since you mentioned a Bernese Mountain dog as a Mobility Assistance dog:

http://www.mira.ca/contenta/nc1a.html

This is MIRA. They are a Service dog Training Facility. They have their own breeding stock and one of the breeds they use on a regualar bases is the Bernese Mountain Dog. They are in Quebec Canada.
Nicole

[animal_rescue]

Maggie is an unregistered Psychiatric therapy dog for me.

I get really paranoid, panic attacks, hysterical sometimes, ect... and when I am Maggie is right there with me through it all. She'll lick me, distract, lay with me, do anything she can do to calm me down and make me happy or atleast give me some comfort and a friend.

Maggie's one of a kind who knows me in and out, I'd without a doubt trust her with my life.

[cassiesmom]

Sheena's vest says Do Not Touch - so - I'll follow that instruction, would you give her a big pet for me? She's beautiful!

Whoops, I deleted accidentally! Let me un-delete as best I can. The pup-in-training only barked once. That was before church, the pastor was making some announcements. The pup and handler had stopped and a man came in who uses a power wheelchair. The way he stopped beside the pup, he couldn't turn fully to see that the pup was there. The pup did exactly what you'd expect - got up, moved and barked! We were all surprised because he never, ever barks.

When she first got him there was a "blurb" in the bulletin explaining why he was with her, the program, its goals. There were people who had asked why she had been bringing a dog to church, even though he was wearing his training jacket. The last section of it was What You can Do to Help. It was things like - you may be permitted to pet me if you first ask the person who is holding my leash; I am generally not allowed to have a piece of doughnut during the coffee hour; when you see me, I am working so please keep that in mind; please be careful walking or pulling a chair away from a table when I am near. That sort of thing. He won everyone over - kids, older people and everybody by his willingness to learn. He's almost finished with this piece of his training and we will all miss him a ton when he goes on to the more formal program that comes next. But, we all hope he will have learned everything he needs to complete the program and assist a disabled person in the future.

[NicoleLJ]

That is so wonderful. I can understand why he will be missed but he will be enriching someones life and giving them back a sense of independance. What your friend has done is so wonderful it is beyond words.
Nicole

[sandragonfly]

quoted by karen
I know Gina - sandragonfly ..

that's me!

good to see other people with service dog(s) here. this is my favorite website - http://www.adionline.org, it seems it had helped us a lot lately when we have problems bringing "a dog" somewhere, even with his vest on.. especially for landlord to take a look at too! a well-educated link on laws, etc., I think. it has information on which state requires which. for example, california requires (bright orange) collar and vest on but new york only requires collar. thank god, humidity! I would still need to put vest on him sometimes though..

great introduction, nicole and thanks for those links, I'd like to do some looks later!

edit ~ karen, it is hearing dog, not hearing ear dog.