Getting A Service Dog.

[Friday]

I mustn't get too excited

<grin> I’ll get excited for you, then :sneaky:

2 months sounds like a good timeframe to get things ready, get yourself centered and balanced, and make travel arrangements.

Do you know anything about them? Breed, size, etc.?

 

[Sideways]

I mustn't get too excited because he may not graduate

Screw that - I’m excited!! Doin’ a happy dance for you:)

 

[blackemerald1]

Hey I just read all of your responses - thank you :hug: I'm on a bus bc the train broke lol & exhausted from travelling again.. so I've only got one bar & heading out of range. I'll post again when I'm home.

 

[blackemerald1]

I know nothing... so mysterious!

They will not tell me what breed, but more than likely my preferences of a medium sized dog and being male may be what I receive.

I know that the breeders they use have been very keen on labradoodles (cross btwn labradors and standard poodles) - but I don't know if this is the breed of dog I will get. Apparently they are smart, trainable and agile. All good traits for my needs.

Part of the organization that will be training me - have been contacted and given notice to make preliminary preparations... so it is really happening otherwise they would not be told.

Apparently six weeks prior to the dog being delivered I will be sent a photo and a profile of the dog. If I say yes then they transport the dog to me. In the meantime whilst waiting for that to happen I will be given help to prepare for my new house-buddy.

I'm getting all nervous now.

Thanks everyone... I'll update more when I know more. :hug:

 

[Freida]

So excited for you!!!!! It will be life changing! :hug:

 

[blackemerald1]

Update. :) Sort of.

I've contacted the training facility again. I just needed to know they haven't forgotten about me. :rolleyes:

They told me my dog is in the last eight weeks of his training and will be completing his examinations and registration in this month and if all goes well.... and he passes I may have him by the end of the year or possibly less...

But they won't tell me anything about my dog because if he doesn't pass and become registered it will be very disappointing for me. It's the training facility policy. I'd really like to know more but they won't budge on that. So my imagination is going into overdrive.

I've communicated to them that I am really getting quite desperate now. It's been two years plus and I so need this dog to help me. They know all of this and I know they are not being mean or withholding a dog from me. They have told me their resources are stretched to the max. I don't even want to think about the dog not passing. I've already had that happen once.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

They told me my dog is in the last eight weeks of his training and will be completing his examinations and registration in this month and if all goes well.... and he passes I may have him by the end of the year or possibly less

Last 8 weeks is really polishing up. If he made it this far, I have no doubt he will pass. But, I am not sure where your last dog failed.

But they won't tell me anything about my dog because if he doesn't pass and become registered it will be very disappointing for me. It's the training facility policy

I can understand that! Washing a service dog in training is incrediablly difficult. So much so that people, here in the US where you can owner train a service dog, have been known to work their dog even though they were aggressive because it is that hard to let them go. That is a crushing feeling. One that one needs to be ready to face but still, a crushing feeling. More so if you know exactly what dog you are supposed to get and start to bond with it in your head. So, I understand why they have this policy. He/she isn't your dog until they pass. I would try to think of it like that. It will help!

Fingers and paws crossed.

 

[Sideways]

They told me my dog is in the last eight weeks of his training and will be completing his examinations and registration in this month and if all goes well.... and he passes I may have him by the end of the year or possibly less...

Eight weeks? I can count that down on just my hands??

So once that 8 weeks is up, you get to start your intro to the dog and your training together?

 

[blackemerald1]

He/she isn't your dog until they pass. I would try to think of it like that. It will help!

^Thank you I will do my best. :hug: It does help actually.

have been known to work their dog even though they were aggressive because it is that hard to let them go.

^Oh that's not a good thing to happen. I've just got a newsletter regarding the problem of fake SD and the valid registration of real SD. Fake ones are becoming a really big problem here and various authorities are jacking up people with SD's all over the place to try and stop this problem from getting worse.

So once that 8 weeks is up, you get to start your intro to the dog and your training together?

Yes!! That's what they said... I mean they will contact me before they rock up to my door with my dog and I get to say yes or no to the dog ah... I am really nervous bc the dog and I are then assessed for compatibility etc so I will really need to shape up bc there is so much that I am personally being judged on. It makes me really nervous just thinking about it. I'm worried I will be sick and not make the grade.

 

[scout86]

I'm worried I will be sick and not make the grade.

You realize "normal" people don't get service dogs, right? Your personalities have to mesh, you don't have to be perfect. This process isn't about you, as a person, being judged. It's their best guess at whether or not the two of you can learn to function well as a team.

Relax! (But I sure hope all goes smoothly and the time passes fast!)

 

[blackemerald1]

You realize "normal" people don't get service dogs, right? Y

^Oh yeah I understand I'm not normal and therefore qualify yeessss! :confused:

However when I first submitted the forms and got the process rolling I was two years plus younger (and that's getting to be meaningful at my age) and I've now been diagnosed with a serious illness and I'm getting treatment for that.... aside from the ptsd and I have my other disability too. Aaargh I'm a wreck maybe too wrecked now...

 

[Sideways]

I am really nervous bc the dog and I are then assessed for compatibility etc so I will really need to shape up bc there is so much that I am personally being judged on.

I know a lady who went through this process last year with a dog that was trained for her. She was such a wreck with nerves, but it went great.

She demonstrated that she was willing to learn, willing to try, willing to accommodate and meet the dogs needs, and be a responsible owner.

Tick those boxes? And you’ll do fine:)

Our organisation had to remove a dog we placed recently, but that was because the owner, for health reasons or whatever, stopped looking after the dog, stopped training, and tried to block contact with our organisation. They went and did a house visit to check the dog’s welfare and removed it. They didn’t do it lightly, but she really wasn’t looking after the dog, even by regular pet dog standards, let alone demonstrate a willingness to try and meet an SD’s needs.

So, keep your Worry Monster in check. You got this far, because you’re a great candidate. So just keep doing what you’re doing:)