Service dog rollercoaster

[ISupportHer]

OMG, I love the pictures and of course the updates. LOL, that last pic would be a good one for a captioning contest. I don't know exactly what word to use....aloof, maybe. I think she believes she is better than me and she doesn't even KNOW me, :D

 

[popeye]

She was being annoyed because that was the 18th picture in a row with her. I have a whole album of pics of this dog from the trainer. I just picked the best ones. Jill, the trainer, told me that if I don't pick her up soon she's gunna keep her because she is so dang smart. She even opened the front door by herself because she needed to go outside. She even brings her leash when she wants to go for a walk.

 

[amethist]

She looks good Popeye, the first pic seems as if she is saying, " Whose the boss now" LOL.

When she brings her leash to you she is really saying " You need to go for a walk" :D

Yep very intelligent dog you have there.

Amethist

 

[intothelight]

Hi Popeye,

Sooo cute! I am happy for you and hope this makes a world of difference in your life.

Debbie

 

[shadowchaser]

Congratulations! I was a service dog as well. They can be a huge help.

 

[shadowchaser]

Ack sorry for all the typos. I'm texting this all out on a cell phone.

 

[popeye]

Well it's 1 AM and we are home but here is a picture of me and my service dog. I will fill you all in more tomorrow when I am more awake. It was a long 9 hours in the car today I am tired.

 

[shadowchaser]

You two look great together

 

[snugglepuss]

I am so happy for you! I have been researching getting a psychiatric service dog for myself. The change in myself when I have a dog to go places with is tremendous. I live alone, and spend about 90% of my time at home alone. I go to university part time, but don't go there anytime other than when I have to go to class or drop off a paper for a prof.

I also don't go out at night. This is something new that I have just noticed I do. I don't have a car. I ride a scooter in the summer, and other times I use public transportation. There are some great support meetings at night where I live, but I won't go to them because they are at night.

If I am doing a job (I am a pet and house sitter), and the dog is medium size or larger, I take them out at night all the time, and find it really refreshing to get out in the cool of the night and in the quiet that comes when the dark sets in.

Because I am disability though, trying to figure out where the money would come from to feed and care for a dog is almost pointless, cuz I barely have enough money to feed and house myself.

Your dog is gorgeous, and she looks good in her collar and vest.

Please post more pics and updates!!

 

[popeye]

Snuggle, I read a guide somewhere that said in the first year you are going to spend close to 4,000 dollars on the service dog and 2,000 in the years that follow. they estimated that to be the low end number. if you average that out for the first year it's about 330 bucks a month. Now here is what I have paid so far:

Training: $800
First 35 lb bag of food: $18 (I use the brand Chicken soup for the dog lovers soul)
Vest with patches: $45
Price of dog: $200 (shelter dog)
Vet Bills so far: $25 (was already spayed when I got her)
Collar and leash: $20

So we are looking at 1,108 dollars so far not including treats or toys. But you have to understand I already owned a dog kennel and doggy bed. Plus food bowls and a few toys already. Most shelters you go to will have everything you need for a pet dog which besides the vest and training is really all you will need to maintain the dog. Plus the dollar store is a great source for what I call disposable toys.

Food though is an important thing. You can get the cheap stuff at the grocery store and some dogs may thrive on it. But for me I prefer to spend a little more on the good stuff from this critter supply place near the house. Most "wet' dog foods are pretty good but again there are issues with some of that. Remember to pay attention to what is in the dog food read the ingredients if it says corn meal or meat by products as the main ingredient it's usually not very good food. Now I am not saying that I know everything because I don't, But I would recommend a higher end dog food.

As far as trainers go that is one of the hardest things you can do. Some trainers are flat out nuts with their costs. 65 dollars an hour for training is just one of the quotes I got. You can spend thousands and thousands of dollars with just training. But remember once the dog gets the basics down the rest is easy. The leader in this is the psychiatric service dog society and they recommend that you train the dog yourself with only assistance from a trainer.

The vest is another thing that people for some reason spend a whole ton of money on. There are websites out that charging over 150 dollars for a piece of cloth with a patch stitched to it. These people are nuts. the most I would pay for a simple vest even with pockets is 65 dollars. I searched for a specific one that had a small pocket on it for the dog to carry her papers and poop bags.

The leash is another thing not to be cheap about. You need one strong enough so the dog does break it and comfortable enough in your hand that is doesn't give you burns from handling the leash so much. I started with a cheap vinyl one and after about an hour of using it my hands felt like they were on fire. So I bought a leather leash much more comfortable for me. But the problem was with the trainer she decided to chew through that leash. So I found one now that had tiny metal rivets in it. It's still leather but those little round metal bumps on it deter the dog from chewing on the leash because it's a proven fact that dogs don't really like the feel of metal on their teeth. Don't worry it sounds like a torture device but it's less painful to the dog and me than using a full chain leash.

Other than these key points I would say anything goes. That's between you and the dog as far as toys, play time, beds, Crates or kennels, and anything else you may want or need. Just remember if you are interested in getting a service dog it's not a pet it's a tool for survival. Just because something looks cute and seems like a lot of fun doesn't necessarily mean it's going to do what you want it to do.

 

[shadowchaser]

The person who runs the psychiatric service dog society isn't fond of me. She is a good person with good goals but can be a little judgmental sometimes. Doesn't mean you shouldn't work with her I'm just offering my opinion on what I had scene. The costs with the organization I go three is $35 an hour for training. $25 registration fee $200 certification test fee. But all of this is on a sliding scale. Most people end up paying around 40 to 50 a month when they are first starting. I also recommend the Delta society and Top Dog. Top Dog has videos you can buy and follow that teach even those with limited mobility how to properly train a service dog.

 

[popeye]

Delta society is actually how i found my trainer. And yes I agree the person running PSD society is judgmental and very harsh at times. But in her defense she is about the only good site with more than a few paragraphs abut psychiatric service dogs. Most just mention there is such a thing.