Service dogs and training

[lostforgottensoul]

Yeah @Zoogal, calm is key but you know, she maybe a good emotional support dog? They don't require any training. They cannot go with you into public places but they do have rights to fly with you and be with you in non-pet housing. Emotional support dogs have their own jobs and are important in their own right.

I think I would see if hyper can be refocused with exercise, massive structure, and training. You can teach a dog calmness, how to settle, and how to be calm in not calm enviroments but calmness but focused is pretty much key.

 

[Gs172003]

Yeah @Zoogal, calm is key but you know, she maybe a good emotional support...

She's very very smart so I think with the right training she would be ok but I am not an expert. But that said I'm open to another dog too if need be.

My other dog is pretty calm but she's 12 :(

 

[lostforgottensoul]

She's very very smart so I think with the right training she would be ok but I am not an expert.

I'd pair up with a local trainer to get some advice. I wouldn't say right off the bat no way as we started a bit reactive (overly excited over people due to mine thus his isolation) and so we spent a huge amount of time with calming, settling, and learning how to be calm and focused in public settings. But his true temperment is calm. He only became reactive because he was isolated with me for 2 yrs. So, its not impossible but the dog's true temperment is very important. The dog needs to be calm at it's core. If that makes sense.

 

[Gs172003]

I'd pair up with a local trainer to get some advice. I wouldn't say right off the bat no way...

There is a trainer near me that would want to evaluate her for a week to decide if she could do it but I can't afford it. Ugh.

 

[lostforgottensoul]

I will say this, although I couldn't afford a trainer either (as in continual training), training and even owning a service dog isn't cheap. Just one piece of gear; a mobility harness, is between $500 and a grand depending on the customizations. And Bold Lead Designs really has that market monopalized. Nothing even comes close to their harnesses.

You can do it cheaper then I did. I bought a lot of training tools that may not be necessary depending on the dog and gear that isn't required. I could sell some of the unused gear and training tools (and I have a lot I didn't use just finding what worked for us) but I am hoping to repurpose them for my next dog.

Most use gofundme and fund raise other ways. Maybe try something like that? Can you save for it?

 

[Gs172003]

I will say this, although I couldn't afford a trainer either (as in continual training), trai...

We've just started talking about it so for now it's just a possibility but if it comes down to it yeah I'll save for it.

 

[littleoc]

Most use gofundme and fund raise other ways.

Do you know of other fundraising things?

I've heard of potlucks and raffles, but those can be a little frightening to some

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Do you know of other fundraising things?

I did a google search for fund raising online and got youcaring.com and crowdrise.com as well as gonfundme.com. You can do all 3 to help fund raise faster.

Also if you can make something that others may want and would pay for setup an Etsy shop. The Etsy shop I bought my mobility harness cape and the leash wrap I put on his chest strap of his vest is from a service dog handler who sells them to help pay for her service dog needs. She can sew and makes quality products. I'm about to buy a patch from her that says "Don't you f*cking dare touch" without the astricks. Will go on his forever vest replacing the nicer white patch that says "service dog no touch no talk no eye contact" as no one ever reads it. Our mobility harness cape is amazing and says (in huge lettering down his back) "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH <Stop Sign> Interfering with a service dog is a felony". It works.

Anyway, if you can make anything people want I have heard very good things about Etsy. One of my sisters has an Etsy shop (and business cards). She makes jewlery and then I was thinking aboug making pull tabs. They are placed on doors, water bottles, bags, keys, just anything and they are made out of paracord and make it possible for your dog to bite onto it to open a door, get a bottle of water, get a bag of meds, pick up your keys. Etc. They are so important that most that have a mobility service dog carries a few with them at all times and even has one or two in their hospital bag but not all know how to make them so if you go on Etsy and search for paracord pull tap you will find a ton. And really most of the things made from paracord such as hands free leashes, dog collars, a pull strap (which goes on the vest/harness of the dog), keychains, and many other things. Most learn how to make their own stuff such as I did but there are those that still buy them.

But can you make something, anything, that others may want? If so try to sell it on Etsy.

 

[littleoc]

Will go on his forever vest replacing the nicer white patch that says "service dog no touch no talk no eye contact" as no one ever reads it.

So true.

Our mobility harness cape is amazing and says (in huge lettering down his back) "DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH <Stop Sign> Interfering with a service dog is a felony". It works

Well I'll be looking into this now! I love this idea. I'm always way too nice with my dog -- I like people even if them approaching is a little much. (Not that I let them pet. I do not.) What I don't appreciate is being surrounded...

Anyway. Thank you for the advice!

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Well I'll be looking into this now!

Cape, Medical Alert Service K9, BLD harness compatible cape, Don't you dare touch, interfering is a felony, custom embroidered

She makes it as a normal vest instead of a mobility harness cape too. I just had something to connect it to to use it as a vest and wanted a mobility harness cape so now I can use it as both.

The same shop makes the "don't you f*cking touch" patches with or without astricks.

 

[Freida]

if you don't need the harness for mobility you can get cheaper service dog vests at amazon or several other sites. Since SD doesn't have to provide any balance stuff for me I could go that way. Not cheap - a good one still runs 50 to 100 bucks, but .....

And I love the don't dare touch patch. People really don't get it.

One place to look for training is places that train using volunteers -- especially ones that are for vets needing ptsd dogs. You could ask to bring your dog and tag along while they work with their dogs. I met with my trainer once a week then we did stuff out and about with the volunteers. It was $75 an hour but it was worth it for the one on on lessons.

Before she would certify us we had to pass the public access test -- that can give you a good idea of what kind of obedience your dog should have. You can find all sorts of good info on what a service dog should look and act like, and the test here...

IAADP Minimum Training Standards for Public Access

 

[lostforgottensoul]

Before she would certify us we had to pass the public access test

A would add that's a training certification. There are no required certifications in the US for service dogs nor is it required to pass the PAT (though a good idea for your dog to at least have the ability to pass it if not taken).

I know what you meant. But with all the scam certification sites I try to advise where I can. Many actual real handlers are scammed.