Service Dogs

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A huge demand in the aspect of our service dogs lies within our pre-alert seizure training. There are two aspects to the training of our seizure alert dogs. 

First we teach the dogs to pre-alert through scent training. The goal of this is to give the client notification that a seizure is expected to take place. This gives the dog the ability to alert before a seizure takes place so the person is able to prepare and get to a safe place.

The other part of training is done to a visual or audible cue that the client makes. The dog is then taught to recognize the cues associated with the seizure and alert for help.

The dog is trained to search your child's specific scent if they were to elope. The parents are trained on how to read and handle the dog when searching for their child. This task is not only life saving if your child elopes but allows many parents to feel at ease that they have their own search and rescue dog on standby if their child were to wander off.

This task is trained to be used as a preventative to help the child from not eloping. The dog is utilized as an anchor for the child. The dog wears a harness in which a second leash from the harness can be attached to a belt or backpack the child is wearing. Tethering is only used when the handler is holding on to the primary leash and providing direction and complete supervision. This task has been successful due to it creating a boundary for the child to not be able to elope and still be able to walk along side their service dog. Once a bond is made with the child and their dog, most children enjoy walking with their dog and lose the urge to wander off.

Consists of many tasks including:

Retrieval - picking up dropped items

Retrieving a medical bag - this must be the same bag all the time in the same location. This allows the dog to be able to identify where it is and not have to search for it due to it being needed for an emergency.

Stand and Brace - this task is used if the person can use a chair to help lift themselves up off the floor to a standing position. The dog would be used in this type of situation instead of the chair to assist or stabilize the person as they are getting up from off the floor. 

Balance - This task is when the dog wears a special harness and is used in place of a cane or walker. The weight of the person does not solely rest on the dog but is used more for stabilization and assistance just as a cane or walker would be used.

Opening and closing doors, and turning on lights are also tasks a client needing mobility assistance may have their dog trained in.

Diabetic alert dogs are trained to smell the chemical change that occurs in the body as the insulin levels change and become too high or low. This training is done very similar to our other medical alert dogs. Depending on the age of the client will determine the alert that the dog is trained to do.

Many of our clients who suffer from seizures or PTSD find relief in deep pressure therapy. This is a task that the dog is trained to lay over a specific part of the body. Some clients prefer the lower portion or legs, while some clients find relief in the upper area of the body or the stomach area. This command is called "over". 

This command is used in different types of training for the client. Typically it is used for seizure alert but can also be used as an alert to a fall or any other kind of alert that the client may need that is specific to that clients needs. This would be discussed more in the interview process to see if it something that can be utilized for they're benefit.

We are grateful to those who have served our country. Therefore we are honored to work with our veterans on a case by case basis to help them receive service dogs that can better their lives in many ways.

Once we receive an inquiry form, we work to see what our clients needs are and what tasks the dog can be trained in to give them more independence.

Some of the tasks may include behavior disruption for PTSD and other medical alerts and/or mobility assistance.

A facility or a therapy dog works at a location in which that organization sees the therapeutic value and benefits in which a dog can provide. Unlike a service dog, which is individually task trained for a person with a disability, the facility/ therapy dog does not have public access rights according to the ADA. These types of dogs do not have any protection under federal law since the facility/ therapy dog is not trained for an individual but for an organization. The organization made the decision they wanted a dog at their facility to be trained to provide emotional support for many different individuals. We highly recommend the organization carries liability insurance for their protection for this type of facility/ therapy dog. 

Some examples of the places a facility/ therapy dog work in include:

A dog working in a courtroom assisting children who will be testifying. 

A dog working in an elementary school. These dogs provide emotional support for children who have issues with attending school, transitioning from classroom to classroom, test taking and or behavioral issues.

nursing homes and hospitals. 

A facility/ therapy dog may also work in environments like hospitals and or nursing homes, etc.