Furry Valentines- Four legged love!

Labrador Love!

True comfort with everything that come from being with me!

Bastien

Shilo

What, it's cozy!?

The girls, Cammy and Shilo

Together!

The girls working

Service Dogs as Welcomed Guest Over the Holidays and Beyond

Shilo at a Barbecue at a friend's house on a down stay off the deck, away from the food and out of foot traffic patterns.

Shilo and I with friends at a Thanksgiving celebration.

The holidays are chocked full of invitations, family events, and more requiring the human half of a service dog team to decide whether or not to bring their service dog when the event in question is being held at a private home. With some family, friends and co-workers the invitation may specifically include the service dog by name; however, that is hardly the end of the decision making process regarding the service dog's attendance.

 


Considerations for Taking An SD to a Private Home

1. Is the person inviting you the owner of the home/host?
2. Do they know about your service dog?
3. Did they include your service dog in the original invitation?
4. Do they have other pets in the house that would be upset by the presence of your service dog? Would the presence of other pets upset your service dog/ affect their ability to support you?
5. Are the residents of the house or other invitees allergic/ afraid of dogs?
6. If the home is a rental, could there be issues with the property owner/landlord?
7. Would the presence of your service dog have a negative affect on your ability to enjoy the event?
8. Do you require the assistance of your service dog in order to be able to get to and/ or participate in the event?
9. Can you handle any negative reactions to the presence of your SD?
10. Is their anyone coming to the event that has caused problems with regard to your service dog before?

Tips for Ensuring your Service Dog is a Welcome House Guest
If you are bringing someone to an event at someone's house, it is because you need them to mitigate your disability. This means that your service dog:

1. Is in working mode. Remember, dogs are situational. Whatever behavior you allow the first time you visit someone's house, they will list as acceptable rules for that environment.
2. Is well groomed.
3. Calm, quiet and unobtrusive. Your service dog should be under your supervision at all times. If your service dog begins having problems of any sort leave before you are asked.
4. Has all their needs planned for and met by you. Never assume that the host will provide for any of your  dog's needs even if their are dogs at the residence.
5. Keep all four on the floor at all times. If staying overnight, bring you dog's mat or bed with you.
6. Ask if there are any areas that are off limits to your service dog.
7. Do not allow your service dog to wander.
8. Ask where you should relieve your service dog and clean up after them.
9. If your service dog damages anything, pay for it, fix it, and apologize.
10. Give people a chance to see some of the support your service dog provides for you, and be proud of them/ the independence they bring you.

Shilo is the only dog regularly welcomed in my friend's houses. I work hard to ensure she is always on her best behavior and representative of how a service dog should behave.

Pet Obesity: Health Implications, Recognition, and Weight Management | petMD

Service dogs like their human partners gain weight for a variety of reasons; however, because we spend so much with our canine partners and we love them to pieces we may not recognize when they have put on a few extra pounds.
Top Reasons Our Service Dogs Pack on the Pounds 
1. Simply being over fed. Remember, all treats and chews need to be counted in your service dog's over all calorie count.
2. Being under exercised. Many things affect how much exercise a dog gets and while a service dog may be out working everyday, if the brunt of their workday involves long down stays chances are pretty good your service isn't getting enough exercise.
3. People are feeding your service dog unauthorized treats or your dog lies in the lurch under the high chair.Hey, these things happen, but it might be time to refresh the rules about your service dog. Also you might want to keep your service dog out of the area or on leash when the children are eating!
4. You or your service dog are have recently recovered from an illness or injury that affect one or both of your abilities to exercise.
5.Aging. It is not uncommon for dogs as they age to have different nutritional needs that can affect their weight.
For more on Pet Obesity Read:Pet Obesity: Health Implications, Recognition, and Weight Management | petMD
Finally, as we approach the new year consider setting some health related resolutions for the health and happiness of your beloved service dog!

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day everyone! I pulled the following except from the SDAWL archives.

Celebrating Earth Day: Earth Friendly Products for Service Dogs

I try to be as environmentally conscience as I can with the supplies and gear I use and buy for Shiloh, while keeping in mind my very real budget concerns. I recently had to switch from Organix, an organic (definition of organic from the USDA) dog food made locally in my home state to a natural (the USDA does not currently have a definition for "natural products" ) dog food because Organix--much as I and Shiloh love it-- just became too expensive for the budget.   AACFO that regulates the pet food industry defines "natural" as, "For the most part, "natural" can be construed as equivalent to a lack of artificial flavors, artificial colors, or artificial preservatives in the product.Read More

A Few Precious Pictures from the Holidays and Tips for Dogs and Kids

This Christmas Shilo, me, Cammy, and my roommate Leslie were invite to my sister-in-laws parents house for Christmas Dinner. Shilo and Cammy have both been to this house several times before and always impress everyone with their, quiet, calm, yet friendly demeanor typical for a service dog. They are both also very good with children, and as such are good dogs to introduce to very young children like my nephew Elijah (see photo on the left) who is five and a half months old.
Introducing children to dogs and dogs to a child is in my mind always something to be done very carefully and with supervision of both the child and dog throughout the interaction always. Shilo and Cammy are both what we like to call "Mommy types" who are very tolerant of typical behaviors of small children for instance grabbing, poking, squealing, screeching, and falling but that doesn't mean that we let children run roughshod over them.Patience is, after all, a virtue with limits.
One must also watch that dogs behaviors that are perfectly benign for an older child or adult like licks, sniffing or vocalizations don't scare or startle a small child. First impressions can have lasting affect on the relationship between child and dog.

• Ensure neither the child,the dog, or the supervising adult are cranky or tired at the time of interaction. Beings who are in these states have less patience for the new and unusual.
• Use your happy voice throughout the interaction
• Use cues your dog knows to keep the interactions under control and non- threatening such as Sit, Down, Off, Say Hi
• Help the child to gently pet and interact with the dog. With babies I tend to gently guide the hand they are reaching out for the dog with in small touches finished by a nice long stroke from me for the dog. 
• If either child or dog get too excited with the interactions happily say your calming cue for your dog and take a break.
• Make sure the child or dog has nothing the other may want like food or toys before initiating interaction. Children and dogs both tend to live by the What's mine is mine and what I can get of yours is mine rules of possession so it's best not to involve high value items into the interaction.
• Always look for sign that either the child or dog are tiring or would like to move on. Keeping interaction short means that it is less likely anyone will loose patience. 

For more tips on kids and dogs read Advice and Tips Children and Dogs at home

 

Best Holiday Wishes

Wishing all our Reader a Happy Holiday Season!

From Christmas 2010 We hope you can spend it with those you love!

Holiday Cautions- Tips to Keep Service Dogs and All Pets Safe During the Holidays

Protecting your Pet from Holiday Dangers

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Remember, as the holidays approach, this is the most dangerous time of the year for our pets. The two greatest dangers are lost pets and pet poisoning.

Fall and Winter HolidaysWith the fall and winter holidays come many new faces, guests and dog sitters. Each time guests enter your home pets are exposed to new levels of stress, both positive and negative. Many pets are locked away from the guests while others are allowed to roam freely among the visitors. Doors, gates and garages are opened and closed at a feverish rate during the holidays. The opportunity for your pet to get out and explore is surely at paw! After the 4th of July, the winter holidays are the number one time of the year that pets are usually lost. Read the Complete List of Tips

Pets and Santa Claus

No matter whether you are working with a service dog or a service dog in training the local malls are offering pictures with Santa Claus!
Valley River Center:

Pet Night with Santa

Monday, December 13, 2010
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Bring your special pet to visit Santa!
December 13th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Pets must be on a leash or in a cage.

Gateway Mall

St. Nick's Pet Pics

11/29/2010 - 12/13/2010

A waggin' good time.
Monday nights from November 29 through December 13 are St. Nick’s Pet Pics.
Four-legged friends are invited to capture a holiday-hugging photograph with Old St. Nick. Costumes provided make your fuzzy companion even more adorable during a special mall trip to celebrate the holiday season.
Santa welcomes dogs and cats only, please.
LOCATION: Santa Set
TIME: 6:00pm - Set Close

These events are a great way to work with a service dog in training in a mall environment. Candidates ready for this kind of event are able to:
-Walk at their handler's/ Trainers side in a highly disstrating environment
-100% house broken including no marking behaviors
-Mastered at least intermediate obedience skills
-Can work/stay on task around other animals and display no inappropriate behaviors in their presence (i.e. barking, whining, growling, lunging, pulling)

From the Archives: Christmas

Gifts Service Dog Partners and their Service Dog will love

No matter what holiday puts you in the festive mood, getting the right gift for your four-legged companion can boggle the mind. This can be especially true for the friends and family who may want to thank your service dog for the service and energy they have brought into your life. Read More

From the Archives: Thanksgiving with a service dog

Thanksgiving: A Time for Family, Friends, Training, and Caution

As many of us prepare to reunited with family and friends this Thanksgiving, it important to prepare our service dogs (and ourselves) for all the temptations, changes in schedule, new people and situations that come with family gatherings. The ASPCA offers these basic safety tips for Thanksgiving. Service dogs and their handlers must think beyond these basics, since these dogs provide valuable service and companionship to their handlers. Read More

Our Thanksgiving Adventure

Shiloh and I chose to spend Thanksgiving (for my International readers who may or may not be familiar with this American Holiday) with my parents and some friends. I decided to take the train instead of driving, because the last time I drove up for Thanksgiving I got stuck halfway back because they closed the freeway due to incredibly heavy snows! Due the busy holiday Amtrak added buses to get people to Portland, so Shiloh and I took a bus partway and were supposed to be on an actual train (See Tails of Trains for details on taking a train for the first time with a service dog or service dog in training) for the rest of the journey. Read More

Halloween: Little Red Riding Hood and The not so Big Bad Wolf

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! We had a wonderful time! My roommate and I are both very beginning machine sewers and we decided it would be fun to make costumes this years using things we already had combined with things made from fabric pieces brought in a huge bag from Goodwill. I think the costumes turned out splendidly. Cammy and Leslie went as Hansel and Greddel and Shiloh and I went as Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf pretending to be grandma!
These pictures illustrate two points of temperament very important to a successful and happy service dog willingness to trust the handler and accept change whether it be in gear or really strange environments like Halloween parties. Both Dogs "danced" with their handlers and recognized the fun vibe enven the people were showing up in all kinds of strange outfits.

Holiday Gift ideas for Service Dogs and their Handlers

Need gift ideas to share with family and friends? Looking for something to thank your hard working service dog? Looking for something to accessorise the handler? Check out

Gifts Service Dog Partners and their Service Dog will love

Don't forget to add your faviriats and suggesting in the form of comments!

Our Thanksgiving Adventure

Shiloh and I chose to spend Thanksgiving (for my International readers who may or may not be familiar with this American Holiday) with my parents and some friends. I decided to take the train instead of driving, because the last time I drove up for Thanksgiving I got stuck halfway back because they closed the freeway due to incredibly heavy snows! Due the busy holiday Amtrak added buses to get people to Portland, so Shiloh and I took a bus partway and were supposed to be on an actual train (See Tails of Trains for details on taking a train for the first time with a service dog or service dog in training) for the rest of the journey.  Due to the chaos created by the increase in traffic for the holiday, what should have been a two hour bus ride with an hour layover in Portland turned into a four hour ride.  Amtrak had made plans for another long distance bus company to take the passengers on the late buses north; sadly, the did not include Shiloh and I in their plans (despite the fact I have called them 48 hours in advance to let them know about my reasonable accommodation requirements). So then, beleiving I would have to stay in Portland overnight (since that's what the Amtrak operator told me) I called my parents. They then got on the phone with Amtrak and started to raise hell. By the time I actually pulled into the station I had five staff looking for me!
I told them I need to take, myself and my dog to the restroom and find something to eat --as I had planned to eat on the train--. They told me they would have an accessible taxi drive me the rest of the way to Tacoma! By the time all was said and done Shiloh and I arrived in Tacoma two and a half hours later than we should have. We travelled by foot, city, bus and taxi. Moral of the story be prepared for anything when you travel and always carry at least two days worth of food for your service dog as you never know what will happen!

Prepare for Halloween Training Opportunities

Don't miss out on all the great training opportunities this weekend has to offer- read Halloween is a great opportunity for Training Potential Service Dogs!