Alamo, Service Dog
Male Anatolian Shepherd mix
Adopted from Town Lake Animal Center, Austin
Dogs end up in shelters for a variety of reasons, many of which are behavior related. Today I'm addressing sub-adult, big-brained, active dogs that can be very challenging pets for many households. These dogs need to be kept busy, their mind and their bodies need to work, if they are to be happy and relaxed. These sorts of dogs often find their own job to do if an adequate one is not provided for them by their owners. My own crazy cattledog once decided his job was to un-stuff the sofa...he did a very thorough job and that is a story for another day.
There are some programs that go searching in shelters for just these sorts of dogs: to find them, train them up right, and place them where they can excel.
The Prison Pet Program in Gig Harbor has placed over 700 dogs (as service, therapy or sometimes pet dogs) since 1981. The dogs are cared for and trained by inmates who benefit greatly from their time with the dogs as well. It is a win-win-win situation for the dogs, the inmates, the shelters and the communities that the dogs go into. Project POOCH at the MacLaren Youth Correctional Facility in Oregon pairs up shelter dogs with juvenile offenders and both canine and human team mates' lives are made better through their time together.
Texas Hearing and Service Dogs "trains dogs to assist Texans living with hearing or mobility challenges", using dogs from local shelters and taking the responsibility to find loving homes for those dogs that do not make it through the service dog training. This facility has a full time staff of canine professionals as well as volunteers to help in the the training program and will be offering workshops to help other organizations learn to do the work they do.
On a smaller scale, local law enforcement agencies sometimes have the staff to train their own working dogs. "Dog goes from stray to patrolling county jail"
3 comments:
Hello to you and Rio,
Your title pic begs a query....what is a service dog these days. I saw a little min pin mix in the market with a lady. Wasn't wearing a recognizable logo vest, but the lady told me it was her "service" dog. Upon asking the nature of the service I was told the lady was " nervous in public" and preferred to have the dog with her. I truly feel the diluting of meaning attached to service dogs these days is going to rebound on the service dog acceptance in many business places weary of the misuse. I believe hearing, seeing perhaps taking something in the mouth for a paraplegic and even carting the wheel chair are service dog duties, not keeping someone company. I have two relatives who are extrememly agoraphobic and they assure me, taking a dog along on their trips would not be helpful. Also most service dogs are trained from puppyhood for very specific reactions and duties, I remain a bit skeptical that adult dogs can be molded into the job of service dog in the capacity I am picturing. So what do these guys do.... love ya
Pet dog?
Service dog?
Companion dog?
Therapy dog?
Many folks honestly don't know the difference and/or use the terms incorrectly.
A Service Dog needs to be trained to do specific tasks to aid one specific person with medically diagnosed issues. This sort of dog has full access. Unfortunately there is little registration or regulation beyond the above and far too few qualified trainers for these sorts of dogs.
A Companion Pet is used by a person with some medical issues, often fear or panic related, to calm them. Doctors can prescribe these pets as it were but that does not grant the pets full public access. Often though such animals are allowed in housing that bans or limited keeping pets.
This sot of pet may or may not have any specific training.
A Therapy Animal is has a particular temperament, training and generally registration and insurance to work with their handler to assist others (not their handlers) in a variety of situations from physical therapy, to hospice, and many places between.
A pet is a pet is a pet, and in an of themselves can offer much in the way of scientifically verified benefits to their owners. But they are still a pet.
Appropriate adults dogs do surprisingly well in training to become service or therapy dogs. They are such amazing learners!
I ought to write a post about the different terms...
That would be great..... What areas of expertise would you think an older rescue might be trained for ? As a retired trainer for professional dogs ( police, military ) I don't think every temperament suits every need, and while it's fun to play with any breed and show them new direction, teaching a pitbull to herd would be possible, but not practical for most farmers. I know Dianne Jessup swears they make great search and rescue, but those are a few of thousands. Working breeds need to work, so how do we do that ? Burley Dog is not developing into what I would like to see in a therapy dog, he is obedient once he calms down, but that isn't enough.
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