Kindly keep your hands off my .... Service Dog

Meet my dog, Rocco.  Notice that he isn't wearing a vest.  In this very rare moment, if you were at my house, I'd let you interact with him.  I'd allow you to talk to him, pet him, play with him.  You could get down on the floor with him and rub his belly.  He loves that.

 

These pictures were taken when Rocco was working at his primary function. You see, Rocco isn't a "pet".  Rocco is a "Service Dog".   Not familiar with the term?  Do you think only blind people are entitled to Guide Dogs to assist them with their sight issues?  Well, my friends, you have a lot to learn.  So did I, to be perfectly honest.  However, if you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll know this is my third blog regarding service dogs.  I've been keeping you up to date on my battle to get the Bureau of Veterans Affairs to pay for Rocco's basic services and I am getting closer to that ... but that's another blog for another day.   I do have the forms to submit to the prosthetics department.  If you need them right away feel free to email me and I'll send them to you along with the information I've picked up from AMVETS.

Let me tell you a little story, my friends.  Don't I always have a story for you?  As you know, Rocco is in training to become a certified service dog.  I am an owner trainer and we're enrolled in a program with the good folks at Service Dogs of Florida, Inc.   Rocco still has a long way to go before he's "certified" as a service dog, but we're getting there.  He's a fast learner and we train and practice every day. If you go to this page on SDFL's website, you'll see all that is involved in Rocco's training.  It's without a doubt one of the biggest projects I've ever taken on in my life but it's worth it.  The one night I tried to go out on my own, with just my wife at my side, was a pure disaster.  It was one panic attack after the next and I don't want to go through that again in my life.  Therapy doesn't help.  At least not yet.  I am hopeful though.  Rocco does.

Rocco and I were at the VA Hospital in Tampa a couple weeks ago.  I have to admit here, friends, that I had a meltdown.  But first, let me tell you what happened and see if you wouldn't have had one, too.  I showed up early for my appointment just as I always do.  When I checked in I reminded the clerk that I only see female health care providers.  The specialty clinic at Haley VAMC has two waiting rooms.  I can't wait in either of them.  I typically find a quiet place against the wall where I can be alone and I wait for my name to be called.  It's always packed in there and it feeds into my anxiety.  It's nothing like the calm and quiet Women's Clinic. 

As Rocco and I waited I can't tell you how many people came up to us and tried to talk to Rocco, tried to pet him, attempted to distract him and one particular jerk had the nerve to tell me I was petting my dog wrong. Two of Rocco's vests were at the tailor's shop having new patches sewn on.  The vest he had on that day did not say that he's "in training".  I had Veterans asking me, "What does he do for you?"  I even had a doctor come up and ask, "Do you mind if I pet your dog?"  By that point I'd had enough.  Doctors are supposed to be smart, aren't they? I looked him in the eyes and said, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I do mind."

I know I'm jumping around here, Friends.  Please bear with me.  If you're a new reader, I tend to do that.  That's why this is called "Ramblings of One Weary Soldier".  Stick with me and you'll get used to it.  Or not. You choose.  ;-)

Finally I got called back to be triaged.  By a male nurse.  WTF?  I looked at this guy and said, "I don't see male healthcare providers."  His reply?  You'll love this, my friends.  "I'm just a nurse.  I'm not the doctor."  And bacon bits are still meat, right Matt?  (Thanks for sharing that story, Matt.  It was a good one.)  How dumb can you be?  I refused to be triaged by him.  After that it was a total SNAFU not typical of that clinic.  I must say, I usually don't have problems like that in this particular clinic.  As it turns out, someone in scheduling screwed up and my doctor wasn't even in that week so I wasn't able to be seen at all.  There were no female physicians on staff.  I ended up seeing the nurse practitioner who runs the clinic.  She was extremely apologetic and promised to personally call me with an appointment date with my physician.  Thank you Nurse Janda.  You're the best.  As for Nurse Stanley ... take a look between your legs, Buddy.  Bacon bits are still meat.

Despite Nurse Janda taking care of the appointment situation I was still furious, and in the throes of a full blown anxiety attack.  I was walking the hallways headed to travel with my friend/driver and people were still trying to talk to my dog.  I'd finally reached my boiling point.  We got in line and I started bitching to my friend.  I told him I couldn't believe how ignorant people are when it comes to service dogs.  I told Eric, "Why would someone have the nerve to ask what your dog "does for you"?  Would you walk up to a stranger and ask what their disability is?  It's the same principle.  My disability is no one's (expletive) business.  I continued along that thread the entire time I was in the pay line.  I talked about how rude it is to try to pet a service dog, to whistle or distract a service dog, to ask about one's disability, etc.  And I told Eric, "They need to keep their damn hands off my dog!"  Eric kept his mouth shut.  Poor guy didn't know what to say to me.  Rocco was watching me, very alert to what was going on.  He got as close to me as he could, started nudging my hand and tried to distract me; to bring me back down to earth but I was so upset there was no consoling me.  I wasn't stopping and I wasn't shutting up.  Not one Veteran would look at me.  No one said a word and the hallway got deadly quiet.  No one got near me.  They definitely gave me my space.  And not one of them tried to touch my dog.  It's a good thing.  I was in such a rage at that point I probably would've killed anyone who had come near me.

So what is my point?  It's simple.  Please, people.  If you see someone walking with a service dog, just ignore the dog like it isn't even there.  Those of us with service dogs do our best to train our dogs to ignore you and all distractions.  We train our dogs to focus on OUR NEEDS.  If you distract them, that could mean serious trouble for us.  You wouldn't kick out a cane or a crutch from someone, would you?  Distracting our dogs is damn near the same thing.  All we are asking for is just a little common courtesy.  If we want our dogs petted, we will tell you.  Ask us.  Some handlers will allow it.  I won't.  I will tell you that up front.  That's just because I don't like anyone in my personal space.  Rocco is trained to "block"; to keep you out of my personal space and he does a good job of it.  It was the first task he learned.  Rocco even wears a patch on his vest which states he is a working dog and does not want to be petted though most people ignore it.  Please don't be that person the next time you see someone walking with a service dog.  Make a service dog handler very happy by ignoring their dog, won't you?

Until the next time, my friends...

How much is that Doggie in the Window, Part Two.

Hello, Invisible Reader.  It's been a while since we talked about service dogs so I figured it was time for an update. Since my first post about service dogs on April 18, 2010, I've learned much about service dogs and I'd like to share that with you.  


I guess the beginning is always the best place to start.  Let's rewind back to March, 2010, when I lost my beloved Doberman, Puzzle, to a form of cancer called lymphoma.  It came on fast and there was no chance of saving her.  I wrote that blog in April while the pain was still fresh and raw.  I miss Puzzle.  She was a such a sweet dog and there is no replacing her. 

Puzzle pretending to be an old Granny

I had started looking into Service Dog Schools and found good ones and less than reputable ones.  At the suggestion of Ken Lyons of Service Dogs of Florida, Inc. (SDFL), I didn't give up hope and kept applying.  Ken already had me penciled in for Charity but he'd warned me that it could be a year or more before Charity would be ready for me, IF she even made it through his rigorous training program. Ken puts each and every one of his dogs through a tough training and credentialing program.  If they don't make it past Assistance Dogs International training standards, he'll wash them out of his program.  Some might make it as therapy dogs, others will be placed into pet homes.  Only the very best dogs will earn an SDFL patch and the title of "service dog".


I knew two things for certain.  One, I couldn't wait a year or longer for a service dog.  Two, I couldn't stand to be without a Doberman.  After doing further research I realized I'd made a terrible mistake.  Working dogs such as German Shepherds and Dobermans CAN make good service dogs as long as they have the right temperament.  For that reason it's imperative that you have a breed specific expert assist you in finding the right dog.  Just any old dog won't do.

I've already told you about my background in dogs.  If you've forgotten or you're reading my blog for the first time, click on the link in the first paragraph to Part One for my "history".  Very quickly, I've been around the professional sport of AKC obedience dog training and dog showing almost my entire life and I have "connections" in the dog world.  When I decided to get a Doberman, I reached out to an old family friend who has known me since I was three years old ... in other words, for close to 48 years.  Not only does Esther know me well, she is one of the foremost authorities of Dobermans in the United States.


Esther reached out to her friend, Jinx, who works with Spay-Lee Rescue, Inc., here in Florida.  Unbeknownst to me, Jinx had known my mother from back in the 60's, as long as Esther did. Spay-Lee is an all-breed rescue but they specialize in Dobermans.  Esther and Jinx set out to find me the perfect Doberman.  They know I suffer from PTSD and major depressive disorder.  They know I have mobility issues.  They know I want to train my own service dog and with the guidance from the right trainer, I'm fully capable of reaching this goal.  All I needed was the right dog.  Between Jinx and Esther they have over 100+ years of "Doberman experience".


The call came from Esther that they'd narrowed my choice down to two dobermans.  All we had to do was drive to Sarasota to meet them.  We packed up Manor, our little dog, picked up Esther, and the four of us were on our way to meet the dogs.


It was love at first sight.  Had we lived in a larger house, Terri and I would've come home with two Dobermans that day.  Alas, we had to choose just one.  There was a pretty little bitch who was the sweetest thing.  Sadly, in her previous life she'd been hit by a car.  Her pelvis had not healed correctly and though she didn't seem to care, I worried that the long term effects would be a problem in the future.

Really sweet girl who was also looking for a home.

The other dog they brought for us was a handsome, red male.  His tail was already docked but his ears were natural.  He was young; 8 months old.  They estimated he was born in October 2009.  He'd recently been neutered so he was full of puppy energy and testosterone.  What most people fail to realize is that neutering a dog doesn't instantly get rid of the testosterone.  It takes about six months to get it out of their system.

The male we were looking at.  He was checking out Manor.  See her in the lower left corner looking on?

We had Manor, our resident Old Girl with us.  It was important that she be included in the decision.  After all, she's been with me for many years.  She's about 12 years old and this is her house, too.  If she didn't like either of the dogs than it wasn't going to be a dog that went home with us.  We were meeting on neutral territory which is necessary when making a decision like this.

Manor, the "Old Girl" of our house

The decision wasn't difficult to make once I realized I had to make a rational one.  My heart told me to take both dogs home.  My reasonable self, and my wife (the smart  and more rational one) told me to take the male.  We did the required paperwork, loaded the dogs into an air-conditioned van and then ate lunch to celebrate.  The fun and hard work was just beginning.  I had a new Doberman and I was one happy camper.


I have to point out that my wife, Terri, wanted an Australian Shepherd.  She's wanted one for a very long time.  Bless her heart she gave up her dream dog so that I could have my Doberman.  The Dobe we'd just adopted came with the name "Rocco".  I hated the name from the instant I heard it and wanted to change it.  Terri loved the name.  What's a girl to do?  I took away her Aussie.  I had to let her have the name.  So now we have Rocco and she tells everyone he's the Aussie she was supposed to have.  ;-)  Some day Terri will have her Aussie.  Just as soon as I can afford to buy my wife a bigger house, my first purchase (after the house of course) will be an Aussie puppy.  My wife has certainly earned it after giving up so much for me.


After lunch we loaded up Rocco into our car and started the ride to his new home.  We weren't sure what we were in for.  Esther and Manor were in the back seat.  Poor Esther.  Manor is a chronic, almost obsessive licker (think OCD) and Esther was her captive audience for the ride back to Palm Harbor.  Rocco went into the back of the car and settled down quietly, watching the road pass him by, wondering, no doubt, where he was going now.

Rocco on his way to his new home.

Rocco had only been in rescue for a couple of weeks.  Not much was known about him.  He'd been turned in to Miami-Dade Animal Control and they wanted to put him down because he had "cancer" on his elbow.  It wasn't cancer.  It was a hygroma, something common in Dobermans but the inexperienced folks at MDAC didn't recognize that.  Fortunately for me, they called Spay-Lee and Spay-Lee saved the day.  More to the point, they saved Rocco's life.


About a week after we brought Rocco home, we had to return him to Spay-Lee for surgery on the  hygroma.  It was rough on Rocco and rough on us.  He'd spent a few days at the pound, two weeks in rescue, a week with us and then he had to go back to Spay-Lee for another week.  Poor guy ... would his life ever settle down?  I can't imagine what he was thinking.


One week later we picked our boy up.  The surgery was a success and we could have our own Veterinarian do the post-op follow-ups.  Little did we know what was ahead for Rocco.  Our poor dog had already seen so much in his young life and still --- he's a real trooper.

All bandaged up after surgery.

Rocco with his "cone" on.  Poor Baby.

Rocco got sick after surgery.  His platelet count dropped and he started to hemorrhage.  He had red spots all over his belly, inside his ears, inside his mouth ... it was terrifying to me.  I thought... My G-d, you just gave me this incredible dog.  Don't let me lose another one.  I won't tell you how much money we spent getting him well again but it was money well spent.  Spay-Lee offered to take him back for a second opinion on the diagnosis (which is not relevant to this story) but I turned them down because that meant being away from him for another week.  Antibiotics, steroids, pain meds, lab work.  I believe Veterinarians are underpaid and you won't get me to change my mind about that one.  I'll never disagree with the cost of a Vet bill no matter how outrageous you think it is.  I worked for many years in the animal health care field.  I know how expensive it is to own and operate your own Veterinary Hospital.  If you think the average Veterinarian is making money hand over fist you are sadly mistaken. (stepping down off my soap box now)


After a couple of frightening weeks, Rocco healed up nicely.  He's now an active, happy dog and he loves to play and train.  Right now he wants a potty break and he's telling me about it.  Back shortly, Invisible Reader!

Once Rocco got the "go ahead" from our Veterinarian, his training (and mine) began in earnest.  We hooked up with an amazing young woman by the name of Emily who lives in Naples.  Emily is 13 years old and she's had service dogs since she was five years old.  Mind you, Invisible Reader, this all falls under the Service Dogs of Florida, Inc., umbrella.  They will be the ones to ultimately test and certify Rocco when he is ready for it. It will take us approximately two years of training before Rocco is fully trained but even then, the training will always continue.

Emily and Rocco at the Park

But back to Emily.  I hooked up with Emily through Facebook.  Ahhh, the wonders of the internet.  Emily offered to help me train Rocco.  Little did she know I had already hooked up with Ken and SDFL.  It's a small world, isn't it?  The more I learned about Emily the more impressed I was with this amazing young teenager.  Emily once had a long term goal of being the Navy's first Woman SEAL.  She was taught how to swim by a former SEAL and she was so inspired by him that she wanted to be a SEAL like he was.  Unfortunately, Emily has issues that will keep her from joining any of the armed forces.  Do you think that stopped Emily from wanting to serve her Country?  No way.  Not this young lady.


Emily has a new focus.  Some day Emily wants to open up her own service dog school.  Her goal is to train service dogs and give them to Veterans.  She was thrilled to find out that I am a Veteran and offered to help me train my dog.  Already, I have learned so much from this young woman.  She is a wealth of information and knowledge.  I have to stop and take a deep breath and remember that I'm talking to a 13 year old when we're chatting.  She's wise beyond her years.  


I am Emily's "First Veteran".  Her dog, "Bella" is an "owner-trained" service dog, certified by SDFL.  I'm going to train Rocco under the SDFL umbrella, with Emily's help.  I'm honored to have her help me.

Emily and her service dog, Bella

Training a service dog is a long process.  It doesn't matter if you're an owner trainer or if your dog is school trained.  It'll be at least two years before Rocco is ready to be tested by SDFL to become a "Certified" service dog.  Until then, he'll be an "SDIT", "Service Dog in Training".  He has a great many tasks to learn.  He has basic obedience to learn.  He has to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizenship Test.  He will need thousands of hours of public access time.  That's just the beginning.


Everything that Rocco and I learn, and this is a learning process for both of us, believe me, has to be documented.  Each time Rocco and I go out in public has to be carefully recorded.  Where we went, how long we were out in public together, date, time, details, details, details.


What amazes me most is how incredibly fast Rocco is learning.  I could brag and tell you I'm a great trainer.  But that wouldn't be the truth.  The truth is, he's just a smart dog.  He's totally devoted to me.  He's a quick learner and he wants to please me.  As I write this, he's laying at my side, ever watchful.  He knows when I'm upset, when I'm tired, when I need help standing up, when I need help balancing.  He's learning his obedience skills quickly.  


He's not perfect.  I have to remember he's still a puppy and he LOVES to play.  When he's off leash and we're out in the yard he's easily distracted by birds flying overhead.  The funny thing is, we have five pet birds of our own and he doesn't give a damn about them.  He totally ignores them.  


He loves to chase "his" ball.  We work on his obedience training in the yard.  I can't leave the house during the week.  If you're a regular reader you know I don't drive anymore so leaving the house when my wife is at work is virtually impossible.  It's okay though.  We work on his obedience training in the yard where there are natural distractions.  Those are healthy distractions for him.  Since he's young, we train for a short time, then play for a short time.  We do this several times a day.  By doing several short training sessions daily, Rocco doesn't get bored.  In between training sessions, he gets to play "ball" as a reward.


Playing "ball" is hysterical.  I have lousy shoulders as you already know, Invisible Reader.  I can't really throw the ball well anymore.  Rocco doesn't care.  He'll chase it even if it only goes five feet.  He brings it back to me and then the fun begins again until my shoulder is hanging at my side and I just can't do it anymore.


Let's switch our focus, Invisible Reader.  You're used to that with me if you're a regular reader.  If this is your first time reading my blog you'd better get used it.  My mind jumps all over the place which is one of the reasons the word "Ramblings" is included in the title of this blog.


What can the Veterans Administration do for you if you have a service dog?  They can do plenty if you know where to look and in some cases you're ready to fight for what you deserve and have earned.  Let's start at the beginning.  That's always the best place to start, right?  Everything you need to know is listed below.  Almost.

VA CLARIFIES VETERANS’ ASSISTANCE DOG POLICIES, OFFERING BENEFITS FOR NEW AND PREVIOUSLY-DENIED CLAIMS
AMVETS works with VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aides Services to Clarify Title 38 Entitlement
WASHINGTON, April 26, 2010—This week VA clarified a scarcely known benefit in Title 38, offering benefits to veterans using certain types of assistance dogs. AMVETS, which recently called attention to Title 38 Section 1714, successfully received guidelines from VA on how to properly file for the benefit. AMVETS encourages any veteran with an assistance dog, previously denied or awaiting approval of this benefit, to re-apply immediately.

Veterans interested in applying for benefits for their assistance dogs must directly request their VA caseworker to immediately file VA Form 10-2641 (internal use only) and proper accompanying paperwork. A sample copy of the form has been furnished by VA, which you can downloaded below, and printed out by veteran to bring to their next visit to ensure the proper forms are filed and to act as a guide for caseworkers. AMVETS has also provided a link to Title 38, Section 1714, which outlines eligibility criteria for veterans to receive service dog benefits and covered expenses.

VA Prosthetic and Sensory Aides Services, or PSAS, which has recently gone above and beyond in the continued development of the program and the proper implementation of this benefit, has assured AMVETS that claims will be adjudicated within 10 days of receipt of the veteran’s form 10-2641 filed by the veteran’s individual VA caseworker.

The form includes a section outlining the specific tasks performed by the assistance dog. To date, VA does not have the authority to approve applications filed exclusively for PTSD, but is currently conducting a pilot study on the healthcare benefits to veterans for possible inclusion of psychiatric service dogs to Title 38 benefits.

Over the last two weeks, AMVETS members Luis Montalvan, an OEF/OIF veteran, and Kevin Stone, a Paralympic bronze medalist, both received approval of benefits for their assistance dogs Tuesday and Mambo. Montalvan and Stone are the two veterans whom accompanied AMVETS and partner non-profit assistance dog agency Paws With A Cause on recent meetings with legislators and policy-makers in Washington.

All applicants are encouraged to review their cases one on one with their individual caseworker and gather any necessary paperwork prior to the initial filing or re-filing of VA Form 10-2641 to ensure the expected timelines are met. AMVETS commends PSAS for their ongoing efforts in ensuring all veterans with assistance dogs meeting the criteria outlined in Title 38 receive their due entitlements.


VA Form 10-2641 Sample


VA Prosthetics and Sensory Aides Services FAQ on Service Dogs

Title 38, Section 1714 as of April 2010

This comes from the VA Website.  Every Veteran who is interested in obtaining services for their service or guide dog from the VA should read this:

Guide and Service Dogs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
To support an active and independent lifestyle VA provides benefits for guide and service dogs.  The job of a guide dog is to assist the blind.  A service dog assists someone with a severe to profound hearing impairment or someone with a physical impairment that substantially limits mobility.

1. What is the difference between a guide dog and a service dog?
   
   
2. How do I determine if I am eligible for a service dog through VA?
   
   
3. Does VA actually provide the guide or service dog?
   
   
4. If it is determined that I am eligible for a service dog, what benefits does VA provide for my guide or service dog?
   
   
5. Does a service dog serve the same function(s) as Animal Assisted Therapy or Animal Assisted Activity dogs?
   
   

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1.  What is the difference between a guide dog and a service dog?

A guide dog is trained to assist the blind.  A service dog is trained to help those with severe to profound hearing loss by alerting the individual to a variety of sounds or someone with a physical impairment that substantially limits mobility  by assisting in the performance of a wide variety of tasks depending on need and training (e.g. opening doors, retrieving, etc.).

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2.  How do I determine if I am eligible for a service dog through VA?

To receive any type of medical service through VA, you must register at the Health Administration/enrollment section of a VA Medical Center or online:  http://vabenefits.vba.va.gov/vonapp/main.asp. Once registered, a referral to a specialist may be requested through the assigned VA primary care provider. The Veteran's VA medical team will perform a complete clinical evaluation to determine how best to assist the Veteran.  Each guide and service dog request is reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

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3.  Does VA actually provide the guide or service dog?

 No. Veterans approved for guide or service dogs are referred to accredited agencies.  Many of these organizations do not charge for the dog or the dog's training.
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4.  If it is determined that I am eligible for a service dog, what benefits does VA provide for my guide or service dog?

VA will pay for veterinary care and the equipment (e.g. harness and/or backpack) required for optimal use of the dog. Veterinary care includes prescribed medications, office visits for medical procedures, and dental procedures where the dog is sedated (one sedated dental procedure will be covered annually). Vaccinations should be current when the dog is provided to the Veteran through an accredited agency. Subsequent vaccinations will be covered by VA. Prescribed food will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Veterinary care does not include over-the-counter medications, food, treats and nonsedated dental care. Flea and tick medications are considered over-the-counter and are the responsibility of the Veteran along with over-the-counter dental care products (bones, dental treats, etc.). Grooming, boarding and other routine expenses are not covered.

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5.  Does a service dog serve the same function(s) as Animal Assisted Therapy or Animal Assisted Activity dogs?

No. Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activity dogs are used either to assist therapists to accomplish therapeutic goals or for general engagement of the patients.  Neither type of dogs is for personal use by the Veteran. They are used only in a medical setting.

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I'm attacking this through my ILP plan.  The problem is that this is such a new program that you have to be very aggressive or you're not going to get any help from the VA.  I just received an email from my Voc Rehab counselor that she's going to add my service dog into my ILP plan.  That means the VA will be paying for anything that I need for him within the limits of the program.

If you aren't in Voc Rehab or the ILP, all you need to do is have either your primary care physician or psychologist/psychiatrist, fill out the required VA Form 10-2641 (it's an in house form) stating your service dog is a medical necessity.  The form then goes to the Prosthetics section.  According to the news article on the AMVETS website, Prosthetics has ten days to respond.


This is a good start for you, Invisible Reader.  I've given you plenty to read and digest.  It's not easy to get a service dog.  Each year there are 25,000 applications submitted nationally for service dogs.  Unfortunately, there are only 2500 service dogs ready to be placed in homes each year.  You have to be careful when you apply for a service dog.  Do your homework.  Make sure the schools you apply to are ADI accredited schools.  America's VetDogs, Canine Companions for Independence, Inc., Service Dogs of Florida, Inc., are all good schools.  There are a lot more out there, Invisible Reader.  I encourage you to apply to as many schools as possible.  You may be accepted by some and rejected by others.  Don't put all your eggs in one basket.  If you're looking for info on Psychiatric Service Dogs, this is the place to get information.  Another good source is this blog post by Angela Peacock.


The internet has tons of information, Invisible Reader.  I've collected a lot of information by researching it myself and networking with other service dog owners.  I'll be keeping you up to date on our progress and in time, I'll organize my bookmarks and I'll post them here for you.  If you'd like to see them there are pictures of Rocco and I on my Facebook page from some of our training sessions. Just send me a friend request  and add a message to your request that you're a blog reader. I try to keep track of where my "friends" are coming from.

One last request, Invisible Reader, before I sign off.  Most of these places give these dogs away for free.  However, on average it costs $38,000 to buy, feed, train, house and purchase equipment for a service dog while it's in training.  If you can, please donate to the service dog school of your choice.  These are nonprofit schools and your donation is tax deductible.The school will appreciate it and so will the recipient of the dog when the dog is ready to be placed.  Most schools place these dogs for free.  My school, Service Dogs of Florida, doesn't charge the handlers for the dog even though it costs them a small fortune to train these dogs and get them ready for placement.  Look deep into your heart, Invisible Reader.  I know times are tough right now.  But if you can help ..... please do.  You won't be sorry.


Until the next time, Invisible Reader ....

How Much is That Doggie in the Window

Hello Invisible Reader.  Let's talk about dogs today.  Dogs are one of my favorite subjects.  I grew up with them.  My mother, Barbra Goodman, was well known in the "dog world".  She got her first dog when I was three years old.  Chopper was an Afghan Hound.  My mother, being very inexperienced back then thought she could train Chopper to show in Obedience.  I remember Chopper very well even though I was just a little girl at the time.  I named Chopper after a cartoon character on television back then.  If you click on this hyperlink, it'll take you to an old Hanna Barbera Cartoon featuring Chopper and his buddy Yakky Doodle Duck.  I'm sure Mom had other names in store for her beautiful Afghan, but Chopper stuck. When you have three kids under the age of three years old calling a dog "Chopper", what is a Mom to do?

Afghans are beautiful and graceful dogs.  They are lovely to look at.  The problem is they just aren't that smart.  (Apologies to all you Afghan owners out there).  Chopper wasn't the exception.  When my sister was 14 months old, she was sitting in her high chair happily munching away at her breakfast cereal, when Chopper jumped up, totally unprovoked, and bit my little sister in the face.  Chopper disappeared that day never to be seen again.  Mom did not/would not tolerate an aggressive dog around us kids.

Eventually Mom became one of the top obedience trainers and most recognized Obedience Judges in the United States and in the history of the American Kennel Club.  At the time of her death in 1994 she had judged more Obedience dogs than any AKC Judge on record.  As a child, we traveled with Mom to the dog shows.  We were gone every single weekend.  I know every fairground, every park, every rest stop in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Michigan, Iowa and parts of Ohio.  I've been to them all.  We were always on the go.  There was always a dog show to go to.  As a kid I was jealous that my friends used to go off for two weeks every summer on vacation.  It wasn't until I was an adult that I realized I saw more of the good old US of A traveling to dog shows on the weekend than my friends ever saw on their two week vacations every summer.  Hindsight is 20/20 ya know.

Mom was also an accomplished writer.  She wrote a monthly column for Dog World Magazine, Front and Finish, was a guest author for Dog Fancy and she even authored her own book, Training Dogs with Common Sense.  Mom was also a contributing author to the Obedience Chapters in three other books.

 Front and Back Covers of Moms Book.  Mom is the Blond.  The dog she is posing with is "Heygirl".

Over the years we had more dogs than I can count.  Mom went through dogs like most people go through socks.  If a dog wasn't right for showing, she placed it in a pet home.  Usually that meant being placed in the home of some unsuspecting relative or the home of a good friend with children.  In all those years there were only two aggressive dogs.  Chopper was the first one and the second one was Rebel.  Rebel took a chunk out of my brother, so he ended up in the same place as Chopper.  Doggie Heaven.  There was no place in our home for an aggressive dog and Mom didn't feel comfortable placing an aggressive dog with anyone else.  I grew up with Dobermans, Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, Flat Coated Retrievers, a Miniature Schnauzer, a Belgian Tervuren,  an Afghan Hound, a Yorkie, Labrador Retrievers .... I'm sure I'm missing a breed or two but you get the point.  Those are just the dogs my mom had when I was growing up.  As an adult, I've had a variety of breeds, too.

Belledog was our contortionist

Having spent so many years in the Army, it was difficult to have a dog of my own.  I lived in the barracks for many years where you couldn't have a dog.  Then, finally, came the day that I was able to move off post and stay off post for the rest of my military career.  The first two dogs I had were a Golden Retriever named Rambo and a Cocker Spaniel named Kosher.  Rambo ended up with my ex-husband when we divorced and she lived a long healthy life up in Butte, Montana.  Kosher ended up being placed with my First Sergeant.  She lived to be about 12 years old.  Next came "Heygirl".  Heygirl was a Golden Retriever that my mother had shown in Obedience.  Heygirl was 5 years old when she came to me.  Mom had retired her.  I had Heygirl until she was 12 years old.  After Heygirl came "Taxi", another Golden that Mom had shown and retired.  At one time, while I was living in Houston, I was up to three dogs.  I had Taxi the Golden, Belledog the Greyhound, and Jaga the Doberman.  All of these dogs lived to be about 12 years old before I had to put them down due to illness.

 Heygirl

One month ago I lost my Doberman, Puzzle.  I got Puzzle in August 2005 from Doberman Rescue of Dallas.  I'd lost Jaga the Doberman about a month before I'd gotten Puzzle.  I'd been looking for a rescue Doberman for several months by the time I adopted Puzzle.  I have another dog, Manor.  She's a medium sized mixed breed that I found at a motel I was staying at outside of Fort Knox, Kentucky.  She'd either been abandoned there or had just wandered in there.  No one was really certain.  I was managing a boarding facility in Cincinnati at that time so I took her from that motel with every intention of finding her a home.  That was 2003 and she's still with me to this day.  Jaga had been ill for some time.  I was hoping to bring another dog into my home so Manor would have another "sibling" to bond with before we lost Jaga.  Dogs mourn, too, and I wanted to make the transition easier for Manor.  Sadly, it didn't work out as planned.  Luckily though from the day I brought Puzzle home she and Manor were best buds.

 Belledog the Greyhound, Jaga the Doberman, Taxi the Golden Retriever

When Puzzle got sick last month we lost her in one weeks' time.  It was a heartbreaking loss for all of us.  Manor is still in mourning.  She doesn't leave our side.  She is as lost without Puzzle as I am.  Puzzle was a great source of comfort to me.  I miss that cold nose nudging me in the middle of the night.  I miss having her sleeping on the floor next to my side of the bed.  Just knowing she was there, watching over me, protecting me, there for me when I whimpered during the night or when I woke up from a nightmare meant more to me than words can express.  When I was down, when I cried, when I was in pain, Puzzle knew it.  She was at my side, her head in my lap, always there for me.  Puzzle was my "Velcro Dog".  She was glued to my side and I loved her for it.  My home is too quiet and lonely without her.  My heart is empty and void without her.

Puzzle and Manor taken in 2005

Where am I going with all this, you ask, Invisible Reader?  Bear with me.  A little more background and I promise I'll get to the point.  When I retired from the Army I moved to Houston.  I had been retired for about 6 months when I got there.  I'd worked for a small auto insurance company up in Chicago for several months after I retired and I already knew that was not a field I wanted to pursue.  I putzed around our new home in Houston, getting us unpacked, painting the new house, planting flowers and playing "domestic" until I just couldn't stand it anymore.  I had already applied to the VA for the Vocational Rehab program and was waiting to hear if I was going to be accepted into that.  You know how that goes .... you wait and wait and wait.  While I was waiting I needed something to do with my time.  I was getting tired of sitting at home all day.  There is only so much tanning you can do.

 Taxi loved a good fire

I picked up a little neighborhood newspaper and started looking through the classifieds.  One ad caught my eye immediately.  It was an ad for a receptionist at a veterinary hospital.  When I was a little girl I'd always wanted to be a veterinarian.  Unfortunately for me, I didn't possess the necessary math and science skills to pursue that field.  I still don't.  I wanted to work with dogs in the Army until I found out I had to become an MP first and then there was no guarantee I'd get to work with dogs.  This seemed like the perfect job for me. The next day I drove to the Vet Clinic, filled out an application and then I went home to wait.  Two days later I went in for an interview.  The owner was a Vietnam Era Veteran and I liked him immediately.  I started working for him the following Monday and we worked together for the next 4 1/2 years until he closed his doors for good due to declining business.  I started out as the receptionist and six months later I was managing the business.  After I left that clinic my advancement in the animal career field progressed nicely as I continued to manage larger, more high dollar veterinary hospitals and boarding facilities.  I stayed in that career field until my service connected disabilities got so bad that I could no longer do that kind of work.  I learned a lot about caring for dogs, cats, birds and pocket pets during those years.  It wasn't so much a career as it was a calling.  You don't go into that field to make a lot of money.  You do it because you have a love of domestic pets.  It isn't always glamorous.  It isn't always pretty.  It can get downright bloody and heartbreaking.  It takes a lot of compassion to work in the animal care field.  If you're looking to get rich working at a veterinary hospital or boarding facility you're barking up the wrong tree ... so to speak.  You do it because you love it.  When I had to walk away from it it broke my heart. 

 Me, Belledog, Jaga & Taxi in 1999

Now to the present, Invisible Reader.  Let's talk about Service Dogs.  You see them all the time.  You see them everywhere.  There are many different kinds of Service Dogs.  They assist the blind, the deaf, autistic children, the physically challenged, and those with emotional problems such as PTSD and depression or anxiety disorders.  When Puzzle died I spoke to my therapist about obtaining a Service Dog.  She thinks it's a wonderful idea and she believes I would do well with one.  So it was back to the internet for research.  I remember when hearing dogs first hit the scene back in the late 80's.  It might have been earlier ... my memory isn't the best.  I was working at a dog show somewhere and there was a group there who put on a demo with hearing dogs.  They were the first organization of its' kind.  I was astounded at the things these dogs had been taught to do.  I know how smart dogs are.  I know they can be taught to do a lot of different tasks.  But this was truly amazing.

Guide dogs for the blind have been around for a very long time.  We've all seen them around for as long as we can remember.  Hearing dogs?  Who had ever heard of such a thing!  Seeing was believing.  Since that time, many different types of service dogs have hit the market.  There is no limit to what these dogs can be taught to do for their handlers.  Some breeds work better for certain tasks than other breeds.

In my research I've found that dobermans, which I love, would not make a good service dog for me.  Dobermans tend to be protective of their owners.  When you're out in public with a service dog, you want a dog that is more social and less protective.  German Shepherds fall into that category as well.  Not a good breed for a service dog for someone like me.  The best breeds for someone like me are sporting dogs, some herding breeds, some working breeds. 

There are a lot of good organizations out there that provide service dogs at no charge.  I'm currently on a waiting list for a dog here in Florida.  "My" dog won't be ready for at least a year.  At the advice of the organization I'm on the list with, I'm also applying to other organizations.  This is where you have to do your research, Invisible Reader.

At the suggestion of one of the organizations, I applied to Affordable Service Dogs of Florida, Inc.  Their website says they provide service dogs to Veterans "at little or no cost".  The organization that referred me to them had forwarded an email I sent to them, to Affordable.  In my email, I stated I was an 80% s/c disabled veteran and the VA was going to pay for my service dog.  Here is a copy of the email I received from Affordable Service Dogs:

Hi Wendi,

My name is Judy Martini and my husband and I train Service Dogs to help Disabled Veterans. 

At this time we have 2 dogs that work for my husband to help with his Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.  He is rated at 100% for PTSD, has crippling arthritis and is in a power chair.  He is a Viet Nam Veteran.

We do not call the dogs therapy dogs or Psychiatric Service Dogs, we just call them Service Dogs, because to have all those titles you need certifications that go along with it.  We are not  certified as anything, but  we have trained these 2 dogs to help Bill.  They are both obedient and do well in public. We have had them in stores, restaurants, synagogue, shopping centers, malls and doctor's offices.

They can be a tremendous help on those anxious days when you have anxiety attacks and flash backs.  They are calming and reassuring. 

The cost for either of these dogs is $2,500. 

Thanks,

Judy & Bill Martini

I was astounded when I received this email.  $2500 for a Service Dog?  Does that sound like "little or no cost" to you?  I emailed them back and asked them about it and this was their response:

We do run affordable Service dogs of Florida however, at this time the only dogs we have available are ones we have quite a lot of money in.  I thought you said the VA would be paying for the service dog for you.  We are waiting for our 503 c 3 status and have no funding for the program except for that of the sales to fund the program.  We do have a dog at this time we might be able to part with for a more reasonable amount he is a rescue.  We have been working with him for about a month, so he is not as well trained as the others.  He is large, but as gentle as a little puppy.  He does not show aggression, but his bark is loud and deep.  He crawls up in my husband's lap and will stay there for him to pet for an hour.  He likes to watch Big Cat diary on TV and likes to challenge the pictures on the TV.  We could part with him for $600.  We are working on obtaining funding so that we can give the dogs to disabled veterans, but as I said, we do not have any funding at this time.   We have more in this dog that the $600.

There are several things wrong with this response.  HUGE RED FLAGS, Invisible Reader.  First, it seems to me that once they realized the VA would be paying for a dog they jacked up the price from "little to no cost" to $2500.  Second, I've been around dogs and dog training my entire life.  There is absolutely no way that a dog who has been in training "for about a month" is ready to be placed with anyone as a service dog.  I forwarded this response to another larger, more established organization and asked their opinion.  Here is what they had to say:  (Color Scheme:  Brick - Reputable Organization;  Red - Affordable; Purple - me)

that response *stuns* me. I hadn't talked to them directly but have read their site and confirmed their business status.
Below are my comments for the issues I seen, I'm flabbergasted that they incorporated and are offering untrained, uncertified dogs.

Training:
We have 4 dogs that are less than a month in training, but I would never offer them, just because they are not trained.
As I mentioned earlier, they are about a year away from being  *ready*, (even longer for hearing and specialized training as you know).

>>We do not call the dogs therapy dogs or Psychiatric Service Dogs, we just call them Service Dogs,
>>because to have all those titles you need certifications that go along with it. 
>>We are not  certified as anything, but  we have trained these 2 dogs to help Bill.
>> They are both obedient and do well in public. We have had them in stores, restaurants, synagogue,
>>shopping centers, malls and doctor's offices.

Hum. so many things wrong with that.

• ADI is the training association that gives the minimum guidelines of what different classes of service dogs are.
• The certification just states it meets those guidelines,  i.e. 100 hours,  1,000 hours, etc.
• Synagogue & Churches are not part of the ADA, so you must ask permission to enter those with a SD.

Funding:
Apparently they don't know all the non-profit laws. They can take donations if they registered with the Dept of AG as a charity, as we have done, as required.
501c3 takes up to 2 years to complete, during that time you still are a 501c3 pending, the determination letter is a formality and it's still deductible.

>>I would suggest you don't refer anymore Veterans to these people.  It seems they are
>>looking to scam the VA out of money and/or place less than a well trained dog in
>>homes with Veterans.  They are not on the up & up.  (I wrote this --)

Agreed, I'll drop them from our state listing of other schools, there are only about a dozen in the state.
There are several private trainers, but they charge a bit for personal SD training.



Overall I think they just aren't ready run a professional multi-dog school.
Based from their original reply I believe it's more a hobby that they raise a dog and sell it.


Here is a more reputable listing of the various schools in the country, and several in FL.
http://www.wolfpacks.com/products/servicedog/trainers.html
Please contact other schools and see if any are available, as you have an urgent need,
some have short waiting lists (1-2 months) others 3 years.

Needless to say, I have stopped all contact with Affordable Service Dogs of Florida, Inc.  I know in my previous blogs I've bashed the VA quite a bit for their ineptness, but that doesn't mean I'm going to let someone rip them off for $2500 either.  Why should I?  And why would I want a service dog from an organization that's willing to give me a dog with one month's training at the bargain price of $600 knowing what I know about dog training?  I sincerely hope they aren't doing this to other Veterans.  I hope they aren't selling dogs with inadequate training to unsuspecting Veterans.  Many of us are desperate for a service dog. People like the folks at Affordable Service Dogs of Florida, Inc., prey on the weak in my opinion and someone desperate for a dog might just fall into this trap.

Invisible Reader, if you need a service dog, or you are looking for a service dog, there are a lot of options out there.  Do your research.  Don't get sucked in by a hobbyist.  That's not to say all hobbyists are scam artists.  They aren't.  There are some very good private trainers out there who are certified to train service dogs.  A very good place to begin your search for a service dog is here
 http://www.wolfpacks.com/products/servicedog/trainers.html .

The thing to remember, and I can't stress this enough, is DO YOUR HOMEWORK.  You will also have to be very patient.  As I was told, this can be a very long process.  In some cases you can get a dog in a matter of months.  In some cases the waiting list is up to three years.  Apply to as many organizations as possible.  If you get a dog, just remember to contact the other organizations whose lists you're on that you've received a dog.  Make sure they free up that dog for someone else. 

In the mean time, take a look at Charity.  She's been assigned to me as a Service Dog in training.  She's in Stage One right now.  She's a cutie, isn't she!   It'll be several months before we know if she's going to make it through the program.  In the meantime, I've applied to other programs at the suggestion of this organization.  I'm receiving monthly updates on Charity's training progress.  This is a good, reputable program.  If you want to sponsor Charity, you can.  Just click on the donate button next to her name.  Every penny helps.

Until the next time, Invisible Reader .....