Therapy Dogs _ Where and How?

[Gloria Atwater]

Greetings all ~

 

If this isn't posted in the right place, please forgive me, because I'm asking a dog question, though not specifically a border collie question.

 

I have a friend - more rightly a friendly acquaintance - who approached me last night about service dogs. Specifically, where and how she could find a dog for herself. This lady is both a cancer survivor AND a survivor of an attempted murder. She finds it very hard to go out in public places or be in groups of people - I'm sure many of you have heard similar tales. She has been clinically diagnosed with PTSD and she does the best she can to cope, undoubtedly has undergone therapy and/or medication, but ... she wants more. She wants to LIVE!

 

So, she asked me if I would help find out where and how she could inquire about getting a service dog. She feels that the warmth and companionship of a trained service dog would do wonders to help her begin to reclaim the normal aspects of life.

 

Can anyone help with this? I have no more idea than she does where one would even begin to look or ask about getting a service dog.

 

She lives in Hemet, California.

 

Thank you in advance! I really hope folks here can help me help this lovely, wounded lady.

 

~ Gloria

[Gideon's girl]

I know someone to ask. I'll be back with an answer if I get one.

[Maralynn]

Canine Companions for Independence has a location in CA. I don't think they train dogs for people with PTSD, but they are highly reputable service dog organization (important because there are many that aren't...). They are the ones I'd contact if beginning such a search as they might be able to offer suggestions and point a person in the right direction

 

Caninie Companions for Independence

[gcv-border]

Sorry my memory is so vague, but about a year ago, I saw a news report on TV that highlighted a program that matched up ex-military suffering from PTSD with dogs. And yes, coping skills were improved by the presence of the dogs. I believe that the program was based in or near Washington, DC.

 

Jovi

[urge to herd]

http://www.cci.org/site/c.cdKGIRNqEmG/b.3978475/k.3F1C/Canine_Companions_for_Independence.htm

 

CCI is located about 20 minutes from me. We're an hour or so north of the Golden Gate Bridge/San Francisco.

 

They do indeed have a program for PTSD, it might be aimed specifically at veterans. If you follow the link it will give you contact info.

 

I've known of CCI since it was formed. It's a wonderful and hard-working organization. They do amazing work for a wide variety of needs.

 

Good luck to your friend. I know more about PTSD than the average person, and my heart goes out to her.

 

Ruth and Agent Gibbs

[Gideon's girl]

She may need a referal from her therapist or doctor.

[Gideon's girl]

This is what my friend with a service dog said:

 

I looked at funding and several groups that offer service dogs of different kinds. She should check the net for local groups. The waiting lists are so long, its hard to get a service or therapy dog from the established organizations. There are way more deserving recipients than there are dogs. Vets and certain ‘mainstream recognized groups’ get preference. If you fall outside those catagories, it gets harder. However, in most states, you can train your own. Texas being the biggest exception. I recommend Stewart Nordensson’s “Teamwork” & “Teamwork II” (ISBN 9780965621618) As the best ‘train your own books’ out there. Then she should get a RX for one from her MD, and a letter. The dog can not be protection trained. “Teamwork” gives the basic training skills for those who aren’t proficient already. “Teamwork II” is specifically for service dogs. Therapy dogs are service dogs and should be trained to pass all the standard service dog skills tests, regardless of wether you take them through a program or not. If your dog’s in public, it needs to be under control, especially if you need it. While they can’t deny service dogs entry, they can ask you and an ill behaved or disruptive dog, even if its supposed to be a service or therapy dog to leave. The other thing you can do is hire a trainer. They can either do it for you or coach you. Often there are local groups working on training there own together. Most also work to get their CGC.

 

You can use any dog with the appropriate temperament as a therapy dog, providing he/she is trained. So you can train the one you have or adopt a suitiable dog from a pound, or purchase one for training. There are lots of options. Stewart’s books will really help her to solve her problems outside the box.

[Maralynn]

From my understanding, therapy dogs and service dogs are two separate categories. Service dogs assist people with a disability, Therapy dogs work in animal assisted therapy (working in tandem with a handler)nursing home visits, reading assistance, hospital visits, etc. Service dogs have the same access rights as the person they are assisting. Therapy dogs are only allowed where they are invited.

 

I did a bit a therapy dog work with my first dog and had her registered with an organization. But she did not have the same access rights as a service dog (ie, I couldn't take her into a grocery store or other "no dogs allowed" place).

 

Re - protection work. Therapy dogs cannot be protection trained (has to do with insurance issues with the certifying organization) but I know a couple of service dogs that are. If they are under control and not bothering people when out and about then that is what matters.

 

Personally, I would opt to train my own if I was in that situation. If you don't have dog training experience, find a good local trainer to work with who can help select a dog and train both of you. That would be the simplest route IMO.

 

Just my understanding from my own experience and talking to a friend that trains for a service dog organization near me.

[geonni banner]

I have a disability - agoraphobia w/ panic attacks - for which I receive SSI. My last dog was certified as an assistance dog (the tag said service dog) by the county where I live. I had to produce a letter from my mental health provider and/or regular doctor saying that the dog provided me with emotional support in the case of a panic attack and that her presence with me had a demonstrable effect in lowering my anxiety level whether I was at home or out in the world. I also had to fill out a set of forms describing a bit about her training.

 

I am in the process of getting my current dog registered with the county for the same thing. I have not done so before now because I was not satisfied that she was confident enough in new situations to "do the job." When I got her she had anxiety issues of her own. But 3 1/2 years later I think she's bomb-proof enough to get certified. My movements outside during that time have been somewhat restricted because I was on my own. But now I think Sugarfoot is ready to help me recover some ground lost. I'm looking forward to being able to walk the two blocks to our local Post Office again, and to be able to go to the corner store without a human escort.

 

I have gotten flak from people who said she isn't a "real service dog" because she wasn't trained by some organization that specializes in such work. But I have trained her to a sufficient level that she is of very real help to me, and I don't think I'm taking advantage by having her certified. It isn't about getting my pet into places she couldn't ordinarily go; it's about helping me get around in a world that my endocrine system is convinced is full of peril.

[Carol Lea Benjamin]

Greetings all ~

 

If this isn't posted in the right place, please forgive me, because I'm asking a dog question, though not specifically a border collie question.

 

I have a friend - more rightly a friendly acquaintance - who approached me last night about service dogs. Specifically, where and how she could find a dog for herself. This lady is both a cancer survivor AND a survivor of an attempted murder. She finds it very hard to go out in public places or be in groups of people - I'm sure many of you have heard similar tales. She has been clinically diagnosed with PTSD and she does the best she can to cope, undoubtedly has undergone therapy and/or medication, but ... she wants more. She wants to LIVE!

 

So, she asked me if I would help find out where and how she could inquire about getting a service dog. She feels that the warmth and companionship of a trained service dog would do wonders to help her begin to reclaim the normal aspects of life.

 

Can anyone help with this? I have no more idea than she does where one would even begin to look or ask about getting a service dog.

 

She lives in Hemet, California.

 

Thank you in advance! I really hope folks here can help me help this lovely, wounded lady.

 

~ Gloria

[Carol Lea Benjamin]

You can put her in touch with me if you like. clb@carolleabenjamin.com I can talk to her about training her own service dog. There are many articles on my blog about training and working with a service dog. That's at www.clbenjamin.wordpress.com if she'd like to start there and see if that would work for her.

[terrecar]

I'll second Carol's advice re: her blog. Both Ms. Benjamin's blog and her book, Do Border Collies Dream of Sheep? (co-written with Denise Wall), have been helpful to me in terms of ideas. I also have a disability with which my dog has become increasingly helpful.