From our dear client, Donna, with SD, Dennie!!! Donna writes:
“Last weekend I was admitted to the hospital for a touch of pneumonia. As you can see from the attached picture, Dennie is once again right there in bed me and doesn’t leave my side. As I explained in my previous email, Dennie can tell when my blood sugar is dropping. This is an added bonus as Dennie is my mobility SD. Don’t know what I would do without her.”
WHAT LOVE AND DEVOTION!!!!
Oh, what wonderful things our Service Dogs can do for us! So many different situations, so many different conditions – they are there for us truly everywhere we go! From our dear client, Sarah:
“Here is a picture of Brody- he was my support at the dentist today. He lied in the chair with me for 1 1/2 hours and didn’t move. Everyone thought he did awesome for a 10-month old. I would have never been able to go to the dentist without Brody!”
From our dear friend and former trainer, Tony. Thank you, Tony – your words always have and always will mean the world to me and to all of us – and your opinions are very important to me and all of us at SDE:
“As a client and former trainer I have the utmost respect for Laurie and Service Dog Express, She has made my life so much better and I can handle the simple everyday tasks that most take for granted when she paired me with my properly assessed dog Lucy (God bless you Laurie and what you did for me).
As trainers, the client should come first; their needs are off utmost importance.
I think off myself as not only a client but as an ambassador for Service Dog. I try to educate the public as much as I can, but having just one aggressive hyper or skittish dog can make it so much harder for the public to understand what we are doing or what the dog is for, so a properly assessed dog is essential. I know we would like to place all the dogs with homes but they all can’t be a Service Dog!!..
I get so many compliments on how well behaved my dog is in public; it is a proud and calming feeling to me. So thank you so much Laurie for all that you have done to make my life a lot easier..
Tony Cuciniello
( Service Dog Lucy)”
TONY – YOU ARE VERY CORRECT THAT PROPERLY ASSESSED AND TRAINED SDs ONLY SHOULD BE IN THE PUBLIC. IF THERE IS A DOG THAT WE FEEL IS NOT ACTING APPROPRIATELY, WE WILL WORK AS HARD AS WE CAN TO TRY AND TRAIN THE INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR – EVEN IF IT MEANS HAVING TO REMOVE THE DOG AND HANDLER FROM PUBLIC ACCESS FOR A WHILE. IF THE DOG JUST CAN’T BE TRAINED CORRECTLY, WE WILL ALWAYS BE HONEST AND REALIZE THAT THE DOG IS JUST NOT SERVICE DOG MATERIAL. A DOG CAN LEARN THE COMMANDS, BUT ONCE IT BEGINS TRAINING WITH THE HANDLER, DYNAMICS CHANGE. THAT IS WHY CONSISTENCY AND SUPERVISION BY TRAINERS IS PARAMOUNT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR INPUT. MANY DOGS THAT PASS ASSESSMENTS ONLY EXHIBIT BEHAVIORS ONCE THEY ARE PUT IN VASTLY DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. THEY MUST BEHAVE CORRECTLY – FOR THE SAFETY OF THE CLIENT AND THE DOG.
There is nothing, nothing more gratifying for SD trainers to hear that clients have healed and have been inspired by their own healing that they want to pass it on to others!!! I received this wonderful message from my the very first Mastiff I trained with his dad, affectionately called “Big John” because he is so tall!! He picked the perfect breed because of his mobility issues and he knew he would need a large dog to help. I trained with John and SD Jachin long ago – and John was one of the kindest, most dedicated, and hard-working young man I have ever known. Hearing from him after all this time, and hearing that he now wants to train Jachin to do Therapy Work to help others is the most beautiful thing! I can’t wait to see him again – his job moved him way up north – but now he is back in Dallas!! John wrote:
“Laurie – I’m so excited to see more Mastiffs becoming Service Dogs!!!! They are such a great breed! Jachin is doing so well. Thank you again for helping us while he was younger. I still read all your posts and see more Mastiffs are coming to you. I am in Dallas now and if anyone is need of a volunteer, Jachin and I are more than happy to volunteer for kids or Wounded Warriors! Hope you are well!!!”
JOHN, I AM SO EXCITED FOR YOU AND JACHIN – AND YOUR CONTINUED SELFLESSNESS AND CARE FOR OTHERS! YES – JACHIN WAS THE BEGINNING OF MY LOVE FOR MASTIFFS – AND NOW I WANT AS MANY AS I CAN TO TRAIN! HECK – IF I DIDN’T HAVE FOUR DOGS ALREADY, I’D HAVE A HOUSEHOLD FULL OF THEM!!!! CANNOT WAIT TO SEE YOU AGAIN AND TRAIN JACHIN FOR THERAPY WORK – YOU BOTH WILL BE WONDERFUL AT IT!!
An update from client and trainer Catherine, in Virginia, with her SDIT, “Baron”.
“Baron is doing just fantastically! He “comes” flawlessly and barely needs a play-time break between classes anymore (we’ll go through 2 classes with no break sometimes). He also comes to work with me and hangs out at the research lab. He is so so good! Everyone always comments on how well behaved he is for such a young dog.
He’s doing a LOT better at ignoring people and “leave it” as we walk around. If I can see that he’s distracted on a certain day, if I just say “Baron focus” before we’re about to pass someone, he looks at me and ends up walking right past the person. Usually, though, I don’t even have to say anything.
He’s great at restaurants, though he’s getting bigger and having more trouble fitting under tables lol
Baron started an interesting behavior in the last couple weeks when I get stressed out at work and start feeling really anxious. He gets up from his down/stay under the table and lays his upper body and head over my lap. He was doing this completely on his own, without any prompting, and so I decided to start introducing him to “cover” since he seems to be sensing some of my moods. What he’s doing with laying over me is a lot of what I want him to do with “comfort” or “hug” when I need that calming pressure, so I’m encouraging him to do that when I’m feeling stressed, but ONLY then, not just for the sake of breaking his down/stay.”
WONDERFUL WORK, CATHERINE AND BARON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
A wonderful update from Amber, who has struggled for a long time with PTSD, agoraphobia, and flashbacks. She never wavered in her consistent training with SD, beautiful Ezri. Now, Amber is out working, and Ezri is her constant companion! Amber writes:
“They love her where I work, and she is allowed to be off leash and just follow me! I have problems keeping the leash in hand all the time but she never strays from me. She always walks right by my side even when off leash!”
SO PROUD OF HOW FAR AMBER HAS COME WITH THE HELP OF SD, EZRI! ONCE AFRAID OF LEAVING THE HOUSE, NOW OUT AND WORKING WITH HER COMPANION BY HER SIDE!!!
From our dear friend, Wounded Warrior Grady, who we worked with over a year ago. It’s posts like this that keep us all going. I am SO proud of Grady and McCoy!!!!
“I just wanted to say thank you for your work my service dog MCCOY gives me a reason for living. You have helped and save more people and animals than you will ever know. I hardly ever write on Facebook, but I couldn’t believe how some people believe there are more people who believe and love what you do then people who want to be bullies on line with out a clue. Please keep up the good work you do and turn a deaf ear to the ones who don’t get it. Thanks for your help about a year ago. If it wasn’t for you, MCCOY and I would not be here.”
GRADY, IT’S THINGS LIKE THIS THAT MAKE IT ALL WORTHWHILE. SOMETIMES IT GETS OVERWHELMING, AND I WONDER IF ALL THE HARD WORK IS REALLY MAKING CHANGES FOR PEOPLE. HEARING YOUR WORDS HAS INSPIRED ME LIKE YOU WOULD NOT BELIEVE. IT’S ALWAYS WORTH IT NOW.
A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to Jacqueline, a Vietnam Veteran in New Hampshire, who has been working with a trainer there and her caseworker, sending me videotapes consistently for almost a year of her now SD, beautiful Aussie “Seeley”, performing each command in the Public Access Test and demonstrating three additional tasks specific to her disabilities. Jacqueline has been absolutely diligent and consistent in her determination to bring Seeley up to perfect par as a Service Dog. She has never waivered in her determination to demand absolute perfection, even despite setbacks in her personal life. I am so proud of her and am SO inspired by all her extremely hard work! Seeley officially passed two days ago! Jacqueline writes;
“Dear Laurie,
My experience following your personal instruction in training Seeley has been positively rewarding beyond words. You helped me through very challenging times with Seeley when I was almost ready to give up.
I don’t think people realize how much a person’s quality of life is affected with a well-trained Service Dog. Especially, a dog that has bonded and is specifically task trained to help get through both daylight and nighttime disability issues
.
I use the word “issue” reluctantly, because unfortunately making the choice of including a Service Dog as part of my treatment in managing my service connected (100%) disability of PTSD, MST, depression, OCD, etc… has been made an issue at VA facilities – which to this day, I find perplexing. Civilian medical facilities have welcomed Seeley and I as a SDiT team, whereas VA facilities do not allow SDiT teams. Period. And with your help, I have painstakingly raised and trained my own SD because I know that a well trained dog to address specific needs will improve my quality of life. Period.
Know that your dedication is appreciated every time Seeley responds to my specific needs at all hours of the day and night.
Thank you once again.
Sincerely,
Jacqueline”
DEAR JACQUELINE – THE ISSUES YOU HAVE FACED AT THE VA FACILITIES THERE IN NH ARE ALSO PERPLEXING TO ME. BUT YOU HAVE DONE IT!! YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO ME AND I KNOW TO ALL THOSE WHO ARE ALSO STRUGGLING WITH ISSUES REGARDING THEIR SERVICE-RELATED DISABILITIES AND ACCESSIBILITY ISSUES. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU AND SEELEY!!!
Welcome new client, Leah, who suffers from PTSD and vision loss, and her SDIT, Abby! Trainer Beverly writes:
“Leah had stated that during bonding time, she and Abby were doing GREAT, and she and Abby were inseparable. Abby was, however, seemingly nervous around other people. After talking to Leah and knowing she has no peripheral vision and that one of her fears is being victimized, it was determined that she and Abby were possibly feeding each other’s anxieties. We went for a walk outside and I showed Leah how to “appear” confident and how to encourage confidence in Abby. After a brief walk, both Abby and Leah were much more confident – fake it ’til you make it!. Abby does keep her eye on Leah very attentively and does a great “watch me.
Abby is a wonderful, loving, attentive, gentle soul who is happy to have a person and a purpose. She is loved greatly by Leah and even has a buddy (Leah’s cat) to lie in the sun with. Abby and Leah were connected on 12 July and she has been helping Leah ever since. Since July is the month of Leah’s birthday, she says this was the BEST present EVER!”
CONFIDENCE IS THE KEY, BEVERLY – YOU ARE RIGHT. FOR ALL CLIENTS – HAVE FAITH THAT YOUR DOG WILL DO WHAT IT IS SUPPOSED TO DO – EVEN IF IT’S STILL IN EARLY TRAINING. THE DOGS COMPLETELY FEED OFF OF THE HANDLER’S LEVEL OF TRUST AND CONFIDENCE. I KNOW THIS IS HARD TO DO WHEN MANY OF US SUFFER FROM ANXIETY, BUT THE FAKE IT TIL YOU MAKE IT TRULY MAKES A DIFFERENCE.
“We worked more on having Princess sit/down and stay, and heavily on the recall as she likes to be a bit “lazy” and not come when she is called, but just lays down and stays there. Princess did better this session and is really motivated with hot dogs! Her “Watch me” with Sonya is spot on, and she is getting pretty good at “leave it.” Princess has sit, down, stay, watch me, leave it, and heel down pat. Sonya says that Princess is now sleeping upstairs (previously she wouldn’t even go up the stairs), and Princess is very good at watching who and what is around, making Sonya feel safe and allowing her to relax a little more.
We will continue to work on the “Stay,” the “Recall” and engaging Princess with everything Sonya is doing. Next session will be in another location outside of home.”
SOMETIMES IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE LONGER FOR DOGS WHO HAVE BEEN PREVIOUSLY USED TO A VERY “NON-WORKING” ENVIRONMENT. BUT PRINCESS IS HIGHLY INTELLIGENT AND HAS THE MOST GENTLE TEMPERAMENT, SO IT WON’T BE LONG UNTIL SHE GETS INTO THE GROOVE!