Category Archives: Anxiety

Agoraphobia, Anxiety, Army, Experience, General, Military, Panic Attack, Psychiatric, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Wounded Warrior

William and Dallas Were Amazing!

What a WONDERFUL first public session for William, an active duty Wounded Warrior, and his gorgeous dog, Dallas!!  William was a medic for 16 years, and suffers from PTSD as a result.  However, he has chosen to continue working teaching other medics from his vast experience and knowledge base!  What courage and loyalty!  Yes, explaining what he saw in battle is difficult for him when he is teaching, but those he teaches get the extra benefit of being with someone who was actually there.  Sometimes, William has to take some pretty deep breaths talking about his difficult experiences to his men – he pretty much relives those experiences every day.  There is little time for healing when you’re still exposed to the battle wounds every day.  His schedule is erratic, and each day he has to wake up at different times, as early as 4, work long shifts, and the next day, his schedule might be totally different.  Of course, this also affects his natural sleep cycle, giving his mind little respite from having the chance to fight of night terrors.  So this is a particularly interesting challenge – training a Service Dog while the handler is still active duty.  William does an exceptional job at work, but when he comes home, he is plagued by the same PTSD that other Wounded Warriors suffer – fear of crowded places, anxiety with strangers around, loud noises, etc., and this frustrates him.  His beautiful family explained that his frustration often makes him depressed or angry, and keeps him from doing things with the family outside the home.  Well, from what I saw on our first public outing, I don’t think it’s going to be long until he, SDIT Dallas, and William’s family will be out enjoying the world together again!

Of course, I was so excited to see Dallas, as he is a mere 9 month-old Mastiff, now one of my all-time favorite breeds, and is as big as a small horse!  Dallas is full of nothing but gentleness, love, and is smart as a whip.  Seriously – you tell this dog something once, and he LEARNS it.  His eye contact is amazing.  So when I arrived at William’s house, at about the most busy time for a Petsmart visit, I knew William would be a little nervous – but off we went!!

WILLIAM AND DALLAS WERE AMAZING!!!!!  Words can’t even describe how exceptional both of them were at Petsmart – with dogs everywhere, people in awe of Dallas’ beauty crowding around, and strangers approaching us at every turn asking about Dallas’ breed.  We DID manage to find plenty of time to do serious training in quite spots, and spent a long time there, but it was worth it. I had to ask William a few times if he was doing OK, because the amount of attention they received was unbelievable.  There was a woman who worked for dog food company that I have seen at many Petsmarts, and although very friendly, she didn’t quite get the concept of Service Dog training.  For example, she would follow us around  asking if she could watch the training, and we would allow a little bit, but then I would say “Now, we REALLY have to focus on this part, so we will need total privacy”.  She was very kind.  Then, at one point, we turned the corner and there were literally about 6 adults and maybe 8 children that she had “gathered” together to see if we could “educate them” about Service Dogs!!  The look on William’s face was like he had seen a ghost!  So I asked William if he wanted to do this – after all – here we were facing one of his greatest anxiety-provokers – but like the champ he is, he said he might as well start learning!!!

So I talked to the “audience” about how Service Dogs work, how they are very highly-trained dogs, and that anytime you see someone with a dog in a vest like Dallas’, be sure to READ if the vest says “Please ask to pet me” or “Do not pet”.  The children asked, “What does Dallas do for you, sir?”, and I looked at William and asked if he wanted me to answer or if he wanted to answer.  He was taken a bit off guard, so I told the children that Dallas helps his dad with “special medical tasks”.  Then, of course, they all asked, one by one (even the parents), “May we please pet your dog?”  William said yes, and one-by-one, with me making sure they knew to always pet a new dog UNDER the chin, they stepped up and did just that – giggling, loving it, and the parents did the same – in awe of how Dallas was so gentle and stayed in a “sit” position the whole time.  It really was beautiful, and I think William felt very proud – not just of Dallas, but of himself.  I know I was.

Quite training was flawless.  Dallas knows “sit”, “down”, a perfect “heel”, “watch me”, “sit/stay”, “down/stay”, “wait” before entering doors (had to remind William of that), “controlled load and unload”, and even did natural “covers”.  Dallas had no startle response whatsoever to created distractions, and could stay in a “heel” when William dropped the leash.  Dallas did several meet and greets with tiny, barking dogs and big barking dogs, and Dallas just stood there and did his sniffing and carried on.  It was truly remarkable.  I showed William several techniques for carrying out these commands, first doing them myself, and then having William do them.  William learned very easily.  I think he felt a bit unsure that Dallas would perform for him as well as he did with me, but Dallas proved him wrong!!

When we were done, I congratulated William profusely, and asked him when was the last time he had spent that much time (about 2 hours) in a crowded public setting.  He shook his head and said, “I couldn’t even tell you”.  I made sure he realized what a true triumph he had just accomplished – and to focus on that every time he started to feel depressed between sessions – that he CAN do it, and he has the most wonderful, beautiful, slobbery companion at his side that will continue to help him achieve more and more!!!

Anxiety, Fibromyalgia, Mobility, Pain Management, Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy

Every dog has a unique skill

1 Comment

Another wonderful and challenging experience while training in Houston! Service Dog training, while I consider it, for me, to be the best job in the world, has many ups and downs – and you learn, especially with each down, something new. Having done this for so long, I have the battle wounds to remind me of the downs – which I actually consider learning experiences. I have so many scars – bit marks, severe scratches, a broken hand, broken fingers – you name it – but each one has served as a learning lesson to me. With this particular loving, gentle client, Marissa, who has severe Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy (RSD) at such a young age, her painful nerve condition leaves her living every day in constant pain. Marissa also has anxiety issues, which is understandable because when she goes out in public, which isn’t often due to her unstable gait, she uses either a cane, walker, or wheelchair.

When I arrived at Marissa’s house, I was greeted by the most beautiful, massive dog, and Marissa in her wheelchair. The dog started barking at me, and Melissa didn’t know why. She was literally dumbfounded, and said “Titan” had never barked like that at anyone. I hadn’t even entered the house. I peered into the house and saw a very young toddler crawling on the floor about 15 feet behind us – her family was there visiting from close by – and remembered an “incident” I had had years ago with a normally passive German Shepherd. I said to Marissa, “Just close the door, I’ll stay here, and put the baby in another room or have the mom take the baby out of the house. The family decided to leave so we could work in peace, out came the mom and baby, and after they left, I rang the doorbell again. This time, “Titan” had nothing but kisses and hugs and licks and rolling onto his back in a submissive position instantly. It was like a completely different dog. That’s the protective nature of the Cane Corso, and although we want Titan to be protective, he had to learn when it was appropriate and when it was inappropriate.

That being said, Marissa and I talked about many techniques to correct this behavior so that is Marissa gives the command to Titan that whoever is at the front door is fine, he must immediately be welcoming. It will take a lot of reinforcement and practice for Marissa, and she will have to engage many others to help her in this process of ringing the doorbell, creating a space between the front door and the inside of the house that Titan CANNOT overstep, and overall working on creating boundaries both mentally and physically for Titan so that he is not punished for his natural well-meaning tendencies, but reining them in so that they are used appropriately.

For example, Titan knows all the Public Access Commands. This is a brilliant breed and he is a brilliant dog. We spent about 4 hours in the house making sure he could do all of that, and worked on bracing and covering for Marissa due to her disability. Titan was super. However, I received an email from Marissa the other day saying that Titan had gotten too good at covering – and although she definitely needed him to be able to do the command when out in public or in the house, he would cover standing with his body stock still in front of her, touching her legs (appropriate and needed for dogs that cover for emotional disabilities), but the touch of his body on her legs caused her nerve pain. So we went over a modified cover, where the dog is still in front of her, but at a slight distance away.

It’s truly amazing to see how different disabilities require such important but easy “tweeking” of commands and helpful behaviors. We always have to remember that every single client is different, even if the “disability” is the same – and every dog has a unique skill set that can be used for good or bad. Of course, after the long training session was over, Titan and I were snuggling and gently wrestling on the floor between drool drops (not from me!), but it was such an eye-opening experience for both Marissa and Titan, I hope. Marissa has since reported that Titan is doing perfectly in public, heeling, walking beside her wheelchair, adjusting to her gait without the wheelchair, and acting as the perfect Service Dog he will very soon be!!!!

Marissa has a never-give-up kind of spirit that is just outstanding. She has a 1 year-old Cane Corso as her mobility and anxiety SDIT. A member of the Mastiff family, the Cane Corso The Cane Corso is not recommended for novice dog owners. As a puppy, it requires strong leadership and consistent training. Its natural instinct is to be suspicious of strangers and for this reason it is highly encouraged to begin socialization as soon as possible. Ideally, the Cane Corso should be indifferent when approached and should only react in a protective manner when a real threat is present. Otherwise, the breed is highly intelligent, and easily trained. As a large and athletic breed, they need a lot of exercise. They are affectionate and extremely loyal to their owner, and bond closely with children and family.

Anxiety, Austin, Depression, Fibromyalgia, Panic Attack, PTSD, Texas

In Meghan’s Words

From our trainer in Austin, who is working with Meghan, who suffers from PTSD, severe anxiety/depression, and fibromyalgia. Meghan had eloquently described her condition, and I thought I would share it (with her permission) because I think a lot of us can relate to it. Meghan wrote:

“Most nights when I sleep, I have severe nightmares and wake up every few hours. The anxiety from the PTSD, nightmares, flashbacks causes severe panic attacks. The anxiety leads to depression, which makes leaving the house difficult. At times, the fibromyalgia leaves me exhausted, affecting my ability to stand and my general ability to function or concentrate. I’ll collapse or have to sit down wherever I’m at. My speech can even become slurred. I also am in constant pain. I am disabled and have a part time job but only work 16 hours (4 hours days) due to a doctor recommendation. This at times leaves me with little or no energy. My boyfriend has had to assist me in writing this because of my Fibromyalgia impeding my concentration.

My psychiatrist recommended that a Service Dog might help me with panic attacks, PTSD, and even the depression. Recently, my physician suggested a Service Dog for both my PTSD (panic attacks) and fibromyalgia.

A Service Dog would be a constant companion I could rely on – helping me realize when the PTSD is causing me to hallucinate and have flashbacks. My companion would help me focus my thoughts in these moments. He would also help me to keep from becoming overwhelmed by my surroundings. A companion will be able to give me more confidence when I step out because he would be able to notify me if I am having a panic attack or starting to disassociate with my surroundings, forcing me to focus on him instead of my fear. He would also allow me to exercise and function better outside of the house. Part of my fear is if I become tired or have a fibro spell, I will have no help. Most days I will not leave the house without my boyfriend. A Service Dog could also help for when the fibromyalgia leaves me with no energy and I start to collapse, by giving me someone to lean on physically and emotionally. I have also heard that they can help comfort you when the PTSD causes nightmares and can help with the nightmares. This would be wonderful as I sleep very little, especially at one time. I wake up some nights and am even afraid to go to the bathroom or I lay awake afraid to go to sleep. Having someone there to remind me what is and isn’t real, that will stand by my side will be an immense relief. He would help me function better when I go out and perform daily activities.”

I was just so impressed with this detailed, well-thought out description of what someone with these particular issues deals with on a day-to-day basis, that I knew others could relate. The fact that both Meghan’s psychiatrist AND physician prescribed a Service Dog gives me hope that the medical community is starting to realize the value of these dogs in our lives.

Our trainer writes:

“I just finished a session with Meghan and Precious. We did our first public training outing at Petsmart!

I let Precious go in the store and explore first before we began our training, just to desensitize him and make sure we got his full engagement after he had smelled the store. We worked on loose-leash walking before we started on heeling. I had Meghan focus on rewarding Precious for not pulling and for checking back in with Meghan to make sure she was ok. We also worked on down/stays and sit/stays. Precious is strong in sit/stays. His down/stays need more work, but overall, he did great! His heeling was wonderful after after we got into the rhythm! He needs to work a bit on his self-control when out in public. Precious loves other dogs and people, so this is something we will be constantly working on so that his focus remains on Meghan and away from his surroundings.”

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING YOUR STORY, MEGHAN – YOU ARE DOING A WONDERFUL JOB WITH PRECIOUS AND OUR TRAINER!

ADHD, Anxiety, Austin, Bipolar, PTSD, Texas

Session With Hannah And Addie

From our wonderful trainer in Austin, who is working with 15 year-old Hannah and diagnosed with PTSD, Mood Disorder(Bipolar Disorder), Anxiety Disorder, ADHD Combined type :

“Hi Laurie!

I just had a session with Hannah and Addie! Addie has grown since I saw her back in May.  She is now 4 months old and weighs 27 pounds; her vet predicts her to be at least 70 pounds once she is full grown and matured. She is so sweet and curious about the outside world!

We met at a Petsmart, and worked on getting German Shepherd Addie used to distractions around her. I gave Hannah some basic tips to work on the duration of Addie’s “stays.” Addie knows “sit” and “down” very well and on command. I also started Hannah on loose-leash walking and heeling by her side, as well to incorporate the close behavior whenever Addie forges ahead.

The family is working on Addie are jumping and chewing on things. So, I told them to focus on redirecting her chewing to toys, bones and etc.As for the jumping, I told Hannah to gently pull either turn her back to Addie until she stops jumping and told her to put Addie into a “sit” or a “down” and have that be the default behaviors every time she jumps up on somebody to give hugs. I also Addie the basic steps of “leave it” because Addie will go after food that drops to the floor.

Addie is incredibly smart and sensitive to her surroundings. I am pumped to see the progress continue between Hannah and Addie as Addie grows into a mature female. Hannah and Addie are two peas in a pod and Addie is greatly going to serve Hannah when she gets older.”

YAY FOR YOUR COURAGE HANNAH! BE SURE TO DO THE HOMEWORK, AND ADDIE WILL JUST GET BETTER AND BETTER! WONDERFUL WORK BY OUR TRAINER.

Anxiety, Depression, Psychiatric, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Fall In Love With Mastiffs

Well, I have to admit I have absolutely fallen in love with Mastiffs of all types as Service Dogs. I have worked with so many recently, I am completely amazed at their perfect combination of sweetness and intelligence. I have had the wonderful opportunity to work with three new clients with Mastiffs – two English Mastiffs, and one Cane Corso. Despite their size of about a zillion pounds, they are gentle, loving, and bond SO closely to their handler. In addition, one of the things I have noticed the most is their eye contact. They become totally focused when engaged in training and tasks. “Watch me” is like asking a child if they want a new toy. There’s no second asking. They also seem to have an amazing capability to learn a new skill SO quickly – and they don’t forget it once it is reinforced a few times. Because of their size, of course they are great mobility dogs – but they also make perfect Service Dogs for people with PTSD, psychiatric issues, anxiety, depression, and are so gentle with and protective of small children.

That being said, I want to talk about my first English Mastiff SDIT, Beatrice! Beatrice’s handler, Elizabeth, went into the training obviously very unsure if Beatrice would do well. Beatrice far surpassed all my and Elizabeth’s expectations. We had our first session at Elizabeth’s home, where we discussed Elizabeth’s need for a Service Dog and her expectations. On our first public outing, we went to Petsmart. Beatrice left me in awe! She can “sit’ and “down” no matter how many people or dogs are around her with the proper tone of voice and hand signals. She “loads” and “unloads” perfectly with a wait signal. Beatrice will sit and wait at doors until told “go through”. She knows “watch me”, and “heels” perfectly on just a regular flat collar! Beatrice performed several meet and greets with children, adult males and females, sitting first, then being petted or having the stranger offer a treat. She LOVES all other dogs – small, tiny and large dogs, and is submissive to dogs she meets who seem afraid of her large size. She will even go into a “down” if she feels the child or dog she meets is a bit nervous! We practiced 20 ft off-leash sit/stays and down/stays and she was marvelous. She also stays in a heel position when the leash is dropped for a few steps. I would say Beatrice’s only fault is her occasional massive drool when thirsty or excited!!! It was completely a dream to train Beatrice – who even ignored created distractions. Poor Beatrice recently suffered from a prolapsed uterus, and had to have major surgery. But she has healed just fine!

Unfortunately, I didn’t get pictures at Petsmart because I was so amazed, but here are some from our first meeting at Elizabeth’s house.

I AM SO, SO PROUD OF BEATRICE AND MOM ELIZABETH, WHO OBVIOUSLY HAS DONE AMAZING WORK WITH BEATRICE AND SHE DOESN’T EVEN KNOW HOW WELL SHE HAS DONE!!

Anxiety, San Antonio, Texas

Brillant Young Alaina and SD Harmony

GUESS WHO PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST? BEAUTIFUL, BRILLIANT YOUNG ALAINA, who suffers from severe anxiety, AND HER SERVICE DOG, HARMONY! Alaina’s dad, Wounded Warrior Andrew, has had SD Rio for a long time, so Rio, Andrew, and Alaina’s mom, Danielle, consistently helped Alaina during her training. Rio showed Harmony “the ropes”. But I can’t say enough about wonderful Alaina – she has been dedicated to the training process since day one a while ago, and her love for dogs and her intelligence are what made the training sessions truly unbelievable for a girl her age who is so mature. We did testing in several areas over time, but the final PAT took place at Walmart. Harmony passed every single command with ALAINA at the helm – she can go from fun-loving young lady to serious trainer in a second! I am SO proud of all she has done and seriously hopes she goes into the field of dog training or veterinary medicine someday – she’s a natural!!!

Anxiety, General, Mobility, Panic Attack, Psychiatric, San Antonio, Texas

Stunning Stella!

An update from trainer Cherry Jenkins, who is training with Nancy, who suffers with mobility, vertigo, and anxiety, and her husband, Jim, who suffers mobility and anxiety, and their SDIT, Stella!

Stella is absolutely stunning!  Stella is part Rottweiler/ part Wolf, which makes her a truly beautiful dog!

Stella is the SDIT to Nancy and her husband Jim. Even though they have only had a few session due to interruptions with their health, they have made tremendous strides with Stella, training whenever they can. This really showed at our latest session in Target.

Stella ‘heeled’ beautifully at all times and we practiced ‘leave it’, ‘stay’, and ‘down’.  Stella kept perfectly calm even when a group of noisy children walked their way. Stella is also learning to ‘cover’ as one of her three tasks.”

.IMG_20140710_161922_817(1) Nancy

Anxiety, Bipolar, General, New Mexico, Panic Attack, Psychiatric

SDiT Sadie Update

From Michelle, our trainer in New Mexico, who is working with Terryn, who suffers from panic disorder, agoraphobia, bipolar disorder, and her SDIT, Sadie!

“Today I met with SDIT Sadie (she is Mastiff and Lab mix) we only worked on Sit/Stay and Down/Stay.  Although she is 5 months old, she is learning to focus on mom and make progress with “watch me”. It takes her a little while to remember that mom is in charge, but once we begin working, Sadie warms up quickly and remembers her commands.

We began at the park with very little shade compared to our last meeting, and moved  to a local pet store a few miles away.  Both girls (my TD Abby and Sadie) seemed to listen more with the cooler temperatures of the store.  We continued to work on down/stay with sit/stay and “leave it” (with many new smells of rabbits, birds, ferrets, and fish). Both girls were complimented on their behaviors and really didn’t mind the other animals since they were the only 2 dogs in the store.  The only time they had the slightest interest in the other animals was when the birds where moving or out of the cages.”

Anxiety, Asperger's, Autism, Cancer, Pain Management, Panic Attack, Psychiatric, San Antonio, Texas

Alissa and her SD Greta

Another TREMENDOUS training session with dear 24 year-old Alissa, and her SD, Greta!!! Despite all the physical problems Alissa has been going through, Greta is right by her side, comforting her, and conducting herself PERFECTLY in public. Having mom April as a trainer herself doesn’t hurt, but she is smartly determined to give Alissa all the confidence she needs and deserves to show Alissa that she can go out into the world with SD Greta and do a wonderful, amazing job, bringing joy to others and setting a wonderful example of courage and strength. I am SO proud of Alissa and all the work she does with Greta!! This session, we took her to the “dreaded” super HEB at the busiest time possible!! Alissa did it – and was magnificent. So was Greta. We practiced all basic commands in the store – sit/stay, down/stay, several meet and greets – which Alissa is getting more and more comfortable with, perfect heel with and without leash, watch me, leave it, load and unload – it’s like they are tied together by an invisible “love” bond. Greta is not phased by any distractions I tried to create, and the ONLY thing we need to work on is that at home, when Alissa is feeling ill, it comforts her when big Greta gently wraps her front arms and paws around Alissa. The hugs make her feel wonderful. When we are doing meet and greets, Greta, who loves everyone (but Alissa the most), will do a gentle meet and greet and take treats gently, but as people (mostly children) want to keep petting her, she does a little “bunny hop” because she wants to wrap her arms around them, too. So that is what we will be working on. It’s a tricky one – because we want Greta to continue doing it with Alissa – but not to anyone else. So, teaching her where and when it’s appropriate without dampening her enthusiasm at home is a thinker.On a side note, you’ll notice a woman in a wheelchair in the picture to the right. When this woman first saw Greta, Greta instantly went up to her and laid her head on this woman’s chest. The woman started crying, and petting gentle Greta. We asked her if she was OK – and it turns out, this woman had literally been diagnosed with lung cancer at the very spot where Greta laid her head. She just cradled Greta’s head and neck in her arms and cried. It was literally something out of a storybook. Greta instinctively knew where this woman was hurting, and brought so much happiness so this woman who said that just meeting Greta brought her out of her despair for several wonderful moments.

That’s what it’s all about. Service Dogs. The intangible “knowing”. The healing power of animals and humans.

I AM SO PROUD OF YOU ALISSA AND GRETA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

ADA Rights, Anxiety, Army, Denied Service, Military, Panic Attack, Psychiatric, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Welcome Piper Tensely Willis!!

PiperiCONGRATULATIONS to Wounded Warrior Christopher and his wife Megan, who just had a baby girl – Piper Tensley Willis!!! Christopher and his wonderful SD Maggie were apart for the first two days while in the hospital – humble Christopher didn‘t want the attention to be on, in his words, “the guy with the dog” instead of his wife! How sweet! But it was difficult for him being in a small room with tons of activity and overwhelming amounts of people, trying to get some sleep with an unlocked door – totally understandable with someone with PTSD. He didn’t sleep for 36-37 hours after he took an Ambien after the nurses tried to reassure him everything will be okay. He even woke up several times to change his daughter.

He then decided to go home and get Maggie. When he was walking back into the hospital, he was stopped by Security. The officer wanted to know if I had Maggie’s “papers” with him. He told him no and that ADA states that he didn’t need to have paperwork. He informed me Security at the New Braunfels hospital has had to call the police a few times to confront people with fake service dogs. Maggie had her vest on and she was being her normal laid back self. We (the officer and I) went around a few times and I assured him my SD wasn’t a fake.

MaggieChristopher then talked to the nurses on the floor and they stated that they had already talked to their head nurse and she was aware of Maggie and was okay with her! Yay! The nurses on the floor said that they would talk to the officer if he comes to the floor. I reassured him that if he had any other problems, he could call me asap on my personal cell phone.

Christopher wrote that he was not upset nor mad at security here. He said that security had seen a pattern of events and was just acting accordingly (in security’s eyes). Christopher knows about fake service dogs in the news and also believes they are on the rise. But he didn’t feel that an officer confronting him in the dark in front of the hospital requesting papers was the right approach. I agreed. And, of course, SDs are allowed in any hospital except in certain areas where patients are immunosuppressed or there is radiation.

I will contact the hospital to ensure that this doesn’t happen again. BUT, in the meantime, the great news is that everyone is back home, healthy, and happy!!! I asked how is Maggie responding to the baby, and reminded Christopher to let the bonding between Maggie and Piper start as soon as possible. Christopher said that Maggie was doing great! Maggie is great. He was holding Piper trying to calm her, and Maggie laid her head on Christopher’s lap, saying that Maggie’s mothering nature has shined through again!

WE ARE SO, SO HAPPY FOR YOU CHRISTOPHER, MEGAN, PIPER, AND MAGGIE!!!!!!!