Category Archives: Texas

Houston, Medical Alert, Pain Management, Panic Attack, Texas

Sarah and Lacey

From our trainer, Kendra, who is working with Sarah in Houston. Sarah has multiple medical conditions, including blood pressure and heart issues that cause dizziness and panic attacks

“I met with client Sarah and SDIT Lacey today. It was is a joy to work with these two! I did a evaluation on Lacey and she did wonderfully. She let me manipulate all parts of her body with no incident. When touching her teeth, she didn’t like it very much but she did let me, so I advised Sarah to work with Lacey and “brush her teeth” so to speak on a daily basis. Lacey is very bonded with Sarah and is always watching her. Lacey knows sit very well! She will sit on command. She does well heeling on and off leash, and is very treat motivated. She knows stay, leave it and off very well. After talking with Sarah about what she wants from Lacey, we have determined she will help with anxiety, she will get help if mom passes out, and will be able to bring mom her medications when mom isn’t able to get them.

I was able to train with Lacey for a bit after the evaluation and we worked on place. Mom will continue to work on all her basic commands. It was a pleasure to met this wonderful team.”

Medical Alert, Military, Mobility, Multiple Sclerosis, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Warrent and Panther

From trainer Beverly, who began working with Warrant, who suffers from Multiple Sclerosis and PTSD. He is in a wheel chair and unable to walk more than 4 steps without assistance. His SDIT is “Panther”!

“At our initial meeting, Panther was a bit shy initially, but once he warmed up, we played and he allowed me to hold him and rub him all over. Although he is a small dog – a “YorkiPoo”, he’s smart and a tad stubborn! Warrant has MS, and wants Panther to be a medical alert dog to tell others if he falls or needs help and for his own peace of mind. There is an obvious strong bond between them. You can just see the love Warrant has for his little buddy in the pictures.

At our first training session, we worked on “Sit” and “Down”, then started on “Short Stay” for them to work on through the week. Panther caught on quickly, but he also gets bored quickly. We discussed the need for short training sessions (15-20 mins) a couple times per day. In addition, Warrant should be consistent with the rules for Panther; for him to work with Panther before meals so that Panther is treat-motivated. Warrant should also ensure they have appropriate “pack structure” within the house and that Panther is not allowed to “be the boss.” They both (Warrant and Panther) seemed to enjoy the session and look forward to learning more. I look forward to seeing what this little spunky dog is capable of. He’s very smart, and so is Warrant!”

Army, Experience, Military, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

A long, overdue congratulations

A long, overdue congratulations to Wounded Warriors Anthony Pottebaum and Andrew Doyle for graduating from their Wounded Warrior Project’s TRACK program!! It was a wonderful ceremony, and a dozen or so other graduates were honored – Anthony brought his Service Dog, Tucker, and Andrew’s Service Dog, Rio, was there in spirit!!

TRACK students enter as a team, or cohort, and continue through the program together, offering the ideal environment for students at all ability levels, including those who might not have been successful in traditional academic settings in the past. TRACK students support one another during their journey and leave the program with the skills and supports necessary to continue their education and/or enter the civilian workforce.

I am so proud of each of them and Bonnie and I came to show our support. What a wonderful achievement!!! Anthony’s wife, Rowena, and her SD, Blessed were there, as well as Andrew’s wife, Danielle. Now they are off to new lives in the civilian sector!!!

Experience, Military, San Antonio, Texas, Wounded Warrior

Beautiful, Brilliant, Compassionate Client Elizabeth

Oh – what a WONDERFUL session I had with beautiful, brilliant compassionate client Elizabeth, an Active Duty Wounded Warrior, and her AMAZING SDIT, Beatrice!! Elizabeth gladly let me bring along one of our trainers in training, Sue, who stood aside and watched intently, took great notes, and amazing pictures! Thank you, Sue!!!

Beatrice and Elizabeth are doing AMAZINGLY!!!! Elizabeth still gets nervous when we start and as we do certain things, because, like most clients in training, they are hopeful that their dog will perform well and Elizabeth DEFINITELY needs to work on her confidence in Beatrice! This beautiful young Mastiff just blows me away with her abilities!! I have to giggle (not in a mean way) at Elizabeth because I know just how well Beatrice is going to do – but she still gets nervous. Of course, I remind her that the dog can sense when the handler is anxious or not confident, so that gets the dog a bit worried about itself – but after our session at Walmart, I know Elizabeth saw just how amazing Beatrice and she do at so many things.

We had SO much fun at the Super Walmart!!! Of course, Beatrice knows sit, down, long sit/stay, long down/stay (even when Elizabeth is out of sight now using only her voice), leave it, come, wait, controlled entry and exit into and out of cars and buildings, walking with the leash dropped and staying in a heel, and shake! The team did TONS of meet and greets because, of course, the sheer magnitude of Beatrice and her gently demeanor draw everyone’s attention! Poor Elizabeth was so gracious to everyone who asked to pet, and educated them on proper SD etiquette, speaking as well about visible and invisible injuries requiring a SD. All meet and greets with children and adult males and females were beautifully executed – Beatrice would sometimes give her paw to shake “hello”, or she would take a treat (she slobbers quite a bit due to her breed so Elizabeth always has a slobber cloth along), or she would just enjoy a loving pet.

Beatrice is entranced by the fish display!!!!! It’s adorable. She also is impervious to created distractions of any type. And I tried everything – bouncing balls, bicycles, hula hoops, balloons, loud items dropped behind her, motorized wheelchairs…I could go on and on. Needless to say, it was a delightful experience and we spent a lot of time together because it was so much fun – and then after we left, Elizabeth felt confident enough to go back in with Beatrice and actually do some shopping alone on her own!!!

I have several wonderful pictures, but also some meaningful ones, as Elizabeth’s husband was recently hospitalized (he is OK), but Beatrice was stellar at the hospital.

HAVE I MENTIONED HOW MUCH I LOVE MASTIFFS???? Like a zillion times!

Cerebral Palsy, Mobility, San Antonio, Texas

Travis and Teddy

From trainer Beverly, who is working with 17 year-old Travis, a brilliant young man with Cerebral Palsy who is wheelchair-bound and cannot speak, and his SDIT, Teddy!

“We worked with Teddy to get him used to going up and down on the elevators, to wait for Travis to go before getting up and trying to leave when the doors open, and waiting for others to enter or exit before moving. Teddy did a great job, and stayed right next to Travis’s chair. We also worked on getting Teddy to sit whenever Travis stops and makes the chair “beep.” Teddy did well with this.

Their homework is to work on “Watch Me” so Teddy will focus on Travis and not be so distracted by people and his surroundings. Teddy and Travis have an absolutely amazing bond.”

Mobility, San Antonio, Texas

Letty and Avery

From trainer Letty, who is working with SDIT, Avery, who will be her own mobility Service Dog. Letty writes:

“I was doing training with SDIT Avery today. She is six months old now, and I wanted to work on “leave it” and down/stay. She’s constantly blowing my mind!! First I put a plate of food down on the floor that I’d just eaten from. She showed a little bit of interest in it, but then after being given the “leave it” command, walked away totally ignoring it. So, I put her in a down/stay, and put a small piece of potato on her foot. She kept it there for about five minutes. This not so little puppy is amazingly smart!”

 

Military, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Nathan and Owen

From trainer Beverly, who is working with Wounded Warrior, Nathan, who suffers from PTSD, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder related to childhood abuse and military service, and his SDIT, Owen:

“Nathan was having an issue with Owen barking at new things (animals at theme parks, the “man in a space suit” at the museum, etc), He does tend to bark at certain things he doesn’t understand or recognize (ceiling fans) and, wants to chase the squirrels and birds. We worked on getting him to focus on Nathan and the yummy treats instead of the squirrels and birds. We also worked on Owen’s sit/down stays amid distractions. Owen is proficient in sit, down, stay, watch me, and heeling. We will be trying the Pet Corrector to control the barking.”

PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

DJ and Tabitha

From trainer Beverly, who is working with Wounded Warrior DJ, who suffers from PTSD, and his SDIT, Tabitha:

“We met at the Bluebonnet Bunk n Biscuit and trained inside their store as well as in their small dog park. There was one other dog there initially, and Tabitha barked excitedly. Although it sounds loud, she appears to be just be curious and want to play. Tabitha was corrected and we settled her back down. We worked on distracting her more with yummy treats and trying to get her to understand that “not reacting” will have more reward for her than to react. By the end of the session, she was not reacting to the dogs that were being taken home after day care or dropped off for boarding!

We also worked on Tabitha’s sit-stay and down-stay. Their homework for the week is to practice her stay more and gain more consistency with it and with her recall. To practice this, DJ got a 30’ leash, used to stay and have him walk away with Tabitha in a stay – then call her to COME and use the leash to “reel her in”. Tabitha is doing much better with the new collar as well! Tabitha can still sit, down, stay, leave it, watch me, wait, and heel very well.”

Military, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Brian and Cassandra

From trainer Andrew, who is working with Wounded Warrior, Brian, who suffers from PTSD, and his dog, Cassandra.

“I had a training session with Brian and his Service Dog in Training Cassandra. We went over ways of handling her hypervigilance in public with people and dogs that come too close to Brian, and how to build toy drive in the dog. We went over the food on the floor game, so Cassandra would only take food given by his handler and not any other food. We also worked on the restrained recall game. The session mostly consisted of focus and drive issues, and how to direct Cassandra’s attention off of the undesired object to the handler.”