Category Archives: San Antonio

Air Force, Experience, Military, San Antonio, Texas

Letty is a Fighter – Breast Cancer Will Lose

Very shocking news about one of our dear, dear Service Dog Express trainers, and also my dear, wonderful friend, Letty Pugh. I know a lot of you had the extreme honor of training your Service Dogs with her. She has given me permission to post this. I don’t say “sad” news, because Letty’s spirit is as strong and optimistic as anyone I know. From our dear Letty:

“Ok, friends and family. Here’s the scoop….I was diagnosed with breast cancer last week. I’m putting it out on FB for two reasons. 1) I’m only 43 years old. It does happen to women our age and there is never a good reason to NOT have your mammogram done. In order to be there for the ones you love, make a little time to get your boobs hugged! ! 2) I need your prayers. I’ve chosen to have a total mastectomy on my left breast on Tuesday, 25NOV. After the surgery, I’ll be staged and will start treatment (treatment will be determined as a result of the tumor pathology).

If any of you have any questions, please, ask. I’m not afraid nor am I freaking out. The kids, Marlon and my parents are all extremely strong. Other then that…….I LOVE YOU!”

I have spoken with Letty, and she it truly at peace with this. As usual, she takes things in stride, believes all things happen for a reason, and chooses to focus on the positives in her life. Of course, as an integral part of our Service Dog Express family for so long, my feelings about her are impossible to put into words – but I am gathering all the love and prayer I have in my heart and sending it to her and her beautiful family – her husband, Marlon, her children, and her doggies. Her Service Dog, Bentley, who is deaf, will be at her side as she recovers from her surgery at SAMMC. Please, all whose lives she has touched, let her know how much you care.

Show Letty your support:  Letty on Facebook

Anxiety, Experience, Panic Attack, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Rachel and Her BFF Piper

An update from trainer Sue, who is working with 6 year-old Rachel who has severe PTSD, and her 6 year old Brindle Greyhound mix, Piper. Piper has been raised with Rachel.

“Piper is a well-trained companion dog, as Rachel’s grandmother showed and trained collies for AKC Conformation and started obedience training with Piper as a puppy.

Piper knows sit, down, heel, cover, come, load and unload, waits and does not cross the front door threshold. She gets along with men, women, other dogs, cats, kids and strangers. Rachel’s mother, Rebecca, takes Rachel and Piper for walks and Piper automatically heels on Rachel’s left side and has been trained to obey Rachel’s commands. When Rachel gets stressed out and distraught, Piper immediately sits or lays with her to allow her to hug her until she is back to normal. Piper sleeps on her bed so that Rachel does not have nightmares. Piper puts the other two dogs that live at the house in check (in a mom dog way) when they are getting too crazy. They have a male Lab/Great Dane mix 2 year old and a 6 month old male Pit-bull/Lab mix puppy.

Rachel has many triggers. She has PTSD and has screaming fits, will freeze and tense up, shuts down and won’t communicate and even will go run and find a dark place to hide when there are loud noises, knocking, sirens, raised voices, fire alarms etc. Rachel can go to PetSmart and PetCo where Piper can go, and Rachel has no episodes as she has Piper there to comfort her. Rebecca cannot take Rachel to Walmart or HEB without Piper without having to leave because Rachel has an episode. Rebecca has to go to school to help comfort or pull Rachel out of her freeze/hiding trances. The school had a fire alarm last week, and Rebecca got called to the school as Rachel ran and hid and would not come out.

Piper seems to only need to refresh her obedience commands, sit stay, down stay and do an automatic sit when you stop walking. I left Rebecca with homework this week to work on these three things.

Rebecca and Susan (her mom) have requested my assistance in helping them get grant funding and would like me to be Piper’s trainer. I think they may be eligible for “SIP” to help them fund vet care and dog training and service dog equipment for Piper. They know that eventually they will need to start training another dog that can step in to be Rachel’s Service Dog when it is time to retire Piper as a Service Dog, but hopefully, that will be sometime down the road. Piper is almost at the point where she can pass her PAT.”

 

Anxiety, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Kathy and Olla

From our trainer, Andrew, who is working with Kathy, who suffers from PTSD and anxiety, and her SDIT, Olla:

“We had our initial session today and after Kathy signed the contract, we talked about a bad behavior Olla has developed since Kathy moved into her new home. She has taken to peeing on the carpet and all over the apartment. We talked about crate training Olla. We discussed the proper method to teach the command and gesture for sit, and command and gesture for down. We talked about stay and wait, and the difference between the two. And, we talked about starting walks in the heeling position and leading with the left foot. It was simple, since Olla is a fresh dog; we will have fun sessions from now on!”

 

Anxiety, Bipolar, PTSD, San Antonio, Texas

Carol and SDIT Kensi

From trainer Andrew, who is working with Carol and her SDIT, Kensi:

“Kensi and Carol are inching their way ever closer to to Public Access Test, and we are just continually reinforcing our out in public behaviors. This session took place at a dog park near Selma. Since it is right next to the highway, Kensi seemed a little put off by it so she didn’t perform as well as expected, and to make matters worse a garbage truck pulled up next to the fence and made so much noise that poor Kensi got scared and cowered a little; but we calmed her down quickly and walked around, helping her learn that loud noises and distractions can still be safe. We went inside to an agility course and Kensi seemed to do a little better once distracted from the garbage monster! We also worked on our leashing behaviors and sit/stay and wait/stay.”

Air Force, Army, Austin, Coast Guard, Dallas-Fort Worth, El Paso, Experience, General, Houston, Lubbock, Marine, Military, Navy, New Mexico, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Waco, Wounded Warrior

Unbelievable kindness

Unbelievable kindness. Ken, a Wounded Warrior who has Service Dog “Mozart”, does this amazing artwork. He is donating proceeds from the sale of it to help wounded warriors get funding for Service Dog training with Service Dog Express!!! THANK YOU KEN!!!!!

Helping Veterans suffering from PTSD the oppurtunity to adopt service dogs to assist in their rehabilitation at no cost
Helping Veterans suffering from PTSD the opportunity to adopt service dogs to assist in their rehabilitation at no cost
Military, San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Wounded Warrior Jesse, and his SDIT, Rocco.

From our wonderful trainer, Andrew, who is working with Wounded Warrior Jesse, and his SDIT, Rocco.

“Today, we simply reinforced the “wait” and “stay” commands and “loose lease” maneuvers. We played fun games in between, such as : “Take It“, which is the act of the dog chasing after a treat thrown by the person. This game is the precursor of not only a good recall but of retrieve. We also reinforced the basic obedience since Rocco still seems to be having issues with his patience, at least when there is a different person in his house…”

Anxiety, Mobility, San Antonio, Texas

Nancy and SDiT STELLA!!

From our dear trainer, Cherry Jenkins, with In Dog We Trust rescue, who is training with Nancy and her SDIT, Stella! Nancy struggles with mobility issues, vertigo, and anxiety.

“I had a wonderful training session today with Nancy and her SDIT Stella! Its always nice when I see clients that have done their homework and topped up on training – and it was very clear that Nancy had been working hard with stunning Stella!

We have done sessions at home and in a supermarket setting, so today was getting Stella used to being in a restaurant. She laid down beautifully next to Nancy and while the table legs prevented her from going right under, she was able to tuck herself in close. Nancy’s homework of not allowing Stella to beg at the table at home paid off because Stella knew to lay quiet and ignore the food on the table.

Dedication like this to one’s service dog in training means the PAT will not be far away for these two!

WONDERFUL WORK, CHERRY, NANCY, AND STUNNING STELLA!!!

General, San Antonio, Texas

Erica, Lisa and SDiT Nina

From our trainer, Pat, who is working with Erica and her daughter, Lisa, who has multiple disabilities, and their SDIT, Nina.

“Nina is the cutest little SDIT you’ll ever see! She and Lisa’s mom, Erica made real progress today! Nina learned “Watch Me”, to “hell” on a leash, “sit”, with “down” not very far behind. This is a little dog that was very wary of new things and especially of leashes. So – to have her walk down the sidewalk with Erica was really a great accomplishment for her first lesson. Erica was thrilled. Little Nina already showed improvement in the confident way she held herself.

Erica has very good instincts and has been working with having Nina stay in her daughter, Lisa’s lap when Erica leaves the room. With good success :0). I just can’t wait to see Nina walk with Lisa holding the leash. And I can’t wait to see Erica’s face when that happens!

GREAT JOB, PAT, NINA, ERICA – AND EVENTUALLY LISA!

Cerebral Palsy, Epilepsy, San Antonio, Texas

The Right Dog For The Right Family

A beautiful write-up from our trainer, Pat, who is working with 7 year-old Lisa. Lisa’s mother wrote that young Lisa suffers from a number of diagnoses, including epilepsy secondary to brain malformation , dysphasia, polymicrogyria, incontinence, cortical dysplasia, extrapyramidal cerebral palsy, microcephaly, sleep disorder, congenital encephalopathy, aggression, is non-verbal, and functions intellectually at the rate of a 2 year-old. She also has many ABILITIES and can be so loving if her behaviors don’t get in the way….one of the main reasons we need a service dog.”

“Lisa is a beautiful and charming seven year old who has found her outlet to the rest of the world. Terrified of all dogs large and small, Lisa was an unlikely match for any dog. But Nina, a little Yorkie mix who had avoided all other human contact that day at the adoption event, walked right up to Lisa, and the two instantly created a special bond! In the weeks that Nina has been with Lisa’s family, Lisa’s outbursts and tantrums have declined in frequency and severity. Nina lays on Lisa’s lap even through a tantrum, even though Lisa sometimes doesn’t want her there because she wants to have her tantrum. Nina just holds tight and rides the storm through, and Lisa calms so much faster because of her! Lisa’s disabilities prevent her from communicating normally, but she will pat her lap and Nina jumps up. Today, I would swear that Lisa actually said the word “Nina”, but sadly Mom Erica didn’t hear it to verify my ears. There are so many examples that Erica told of to show how positive an effect Nina has had on Lisa.

Today was SDE’s first introduction to Lisa and her dog Nina, and the tiny 9 lb dog was so afraid of the leash that she hid under the furniture. But she will eventually lay down on the floor and crawl out from her hiding spot, and cuddles with even a stranger. Play with her, and she happily trots around with the leash gently held in my hand. Ignore her, and she quietly sits by my feet with big black eyes pleadingly asking for attention. I fully accepted Nina as Lisa’s Service Dog candidate. No other dog could be better suited to serving Lisa’s needs. To watch them together is to see a human-canine relationship that any parent would love for their child.

Through our training, Nina will learn to play fetch, and will in turn teach Lisa to throw a ball. Nina will learn to walk nicely on a leash, and will in turn teach Lisa the joy of walking her best friend. Nina already knows how to calm Lisa, giving her the potential to go places and do things that she couldn’t do before. Though it may take some time, Nina’s goal is to pass the Public Access Test. No less would suffice, because Nina has stepped into training for her purpose in life… Lisa’s Service Dog.”

Erica, Lisa’s mother, wrote this beautiful note back to trainer, Pat:

“I can’t wait!! We are all so excited! My job and my life is for Lisa and of course my entire gang here, but I do put a lot of dedication into getting everything I can for Lisa and doing everything I can to help her be as functional a person as her little heart, brain, and body will allow.

It was so great to meet you and see the love and dedication you put into these cases. We seem to have found the right dog for the right family, and the right trainer to help dog and family work you together toward something that will amaze just about everyone who knows Lisa! I’m writing this and crying like a baby to even fathom the things Lisa may be able to do someday just because of Nina. I imagine she’ll blurt out some more words and then we might have to have a party!

Again, thanks for choosing us (a rescue dog family) to work with. We’re ready!
-Erica”

San Antonio, Texas, Veteran, Wounded Warrior

Jesse and Rocco

From our trainer, Andrew, who is working with Wounded Warrior, Jesse, and his dog, Rocco. Andrew has very innovative ways of teaching different commands – that’s why I love ALL our trainers – they all have their own styles and as long as they get to the Public Access Test point safely and efficiently, I encourage them to use their extensive knowledge.

“We initially began with basic obedience, making it fun, using food as lures, and properly exercising the command gestures. Jesse learned that “wait” means if there are no further commands given after wait, then the dog can get up and be free; but “stay” means to stay put no matter what. I also showed him some puppy push-ups to help make “sit” and “down” less monotonous, and showed him “take it”, which is the act of the person throwing a food reward for the dog then commanding the dog back to a “sit” position in front of him after saying “come” so as to receive a reward. This game is a variation of the “come” command. Another one we worked on was to walk the dog around nonchalantly on his leash – then Jesse calls Rocco to Jesse randomly and excitedly whenever Jesse feels so inclined. We also worked on patience and staying still while putting on the leash and the vest.”