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!”