Adventures in Service Dog Training

[catstina]

I am starting the process of training Saxon to be my service dog for my depression and anxiety and I want all of you to be a part of it! My therapist suggested that I could benefit from a service dog to help with my social anxiety as well as some of my depression issues. She also thought that being a part of the training process, rather than getting an already trained dog, would be helpful to me, as well. So I started looking into it and found that in order to be considered a service dog, Saxon has to do a specific task for me: www.deltasociety.org/page.aspx?pid=304#MakeMine I had know idea what such a task could be, but found this link that described possible tasks: www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html I will be training him to perform tasks from parts III and IV. I will also be training him to perform everything on the Minimum Standards for Service Dogs list from the Delta Society: www.deltasociety.org/document.doc?id=170

Today, the adventure begins. I got Saxon's Service Dog in Training Vest in the mail. The woman who made it did a great job and even included a bag of treats to train with him. I was very happy with the quality of the vest and pleasantly surprised to find that the treats are something Saxon can eat!

www.etsy.com/shop/colorwalker?ref=pr_shop_more


Thank you for being a part of this adventure with me! I will update this thread as we make progress. And will probably ask for advice here, as well. If I find it is too difficult to do on my own, I have a few possible trainers that I can consult.

[maryellen]

make sure you train him to bring you your slippers too and a drink... if you are going to train him then train him for everything .. that is great you are doing that (and i was serious about the slippers and drink ) i am sure he will learn fast, he is super smart and i dont see why he would fail the tests... remember your doctor has to give you a doctors note too once he passes this way you have a legitimate note for a service dog..
make sure you journal everything too, so that you can go back and see how the journey started

[catstina]

Thank you, ME. I will definitely get a journal to keep track of everything we do and I will definitely try to teach him to get my slippers and a drink!

[RealPitBull]

I love this, Cat. I'm excited for you and cannot wait to hear progress reports. My next dog will also be a psych service dog.

Sent from my SCH-I405 using proboards

[catstina]

Thank, Mary! Saxon and I did some training in the park today. We worked on "with me" (walk next to me), "under" (get under my chair), and "go potty" (go to the bathroom on command). Saxon did really well, he's a quick learner. He even ignored other dogs (including one that was incessantly barking at him). I'm proud of my little monkey!

[loverocksalot]

Awesome work. This should be great for you to self realize some of your anxieties. Rocky has helped me to self realize and move on with things. I had started training rocky for service for my bad back but did not keep up with the training. That is a great vest for a great price. I never purchased one. I only taught Rocky to lay down near my post box and the post office. It is real low and I have trouble getting up from a squat. What I do is put my hands on his shoulders and tell him to stand as he stands it helps push me to a stand. I also have trouble bending so I trained him to pick up things I drop. Last year I worked on him bringing me tissues when I sneeze. That was just for fun. I mainly went through with it because I got yelled at once when I went into post office with him while on a walk. Since he got therapy certified and they all know it at the PO I have not gotten thrown out. Also that postmaster no longer there.

[catstina]

I don't know how I missed your comment until now, CA. Thank you for sharing your experience.

I have taken Saxon to LL Bean and IKEA to do some training and haven't had any problems. Though I have been surprised by just how many people walk up to me and ask to pet Saxon. While I don't really mind, and think it's nice that people are interested in meeting Saxon (usually very few people approach Saxon and I on walks) and learning about Service Dogs, I imagine for some it could get old or even dangerous pretty quickly! Maybe it's just because he has the "In Training" on his vest. In any case, Saxon did really well at both locations. He was a bit distracted at LL Bean, but when we went to IKEA he was really focussed on me. When I went to the bathroom and Tim held him for me, Saxon was really concerned that I had left his side. He is really coming along well in his training. His "with me" is getting better, but still needs some word and his "under" is great. Here are a few photos from training sessions:

[loverocksalot]

cool. And the vest probably does make him more interesting to people. I am happy it is going so well.

[maryellen]

i love his manicure!1 if you get a patch that says do not touch that might help. technically service dogs are not to be bothered while working, so maybe try to get something that states do not touch/approach..

[catstina]

Good idea, ME, I'll look for a patch now.

[RealPitBull]

I love this! Great job so far, Cat.

[johnr]

Good luck with this! I too have dealt with depression all my life, since I was six years old. Just in recent years, it has become clear that my depression is related to exhaustion from stress and sleep disorders, which tend to reinforce each other at the expense of my sanity. Just yesterday, I had to take a day off. Major apnea episodes the prior night. I was going to write on Facebook: "Dear body, if you really want to die so badly, just do it. I don't care anymore." Glad I didn't write that and, as always, I find myself marveling at how low I go once I revive, but it remains a constant threat in my life. I don't ever expect to be "cured". I'm just managing it better and better as time goes on and insight is had and strategies for coping are developed. So good luck on your journey. You have a great little companion to assist you along the way!

[catstina]

Saxon came with us to the Fryeburg Fair today to do some training in a high distraction area. He did AMAZING! I was so proud and amazed at just how attentive he was! He did a really good job with the "with me" command, and every time I would stop for more than a couple of seconds he would sit and look up at me. He's such a good little dog and he's learning so quickly! I think we'll be able to move onto the more complex tasks pretty soon!

[loverocksalot]

he loves working! such a good boy. Wish I had worked as hard as you wit this.