Originally Posted By beamerdog Well, today is d-day. I start my three week team training with Jackson, my new service dog. He's primarily a diabetes alert dog and will let me know when my blood sugar get dangerously low, but will also help me with falling, going up steps and inclines and help me walk longer distances. (Major help in WDW ;-) ) Team training is everyday (including weekends) from 9 to 5:30 or later and I have heard that it's pretty grueling. Even though I've been training puppies for many years, I don't know too much about the adult dogs, so I'm pretty nervous about the whole thing. Will Jackson be able to alert? Will he hate walking on my right side (most dogs heel left, but my right side is stronger), Will he be able to go to concerts, fly on planes, go in the Haunted Mansion - things he didn't have experience with since he's a rescued dog from a shelter and never had a puppy home? Will he like the Phillies? (Okay, no bad jokes here.) And, I got him without the customary year wait because my last puppy is graduating in June and it would be too hard on his recipient to have both his trainer *and* puppy home in the same class. Some of the people who I've met who are in my class are already treating me like they resent my getting the dog so soon. But I'm assuming Jackson may have some shelter related issues and that CPL knows that I won't be intimidated with some extra training. One cool thing is that I've met recipients in the graduate support classes who know the dogs that I raised! Well, it all begins Saturday night and ends Nov. 6 with graduation. If I have a spare moment, I'll try and check in to give updates. Wish me luck!!
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy GOOD LUCK beamer!! This is wonderful, and I hope it turns out SO well for you and that you and Jackson get along like Kibbles and Bits!
Originally Posted By pennyring beamerdog, I'm so glad you're already getting to train with Jackson! Phooey to anyone who is jealous or bitter or whatever their issue is. Either they don't know the situation or they're jerks, so don't worry about it. I just wanted to let you know that I walk both my dogs right and it's no biggie. I started with Sheila because she's blind in her right eye and can't see me on that side. When we went to obedience, the trainer would have us switch back and worth periodically and it seemed ok. When we went to agility though, it got lots harder for her (with all the motion) to see me unless she was on the right. When we brought Rusty home, I didn't even think about it. Just started walking him on the right cuz that's what I was used to. You just adapt. Everything will work out! Good luck!
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 Congratulations, beamerdog! I hope you and Jackson get along famously and develop a wonderful relationship! <<Some of the people who I've met who are in my class are already treating me like they resent my getting the dog so soon.>> I agree with pennyring. Their opinions don't count. Don't let them get under your skin. Good luck with the training! It sounds amazingly taxing. Hang in there. It will be worth it. beamerdog, how does a dog know to alert you that your blood sugar is low?
Originally Posted By jlin714 Good for you beamer! What a wonderful opportunity for you. Please keep us updated and inform us about this miraculous dog. He can 'sniff' your diabetes levels?
Originally Posted By bloona Great news beamerdog, and good luck to you.Although Im sure you'll do fine anyway.
Originally Posted By Labuda Great news, beamer, and good luck at integrating Jackson into your fmaily and routine smoothly! Also, like jlin, I'm curious - how does the alert re: blood sugar work? And one last question - do ALL people tend to train theie dogs to walk on the left or something? I've never had one so am clueless...
Originally Posted By pennyring I don't want to answer for beamer, but I saw this thing on the animal channel where the lady had a fainting/sleeping issue. She'd just pass out wherever she was. So somehow her dog was trained to notice the early warning signs of this and have time to get her to a cleared area where she wouldn't hurt herself when she fell over. Then he would "guard her" until she woke up. It was pretty fascinating. The dog was also strong enough that she could lean on him as she was going down, so that she wouldn't just hit the ground. And she could also use him to pull herself up afterward.
Originally Posted By smedley Good luck beamerdog, I'm sure it will turn out fine. Also the people with issues should be grateful of all the hard work you've put in training the puppies in the past, you go girl
Originally Posted By teddibubbles I think its great you get to do that. I wanted to get a dog for me to have. but even if I could aford to pay for traning.... will be able to next year... but I have alerys too... and the only dog I talerate at all is poodle type. I wanted a white fee fee to spoil. and be my friend.. I have a lot of panic atacks over haveing my asthema atcks.. and my hypolacema sugar crashes before I know it.. I have been in many places where I just stoped... but as you know.... they wont even consider a fee fee for me.. BUT THATS ALL I WANT! she would be small to ride on my lap if i wished in my chair. and I could was and groom her hair and put bows on her head... I wish so much for a fee fee.. but that could help me.. becuse its VERY VERY scary how much I crash. and being disabled some times I CANT walk much.. and wouldnt you know it THATS when geting my juice when im all ready chashing is the hardest!
Originally Posted By beamerdog Thanks soooo much everyone. I made it through the first real day of training today. There is so much to learn that it's almost overwhelming. We have to write a journal every night and have long reading assignments and quizes. Jackson and Liberty are just fine together. Jackson has not left my side and even tried to get between Libby and me. It's too soon for him to have bonded, so I guess he was just protecting his food source, lol. His gear is interesting, but I keep getting tangled up in it and the dog. I suspect it takes a while to get the knack of it. He keeps looking at me like I'm pretty stupid for not knowing the ropes. Also, he's a picky eater which I find amusing after training Labs, who inhale their food. And he didn't like the treats that I got him - mouthed them and then p-tueee, spat them out! My classmates are interesting and very nice for the most part. Today they were far too involved with their own dogs to pay any attention to me ;-) There are ten of us with disabilities ranging from a spinal cord injury from a helicopter crash, MS, seizures, arthrities, and some that I've never heard of and pretty serious. I'm totally impressed at the determination of these people. We are not absolutely sure how medical alert dogs do their thing although it's suspected that it's a combination of scent and the detection of altered electrical activity in the brain. Seizure alert dogs can warn their person of an oncoming seizure up to 40 minutes before it happens. Yes, then the person has time to put themself in a safe place and seek help. Jackson will alert me when my sugar is dropping - not before it happens. Dogs can be trained to block falls - they can sense you beginning to fall unlike a cane. They can also help you get up so you don't have to grope and fumble or ask a complete stranger to help you up. Teddi - there are a number of non-profits around if you're really interested in a dog. But, and here's the biggie, these are definitely NOT pets. Having a service dog is not for everyone. It's a huge commitment and I'm finding out things that I didn't know even after training puppies for many years. Almost all of these dogs are medium to large sized. And most have some retriever in them. There are some poodles and labradoodles, but they are not common. So, if you're still interested, there are a number of non-profits who place home companions who are very well trained but for some reason or other are not suited to be a full service dog. The cost would be minimal, if anything at all. Tomorrow: Basic obedience, grooming, using you voice, and the Click and Treat video. If I'm able to keep my eyes open, I'll check in with you guys.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Re: diabetes alert training. I gave CPL an article of clothing that I was wearing when I had a very low blood sugar. Jackson has pretty much lived with it, played with it and worked with it to familiarize himself with the scent. Also, after blood testing a low sugar I will let him sniff the site and lick my hand to further his identification.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Oh, and this just cracked me up. How do they know for sure that he'll alert? They have a diabetic rabbit on site and Jackson alerted to his reaction when the rabbit was having "a really bad day" as they trainer stated. Poor little rabbit.
Originally Posted By Inspector 57 <<He keeps looking at me like I'm pretty stupid for not knowing the ropes.>> LOL! It's Humility Training for the humans! Thanks so much for the update, beamerdog! It all seems so much more three-dimensional to me now. Don't stress about keeping us updated, though. Whoa! It sounds as though your schedule is REALLY full! I'm so glad to hear that your classmates are... well, preoccupied. Sounds like it's off to a good start! Best wishes for the rest of it!
Originally Posted By jlin714 Beamer, sounds great and so exciting for you! Would you mind telling me more about how the dogs block falls exactly? Wouldn't the poor pups get hurt as well when a heavy human is falling at them?
Originally Posted By beamerdog I don't know yet, but I'm sure I'll be falling soon so I'll let you know ;-)
Originally Posted By beamerdog Regarding how the gear works: the dogs wear a type of saddle which is very very padded and rests not on their spine, but on the muscular part of their sides. The gear was designed through the years by a team of chiropractors, vets and trainers. It is designed and built as a custom unit for CPL by a company owned by one of the recipients. We don't use the typical seeing eye gear that most of the service dog organizations have jimmied to fit the purpose. Our gear puts the handle bar just at your hand's resting point at your side and distributes your weight evenly. Unlike some others, I really don't lean at all on Jackson. He walks sightly ahead of me like a guide dog and pulls me along.
Originally Posted By beamerdog Oh, and our dogs are not allowed to pull people in wheelchairs or do work that would hurt them. Sorry, rambling on and on here.
Originally Posted By debtee I'm pleased to read your training is going so well Beamer! Your new boy sounds lovely...It's fasinating that he can help you medically. I watched a TV show where a lady had Seizures and her Golden retriever was trained so he could sense them before they occured. What kind of dog is Jackson??? I laughed at you mentioning labs who inhale their food...this must also carry over to Retrievers, as I have not found a food they don't like to eat! LOL
