A Small Note About Service Dogs
I gave myself some time to rest up and recuperate from my ear surgery. It was definitely needed. What I had done was a eustachian tube dilation and insertion of tubes, in both ears. I have been plagued with chronic ear infections for my whole life. The ENT doctor I saw recommended doing them both but asked if I'd be okay doing it in the office. I gave him a firm "no" and scheduled a same-day surgery for March 1st. I realize that some people may see it as being a bit extra, asking for general anesthesia for such a simple procedure. But I know myself. Remaining still whilst that procedure was performed on my awake body, all up in my head, was untenable. Add in the distress that it would have caused my service dog as she sat nearby watching it... Not really an option. So, surgery in the early morning followed closely by much rest were exactly what I needed. I'm still a bit sore, which is to be expected. But I'm already feeling some better. Hippo has been a champ throughout the whole process. During my pre-op, she sat on the floor by the hospital bed quietly watching the staff do their work and keeping an eye on my person. My spouse took her on a walk and gave her some breakfast while I was in surgery. (Hippo eats around 0830, and we had to be at the hospital at 0715 for my procedure.) When she came to recovery, she was sweet and still checking out the people. She knew exactly how to keep my anxiety at bay. And as I type this post, Hippo is snoring on the couch next to me. Her steady presence is so calming.
In my last post, I said that I would talk about service dogs. I'm going to tell you about my journey to seek and obtain Hippo. I'll tell you about training, the difference between an emotional support animal and a service dog, and what public access can be like. (Spoiler: sometimes public access is great, other times there are numerous fake service dogs around because selfish owners didn't want to leave their lapdogs at home. It is the untrained pets that make access more difficult for service dogs.)
When I was diagnosed with PTSD last year, I did a lot of research for treatments and supplementary tools to enhance the current treatment practices. I read about how emotional support animals and service dogs can mitigate panic attacks and flashbacks. With that in mind, I started looking up service dog training organizations and requirements for bringing dogs overseas (My spouse is on active duty in the military and we could be relocated overseas.)
I chose several training organizations that are close-ish to my Las Vegas location and requested applications. This step is not for the faint of heart. You pay to apply, whether you are accepted or not you will give them a non-refundable application fee. I called one location for information. The gentleman who I spoke with is a retired military person. He was very informative. One thing he said was that you don't have a service dog for the good days. You have it on the unpredictable day when the worst can happen. He suggested that as I fill out my paperwork, I don't try to minimize my experiences. Instead, he said that I should share the worst of the worst because those are the days when a service dog would really make the difference.
With that in mind, I filled out my parts of the application. I got the sections for friends and family to fill out to the appropriate people. I sent in my application and the requisite fee and prescription from my mental health provider. And then I started the waiting process. This all took place around June of 2017. In the meantime, I was still seeing my mental health provider and paying closer attention to identifying panic attacks and my emotions.
As I continued waiting, I was invited to spend August with my family in New England. Summer in Las Vegas is so hot you could literally cook food on the sidewalk. Think 120-degree temperatures as the norm. I went to New England and spent the bulk of my time with my sister and her dog in Connecticut. During my visit, it became very clear that I likely shouldn't wait for acceptance by a training organization to get a dog in my home. Upon my return to Las Vegas, my spouse and I discussed getting an emotional support animal, with the goal of training that animal to be my service dog in the future. We went to a local shelter to look at dogs, and that is where we met Hippo (known as Missy Battle at the time). She was very friendly, seemed comfortable around us, and when she crawled underneath the bench we were sitting on so that her face poked out between our feet, we knew that she was the one. We adopted her that afternoon and headed to a PETCO to get kitted out for our new canine life partner. While there, we signed up for obedience classes, figuring that would be the first step in her extensive training.
For the next six weeks, Hippo would go to the Petco for training on basic commands and be social. Concurrently with this happening, I started to deeply search for service training that could be done locally. I found Michael's Angel Paws as one group of trainers that would work in the home with my own dog, providing that Hippo passed their temperament test. The founder/head trainer came to our home and did some testing to see if Hippo would take to service training. Hippo was having fun with the "play" that Stephanie did with her. After that meeting, we picked a day and time of the week for a regular in-home weekly training appointment. We chose several tasks to train Hippo to do and began work on public access at the same time. Because Hippo had finished obedience training as well as Canine Good Citizen, she was already ahead of where Stephanie would usually start training. Hippo has been service training since Thanksgiving week, and will likely graduate in the next few months. She is a hard worker, picks up new tasks well, and just feels joy working with me. Her face is so happy at the end of a busy working day. And as she has been learning to help me, I have been learning how to maximize her quality of life and fun times. I look forward to when she graduates.
When choosing the dog route, it is important to know the difference between service dogs and emotional support animals. A service dog is a well-trained animal, who performs specific tasks for their handler. They are extensively trained for public access. When a service dog is doing exceptionally well, you shouldn't really notice there is a dog nearby. In the USA, service dogs are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anywhere the handler can sensibly access, the dog may accompany the handler. For instance, on Thursday I had a surgery. Hippo accompanied me to the hospital, pre-op, and she returned to me when I was in the recovery room. It would have been distracting and an obstruction had Hippo been in the operating room, not to mention unsanitary. I don't care how clean you keep your service animal, a sterile environment is NOT a good place to bring them.
An emotional support animal can best be described as your teddy bear. They do not require any training. They help with anxiety, etc. But they are not trained for tasks or even obedience. That is part of why emotional support animals are such a wide variety of species. (Duck, mini horse, dog, cat, snake, etc) In the USA, they are only protected by an article from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Basically, if you have an ESA you cannot be easily evicted. ESAs do not have any public access granted them, though they are allowed within reason to travel on airplanes with their owners. Each airline has their own guidelines for requirements to bring animals onto their planes. Always check well in advance before trying to bring an animal onto a plane. Airlines always have the right to refuse your emotional support animal access. I repeat: emotional support animals are not given public access except for airline-permitted flying.
It was worth it, to train Hippo as my service dog. Though many organizations will offer a fully trained animal, you have to work to bond with them. It takes time no matter which route one takes for their service partner. I found that having Hippo's training in my home, we have been able to bond well together. She was a rescued puppers, so trusting humans hasn't been her default. But the bond and trust we are developing through her training have been very special.
Whatever route you take for obtaining your service animal, be sure to do your research and be skeptical. There are many predatory groups who would take advantage of your desire for service animals and be following the law. In the USA, there is NO federally or state managed database of certified emotional support animals or service animals. Any website or company claiming to register your animal is scamming you. They are taking advantage of your vulnerability and your desire to do right. There are also some "trainers" who will sell you discount fully-trained service animals. SCAM! A fully trained service animal costs usually range between $25k-$40k in US dollars. My dog will cost less because I adopted her from a shelter and the trainers I use are from a non-profit organization that works extensively with local military members and vets in need. The high costs of a service animal come from breeders, veterinary bills, food, training, housing, etc. A dog that fails their final access test will go for upwards of $4000+ US dollars. Much training and the such go into even these dogs, and they need to recoup some of their investment. And something to mention, though these service animals are living creatures, they can be considered medical equipment because they perform specific tasks that the handler cannot perform alone.
A final note, Hippo isn't always "on duty." She spends a lot of her time "in reserves." When we go out, she wears her vest and is actively working. At home, she gets to wander naked and sometimes is recalled to do a task. But for the most part, she gets equal playtime to needed work. It is important to remember that even working animals deserve time off. Hippo gets to puppers and does her zoomies. I think that her playtime is just as important as her service work. It is her time to unwind and release her stress. That has been key in maintaining her health as well.
In my last post, I said that I would talk about service dogs. I'm going to tell you about my journey to seek and obtain Hippo. I'll tell you about training, the difference between an emotional support animal and a service dog, and what public access can be like. (Spoiler: sometimes public access is great, other times there are numerous fake service dogs around because selfish owners didn't want to leave their lapdogs at home. It is the untrained pets that make access more difficult for service dogs.)
When I was diagnosed with PTSD last year, I did a lot of research for treatments and supplementary tools to enhance the current treatment practices. I read about how emotional support animals and service dogs can mitigate panic attacks and flashbacks. With that in mind, I started looking up service dog training organizations and requirements for bringing dogs overseas (My spouse is on active duty in the military and we could be relocated overseas.)
I chose several training organizations that are close-ish to my Las Vegas location and requested applications. This step is not for the faint of heart. You pay to apply, whether you are accepted or not you will give them a non-refundable application fee. I called one location for information. The gentleman who I spoke with is a retired military person. He was very informative. One thing he said was that you don't have a service dog for the good days. You have it on the unpredictable day when the worst can happen. He suggested that as I fill out my paperwork, I don't try to minimize my experiences. Instead, he said that I should share the worst of the worst because those are the days when a service dog would really make the difference.
With that in mind, I filled out my parts of the application. I got the sections for friends and family to fill out to the appropriate people. I sent in my application and the requisite fee and prescription from my mental health provider. And then I started the waiting process. This all took place around June of 2017. In the meantime, I was still seeing my mental health provider and paying closer attention to identifying panic attacks and my emotions.
As I continued waiting, I was invited to spend August with my family in New England. Summer in Las Vegas is so hot you could literally cook food on the sidewalk. Think 120-degree temperatures as the norm. I went to New England and spent the bulk of my time with my sister and her dog in Connecticut. During my visit, it became very clear that I likely shouldn't wait for acceptance by a training organization to get a dog in my home. Upon my return to Las Vegas, my spouse and I discussed getting an emotional support animal, with the goal of training that animal to be my service dog in the future. We went to a local shelter to look at dogs, and that is where we met Hippo (known as Missy Battle at the time). She was very friendly, seemed comfortable around us, and when she crawled underneath the bench we were sitting on so that her face poked out between our feet, we knew that she was the one. We adopted her that afternoon and headed to a PETCO to get kitted out for our new canine life partner. While there, we signed up for obedience classes, figuring that would be the first step in her extensive training.
For the next six weeks, Hippo would go to the Petco for training on basic commands and be social. Concurrently with this happening, I started to deeply search for service training that could be done locally. I found Michael's Angel Paws as one group of trainers that would work in the home with my own dog, providing that Hippo passed their temperament test. The founder/head trainer came to our home and did some testing to see if Hippo would take to service training. Hippo was having fun with the "play" that Stephanie did with her. After that meeting, we picked a day and time of the week for a regular in-home weekly training appointment. We chose several tasks to train Hippo to do and began work on public access at the same time. Because Hippo had finished obedience training as well as Canine Good Citizen, she was already ahead of where Stephanie would usually start training. Hippo has been service training since Thanksgiving week, and will likely graduate in the next few months. She is a hard worker, picks up new tasks well, and just feels joy working with me. Her face is so happy at the end of a busy working day. And as she has been learning to help me, I have been learning how to maximize her quality of life and fun times. I look forward to when she graduates.
When choosing the dog route, it is important to know the difference between service dogs and emotional support animals. A service dog is a well-trained animal, who performs specific tasks for their handler. They are extensively trained for public access. When a service dog is doing exceptionally well, you shouldn't really notice there is a dog nearby. In the USA, service dogs are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. Anywhere the handler can sensibly access, the dog may accompany the handler. For instance, on Thursday I had a surgery. Hippo accompanied me to the hospital, pre-op, and she returned to me when I was in the recovery room. It would have been distracting and an obstruction had Hippo been in the operating room, not to mention unsanitary. I don't care how clean you keep your service animal, a sterile environment is NOT a good place to bring them.
An emotional support animal can best be described as your teddy bear. They do not require any training. They help with anxiety, etc. But they are not trained for tasks or even obedience. That is part of why emotional support animals are such a wide variety of species. (Duck, mini horse, dog, cat, snake, etc) In the USA, they are only protected by an article from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Basically, if you have an ESA you cannot be easily evicted. ESAs do not have any public access granted them, though they are allowed within reason to travel on airplanes with their owners. Each airline has their own guidelines for requirements to bring animals onto their planes. Always check well in advance before trying to bring an animal onto a plane. Airlines always have the right to refuse your emotional support animal access. I repeat: emotional support animals are not given public access except for airline-permitted flying.
It was worth it, to train Hippo as my service dog. Though many organizations will offer a fully trained animal, you have to work to bond with them. It takes time no matter which route one takes for their service partner. I found that having Hippo's training in my home, we have been able to bond well together. She was a rescued puppers, so trusting humans hasn't been her default. But the bond and trust we are developing through her training have been very special.
Whatever route you take for obtaining your service animal, be sure to do your research and be skeptical. There are many predatory groups who would take advantage of your desire for service animals and be following the law. In the USA, there is NO federally or state managed database of certified emotional support animals or service animals. Any website or company claiming to register your animal is scamming you. They are taking advantage of your vulnerability and your desire to do right. There are also some "trainers" who will sell you discount fully-trained service animals. SCAM! A fully trained service animal costs usually range between $25k-$40k in US dollars. My dog will cost less because I adopted her from a shelter and the trainers I use are from a non-profit organization that works extensively with local military members and vets in need. The high costs of a service animal come from breeders, veterinary bills, food, training, housing, etc. A dog that fails their final access test will go for upwards of $4000+ US dollars. Much training and the such go into even these dogs, and they need to recoup some of their investment. And something to mention, though these service animals are living creatures, they can be considered medical equipment because they perform specific tasks that the handler cannot perform alone.
A final note, Hippo isn't always "on duty." She spends a lot of her time "in reserves." When we go out, she wears her vest and is actively working. At home, she gets to wander naked and sometimes is recalled to do a task. But for the most part, she gets equal playtime to needed work. It is important to remember that even working animals deserve time off. Hippo gets to puppers and does her zoomies. I think that her playtime is just as important as her service work. It is her time to unwind and release her stress. That has been key in maintaining her health as well.
Comments
Post a Comment