Wildfires, flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes. Any one of these natural disasters may someday require an evacuation plan for your family. The ASPCA provides complete guidelines on their website, including evacuation recommendations for dogs, cats, horses, birds, reptiles, and other animals. Here is an excerpt for dog and cat owners. Prepare Emergency Supplies and Traveling Kits … Continue reading Emergency preparedness
What happens when your service dog doesn’t work out?
YOU'VE CHOSEN A DOG to train as your own or a loved one's service dog. You researched. You decided on a breed (or mix) that seemed to be the right. And then ... weeks, months or years into the process something goes sideways. Let me tell you a story about two dogs: Angel and Elle. Debbie, … Continue reading What happens when your service dog doesn’t work out?
There’s a Law for That: Standing Firm When Confronted with Ignorance
So many people just do not understand the concept of a service dog. I keep telling myself that this is the issue, not just a general lack of etiquette and social awareness. I try very hard to use every less than perfect interaction as a learning and teaching experience and as a model for Micah. … Continue reading There’s a Law for That: Standing Firm When Confronted with Ignorance
The Importance of a Good Support System
I think the prospect of training your own service dog is very scary. And it should be! It is an enormous amount of work and requires ironclad commitment, not only from you but from everyone in your household. When you are dealing with a disability, this may seem like a daunting task. But it IS … Continue reading The Importance of a Good Support System
How many spoons did YOUR dog wake up with today?
THE SPOON THEORY IS EVERYWHERE these days. What is it? It's a way for a person living with a disability to explain the amount of energy available to him or her on a particular day. The kinds of things that can impact a person's spoons are quality of sleep, level of pain, amount of stress, etc. … Continue reading How many spoons did YOUR dog wake up with today?
“Firsts” with Micah and Levi, his service dog in training
Note: Levi is a seven-month-old Lab being owner-trained by his family as a service dog for seven-year-old Micah. Read his mom, Nicole's first post here and learn a little about the family on our contributor page. Firsts in life are always learning experiences. Rarely do we get something perfect on the first try and the same … Continue reading “Firsts” with Micah and Levi, his service dog in training
City training your country dog
NOT ALL DOGS SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE CITY. If you have a service dog in training and live in a rural area or small town, your dog may well respond unpredictably the first time s/he experiences the sounds, smells, and sites of the city. Early one beautiful spring morning my dog, Fig, … Continue reading City training your country dog
