Service Bullies?

[hnhammond]

Does anyone use their bully as a service animal?

Before I got a dog, I mentioned wanting one to my doctor and he recommended training her as a cardiac alert dog for my heart condition. Eventually Matilda will be able to let me know that I'm going to faint (which is often) up to 30 minutes beforehand!

She just got certified and has already started training... Right now, it's just regular puppy training, but once she can focus for more than 30 seconds, we'll move on to the cardiac stuff! I'm not training her as some version of a seeing eye dog - she is going to be a normal, happy bully that just so happens to be a cardiac alert dog... and is able to behave herself in public!! I also won't ever be bringing her around places that are unnecessary (restaurants, movie theaters, etc), unless of course my condition worsens and it becomes necessary.

Just curious, anyone else have a service animal? Matilda will be my first.

 

[Alice Kable]

No trained service dog, but my Mack used to visit people in the local hospital and the local nursing home. He was comfortable sitting in a chair next to the patient's bed and/or getting up on the bed with them.

 

[elearn]

[MENTION=5755]hnhammond[/MENTION] That's wonderful to hear that Matilda will be taking care of YOU. And I'm sure you will both be taking great care of one another

Just wondering what she's gotten certified in as a puppy? I'm not familiar with service dog certification process.

 

[kim n the guys]

no service dog, but Oliver is certified as a therapy dog and a Read to Me dog.

 

[Gunny B]

Kim. I will you later, we very interested in those programs.

 

[Baconator]

Our trainer suggested that Bacon get certified to be a therapy dog, but not a service dog

 

[elearn]

Our trainer suggested that Bacon get certified to be a therapy dog, but not a service dog

bacon would be a great therapy dog with that little face of his!!

 

[hnhammond]

@hnhammond That's wonderful to hear that Matilda will be taking care of YOU. And I'm sure you will both be taking great care of one another

Just wondering what she's gotten certified in as a puppy? I'm not familiar with service dog certification process.

She is certified as a cardiac alert dog, but there is a little line that says "in training". But it's basically the same thing. It's interesting how they certify the dog so quickly! If I took Matilda ANYWHERE public she would be crazy trying to play with everyone And if I fainted, she'd probably nibble my hair and toes.

But it's supposed to be so I can expose her to crowds now so that it'll be old news when I really use her. Plus, we're supposed to be together very, very often so that she will recognize differences in my mannerisms (leading up to fainting)

Therapy dogs are so great, that is wonderful that so many of you do it! My friend has a little shih-tzu as a therapy dog - just to help curb anxiety and depression. Dogs can do so many wonderful things for us!

 

[kazzy220]

Wow .. that's wonderful!! I had heard of dogs that help like that. As if they can sense when their owner is in distress long before the person realises it!!!!!