Service dogs (according to Jade)

I’m sure you’ve all seen the newest addition to our family, Miss Cassie Jo is our 2-year-old German Shepherd. Here’s a little bio on her: She is a rescue who most recently has come from Missouri. She has also gone by the names of Java and Luna Mae, she has an incredibly smart mind and absolutely uses that to her advantage. She is spoiled beyond belief, and loves to whine if she feels neglected (even if we petted her 34 seconds prior). She is learning and working on several new tricks, her favorite is to sit, and her least favorite is the command to focus. That being said, she will do every trick in her book for hot dogs! She is also my new service dog in training, or SDIT for short.

Day 1: She sniffed around a lot. She stared at us and we stared at her. 

We started looking for her at the end of November (ish). I have three main triggers for seizures: Low amounts of sleep, low blood sugar, and stress (an ugly cycle of stressing=seizure=more stressing about another seizure, etc.). The past 8 months have been grueling, and we decided that getting an emotional support dog could help. As we started our search for a dog and/or a trainer, we had no idea what we were doing. After emailing a local organization and finding a trainer, we asked for help finding a dog. Once she heard about my newly-acquired epilepsy she mentioned that we could train a dog into a service dog instead. We were informed that we needed to find a dog with the right personality and especially one that is fearless with people, and we could expect to pay anywhere from $2-9,000 for a German Shepherd who could handle the task. The alternative was to gamble on a shelter GSD. She said she would put some feelers out and see what she heard back, but it could take months. Here’s miracle #1: She called back within an hour with a dog in mind. Miracle #2: As newlyweds who suddenly had thousands of dollars in medical bills, this dog would cost us $100 to adopt. Miracle #3: She could arrive within weeks and we could begin training. We sprinted to PetSmart and anxiously awaited her arrival and have adored her ever since.

The Iceberg effect

Adjusting to 24/7 life with a dog is interesting. One of the first comments I hear is usually something like: “oh man, I wish I could take my dog with me everywhere!” while not understanding that you basically need a diaper bag to carry treats, poop bags, and other assorted items with you for an 8 hr. work shift. You time your errands around pooping. She has good and bad days like any human, and there’s nothing more embarrassing than your dog sighing loudly on the front row in church J It’s what I’ve been told a thousand times when I say I want a baby (SOMEDAY, not right now! Ha-ha) “It’s amazing, and it’s not always a cake walk”. We train several times a day on small details you will probably never notice. You see a tiny portion of what she and I juggle in a day.

Worn out after training

Laws

The American Disabilities Act has been very eye-opening. When I was searching for a job it was difficult when it listed epilepsy as a disability and I had to click ‘yes’. I worried that I would be excluded from job opportunities as a result. However, the upside is having Cassie, who is such a blessing.

"A service animal is a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a disability...Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Dogs whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA." Cassie will one day be capable of smelling my blood sugar levels, possibly warning of an oncoming seizure as well as responding accordingly. In the past I couldn’t always get help or alert someone in time, and Cassie will help with that. Currently we are fine-tuning obedience, public access and focus skills that will be the foundation of her specific tasks. She constantly amazes me with her keen mind and learning capabilities. We had her for three days, and when I woke up having a seizure the next thing I knew she was at my side and slept there for the rest of the night.

 

Cassie joining us for date night

"Under the ADA, State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofit organizations that serve the public generally must allow service animals to accompany people with disabilities in all areas of the facility where the public is normally allowed to go" I no longer get anxious when going to Walmart, putting on my medical alert bracelet and trying to be on the phone with someone in case I have a seizure. On the other hand it can be highly uncomfortable. There is a spotlight on you wherever you go. You slowly learn to ignore the people who make loud comments about the ‘pretty doggy’, whistle for her or approach with intrusive questions; however, I have also seen and talked to many people who brighten when they see her, and it’s always wonderful to hear people comment on how well behaved she is.

"When it is not obvious what service an animal provides, only limited inquiries are allowed. Staff may ask two questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability, and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform. Staff cannot ask about the person’s disability, require medical documentation, require a special identification card or training documentation for the dog, or ask that the dog demonstrate its ability to perform the work or task"

More often than not, people just assume I am the trainer because by all accounts I look healthy. There have been countless times that I feel self-conscious about having her. I try to remind myself that I can use all the help I can get. It’s terrifying to be having a seizure with people nearby but not being able to call out. We will constantly be tweaking medications when I’m pregnant (once the epilepsy is more under control) and we will need to balance the health of the baby with preventing seizures. Cassie can smooth that process and has already prevented my medication dosage from skyrocketing to quell the valleys and peaks of my triggers. It’s like if you can see well enough to get around, but glasses are a huge asset to improving your safety and overall quality of life.

(for more information please refer to the American Disability Act website @ https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm)

What to do when you see a service dog:

·         Remember that the handler is on the other end of the leash! As a handler it is really discouraging when people only talk to or interact with Cassie. She’s incredible, but it’s incredibly awkward to be ignored entirely while you drool over my dog.

·         Teach your kids about proper etiquette with a service dog. I love when I hear parents coach their kids that my dog is working and can help someone when they don’t feel well. It makes my life a lot easier.

·         Compliment the dog’s behavior! Nothing makes me happier when I’m told that someone is impressed with how my dog is doing. It’s very rewarding, especially on discouraging days.

What not to do:

·         Reach out to pet the dog without express permission! NOT EVER! I have had to stop or correct strangers who reach out to pet her in the middle of the store whether or not I’m looking. I’m sorely tempted to reach out and stroke their hand or hair in return, since they feel so comfortable touching my dog without asking. Children who are not being monitored will toddle over and try to mount my dog like a horse. You may laugh, but it happens constantly. I have a hard time containing my frustration when this happens.

·         On a similar note: Do not ask to pet the dog. You know plenty of dogs that you can pet and coo over, you do not need to pet my dog just because you want to. Some working dogs have a hard time re-focusing after being approached, and how tragic if you distracted a dog that could’ve later prevented an emergency.

·         Speak to, distract, or give commands to the dog. It is a working dog, and must remain alert to the handler and their needs.

·         Talk loudly amongst yourselves about my dog, why it’s in the store, etc. I can hear you.

·         Ask what illness or issue I have. If you don’t already know, I don’t want you to know.

·         If you have questions about service animals, 99% of them can be answered with Google. While I understand curiosity, I really just want to pick up my groceries and go home and watch Netflix like everyone else in the world.

To sum up, Cassie Jo has been such a miracle in our lives already, we are anxious to see what the future holds for us!