Disabilities and Bullying

October has a number of “awareness” observations including Disability Awareness and Anti-Bullying Awareness.  While I appreciate that it’s great to raise awareness about these and other issues, I look forward to the day when – as individuals and a society – we are not only aware, but respectful, of individuals who are different from us.  Sadly, I fear that’s pie in the sky thinking.

Many awareness “issues” don’t necessarily go together, such as October’s observance of Health Literacy and National Pizza Month.  But unfortunately, Disabilities Awareness and Anti-Bullying do fit hand in glove.  A recent video making the rounds on social media shows a father and son making fun of a neighbor child with cerebral palsy.  Another recent viral video shows a news reporter from Wisconsin sharing her reaction to a viewer (read bully) who wrote to tell her that she was setting a poor example for young girls by choosing to be fat.

So, how does all this relate to service dogs?  Often the tasks a service dog performs are obvious such as guiding the blind or helping with mobility.  It is a socially accepted practice to accommodate service dogs for people whose disabilities are apparent.  For people who use a service dog to perform tasks related to an invisible disability, it becomes a bit more iffy.  Having a service dog’s assistance to cope with diabetes, PTSD, seizures, or other life-threatening, yet indiscernible disability, effectively creates a spotlight that says “This person has a disability.”  Seeking the help showcases the need.

Every day people who utilize a service dog to mitigate their struggle with an invisible disability put themselves in a position to be bullied.  Business owners who are unaware of their obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) see someone who is not blind or in a wheelchair headed through the front door with a dog.  Omigosh, a dog!!  “Hey, you can’t have that dog in here!”  And so the confrontation begins.  What started out as a simple attempt to dine in a great new restaurant, shop in a trendy new boutique, or simply get groceries, devolves into an altercation that creates unwanted public attention spotlighting a very personal matter.  Seldom is the matter handled in a quiet, unobtrusive and respectful manner.

Why should this be considered bullying?  Well, a bully is often self-important and self-righteous using their aggressive behavior to mask an insecurity or lack of knowledge.  And, when someone tries to browbeat another person into giving up their rights, well, that’s bullying.

The Service Dog Information Tsunami

This post originally appeared as a guest blog on www.diabeticalertdogs.blogspot.com.  
It's a great resource for information about Diabetic Alert Dogs.

Congratulations!  You’ve decided to explore the idea that a service dog might help provide you with increased independence or an enhanced quality of life.

You’re having a good day – one mixed in with all the bad days – so you open your computer and start your Internet search.  You type in “Service Dogs” and lo and behold, you get 31 million links to follow.  Now what?  Where do you start … what do you click on first?  And, just suppose you find a site that looks pretty good to you … what questions should you ask?

The first thing you need to remember is that for many service dog organizations, it is their job to sell you on their program.  They will tell you why they’re the best and many times, they’ll tell you what they think you want to hear.  Reputable organizations will tell you the truth… “we’re not a good fit for you”, or “we don’t think our trainers can train what you need”.  But often an organization will sell you hope.  Hope that things will get better just as soon as you get a dog in your life.  

It’s not enough to know what questions to ask.  You need to understand the answers you should get in return.  So, here are few questions to consider and answers that make sense.  This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it’s a place to start.

Start your journey before you ever crack open your laptop by contemplating your lifestyle, the amount of time you have available for training, your commitment of financial resources, training preference style (doing it yourself by working with a qualified trainer or waiting for an organization to provide a fully trained dog) and whether your disability is static or changing.  The answers to these questions will inform the direction your research should take.

Q) Do you offer your program to people who reside outside your geographic area?  Do you have any age restrictions?  A) You will first want to know whether or not the program will accept you as an applicant presuming their program is a good fit for your disability.  Age restriction will be an important factor if you are searching for a service dog for a child.  Many organizations will not place a service dog for applicants under the age of 12.

Q) What types of programs do you offer?  Do you have a specific specialty?  A) Some programs specialize in one or two types of training.  For example, training a diabetic alert dog is not the same training that would be used for training a dog for post-traumatic stress.  Make certain the organization has qualified and experienced trainers who excel at training these types of tasks and behaviors.  Ask them how many dogs they’ve placed and over what period of time.

Q) Where do you obtain the dogs used in your program?  Do you have your own breeding program?  What breeds do you typically use?  A) There is no right or wrong answer here.  You simply want to ensure that the dogs are temperament and personality tested (and scent tested if for medical alert work) to ensure they are the right fit for service work.  Keep in mind that rescue dogs will not come with a health guarantee but can still make an awesome service dog.

Q) What do you charge for placing and/or training a service dog?  How long is the waiting list?  And, how old are the dogs when they are typically placed?  Do you guarantee a match?  A) Prices range anywhere from $20,000 to free of charge depending on the organization.  The waiting list can be from a couple of months to as long as five years.  And, a fully trained dog will likely be between 18 and 24 months when placed; partially trained or untrained dogs can be placed as young as 4-5 months.  Some organizations offer and/or encourage fundraising as a way to pay for the cost of the dog.

Q) How long do you follow a client after they are placed with a dog?  Does the client have the opportunity to receive follow-up training if necessary?  A) Organizations should ideally have a policy that follows their clients for the working life of the service dog.

And, if you decide that your one day of feeling good isn’t quite enough to manage this tsunami of information, consider contacting Service Dog 411.  For a very small fee, we’ll consult with you about what you need and the process involved in selecting a provider.  We’ll work with you, one-on-one, helping to determine YOUR best course of action.  Leaving you more time to take care of yourself, your health or the health of a loved one.

 

What does peace of mind look like?

Well, it just might look like a sleeping dog. 

Type 1 Diabetes is a silent killer.  Parents of Type 1 children are particularly vulnerable to the horrors and ravages of the disease when they watch their children head off to bed each night.  Heart in throat, sweaty palms, they hold their breath, set their alarms and just like any gambling endeavor, they hope the numbers will be good.  A good number means they can go to sleep.  Either too high or too low (both are dangerous) means a night of staying up, waiting and watching, poking little fingers with needles to test.

Enter a Diabetic Alert Dog (DAD).  Fairly new to the service dog scene, DADs are trained to tell their person with an alert when their blood sugar is out of bounds … either too high or too low.  And they’re typically on it some 20-40 minutes before the diabetic feels it or the glucose monitor rings an alarm.

So what about that sleeping dog?  As one mom put it … “my daughter slipped off to sleep in the middle of family movie night.  And, because her DAD was snoozing peacefully by her side … I knew it wasn’t a coma … just a nap.  Knowing her DAD was on duty, my heart rate never changed.”

Diabetic Alert Dogs are becoming a more accepted tool in the treatment of Type 1 diabetes and hypoglycemic unawareness.  And because of that, and like anything that’s new and good, there are predators who take advantage of vulnerable families and moms who only want their children to wake up in the morning.  On the flip side, there are some awesome organizations that are doing great work, and some remarkable trainers who “get it”. 

Looking to bring a DAD into your life?  Do your homework.  Ask Questions.  Lots of Questions.  Get lots of answers.  Confused?  Don’t know what to ask?  Start here.  Then come on back to Service Dog 411 to get started on your journey.

Valuing what’s Important

As the old saying goes, there’s nothing constant in life except change.  In the late 1960’s police departments across the country started a campaign to have everyone mark all their valuables with their social security number.  If I look closely, all the furniture and other valuables I have inherited from my grandparents have a social security number etched on them.  Can you imagine doing that today? 

And, back in the 1960s no one was putting a microchip in their pets – the technology didn’t exist.  Can you imagine NOT doing that today?  The way we identify what’s valuable to us has certainly changed over time.

Microchipping is a comparatively safe way of identifying that your beloved pet belongs to you.  Certainly some people believe that microchips cause cancer, are unsafe or are an otherwise inappropriate way to identify your pet.  But, for now, it’s pretty much the best we’ve got. 

And, as the other old saying goes … nothing is perfect.  Microchips are typically implanted between the shoulder blades, but did you know they can migrate as far as the tail or down the legs?  Or, that they can dislodge and work their way out of the skin leaving your dog completely un-identified?  When was the last time you asked your vet to double check the location of your pet’s microchip?  What would happen if your dog got loose, was picked up by animal control, who then couldn’t identify your dog because there was no microchip to be found?

And, while we’re on the subject … when was the last time you updated your microchip information with your registering company?  What if the only number they have on file is your old cell phone number?  The most common companies are AVID and Home Again, but a quick google search will also yield companies who will register your chip and in case of emergency put out an alert to surrounding rescues and shelters in your area.

Accidents happen.  Please take a moment to ensure that you protect your pet.

The Horrible Really Terrible Day-in-the-Life of a Service Dog

What comes to mind when you think of a service or assistance dog?  Many of us picture a beautiful golden or Labrador retriever, or maybe a smaller breed, serving as a faithful helpmate to someone who is disabled.  Most think of someone in a wheelchair or someone who’s blind.  A few of us think of someone whose disability is not readily apparent to others such as diabetes, post-traumatic stress or brain injury.  Some smile down at their own service dog lying quietly at their feet.

But some folks must picture a sad, weary, downtrodden dog with the life of an indentured servant.  Last week, an application to the Northern California Golden Retriever Rescue was turned down because it was noted that the dog would be adopted for training as a service dog.  The rescue group does not allow adoptions for dogs that are destined for service work.  Apparently, they would rather the dog stay in their shelter or foster home than find a loving, permanent home, simply because it would be highly trained for service work. 

A trainer recently informed me that she did not “believe” in dogs working as service dogs.  She was convinced that the dogs were mistreated, overworked, and essentially had a horrible, really terrible life as a service dog.  Interestingly, she didn’t feel that way about other types of working dogs such as those trained for bomb and drug detection.  Nothing I said could convince her otherwise.

To be fair, there are many rescue groups and shelters that not only support placing their dogs as possible service dogs … they encourage it and will help trainers identify likely candidates. 

So what does the typical life of a service dog look like?  I suspect there’s no real answer to that question.  But, on average, service dogs have amazing lives.  They love and are loved back.  They get to go lots of places other dogs don’t get to go.  They play and exercise and nap.  They go swimming, hiking and on vacation.  They get lots of treats.  And every day they increase independence and enhance the quality of life for the person they're lucky enough to love and who love them back.

Isn’t that better than staying in a shelter?

For more information about service dogs and their use for people with invisible disabilities, please visit our website at www.ServiceDog411.com.