|Daphne the Service Dog|

Em. 25. TX. He/Him. A blog dedicated to the adventures I share with my Seizure Alert and Response Service Dog, Daphne. For posts specifically about the handler look under #AllAboutEm

[whitepeopletwitter]

[securityunit-ese]

How did you go about teaching your dogs the mimicry thing? I'd love to try it with my dog!

Hope you don’t mind a public answer. I used multiple resources! I hope you and other’s enjoy. 

I’m having lots of fun teaching it because, well, I’m teaching my dog a communication concept not a trick howcoolisthat. And the potential for using it to train new things coughpackyourtoysupcough.Freebie resources:

AKC’s unexpectedly good guide

Longer guide with more theory

(Open Access) the original science research study 2006

(Open Access) additional science research 2016

Official facebook page with observational videos

One of the creator’s youtube

Instagram tag to follow

Official instagram page (active, mostly exams/tests)

Video demonstrating different stages of learning

(e.g. we are on stage two)

Purchased guides:

Fenzi Dog Sports Academy Webinar (no longer available)

Do As I Do ebook 

Additional purchasable resources I have not used:

FDSA course “FE345: Imitation and Mimicry - You Can Do It”

Vimeo educational seminars

Do As I Do website (geared towards in person seminars/workshops)

Bonus round - Do As I Do “cousin” - Teach your dog to mimic what another dog just did

Ken Ramirez demonstration video

An additional demonstration video

(Closed Access) Detection research on puppy-mother mimicry

[forestofkeys]

STOP SCROLLING

Think about your dog/other non-human best friend.

Where are they now?

Are they happy?

Have you spent time with them?

Tell them you love them.

Tell them how good they are

[ditzy-ditzy-ditzy]

Service dog question

Anyone know how much a seizure alert dog might be and how to get one in Massachusetts?

[daphnetheservicedog]

You may have the best luck looking for programs who specifically offer seizure response dogs. I don’t know of many who will gurantee an alert dog. Owner training is an option but regardless of which route you take you’re looking at 5-25k when all is said and done - price to obtain dog from breeder or shelter, training, vet care, flea/heartworm preventatives, food, working gear, etc. If you’d like the name of a reputable service dog school I’m happy to share who is training my next seizure alert/response and mobility assistance service dog. They do offer placement out of state (located in Texas). Feel free to private message me.

@table-topple

[twobigears]

What does this engagement training look like? Like, what are the games you might play for that?

Most of what I’ve learned about engagement has come from Michael Ellis’ materials. Denise Fenzi also has a lot to offer on this subject, and I like the way she lists out five stages of engagement.

Handler starts the engagement by bribing the dog with offered food/toys/play

Dog starts the engagement with eye contact (cookies/toys are hidden, and appear with the eye contact)

Dog starts the engagement with sustained focus while moving around

Dog starts the engagement with stage 2, stage 3, and offered work/behavior

Handler starts the engagement (without bribing as in stage 1)

Many people get stuck at stage 1, or try to skip from stage 1 to stage 5, but stages 2-4 are the critical ones that make stage 5 possible.

What does the process look like? You can see visuals through the resources below, but here is a basic breakdown.

Allow the dog time to acclimate to the environment, sniff around, potty (if outside), etc

Pick a spot and just stand there. Dog should be on a leash. 

Eventually the dog will get bored and check in with you. As soon as they make eye contact, mark it with a “yes!” (or whatever your marker is) and provide the reward. Generally food, and if so you want the dog driving into your hand for the food, rather than you reaching towards the dog to deliver it. I move backwards so the dog has to move towards me to get the food. If you watch the videos linked below, note how much the handlers are moving around. Movement and contrast is motivating and helps the engagement process.

If the dog is maintaining connection, mark and reward again.

When the dog is focused, release them back into the environment. “All done” is my cue.

I also mix in some repetitions of cuing “get it”, toss a piece of food on the ground (make sure you dog can see it on the surface), and as soon as the dog gets the food and stops sniffing for more, mark it with “yes” and reward from my hand. The dog gets faster to stop sniffing and re-engage as they learn there is nothing more on the ground and it’s more rewarding to engage back with me.

Rinse and repeat. As with everything else in training, choose your environments carefully and start in a no/low-distraction environment. Such as inside your house. And gradually move to more busy and distracting environments.

There is technique involved in the marking and rewarding process that increases the dog’s motivation. How you hold the food, how you move your hand, making the dog sometimes miss the food to increase frustration and drive, having them spin around, etc. More details about that in the resources below.

Honestly I don’t really allow my dogs to play with each other, especially not inside. Partly because of the dogs I currently have, and partly because I don’t want that chaos in the house. I do not allow Ryker and Chandra to play at all, because Ryker is an asshole who can quickly go from “happy happy play” to “fuck off you fucking fucker”.I did allow Solstice and Chandra to play together, but only outside. And it was structured so that I did training/engagement sessions with them first, then they were allowed to play. Or at the very least, Chandra had to give me eye contact before being released to play with Solstice.

If Asher’s engagement at home is an issue, then I’d start requiring Asher to go through you to play with Gunner. Eye contact, release to play. Sustained connection, release to play. Basically moving through the stages of engagement and building up to Asher doing more and more with you before he gets to play with Gunner. This might require restricting the dog’s access to each other or not allowing free access when you’re not around, until Asher is engaging more easily.

Free resources:

Youtube search “Michael Ellis engagement”. Here are a few, you can find more and other related videos

The Importance of Engagement in Dog Training

Engagement, Reward Timing, and Positioning

Keeping Your Puppy Engaged with Michael and Cappy

Youtube search “Forrest Micke engagement”. Forrest studied under Michael.

Cueing Engagement

Denise Fenzi’s blog series on acclimation and engagement

Acclimation

Stages of Engagement part 1

Engagement - A Little More

Engagement - Part 3

Engagement: Why the Extremes?

The Collared Scholar

The Rules of Engagement

He’s Just Not That Into You

Are You Building Engagement or Missing the Mark?

Paid Resources

Engagement Skills with Forrest Micke

The Power of Training Dogs With Food DVD

Advanced Concepts in Motivation DVD

Dog Sports Skills book series, book 4 in particular is all about focus and engagement

Engagement online class at Fenzi Academy

Teaching Engagement Skills online class at Leerburg

[odddogblog]

Dog training

[whitepeopletwitter]

[actuallyservicedogs]

Flying With a Service Dog

This is based off my personal experience flying with a service dog: 

I have noticed that one thing that is very nerve wracking for many service dog handlers is flying with their service dog for the first time. Not knowing what to expect in a situation that is hard to train for specifically can make a person very anxious. I wanted to write a guide based on my own experience so that people had a comprehensive thing to look at!

Airlines that people have good experiences with:

Southwest

Southwest is by far the most accommodating. I flew with them. Once notified of my dog, they gave me the seat next to me for free so she could have more room. They printed out a “reserved” sign that I could sit on the seat so that no one could sit there and the flight attendants knew what was going on. They did this for free. 

Southwest has free seating. As a disabled person, you get preferred seating so you will be able to board first and get bulkhead if you want it. 

Frontier

American

Important things your dog should know:

A stellar settle.

Sit stays. 

Follow directions off leash (if you don’t use a metal free lead and want to have your dog go through the metal detector.)

Handle very busy areas.

Handle VERY loud noises. 

A good heel

Potty on artificial grass

Potty on command

A very tight tuck

Being okay with strangers touching them.

Staying even when you walk away

Before the flight:

Tell the airline that you have a service dog. It will make your flight a lot easier if people are alerted to this ahead of time.

Ask if you can have bulk head seating. These are the seats at the front of the plane that have much more foot room than any other seat. Most airlines will give you the seating for free.

Choose your seat (if you can). I find that sitting by the window is the best place so that your dog doesn’t spill out into the aisle. If you’re flying Southwest, there is open seating. And because you get preferred seating, you can choose whichever one when you get on the plane.

Do you need mobility assistance? Did you know there are people at the airport whose sole job is to push people to their destinations in wheelchairs? If you call ahead of time, you can have someone waiting for you at the check in desk to help you!

Try to limit your dog’s food and water intake. Your dog can go the day without food and with limited water. I promise they can handle it. It will help with the going to the bathroom situation. You won’t have to worry about it as much. 

What to pack:

Are you checking a bag or carrying on? Either is fine! Most airlines will give you a free carry on bag as well as personal item. So for example a backpack and a purse. They will charge you for more. If you need a bag separately for your dog’s things, you need to know this: YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY FOR BAGS CARRYING MEDICAL EQUIPMENT. And guess what! Your dog’s supplies are part of your medical equipment! So if you need to check a bag for your dog or bring an extra carry on, you do not need to pay!

Things to pack for your dog:

Small first aid kit

Water bottle (empty – you can fill it on the other side of security)

Extra collar

Extra leash

Extra vest

Treats

2-3 days worth of dog food

Poop bags

Portable bowls

A mat/blanket for your dog

Anything in your carry on that is liquid needs to be in a 3 oz or smaller container and ALSO fit into a quartz sized plastic bag. 

When you get to the airport

If you haven’t already printed out your boarding passes at home, you need to do that first. There are kiosks that you can do this without talking to a person, but I highly suggest going up to the desk to do your check in if you can. You’ll be able to remind them about your dog and confirm things like bulkhead seating or assistance. 

Once you have your boarding pass and any bags that you’re checking taken care of, make your way towards security. DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS. Find someone who works there – they’re usually wearing blue, or a white shirt with black pants. Airports are big and confusing. Flying with a dog for the first time is scary enough. It can be exacerbated by not having flown alone before.

Security

There are a few ways to go about this so I will outline all I can think of!

You do not need to remove your dog’s gear, even if there is metal on it. Put everything that you need onto the belt and then go to the metal detector. Put your dog into a sit/stay and walk through when they direct you to. Once you get through, call your dog through after you. The metal detector WILL beep. This is where your dog being okay with strangers touching them is important – your dog will get a quick pat down. That’s it! They may test your hands and your dog’s vest for explosives or chemicals with these little paper pad things, but it isn’t too complicated. 

A lot of people use metal free gear when going to the air port to make things easier. you would follow the same steps as above but your dog wouldn’t need to be patted down. 

You can also remove your dog’s gear entirely and put it through the belt with all your other belongings. Your dog needs to be good at a sit stay and you need to be able to handle them without gear, but otherwise pretty simple!

Grab your stuff afterwards and you’re done!

At the gate

There is usually a desk at or near every gate. Regardless of if you reminded them at the check in, go up to the desk and introduce yourself and remind them again of your dog. There may be something else they can do to accommodate you. That, and I find that people are more willing to help you later if they are aware of you. 

Wait until your flight!

On the plane

Get to your seat and put down any blankets or mats you brought your dog, if any. Have your dog get into a settle/tuck and then sit down. 

I have treats ready because I hadn’t flown with my dog before and I was unsure of how she’d handle it. She got nervous during take off and landing so having the treats available is helpful.

That’s it! It’s not as scary as it seems and I’m sure afterwards, you’ll find yourself wondering why you were worried in the first place. I hope that this guide helps the anxiety in the meantime!

[rampantcatlady-deactivated20200]

Question for service dog owners/trainers out there:

My current psychiatric service dog, Aoba, is awesome. When I don’t have access to my medicine, however, I get really dizzy and unsteady on my feet. He weighs about 40-45 pounds and is something along the lines of 20” at the withers. For balance-only work, is he big enough for mobility tasks?

[daphnetheservicedog]

Unfortunately, no. Aoba is not large enough for balance assistance. Typically 50 lbs is the minimum safe cutoff and that would be for a handler with a maximum weight of 100lbs. For any kind of mobility assistance (other than retrieval) your partner should be a minimum of 50% your weight and 40% your height with a handle that doesn’t exceed 6” vertically from the dog’s back. Feel free to message me privately if you have any questions! @cactushandler

[daphnetheservicedog]

Why does my service dog look like Dobby?

@the-disreputable-service-dog

[daphnetheservicedog]

Shooting pool with the best

[daphnetheservicedog]

Shout out to my rheumatologist

Thanks for always stopping what you’re doing to listen to my symptoms and what I’m experiencing. You’re a gem

[taylortut]

did y’all know that it’s like almost impossible to tell how fast humans walk when you’re operating a manual wheelchair? i kept accidentally going so fast. my sister couldn’t keep up on her fallible human legs. i was ready to bowl down a crowd. i’m an ankle-seeking missle 

[securityunit-ese]

Recognising silent acute pain in animals - assorted species grimace scales:

Development of the Horse Grimace Scale (HGS) as a Pain Assessment Tool in Horses Undergoing Routine Castration 

The composition and initial evaluation of a grimace scale in ferrets after surgical implantation of a telemetry probe 

The Assessment of Facial Expressions in Piglets Undergoing Tail Docking and Castration: Toward the Development of the Piglet Grimace Scale 

The Sheep Grimace Scale as an indicator of post-operative distress and pain in laboratory sheep and the  Coding and quantification of a facial expression for pain in lambs 

Mouse -  How to be a pain management advocate for exotic and zoo animals (full text available - includes additional species)

The Rat Grimace Scale: A partially automated method for quantifying pain in the laboratory rat via facial expressions 

Evaluation of EMLA Cream for Preventing Pain during Tattooing of Rabbits: Changes in Physiological, Behavioural and Facial Expression Responses 

Pain evaluation in dairy cattle 

Pain is subtle - we cannot depend on vocalisations or extreme abnormal behaviour to determine if an animal is on pain - animals can cover up pain while going about their daily life. Grimace scales have been found to be reliable indicators of pain (full text available)

Unfortunately, I could not find a clear visual grimace scale for dogs, cats or birds :(  

Which is a shame, because perhaps I could have recognised my own dog’s discomfort for the acute pain it was sooner:

(left: dog in pain. See eyes, tension, cheeks, whiskers, ears compared to the multiple species grimace charts above. right: tired but not in pain dog)

Perhaps my new books that arrived today might have some on dogs at least. There’s this visual blog post of a stressed dog at the vet - stress in the absence of a trigger looks very much like pain.

Here is a small comparative cats, with the link going into more detail. Not a scale but better than nothing:

Bonus round - you can get free A3 posters on recognising pain for Rabbits, Mice and Rats from the National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research. My rabbit specialist vet has the rabbit one!

[scottishvn]

Being able to recognise pain in our patients is really important! We often use the modified Glasgow pain score which I will find a link for when I’m not on mobile. I know metacam definitely does a cat grimace poster. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog one though.

[princessofsleep]

I just wanna say i recognized colic in my horse because of this chart. He didn’t have any extreme symptoms just the most painful looking face id seen.

[punkmecrosseyed]

You’re not punk unless you EAT a pair of DOC MARTENS 

[daphnetheservicedog]

My forearm crutches arrived this week. I’m enjoying being able to be out of my wheelchair. Highly reccomend sidestix! Customized to your body specifications. Ergonomic grips and carbon fiber tubing come standard.

[tatinotchatty]

Reblog if you like your therapist

like, I’ve seen to much hate on therapists and therapy now. I can’t be the only one that likes my therapist

[casanova-lives]

Hey, just want to give a heads up.

If your “punk” doesn’t have accessibility built into it, then it’s not all that punk.