Retrieving My Heart

Mostly pictures of my adorable assistance dog in training, Rosie!

[retrievingmyheart-blog]

Snuggle time☺️🙈🐶 #snuggles #snuggletime #snugglesfordays #goldenretriever #goldenpuppy #retrievingmyheartblog

[retrievingmyheart-blog]

Flashback to Rosie’s spay surgery! #coneofshame #willneverletgoofmyorangeball #surgery #cutiepie #goldenretriever #retrievingmyheartblog

[retrievingmyheart-blog]

Free the galgo #freethegalgo #stopanimalabuse repost from

[retrievingmyheart-blog]

Snuggles with Rosie are the best🐾🙈💗🐶 #puppysnugglesarethebestsnuggles #postbathsnuggles #goldenretrieverpup #retrievingmyheartblog #goldenpuppy

[thepoodlepack]

What Not To Do To Service Dogs #1

Stare!

This is a long post. If you have trouble reading long posts, there is a TLDR section at the bottom.

I know, I know, lists like this usually start out with petting. While I’ll certainly be going over that soon, I have found in my time as a service dog handler, people do seem generally aware that they’re not supposed to pet service dogs. Whether they actually utilize that knowledge is a different matter altogether, but people do seem to know. 

But even then, they don’t seem aware of one of the most frequent things service dogs and their handlers have to deal with, and that is staring. So today, I’m going to list three reasons why you shouldn’t stare at service dogs.

1. It’s Rude!

There’s a person across the room from you. You don’t know them well, maybe it’s the first time you’ve ever seen them before. They’re generally nondescript; you may not have noticed them at all if it hadn’t been for that one thing that just draws your eyes.

They have a piece of salad stuck between their teeth. Or, they have bad acne. Or, they’re wearing a shirt with a stain on it. Or, they’re on their period and bled through the back of their clothes.

In any of these cases, we as people may notice this thing out considered to be out of the norm. We as people have also been taught to not stare at this thing. Sure, some people do, but I’d like to think these people who stare would be considered rude.

The same thing is true for service dog handlers. It’s very difficult to be at the center of attention at all times when you’re just trying to go about your business. it doesn’t feel good, and for some handlers with anxiety or other types of mental illness, it can be incredibly debilitating.

2. It’s Intrusive!

Almost all women and AFAB people have met him. That guy, who just won’t stop staring. You can wear clothes that might “cover you up” and avoid eye contact, but he still stares. You can even ask him to stop staring, tell him that it makes you very uncomfortable, but he’ll just shake his head, smile and say “but you’re so beautiful, I can’t help it!” He says it like it’s a compliment, like you should be so grateful and you should do nothing but desire his attention.

Obviously, you don’t want his attention. You didn’t ask for it and it’s incredibly inappropriate and creepy. Also, it’s extremely arrogant that he would think you want his attention. The same is true for when the general public stares at service dogs and their handlers. 

Service dogs and their handlers do not go out in public to be stared at. We do not go out because we desire attention from abled people. We go out because we have or want to. We’re just trying to go about our day, and it’s incredibly creepy, inappropriate, and intrusive when so many people take it as an invitation to stare at us like we are a museum exhibit.

3. It’s Distracting!

You’re a human. Someone is staring at you. They’ve been staring at you non-stop for almost two minutes. Oh god… you don’t know why. Do you have something in your teeth? Do you have a giant pimple somewhere? Do you have a stain on your shirt? Did you get your period and bleed through your clothes? Are they a creep?

You’re a dog. A human is staring at you! You don’t know for how long, but they’re still staring at you! Oh my god, they’re staring… do they want to play? Do they have a ball? Wait, you’ve been taught maintaining eye contact is good, right? Do they have treats? Maybe they have treats! Oh wow! This is so exciting!

You’re a dog. A human is staring at you. They don’t blink. They don’t look away. They just keep staring. You don’t like staring. It’s not good. You can’t think straight, because when dogs maintain eye-contact like that, it doesn’t always mean good things. You’re uncomfortable, but they won’t look away.

All of these reactions are extremely common. Oh, and before anyone says anything about the second example, let me just say, that is supposed to be a young dog, in training, who’s very excitable. Don’t worry, I promise they’ll get plenty of play time when they’re not learning to be a service dog.

Maintaining eye contact with a human or a dog can mean different things for each individual, of course. But it is almost always distracting, especially if we’re not familiar with the person doing the staring. You’re stuck wondering why the person is staring and you can’t focus on what you’re doing in your life.

TLDR

Please don’t stare at service dogs or their handlers! It’s rude, it’s intrusive, and it’s distracting. Service dog handlers are in public not to be stared at or treated like bizarre attractions, but to live their life! 

If you see a service dog team, a glance in their direction is totally fine and understandable. Stopping and staring, or staring and walking into something is not. Please treat service dog handlers and disabled people as the actual people we are, and respect us.

Thank you for reading!

[accessproblems]

The Do’s & Don’ts of Confronting a Dog In Public - For Employees

So, you’re a waiter working at a restaurant, where health codes dictate that non-service animals are strictly prohibited. You see someone walk in with a dog, some sort of medium-sized mixbreed. That dog is in a perfect heel, wearing a head collar, and ignoring the people around him, but you don’t see a vest. What do you do?

You’re a cashier working at your local grocery store, and pets shouldn’t be there because getting dog hair on the merchandise would be gross. Somebody walks in with their tiny chihuahua in a carrier bag. The chihuahua is sitting inside, calm, but aware. You can just barely make out some sort of vest. The owner seems perfectly healthy though and the dog is not on the leash. When she grabs a cart, she puts the small dog inside it. Should this be addressed?

You’re highly allergic to dogs and you work at a home improvement store, with lots of loud noises and open space. You see a big, hairy golden retriever walk in through the entrance and instantly feel like you want to sneeze just thinking about it. The dog is wearing a vest that says “emotional support dog,” but he pulls at his owner any which way, wags his tail when people come near, and the owner encourages people to pet him. The dog doesn’t respond to his name, and is sniffing the floor and the merchandise. Is this okay?

When You See A Well-Behaved Dog Walk Into Your Store: Do:

-Assume the dog is a legitimate Service Dog, and treat the handler kindly. -Approach the handler calmly and ask “Is that a Service Dog, and if so, what task does it perform?” -Ignore the dog -Talk to the handler like they are a normal person, maybe compliment them on their dog’s behavior.

Don’t:

-Approach the handler with an offensive attitude, angrily comment, “We don’t allow dogs in here!” -Reach down to pet the dog, while talking only to the dog, and ignoring the handler. -Demand to see any sort of documentation, doctor’s note, or identification. -Ask them for proof of the dog’s tasks, by requesting that the dog perform a task in front of you. -Deny the owner access, on account that you “don’t believe the dog is legitimate” -Follow the handler around, waiting for the dog to make a mistake.  -Tell the handler that their dog can’t be a service dog because of the dog’s breed or size, or argue that the only Service Dogs that exist are guide dogs.

When You See An Ill-Mannered Dog Walk Into Your Store: Do: 

-Approach the handler and ask if the dog is a Service animal and what task he is trained to perform. -Ask the handler politely to remove their animal, since it is acting poorly (ways of acting poorly include, going to the bathroom inside, lunging at onlookers, vocalizing unnecessarily, being generally unkempt and unclean, showing signs of aggression) -Inform the handler that they are welcome in the store, without their dog.  -Calmly express to them why their dog is being denied.

Don’t:

-Allow a dog that performs “emotional support” or an “emotional support animal” into your store. These animals do not have any legal rights to public places. -Assume that every dog that enters your store is going to act like the bad ones. -Accept any form of certification as “proof” they the animal is a service dog.  -Deny the handler access into the store, after they have removed their dog.  -Approach them angrily or with ill-intent. 

When A Service Dog Enters Your Store But Somebody There Has Severe Allergies: Do:

-accommodate both disabilities by separating the two people as much as possible.  -ensure the dog is legitimate by asking if it is a service dog and what tasks it is trained to perform. -remember that  legitimate service dog will be well groomed in order to minimize the risk of anybody around them having an allergic reaction. -take note as to whether or not the breed of dog is anti-allergenic, like a poodle-mix. -stay calm and inform the service dog handler of the possible allergic problems; most service dog handlers will do what they can to minimize the problem.

Don’t:

-freak out and deny the Service Dog access -force the person with allergies to be in close proximity of the person with the dog -deny access to either party  -allow an unkempt dog into your store  -tuck the Service Dog handler away or force them to participate in whatever way that would make their trip more difficult or impossible 

**In relation to US law, in accordance with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

[adventureswithshadowsd]

Good starter list for service dog prospect socialization. 8-16 weeks is they key window for properly socializing a pup. This time period determines how your dog thinks, feels, and acts toward new situations or setting. While you can work against habits that come from bad socialization it’s a lot of work.

edit: if I would also add it’s very important to socialize your pup to be grabbed at, pulled at, talked to, drive by petting, being touched unexpectedly etc as these are all things pup must be able to ignore, and getting them used to these types of things pup will need to be able to ignore!

[service-dog-handler-problems]

When people say "But you don't look like you need a service dog!"

I didn’t know disability had a specific ‘look.’

[servicedogstuff-blog]

To everyone who is feeling discouraged in their training: 

you are doing a good job

your dog will still love you even if you have an off training day

sometimes your dog will not perform the commands you know they know, that’s okay, tomorrow’s a new day

if you screw up, you can fix it, dogs are adaptable

your dog is smart, they will learn what they need even if it takes months

training takes a long time, that’s okay

your hard work will pay off

it’s okay to take a day, a few days, or even a week off

your dog won’t give up on you, as long as you don’t give up on them

the internet is a wonderful thing, use it to help you (especially youtube)

if all else fails, ask your local reputable professional trainer

[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!

[trainingfaith]

Stress signals in dogs...and why they are important!!

I was watching a video the other day of a service dog in training. He was heeling beautifully beside his handler in a department store, sitting on command, performing a long distance down stay, and just being a really good dog. The handler wrote a short bit about how proud she was for how well her puppy was doing with his public access training. However, my heart truly breaks for this dog.

What the handler failed to realize is how completely uncomfortable her dog was to be there. Despite him behaving near flawlessly, his body language was screaming he’d rather be anywhere but where he was right then. Unfortunately many dog owners fail to notice subtle, yet key, signs of stress for their dog. Without knowing how to read subtle changes in body language, you can easily cause your dog to go from mildly nervous or uncomfortable, to a full on panic or rage in a matter of seconds. This is what happens when people say their dog “just had a meltdown,” or even snapped at someone, for “no reason.”  Ignoring stress signals is incredibly dangerous for everyone involved.

When out training with your service dog (or your pet dog for that matter), it is important to get into the habit of carefully watching your dog’s body language. It helps to write down in a training log exactly how your dog reacts to different stimuli. This way, you will be able to clearly see where your dog is solid, where your dog is not, where you are improving, and where you need more work.

Below are signs of minor stress signals for dogs.

When I say minor, this doesn’t mean you should continue what you are doing in hopes he will just “get over it.”  What I DO mean is that these are the signals which are almost always overlooked… when key stress signals are overlooked by the handler, it can lead to much greater problems.

Lip licking when no food is present

Yawning when he didn’t just wake up

Rapid sniffing of the air or ground

Stiff movement or tense muscles

Slowed movement or a laggy heel

Lowered tail

Hyper vigilance (rapidly moving eyes trying to scan the environment)

Hardened facial features

Dog stops taking treats/food

Dog starts taking treats in a more hard/bitey manor

Hard eyes (fast/sharp blinking)

Weight shift changes

Panting when it’s not hot out

Slightly roached (curved) back

Ears back

Not responding to handler’s commands

Looking away from handler

Whiney and uneasy

Nibbling on treats but not actually eating them

Leaning on the handler

Scratching themselves

Now here are some major stress signals for dogs.

If your dog is experiencing any of these, it is not only time to remove him from the situation ASAP, but to also rethink your training plan. Many of these signals will occur just shortly before a complete panic and/or bite.

Tightly tucked tail

Whale eye (dog’s eyes go wide and you can see the white rim around them)

Pulling towards an exit

Pulling away from the handler

Spinning on the leash

Not responding to the handler’s commands

Not responding to the handler’s voice

Shaking

Urinating

Low/tucked body position with a roached (curved) back

Sweaty paws

Whining

Heavy breathing when it’s not hot out

Teeth chattering

Tense lips and incisors (front teeth) showing while licking at the air

Laying down on the ground with their chin down and not wanting to move

Your service dog depends on you JUST as much as you depend on him. As your dog’s handler, you are 100% responsible for his mental and physical well-being at all times. No matter what situation you find yourself in, your dog’s needs should always come first.

Pushing a nervous dog into a situation where he is uncomfortable is one of the absolute worst things you can do for your SDiT, and creates the potential for much greater behavioral issues further down the road. Thinking your dog can “just get over it” is an extremely outdated training tactic. Just because your dog appears to stop fighting does NOT mean he is comfortable in that situation… it simply means he has shut down.  He’s still anxious and afraid, but he’s decided there’s no point in fighting anymore. This is one of the most dangerous situations your dog may find himself in. He appears “calm,” but a second later has the potential to lash out and bite.

I get it, we are all excited to start public access training! However, the goal for service dog training should always be to create a mentally sound and stable dog in all situations. Subjecting him to situations which cause him fear or panic is just NOT the way to do that.

[lunatheservicedog-deactivated20]

How to pet a service dog

You don’t

[smoofza]

Smush face 💜

[nightshift-novice-deactivated20]

Dogs are not communal property.

Hi friends. I’m currently on a rage because my best friend & I are service dog handlers and people have zero respect for us as handlers.

If we are in public:

staring is rude

petting is rude

distracting my dog is rude

taking photos are rude

“OH MY GOD DOG” is rude

do not let your dog meet mine

mine is life-saving medical equipment, yours just peed on your foot

……Have you really never seen a dog before?

If we are in dorms/halls and not working our dogs:

yelling at our dogs is rude

pushing our dogs is rude

smacking or negatively interacting with our dogs without explicit consent from the handler is unacceptable

In training service dogs are not perfect especially when young and not working. Dogs are not robots and they are not yours. My service dog is mine and no one but me has the right to interact with, punish, or do anything with my dog without my explicit permission. This should be common knowledge even for pet dogs- you wouldn’t punish a strangers child.

A dog in training will not learn if 10 people are yelling at them for what the handler wanted to be a recall training session. A dog needs constant and consistent rules and I don’t care if you had a dog as a kid, a service dog is an entirely different ballgame and you don’t know about it until you are a disabled service dog handler.

My dog is the only reason I can go out in public most days and no one has the right to ruin that for me. A single distraction/bad interaction for my service dog can ruin our whole day. One bad interaction with my dog set us back months in training. It could even wash my dog out of work- wasting thousands of dollars and hours of work.

Dogs are not communal property and fuck you if you feel that you petting a dog is more important than me being able to function like a regular human being. You aren’t entitled to anything from me or my dog.

[zackancodeine]

my mom has a friend who has a failed program-service dog and he’s literally my favorite creature

He’s a really smart lab, he learned all the commands, but he just has an affinity for doing them whenever he wants

So this lady’s dog literally turns on-off lights, opens doors, opens the fridge, etc… at his own wishes.

Her house looks like its baby-proofed, with kid safe locks on everything and stuff, but really she just has a dog that’s learned all the mobility service dog commands but has a mind of his own.

[trainingfaith]

what’s it like having a service dog at college? class, dorms, people.

Hey Anon! Great question. It’s been a ride for sure. This might be a bit of a long answer lol….

Service Dogs in College Classes

When I was working Faith (fully trained for 3 years), I had absolutely zero issues with classes. She’s used to holding down stays for hours on end, so we’d show up to class, sit near the back out of courtesy for others, and she’d just quietly chill by my feet until it was time to leave. I’d tell her to potty in between classes, give her about 5 minutes to sniff around and take a break, and it was off to another class. Professors loved her and we got tons of compliments on her behavior. 

With Defiance (in training for 3-4 months), things are a bit more challenging. Classes are long and boring for him. He has trouble holding his down stays for the whole class, especially for my Tuesday/Thursday classes which are longer. I have to remember to treat him every few minutes and remind him to stay down. Occasionally he whines, and I have to remember to reward for being quiet. It’s definitely been more of a distraction for me trying to balance his training with listening to the lecture. Frozen peanut butter Kongs and other (quiet) chew toys have been a huge help. However, on occasion I have had to leave class early because he was just done– it’s my responsibility as his handler to respect his limits and respect the other students around me by removing him. He’s getting much better though. It just takes time.

Overall, classes are SO MUCH easier with a SD than a SDiT. 

Service Dogs in Dorm Rooms

Again, Faith was my easy keeper. She and I have traveled all over the country together. She’s stayed in countless hotel rooms, she’s very calm, and she’s just used to that kind of lifestyle. She had a crate in the dorm, but the door was always left open. She’d just put herself in there at night and that was that. Before classes, I got up about 30 minutes earlier than I needed to every morning so I could take her on a quick walk, feed her, run her over with a brush if she was shedding, and make sure she was good to go for the day. In the evenings, I’d open the back door of the dorm hall where there’s a little grassy patch, she’d walk out about 15 feet, immediately potty on command, and come in for the night. 

Defiance slowly settled into dorm life well. He’s about 80-something lbs, and much more high energy than Faith. I have to get up about an hour earlier than I need to so I can walk him, feed him, do some training warm-ups before class, and make sure he’s good to go. I take him on another quick walk in the afternoon since he doesn’t attend all of my classes yet, and another long walk in the evening before bedtime. I don’t trust him to walk out and potty like I did with Faith, so if he needs a midnight potty I have to get my snow boots on and walk out there with him. 

Overall, you’ll learn how to make it work. Obviously, things are a bit easier with a dog who’s fully trained and used to living in tight spaces. However, dorm life really hasn’t been bad for either of them. 

Service Dogs Around Campus

Because you won’t have a yard to let your dog out in, you’ll be spending a lot of time walking them around campus both on-duty and off-duty. I make it very clear to people that my service dog isn’t to be touched when working. However, anyone is free to come over for puppy cuddles and kisses if they see me walking with them off-duty. 

With Faith, she’s very much bonded to me and she thinks anyone else can just go fuck themselves lol. Okay, not that extreme. However, as friendly as she is with strangers, she didn’t need to socialize with people. She was happy just being around me.  With Defiance, he ADORES people and actually needs to have time spent out socializing or he won’t be happy. It just depends on the individual dog. 

I hope this helps!~ Lex (& Defiance)

[retrievingmyheart-blog]

When your parents make you eat your greens 😋😝😒 #goldensofig #goldenretrieverpuppy #funnydog #sillypuppy #ihatehealthyeating #retrievingmyheartblog