Balance dogs!

[lemstar]

I think I recently read that people with MS can have a service dog for balance! I have thought about training one of mine, who would be good, and even gave him a few trial runs. Sometimes he was great!!, and others, well, not so much....lol. (He would have knocked me down if I had really needed him....).
But I thought I'd share that, because I can see how it could really help....

[MtnHigh]

I have read that having a trained dog for walking can be a good thing.

I am looking into getting a service dog that came pick things up and open dogs, but that on my good days can just be there when I am walking so I don't fall.. or at least don't fall as much!

I wish the wait wasn't for long

[Oldschool54]

Service dog

Hello I have a trained service dog thru the good people at Cannie Compaions for Independence and I am here to tell you I now can not imagine life without her. We graduated in August of 2011 and after a full year of being together we are never apart. She knows 44 commands and is so much help picking up dropped items and turning lights on and off opening doors and carrying items helping with pulling jeans off and socks or a jacket going to refrigerator and opening and closing it and carrying a bottle of water or pop to me or for me. With that all said I can not tell you what she has done for me in the emotional way and that means positive. I guess I can not put in web address for Cannine Companions for Independence so I will say just drop me a pm or go on the web and do a search you will find them and they have 5 offices accross the nation so one is able to get to them from almost anywhere. What a blessing and I will share with you as much as I can via email or pm. By the way my dogs name is Baila

[nstyhbts]

I have a CCI dog also

I also have a service dog from Canine Companions for Independence. I got Najee in May of 2010. He also goes everywhere for with me. When I was first applying I thought I wasn't disabled enough to need a service dog, but my brother told me to let CCI make that determination. Well I started the application process in November of 2009, had my in person interview in February of 2010 and they called me in March to say they have a spot for me in the May class. I cannot imagine my life with out Najee.

[Oldschool54]

Great to hear

I also have a service dog from Canine Companions for Independence. I got Najee in May of 2010. He also goes everywhere for with me. When I was first applying I thought I wasn't disabled enough to need a service dog, but my brother told me to let CCI make that determination. Well I started the application process in November of 2009, had my in person interview in February of 2010 and they called me in March to say they have a spot for me in the May class. I cannot imagine my life with out Najee.

nstyhbts It is good to hear you say you didn't think you were disabled enough to have or need a service dog. Because I too felt that way but my daughters and my wife pursued the avenue anyhow. And what an expierence it has been and now I am soooooooooo glad they did Balia is just my constant companion as Najee is to you. Where did you graduate from and it is always great to hear from another graduate. Take care and good days to you.

[redbreast21]

nstyhbts It is good to hear you say you didn't think you were disabled enough to have or need a service dog. Because I too felt that way but my daughters and my wife pursued the avenue anyhow. And what an expierence it has been and now I am soooooooooo glad they did Balia is just my constant companion as Najee is to you. Where did you graduate from and it is always great to hear from another graduate. Take care and good days to you.

I also am a Canine Companions For Independence graduate 2012. has opened a whole new world for me. He is smarter than I am. He knows my needs before I do. The waiting period was long but so worth it. cci.org

[mercadies25]

My dog loves me and I know would do anything for me, but let a squirl run in front of her and I would be on the floor.

I love dogs and would love to have a trained canine to help pick up things and open doors and just be of assistance.

[Echo2099]

This really sounded interesting to me. I went to their site and read a lot of the information. They said they do not do balance dogs. That's what I was looking for. Is there another place to go for balance dogs?

[Tawanda]

I am looking into getting a service dog that came pick things up and open dogs

I am assuming you meant "doors" and not a dog who can perform surgery on other dogs!

I type stuff like that all the time which is why that made me laugh!

[grammy2many]

Interesting!!!

My hubby has brought this up several times, but I too thought I'm don't need that quite yet. He worries because I do fall and drop things and he is away from the house at night when he works the night schedule. If there is a long waiting period, it's probably worth looking into now. Thanks for the thoughts, but my kitty might not be too happy about it ;-)

[Pipes123]

Interesting topic. I'm looking into this.

I'm currently going back and forth between wanting a puppy I can train and wanting to rescue a dog that already has excellent leash walking skills and is sturdy enough to wear a balance harness/ handle. Retrieving things also would be a major plus, but just being able to lean on the dog while walking would be a serious health boost. Plus dogs make me happy.

The canine companion trained dogs are wonderful, but I think I can manage a less polished version for myself, possibly with the help of a trainer. I didn't know this, but apparently service dogs ride free when you travel by plane. I have no personal experience of the ride for free tidbit, but I read it on the internet, so it must be true, right?

[misslux]

My vote is to adopt a rescue dog. There are so many great dogs just waiting for there forever home and oftentimes shelters can help you with training.

[justacowgirl]

Hey all.. What a great thread. I own a boarding kennel and train dogs; I am an ex-K9 so let me wade in here.

Not all dogs can be true service dogs. People have dogs they call "service dogs" but the training is quite specialized.

In our state a service dog has an id and meets certain criteria.

In our area there are several very good reputable people who could help train; so if you research you should be able to find someone to help you if you are looking for dogs that help with balance etc.

A dog should be assessed by a professional to be a service candidate; as with any dog potentially being trained for a job. Not all dogs have the drive or the mental aptitude for this type of work. When people tell me they are going to use a current pet I am always skeptical.

It is important to find a good experienced trainer and that person may already have a dog(s) lined up.

A yes, a rescue could potentially be a candidate.

Training a dog is an art and although some people are naturally better at it I can say from giving many classes that mist people don't have a clue about how to proceed so a trainer can be invaluable.

A service dog must be reliable in any situation no matter how confusing.. Traffic, aggressive people, unusual movements etc.

All my dogs do all these things and more!

Training this type of dog can be expensive and it is time consuming so if I can be of help please message me or go o my website and email me.

I am a fountain of doggie information!!

J

[football-mom]

I had a rescue Great Pyrenees, god rest her soul, who naturally checked my balance without ever being taught or asked to. She also knew before I did when I was going to run into trouble and would herd me into a chair. I really miss her.

She would never fetch anything though. I think that was beneath her or something.

[poppydarling]

A couple of things I've learned as I train my rescued Great Pyrenees to be a balance dog for myself:

According to servicedogcentral.org, "the US Department of Justice permits businesses to ask two questions:
1. Is this a service dog required because of disability?
2. What is it trained to do to mitigate the disability?

Remember that "[a]nimals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits, or to promote emotional well-being are not service animals..." so a service animal must be specifically trained to DO something."

There is no official certification for a service dog, but you do protect yourself and others when you make sure your dog is trained in specific tasks to help your mobility. You can go through a non-profit group or train the dog yourself -- businesses cannot discriminate against you because you don't have a dog from one of the national agencies (but they can boot you out if your dog misbehaves!)

It is totally possible to train a dog yourself! Especially if you know a little about dogs and training methods. You have to be patient -- it can take a few months to get your dog fully trained to go out in public with you. I couldn't afford the cost or the wait for a dog from a national organization, so I adopted my dog for a small fee from the national breed rescue group.

If you're totally new to it, I would consult with someone who has experience in dog breeds and temperament assessment and training, to help you choose a dog and get started (they need to have the right personality and be at least 40% of your body weight to act as a balance dog).

Here's a man with MS who trained his own balance dog:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGN53Aa-1U4

The Service Dog Project provides balance dogs (mostly Great Danes) free of charge to those with mobility issues:

http://www.servicedogproject.org/

I will keep everyone posted on my journey! So far, Walden has learned "Pick It Up!" and "Walk with Me" plus "Pull" "Touch" and many other directionals, to help as he moves next to me. It has been very exciting! He makes me feel so secure.