Service dogs for Lupus?

[ASDogGeek]

My friend's boyfriend has Lupus and was wonering if they had service dogs for Lupus and if so what tasks they have? He is looking into getting one or having his dog evaluated to be a service dog in training for him but I don't know where they can go he also wanted to know what tasks they have Does anyone know? Does anyone know the tasks or where he could get one?

[ASDogGeek]

Mostly looking for

What tasks do they have?

Where could he aply to get one?

would they be more like mobility dogs?

[Lin]

Yes, it would be a mobility assistance service dog. Which has even higher restrictions on the dogs health than other types of service dogs, so if he is interested in his own dog doing the work he needs to start with getting his dog checked out thoroughly.

Even if his dog does not have what it takes to be a service dog, if the dog is healthy it can still perform service tasks around the home. Some mobility tasks are things like assisting on stairs, acting as a brace, pulling to a standing position, turning the lights on or off, opening cabinets/doors, retrieving objects, picking up dropped objects, balance assistance, helping with laundry, carrying shopping bags... there are tons.

[Lin]

Oh, also, since he has a dog already no organization is going to place a trained service dog in his home... I've looked extensively (first for a GSD mobility dog, and later other breeds as well), and couldn't find a single organization willing to place a service dog in a home that already had a dog.

But an owner trained dog is still an option.

[ASDogGeek]

Originally Posted by Lin

Yes, it would be a mobility assistance service dog. Which has even higher restrictions on the dogs health than other types of service dogs, so if he is interested in his own dog doing the work he needs to start with getting his dog checked out thoroughly.

Even if his dog does not have what it takes to be a service dog, if the dog is healthy it can still perform service tasks around the home. Some mobility tasks are things like assisting on stairs, acting as a brace, pulling to a standing position, turning the lights on or off, opening cabinets/doors, retrieving objects, picking up dropped objects, balance assistance, helping with laundry, carrying shopping bags... there are tons.

thank you that is kinda what I was thinking Also turns out Nim has more mobility tasks then I realized Thank you so much it means a lot he really can benifit from a service dog

[Lin]

Just a note, there IS a downside to a mobility assistance dog... Sort of like how a psychiatric service dog can have a downside for a patient with anxiety who is then stared at for having a service dog.

But with limited mobility it can be hard to take care of the dog and consistently keep them ready to go in a service dog fashion. Especially when it comes to an owner trained dog, due to being responsible for the upkeep of training myself (and my habit of spreading myself too thin in my life...) sometimes it seems as if the help doesn't outweigh the added trouble. I keep Tessa extremely clean, regular baths and daily brushing and weekly dremeling of the nails so they don't clack on floors. This and the added time to brush and harness up Tessa before we leave is draining.

If he goes the route of an owner trained dog he really will need support from somewhere, be it friends/family or a training organization etc. Its not an easy undertaking for someone suffering from a painful and fatiguing chronic illness.

[ASDogGeek]

Originally Posted by Lin

Just a note, there IS a downside to a mobility assistance dog... Sort of like how a psychiatric service dog can have a downside for a patient with anxiety who is then stared at for having a service dog.

But with limited mobility it can be hard to take care of the dog and consistently keep them ready to go in a service dog fashion. Especially when it comes to an owner trained dog, due to being responsible for the upkeep of training myself (and my habit of spreading myself too thin in my life...) sometimes it seems as if the help doesn't outweigh the added trouble. I keep Tessa extremely clean, regular baths and daily brushing and weekly dremeling of the nails so they don't clack on floors. This and the added time to brush and harness up Tessa before we leave is draining.

If he goes the route of an owner trained dog he really will need support from somewhere, be it friends/family or a training organization etc. Its not an easy undertaking for someone suffering from a painful and fatiguing chronic illness.

Thank you, yeah he has his fiance who will help him train and care for his dog weather it is owner trained or organization trained!

[elly1210]

Originally Posted by Lin

Oh, also, since he has a dog already no organization is going to place a trained service dog in his home... I've looked extensively (first for a GSD mobility dog, and later other breeds as well), and couldn't find a single organization willing to place a service dog in a home that already had a dog.

But an owner trained dog is still an option.

This is not true there are organizations that will place a trained service dog if you already have a dog in the home. The dog is evaluated just as the person is to make sure that the SD dog and the pet dog will get along. I am sure there are some agencies that will not place but there are some out there that do.

Where ever you live you can also try and do a google and see if there are more private trainers in the area that may help evaluate your dog to see if it is suitable for being a service dog. There are multi purpose dogs that do the tasks of mobility dogs the difference is that some mobility dog is also are trained to help pull the person's wheelchair for short distances usually up small inclines. I am sure that there may be other differences but instead of a mobility dog he may need a multi-purpose dog.

Here is a website that I found to be helpful when explaining different tasks for Assistance Dogs
http://www.iaadp.org/tasks.html and for PSD Tasks http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html

Whatever you do just do your research. Good luck.

[ILGHAUS]

Just remember with training a SD don't pick out a dog or decide to train a currently owned dog by asking what tasks can I train this dog to make it a SD.

Sit down and decide what tasks (jobs) that need to be done and the PWD can not do for themself. Make these tasks those which need to be taken care by someone somehow. Then with that list decide which tasks can be trained to a dog, which tasks only another human can do, or which tasks a person with a disabiilty could do if they had additional training or a special device to assist them.

Sometimes by looking over the list of tasks will show the PWD would be better off hiring someone to cook, clean, or shop for them, or there is some type of equipment that can do a specific job around the house. SDs are life changing and caring for them and making sure all of their needs are seen to can be more work then what they in turn can do for a particular individual. Deciding to partner with a SD should be something thought about in great detail and from all angles.

[Lin]

Originally Posted by ILGHAUS

Sometimes by looking over the list of tasks will show the PWD would be better off hiring someone to cook, clean, or shop for them, or there is some type of equipment that can do a specific job around the house. SDs are life changing and caring for them and making sure all of their needs are seen to can be more work then what they in turn can do for a particular individual. Deciding to partner with a SD should be something thought about in great detail and from all angles.

Very well said, what I was trying to get at

elly, if you know of some organizations willing to place dogs in homes that already have dogs as pets please list them. Because to date I have found none, the best I've found is some organizations willing to place a dog when there is a retired SD in the home.