[yooperbug]

Hi there. I have put together a website too seek help to get my dog trained to be my psychiatric service dog. I'm just wondering what you all think of my site? Any suggestions or things I should change? Please send me a private msg for the link. I didn't want to post the link here in case it offends anyone. It explains a lot about my dog and I.

Thanks,
Amanda

 

[WiscTiger]

What type of help are you seeking? If it is training help there is a Service Dog section on the board that can probably help you.

Asking people for financial help is against the board rules you agreed to when you joined the board. See the rules posted here: http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubb...ge=1#Post139444

Wisc.Tiger - Admin.
Val

 

[yooperbug]

I'm not asking for donations from folks on the board. I just wanted people to look at the site and tell me what I should change and give me any suggestions.

Amanda

 

[AbbyK9]

You should re-post the link to your website in this thread so that people can find it. I think the other threat that had the link was removed since it's essentially a duplicate of this one in terms of topic. Duplicate threads on this board usually get removed so that people don't end up following two threads on the same subject, which gets really confusing.

If you could post the link here, that would be great.

I went and checked your blog out earlier and I think the design is pretty. It's very simple and it's easy to find everything. So from that standpoint, it looks good.

I would like to see more information about what a Psychiatric Service Dog does and what the dog would be able to be trained to do for you in particular. What you have to bear in mind is that most people do not know anything about service dogs and what they do, what makes a service dog, and how they are different from, say, therapy dogs. That's something that's important to lay out for people to understand. Then explain that dogs must be trained specific tasks that can be done on commands - bringing a phone, bringing medication, etc.

I think a lot of people who don't know anything about service dogs would read the list you have now and say, "well, any dog will cuddle and initiate play - how does that make it a service dog?"

Is your main goal locating a competent trainer to work with you and your dog to train specific tasks? If so, this forum can give you great advice where to find a trainer. A lot of tasks can be trained with the help of any experienced trainer who can show you how to shape behaviors - it doesn't necessarily need to be a service dog trainer. You can also do a lot of the training yourself - remember, the ADA allows owner/handler trained dogs.

If you need help training specific behaviors, I bet you can get a lot of feedback on that here as well. Check out the section on Service and Therapy Dogs further down on the forum - that would be a super place to start.

The other thing I noticed on your site is that you want to get into SAR. Are you looking to start SAR with the same dog that will be your service dog? Are you wanting to handle her in SAR or will someone else handle her?

 

[yooperbug]

I was told my dog may be too old to start training to be a PSD. I'd love to get into SAR but is she too old to get into that too? She just turned 5 yesterday. She needs to start from basic obedience. So I may not be able to get her trained for a PSD but she show so much potential in tracking. So to be honest I'm not sure what to do. I'm so use to people telling me what to do. If I can get any advice I'd be grateful. Oh, here's my website. http://vansheidihouten.synthasite.com/

Amanda

 

[AbbyK9]

I don't think your dog is "too old" to start training to become your service dog, as long as she has good manners, a good temperament, and is safe and controlled being in everyday situations such as walking down the road, passing other dogs, walking around traffic, etc.

If it's only a matter of teaching her obedience (nice heeling, checking in on you) and teaching her tasks on command (fetching a phone, alerting you to people ringing the door bell, etc.) then I don't see why she could not be your service dog.

It's ideal if you have a dog from a puppy and can control the environment they grow up in and start imprinting certain behaviors when they are very young - but if you had a solid dog to start with and train tasks, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to work with a dog that is a bit older.

If it is tracking you want to do, have you considered doing tracking just for fun, rather than for SAR? Most clubs that do Schutzhund will do tracking and you could see if you can have her evaluated by a trainer and go from there. If you think she has potential in tracking, there's no reason not to take it up - even as "just" a fun activity.

 

[WiscTiger]

Service dog training discussions belong in the Service dog area. The link was removed because the post was asking to critique her website and if she wants that then it belongs in chat.

 

[WiscTiger]

I am locking this thread. If you want to discuss training of your Service Dog there is a forum for that. If you want people to critique you website that can be posted in Chat section. Since there are two things going on this thread I am not moving it to one section or the other.

Wisc.Tiger - Admin
Val