# Service dog



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

That is awesome that your poodle is helping your boys!!!! 

I have a 2 year old autistic grand daughter who lives with me and I watch full time. She ignores the animals for the most part, but when she does try to interact she is too rough so with the exception of one cat who doesn't mind, I keep the animals and the baby under very close watch.

I would love to have her interact with a bigger dog and see how it goes. She does seem to like horses so maybe a bigger dog might get her attention. She does not melt down very often, but does have extreme anxiety.


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## lily cd re (Jul 23, 2012)

There are a number of people who use their poodles as service dogs, so I am sure you will find some good support for your efforts. I wish you success.


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## SableTMC (Oct 12, 2013)

aasteapots said:


> Is anyone else here using or training their poodle to be a service dog? We have had our Standard pup since she was 8 weeks. She is bonding with our family and my two autistic sons. She is starting her obedience training in 2 weeks she will be trained for signaling and retrieval. She will also be used for comfort for the boys. She has already done an amazing job as a comfort dog for one of my sons meltdowns. She is an amazing gift to our boys and I am very much looking forward to watching them bond and grow even more. I hope there are other people here that can share their experience with me and their service dogs. ~Amy


I'm one of those people training our puppy as a service dog. Seizure alert can't exactly be trained, but for response we'll work on bringing me the phone, letting someone else in the house know whats up, I guess signaling and retrieval like you said. I figure we'll do a group obedience class for socialization/basics and have a trainer come out for the response training. That's great to hear that she's been a help to your family. I'll surely post about our successes/difficulties and be glad to hear about yours:act-up:


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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

*Jazz earned her CGC today*

That is a nice mile stone for my little owner trained SDit. While not required a CGC is often considered a nice way to prove your dogs training. This was our first chance to take the test and I was a bit worried about the stay with a stranger part but she just stood there and watched for me to come back. The tester said she even waited a bit longer then the test standard so I feel a lot better if I ever have to hand her off to someone she has never met. 

She impressed the tester during the "distraction" part of the test as she totally ignored the sound of her metal clipboard hitting the floor. Grin even the tester jumped a bit as the sound of it hitting the floor was louder then she expected.


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## 12489 (Apr 2, 2013)

I'm so glad you are having success. How was the experience of picking out the right puppy to be a service dog? Did the breeder pick the dog or did you just go on a hunch? I will be training my own PSD but I'm very concerned about getting a ideal temperament. Not every poodle is ideal to be a service dog. 

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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

Jazz we got lucky with, she was bought as a pet but turned out to be a natural alerter. She is very sensitive to my moods, knows when to get pushy (mom you have been up over 26 hours go to bed NOW) and when just a reminder (hey I am here calm down) will work. We are working on getting her signals for her medical alerts a bit more clear as she alerts to high and low blood sugars, high blood pressure, and vertigo(no idea what triggers this one but she does and will shove DH or my granddaughter down and make them sit just before an episode hits) 

Monster Puppy aka Apollo was offered to us as a mobility prospect. We asked an experienced service dog trainer to evaluate his litter and see if he would work for us. Luckily for us and Monster he has the perfect temperament for his possible job. He is sweet, laid back and has no idea how big and powerful he is/will be. Wry grin this is a good thing as at just turned 11 months old his is ~26 inches tall and a touch over 60 pounds. 

I would highly recommend finding a trainer to help evaluate any prospects. Temperament testing can give you an idea if a dog could be a good prospect. Of course nothing is a guarantee as so many things can happen during training or even after you are working that will affect how well they can handle the stress of working as a service dog.


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## SableTMC (Oct 12, 2013)

I had the wonderful opportunity of actually performing the Volhard test on the whole litter of puppies to see which would be best for us. I went over the directions for weeks before we got to the breeder just so I could know how the scores were done and what they meant. Then to my surprise, we get there and she says "Caite, how would you feel about taking them to the new area and getting started on the tests?" It turned out to be the perfect way to put aside the aesthetic influence and enjoy personality. Now I'm counting down the days (5 to go) until puppy can come home and make our lives even more interesting. The experience is even better getting to discuss everything that fascinates me about service dogs and poodles on poodleforum. Anyone from FL is more than welcome to contact me so we can get something together once our Kenzo has his shots by Dec


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## aasteapots (Oct 6, 2013)

My trainer came with me to choose our pup. She did a bunch of tests on them and chose Silvie. She is an amazing young lady. Her temperament is perfect and she is smart as a whip. She is already aware of her job even though she is only 6 mo. she will lay down with the boys if a meltdown starts and she will stay with them until they calm down. She is learning so quickly. We have taken her in public a few times and she is adjusting well to her settle command and knows she is to be quiet and use her manners when wearing her vest.


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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

I'm using mine as a diabetic alert dog, I took her normal alert and converted it to a leg touch which is better in public. I was told by a SD trainer that the alert needed to be something trained, not her spontaneous face licking. Beyond that she has had 24 weeks of obedience school plus I have worked with her several hundred hours over the last year. In my opinion we need a specialized test, the CGC just proves a dog behaves well in public and for someone else. Some testers still try to use escalators which can be dangerous for the dog. Poodles are intelligent and learn their job, asking them to stay with someone else goes against the hours of training where they must be close enough to sense a body change.
I believe the AKC should have specialized tests for any service dog that takes the actual service use into consideration and make it mandatory due to all the fake service dogs showing up these days. 
The poodle and I ran into a lady with a Maltese "service dog" in her grocery basket last week with a generic vest on and a fake online ID in the vest pocket. As I stopped my basket beside her to get some cereal and my dog sat and waited the little dog barked like crazy and she couldn't quiet it down. It didn't even have a leash on, apparently she carries it all the time or it isn't leash trained either. These fakes are making it hard on those of us who have hundreds or thousands of dollars into specialized training and months, even years, of ongoing training. I still call a SD trainer occasionally to come in if I hit an obstacle and I've trained 2 DADS now. I've had business owners ask to see the ID card ( which really doesn't exist) because of these online fake IDs. If they insist I quote them the state statute on service dogs, the ADA and suggest they phone police because I refuse to have my rights violated. 

I suggest you carry the ADA info and know any local or state laws when you start working the dog in public. Laws vary, here as the trainer Of the dog I could train her in public as " in training" and I started that after she passed her first 2 public obedience class sessions, 16 weeks.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

markbthompson, you have my total sympathy re the disservice being done to you and everyone else who really needs a service dog by the many fakers out there. but i have to say that it's very likely that any test that can be created will only stop the fakers momentarily. i think the ada is written the way it is to ensure benefit of the doubt to those needing service dogs, even at the cost of the fakers. a misbehaving dog, even if it can be proven to be a service dog, is ejectable from a place of business under the ada, and that is where retailers should be looking, not at people who really need their dogs and have one that is obviously well-behaved. that's the message that needs to be given to retailers. if they're going to risk being sued, at least do it under the right rubric.


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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

keep in mind that the ADA would only be a civil suit if someone did sue a business although there is a case against Bojangles or PO Boys/whatever in the South with a boy and DAD refused service who got witness information and turned it over to the DOJ who sued on his behalf and he got half the settlement. In Kentucky there is a law for refusing service assuming the animal wasn't causing an issue. It is a criminal offense here and I keep a copy of the KRS with me.

I agree about misbehaving dogs but I have yet to see a real service dog misbehave in public. Mine did bark once at a child who was teasing her with a cookie, maybe the child should have been thrown out of the store, fortunately we weren't asked to go that day. I try to avoid kids or places I know they will be because they run at her, don't ask to pet or anything , and follow us around. The parents don't even try to stop them. She wears a full red Ruffwear harness with 4 3" patches and I have Do not Pet on her leash.


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## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

i'm thinkin' that the fakers are far more likely to have dogs that don't behave well than those with real service dogs. that's the hidden blessing of that provision if commercial enterprises would learn the rules. they could help themselves and everyone else without giving people who have real service dogs unnecessary grief.


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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

Sugar Dogs does give their members simple business cards with the ADA info and contact # on the back. it has Sugar Dog Trainer/dog team on the front. It isn't one of those fancy fake IDs but I have given them to 2-3 store managers and suggest they read up or call after they asked questions technically not allowed by the ADA. The dog and I wear matching " dog tags" with the medical symbol on the front, my name, diabetic, wife phone # and see wallet card where I carry a gold metal credit card with my medical details.

All business owners should at least know the ADA, even if they don't know local statutes but the seem to either question everyone or no one, maybe the ones letting in Chihuahua balance dogs have been burned by fakes threatening to sue. I heard a woman tell the owner once she had to have the dog to " feel right" and he let her carry it into the grocery even though technically that is a therapy dog with no public access rights on the ADA.

We have a 9 YO Shih Tzu and she does alert to low sugar after seeing the poodles do it but I would never put a vest on her, she doesn't behave well and isn't very accurate. She started doing it when my last poodle died and did it occasionally until Hope took it over. She is still more of a service dog than the fakes out there.


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

My 5year old Toy is my Medical Alert PSD. I adopted her at 10 months . She passed her CGC and her PAT at 2. She is a natural alerter . She alerts for a cardiac issue and Panic Disorder. 

Poodles in all sizes are amazing SD's! I recommend that you visit two reference sites DAD and PSDP. Both have great information and both provide a Public Access Test.

It sounds like your puppy is off to a great start. Wishing you and your sons the best on your journey. 

If I can be of any help please don't hesitate to PM me.
Phillis

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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

What is the DAD URL? I've Googled it every way possible in the past and never saw the site. I'm pretty sure she can pass a full public access if I'm with her.


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

Try this www.diabetesalertdogalliance.org

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## spindledreams (Aug 7, 2012)

One of the best things you can do if training a DAD or working with a DAD is to keep a written record of the dogs alerts. You want to record the date and time, locations, what the dog did, what your blood glucose was, what you did to change it and it would not hurt to record when the dog stopped alerting. 

This log will give you a way of tracking how well you are "reading" your dog and can be used as proof of task if you ever end up in a court case. Currently there is little "proof" that DAD work and a whole lot of public scandals about the scams out there for them. 

A CGC or even better the new CGCA from AKC are good to have as proof you are working with your dog. of course neither they nor a PAT (public access test) is required. *What the ADA does require is that the dog be able to do task(s) or work that will mitigate your disability. *

I can't fuss much about training records or logs as blush I myself tend to forget to keep them but some sort of record either written or video can go a long way if you need to prove your dog does what you say. 

If you have a smart phone look up the relevant local laws for service dogs and make a note on the phone. If the cops are ever called having the location/numbers for the local laws (which is what they can enforce not the ADA) handy can make their job lots easier grin not to mention it shows you are aware of the rules and are trying to obey them.


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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

I went through the website, my dog does everything they ask( except the hidden task they won't tell for some reason) and in Kentucky we don't get a visit from any organizations like them. From the looks of it, their Public Access Test is simple enough to pass, too bad the closest is 500-600 miles away from me.
I did keep records for the dog the first year, she was 36 of 38 on low and 8 of 10 on high, not a bad percentage for a pup. I like working with Sugar Dogs from Fla, their system was simple and easy to use. I've posted videos of both my dogs alerting on YouTube before so I know they will always be available. 
I also recommended knowing the local laws, the police don't enforce the ADA but they will local laws if you know them because odds are they don't most of the time when called. I keep it with my letter from Sugar Dogs and ADA in my med bag all the time.


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

You can hire a trainer to give you a PAT. You might check with DAD. Some of their trainers might allow you to do one by video.

The first phone number on my phone is ADA hotline. I also carry copies of the publication that the ADA has to hand out to businesses.
I had a business card made with Jolie's picture and some basic information about heron the front and SD etiquette on the back. I use it to educate people about SD's. It is especially great for kids! It is never used with a gatekeeper.

A handler who flips out an ID card is probably a fake. The groups that I belong to know that showing an ID Card is not required and makes it hard on all handlers that follow. We also take the responsibilities of training our dogs to very high standards. 

The ADA is a Civil Rights law to protect all disabled people. It clearly covers SD behavior. It in the best interest of all of us to not change it in any way . No SD or Handler is perfect. We all have and will make mistakes .However it is up to us to make sure that we are representing all Service Dog Teams as clearly not fakers.

I hope you find someone to give you your PAT. If not let me know I will see what I can find out for you. 

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## Markbthompson (May 24, 2012)

There are 3-4 that do CGC test but they don't do a standard public access test here, remember, I'm in a backwards state. The only issue with CGC is leaving her with another person, she will do her standard commands as long as I'm near but if I leave the room she is distracted until I return. She'd probably pass but I won't do it on principal, taking a bonded dog from the owner makes no sense to me. It would be great to have on a dog you want to sell to someone else I guess.
The sd trainer I used the most works with a non profit organization nearby but she isn't certified for any tests either. 
I found a public access in Indy but they only do it certain times a year, 140 miles away.
I'm not worried about it until it's required here,if they demand a cert I'm thinking the testers will pop up magically to collect my money. 
She knows over 20 commands, does them the first time told and stays in position so well it's easy to forget she is clipped to my belt when pushing a basket. If I stop walking she sits and watches until I go again, if I sit she does a place laying by my feet but always watching.
No one ever questions her, she behaves as expected of a SD but I have training records, low and high alert logs, and copies of the law in both cars just in case.


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## pandj (Jun 12, 2013)

Then I would not worry about it. That is why the ADA is written as it is.




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