Gideon - My mobility aid of choice

[COBOB]

Gideon is now 13 months old.  He has gained over 132 lbs in a year!  He has been working out pretty well.  He has not warmed up to other people, just Geoff and I, but work his way through the crowds in the stores and Denver International, Oakland, San Diego and SFO Airports.

He does go to work and flies pretty well.  He has six flights under his belt, and Southwest is great to fly.  Next month, we try Delta and he will be on a week long business trip.  

Bob  

[COBOB]

Lot's of folks use a laser pointer to "point" at object for a dog to retrieve and bring back.  So I'd say yes, it would be possible to get a dog to help pick up after the kids.

Bob

[sarahw244]

I have kind of a silly question.  I am hoping to train my dog to assist me.  Is it possible that a service dog could help me clean up after my kids?  I know that probably sounds like a joke, lol, but I'm serious.

I have a really hard time keeping up with all that, as my balance is pretty bad, I have foot drop, and I have no energy.  Training her to pick up the toys and bring them to me would be heaven!  Is that even possible?  I suppose I could just have my kids help out more, but they already do so much to help me and they are still pretty young.

[Deb61]

That really was a stupid question because it's obvious your dog is used to help with mobility (from the title).  I guess what I'm wonder is how, exactly does that work?  

Also, is there anything else the dog can help a person with MS?

[Deb61]

I would be interesting in hearing about how a service dog helps people with MS . . .  

Love the picture, Bob

Deb

[kerrtelli]

Thanks so much for that info.
The funny thin is that when I was a kid, we had a standard poodle named Pebbles.  She was the best dog we ever had.

She used to pull me on roller skates.

I never considered a standard poodle as a service dog but it does make a lot of sense.  Also, the hair is much better than fur.

Bob,
I am 5'4 and heavier than I should be but not really overweight.
I also have an really big back yard for a large dog.

Sumadevil,
Thanks for the info.  

Thanks for all of your help.  It is definately something to consider.
I was at a band concert for my 11 year old tonight and getting out of there was tough.  I walk with two crutches and people were banging into me, not moving, etc.  I don't expect people to jump out of the way but situations like that would make having the dog extremely helpful.

Anyway, thanks.

Kerri

[doublevision1]

Good point Bob, our male standard was only 64 lbs at his heaviest.

[COBOB]

That should have been 30" at the shoulder.

[COBOB]

The other thing to consider is how tall and heavy are you?  I'm 6'!" and 280#.  I'd squish a lab or standard poodle.  I was looking for a Mastiff or Bernese Mountain Dog because of my size. The dog needed to be large and about 39" at the shoulder.

Bob

[doublevision1]

I am a lover of standard poodles and would seriously consider this breed, for their intelligence, intuitiveness, and temperament, qualities which make them highly trainable for such a purpose.  My standard is strictly a pet,but living with standards for 13 years I can see how they would make great service dogs. They are wonderful with kids, though remember a service dog won't and shouldn't have the same relationship as a dog that is strictly a family pet.  Plus they don't shed which is a huge plus from a housekeeping perspective.

Here's a blurb I found online that you might find helpful:


http://apaw.americanpoodlesatwork.org/WhyPoodles.shtml

Why Poodles?

Poodles are one of the original retrieving breeds, specializing in water like Labradors and Goldens. They love to pick items up and put them where-ever indicated. Poodles are extremely smart and enjoy the mental stimulation of complicated tasks. When paired with our training methods that encourage the dog to think, our Poodles are practically unstoppable.

Temperament

Poodles tend to be more intuitive than most breeds, and are very sensitive to their owners feelings. While they have a strong work ethic, Poodles are known for making their people laugh - they will perform clever antics to lighten any dreary day. Because of this unique temperament, we only place our Poodles with people who don't mind a little good humor every once in a while.

Fewer Allergic Reactions

Poodles have hair like people, not fur that sheds. A little hair will come out on a brush, but it won't drop out on it's own. Because of this, Poodles don't leave hair on your rug, clothes, food... and many people allergic to dogs are fine with Poodles. Poodles don't have a 'doggy smell' and like to keep themselves clean as much as possible. However, due to their non-shedding, ever-growing hair, grooming is an important part of staying healthy.

Grooming

Poodle hair can be cut in many different styles depending on the amount of maintenance the owner wants to deal with. We recommend a short 'kennel clip' - up to 1" on the body and legs, shaved face and feet, and a pompom tail and round scissored head. Some people also like to leave 'bracelets' on the legs for a little added style. This needs very little care besides visiting a groomer every 6-8 weeks.

For someone desirous of less hair, a complete shave is easy - the entire dog can be short and smooth like velvet. A shave can be done every 2-3 months, though some brushing will be needed the longer the hair is left.

Regardless of the style of haircut, an Assistance Dog must always be kept clean and looking relatively neat. The easiest way to keep a Poodle clean is by shaving the feet and face so that mud and food don't stick.

What About Doodles?

Mixes of the Poodle have recently become a craze, supposedly combining the Poodles' non-shedding coat with the other breeds' temperament etc. But that is not realistic. Genetics are paired in a random fashion, with dominants and recessives shifting unevenly. The result is any of millions of possible combinations. In almost every case these mixes still shed and have a dog-odor (making them unsuitable for people with allergies), and often require more grooming maintenance than a purebred Poodle.

Another factor is health - every breed has their share of genetic diseases, and combining separate breeds allows many unnoticed recessives to pass on (up to the sum of diseases for every breed within a body). These recessives can pop up in the future causing many issues that could have been avoided.

The dogs that are being used as breeding stock for these 'designer dogs' tend to be poorly bred themselves, as most responsible breeders protect their breed by all means possible including spending hundreds of dollars on available health testing before allowing a dog to be bred. This means that the dogs available to people producing mixes tend to have weaker genetic quality, resulting in a higher likelihood of health and temperament problems.

[Sidesteps]

This is what wikipedia says. Desirable character traits include good temperament or psychological make-up (including biddability and trainability) and good health (including physical structure and stamina).

I think the common service dogs tend to be Golden Retrievers, Labs and Shepards.

[Twinsmom06]

WOW...he is a big boy! It sounds like you have done a great job training him and he sure does look like he loves you! Thanks for sharing:)
Kim

[kerrtelli]

Thanks.  Iam thinking about this's a possibility for me because my husband is very worried when I go out alone.  Even though I can still drive ans such, my mobility is declining pretty rapidly and I thought that having the dog with me all the time would make him more comfortable.

It would also make me more comfortable not being alone all the time.
Even though I have four kids and a husband, I find myself sitting in a chair in the house most of the time while everyone goes about their business.

Maybe I would be able to more to help out also.

I was wondering about the breed though.
Any breeds more geared towards service than others.  I also have a little tiny dog now.  He very friendly and sweet but he's a toy and can barely pick up a raw hide bone so he wouldn't be any help to me in the capacity I need.

Thanks so much for your help.

Kerri

[COBOB]

The dogs seem to learn to deal with the chaos.  It would be more difficult to train you own dog in that kind of environment.  I guess the dog would be better socialized.   I think Gideon may have done better if he had been out and about every day.  I work from home, so he is more of a "one person dog."

Bob

[kerrtelli]

What a beautiful photo.
My question is that I have four children ages 4-12.
Do you honk it would be possible for me to get a service dog with so much chaos in the house?  Or, would waiting be abetter option?

Also, is there a specific breed suggested.
I love, love, love, mastiffs ut their size and appetite is an issue for us.

Thanks so much.

Kerri

[kwarendorf]

Critters rule :-)

[Sumanadevii]

Bob, I received word from the moderator.  They cannot change the poll.  I will run another in late summer and include service dogs.  Maybe then we will get a better picture of where our posters are on their journey.

Sumana

[hbananas]

Bob, thanks for sharing Gideon's progress with us.  You are a justifiably proud poppa.

[Sumanadevii]

Bob, he is beautiful!!!!!  

I feel badly for not adding in the poll service dogs.  I did know you and other members use them.  I have written to a moderator asking if she will change the first line so you can be part of the poll.

And...errr...you are a rather handsome one, too!!

Sumana

[HVAC]

I am glad all is well with Gideon. you have done a great job training him.

Alex

[doublevision1]

What a beauty!  He's more than 3x the size of my standard poodle (the big kind)!

[sarahw244]

Thanks for the info!  I'll be looking into it.  He is huge!!!!
Sarah

[COBOB]

sarahw244:  For puppy bootcamp and general obedience, we worked with Petsmart.  There is a local training group in our area that has helped with some of the specific training.

johnniebear:  He has about another 50 Lbs to go.

Lulu:  He understands the command "back" so he walks backwards into he bulkhead row, then he gets the command "Tuck Tail" and he curls up.  I have to let the airlines know I'm flying with a service dog.  They are always surprised by his size.  He usually sleeps on l and my feet during the flight.  The next big deal will be his travel papers for the UK and maybe an EU pet passport.

Bob

  

[Lulu54]

He is sure looking good.  I have to ask, do you tell the airlines in advance what size your service dog is or is it a surprise at the airport?  I can't  imagine sharing a bulkhead seat with Gideon - he must need his own seat at that size.

sidesteps - there are a number of good sites on line about service dogs for MS - we talked about this during the summer, I think it was.  Alex can give you tips as well - she has trained two now to assist her.

[JaneK1975]

That dog is AWESOME! Congratulations!