I would like peoples experience and views on this please :)

I am after all types of disabilities and how the people or dogs have benefited or the opposite and have suffered because of the pairing :)

I would also like to know how you think the support is good or bad eg Social Services, Guide Dogs for the Blind, hearing Dogs for the Deaf, RSPCA :)

Lucy
xxx

Lucy

Is this dogs with disabilities or humans ?? :)

Daisy

Sorry it is humans with the disabilities, both physical and mental :)

Well my family definately think I have a mental impairrment, but I am registered blind, having around 20% sight.

I have cardiomyopathy which is very disabling and I cannot walk far at all.  My doctor insisted that I needed to do some form of exercise so I got a dog :)  Even when I really feel I can't go out walking, I have to because the dog needs to be walked so it's good for both of us.  We just go little and often.  Also when I'm feeling really really fed up because I can't do the things I used to, I just remind myself that if I hadn't become ill I would still be working full time and therefore I would never have had the dog.  Life before Copper???  Can hardly remember what that was like!

CG

CG thanks for that ! It so nice that Copper has made such a difference you after such a life changing illness :)

I had a fall nearly 3 years ago and as a result from the bump to the head now have epilepsy. It has never been controlled and unlike most others I have no warning of a seizure. This has led to depression and an obvious confidence loss.
It hadn't long been diagnosed when it was noticed by friends that Beth would be with me and when a seizure happened she would rush and get them from downstairs. Although it was probably cos she was upset as she would not return to me until after the seizure had finished.
I also have not been out alone for nearly 3 years (except walking the dogs) mainly due to lacking the confidence. I have been in town with friends who went in other shops but were obviously around. I have recently got to the stage where I want to go out and about 3 weeks ago got the courage up to catch a bus and go to a shop near the town. I had however rung the shop and asked if they premitted dogs at which point the woman said yes if they are needed for a medical reason such as blindness. I asked if a dog whom could tell a seizure was coming on was ok and was told yes. So we caught a bus went to the store and then Mcdonalds. So a big step. Then got a taxi home.
I do feel guilty that Beth is 9 yrs old and now accompanies me out when probably sometimes she would rather stay home. And I do feel for her that a seizure upsets her. But she does love her mum and I am grateful that she starts to bark before a seizure not everytime but most times. It means I have enough warning to get safe before anything happens. Having Beth means I can have my freedom back and the confidence to go out and face the world.
People have commented that it is amazing and maybe its because we are so close but whatever it is she has made a big difference to me and I will always be grateful she is mine.
The other dogs have no reaction whatsoever.

Wow Beth sounds a very special girl

It is funny how she knows. I wonder why it is only her and not the others ??

Well done you as well for getting out on your own It must have taken alot of courage :)

Lucy
xx

There's a lady on my US based breed list who trains seizure alert dogs.  She had a rescue Elkhound who alerted to her daughter Sadie's seizures, and she then found that some dogs were tuned in and could be tested for this ability.  She uses mainly rescues of our breed that are young.

Also a lot of people on the list have theri dogs registered as their assistance dogs.  This allows the dog entry to places dogs are not allowed.

I got Pesto when i was in hospital for anorexia and depression. I wasn't talking to anyone or even going outside. Gradually after getting pesto i started to walk her by myself. Then i started getting really into training her so started training classes (with my parents coming with me) and i managed to say a few words to people when they asked me about her on our walks. Now i am at university (without her - finding it oh so hard) i go out and can talk some what to people i don't know - if it is about dogs. So if it werent' for pesto i wouldn't be here today as she always stopped me from taking my life cos my mum said she would go to battersea (even tho now she says she couldn't do it :) )
So overall my dogs have completely changed my life even if i still have alot of problems i am still here.
Dogs are amazing tablets :D :D :D

It is great to see so many people have got dogs and how they have helped them through their problems

Lucy
xx

Where I work there is a lady with a guide dog.  This dog is a new one, her other one retired just before Christmas. Because the dog is new we have been asked not to make too much fuss of her because the blind lady has to be the dog's focus in order to develop a close relationship. The dogs are pretty amazing and help to make the lady independent.  I asked her last week if her mum still had a guide dog and she said that she hadn't at the moment because her dog had suddenly developed a fear of children and would growl at them in shops etc.  The dog was taken to a local school for "bring an animal" day.  Apparently all the children had had their faces painted like animals and when they came into the class the guide dog freaked. I suppose you can't socialise for every single unusual eventuality because you don't know every unusual event that might possibily happen. 

How often dog they do checks on the dogs then ?

No idea.  Don't even know if they do checks.

There is somebody who comes on here who works for GDFTB, I can't remember who it is though ?

The reason why I ask is that I am interested on how support services monitor and maybe highlight there is an issue with the dogs ( I am talking generally and not just in this instance).

If a person is mentally disabled and needs help in caring for a dog then who is there to keep an eye on the dogs welfare ? Is it social services or do they feel that is outside there remit ? I wonder if somebody like the Dogs Trust has a support service maybe ? I think it is great that people do won dogs that have quite severe difficulties but have seen recently a couple of abuse cases where there seemed to be no support. The abuse had also been going on for some considerable time as well :( I suppose the RSPCA should be involved but that ios only if somebody reports abuse in the first place :rolleyes:

I think there is probably a difference between people who are mentally disabled and those who are physically disabled like the blind.  It wouldn't make sense for a blind person or hard of hearing person to do anthing that might alter the dog's training as the dog is there to help them in a big way.  As for checks for guide dogs I think that the blind person is best place to know if the dog is not performing properly.  I don't know what the procedure or requirements are for obtaining a guide dog but do admire them a great deal.  I noticed last week that the new dog just lies down on the floor anywhere but the old dog used to lie under a table or chair presumably so the blind person doesn't trip over them.  I don't know how long the training last but it seems it must be ongoing.  Today I noticed that the guide dog led the lady across the car park road a few feet away from a zebra crossing yet the old dog always took her to the zebra crossing. Interesting.

Yes I agree that there are different type of disabilities and also varying degrees :)

I also think that there are lots of organisations that place trained dogs in all manner of homes and think they do a wonderful job

i havnt got an assistance dog but i do work with hearing dogs for deaf people i am a speaker for them, i go round to schools,colleges and different clubs telling people about what hearing dogs do.
when i go to do talks a recipient and their hearing dog come with me.
it is really great to see how much these dogs have changed peoples lives so much.