The process of learning to work with a dog is like learning to dance with a partner. The dog knows the steps but can’t lead the dance. The person is asked to lead but first has to learn all the steps. It takes work, practice, some chemistry, and more practice.
Disqualifying a dog is one of the hardest decisions we are forced to make. Often, it is not a black and white choice but a question of degree or interpretation. The most common causes of disqualification are health related or temperament. While it is hard for the organization as whole, since time and resources have [...]
Remy has done a fantastic job as an autism dog. He accompanies Jacob in public and has facilitated his speech therapy. Although things are going well, Jacob’s mom had a concern. Jacob is prone to seizures and she’s worried that she may not always hear him in the middle of the night. The timing of administering his medication is crucial, and she was terrified that she might not hear him when a seizure starts. Would it be possible for Remy to wake her up when Jacob starts to seize?
When we first began training service dogs our clientele was strictly people in wheelchairs. They use elevators. With the expansion of our programs into autism and diabetic alert dogs we realized that those people routinely use escalators. In fact, though they could use an elevator instead, many elevators, especially in metro stations, are more out [...]
Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning a person may exhibit many symptoms within the entire spectrum of symptoms. Asperger’s is the name given to the higher functioning levels of autistic behavior and a child with Asperger’s will have a range of symptoms within this category.
Ella Lyons, mother of Jack who is 8 years old and [...]
Harpo – giver of love, laughter, and service dog extraordinaire died this week from an aggressive form of cancer. It came on quickly, a blessing for Harpo, but gave little time for his beloved person, Robbie Bingler, to process the situation and ultimate loss. If Harpo could tell us, I know he would want us [...]
“You’re hooked as soon as you see your dog’s face when he realizes that he will be rewarded for using his nose.”
–from “Your Dog Nose No Bounds,” Whole Dog Journal, August 2009
Dear Friends:
I founded SDV nearly ten years ago with a measure of naivete, energy, ambition, and a desire to make a difference. Every year, there has been growth and evolution as my training skills and understanding of our clients has increased. But this year marks a major and significant turning point, as I turn over the Executive Director’s role to another.
When most dogs leave SDV its a time of celebration. They are going to do the work they were trained to do and will deepen the relationship with their forever person that we have seen blossom during the transfer process. Its the culmination of 2 years of work and training that many people have been [...]
