1)  What is an Assistance Dog?  Assistance Dogs provide a specific service to their handlers, but also greatly enhance their lives with a new sense of freedom and independence.

The three types of Assistance Dogs are GUIDE DOGS for the blind and the visually impaired, HEARING DOGS for the deaf and hard of hearing and SERVICE DOGS for people with disabilities other than those related to vision or hearing . Although Guide Dogs for the blind have been trained formally for over seventy years, the training of dogs to ASSIST PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES is a much more recent concept. 

The organizations that train Assistance Dogs obtain the canines many different ways such as they come from breeding programs, with volunteer puppy raisers caring for them until they are old enough to start formal training (which is one year to 15 months of age) and frequently shelter dogs are evaluated and selected.  The dogs in these programs are temperament tested, screened for medical conditions, basic obedience trained, and participate in an extensive socialization program. These dogs are then paired with a disabled person and both the dog and its new person go through about a 2 -3 week training program to ensure a compatible match and ensures that the person learns how to work with the dog on the various commands that the dog has been taught.  Most programs have a waiting list, which ranges from 6 months to 2 years or more.  Some training programs are offered through non-profit organizations while others charge a fee. The average cost of training and maintenance for a dog that has been selected as a candidate for a training program can range from $10,000 - $25,000.  Some training institutions require deposit fees, application fees, processing fees, while others will require the person to do a fundraiser to offset the cost.  It is wise to do your research before getting involved and know your responsibilities prior to placing your name on a waiting list.

Assistance Dogs are trained to retrieve things that drop, portable telephones, or items from shelves and other hard-to-reach places; open refrigerator and other doors; push elevator buttons; turn light switches on and off; carry items in their mouths or backpacks; pull wheelchairs up ramps or short distances; go find help should their partner need human assistance.  The Assistance Dogs can help the person having difficulty performing every day tasks both inside and (or) outside the home. 

2)   Where can the Assistance Dog go in the Public?  Disabled individuals with Assistance Dogs are guaranteed legal access to all places of public accommodation, modes of public transportation, recreation, restaurants and other places to which the general public is invited.  The Americans Disability Act  (ADA) preserves the rights of those with disabilities.  Some states require that a dog be certified to serve as an Assistance Dog in the public but to-date West Virginia is not one of those states.  The laws vary greatly from state to state so the person who is traveling may run into difficulty; it always best to know the law and requirements before you travel.

3)  Do you just get a dog and have it trained, or is there an agency you go through like with seeing eye dogs?  There are many organizations and trainers throughout the US and Internationally that train the Assistance Dog as well as provide other training Service Dog services.  There are two very good resources that people can contact for guidance:

  1) International Association of Assistance Dog Partners (IAADP) Information and Advocacy Center, P.O. Box 1326 Sterling Heights, MI 48310 

Website:  www.iaadp.org                      Phone: (586) 826 – 3938

  2) Assistance Dog International (ADI) c/o Canine Companions for Independence P.O. Box 446, Santa Rosa, CA 95402-0446   

Website:  www.adionline.org                Phone: 707-577- 1700

4)  What kind of dog makes a good Assistant Dog?  Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are the breeds of preference but of course there are exceptions. Dogs of all sizes, breeds and mixed breeds can be candidates to serve the disabled person.  Some of the exceptions why certain breeds do not work well as service dogs are like dogs from the Working Group are easy to train but tend to be protective. Field Dogs tend to more interested in their environment than people. Small dogs can't pick up large objects or pull wheelchairs but can be trained to turn on a touch lamp, retrieve small items such as keys when dropped on the floor, retrieve the newspaper, and etc. as related to their size. Large dogs are hard hide under a table in a restaurant or out of the way on a bus or plane. A good Service Dog when utilized in public is not protective, is people oriented, is not overly active, and is confident but not dominant or submissive.  Other factors to consider are the age of the dog, the dogs all around physical health, temperament and etc.  It is important to mention that not all dogs can be trained as Assistance Dogs and not all dogs can be used to serve the person in the public but can be a great help just in the home environment. 

5)  Who qualifies for the DOGS HELPING PEOPLE PROGRAM?  People of all ages (the person must be an at an age where he (she) can manage the dog comfortably) and for any reason if they are having difficulty performing everyday tasks both inside and/or outside the home can enroll in the "Dogs Helping People Program".  The person must own a dog that is capable of performing the task(s) needed to provide the assistance needed.  Many view the Assistance Dog aiding people with major illness and related disabilities but this is not always the case, the canine partner can aid those suffering from arthritis or just physical limitation due to the aging process.  A physician is consulted to ensure that an Assistance Dog would be recommended for the person especially in the situation where the person may have a chronic illness such as Parkinson, Multiple Sclerosis and etc.  This is to ensure that the need is there and for the safety precautions not only for the physically challenged person but also for the canine partner to give some examples:

The person must be able to:

1)  exercise judgment and make decisions  necessary regarding what is to be done .

2)  sustain an attention span in order to learn how to work with the dog.

3) control physical and motor skills sufficiently to sustain daily tasks.   

4) follow directions, learn and retain skills to perform daily task     and working with their dog.

5) physically able to manage the canine partner and make good decisions about its safety and care while in the public (if applicable).

The person must not manifest inappropriate behavior, which is beyond his or her control that might harm the dog.  Then there is the care of the canine is taken into consideration, such as is the person able to make sure the dog has what it needs such as food, water, exercise, grooming and etc.  Having a dog places a lot of financial demands that the person may or may not be able to provide due to limited incomes.  The canine vaccinations must be current.  The medical care must be maintained annually and on an as needed bases and the list goes on and on.

6)  How would it benefit an individual to contact It's A Pet Thang instead of getting on a waiting list through a recognized organization?  More often than not the trained Assistance Dog will be trained skills that are far above what the person truly needs to function; these commands are lost because the handler does not utilized the them.  My training program is designed and customized to meet the individual's personal with needs.  Since I am training the physically challenged person to train their own dog they will be learning the necessary concept of a positive reinforcement training program and can continue training the canine on their own if or when their condition changes and more assistance is needed from their canine partner.   My training program is cost effective compared to the trained dog even if the organization bases payment for services rendered on a donation or fundraiser bases.  The cost of travel, lodging, meals and other necessary items that you may need to purchase for the 2-3 week training period can be quiet costly not to mention the difficulties the person who is physically challenged may have traveling; also a second person maybe necessary to aid the person with the disability and/or provide emotional support.  I travel to the person’s home.  There maybe times that I will request that the dog receive the training at my training site or if the dog is to be utilized in public then training sessions will be conducted in public areas.  I am here to meet the physical challenged persons needs not vs. versa.  What works best for the handler and quicken the learn process of the canine is what we will do.

7)  What is the cost of the training? The initial consultation fee is $75.00 plus $4.50 (6% WV sales tax) in Beckley and the nearby surrounding areas.  Mileage is calculated $3.50 per 15-mile radius outside of Beckley city limits.  After the initial consult I charge $25/per hour for each training session thereafter.

Each training program will need to be designed to meet each individual's needs so it will differ from one person to the next.  Also I must evaluated your dog and recommend what training will be necessary or even if your dog is suitable for such training.  Depending on the physical limitations of the person and the expressed needs and how your dog responds to you it could be possible a one-time visit would be all that would be needed after the initial consult.     

8)  Why did you choose this field?  I am a native of our beautiful state of West Virginia.  I am a retired nurse with 36 years experience working in the healthcare field; 16 of the 36 years was giving direct care and hands-on nursing care, the other rest of my career was in Staff Development and Training for the medical staff and ancillary staff in a geriatric and mental health facility.  Since I worked for the State of West Virginia for so many years it afforded me the opportunity to retire at an early age.  I have always wanted to work in the pet industry due to my love for animals and was never able to purse that goal until now. I knew after retirement if I did not have contact with people, feel productive, have a reason to get up in the morning, my love for training and helping others in someway that I would not be happy or content.  Prior to my plans for retirement I enrolled in a nationally recognized program for professional dog trainers and instructors, I received my diploma April 2005.  I began searching for a mentor to help me sharpen my hand-on skills with actually working with multiple personality dogs and problem behaviors.  I opened my business November 15, 2004; I combine all of my retirement goals into one package and could not be happier.  Since I have opened I have trained over 200 dogs which focused mainly on basic obedience and good manners for the family pet.  My experiences have now lead me to expanding services to be able to offer “Dogs Helping People Program”. I feel with my knowledge and experience in the medical field as well as a professional dog trainer/instructor, not combining the two would be a terrible waste.  My personal need to help others is still my motivation in my career no matter if I am working with people on how to train their family dog or working in my first love as a nurse.  The Lord keeps Blessing me daily and has opened doors that I never thought would open; only by the grace of God I am were I need to be in serving him and his people and his beloved creatures. 

This article was written to inform the public, medical professional and others that the services are now being offered in this area.  The need is here but sometimes services are offered and we do not know that it would benefit us; we think that is for someone else.  Call today 304-222-3643 and let's discuss it, that is the only way to know if this service can help you.

Other services that I can provided related to this area of expertise are:

1)       If you do not have a dog or puppy and wish to adopt or purchase a canine for this purpose then I can aid you in the selection process.

2)       Pre-Certification Testing (Are You Ready?) for a Nationally recognized certification.