Adopting a Seziure Alert dog

[TexasMommy]

I was filling out the paper work and it said I needed...

http://www.assistancedogsofthewest.org/about-clients


"A COMPLETED PROGRAM APPLICATION WILL INCLUDE ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:

1. Completed Program Application Form
2. Completed Pre-Interview Form
3. Medical History Form completed by your physician or primary care specialist
4. A letter of personal reference from a friend, co-worker, or someone other than a family member.
5. A professional letter of reference from a therapist, social worker, teacher, or other professional with whom you have contact.
6. A picture of you, your family/living environment and a short autobiography.
7. Completed Financial Aid forms
8. A signed copy of ADW’s Privacy Practices.
9. A Functional Evaluation with ADW occupational therapist Melissa Winkle at 505-228-4650 (Albuquerque, NM).
10. An interview with ADW staff designed to help us understand your need, personality, and lifestyle in order to match you with the right dog."

I think it would be awseome to make a adoption scrap book about our lives. Do yall agree? If yes, ideas, if no why not and what do you suggest?

[Billyboyboo]

I have a Mini Schnauzer and I have tried talking to many many trainers about this, but none seem to want to train Lucy
(my doggy)... but I notice she automatically picks up before I have a seizure sometimes, she sniffs the air.
Billy.

[Endless]

Wow. It's almost easier to adopt a child than it is an assistance dog. What about people who are having such a hard time they aren't able to put together all this stuff?

[Crystal11]

Are you puppy raising or actually getting one? All of this paperwork is definitely necessary for them to place you with the appropriate dog that can serve you or work with you.
It is a neat idea to make a book like that. I actually was given a picture of my Umbro when is was a puppy and I love it.. My little boy..
I have a guide dog/seeing eye dog who has had modified training to work with me. He was taught how to behave during a seizure even though mine aren't Generalized- they still take away from what I'm doing or stop me totally. They taught me how to hold his leash where if he were to get up, he would not just wonder. They said I moved a little and was confused a little after it.. Umbro actually stood up and wasn't acting right in the cafe where we were having breakfast..the instructors helped me and for some reasong i wanted to get to my room and they refused to let me go down stairs.. reasonable but i didnt understand that during it.

He will stop while I am walking and turn infront of me allowing me to know ahead of time about the seizure coming. Even though I do have auras, he seems to know my behavior more than me quicker..my walking, balance issues, unresponsive to his behavior or guide work/walking.
After messing up me meds, i started having drop attacks in which i actually fell on Umbro and he flipped over half way into the bush near by. he wasn't hurt but i was holding onto him and crying. i didn't care who was around. i hurt my knee but didn't care at the time.. he wasn't hurt at all- he was liike "what the? Mommy what are you doing?"

He helps with my hearing too- I use his body language which is great because he is very aware and they picked him for me since he is sensitive and perceptive. Some guide dogs aren't so. Its rare to find a doggie that understands about Mommy not acting or working right. "Working" means guiding me/showing me stairs, doors, up/down curbs, avoiding people walking near me, showing me the door on command as well as finding a seat etc. Working is guide dog lanaugage lol.

Anyway- those documents are necessary as it was for me. Vision documentation and other health info. We got a "Juno" walk and a interview before evening being evaluated for the program. They let you know what all goes into using a guide dog and what the one month program consists of.
I lived in the training center in dorms for one month for our training- worked everyday and learned how to maintain their training and things.

There is a difference between seizure alerting dogs and seizure responce dogs. Umbro would be considered a seizure responce dog meaning he responds to a seizure such as turning right infront of me and stopping me from walking forward. Now this is not guide dog behavior and usually would be corrected with a minor correction with the leash and collar..
This was observed while in training and after arriving home and called the school and let them know what he was doing, acting and how things were. They said they picked the right doggie for me.. most of the instructors know about Epilepsy since many trainees do have multiple disabilities along with blindness/vision impairment.
Let us know how things go and which school you are going to..

Take care
Crystal and her guide Umbro

[Billyboyboo]

I've always heard that dogs can sense a seizure, the change in Brain Waves??
I maybe wrong...
Billy.

[dfwtexas]

Actually we will emit an odor before the seizure that dogs can smell

[Crystal11]

I think we had a discussion while at guide dog school- that most seizure working dogs are just evaluated and see if they can either sense something like sugar low, or changes in the brain that can be senced or if the dog can tell just based off of your body behavior and balance. Some people just don't believe the research and some researchers say their isn't anything really that the dog is "smelling" but it all has to do with behavior change etc.

What normally happens is that a person shows up to a service dog training center and are observed with new dogs. When a dog seems to notice something happening, or if the student has a seizure while in the center, they can look at which dog tended to go over to the person most often, or if the dog responded at all. Most people do find a dog but it does take a while to find out if the dog will be able to help them or not.
Not all people match the dogs perfectly so they may have the person come back for the next class to try again.
Just like with my guide dog school, sometimes people can't be matched up with a dog properly for various reasons.. they will ask the student to come back to see if the next string of dogs might be able to work out better, even though both schools have extra dogs ready.
Sometimes there just aren't any dogs at the school that just can't be set up with the worker-dog team, so they might go home without a dog.
-Crystal and Umbro

[Billyboyboo]

Actually we will emit an odor before the seizure that dogs can smell

Interesting...

[Zoofemme]

I have a dog who responds to my seizures but unfortunately the response is negative Poor thing is terrified out of her skull One of my cats responds too and I probably should pay better attention to him but I've yet to come across anything that recognizes cats as service animals, lol. Monkeys and dogs, yes.

[huskymom]

my wonderful pup only recognizes afterward if I have had a seizure. she will stay by my side the entire day, won't let me out of her sight. It is one of those warm fuzzy moments that last for hours! Just what you need when you feel like crap

[skillefer]

If you have a pet already...and the animal can be trained, you may find it easier to go through one of the agencies that will license your pet.

Understand that there are 2 different kinds of service animals for e....seizure alert (these give you a heads up about a possible approaching seizure) and seizure respond (these help you while you are having a seizure by getting help/ staying with you while you have your seizure, helping you stay safe by rolling you over if needed, etc...)
Dogs or other service animals can be either one or both...

There are agencies online that will certify your pet if your animal can pass the tests for certification which usually include obedience training, socialization, and service animal training. (this might be cheaper then applying for a service animal for some people....)

[Endless]

In the U.S. it's not a requirement that service animals are certified. The exception is if they are psychiatric support dogs, then they need a prescription from the doctor. Different states have different laws, too.

Here're links to a page about the various laws and rules, including the ADA: http://www.iaadp.org/maze.html
http://www.iaadp.org/doglaws.html

I think it really helps to have an ID card for the dog. Certification helps with unchallenged access, too. The delta society has branches almost everyplace. They certify both service and therapy dogs. http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=302

[matchu]

hmmmmm, I am going to look into this. I would love to have my dog with me. I can tell something is going to happen by the way he acts... I am going to have a seizure or it is going to rain.

[Endless]

The Delta Society also has a list of organizations that will train and certify your dog. There seems to be multiple ones for most states.

http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=452

Looking at some of the programs they are prison programs. I'm all for that. But, is that who comes to your house and trains YOU and certifies your dog????