Seizure Response Dogs

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insane...

That just goes to show you how prejudice some ppl can be. If any of these breeds were ppl,.... there would be a lawsuite so fast they wouldn't know what hit them!! It is hard to beleive that an animal so close to us is still oppressed after all these years.....
A dog that is shot down in the line of duty..... He is reaurded, not as a do ...... but an officer!! A dog by the side of the disabled,..... is not a dog..... but a therapist!! Some poor dog on a 3ft chain,...... starving,... living as some self-important fools lawnornament.... It's painful cries are nothing more than an annoyance falling on the neighbors ears..... When will this injustice stop?

Akitas: Brought to the US by none other than Helen Keller,... as a gift fromthe embassador of Japan. Theonlydog that could be trusted with such a task.

American bulldogs, American Staffordshire terriers (also known as pit bulls): The abject and unwilling slaves of dog fighting lowlifes. When given half the chance, sweet an loyal dogs. Among the best canidates,for brace work with those whosuffer from muscular disorders, such as MS.

Chows: I will admit, I have been brutally attacked by inill tempered member of this breed. However, I try not to stereo-type. These dogs were not only used for fighting, but used for food and fur. Ghengis Kahn, wore their fur..... I knew an older lady in Muncie, Indiana, she had 30+ Chows. She could walk out into the yard and say "sit",.... and they ALL did. They CAN BE sweet affectionate, and very loyal.


Doberman pinschers, German shepherds, and Rottweilers: The loyal 3 breeds that make up slightly over 90% of THE WORLDS K9 officers. In the US a poor choice for those who can not afford import stock, as the puppy milling industry, has left it's mark here. These dogs are very inbred, and have tonsof genetic defects.


Boxers: Once again, abused, malnourished, inbred inmost cases. Sweet when raised well.

Collies: Give me a break..... Lassie?

Dalmatians: Yes can be very mean,... due to the fact that dogs adhearing tothe show standard(having spots 2 and a half inches apart) are often Deaf. What is worse? Because the are so pretty,.... ignorant people buy them,...never know they are deaf.... and beat or abandon the dog because it "doesn't listen"

Schnauzers: Available in 3 sizes, a bit tonacious..... they do everything from catch vermin in rat form, tohuman form..... As with any dog... don't fallfor the puppy in the window!!! Visit a breeder

Siberian huskies, and other breeds not as commonly associated with aggression......: This bred is a natural breed, they only survived, the starving conditions of Siberia, because they are willing to mingle and act cute for food (also known as begging). These native people of Siberia refer not only to themselves,... but these dogs as "the Inuit".... this means "the people". They did not "own" the dogs as we do. The dogs came and went freely amongst the housing in the village. They were trusted to sleep with the children for warmth.... and during the great famine, the village women suckled the puppies at their own breast to keep the breed from dying out..... If you visit the SIberian Husky Club of America website,.... you will see that they are not a gaurd dog.
Unfortunately every slack-jawed-idiot, who seen Iron Will, Snow Dogs, or 8 Below,.... thinks that they are wellsuited for this breed that thinks for it's self. They HAVE TO HAVE one because of the blue eyes. This is why I stopped selling dogs to the generalpublic. They never see past the blue eyes. They house the dogs in horrible conditions, they beat them because they are not watch dogs.

I think the same people making these laws,... are probably racist as well in private.
Angel
 
Too bad you MISSED the point.

Insurance companies track dog bites. That was their listed breeds of dogs that do the most biting and it may or may not have anything to do with the way the critter was raised.

Some breeds just can't be trusted because of breeding! Period!
 
[b]Good[b] thing your not a dog trainer

Why are you such an open know it all,....... you obviously wanted me to comment... or else you made that post in this thread, in the hopes that ppl would not want a dog from me.... because you have some article, that slams my breed. You are just making yourself look desperate.... What breed should I train them poodles?

You can not anymore say that pitbull will bite because of breeding,.. than you can say that an afro-american will steal because of their breeding. Be it a dog or not, it is still toatal racism.

Furthermore,.... the point that I was making is that any dog when over bred,... is going to have a larger statistic of doing ANYTHING,.... simply because there are more of them.


Dome a favor and stop trying to bad mouth my dogs. Get a hobby. The way that you post in my general direction is uncalled for.[/b]
 
another thing

Another thing I wanted to pointout, is that a lot of people whohave wolf crosses,... tell authorities their dogs are huskies,... just to save their own necks.
 
orly.jpg



Why are you such an open know it all,....... you obviously wanted me to comment... or else you made that post in this thread, in the hopes that ppl would not want a dog from me.... because you have some article, that slams my breed. You are just making yourself look desperate.... What breed should I train them poodles?
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What is YOUR problem? There is no need to get all huffy. Is it the fact that you and your posts have been removed from just about every other site? It is not an article slamming just YOUR breed. It is an article about one woman's struggle with her home owners insurance. It is the insurance companies who have determined your breed poses a threat, not me.

You can not anymore say that pitbull will bite because of breeding,.. than you can say that an afro-american will steal because of their breeding. Be it a dog or not, it is still toatal racism.
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racism (n.) The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.
racism (n.) Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

Apparently you've never been to Compton. CA.

Furthermore,.... the point that I was making is that any dog when over bred,... is going to have a larger statistic of doing ANYTHING,.... simply because there are more of them.
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Don't forget what also happens with overbreeding. Inbreeding and passing of negitive genes continues simply for the sake of having more of that species making them even more tempermental. Can't breed the wildness out of a wolf.

Do me a favor and stop trying to bad mouth my dogs. Get a hobby. The way that you post in my general direction is uncalled for.
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You must have me mistaken for someone else because I have not discedited YOUR dogs in any way shape or form. If there has been discredit, it has come from your very own references, which, by the way, have not been very positive. If my posts were out of line, Bernard would have drawn that to my attention. I am quite capable of handling my own business, thank you very much, and you just made yourself my business.

Another thing I wanted to pointout, is that a lot of people whohave wolf crosses,... tell authorities their dogs are huskies,... just to save their own necks.
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If you say so. IMHO They don't even look simular.

Like I stated on the other thread.....

Me thinks the lady doth protests too much.

IMO you motives are questionable. Your attacks on poster who challenge you claims have been unprovoked. For someone who claims they are doing this out of the goodness of their heart, should be willing to do as expected for the most optium results. Becoming defensive, aggressive and condesending to those who challenage your claims only show you as just another charlaten trying to take advantage of desperate people.
 
Birdbomb said:
I am quite capable of handling my own business, thank you very much, and you just made yourself my business.
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Let's try to keep this civil folks. I think it's quite clear that:
  • Angel is trying to sell dogs that Midwest Assistance refused to place
  • Anyone considering buying a dog advertised in an internet forum should understand the principle of Caveat Emptor - buyer beware
  • BB does not think much of Angel's offer
Can we let it go at that?
 
I reviewed the article BB posted. Insurance compaines are looking for any reason to charge higher premiums. Many states are trying to either ban or classify "dangerous breeds" either based on their bite history or by the fatalies reported. Several states have accepted new regulations on "dangerous dogs" rather than "dangerous breeds". The problem isn't assuming all pitbulls. rotties, german shepherds and other breeds on the so called dangerous breed list, are dangerous list, but most times it's the fault of the owners who fail to control, socialize and train their dogs to be "good citizens". In Detroit for instance, pitbulls turned into shelters are not adopted out, no person under the age of 18 is allowed to have one, even walking it on a leash is prohibited if you are under 18. This is based on the fact that there are huge numbers of pitbulls, not because they are pets, but because they have a fighting history. Detroit has a large problem with pitbull fighting, so it's easy to assume that a pitbull in Detroit, has been used for either fighting or the breeding of fighting dogs. And yes, pitbulls with a fight history are considered a dangerous dog, they have been trained to maul and kill. They cannot be trusted to be good citizens. Sadly, even a pitbull in Detroit without a fight history, has no future, even if it isn't a dog with a fighting history, even if it's the sweetest and freindliest dog, it's on their "dangerous breed" list.

Now, a homeowner in Detroit has a pitbull, the insurance company can and does charge them higher premiums for owning a "dangerous breed". The fact is, those involved in dog fighting, are generally not homeowners and certaily would not reveal this on their policy application anyway. It's no different than a homeowner with a registered gun, it's the unregistered guns which are usually involved in crimes. It's not the registered gun owner, and yes, we all know guns are dangerous in the wrong hands, dogs are no different. A responsible gun owner will make certain his gun is carefully locked up. Every dog owner, no matter what the breed, needs to be responsible to ensure their dog, doesn't become a nuisance and is under his owners control at all times.

Now about the "lassie" comment, as a collie owner and collie rescuer, poorly socialized collies CAN be dangerous as with any dog who hasn't been properly socialized. They also make EXCELLENT service dogs, this isn't to say every collie will have the potential of being a service dog. There are many rottweiller service dogs as well, if trained by a reputable trainer or organization, the are "good citizens".

Puppy Mills has also been mentioned on this thread. Puppy Mills aren't the only source of poorly bred dogs, AKC registration is not a guarentee that a dog is of any quality. Back yard breeders are as big of a problem as puppy mills. Many folks think they have a nice example of their chosen breed and breed them to sell the puppies. And yes, there are many folks who have a small breeding business (my sister does), but the dog breeding shouldn't be because they hope to profit off dog sales, but to preserve the best examples of the breed. The average person, will not know (and there is no way to check) who is a reputable hobby breeder and who is a back yeard breeder. One has to know how to read pedigrees and know who's who in the dog world.

It only takes one case of a dog mauling for it to be presumed a certain breed is a dangerous breed, once the media runs with a story, folks presume these breeds are dangerous and not take the particular situation into account or each specific dogs living conditions into the reasons why.


Okay - I vented!
 
Fact or fiction!!!

Now that is a great topic!! This is also a topic, tat I LOVE to discuss....

Now days everybody, is so causght up on the term "animal trainer". Back in the old days, they use to call it something else...... They use to refer to it as "Taming",... I beleive that this is a huge part of developing a seizure assistance dog that is fully functional.

First and foremost,as I am sure you all know,... you can not teach a dog to actually sense the onset seizure. It is all about right place, right time!!
When you get your new companion, I suggest to keep the dog with you 24/7 as much as possable, on a 4-6ft leash. Constantly talk to the dog, touch the dog, and in general live CLOSELY with the dog. In essence the dog must be tamed by you and familliar with your constant nature, to even begin to be a help. The dog must have basic obedience skills before trying to move forward. After a 3 month period, you can accurately see if the dog is picking up on the oncoming seizures, if the dog is not by then, it likely will not.If the dog is picking up on the seizures, see what his natural reactions are. Now we are on to the "training" portion.....

It is a double edge sword here. On one hand if you have seizures, you probably do not know when they are coming, and not with enough accuracy to instruct your dog on what to do next. If you are a trainer who does not have seizures, you have to seek out SEVERAL people with seizures, to afford yourslelf the chance to guide the experience.

If you are a person with seizures, you must try to seek out a person to help you, until the dog catches on. This person does not need to be a dog trainer at all, rather someone who knows first aid, has experience with being with you during a seizure, and the person must not panic.

You must discuss with the person, how you need the dog to be of help before, during, and after the seizure.

It is in these fleeting moments, whe a seizure is actually occuring, that the real training comes into action. It may take several months depending on the frequency of seizures.
It is best to take the dog through dry runs, where the person who has the seizures lies perfectly still, and the trainer runs through helper tasks.

I find some useful things to teach the dog are, laying very near the person, who is laying down, tucking the dogs head into the persons neck, laying across the person, have the person pet your face and encouraging the dog to stay close. Some people have asked me, to have their dog bring them a blanket,.... I prefer a pillow, as the person may become entagled in the blanket, and panic, causing relapse(I have seen this happen).

The right dog for the job may still take up to two years, to train in full effect. Some people just want to know and be helped down, I beleive that a dog to be truely helpful, should beable tocomplete all of the fallowing confiently:
Alert- let you know the seizure is coming
Assist- help you down, help keep you steady,.... this all lies in preferance of course.
Resovle- Lick your face, stay with you until you are "back"
Get Help- Go and get someone to help you

I do not believe the dog should make ANY noise, unless you live alone, and do not get up!! The dog is your helper,... it is of NO help to a person having a seizure, or anyone else present to have a noisy dog freaking out.
 
I prefer a pillow, as the person may become entagled in the blanket, and panic, causing relapse(I have seen this happen).
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I assume you mean the anti suffocation pillows! One of the biggest problems following a seizure is the breathing isn't adequate, often times the person who has just expirienced a seizure rolls onto their stomachs, and can suffocate in the pillow. As most the regulars on this board know, I work with epilepsy on a daily basis, I seen thousands and thousands of seziures during my career, safety during and after a seizure are the utmost concern.
 
Very Helpful!!!!!

Now see this is the kind of stuff that I need to hear. Not even the RNs in hospitals here locally have ever said not to get a pillow. In fact,.. that is what they do for them!!I usually train the dog to do what the people want. What are your suggestions for something to offer them??... I hate to be bossy to people... but you raise a more than valid point....
Angel
 
Where to get a dog

Hello everyone. I'm interested in an assist/response dog for myself. I live on the east side of dallas tx. I'm a single dad and I have seizures on occasion. I've been considering a dog for quite a while, but need some help. I reached out to a few places late last year with no success. One company only served veterans now, one guy near me passed away and one company said basically I'm too old and they help kids.
I appreciate any input.
Stephen
 
Don't stop looking, I just found a place yesterday, I don't have my papers in front of me. They are in Georgia. They said they have quite a long waiting list, so apply now. They will move people up the list based on need if they have a higher need that others.

I've found several that are for veterans, children, or have told me that my seizures aren't frequent enough.

I've also heard that sometimes a dog will be empathic enough that they don't necessarily have to be trained before you get them, you can work with them afterward.
 
The *kids only* is disheartening. I may not be a kid, but I have kids that are affected by my seizures and will benefit from the dog. Ugghhh...
 
Agreed, but once i started thinking about it more deeply, this allows the kids a shorter waiting time. It's already a LONG list EVERYWHERE. I know they give dogs based on need, so the kids that need a dog more than I do would be above me on the list. But I hate the thought of taking a dog from a kid. It could be my kid needing a dog, ya know?

So, I'm glad there is a group that specializes in dogs for kids. I'll go to another program, it will work out.
 
I am so lucky and blessed, I adopted a 3 month old Husky mix from the pound about 5 years ago, she was about a year or 2 old when she freaked out one night and wouldnt leave me alone, she didnt want on the couch, outside, water, to be petted, she just stared at me intensely and I wasnt feeling good so I went to bed and had my first grand mal. Shes helped me since then, can tell when Im having an aura, and reminds me to take my meds some nights, she will get into my face till I take my pills then will go lay down, and shes laid with me on the floor during a really strong aura. I dont need her service all the time, but Ive been training her in public places like stores, and shes doing amazing, our training has been halted by my recent injury which has left me dependent on others to drive me, and Im blind on my right eye so now she helps kinda keeps me from running into stuff or people from running into me, not a guide dog but she helps, specially in new places, Id take her to work but work isnt very friendly to people with disabilities even though its against the law.
I label her a service dog in training, but shes pretty damn awesome.
 
Thats great. So you think I need to just grab a good dog from the pound and have a go alone?
 
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