Small Breed Service Animals Article
 

A lot of members were curious about small breed dogs as service animals since,like most of the general public, they are most familiar with large breed dogs like labs as service animals. Yorkies make great service dogs. This story is about a Pom:

From Lap to Laundry: Toy Service Dogs
by Debi Davis

Delta Society Service Dog Resources

“Look Mommy!” the small girl squealed, watching my 9-pound Papillon service dog pick up the car keys I’d dropped. “That doggy wants to drive the car!”

Driving a car is one of the few things my service dog Peek can’t do for me. However, the tasks he performs for me each day more than make up for his inability to play chauffeur. As a person with a disability using a wheelchair for legs, I remain independent and self-sufficient because Peek handles tasks which are difficult or painful for me to perform.

Each morning Peek hears the alarm clock ring, then slaps the snooze button with his paw for 5 more minutes of snuggling in bed. After nature breaks, he helps tug off my pajamas, then hands them to me to fold and put away.

When I am dressed, Peek knows it’s time to make the bed, and jumps in position on the far side of the mattress, waiting for the cue to “tug the covers.” Grasping the sheet between his teeth, he pulls it up toward the bedstead, then repeats the task with the comforter. “Pillows,” I whisper. Peek pulls them into place then looks to me for another cue. I dream of ways to teach him to pour me a cup of coffee, but so far the training techniques elude me.

When breakfast is finished, Peek helps me with the housework. Following me from room to room, he picks up any object. I point to the cordless phone, and he fetches it and places it on the hook. The TV controls are deposited on the end table. Peek reluctantly stashes away all his toys in his toy box, sighs, and follows me to the kitchen.

I point to the lower cupboard and say “Open.” Peek pulls on the leather thong attached to the handle, then waits, as I throw trash into the container under the sink, before closing the door with a swipe of his paw.

Because I get dizzy when I bend over, on laundry days Peek’s job is to tug the clothes out of the dryer and put them in the clothes basket for me, while I sit in my wheelchair and fold them. And although he’d prefer to sleep in the pile of dirty clothes, he does my bidding by bringing me the next load to be washed – one piece at a time.

When we have outings, Peek jumps on my lap and presses the handicap door opener button for me. We roll to the elevator, where he again presses the button with his nose, and we are off.

The public is used to seeing large breeds doing service dog work, but a toy dog performing these tasks always raises eyebrows. Comments of “Oh, he’s so cute!” soon turn to “Oh, he’s so helpful!” when they see a toy dog do many of the things a large breed service dog can do.

Yet the amazing abilities of toy working dogs are overlooked by most large service dog training programs. They prefer dogs like Golden Retrievers, which have a history of even temperament, and whose size and strength make them easily adaptable to those with a wide variety of disabilities. And it is true that large dogs are needed for those requiring assistance in pulling wheelchairs, pulling heavy doors, or getting in and out of the tub. But not all people with disabilities require that level of assistance. Many with mobility impairments mainly need a dog to do retrieval tasks, and a toy dog is indeed a viable option.

For those living in small apartments, a toy service dog may be ideal. Travelling by car or plane is certainly easier with a smaller dog. In restaurants, they fit easily under a chair or table, and more discretely than their large canine counterparts. Clean up after nature calls is easier, and the amount of food consumed is considerably less.

Toy breeds have much to offer as service dogs. But it will take advocates to spread the word and herald the successes of those already working in the field before they are taken seriously. I look forward to the day when a cruise through the mall will gain me comments of “Oh, what a fine working partner you have!” instead of “Oh, what a cute puppy!”

It can happen.

WOW! I could use Peek around my house! A very interesting thread. See, toy dogs are much more than some cute ornament to be carried around. The possibilities for these dogs are endless!

Awesome article. What an amazing companion!

I'm glad to see this is a REAL Service animal and not one being used for the ease of tricking the public. I have read where people use small animals and claim they are service dogs just to get into restaurants and stores. As a disabled person I find that reprehensible.

Wow what a coincidence. I hope my mom won't mind me posting this about her... anyway she wants to use our new dog tucker as a service dog. he's either going to pick stuff up for her like the papillon (sp?) or help her with other things. i think he'll make a wonderfull service dog becuase he is very smart and learns quickly. i've been reading about service dogs and he seems to be service dog material. my mom already sent away for his service dog in training patch.

I have five dogs and they are all service animals. Dogs are so intuitive they can even tell when you are about to have a seizure and they can detect the onset of a migraine headache for example and tell you to take a pill. It is wonderful what healing powers these little guys have as well.

Good luck to your mom! Let me know if I can help.

What an awesome story! I think that is great that a toy is a service dog.

Very sweet! :)

Disability defined
 

I really did not want to go here again yet you continually bring this up. Why I don't know.
I do not think anyone has a "problem" with dogs being used as service animals if someone has a real disability. I know many people that get thru the day with high blood pressure and they control it with medication.
I am all for someone having a TRAINED dog to alert them to the onset of a seizure etc. But to say an animal is a service dog that has had no formal training is stretching it. The actual service dogs have gone thru extensive training. What you seem to continually describe is a therapy dog, there is a big difference. I just had a conversation with my neighbor on this subject today. She has had therapy dogs and service dogs. There IS a difference.
Most of the restaraunts and buildings that do not allow dogs in our state do not say "service dogs only" they say "guide dogs only".
I do enjoy good health, I am lucky. But if I had high blood pressure or a migraine I simply can't see twisting the laws that are there for people that need them so I can take my dog to the mall. IMO it just really makes people question the animals that are truly needed.

I gotta agree with Diva Pup. Service dogs go through extensive training. I don't think people should take advantage of the law. The law was made to enable people to live as normal life with there disability as possible with the assistance of a service dog. Maybe the definition of a service dog should be rewritten before it is taken advantage of.

This is not a fight. I am sure the law is very specific. If a person has a service dog or therapy dog, they will probably need to discuss it from time to time with the locations they are dealing with. Any ailment can be different for some and others. We have a neighbor who walks perfectly well on his fake leg. Another friend of our cannot stand on his. He uses a wheelchair. Should we tell him he should be able to walk because John can?

Thank you for the opportunity to once again reiterate what the law actually says. The more people read and understand the scope of the law the better for everyone. I am glad you are in good health and do not need to use your dog to assist you in your daily activities. Many of us are not so lucky.

Actually, you are not correct about the training required. The law does not require any "formal" training, whatever that might mean. Service dogs do have to be trained to assist the person with the disability in some way, but the owner can train the dog. It is not "stretching it" to do so. It is perfectly acceptable and encouraged even. I do not know what you mean by "actual" service dogs but I assume you mean "seeing eye dogs since you have referred to them in previous posts and, depending on the severity of the disability, and the nature of the task being trained, a professional trainer might be necessary, but not always.

Yes, you are correct that there is a difference between therapy animals and service anmals and I have always made that clear when the issue has arisen. Therapy dogs are not allowed access like service dogs are. I have never used the term therapy animals once in my discussions regarding service dogs except to point them out as being different and not subject to the same privileges.

The law which allows service dogs access to all public places is a federal law and supercedes all state and local laws so it is the controlling law in every state in the country and whether the sign in an estblishment opent to the public says "service dogs" or "guide dogs" is irrelevant. This law was enacted in 1990 and it allows all service animals who are assisiting a person with a disability.

I have done extensive legal research on the subject to the point of reading the majority of the case law. There is no "twisting the law" as you describe. These are legitimate uses of dogs that are allowed under the law and to imply otherwise is actually misrepresenting the nature of the law in my opinion.

For anyone who wants to do some research on their own to learn more the law is enforced by the Deaprtment of Justice and there are severe penalties for business owners who violate the law. There is a FAQ sheet they have printed to educate business owners about the law in layman's terms. It is located at

www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/qasrvc.htm

I always carry a copy of this with me for any business owner who is unfamiliar with the laws.

Of course, this just gives a periferal overview and is not an in depth analysis but I have done the in depth analysis and there is lots of info on the internet if anyone wants to look into it for their dogs and themselves.

I keep bringing this up because, as a dog trainer and a dog lover, I am quite passionate about it. There are always threads on here about people who cannot take their beloved "family member" here or there and I always think, well I can help them if they are aware of the service animal law. I also firmly believe it is a safety issue for my dogs and everyone else's. Our furbabies are almost always better off when they are with us as opposed to home alone or in a kennel at a boarding place, or left in the car while we run in for a couple of minutes, or even being dog sat by a neighbor or professional dog sitter. When people realize how easy it is in a lot of cases to train their animal to be a service dog, they will be thrilled and everyone wins!!

Yorkies are especially needy in this way and have severe separation anxiety sometimes. If you can train that dog to pick up your keys if you have arthritis or alert you when the phone rings if you are partially hearing impaired, then WHY NOT????

I find it interesting that anyone in this dog friendly community would have a problem with this.

The reference to a "real disability" I do not understand since I gave the definition of a disability. Are you trying to judge who has a "real" as opposed to an "unreal" disability and who is to judge whose disability is worse and should it matter? The law does not discriminate based on severity of disabilty except to say that it is long term, although you qualify also if you had a previous disability which is now cured or gone.

Kim, I would just like to say thank you. A few months ago I read a thread about making my pup a service dog and for me it will be great. Lexi starts puppy classes in 2 weeks. She will then be considered a service dog in training.

I have a VERY rare case of Rhumatoid arthritis, I swell so bad that some days I can't close my hands, or wear shoes. Because of my illness that still is not completely under controll I also suffer from depression. Beleive it or not Lexi makes a world of a difference when it comes to depression. I love my kids dearly but when you are depressed and they start argueing or begging for a pack of gum in the store it only gets worse. With Lexi it is different and more relaxxing.

My bother says Lexi is way to spoiled to be a service dog, and she is spoiled but she is also well behaved and listens well. So we will show him...

So glad I helped!
 

Tricia~

You have made my day. I am so glad the info I passed on helped you and Lexi. Good luck in the classes!

I keep bringing this up because, as a dog trainer and a dog lover, I am quite passionate about it. There are always threads on here about people who cannot take their beloved "family member" here or there and I always think, well I can help them if they are aware of the service animal law.

I guess so, you have posted it at least 3 times in the last month.
I only hope those you are "helping" HAVE a disability. Otherwise it is just morally wrong, it is called lying.
As much as I love my dog I am not going to make up some disability so he/she can go to the mall with me.
Just out of curiosity how do you train a dog to signal when you are getting a migraine? Or are getting ready to have a seizure? Are you qualified to do that?

Kim what is it that your dogs do for you to qualify as service animals? I realize you don't have to explain your "disability" to authorities in public places but I am just curious...I know what dogs are CAPABLE of doing I'm just wondering what it is that you have trained yours to do that make them all service animals?

I'll have to agree that I am thoroughly offended when people use a service animal as an excuse to sneak their dogs in places. Having a true disability or condition is one thing and being morally irresponsible is another. One reason I feel so passionately about it is because my Lab (RIP) flunked out of school to be a therapy dog because she was too friendly. Not every Rex or Rufus is cut out to be a service animal.

Also, I'd like to add that laws can be interpreted differently by different people; this one is especially subjective.

I still say, who are we to decide who does and who does not have a disability.

A dog can detect a seizure or migrane. It is on television occasionally. I will find a story online about this, because I am sure they are there.

I am so glad you asked! Dogs are innately in tune to the most minute details of a living being's bodily functions! For instance, they usually know before a woman does if she is pregnant. This is proven.

They are also aware of changes in body chemistry as far as temperature, scent and things such as perspiration and heart beat to the degree that they can tell when a person is about to have a seizure, is low blood suger or nauseous or about to get a migraine headache. They are also especially in tune with their masters. How many of you have commented on how your yorkies seemed to know when you were ill or not feeling well?

In this way the dogs sort of come trained except for us being trained to recognize their signals. Sometimes it's a look or a whine or a posture or you can train themto bring your medicatin when their "sense" warns them that medication is warranted.

There are ongoing studies in this areas and it is quite fascinating. I would recommend individual research if you are truly interested.

Since I suffer from severe migrane headaches, I would love to know exactly how to train Carter and Cooper to detect them for me before the onset. If anyone can point me to a source for information of how to do this, please let me know!

I am not against people that have disabilities . . . according to the "law" as it is written, I qualify many times over. What I have a pet peeve about is people whose dogs can't detect squat and say they are a service dog. If your dog can detect a migrane before the onset then that truly is a service dog.

It is a proven fact that dogs do reduce stress. Does that mean everyone can take their dog into stores, restaurants, and on airplanes without being crated?

The question was "are you able to train your dog to do that?" because by everything I have read so far the dog goes thru some pretty extensive training. 6 months of it actually. Yes there have been many stories on this phenomena, but not ALL dogs will signal naturally when this is going to happen.Thats when the training might come in handy.

Well, without embarassing or abridging the privacy rights of specific family members, I can answer in general terms. I have omitted the names to protect the innocent...lol

I have two family members who are hearing impaired and two of my dogs are trianed to alert to specific sounds that have to do with safety primarily. For example, in addition to alerting when the door bell rings or the phone rings they are trained to alert to the sound a forklift makes when it reverses in Costco for example.

Another family member used to suffer from depression and anxiety attacks and is on medication to control it. That person's dog is trained to "signal" when it is time to take the medication and also to retrieve a cell phone and personal belongings when necessary.

Another family member suffers from an auto immune disease called anklosing spondylitus. This person has a fused back and all joints are fusing as this person ages. The dogs actually assist with simple things like pulling off socks, retrieving shoes, handing items to the disabled person. picking up things that are dropped, etc.

Two of the dogs are in training to alert for specific medical condtions or emergency situations like pushing a button to dial 911 or barking loudly to alert another family member that they are in trouble, etc.

They are all trained to perform basic tasks as well and others in addition to these, but these will give you some ideas of the possibilities.

I have never witnessed anyone who claimed their dog was a service animal when it wasn't. How would you find that out? Did you ask them? I would never be so bold and none of my friends or family members have ever admitted to doing such a thing.

The fact that dogs reduce stress is not, in and of itself, enough for them to qualify as service animals. However, if someone has a stress related disability, however, like high blood pressure or a chroic heart condition, for example, and the dog can be trained to do something to reduce the stress then it would qualify.

My trainer said Lexi would probably need less than 3 months of training for her services. She will help pick things up and fetch, along with the fun part of puppy kisses just to make me feel better on my bad days.

As for as anyone ?ing Lexi being a service dog well hell I'll just show them the med. bag I have to carry around.

I would also like to say I don't think Kim is saying hey everyone print up the FAQ sheet and walk into Walmart and pretened you are disabled. I took her thread as she was just being friendly and letting people know that this is an option. I also want to say that depression is just as serious as diabetes, or any other heath issue. I would rather have my heart condition back over depression.

Kim, again thank you

I do not consider 6 months of training as "extensive". My dogs are in training for almost their entire lives, learning new commands and refining ones already accomplished.

It depends on the extent of what you want them to learn. Tricia just posted that Lexi's trainer said 3 months of training for what he is going to teach her.

Tricia~ You are so welcome and I agree with what you said about depression. It is so common and it absolutely ruins lives.

Seizure assist vs. Seizure alert
 

Here is an excellent article on the seizure alert and the seizure assist dog and the difference. There is continuing research bring done, but this article holds that the seizure alert dog cannot actually be trained to alert before a seizure. They either do it or they don't.

Seizure-Alert Dogs--Just the Facts, Hold the Media Hype

Jenna Martin
Senior Editor, epilepsy.com

"Seizure-alert dogs, save lives". This is what the media would like the general public to believe, and while it makes for a great headline, it also makes for a grave misrepresentation of the truth.The truth is, seizure dogs can not be trained to “alert” a person of an oncoming seizure. Therefore, a seizure dog may be useful in assisting a person during or after a seizure, but is not guaranteed to be able to “alert” a person of an oncoming seizure.

Seizure-alert dogs, as implied by their name, are dogs that can sense and notify their human companions of an oncoming seizure. This alerting behavior has been reported to occur several seconds to 45 minutes or more before the onset of the seizure. The dog does this by exhibiting marked changes in behavior, including close eye contact, circling, pawing, barking etc.

According to Deborah Dalziel, research coordinator for a University of Florida Veterinary Medicine study on seizure alert dogs, “There is this misconception that any seizure dog can be trained to alert, which just isn’t true. A dog can cue in on minute behavioral differences, but can't be trained to alert”. She points out that there are no scientific studies to support the many theories on how dogs detect an oncoming seizure. "What we know on how dogs can alert to a seizure before it occurs is still a mystery. From a scientific standpoint, there is still so much that remains to be determined," said Dr. Basim Uthman, Associate Professor of Neurology and Neuroscience at the University of Florida College of Medicine and Brain Institute.

In the 1998 study conducted by Dalziel,Uthman and colleagues, a qualitative questionnaire was completed by 63 epilepsy subjects. Of the 63 subjects, 29 owned pet dogs. Of the 29 subjects, nine reported that their dogs responded to a seizure. These dogs remained close to their human companions, either standing or lying alongside them, sometimes licking the person’s face or hands during and immediately after the seizure. Of the nine dogs reported to respond, three were reported to also alert their human companion to an impending seizure.

While the numbers of the study done at the University of Florida were too small to be conclusive, they did suggest that the dogs’ alerting behavior is not breed, age or gender specific. Also, the study indicated that the dog is more likely to alert to a person with a certain type of seizure; a person who experiences migraine headaches and a person who experiences certain types of auras. Furthermore, the study indicated that the effectiveness of the seizure-alerting dog depends greatly on the ability of the human companion to recognize and appropriately respond to the dog’s alerting behavior. Megan Esherick, a trainer for Canine Partners For Life confirmed this by stating, “For some people a seizure-alert dog can really make a difference. Generally, the person needs to have the cognitive ability to notice that the dog is trying to alert them and respond accordingly. Sometimes the dog may be alerting in more subtle ways other than barking or pawing, and the person needs to be able to pick-up on that.”

Some trainers and researchers believe the dog is able to alert by detecting subtle changes in human behavior, while others assert that a dog’s heightened sense of smell enables it to detect an oncoming seizure. “I think a lot of it is that people give off cues and dogs are more alert to body language,” said Mike Sapp, Chief Operating Officer of Paws With A Cause. “But there haven’t been enough scientific studies done. So who really knows why?” Sapp believes that true alerting behavior is the result of the dog and human developing a strong bond, which can only evolve over time.



Seizure-Alert, Seizure-Response, Seizure-Assist: What Is the Difference?
Contrary to the media's portrayal, not all seizure dogs are "alert" dogs. In fact, there are different types of seizure dogs depending on the skill set they either have or acquire through training.

Whereas seizure-alert dogs assist their human companions before a seizure occurs, seizure-response or–assist dogs assist during and after a seizure. This behavior, as Dalziel points out, can be innate or trained. Seizure-assist dogs can be trained to stay close to their companions for the duration of the seizure as well as fetch medications, a telephone or caretaker. A seizure-assist dog is trained to assist the human companion, but may or may not alert.

Love at First Bark
When referring to service dogs, more specifically seizure dogs, the emphasis is usually placed on how well the dog can assist the human companion. Yet, the relationship between canine and human is a reciprocal one. Hence, just as the service dog must meet certain criteria so must the person selected to receive the dog. “It is very important for the person who is thinking of getting a seizure dog to understand what a significant commitment it is. They have to go through an application process at our organization where they complete a written application, submit an essay and undergo an interview by phone or in person," said Esherick.

Potential seizure dog owners must also assess whether or not they are physically, emotionally and financially able to care for the dog. Dalziel asserts that, “people don’t realize the responsibility of having a service dog. It is different than owning a pet. You have to maintain training, health and a good working relationship with a vet that understands the special needs of a service dog. The success of a service dog depends as much on the human partner as it does on the dog.”

Ensuring success of a seizure dog must also include a lot of playtime and exercise since these activities help in keeping the dog's stress level down. Esherick believes the most stressful event for a seizure dog is to be separated from their human companion. “The seizure dog takes its job very seriously, and when they are separated from their person they are unable to do their job, which causes a tremendous amount of anxiety.”

Service Dog Trainers
Currently, there are about 120 service dog training organizations in the United States. Fewer than 20 of these organizations work with seizure-assist dogs, according to Dalziel, who co-authored the booklet “Service Dogs for People with Seizure Disorders.” Training of service dogs can take 6 months to 2 years depending on the availability of appropriate dogs and the tasks they are being taught. Due to the intensive level of training required, the cost ranges from $10,000 to $25,000. At this time, the training of service dogs is not regulated so that each service dog organization has their own set of criteria for selecting clients, placing dogs and fee structures.

Knowledge is Power
In recent years, the seizure-alert dog has gained national media attention generating a rise in the number of people wishing to obtain such a dog for themselves or a family member who suffers from an uncontrolled seizure disorder. Sadly, some of the information has been inaccurate and has fostered unrealistic expectations of these service dogs. Through facts and empirical evidence, about seizure-alert dogs, prospective seizure-dog owners as well as the community at large, can be empowered to make reality-based decisions.

So Kim since there is a distinction between service versus seizure- Are your dogs trained as service dogs or seizure alert dogs?

Well, I did find this website http://www.cofc.edu/~huntc/service.html. I think it calls seizure dogs service dogs on there.

I don't understand why you guys are picking on Kim when it just seems she is trying to help people.

Keep up the good work Kim. I can see you are a kind, giving and caring person. :hug:

Training a dog to do ANYTHING takes a lot of love and patience.

Love at First Bark
When referring to service dogs, more specifically seizure dogs,

Laura- I was simply asking Kim a question whether or not her dogs were trained as seizure dogs or service dogs? Laura- no one is picking on anyone, There is simply a healthy debate/ a difference of opinion as to what constitutes a service dog and I personally don't understand the traning regimens, which is why I'm curious about how Kim is having her dogs trained.