Do You Have An Assistance Dog?

LNucleus Acumbens on 30/10/2022 - 21:21

My dog was accepted as a trainee Assistance Dog today and I was wondering if anyone else had an assistance dog and how they're training it and how their training is going.

My dog is a 5 month old male Miniature Fox Terrier and he will be associated with "In The Paws of an Angel"

Charlie (my puppy's name) has been to Puppy Preschool and Intermediate Obedience class plus we have a private trainer two days a week.

We will be training with Paws once a week on Sundays.

Looking forward to hearing about other Assistance Dogs and their journeys to becoming qualified.

Pets Dog

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 30/10/2022 - 21:28
    +1

    My dog was accepted as a trainee Assistance Dog today

    Awesome. Enjoy the journey. Charlie sounds like the bestest boi. All the best with the training.

    PS: I don't have an assistance dog but I do have 4 pet dogs. Love them to bits.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2022 - 21:31
    +4

    awww …… a photo of trainee Assistance Doggo Charlie is now required

  • sharkyoz on 31/10/2022 - 00:13

    my mate has a dog that opens the fridge and carries a six pack over to him, a very good assistant dog

    • bobbified on 31/10/2022 - 02:15
      +1

      pretty mean to refer to the wifey like that! lol

  • Montyjpm on 31/10/2022 - 06:02

    Heard it cost around $150K to train a puppy into a Seeing Eye Dog. Obviously, they only use the smart breeds.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 31/10/2022 - 12:50

      Makes sense when you consider all the time that goes into it from various people training it.

      Couple of years and they'll be obsolete though. I can imagine seeing eye dogs being completely replaced with a robot that helps them.

      • CrispyChrispy on 01/11/2022 - 09:21

        Yeah probably. Do keep in mind though that for those who are vision-impaired and do own guide dogs, it's also a companion kind of thing to also help them not feel so lonely. The dog is more than a guide to the owner.

  • Nucleus Acumbens on 31/10/2022 - 13:16
    -1

    Thanks for your replies.

    I'm not sure how much a Seeing Eye Dog costs to train but Charlie will cost about $8000 to train up to the Public Access Test level, but I am also incurring extra costs for extra training for skills not required by the PAT.

    It is estimated that he will have his trainee bandanna for 4 months, then his learners jacket for 8 - 12 months or until he passes the PAT test.

    @Muzeeb, we also have another dog here who won't be trained as an Assistance Dog, he is a 4 month old Swedish Velhund. Think of a corgi that looks like a German Shepherd!

    @kajke, I'm new here and don't know how to upload photos yet, but I would if I knew how.

    • [Deactivated] on 31/10/2022 - 13:36
      -1

      That is a considerable training expense however the benefits are priceless. My GP is doing the same with her 2 dogs at the surgery and I recently picked up an order from a small business where one of the owners is also training her doggo.

      How do I upload a picture or document?
      Go to My Account - Files and click the Upload New File button.

      A pic of Charlie (in trainee uniform) & the Swedish Velhund, please :)

      • Nucleus Acumbens on 31/10/2022 - 14:18
        -1

        Charlie doesn't have his bandanna yet but I've uploaded pictures of him (the small black and white dog) and Togo, the Swedish Velhund (corgi looking like a German Shepherd)

        • Muzeeb on 31/10/2022 - 15:15
          +2

          You then need to copy the link and paste it either in your original post or a new thread.

      • Nucleus Acumbens on 03/11/2022 - 13:58

        I met a German Shepherd Assistance Dog a few months ago who ha $70,000 of training so far. Her owner had been abducted and tied up and tortured and was suffering severe PTSD as a result.

        She chose the German Shepherd for protection purposes and among the training he had was how to remove ropes tied around wrists and other body parts.

        • [Deactivated] on 09/11/2022 - 13:31

          You know what else is sickening is when a GP feels safer having an assistance dog with her in the surgery due to increasing threats from patients with mental health issues.

    • angywoo on 11/06/2023 - 16:04

      Any updates?

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