I thought I'd let you all in on my service dog plans (for now anyway). I live alone and until recently I had a 17 year old doxie who was my companion. I applied for a service dog. I was accepted but was told I had to choose between a hearing alert dog and a balance dog bc they have different temperaments. A hearing dog can be a little dog that pounces on you to get your attention and runs off to lead you to the sound and a balance dog is usually big, calm and stays by your side.
I chose a balance dog bc I've been deaf for 18 yrs and I don't need a hearing alert dog to make me more independent. I need a dog that will help me walk by helping me keep balance and to retrieve things for me since I can't bend over or kneel well.
I was accepted to the Texas Hearing & Service Dogs program, but it takes up to a year for them to find a rescue with the proper temperament and personality to train to meet the needs of the type of service that you need. The cost to me would be free but they say it costs them $17,000 to find, keep and train a dog so you are greatly encouraged to help with fund raising to help cover the cost.
I am excited by the prospect of training a dog and having a companion and partner that assists me and goes with me everywhere. So even tho I'm accepted and participating in the service dog program, I am reading everything I can on training a dog myself and keeping eyes open to find that special dog. I've joined a yahoo groups list that is devoted to training your own service dog. I've been toying with the idea of getting a dog and going for it, but I'm afraid as I've never trained a service dog and ill have to pull out of the Texas Hearing & Service Dog program bc I can't have another dog along with their dog. Until I'm ready to take the plunge I'm going to keep reading and learning bc that's what THSD requires anyway. Ill keep my blog updated on my progress with this endeavor.
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First off congrats! It's ashame that the school doesn't consider combinational dogs. One that would be able to counter-balance, brace and hearing alert too.
If this is your first time having a service dog then I would stick with the programme just so you get the in's and outs. But that doesn't mean you cannot learn to teach your own service dog or to continue it's teaching and teach the hearing alert part. It takes lots of commitment though.
You should check out this site: http://pwdsdawareness.freeforums.org (People with Disabilities & Service Dog Awareness. Once registered you could post questions in the training section or else where for that matter. LOL.
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