Assistance dog training for your own dog ...

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

Hi,

Wasnt quite sure where to put this but figured this may be the 'best place'

I have a friend called Sam (who may join soon so please make her welcome ) who is looking at re-homing a puppy with a view to working her as an assistance dog.

I know the puppy personally and she is around 6mths, female (entire), staffie cross.  She is used to being around children from birth onwards (tho still puppy bouncy!) and has been excellent with every dog I have come across while handling her (i have been walking her for them recently). 

Sam is partially blind (mostly to one side) but still has a fair bit of remaining vision and is excellent with her white stick   Ideally Sox would walk on her sighted side (white stick in blind-side hand) and walk to heel.

Has anyone here had experience of this and/or integrating a dog with chinchilla's (or similar).

I would welcome any suggestions / experiences / questions

At the moment she needs to :

 - stop pulling
 - basic obedience
 - ignore 3 chinchillas
 - learn to be left for short periods (cannot be seperated in home without howling/crying)
 - needs cued toileting and re-inforcing of toilet training (live in flat)

 - she is full of wind and her coat is dry and skirfy so she needs a food overhaul too (on tesco prem. complete).

Claire.

[Val]

I would be a tad worried about the Chi's  Staffies don't make friends with dogs as easy as they make friends with children, any dog can be trained to work Assistance depends at what level
Val

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

Hi,

Val - Chinchilla ... not Chihuahua mate  Sox is brilliant with all dogs I have met while walking with her

Claire x

p.s. Val, any thoughts on what breed(s) might be in her ?  Her brother and sister that I met looked like full staffies and so did their dad.  She looks like mum - mucho slighter ?irish staff or ?terrier

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

Sox & Bonnie - so ppl can get an idea of size

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

and again

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

...

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

and a head shot

[.dodger.]

the pic with her next to the cage looks terrier-ish I would think if she does have terrier in her you could have problems with the chinchilla's?

[tri 'n snatch it bonnie girl]

hi

she's definately a terrier, a staffie x    their breed makeup is bulldogs and working terriers with irish staffie's being bred on with terriers to achieve the slightly taller sleeker look tho she's definately not a pure one of these either she is so slight and wiggly - its wierd she's come out really chunky looking in these pictures and she isnt at all - she is underweight a little but I can get my hands round her waist lol

claire x

[justpetdogs]

It might be worth her contacting DogAID.  They are a relatively new assistance dog organisation that concentrates on helping owners train their own dogs to carry out tasks appropriate to them.

Marion

[Foxisle_crazy]

OMG! 1st pic!    Has she been watching the ring?!! eek! 

[Stumpywop]

Hi,

I am just going through the application thing myself with DogAID. They send out an application form and all you need to do is complete it and return it, along with the relevant info re the disability.

Sox will have to undergo and assessment with her own vet to ensure she's fit to carry out the duties expected of her and has the right temperament. I doubt having 3 chinchillas will be a problem. We have a Guinea Pig which Zane considers to be "lunch on legs". I just have to keep 'em separate.

For the first level of training a very basic obedience class shoudl ensure sox can do most of those duties. Level 2 is harder and Level 3 is the highest. Assuming that Sox passes this level then she'll be allowed to wear the relevant vest whilst working and will be allowed into areas that most dogs cannot go when out in public.

Good luck.

Laura xx

[arrows dad]

Hi
we actually have a staffie english bull cross who we rehomed from dog trust at 11 month old after he spent the entire 11 month with them .
We trained him ourselves after he picked up a orange for wolfie one day without being asked we didnt go via the charity in the uk due to the 3 year waiting list before you could even start training.
It took a year until we felt able to say he was worthy of caling him an assistance dog.
this link is to an interview with channel 5 after he qualified  if you would like further details please do ask.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIIKrGDNa9U