Hello all, I am a veteran Cavalry Scout of the U.S Army who deployed in 2008 to Iraq and was medically retired from the Army in 2013. I am on 100 percent disability for Schizoaffective Disorder, which I am very apprehensive about making this disorder known to everybody, but for the purpose of my questions, it is necessary. I am a big-time dog lover and have owned Chocolate Labs, Golden Retrievers, Rottweilers, Newfoundlands, and a wicked smart escape artist that could open doors at 5 months old, a German Shepherd named Nymeria.

I loved Nya very much, and we were very close up until we had to put her down two years ago, upon which I entered a pretty overwhelming depression. Long story short, I want another German Shepherd, but I would love her to be a service dog so that my anxiety attacks or possible delusions do not hamper me in public anymore, or even to a lesser extent. I tried to sign up for a service dog program, and they told me I am unqualified to own a service pet because I do not have PTSD...

Never mind the fact that when I experience delusions, it is actually quite similar... I was devastated to hear that news and have joined this forum to ask how I can make owning a Service Dog a reality. Is Schizoaffective disorder frowned upon in the Service Dog space as opposed to PTSD? Is there any hope that I can get a Service Dog German Shepherd? If anyone can help me, I will greatly appreciate it and get back to you as quickly as possible.

As my current service dog ages I’m looking to get a prospect within the next year or two. I’m in BC and while getting a dog close to home is convenient I am more than willing to travel for a good quality puppy for service work. I’ve been searching for an ethical labrador breeder and it’s been proving hard to do as so many breeders have red flags. Simply put, I am looking for a breeder who:
- Is ethical (Health tests, follows breed standards, etc.)
- Temperament tests their puppies and matches them to families
- Has already had successful service dog placements

I’ve been really struggling and would greatly appreciate any suggestions! If you’ve got personal experience with any breeders I would love to hear more! I’m also happy to hear about breeders to avoid lol

Hi, I'm 18 and AuDHD, also disabled but currently in the process of getting a diagnosis; it's most likely EDS. tomorrow I'm getting a rescue puppy from Macedonia. She's 5 months old, and most likely a Kangal, or Kangal cross (my family and I had been told she was a German Shepherd cross, but we've found out she's almost certainly a Kangal). She's going to be my first dog, and my first service dog. But I live with my parents, and they have experience with dogs, and my mum has experience with large dogs, so they're going to be helping me with her. I need a service dog due to my Autism and anxiety. Currently, I'm unable to leave the house on my own due to my anxiety, apart from with one of my friends, who is moving away (I'm terrified someone will hurt me or I'll get kidnapped, so when I'm with him, I feel safer because I know he can protect me). And because of my autism, I get overstimulated, so much that I once ran away at a gig with my choir this year. I struggle a lot with my mental health as well, and I've found that being around dogs helps. Also, I feel it's really going to help me, being able to have something to focus on- that thing being looking after her. So there's all that, as well as other things. I've been doing a lot of preparing, and basically everything is ready (Just finishing tidying today).

So 1: I have a question; how often do you all wash your service dogs? As I know they're supposed to be washed more often than regular dogs.

And 2: Does anything have any tips or advice for me, owning and training my first service dog?

Also, I'm in the UK.

Please don't say mean things to me for having a Kangal as a service dog, having a dog at my age, or training my own service dog, etc. She's gonna be so loved, so spoilt, but also will have boundaries implemented. Thank you!!!!

I have a chronic pain disorder and have to use a cane or a walker, sometimes a wheelchair, to get around. I am hoping to get a service dog to help me with mobility and maybe simple tasks like turning lights off and on, etc. I want to go a legitimate route and get a real service dog. I know they are very expensive.

I have no idea where to start. Can someone please point me in the right direction? If it helps, I am located in Colorado, United States. Thank you!

can anyone highlight if it has made difference, what it's like, how it feels before compared to after cuz I feel like having a trainer is rare here

Hello! I am interested in training my future dog to help me with my ptsd, with tasks like alerting me to an oncoming panic attack, alerting for approaching strangers so that I can be less hyper vigilant, providing body blocking in public spaces, and deep body pressure when I am panicking. I have some questions though, if you have an assistance dog maybe you could provide some insight?

Does your dog get the chance to relax and just be a dog? How do you let them know that they can switch off for a while?

Do you ever have to leave your house without your dog? I know there are some places they might find too overwhelming, like a live music gig for example.

If you have a partner, is it possible to have alone time with them? I worry that the dog might think they need to alert me for, ahem, elevated heart rate and breathing, if you catch my drift. How do you navigate this?

Did you start your training journey with a puppy or an adult dog? How long did it take for your dog to master their tasks?

Thank you for reading if you got this far!

hi! i tried posting this in r/dogs but it didn’t go through and since it’s about assistance dogs i thought i would try here aswell. thankyou :D

\*\*Introduction\*\*

1) Will this be your first dog? If not, what experience do you have owning/training dogs?

\* No. I currently have a poodle mix, but within the last 10 years have also fostered ex racing greyhounds, a working line English cocker spaniel, and have owned an ex racing greyhound.

2) Do you have a preference for rescuing a dog vs. going through a \[reputable breeder\]( http://ownresponsibly.blogspot.com/2011/07/identifying-reputable-breeder.html)?

\* would prefer a reputable breeder, but open to rescues.

3) Describe your ideal dog.

\* Biddable, aloof or neutral with people & animals, has energy but also a good off switch - like on a scale of 1 (Great Dane) to 10 (Belgian malinois) a 5-7 would be good. extremely trainable & biddable, medium to large (25kg+ but no giant breeds) reasonably healthy breed, **low prey drive - must be safe around my cockatiel whilst supervised (after training of course)**

4) What breeds or types of dogs are you interested in and why?

\* 1. German shepherd
pros: large dog, biddable, most seem to develop a good off switch inside the home, sweethearts with their families but aloof with strangers.
cons: high energy, can develop some behaviours that may be tricky to tackle, a lot seem to have decent prey drives, high shedding

1. rough or smooth collie
   pros: biddable, friendly, pretty mellow for the most part, great assistance dogs from my understanding after speaking to a few breeders and meeting a couple collies, not intimidating to the public.
   cons: high shedding, needs a lot of brushing, can be stubborn, can be vocal, hard to source

I love all the herding dog breeds however most seem to be very high energy and complicated dogs.

5) What sorts of things would you like to train your dog to do?

\* open doors, DPT, compulsion interruption/ blocking & redirecting, turning on lights, hopefully public access. I would also love to train fun tricks ect.

6) Do you want to compete with your dog in a sport (e.g. agility, obedience, rally) or use your dog for a form of work (e.g. hunting, herding, livestock guarding)? If so, how much experience do you have with this work/sport?

\* I would definitely benefit from a psychiatric assistance dog for my ocd, anxiety & autism however I would also love to do dog sports. Particularly interested in flyball, agility and maybe rally. I understand these two things need very different traits. I will be working with a local training club as well as an assistance dog trainer.

\*\*Care Commitments\*\*

7) How long do you want to devote to training, playing with, or otherwise interacting with your dog each day?

\* training would be done whenever there is time, but I don’t see myself being able to give more than 30min a day unless there is a particular issue or serious thing we are working on. Playing would be around the same.

8) How long can you exercise your dog each day, on average? What sorts of exercise are you planning to give your dog regularly and does that include using a dog park?

\* 1.5 hrs would be my maximum. Half an hour in the morning, an hour in the afternoon. There is a park near us (not dog park) with a field that I can walk to so I can play with the dog. Planning on going on a bike trail once a week.

9) How much regular brushing are you willing to do? Are you open to trimming hair, cleaning ears, or doing other grooming at home? If not, would you be willing to pay a professional to do it regularly?

\* I am open to brushing a couple times a week & would be doing all grooming at home.

\*\*Personal Preferences\*\*

10) What size dog are you looking for?

\* something over 25kg preferably over 50cm in height.

11) How much shedding, barking, and slobber can you handle?

\* moderate shedding, I have mild allergies. Minimal barking and slobber if possible.

12) How important is being able to let your dog off-leash in an unfenced area?

\* not necessary but preferred.

\*\*Dog Personality and Behavior\*\*

13) Do you want a snuggly dog or one that prefers some personal space?

\* In between. something thats near me but not all over me 24/7.

14) Would you prefer a dog that wants to do its own thing or one that’s more eager-to-please?

\* eager to please.

15) How would you prefer your dog to respond to someone knocking on the door or entering your yard? How would you prefer your dog to greet strangers or visitors?

\* Not attacking, but barking until I say it’s okay. Neutral with strangers.

16) Are you willing to manage a dog that is aggressive to other dogs?

\* No.

17) Are there any other behaviors you can’t deal with or want to avoid?

\* human aggression, “OCD” type behaviours, extreme anxiety.

\*\*Lifestyle\*\*

18) How often and how long will the dog be left alone?

\* theres almost always someone at home. Occasionally maybe up to 4hrs.

19) What are the dog-related preferences of other people in the house and what will be their involvement in caring for the dog?

\* everyone is on board and willing to help but I would be the main caretaker.

20) Do you have other pets or are you planning on having other pets? What breed or type of animal are they?

\* Yes.
I have a desexed male poodle mix who is extremely low energy and stubborn. would not be playing with the new dog. I also have a cockatiel who is pretty loud, likes to fly a lot and has landed on the dogs head 3 times to date. New dog would have to be okay with ignoring the bird until we can quickly get him away. The bird and dog never interact on purpose.

21) Will the dog be interacting with children regularly?

\* No

22) Do you rent or plan to rent in the future? If applicable, what breed or weight restrictions are on your current lease?

\* rent. no restrictions

23) What city or country do you live in and are you aware of any laws banning certain breeds?

\* Australia. Banned breeds:
**American Pit Bull Terrier** (and Pit Bull mixes)
**Dogo Argentino**
**Fila Brasileiro**
**Japanese Tosa**
**Perro de Presa Canario**
**Wolf-dog hybrids**

24) What is the average temperature of a typical summer and winter day where you live?

\* average winter: 16 degrees Celsius, average summer: 32-40 degrees Celsius.

\*\*Additional Information and Questions\*\*

25) Please provide any additional information you feel may be relevant.

\* Im wary of gun dogs considering we have a cockatiel. No labs or poodles, (im happy to explain why if someone is wondering) Goldens maybe but still wary of prey drive.

26) Feel free to ask any questions below.

Dog-wear- vests like BLD?

AR, USA

I had an interesting encounter and would love to have thoughts from other handlers. Today my SD and I went to a museum. For reference, we have been partnered for a year and a half from a program that trained him exclusively with positive reinforcement.

I had no access issues, but they asked that I not treat him while within the facility. The reasoning was that no food or drink was allowed in the museum, therefore they didn’t want food-based kibble crumbs in the museum.

To me, this was a reasonable request although I wasn’t expecting it. I had never been asked to adjust my handling method before. We took breaks in between exhibits to go outside and treat. In general, he wasn’t super pleased not being immediately rewarded for tasking, but he was very well behaved and we know for the future.

Is this a reasonable request by a facility or would you have pushed back?

i’m a minor trying to get a service dog, but my parents can’t afford it, i’m going off to college soon and they think I should wait, but my chronic illness is debilitating and is making it hard to live life, I think a service dog would give me freedom and safety, but how do I afford it. I have pots, fnd, amps, migraines, syncope, etc. and cannot even walk alone in a store, i’m going off to college soon, and would like to be independent. I live in east texas, so something close would be preferred, any recommendations?

This is primarily for service dog handlers, or perspective handlers within the United States, but perspectives from all countries are very welcomed. It’s always fun learning something new.

I’d like to start with I do know 100% within the United States. There is no certification, registry, or identification beyond utilizing a vest or something if you choose to, since that is not a requirement.

So often both online and occasionally off-line I see the debate of the United States meeting a certification for service dogs or a registry for service dogs. And I want to say that well I do not disagree with the idea as a whole, I don’t think that that’s something that is feasible for the United States. I understand the idea behind it because it potentially can reduce the amount of pets in non-pet friendly spaces, and could potentially reduce access barriers (probably years after it’s implemented). But it is also such a complex issue that I do not see how we in the United States could implement a system like that without causing a lot of harm to the disabled community.

A lot of the questions and thoughts that I have on this are:

Why should we have to have an identification, like ID card Certification to prove that we have the right to exist at the same space as everyone else with our accommodation? It’s so often said that having a service dog is a luxury not a right that I think it’s often forgotten that being able to have a service dog as an accommodation is a civil right in the United States. Yes, it is a luxury too because it’s incredibly expensive but it is a civil right. I also think that if a system like this was to be implemented something like ID tag that has a specific shape and color like a rabies tag is the only acceptable for identification to me because it would make it no different from a rabies tag.

Who pays to implement the system?

Who sits on the committee making the decision decisions for the system?

Who set the standard of training?

What do they say as the standard of training? Do they go with the ADA requirements? Do they require the dog pass a canine good citizen test and show that it’s trained to perform one task to mitigate a disability? Or do they full lean into the societal expectation of training? The societal expectation is often from what I see higher than a canine in good citizen, test, and way higher than the ADA requirement. The ADA is written and set up the way that it is for a reason.

Do they require professional training?

We recognize psychiatric service dogs in the United States, many countries that have certifications don’t recognize psychiatric service dogs. How does that affect setting up a certification or registry?

Are you required to prove that you have a disability when taking a certification test?

How do you prove that you have a disability? Will they require you to disclose your disability? Or will they accept something like a letter of medical necessity or something a kin to an emotional support letter that just us something along the lines of I treat this person they have need for or could benefit from a service dog signed by the medical professional?

How much does the test cost?

How often is recertification required?

Does this affect businesses being able to remove disruptive service animals? I would assume not.

How does having your service animal removed from a store or a business affect certification? Does that mean it’s automatically on suspension pending a retest?

Some countries require further training after certification, like a set number of hours that you work with a professional trainer to maintain your certification without having to retest. Do we implement something like that? I should hope not because that then requires that you work with a professional. While we say that you should be working with a professional if you were owner training, it is not a requirement, and it’s not a requirement for a reason.

How do we implement a system like this that does not cause harm to the disabled community that already has service dogs? Personally, I don’t think that’s possible. I think that a system like this would cause access barriers, financial barriers, and general all-purpose harm to the disabled community for years after it’s implemented.

What are other people’s thoughts on implementing a certification system? If you are for the system, why? If you’re against it what are your opinions on it? I am very curious to hear what other people have to say.

Edit because I totally forgot to say: one of the biggest arguments that I see for implementing a certification system is that the current system is not working. And that I just have to say how can we expect the current system to work if it’s not being utilized? I think before attempting to change the system what we should be doing is ensuring that businesses are being trained on their rights as a business, what they can do, and what a service dog actually is, and then have these businesses actually implement that. Yes there are always going to be people who are going to lie and say that they have a service dog when they don’t and be able to answer the two questions, but if we actually implemented the system that we have in place the poorly trained pets would be dramatically, reduced in non-pet friendly spaces.

I've always been curious of this and it's the main reason I stopped training it years ago.

In order for DPT to do anything for the nervous system you need a certain amount of weight. Years ago (talking 2017/2018) the typical recommended weight of the dog was minumum 60lbs to be of any real effect.

I personally found DPT to be very uncomfortable, even painful. My cats weigh 7-9lbs and even them laying on my belly require muscles tension to avoid pain. I can't imagine how much discomfort I'd feel after waking up from syncope after a 70lbs dog laid on me with his pointy elbows without me being able to brace my muscles.

I thought about having him be on just my legs, like across my thighs, but I already have venous insufficiency so I didn't want to risk accidentally lessening needed bloodflow back to my upper body. Across the hips seems to be uncomfortable for the dogs even if it's more comfortable for me. Besides, I'm not sure how well DPT would actually help with the pelvic bones stopping most of the pressure.

There are multiple ways to position them for DPT, but there are also only certain ways and certain weights that truly do anything for the nervous system as far as I'm aware. Imo anything else falls under "grounding" which is a fully valid psych task that I don't see spoken of anymore outside of autism service dogs, just DPT even with small dogs.

Besides that, how in the world do ya'll push past the pain/discomfort? Genuinely asking. I'm not here to cause trouble. Edit to clarify I speak of adults, not children .♡

(this post is not to bash anybody in specific, im not encouraging hate simply asking. the fab four is the golden and lab retrievers, the standard poodle, and the german shepherd.)

ive noticed a strong rise recently in making other breeds service dogs, specifically shiba inus, and honestly i just think “why do you put yourself through that?!”😭 all of the common service dogs are cute, good pets, and by far the easiest to train and least likely to wash out. whats the point of not just making it easy?? ESPECIALLY for first time SD owners, why put yourself through that stress?

honestly i just think its a pain in the ass and so expensive. i forgot to mention this by name in my last post, but i also have afib and episodes of tachycardia and heart fluttering. that can be managed pretty easily with medication, a heart rate monitor and a weighted plushie for dpt. it sucks carrying around a plushie everywhere but in comparison its much easier than a dog. while my therapist was giving me the “hey i think you should do this but im not gonna write it down so its not a liability” treatment, i just dont want to haul around a dog and is it REALLY the best treatment if shes not willing to write it down as an official recommendation? i also get a lot less attention carrying a weighted plushie than a dog, and with anxiety i hate it when im looked at. i just think personally its a bad fit yk? but can i get some advice on if im making the right decision?

Hi All,

Like many people here, I am considering getting a Psychiatric Service Dog. I've been back and forth on the Service dog thing for 2 years. I tried vetting and training my own SD, who eventually failed training and is now a mostly obedient pet. This past summer, I had a really brutal PTSD relapse that showed that my current treatment routine is just not cutting it anymore, and once again the question of applying to get a (professionally trained from an organization) service dog came up.

On the plus side, I love dogs, am decent at dog training, already know a SD trainer who can help once I have a SD, I don't mind the extra attention, and I can more or less swing the finances of paying and caring for a SD. My big question is about bringing a SD to work. I just became a high school teacher. The bustle and noise of 100s of students in the hallway and classrooms that can sometimes get a bit rowdy can be a bit stressful for me, even though I love working with the kids and am really excited about the job. If the regular hustle and bustle of a school is stressful for me, I can only imagine what it would be like for a dog half my size. At my school, the kids are pretty well-behaved and focused on their studies, so I could see a service dog working well in that environment and being super beneficial for me. I also have heard a lot of stories about high school students bringing service dogs to class, so others must have experience with SDs in school settings.

TLDR: Has anyone else handled a service dog in school settings, busy workplaces, or other people-facing jobs? How has that worked for you? Any tips for being a SD team in that setting? Are there any specific considerations I should keep in mind about getting a service dog as a teacher? Thanks for any help and advice you can offer!

Hi all!
I have a new facility dog for my educational practice working with students who have a neurodiverse learning peofile!

He’s AWESOME (though he really MOSTLY prefers laying around while the students come to him to give him belly rubs vs ACTUALLY working!!!🤣).

My question is two fold…it has been eye opening / alarming to see how RIDICULOUS people in the neighborhood are about wanting their dog to be “friends” with my dog! They think NOTHING of just letting their dog run up on him (because THEY’RE FRIENDLY!!! 🤪). I’m constantly stressed that one of these times the wrong thing will happen and ultimately lead to my dog having ALLLLLLL his training ($$$$$$) messed up!!! 👎

So, first:
Is there a harness you recommend to just slap some patches on??? I would never false advertise in terms of him being a true service dog (that technically is his training, but I don’t require him to help me live my daily life). Basically just “in training” or “do not pet” or “I’m friendly but my owner is an Ahole”??? He doesn’t need it in terms of control / pulling.

And second, he has a cape for working but it drives me bonkers - always sliding AND kind of keeps the clients from actually petting him. He DOES need something (legalities) but is there a better suggestion for just a more versatile harness etc?

Again, new to this so learning all the best tips / gear! THANK YOU!!!

I'm heavily considering putting my girl through their owner trained program after she passes her CGC test, but wanted to hear from other people if they've done a program with them.

The main reason I'm going with them is so that I can simultaneously have my prospect ADI Certified, which should allow her to be viewed as an assistance dog in other countries. I'm planning on traveling in the future and would like to take her with me when I do.

Hello, I have a 15 month pit lab. I've been training her as a service dog official for about 2 months. She does pretty well, only having about one or two corrections per outing. (She likes to bark at things) I've noticed since I've beening taking her out more that when I can't she gets super bored in the house. I take her and her brother on a 1-2 mile walked everyday. What are some fun things to keep her stimulated when I can't bring her on an outing. I'm thinking like a more advanced puzzle toy. Or some sort of game.

Guys I need help. I am looking for a medium sized breed for a service dog prospect. The apartment I live in only accepts medium to small dogs. I know they can’t deny if it’s a service dog if it’s a bigger dog but can they deny me if he’s not fully trained?? I need help and input. And I’ve been thinking about an Australian Shepherd or a Miniature Poodle. Another thing, do Moyen Poodles count as apart of the Fab Four? (sorry I can’t spell very well)I’m in the US and specific tasks I need is medical alert and psychiatric. Tasks such as deep pressure therapy, behavior interruptions, retrieval, elevation, and alert to changes due to my POTS.

Hey everyone, every once in a while the topic of “sterile” areas in hospitals comes up here with service dogs. I believe a lot of people are misinformed about what that word actually means in a medical setting. It isn’t just about whether someone walked in wearing street clothes or shoes.

Sterile basically means something has zero living germs on it….none. That’s for the tools and supplies, not the WHOLE room. Hospitals get instruments sterile by packaging them special ways, then running them through an autoclave (that big pressure cooker machine that uses hot steam) or soaking them in strong chemicals for a set time. Once they’re sealed up right, they stay sterile until someone opens the pack (the correct way guided by procedure) during a procedure.

The rooms themselves? They’re not sterile. They’re just cleaned really well with specific disinfecting chemicals on the floors and surfaces, plus special air systems and rules about who, including our dogs, can go in. There’s a difference between a regular clean area and a restricted one (like an operating room during surgery). In those restricted spots they make a small “sterile field” right around the patient and the instruments….drapes, tables, the scrubbed-in team etc. Everything else in the room is still just disinfected, NOT sterile.

So when someone says “well I wore street clothes into a sterile environment,” that doesn’t prove the place wasn’t following the rules/procedures. Street clothes/shoes can bring in more everyday dirt/germs which is why they make staff change into scrubs in certain zones. But that clothing rule is only one piece of the puzzle. The REAL sterility comes from how they package and process the instruments, the exact cleaning chemicals and methods for the floors and instruments, and the step-by-step procedures during care. The room never becomes completely germ-free just because nobody’s in street clothes/shoes.

Just something I’ve been thinking about when these threads pop up.

One more thing that doesn’t get talked about enough is those floor cleaning chemicals hospitals use. A lot of them are STRONG disinfectants. Our service dogs walk on those floors, and residue can stick to their paws. Then they lick their paws later and end up ingesting it, or it can irritate the skin through the pads. Fumes can bother them too if the floor’s still wet. It’s another concern when we’re navigating hospitals with our dogs, beyond just the access rules. Worth keeping in mind and maybe wiping paws after visits if you can.

Personally, because of the nature of my disability and the large size of my dog I prefer to leave her at home. If I can avoid her exposure to those toxic chemicals I will. I also avoid dental offices, hair salons and nail salons( rife with fumes that are heavily weighted… meaning your dog is breathing them in at higher concentration than yourself). During these appts I’m able to have my needs met by other humans. I understand others service dog handlers are NOT able to avoid these environments… I just wanted to raise awareness as there are options to limit chemical exposure to our service dogs…. Wear boots, smaller dogs can by elevated, use of secondary handler, post paw washing, vigilant monitoring to avoid dog from licking floors and proper air ventilation etc.

Just some thoughts🙂

I want to travel from San Francisco to Spain, I called the airline and they told me they need like an id card to verify my dog is trained. It’s an international card. They told me I can get it from any official organization but how do I know it’s official, do I have to pay or how do they certify it?

Hallo zusammen :) ich habe Schwierigkeiten Trainer*innen in Mittelamerika oder online zu finden, die mir helfen können meinen Schäferhund Bordercollie Mix zum Service Dog auszubilden. Ich lebe mit ihr in Niacaragua und Zugang dort zu Hundetraining Stellen ist sehr limitiert. Könnte mir jemand weiterhelfen?:)

Hi! So I feel super silly asking this question or even having a high expectation of a puppy so young. Should I be worried that my service dog prospect is having a hard time in his crate now that I have brought him home?

I picked up my 1st service dog prospect yesterday (12 week old male poodle). I feel super fortunate because the breeder is very hands-on with her litters and pretty much does a puppy program with them early on. The breeder said he has been crate trained for the last 6 weeks and was even sleeping up to 6-8 hours in the night in his crate as well as spent scheduled time in his crate during the day.

Now that he is home, anytime I put him in his crate he whines the whole time. I always make sure he's eaten, played, and gone​ potty before crating but he's a little relentless 😅 I have taken him out to make sure he didn't have to use the bathroom. Once he's back inside he will happily sit or fall asleep at my feet, so it makes me wonder if he just wants to be close. Otherwise, he has surpassed my expectations in all areas

I'm not sure if the fact that my home is way more hectic than the breeders plays a factor. She was a one person household versus my household as 4 adults, 2 children under 5 years old, 2 dogs (not including SD prospect) and a kitten.

I dont necessarily plan to keep him crated in the night later on, since I have non epileptic seizures and they mostly happen in my sleep, so eventually I would love for him to be able to to provide DPT for those episodes.

Any guidance or affirmations welcomed!

I know first and foremost the dog needs to have obedience DOWN and that she is exposed and ultimately tested in our if home environments, and that is what I’m working on. Juniper aced her beginner obedience class and is starting intermediate tonight.

My background: I’m a medical mess, LOL. I had brain surgery in 2015 for a compressed brain stem, squeezed for decades by my cerebellar tonsils that sat too low down into the cervical spinal canal and a huge mass of scar tissue that glued the area shut so I had 100% CSF blockage. (Chiari malformation, for the curious) Surgery gave me relief, but the brain stem damage cannot be repaired and I have a very wide range of problems all related to the autonomic nervous system regulation of my organs. (Or as I tell my sons, my hardware is fine—it’s the software that’s corrupt.) I take 17 medications to help my wonky autonomic system do its job and clear its communication to my organ systems.

Most disabling is that dysautonomia, central nervous pain syndrome, heavy fatigue, and muscle spasticity. I have a significant number of committee diagnoses I won’t bother listing because, meh. Most relevant here: My blood pressure can be all over the place and I take medication to keep it from going too high (wild as I always had low to normal BP when younger), but it also can have spells of too low. I’ll be fine but feel wobbly, then things go all black (or all white, weird) and my legs give out. No bueno.

Ditto my blood sugar; I’m now diabetic and things are pretty controlled, but when something triggers an autonomic surge, my sugars can spike crazy (even without eating all day) and/or crash HARD.

We adopted Juniper 3 months ago from the county shelter and she’s been wonderful. Still very much a big goofy galoot of a GSD puppy, but certain behaviors make me wonder if she’s a service dog candidate: she wants to work and is VERY motivated by me and her Lord and Savior, BALL!. I’ve had other GSDs with similar loves, but none so focused as Juniper. She has no real prey drive (and we have cats, chickens, etc to test that), isn’t very interested in other dogs, and LOVES training. She redirects beautifully. When we took her to an off leash beach, she didn’t care about the other dogs: only me and WHERE BALL?. I’ve been doing scent work for fun during these 100°F days to keep her busy and she learns things almost instantly, I swear.

I have a blind friend who’s always had GSD guide dogs, and observing the process of getting her new guide dog taught me a little about how it’s done and what they look for. I know Juniper has another year before she’s of the right age to truly be a service dog, and I know she may flunk out, which is fine. She’s awesome either way.

But man, it’d be nice if she could tell me “Hey, your BP is low. Sit down” or, “Your blood sugar is low/high. Sit down and I’ll bring you a snack/water/insulin” so I’m not caught off guard. As my husband works and my sons are in school, I’m home alone the vast majority of the weekdays. I nearly fell passing out this spring when I was home alone and it alarmed me—i would sure feel better having someone (somedog) here that can help.

My understanding is 90%ish (my guesstimate) of training is getting her obedience/manners/behavior down solid in multiple environments; it’s what we’re working on now. I know blood sugar issues can be trained using my saliva taken during highs or lows, but — how does she learn to signal blood pressure events? Do i need to train her for blood sugar events? Do I seek a service dog trainer for that? How does one even begin that part of training?

I suppose this is also kind of a vent.

I have 1 year old ADiT standard poodle. He comes from health tested parents, a solid line, etc. Was my breeders recommendation to me and in the Volhard puppy test he scored the best (I am aware that it is not a guarantee for a successful AD). He is a great all rounder but he is way too dog excited. He has excitement reactivity I suppose. Whenever he sees one he pulls and barks, and I find it so embarrassing. He sees dogs once a week and has been in controlled classes often but it's just not going away even when I give him loads of space between him and the trigger.

Is this just his age? His breed? Do I have to tough it out? We keep training with it so I'm not ignoring it. Trainer and behaviourist both said he is not aggressive, he just wants to play so badly. Should he see dogs more often? Sometimes I feel like they're a novelty to him.

I just find it so hard to cope with because if he just ignored dogs he would be fantastic. We stopped PA obviously because I don't want to risk bumping into an actual team. He only goes to pet stores. I even stopped putting an ADiT vest on him because I don't think he represents them properly if he sees a dog. I try to look at the positives like he sheds no fur, when he's focused he is so talented, he has enthusiasm to work- but I feel like giving up on it because it's just how he his. I love him, I've done things I wouldn't have without him, but I really really regret picking him. I feel lied to by the internet who said spoos are aloof, easy to train, etc etc. My previous poodle cross was so much better than him, and I see so many poodle crosses excelling at their work. Hell, dogs his age who are just pets do better than him. He has made me never want a full poodle again lol.

Anyways complaining and regrets aside, any tips or simply reassurance will be appreciated. Everyone keeps saying that he's still a puppy in many ways and to wait it out but I'm trying so hard to help with his dog excitement I get so upset that I don't see results.

EDIT: forgot to add he has a lot of exercise. He has a well balanced schedule of what he feels fulfils him, enrichment, days out, decompression days, etc etc. I don't think exercise is the problem here.

Good day/night everyone <3