Robert Bidwell with Clover and Salty
(photo by Suzi Bidwell)
Robert is paraplegic and uses a motorized scooter for mobility. He is still very active and attends dog events and dog shows with me. Suzi says that they train all their Newfs to pick up any dropped objects on command from the time they are puppies. Clover, (VN CH Martingrove's Sea of Clover, CD, TDD, WRD, Delta Dog), just happened to bond with Robert, and won't leave the house or anywhere without making sure he is with her. If he happens to fall out of his chair (which he does occasionally trying to reach for something) she alerts me, and he uses her to try to brace himself and get back in the chair. She has had no formal training past what it takes to achieve a VN, which of course is substantial. When we are in public places she seems to instinctively know to be perfectly well behaved.
It is so sad that Clover is now almost 11 years old and is beginning to show lameness in a front leg and also has had a grade 2 mast cell tumor removed. In spite of those geriatric problems she is doing pretty well and, except for sleeping longer hours, still checks on Robert when she is awake. Her grandaughter, Salty, who is 3, shows promise to take Clover's place in the future as a service dog, but I know that Clover will always be Robert's heart dog. - by Suzi Bidwell
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Resources on Service Dogs
Assistance Dogs International
The three different types of Assistance (Service) Dogs are defined:
-Guide dogs for the visually impaired
-Hearing dogs for the deaf/hearing impaired
-Service dogs for disabilities other than visual or hearing |
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Information about training an Assistance (Service) Dog that includes a state-by-state list of programs that will test, certify, and provide official identification for the dog and the disabled (whether owner-trained, use of a professional trainer and/or program-trained) stating that:
-The person has a disability
-Their dog is individually trained to perform tasks to assist them with their disability
-This team has appropriate skills and behaviors to function out in different types of public situations and settings
It also has a copy of the Public Access Test, which is the bare minimum that the programs listed above use to test both the dog and their handler.
Delta Society
This website gives their own version of just about the same information as the Assistance Dogs International website, but also includes a list of Service Dog Access Specialists who can be contacted if there is a problem regarding public access, laws regarding access to different venues, etc. |
