I Am Getting A Service Dog
 

I got the call Thursday, telling me that I was getting a service dog. I am ecstatic! I applied for a dog about three years ago with St. Francis of Assisi Service Dog Foundation, which trains and places service dogs with Virginia residents. About three weeks ago, I had an interview with Montana (Monty for short), his trainer, the head trainer, and the director of SF.

What can I say about Monty, except that he is lovable, smart, and incredibly sweet. He is a 2 1/2 year old black Lab. He will be able to assist mostly by helping me keep my balance and getting up from a seated to a standing position. It is a truly helpless feeling when I can't get up off a toilet! If I fall, he can brace me enough that I can get back up. This is an incredible dog. He will enrich our lives so much.

Monday, I begin 30 hours of required training with Monty and his trainer. After that, he will come home to live with us. It will be lots of work, and I can't wait to get started!! :):):)

Wow! That is so cool, AZ! When do we get pics???:)

I wish I still had my dog TinyMonsters, he would have made an excellent service dog. If I ever have to get a service dog, I'm going to get a dog of his breed. (I was an amateur dog trainer with Tiny, maybe I should look into getting another dog soon and see if I can find a professional service dog trainer to work with?)

TinyMonsters was a Bouvier des Flandres (there should be a picture of him in my profile, if that didnt upload, ask and I'll post a link to pictures of him)

Give your service pup a lot of hugs and kisses and tummy rubs!

Cindy: I promise that I'll post pictures soon.

Erin: Tiny looks and sounds like he was a sweetheart. Have you ever read any of the Stephen White series? I'm pretty sure his main character has a Bouvier.

Congrats AZ! That is so cool! Labs are great service dogs! We have a yellow lab and I suppose she could be trained as one if the need arises. But right now, I don't need one...

Can't wait to see pictures of Monty!

Erin, what a beautiful dog. The Bouvier's are very smart and loyal dogs! ;) AZ, you are correct about the dog in Stephen White's book.

Hi Mary Ann, nice to see you..:)

I was about to ask where you've been hiding, but I see you've been very busy. A Service Dog, wow, I'm so excited for you. I love black labs...they're so lovable, yet so strong and protective. :Viking:

I can't wait till you get him home and send us a picture. He can be our new Family doggy.

How are you doing? I hope, well.:hug:

AZ, I'm so happy for you. 3 years is a long time to wait. Can't wait to see a pic of "our" Monty. Don't forget to scratch behind his ears for me.

:hug:

How cool! Congrats! We want a pic of the pooch!:D

Thanks, everyone. "Our" Monty sounds wonderful. Sally, I've been alright. Thanks so much for asking. :hug: I've been thinking about you. :hug:

Oh yeah, Tiny was a big sweetheart. It about killed me when he died. We thought there was something wrong with him. Took him to the vet about 3 weeks before he died, they said he was great. (he'd been having potty issues, all over our white carpeting)

3 weeks later he was dead. I have a few theories on what killed him (he was only 9yrs old)

One theory is that the poison dog food from china started a year before it actually did. (Tiny died in March of 2006, poison dog food was earlier this year)

Another theory is that the neighbor who was allowing his two dogs to terrorize the neighborhood at night had somehow poisoned him. (Tiny died about a week after said neighbor had dumped about 40-50 pounds of his dog's poo in my front yard and all over my aunt's yard...neighbor lived right next door to her, his dogs had attacked my aunt's dog IN HER HOUSE at least twice)

Another theory, is that the rabies vaccine that Tiny had at his vet visit 3 weeks before he died was too much for his sick little body.

Last theory, a few of his littermates had gotten sick and died in a similar way. So, it could have been a genetic thing...oh, and Tiny had accidentally been poisoned when he was 3yrs old...and when he was 5, the kennel we put him in for a week while we moved to a new house had a complete butthole working for them, and that jerk nearly beat TinyMonsters to death. So, Tiny might have had health issues from that.

Tiny now "sleeps" on the headboard of my bed. We had him cremated by the Rainbow Bridge and he's in a beautiful little box. I've already told a bunch of my relatives that if I die, that Tiny HAS to go with me, and he's got to be mentioned on my headstone too. That's how good of a dog he was. He gets to stay with me for all eternity now.

I'd like to get another Bouvier, but I'm worried that any new dog would never live up to how good a dog Tiny was. Plus, with the MS, I'm not sure I want to have to deal with training another Bouvier. They're a LOT of work! Too smart for their own good.

Hmmm...I seem to have hijacked the thread, talking about TinyMonsters. Oooops! :D

YaY!!
 

So happy to hear that you are finally getting your service dog! Like everyone else I wanna see a pic!!:)

Have fun getting to know Monty!!

Maryann I am so happy for you. I believe that dogs just have a natural instict to protect. Have had dogs for 40 years.

My husband just died a year in a half ago. I got a German Shepard at 9 weeks for companionship. She is now 5 months old. But when I am down with the MS she just stays by my side and looks at me.

A month ago I fell in the back yard the next thing I am feeling her lick my face and nudging me. She let me use her as a bace to stand up. This was without any training. That is why I feel they naturally have this in them. But with the special training it is even greater.

Wish you a lot of luck with your new partner.


Joyce :):)

Maryann I am so happy for you. I believe that dogs just have a natural instict to protect. Have had dogs for 40 years.

My husband just died a year in a half ago. I got a German Shepard at 9 weeks for companionship. She is now 5 months old. But when I am down with the MS she just stays by my side and looks at me.

A month ago I fell in the back yard the next thing I am feeling her lick my face and nudging me. She let me use her as a brace to stand up. This was without any training. That is why I feel they naturally have this in them. But with the special training it is even greater.

Wish you a lot of luck with your new partner.


Joyce :):)

Don't Know How I Enden Up With Two Replys. Just Wanted To Correct Some Spelling And This Is What I Got. Sorry

*smack*

Don't let it happen again!;)

That Hurt !!!! :Sob::Sob::Sob:

LOL, sorry, in the absence of DM I have trouble channeling my aggressive energy.:o:D

Joyce, you've got a terrific dog! Holly, our lab, has good instincts too. She has been hanging around me a lot lately knowing that I haven't been feeling well. Usually she is PODH's dog but I've not been feeling well and she's been checking on me...;)

We used to have a Cocker Spaniel, Boeing. A bit tempermental, to say the least. When PODH wasn't around, no one got past that dog. Otherwise, he could care less. One day, I was out in the back yard working and one of the guys who had been doing to fence repair work for the past week showed up and I thought Boeing was going to take his leg off. Don stopped dead in his tracks. Looked at me and said, PODH isn't home is he? Nope. No big deal with this guy, but he knew right away and said, you've got a great watch dog. Up until that day, Boeing had been following him around, playing with him and his guys, etc. But not that day! Weird little dog!

(In case you are wondering who PODH is, ask Sally!) :winky:

Alls Forgiven :hug::hug:

Ahem~~~ That's right, Smack Joyce around. No more smacking poor DM!

Hey Maryann! *love your name* I am just darn tickled about your service dog. Can't wait to see pics. I am a total poochie lover, so am excited for you. Keep us posted, OK>

*AMN can now resume smacking Joyce*

DM: Love your name, too! :)

Thanks everyone for your nice replys. Training with Monty is going great. Pics coming in about two weeks. :D

:) Hi Mary Ann,

CONGRATULATIONS! :D I don't know how I missed this thread but what positive and refreshing news. I'm so happy for you and for Monty as I'm sure you'll be a great owner/partner.

Let us know what the 30 hours of training will entail. I'm very interested in your story.

I'm not too awful far from you as I live in Richmond, VA. Salem is a beautiful part of the state and you actually get "SNOW!":eek:

This is so exciting as I'm a dog lover too. I have a Jack Russell named Pongo from WD's 101 Dalmations, and a white West Highland Terrier named Belle from WD's Beauty and the Beast. They take good care of me as I'm homebound.

I LOVE DOGS! :D:D:D

Craig, you are so sweet! It snowed this morning and covered everything, it was so beautiful. Pongo and Belle sound like they are great dogs. I'm glad you have them in your life.

I am having such a wonderful time. Yesterday, we worked with Monty bringing me the phone, and helping me to get off the toilet. Today, we worked with him bumping a door to close it, and going to my husband and barking when I give him the "help" command.

Next Thursday, he is spending the day with us (his trainer will drop him off in the morning and them pick him up that afternoon). Then, he will spend the entire weekend with us. After that, we will start working on going out in public together.

Thanks so much for being interested in the training aspect.

MaryAnn It is great to hear how you are making out with your partner. Sounds like everything is going great.
Keep us up dated on your progress and some pics.

My German Shepard, Sage is her name is a great friend. I live by myself and as I said in one of my other posts she just has natural instincts to know when I need help. I know she won't know how to do the things your Monty is learning but just having her with me is a great comfort.


Good Luck----------Joyce :)

Oh, what fun, Mary Ann.:D I am soooo jealous.

Are you going to bring Monty on our cruise? He could be a great help, if the seas get choppy.:) And of course, he will enjoy all of the fesivities.

I can't wait to see pics of him. :hug:

Joyce: Thanks! Sage sounds like a super dog (I love her name). I'm glad you have her. :hug:

Sally: We're in! Can't wait to go somewhere warm, where I can stop wearing sweatpants for awhile :Blush2: and put on some shorts instead. :)