TRAINING
From Shelter Dog to Service Dog
In Part One of a three-part article, L. A. Bykowsky and Chere McCoy tell the tale of Stella, one very special Chihuahua who was left to languish in the shelter but now works as
E
an assistance dog for her owner’s PTSD
very year in May, the Humane Society in Vero Beach, Florida (HSVB) holds an adoption event that includes a Blessing of the Animals, where people cement and celebrate the bonds they have with creatures of all shapes, sizes and species. It is a time to give thanks for the companions some already have and a chance at a new beginning for others. I rescued Stella, a rat terrier/Chihuahua mix, during the 2015 ceremony. I am a disabled veteran and together we have embarked on a journey that has led to Stella rescuing me. This first article in the series follows us from adoption to graduation as an Assistance Dog Team, certified by Dogs for Life, Inc. (DFL). Six months ago Stella was at the HSVB waiting for that special someone to take her home and love her forever. It so happened that I went in one day looking for a super special dog to be my service dog. Stella and I took one look at each other and knew right away that we were meant to be a team – but there would be hurdles to cross first. Backtracking for a moment, I should explain that I am a United States Air Force veteran and my disability is not physical; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not something you can see, but it can 'cripple' a person just the same. Since I live in Vero Beach, Florida, I went to DFL for help. DFL trains service dogs (also called 'assistance' dogs) for people with hearing and mobility issues and veterans with PTSD. Stella’s job will be to help me get through stressful situations. Some of you might be chuckling now, picturing a Chihuahua doing such important work, but Stella is training really hard and I know that she can do it. DFL is accredited by Assistance Dogs International and goes above and beyond what the law requires to produce a good assistance dog team. According to federal law, a service animal is any dog trained to do work or perform tasks for a person with a diagnosed disability and the work or task must be related to the person's disability. Remember the hurdles I mentioned? Before the training can begin, there are reams of paperwork to fill out, starting with an application to make sure a person is qualified to use a service dog. I also had to provide documentation from my doctor and letters of reference from friends, and DFL did a home inspection to make sure it was a safe environment for Stella. While all that was going on behind the scenes, I was going to the shelter looking for the right dog. On my fifth visit, I found Stella. A few days later I came to take her home but, before I could do that, Stella had to pass a test. Before DFL starts training for service dog work, they conduct a temperament test as a way of gauging whether or not a dog will be suitable for the upcoming job. Of course, lots of dogs know obedience commands, but the temperament test looks at other qualities that could indicate whether or not a dog will be good at task work. 34
BARKS from the Guild/January 2016
Stella the Chihuahua is in training to be her owner’s service dog and help with her PTSD Crate training Stella on her first day in her new home
Stella relaxes on her second day at home