Service Dog Script Resource

@scriptservicedogs-blog / scriptservicedogs-blog.tumblr.com

A service dog, emotional support animal, and therapy dog resource for writers.

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scriptservicedogs-blog

livingmeatloaf asked:

Hello! I know this blog mainly focuses on dogs, but I have a question on service miniature horses. I'm writing a modern fantasy story where a very short character becomes very tall over a short time, resulting in dizzy spells, balance problems, and other issues that continue for a long time. Would a miniature horse or large dog be good for a mobility helper or should I upsize to a pony breed? The character becomes about 7 feet tall, for size reference. Is horse training much different from dog?

PS on the mobility horse question: I have been looking up what miniature house training I can find, but it's mostly for guide horses. What considerations should I make for an animal that helps with balance issues? You mention teaching a dog to brace; how do they teach that? Any help would be appreciated!

Sorry this took so long to answer, especially since I can’t help you very much. I’ve tried finding resources on training miniature horses for service work, but all I can find are warnings that it’s very specialized training.

In this character’s situation, I’d say a miniature horse is definitely the way to go -- preferably a tall, stout one -- but under the Americans with Disabilities Act, ponies aren’t covered; only service dogs and miniature horses.That being said, you’ve got some wiggle room in a modern fantasy story. I don’t know what your world is like, but what about pushing beyond Earth-style animals? I personally wouldn’t mind a service dragon (though I’m not sure I’d want to scoop up its fewmets) or a service velociraptor. Can your character get a genetically engineered miniature stegosaurus?As for teaching a dog to brace, I’m really sorry but I can’t find any training videos that aren’t terrible quality. But that tells you just how specialized this training is. You can do real harm to a puppy if you start this sort of physical training too early, just as you can harm an adult dog if they’re not properly trained to brace or the human puts their weight on the dog incorrectly.Hopefully another reader will see this and make a recommendation! Got any suggestions?

#mobility work #miniature horse #service animals #livingmeatloaf

scriptservicedogs-blog

Adding everyday details to your writing

Service dog handlers need to watch their dogs’ feet.

Not only do we have to worry about temperature (ice and de-icing salt, hot pavement). We have to worry about mud, rain, puddles, and other hazards, sometimes in unexpected places. Have your character be aware of these things:

First thing in the morning, a lot of shops/restaurants, especially fast food places, wash the sidewalk outside their doors, often with soap and other unknown chemicals.
Sprinklers often break, creating puddles of mud or runoff that can be tainted with pesticides and other chemicals.
Parking lots often have little pools of broken glass from vandalized vehicle windows or broken bottles.
Those little islands of landscaping in parking lots often have nests of ants. (I was opening the back door for Bucky, who sat in a nest of biting ants. They got into his thick, lush fur and started biting. I had to figure out how to get them the hell out of his fur while he was yelping and spinning in circles, trying to bite his own butt.)

And as a bonus worry, a handler needs to be aware of their dog drinking from puddles: spilled drinks dumped out of car windows/abandoned in parking lots; drips and pools of motor oil or antifreeze (POISONOUS!) collected where cars are parked; and sprinklers/rainwater pools full of mud, chemicals, or parasites. I had a dog who got giardia from drinking out of a mud puddle in my own backyard.

(As a side note, thank you all for your patience. I’m dealing with a whole list of RL crap that’s taking up my mental and emotional energy. Also, thank you for your condolences. I still find myself looking for Evil White Kitty, and Deathfaker has taken to wandering the house yowling, because she’s no longer around for him to cuddle.)

- mod @anauthorandherservicedog

#not an answer #service dogs #details #writing advice #writing tips

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

A guide dog in training came into my store today. He was perfectly well behaved until he crossed by the boxes of pancake mix. He then, in a show of brilliant determination, licked every single box. The trainer was mortified. My heart exploded with happiness at getting to witness something so cute. Clearly he has some work to do. (I thought this would make you happy to hear, thank you for all your hard work with this blog! it is incredibly helpful!)

Aren’t dogs the best?

This is so very accurate, so it’s something writers should be aware of. A lot of states offer full public access rights to service animals in training, but this means that you’re going to get handlers with inexperienced dogs or even fully trained dogs who are having a bad day.

Also, puppy raisers have outings with their clubs, and you haven’t seen cute until you’ve seen a half-dozen tiny puppies wobbling around in their training vests, being gently coaxed and guided into proper behavior. In the last couple of years, I’ve run into them most often on weekend mornings at Target, Walmart, or various supermarkets. So even if you don’t have a service dog as a featured character in your book (though you really should!) you can throw in a puppy-raising-club encounter and have it be absolutely real AND adorable.

Nonny, my Bucky would make your heart explode with the cute, but at his size, he doesn’t stop with licking boxes -- he can take out whole shelving units with one poorly-timed swing of his butt.

And when I took him with me to the dentist, he ended up crawling around the dental assistant and falling asleep with his head tangled in the hoses, which meant they couldn’t rinse the nasty-tasting gunk out of my mouth. Thanks, helpful Bucky.

#service dogs #service dogs in training #Anonymous

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

Would it be realistic for a character with a service animal to respond to pretty much all prying with "It's none of your business"? What sorts of further responses might they encounter if they did?

It absolutely would, because it’s true.

Just make sure that the character is the type to be able to stand up for themselves in such an aggressive way. I tell myself, “Next time some asshole asks me about my disability, I’m going to tell them to fuck off,” and naturally I never actually have the guts to do it. :/

#service dogs #Anonymous

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

Is it just me or are service dogs suddenly spiking in popularity...? Especially fake ones.

drferox answered:

Ahh…… be careful what you call a ‘fake’ service dog. While some breeds are more common than others, any breed or mix of dog could potentially be a service dog if it has been trained for a task that helps its owner manage their illness or disability. You also don’t have the right to ask these people what their disability is, or necessarily what the dog is trained to do. (International laws will vary)

A service dog should always be under control of their handler and housebroken. If they are not, they may be either not a service dog, or still in training, in which case the owner is probably embarrassed by the whole thing.

If you are interested you could see @actuallyservicedogs for more information. Here is their FAQ.

Why shouldn’t service dogs become more common? If these animals are helpful and allow people greater mobility or interaction in the world, surely that’s a good thing.

In vet clinics in Australia, I see the occasional guide dog for the blind. They have a little extra paperwork I have to fill out because the organization that trained the dogs wants to keep tabs on them to ensure they’re in good health, but that has varied from state to state. I haven’t seen many other service animals myself, yet.

Emotional Support Animals is another matter. There are a few of these around, though owners wont always explain to you that this is the case. Sometimes these owners will come into the clinic with a friend who does most of the talking, and may be reluctant to let the animal go to the treatment room for a blood draw, even though the animal was totally chill with this. They often don’t want the animal to stay overnight.

Lets just say that this really sucks when the animal in question has something terminal, especially when it’s come as a surprise. It becomes very obvious how emotionally dependent they are on the animal then.

scriptservicedogs

We’ve talked about service dogs and veterinarians before, but I thought this was worth reblogging. @fundaypuppy2k15 may also have input on paperwork for puppy raisers for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

scriptservicedogs-blog

Insight from mod @fundaypuppy2k15:

As far as veterinary paperwork goes for GDB, at least, it depends on the local puppy raising chapter and veterinary relationship. For example, our club “highly recommends” using the same vet clinic for all our puppies. After 20+ years, they are familiar with the paperwork and are willing to directly bill GDB, know and understand the policies about maximum costs per visit, etc.

That said, it is not required, and many clubs allow their raisers to use whatever clinic they want. In this case, the paperwork may be more intensive because the clinic may not understand how to process payment through GDB, or they may require up-front payment from the raiser family and the raiser family then has to request a reimbursement from GDB.

So, yes, there is more paperwork, but it’s fairly straight-forward and, in many ways, similar to, say, insurance billing for a human.

As far as document retention, most vet clinics now have electronic documentation, so at the end of our raising experience, we simply request that they email all requisite documents to GDB. (The other nice thing about this is that we can get immediate consults between our GDB vet staff and local vet staff on bigger or more severe issues and they can all be looking at the same tests/results/pictures/etc at the same time.)

Now, this is specific to GDB. Not every raising organization covers vet costs, or some cover some but not all vet costs, so it’ll depend on which organization you go with.

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

scriptservicedogs-blog

vamosmarc asked:

Do moderate spinal deformities or disorders qualify a person for a service dog? My MC has a spinal disease that limits her mobility and makes it hard for her to get up or down, climb stairs, or reach for things she's dropped or set down. How would a service dog assist her with these problems if she were to have one? And could you direct me to a post, if you have one, on the process of getting a service dog that the handler doesn't actually train for themselves?

scriptservicedogs-blog answered:

My instinct is to say yes. The legal definition of “disability” under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 is (paraphrased) “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities… include but not limited to caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working” and the requirement for a service dog is that the dog is trained in one or more tasks that directly relate to the disability.

In this case, the major tasks I see as being relevant are:

Brace & balance / brace & mobility work: The dog is trained to brace against a hard push or pressure so their handler can stand up, get into a wheelchair, or maintain their balance. The dog might also be trained to do things like drag a wheelchair, cane, or walker to their handler.

Keep in mind, for mobility work like this, both the dog and handler need to be trained. The dog needs to know how to brace in preparation for a hard push and the handler needs to learn where NOT to apply pressure on the dog’s body to prevent injury.

Picking stuff up: This one’s pretty self-evident, so I’ll include a rather adorable picture of Chance the diabetes alert chihuahua picking up a little bag with his human’s blood sugar testing gear.

I’m including this pic in part because it’s adorable (Chance is VERY proud he can pick stuff up and he enthusiastically will find this bag, keys, his leash – whatever) but in part because it demonstrates that even tiny dogs can do retrieves. When his handler isn’t sitting on a collapsed Goodwill couch that’s barely a foot off the ground, he’ll leap up into her lap to give her whatever he’s retrieving.

The obvious problem, though, is that Chance is like eight inches tall and his handler won’t always be sitting. But even when he picks stuff up off the floor and stands on his hind legs, he makes it easier for his handler to take it from him, rather than her having to bend all the way over or possibly drop to her knees to get something that’s fallen under a couch or table.

Bring stuff to their handler: Some service dogs will carry medication or medical devices (asthma inhaler, blood sugar testing kits, etc.) in their vests so their handlers have it whenever they leave the house. Other service dogs will be trained to open cupboards or even the fridge and retrieve medication or drinks (water bottles, please, and not beer!) so their handler can swallow pills.

Pushing buttons & flipping switches: Service dogs, especially tall ones, can be trained to turn lights on and off, ring doorbells, or even use emergency phones like this one.

As for organizations that provide training, I’m going to refer you to Canine Companions for Independence and Guide Dogs for the Blind as examples of reputable organizations that provide service dogs to handlers in need. (I know your character isn’t blind, but you can use GDB’s processes as another example of placement.)

Generally this requires an application, a home visit (so the organization can verify the dog will live in a safe environment), time spent on a waiting list, and time spent with trainers so the handler learns how to care for the dog, the laws and how to handle access challenges, and how to work with the dog in the real world.

(Tagging @fundaypuppy2k15 who may have more insight on this process.)

Keep in mind, there are incredibly disreputable “organizations” that are selling half-trained or even untrained so-called service dogs to people for tens of thousands of dollars. I’m not saying that every organization that charges a fee is disreputable – training a service dog can be VERY expensive – but…

And one more thing to consider: a service miniature horse might be a good candidate for this sort of work.

scriptservicedogs-blog

Awesome addition from mod @fundaypuppy2k15:

Tagging on here with a couple other thoughts. One of our close partners in our local PNW area is Summit Assistance Dogs. Like CCI but much smaller, they are a group of local, devoted volunteers who purchase and evaluate their own dogs, provide disability-specific training, and then place with a partner based on their needs. Though a little difficult to find, there are a huge number of these kinds of very small operations available that are doing amazing work in very niche areas. I’d also take some time to just google around with “mobility assistance service dogs” and get a sense of what is available out there, what seems reputable (and not), maybe combine it with a search of the area your MC lives in?

As far as the process goes, it tends to vary based on organization. GDB does an application, home visit, match, on-site training, then follow-up training. Summit does a full needs-based eval after application and then trains an upcoming dog to those needs. The downside of this methodology, however, is that the lead time can be up to 2 years before receiving your dog, and that’s assuming the dog doesn’t wash out.

scriptservicedogs-blog

vamosmarc asked:

Do moderate spinal deformities or disorders qualify a person for a service dog? My MC has a spinal disease that limits her mobility and makes it hard for her to get up or down, climb stairs, or reach for things she's dropped or set down. How would a service dog assist her with these problems if she were to have one? And could you direct me to a post, if you have one, on the process of getting a service dog that the handler doesn't actually train for themselves?

My instinct is to say yes. The legal definition of “disability” under the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 is (paraphrased) “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities… include but not limited to caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working” and the requirement for a service dog is that the dog is trained in one or more tasks that directly relate to the disability.

In this case, the major tasks I see as being relevant are:

Brace & balance / brace & mobility work: The dog is trained to brace against a hard push or pressure so their handler can stand up, get into a wheelchair, or maintain their balance. The dog might also be trained to do things like drag a wheelchair, cane, or walker to their handler.

Keep in mind, for mobility work like this, both the dog and handler need to be trained. The dog needs to know how to brace in preparation for a hard push and the handler needs to learn where NOT to apply pressure on the dog’s body to prevent injury.

Picking stuff up: This one’s pretty self-evident, so I’ll include a rather adorable picture of Chance the diabetes alert chihuahua picking up a little bag with his human’s blood sugar testing gear.

I’m including this pic in part because it’s adorable (Chance is VERY proud he can pick stuff up and he enthusiastically will find this bag, keys, his leash – whatever) but in part because it demonstrates that even tiny dogs can do retrieves. When his handler isn’t sitting on a collapsed Goodwill couch that’s barely a foot off the ground, he’ll leap up into her lap to give her whatever he’s retrieving.

The obvious problem, though, is that Chance is like eight inches tall and his handler won’t always be sitting. But even when he picks stuff up off the floor and stands on his hind legs, he makes it easier for his handler to take it from him, rather than her having to bend all the way over or possibly drop to her knees to get something that’s fallen under a couch or table.

Bring stuff to their handler: Some service dogs will carry medication or medical devices (asthma inhaler, blood sugar testing kits, etc.) in their vests so their handlers have it whenever they leave the house. Other service dogs will be trained to open cupboards or even the fridge and retrieve medication or drinks (water bottles, please, and not beer!) so their handler can swallow pills.

Pushing buttons & flipping switches: Service dogs, especially tall ones, can be trained to turn lights on and off, ring doorbells, or even use emergency phones like this one.

As for organizations that provide training, I’m going to refer you to Canine Companions for Independence and Guide Dogs for the Blind as examples of reputable organizations that provide service dogs to handlers in need. (I know your character isn’t blind, but you can use GDB’s processes as another example of placement.)

Generally this requires an application, a home visit (so the organization can verify the dog will live in a safe environment), time spent on a waiting list, and time spent with trainers so the handler learns how to care for the dog, the laws and how to handle access challenges, and how to work with the dog in the real world.

(Tagging @fundaypuppy2k15 who may have more insight on this process.)

Keep in mind, there are incredibly disreputable “organizations” that are selling half-trained or even untrained so-called service dogs to people for tens of thousands of dollars. I’m not saying that every organization that charges a fee is disreputable -- training a service dog can be VERY expensive -- but...

And one more thing to consider: a service miniature horse might be a good candidate for this sort of work.

#charlottes-grace #service dog #service dog organization #mobility #brace and balance

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

Anonymous asked:

Is it just me or are service dogs suddenly spiking in popularity...? Especially fake ones.

drferox answered:

Ahh…… be careful what you call a ‘fake’ service dog. While some breeds are more common than others, any breed or mix of dog could potentially be a service dog if it has been trained for a task that helps its owner manage their illness or disability. You also don’t have the right to ask these people what their disability is, or necessarily what the dog is trained to do. (International laws will vary)

A service dog should always be under control of their handler and housebroken. If they are not, they may be either not a service dog, or still in training, in which case the owner is probably embarrassed by the whole thing.

If you are interested you could see @actuallyservicedogs for more information. Here is their FAQ.

Why shouldn’t service dogs become more common? If these animals are helpful and allow people greater mobility or interaction in the world, surely that’s a good thing.

In vet clinics in Australia, I see the occasional guide dog for the blind. They have a little extra paperwork I have to fill out because the organization that trained the dogs wants to keep tabs on them to ensure they’re in good health, but that has varied from state to state. I haven’t seen many other service animals myself, yet.

Emotional Support Animals is another matter. There are a few of these around, though owners wont always explain to you that this is the case. Sometimes these owners will come into the clinic with a friend who does most of the talking, and may be reluctant to let the animal go to the treatment room for a blood draw, even though the animal was totally chill with this. They often don’t want the animal to stay overnight.

Lets just say that this really sucks when the animal in question has something terminal, especially when it’s come as a surprise. It becomes very obvious how emotionally dependent they are on the animal then.

scriptservicedogs-blog

We’ve talked about service dogs and veterinarians before, but I thought this was worth reblogging. @fundaypuppy2k15 may also have input on paperwork for puppy raisers for Guide Dogs for the Blind.

#veterinarians #service dogs #emotional support animals

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

What kind of tasks could a service dog do in a zombie apocalypse? Could they be trained to sniff out zombies?

In a zombie apocalypse, a service dog could do all standard SD tasks. Start here for some of the basics on service dogs in the apocalypse.

Now let's add in the zombie aspect. First off, click here to read about scent and alerting!

Dogs can also hear sounds at four times the distance humans can. So if your zombies do the classic "zombie moan" (which strangely enough my black lab also does), a dog could alert the survivors to an approaching pack of ravenous mallwalkers.

The fantastic @scriptveterinarian gave us a quick consult with this fantastic wisdom:

From a co evolutionary perspective, the human-dog arrangement works really well. We developed better sight, touch, and problem solving while losing hearing and smell. They developed hearing and smell.We can really only avoid zombies by line of sight.A dog can know them by sound (eg around corners), and where they've been in the past (scent)So staying many kilometers away from them atall times might be hit or miss, but navigating a highly built up area would be easier with a trained dog.

One thing to note: If the dog is trained in any/all of these tasks but ISN’T trained to mitigate its handler’s disability, it’s a working dog, not a service dog. However, I’m not too sure that the Americans with Disabilities Act or any other country’s statutes would apply, once a zombie apocalypse causes the collapse of civilization. I guess it depends on how long it takes for the zombies to eat all the lawyers.

#apocalypse #zombie apocalypse #service dog #working dog #Anonymous

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged anauthorandherservicedog

So this is how my day went today...

Me: *completely minding my own business sitting in a corner*

Man: “You don’t look like you need a service dog.”

Me: “She’s a medical alert dog.”

Man: “What is that?”

Me: “I have a medical condition that she alerts to.”

Man: “How does she do that?”

Me: “She can smell it on my breath before I have an episode. When she does, she tells me.”

Man: “But you don’t look sick. Do you really need her?”

Me: “Um, yes… I do.” *starts to panic as I’m alone and this man is creepy*

Man: “What is your medical condition?”

Me: *shaking and completely pissed off now* “Uh, that’s kinda private… ”

Man: “So clearly you don’t need her then.” *walks away*

AND PEOPLE THINK IT’S “FUN” TO HAVE A SERVICE DOG WHY??

#not an answer #service dog #writing inspiration #rude people

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

Hiya! I'm not sure if this is a good question for the blog since it's not about dogs, but I'm not sure where else to ask. Have you ever heard about service cats, in any capacity? Like for stress or detection or anything? Have people tried training them? Is there a reason they're not used? Thank you!

Hey nonny,

Though we call ourselves ScriptServiceDogs, we actually cover all assistance animals, which includes such critters as service miniature horses, emotional support animals, and therapy animals. However, we’re also only a writing advice blog.

I recommend contacting @actuallyservicedogs for assistance with RL matters.

#not writing related #Anonymous

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

Why Writers Should Always Use Content Warnings

So you’re planning on including mature, dark themes in your work! Fantastic! Fiction is an awesome place to explore this kind of thing, and god knows I am a sucker for both writing and reading tragedy.

This is literally me:

[[4 panel comic with two people. 1: I love this character! 2: Me too! 1: I can’t wait to see this character… BLOODY, BROKEN, AND BRUISED. (1 is smiling, 2 is horrified). k009@tumblr (source)]]

But putting your readers through the wringer is very, very different from triggering a past trauma they’ve experienced.

So what exactly is a trigger?

A trigger is essentially (but not always) something that reminds someone of a past trauma. They can be virtually anything, as every trauma is uniquely experienced. Specific triggers may not make sense to other people. That doesn’t make them any less valid. See this post here for a really, really good example of this.

Even if it’s not a trigger of a past trauma, some people aren’t comfortable reading about certain topics. That’s why I call these warnings “Content Warnings.” You don’t have to be triggered by something to want to avoid it like the plague, and that’s perfectly fine.

Why should I use content warnings?

If you’re writing about a character going through a extremely graphic and traumatic experience, in my opinion, you have a duty to warn your audience about the content of your work.

Besides, you want your readers to enjoy your work, right? A lot of people with triggers (but not all) are going to be okay with triggering content if they are forewarned about it, and know that it’s coming. They can mentally prepare themselves and brace for impact. But if it comes out of the blue, WHAM. They aren’t expecting that content, and it can not only ruin the work for them, it can mess up their entire day. They probably won’t come back to reading your stuff, no matter how tastefully or respectfully it’s handled.

So what should I do about it?

First off, if the platform you’re using to post your work uses a rating and/or tagging system, use it. Tag everything properly.

If your platform doesn’t allow that, or you don’t want to “spoil” your work, put a link that says “For content warnings, click here,” and have that go to a page that lists the potential triggers in your work. People who don’t need content warnings won’t click it and won’t be spoiled; people who need them can click through and find out if they are gonna be okay with reading your work.

I also recommend putting some kind of warning in your description, such as “This work contains mature, violent, and/or traumatic content. Reader discretion is advised.”

What should I tag for?

Let’s find out after the jump! I’ll also give an example of what a properly, extensively tagged content warning list looks like from my own writing!

letitrainathousandflames

@scriptshrink are there any publishing houses/authors who put trigger warnings on books?

@scriptstructure just wrote a response about one that does! Check it out here!

scriptservicedogs-blog

Yep. @riptidepublishing is fantastic about content warnings both in their search function and individual books. The people who run Riptide are from fandom, up to and including posting fanfics on AO3!

My book, CHANGE OF ADDRESS (which features a service dog for PTSD!), comes with no warnings and the following details -- though since there are potential spoilers, I’ll put it under a cut. :)

#scriptx family #mod post #change of address #riptide publishing

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

anauthorandherservicedog

Anonymous asked:

Yesterday I was having the worst possible Walmart trip known to man and my SDiT was being semi-misbehaved and it was just a mess and then I was given the lovely opportunity to be told FOUR DEAD DOG STORIES IN 25 MINUTES. It was horrifying and a high score and horrible

anauthorandherservicedog answered:

*hugs you and wraps you in a blanket burrito*

I’ve had days like that, so I sympathize! Drink tea (if you like tea), cuddle your SDiT, and remember that there are good days ahead.

And then save up your change to buy really big, giant, over-the-ear headphones so you can pretend to not hear those damn stories. :( :( :(

~~~

PSA: NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR DEAD DOG STORIES. Oh my god seriously people. I know your hearts are breaking for your loss, but STRANGERS ARE NOT HERE TO SHARE YOUR PAIN. Especially not strangers with service dogs!

fundaypuppy2k15

Yeah, even the giant headphones don’t help, as evidenced by my three separate incidents his morning at Starbucks. But I second the no-dead-dog-story rule!

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogging over here, because this sort of thing happens ALL THE TIME. So when you write your service dog teams, share the pain!

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

scriptservicedogs-blog

Adding everyday details to your writing

This will be a sporadic series of posts, by various mods, covering things that we encounter in our everyday lives as service dog handlers. Hopefully it’ll inspire you to add these touches of realism to your writing!

~~~

Today’s planned tasks: Get breakfast, go to the dentist, return items to a store, go to the post office.

Today’s derailing events:

At breakfast, the waitress spent ten minutes talking to me about her dog training woes before taking my order or bringing me coffee.
Also, Bucky got up and tried to walk out from under the table three separate times. This was a sign that I should’ve cancelled my plans and gone home.
When trying to leave the restaurant, the cashier came out from behind the counter to admire Bucky. She didn’t touch him but she did get him even more riled up with her cooing and staring.
At the dentist’s office, Bucky wouldn’t settle. I ended up having to reschedule my appointment again. I’ve now had a temporary crown for two full months due to bad scheduling, Bucky’s emergency surgery, and his restlessness at the dentist’s office.
At the post office, the clerk asked questions about Bucky’s breed, age, and diet, then stopped my transaction so he could take out his phone and show me a picture of his chihuahua/pomeranian mix. He also told me stories of how she lets him know when she has to go out and when her water bowl is full.

Writing takeaway: There are no fast five-minute errands with a service dog. If your character has a service dog, show them bracing themselves for a frustrating trip and struggling to be polite to everyone who just wants to chat for a few minutes – those minutes add up!

- mod @anauthorandherservicedog

puppyraiser1

This!

You think you’re running a quick errand with your puppy in training to grab a gallon of milk at the grocery store?

Wrong. It’s going to take you 15 minutes just to walk through the store between managing and working with the dog and fielding questions, comments, and people interfering with the puppy. A young puppy may become overwhelmed to the point where you leave- without the milk. You may have to physically place yourself in front of the dog to block from people grabbing at the dog even when you ask and then explicitly tell them not to distract the puppy. Yesterday, the puppy I had with me up and decided to quit walking (I ended up carrying her out of where we were).

For me, the hardest part is dealing with the public and having an audience everywhere I go, although as a puppy raiser I do have responsibility to educate. Sometimes it’s frustrating (of course, it can also be entertaining, rewarding, etc.) but it’s all part of the ‘job’!

scriptservicedogs-blog

#okay but I HATE when people tell me dead dog stories#like what?????#how do you respond? haha

YES.

Writers, be aware that there’s this REALLY bizarre thing where people see you working with your dog and then feel compelled to tell you about how their dog -- who usually was a pet of an entirely different breed -- died.

This is incredibly traumatic to hear.

So yeah, absolutely write that. And when your editors or beta readers ask you WTF makes you think that’s at all realistic, send them to ask any puppy raiser or service dog handler.

scriptservicedogs-blog

Adding everyday details to your writing

This will be a sporadic series of posts, by various mods, covering things that we encounter in our everyday lives as service dog handlers. Hopefully it’ll inspire you to add these touches of realism to your writing!

~~~

Today’s planned tasks: Get breakfast, go to the dentist, return items to a store, go to the post office.

Today’s derailing events:

At breakfast, the waitress spent ten minutes talking to me about her dog training woes before taking my order or bringing me coffee.
Also, Bucky got up and tried to walk out from under the table three separate times. This was a sign that I should’ve cancelled my plans and gone home.
When trying to leave the restaurant, the cashier came out from behind the counter to admire Bucky. She didn’t touch him but she did get him even more riled up with her cooing and staring.
At the dentist’s office, Bucky wouldn’t settle. I ended up having to reschedule my appointment again. I’ve now had a temporary crown for two full months due to bad scheduling, Bucky’s emergency surgery, and his restlessness at the dentist’s office.
At the post office, the clerk asked questions about Bucky’s breed, age, and diet, then stopped my transaction so he could take out his phone and show me a picture of his chihuahua/pomeranian mix. He also told me stories of how she lets him know when she has to go out and when her water bowl is full.

Writing takeaway: There are no fast five-minute errands with a service dog. If your character has a service dog, show them bracing themselves for a frustrating trip and struggling to be polite to everyone who just wants to chat for a few minutes -- those minutes add up!

- mod @anauthorandherservicedog

#details #service dogs #writing advice #writing tips

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

Physiotherapy anon - that was a great answer, thank you! I was thinking in terms of motivation for the patient, as well as helping with exercises in the form of like taking the dog out for walks or maybe something to do with throwing a ball, for fine motor control?

The defining elements of a service dog vs. a pet are:

The handler is disabled.
The dog is trained in a task related to that disability.

Polite leash walking and fetch aren’t tasks that mitigate a disability, but momentum pulling [1], brace and balance [2], and picking up dropped items [3] are.

The other thing is, generally a service dog is a huge commitment in terms of training time, money, and care. You don’t generally see service dogs who are temporary (meant to work only during the duration of, say, physiotherapy) and then return to being pets.

That being said... My first service dog actually started out as a pet for eight years. I was lucky that he was very well-trained and behaved in public. It was super-easy for me to transition him to service work, and he took to his trained tasks beautifully. So I had the unusual, fortunate experience of having a long-term pet who was also a short-term service dog.

Now, though, he’s retired (bad hips) and I’m struggling to train a flaky puppy to take his place. It’s been eight months of constant work, reinforcement, setbacks, and tiny victories. I absolutely would NOT want to do that for a dog who was just going to help with a few months or even a year or two of physiotherapy, then go back to being a pet. If nothing else, it’s terribly unfair for the dog to get used to going out with you for months, then get left home once more when they’re no longer needed. As it is, Bucky howls if I go to the bathroom without him.

So, a few questions to ask regarding your character:

How disabled is this character? Is the disability permanent, long-term, or short-term? If it’s only going to last a couple of years, have the character consider a service dog, realize that it’s difficult and even unfair to train a dog to work and then forcibly retire the dog before they’re ready, and get a pet instead.
Can your character get by with a pet dog? The key to a happy pet dog are things you’ve already covered: lots of walks and lots of games of fetch. In fact, it’d be lovely to have your character explore things to do with their pet and discover things like pet-friendly parks and shopping centers (there are more of these every day!), pet-friendly restaurants where the character can sit on the patio and eat with their dog, hikes, and even sports like agility and rally.
If your character does go the short-term service dog route, then have that character deal with the fallout. It’s disheartening and even exhausting to train a service dog, because there are *a lot* of bad days (and yes, a lot of good days!) And if your character gets the dog used to a routine of constant public access, then stops when the character no longer needs the dog, have the character experience the dog’s frustration at being “abandoned” for hours at a time.

[1]: Momentum pulling needs special training and equipment to keep the dog from being harmed. You can talk to @scriptveterinarian for details of the injuries that happen when a dog constantly pulls on a collar rather than a proper harness.

[2]: Brace and balance also needs special training for both the dog (to tense up and brace themselves) and the human (to lean against the right part of the dog) or the dog can be very badly injured. Again, @scriptveterinarian is your go-to.

[3]: Picking up dropped items is surprisingly easy to train, if you have a dog who’s willing. Some dogs automatically like carrying things around, while others have to be taught with great patience. It took my friend ten months to train her chihuahua/pom mix to pick up things, but now the dog is happily retrieving everything from dropped keys to a little pouch with my friend’s blood sugar testing equipment.

#repeat customer #physiotherapy #service dog #momentum pulling #brace and balance #picking up items #Anonymous

scriptservicedogs-blog

Reblogged

scriptservicedogs-blog

Anonymous asked:

I'm writing about a world where everyone has superpowers. What kinds of superpowers would be of most benefit / would work really well with people who have service dogs? Also, if the dogs themselves could have superpowers, what would be helpful? Thanks!

scriptservicedogs-blog answered:

Sorry this took so long to answer! Your ask came right before the holidays, which turned into multiple surgeries, school, and other drama.

[[EDIT: Removed the cut because apparently Tumblr hates us. Sorry for the long post!]]

What if they needed the service dog because their powers could sometimes overwhelm them? They could help control powers, or help focus them. Like someone with super hearing who can’t filter out the many sounds they are hearing, so the dog alerts for screams, or common household sounds like doorbells and phones.

Something like familiars would be really helpful; some kind of bond between dog and handler that helped communicate needs.

- mod @fundaypuppy2k15

Okay so I think this is a really interesting question to think of logistically. For example, if your character’s super power is flying, she would have to carry her dog whenever she flew (also, this would be a great place for a seizure detecting dog because I imagine that would be a very bad thing to happen while FLYING) so you would have to think about things like weight of the dog, safety - doggles! - and how cold it gets up high so lots of sweaters. Also does this flying character have super strength? Because if not, then out of necessity they will need a small service dog.

Or what about a character (good or bad) whose power is invisibility? A service dog is still going to be able to smell the handler and probably want to follow, so training the service dog to have a code word that means ‘Act like I’m still here’ so the character can do and do sneaky things would be such a cool element to add to the story.

Also dogs with powers! Okay so. Super strength/resilience would be awesome for a mobility dog to have because one of the issues is that while a dog can be trained to brace itself with warning. In the real world, if a handler suddenly collapses, we cannot hang onto our dogs because it would injure them. But a super dog with super strength would be very helpful for someone who had dizzy spells from medication or from POTS or a similar chronic illness.

Another cool idea for service dog with powers would be telepathy. While this could be useful in any situation, it would be especially useful for characters who are non-verbal and/or deaf and would provide another way of communicating! And it doesn’t have to be words - feelings, pictures, smells would all be super cool. Imagine an autistic character with super-hearing who gets overwhelmed and their service dog sends them images of the ocean and the smell of salt water tohelp calm them down.

I think whatever way you decide to take this, one of the really cool things is to figure out how the pairing works together, like the flying/seizure alert dog pair I mentioned. If a character can shapeshift, does their scent remain the same or do they have a codeword to let their dog know they are shifting? How does each pair communicate the logistics of their powers to the other? So much world-building fun right there!

- mod @rescuetohero

I’d consider first where you want the line to be between “dog” and “super-powered creature shaped like a dog.”

In Supernatural S08E15 (Man’s Best Friend with Benefits), there’s a witch whose familiar is a doberman… who can shapeshift into a gorgeous human-looking woman. The two of them develop an, uh, unconventionally intimate relationship that eventually causes trouble with all their witchy friends. In human form, this familiar is a human, with speech, intelligence, etc. In dog form, she “can get a better read on people” (presumably through scent).

So, do you want your character’s service dog to be a DOG or a shapeshifted entity with the intelligence and self-awareness of a human? And at that point, is it ethical to use that creature as a service animal or are they then a (hopefully) paid caretaker?

For my answer, let’s assume you’re sticking with core doggie dogness – meaning an animal who’s been bred for the desire to socialize with/work with/please humans. If that’s the case, you need to look at the human’s disability. A medical alert dog might have a constant psychic link monitoring its human’s body chemistry and the psychic ability to sound an alarm in its human’s brain. A physical service dog might have stronger muscles and bones to help with brace and balance work. It might also have the ability to teleport or blink itself and its handler away from danger.

- mod @anauthorandherservicedog

Also tagging @scriptautistic because this is a cool ask and I want to share!

scriptservicedogs-blog

valquainton replied to your post

How about someone with a superpower that comes on them without warning (a bit Hulk-like in that respect) and the service animal is trained to detect it and let them know?

#reply post #service dogs #superheroes

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