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Gracie's gear is a great example of the kind of gear we outfit our service dogs in. All of our service dogs begin to wear their gear from the time they come to us. They DO NOT wear their gear all the time, rather only when they are working. We use commands to help them transition from relaxing or play time to work time. We teach commands like "Were gonna work", this lets our pups know we are transitioning from a relaxed or play mode to one of work. This transition includes putting on their gear. In Gracie's case this means a padded service vest that is specially sized for her. Because we train GIANTS its not always easy to find the right size so taking measurements are important. Also, because we train them up from pups, they will never a variety of sizes over their lifetime from puppy to juvenile to adult stage. We use almost exclusively martingale collars with a few exceptions such as the collar Gracie is wearing here. She picked it out herself and loves wearing the thicker collars made especially for GIANT breeds such as Great Danes. It is a flat collar. In Gracie's case she also uses a HALTI device that helps here with directional walking. This is a "no harm" training device that many dogs use to either slow or keep their pace slower for their handler. Gracie has long legs so pace is a big deal! leashes and handles are important as well and some service dog and/or their handlers prefer it.
Gracie's gear is a great example of the kind of gear we outfit our service dogs in. All of our service dogs begin to wear their gear from the time they come to us. They DO NOT wear their gear all the time, rather only when they are working. We use commands to help them transition from relaxing or play time to work time. We teach commands like "Were gonna work", this lets our pups know we are transitioning from a relaxed or play mode to one of work. This transition includes putting on their gear. In Gracie's case this means a padded service vest that is specially sized for her. Because we train GIANTS its not always easy to find the right size so taking measurements are important. Also, because we train them up from pups, they will never a variety of sizes over their lifetime from puppy to juvenile to adult stage. We use almost exclusively martingale collars with a few exceptions such as the collar Gracie is wearing here. She picked it out herself and loves wearing the thicker collars made especially for GIANT breeds such as Great Danes. It is a flat collar. In Gracie's case she also uses a HALTI device that helps here with directional walking. This is a "no harm" training device that many dogs use to either slow or keep their pace slower for their handler. Gracie has long legs so pace is a big deal! leashes and handles are important as well and some service dog and/or their handlers prefer it.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Frequently Asked Questions:
- Can you train a dog I already have?
Answer: No. Service Dogs are best when trained from a young age and are reviewed for certain attributes that make them a good service dog. We have relationships with rescues and a few breeders (Great Dane puppies are hard to find in rescue) and they are experienced in looking for traits of a good possible service dog prospect.
- Why GIANT breeds?
Answer: While we know there are lots of different breeds being used as service dogs, we chose GIANT breeds for 2 reasons. One, most of our clients have epilepsy in which they lose their balance or might even fall or collapse. They may need to steady themselves or have a dog that can provide support by blocking or bracing. Basically, this prevents them falling. Seizures are only one aspect of traumatic brain injury and we know falls can be just as damaging including broken bones or even more bodily injuries.
- How long does it take to train a Service Dog for TBI? Why so long?
Answer: Service Dogs on average take approximately 2 years and require daily training beginning with exposure and socialization, basic obedience through positive reinforcement training, public access training and eventually the more skilled service dog skills. Each dog is fit to each client, so what one dog does for one person might not fight for another. This also means that training has to happen first with us and then as we get to know more about our clients environment and lifestyle, we teach the dog skills to mitigate TBI related issues.
- Do I get to name my dog?
Answer: No. All our dogs come with names and they are specifically trained for them, including hand signals.
- How do we learn to work with our Service Dog? What about other pets we own?
Answer: This is individual to each client. We have some clients that come to us and some clients that we travel to for handler training. Training schedules are established at the time of the contract and can be adjusted to our clients needs. It takes about 3 to 4 weeks training time for handlers to learn how to interact and work with their service dogs. In some instances we might need to review a clients daily schedule and places of school and/or employment. It is important that all individuals in the home be apart of the care of the service dog and that there are no objections to the service dog. Prospective clients also need to disclose all other animals living in the house and TBI Seizure Alert and Recovery GIANTS has the final say on all placements. NO additional dogs can be adopted or placed in the home without our consent. This is for the safety and welfare of the Service Dog.
- I hear there is a home check?
Answer: Yes, We need to do a home check to make certain that our GIANTS have a home that they can call their own. Almost all of our dogs are over 100lbs and will need things like a space for a pillow for instance, a yard or reasonable alternative, fenced in space and no limitations on a service dogs ability to do their work. In addition to a home check we will ask for a few references including a vet reference if you have a pet in the home or have had pets in the home recently. Having this reference really helps us in making decisions about placement. Some of those that help to approve applications on our board are mental health professionals, veterinarians and service dog trainers. So the more information we know about your living situation the better!
- Do you train Therapy Dogs or provide for ESA dogs?
Answer: Good question. Not typically. We are a Service dog training organization that provides for military veterans that have suffered a TBI and need a service dog to mitigate seizure related issues. This is not to say that your service dog might not provide you with emotional support. The natural tendency for many of our dogs is to want to be with their handlers as much as possible and care for them.
- So I hear there's an application, what does that entail?
Answer: We have an application to see the kind of medical situation that would require a medical alert dog. While many of our dogs do provide mobility, their primary skill as a service dog is to act as s medical alert dog. It is important that you talk with your medical professional about your possible need for a medical alert service dog. We will ask for a letter from your medical physician recommending a medical service dog and possibly some information on what medical conditions the client has so that we can tailor the dogs skills and abilities for that person. It is important to understand that not all TBI conditions can be mitigated with the use of a service dog, nor can we guarantee any improvement of any condition with the use of a service dog. Much like any medical adaptive device, service dogs are meant to mitigate a medical issue but not replace medical treatment or advice. Nor are service dogs a cure for any specific condition or disease.
- What if i can no longer care for my Service Dog or I pass away?
Answer: If for any reason a client can longer care for their service dog or the dog is in someway no longer able to work as a service dog then the dog MUST be returned to TBI Seizure Alert and Recovery GIANTS. Upon signing your contract you understand that we have the right to make welfare checks on the dog and should be contacted immediately if the dogs is in poor health, has passed or is no longer able to be cared for. Our service dogs are also under no conditions ever to become a household pet. While service dogs are part of the family in that they are helper to the handler in need, they are also trained to be working service dogs. This means NO KENNELING, NO LEAVING DOG AT HOME and NO SEPARATION for any lengthy period of time. We understand there might be an emergency that arises. If for some reason one does, we must be contacted right away to be able to make certain that your service dog's needs are met during an emergent time. UNDER NO CONDITIONS can your service dog be surrendered to anyone except TBI Seizure Alert and Recovery GIANTS.
- What are the fees (if any)?
Answer: We try to keep our fees to a minimal at TBI Seizure Alert and Recovery GIANTS. We do however want to make certain that our service dogs are well cared for and are able to be maintained. We ask for reasonable proof that a client can do this or that they have financial supporting group or institution that will provide for things such as food, replacement gear, bowls, vet expenses and we ask that all our service dogs be covered by pet insurance. We can help to guide in this process and it great reduces many vet bills and is often very inexpensive over paying even a single vet visit that can be quite costly.
- Any specific questions we are always willing and ready to answer. Don't worry if you have the question, likelihood is, someone else does too!
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