LEAD ME

27/12/2023

Many people are interested in service dogs.
I found this informative article for those who are interested.

If anyone needs assistance on finding a candidate, screening a dog, training a service dog please contact me.

Deciding to partner with a service dog is a huge decision. Here are some of the most important things that you should know before getting your service dog.

18/12/2023

Please share to make a shelter dog’s life a little better.

Silent Night is a foster opportunity to allow dogs from MCAS to have a break from shelter life, and to enjoy the holidays with someone special. Supplies will be provided. All you’ll need to do is give the dog a safe, loving environment for a few days, take some happy pictures to help us promote your new friend, and then give us some feedback when the dog is returned. If you decide you’d like to foster for a little while longer, that would be great!

Pick up your Silent Night foster between December 20th-23rd, and return it between the 26th-28th. If you’re planning to attend our monthly Pack Walk on the 24th, you can take home one of the dogs directly from the event!

Our foster applications are online- you can bring them in to the shelter or submit them by email. https://animalservices.marionfl.org/animal-center/how-can-i-help

01/12/2023

The easy way out, or time, money and commitment?
Some people will pay 2000. for a dog but aren't willing to get training for the dog.

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=591771529801760&id=100069067541164&mibextid=2JQ9oc

This is the side of rescuing that people don’t see, and just don’t realise how hard it is for us behind the scenes.
Strap in guys, while I explain.

This is Marcus.

His owner contacted me to ask me to rehome him, because….
‘He barks at other dogs and people when out so needs rehoming ’

Marcus is a 2 year old patterdale x Labrador.

He had been owned by said owner for… 5 weeks.

He’s just settling in, learning his new environment and family, and at only 2 years old he will be rather overwhelmed as well as adjusting to everything new.

Barking is how dogs communicate, and express their fears, and also excitement.

When I asked his owner what training she had been doing with Marcus to help him overcome his possible nervous behaviour, the answer was ‘he’s had none’

I explained I am full at the moment but I will let her know when I had room to fit him in.

2.5 hours later I receive a call from a vet practice.

Marcus had been taken to the vets to be EUTHANISED.

Put to sleep.
To end his life, because his owner could not be bothered to put any time or training into him.

THANKFULLY, the vets refused and called us.
They spoke to their behaviourist while they were there, and offered the owner sessions to help Marcus- the owner declined.

Killing him was the easy way to end her problem.

So, of course, with fear the owner would then just go to another vet and put him to sleep- I made room.
I don’t have room, but I’m not having it.

Marcus has been with us less than half an hour.
He has sat, taken a treat very gently.
Has met 6 dogs- enjoyed a sniff and his tail hasn’t stopped wagging

He hasn’t barked yet.

Too many people are getting pets without any consideration to the time they need to adjust, and expecting them to be ‘perfect companions’ without actually putting anything into them.

Take some responsibility and invest the time into them, you chose them to be part of your family. Stop destroying them just because you cannot be bothered to help them.
It’s not their fault.

You are safe Marcus, and loved.
You will never be treated so badly again, and that I can promise.

23/11/2023

09/11/2023

Some cute and funny pictures 🤩
But if you need help with training for problem behaviors give me a call.🙂😉🐾

17/10/2023

Too Funny! 😅😄

Caption this

07/10/2023

SERVICE DOG HANDLERS: There are so really good shirts here to consider wearing in public.🐾

Shop for Gifts For Dog Trainers - printed t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, stickers, posters, mugs, and more.

01/10/2023

😊

29/09/2023

Laura Holly Houseknecht
This is BluBearri. He is my service dog. He was expertly trained by Deborah Busch! I have been so blessed to have her as both his and my trainer. He does his 'job' so well in taking care of me; and he is also a wonderful dog to have as a pet and around other people. He is friendly, but careful when meeting new people. I have had MANY people exclaim that they (or their children) are terrified of dogs, but they love Blu! He stays by my side, and will not approach people when in work mode (unless given permission by me, when someone is appropriate enough to ASK me when he is working.) I have also had many people who work in stores or restaurants exclaim that he is, "a real service dog", after seeing how well behaved he is. I cannot recommend Deborah enough! She truly is a blessing and I'm so grateful to have had her train my Blu!

28/09/2023

Please start training the day you bring your puppy home. Dont wait.

If you financially invested in a puppy, I hope you considered medical care, grooming and training costs. They are all very much needed to have a healthy and happy and well mannered 4 footed family member.DB
🐾🐕🐩😊

28/09/2023

A service dog should be highly trained for public access, excellent manners and temperament, as well as task trained to aid their disabled handler.
🦮 🐾
Looking to owner train a dog to be your service dog. Let me help you get started!

17/09/2023

Allergy season. Good article

If you have an itchy dog, you might be wondering, "what can I give my dog for allergies?" Keep reading to learn what you can give your dog for allergies.

29/08/2023

https://youtube.com/?si=n6FlTxy6kHnzIF2u
I started a You Tube channel.😊

Share your videos with friends, family, and the world

09/08/2023

Some real agility😀

09/08/2023

Adorable ☺️

24/07/2023

https://www.chronicleonline.com/news/local/grace-methodist-church-of-homosassa-supports-visits-with-dutch/article_7f839deb-ce64-5f8b-8440-148c2512e287.html

God’s Love Therapy has been around for a few years, though you may never have heard of it. There’s a better chance that someone has excitedly told you about a

21/07/2023

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/blue-green-algae-symptoms-tips/

At least eight dogs have died after swimming in ponds. Likely, liver failure was brought on by ingesting water contaminated with toxic blue-green algae.

17/06/2023

Even after a bath dogs feet still stink. I am going to try this suggestion.
Good article.
https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/stinky-pet-solutions/ #:~:text=Trim%20excess%20fur%20around%20your,after%20walking%20or%20playing%20outside.

27/05/2023

Flying Tips:
✅ Make sure to submit your Department of Transportation (DOT) forms for service animals AT LEAST 24 hours prior to your flight (some airlines may require more than 24 hrs notice).
✅ Some airlines will require a health certificate from your veterinarian stating the dog is up to date on shots and healthy to travel. I requested from my vet and brought just in case. Additionally, I took Maren’s rabies vaccine tag (this is the main one they’re concerned about).
✅ Your dog will go through the “old school” metal detectors. I opted to removed all her gear and use a bandanna around her neck so her collar wouldn’t set off the metal detectors (certain noises can be a trigger for me). I put her in a sit and went through the metal detectors first then called her through separately. Some airports will let you and the dog walk through as a pair. Many airports also do a pat down of the dog (if you have a larger dog I recommend gently holding the dog’s muzzle to help put the TSA agent at ease). They will swab your hands.
✅ Regardless of what class you are riding in, ask to have special pre-boarding for your disability so you are in the first group of people on the plane.
✅ Ask the agent at the desk where the animal relief stations are after you pass through security. In one airport, we had to be taken by an agent to a secure area. In others, it’s been available in certain concourses without needing specific access. The relief areas were extremely small (think doormat size or slightly bigger) and Maren opted out (I don’t blame her!). Highly recommend not relying on this as an option as it’s pretty gross. Your other option is to train your dog to relieve themselves when commanded on a dog pad you pack in the relief area.
✅ Your dog must stay within your own seat boundaries. Sometimes you’ll get generous passengers who won’t mind your dog encroaching on their (already limited) foot space but don’t bank on this. The person next to you has no obligation to give you more room for your pup. I highly recommend First Class if you can swing it for sheer extra leg room. Work on tucking if you have a larger breed.
✅ Don’t book any seating in an exit row as you’re not legally allowed to sit there with your SD.
✅ Highly recommend you train your dog with riding escalators.
✅ Always pack extra food (typically about two days worth just in case) and any necessary dog medicine in your carry-on. We brought a towel for the airplane floor for Maren to lie on as well as other basics, such as a (collapsible) water bowl and some treats.
✅ This goes without saying but exposure to airports, buses, and trains are extremely helpful before flying. Our trainer practiced with my dog with multiple methods of transportation, differing platforms, visited the airport several times for sounds, etc.
✅ Dog’s ears get muffled and can pop just like humans with the pressure and altitude change. Chewing can help relieve this. While I don’t give my dog long term treats when she’s working (lest she be enjoying a tasty Kong and misses a medical alert), I did make an exception for flying once I myself felt regulated/stable enough. Remember to never pack something smelly (e.g. bully sticks) or something with peanut butter (since someone on the plane may be extremely allergic).
✅ Depending on the airport, you’ll see other dogs (the Denver airport was teaming with pets - we also saw airport police dogs). The most annoying to us were the small, yappy ones people brought in carriers (non-service dogs) that barked repeatedly. Your service dog should be able to quietly settle regardless but just a warning. Dogs that are misbehaving in the airport are easily spotted, so I wouldn’t worry too much about fakes being let on a plane. If there are issues, immediately report.
✅ Depending on the size of your dog and positioning preference, you can have your dog backup into the seat area that way their hind end is tucked under the seat in front you and they are facing you to watch for alerts.
✅ There are some airlines that DO NOT consider a service dog in training a service dog. American Airlines is an example who have specific wording regarding this. Remember this rule applies if you have a SDIT REGARDLESS if you’re flying from state to state that recognizes SDITs. Choose your airline wisely and follow the rules to respect your other handlers.
🐾
Shared from Keegan Crosby Thomas

06/05/2023

Well said! People, friends, clients- Do this!

(Sharing)

Absolutely no one asked 🤣 but here are some pointers if you are raising a poodle puppy from a dog trainer because I know some of you may be struggling with reactivity from your new puppy or current dog.

Firstly if you are just starting out socialization is important, but a lot of people assume that socializing is the same with dogs as it is with people which is not the case. Dogs should never greet every person and dog they meet, especially when you are socializing them in the beginning. The goal is to create a neutral dog that is respectful and can ignore people and other dogs while you go about your daily life, if you allow your dog to meet everyone and everything then your dog will come to expect it EVERY TIME. I’ll give you this example, every time you meet me I give you $1000 eventually you are going to get super excited when you see me because hey, money is valuable in our society. Dogs value interaction and attention, so if every time you allow your dog to bark lunge and pull you over you are in advertently reinforcing this behaviour and thus the behaviour will continue.

Socialization should be allowing your dog to see, smell and hear all sorts of things and people without the expectation that they will directly interact with those things. Working on engagement through food or play can create positive associations with these things but also reinforce that YOU are the most rewarding thing. If your dog is already reactive there is hope, working on engage and disengage games at a distance they are comfortable with can really help in retraining them to stay below threshold as once a dog is over their threshold they physically cannot focus on you and in that situation the best thing to do is keep moving until you can get that focus back.

An engagement game I like to play I call “scatter” if I know a dog I’m working with is reactive to dogs if I see one coming toward me on the street I will create distance use a fun noise to get the dog to look at me and take some high value treats and let them watch me throw them onto the ground. By engaging the dogs other senses you can start to make the expectation that engaging with you is much more fun than the frustration of trying to get to another dog. If your dog is play motivated this is a great time to pull out that tug and start playing. Keep them moving, if they fixate they will build and go past threshold, and we do not want that.

Reactivity is a behaviour that can be corrected regardless of age, but it can take some time. I highly encourage anyone who has a reactiv dog to reach out to local behavioralists or trainers. I promise you we see it all, but always make sure to do your research as dog training is very unregulated.

Best of luck to you all!

23/03/2023

11/02/2023

Radar has some words of wisdom 😄😆🐾

02/02/2023

Happy dogs, happy owners 😊🐾🐩

26/01/2023

Many thanks for my training helper Carina..😍🐾
Enjoy the pictures of some puppies and dogs we worked with.

24/01/2023

Ten signs of a fake service dog:
https://renfair.com/socal/2020/02/27/ten-signs-that-a-service-dog-is-actually-a-fake/

24/03/2022

Introducing LEAD ME's new service:
Day Care with Training.

This is structured and supervised socialization with other dogs and training during the day, which could include obedience or behavior modification.

This is working out great for the dog, owner, and trainer. 🐾

After a day of playing and training, when the owner comes for pick up, the trainer works with the owner with the pup/ dog and goes over what was worked on that day.

After a long day of physical and mental stimulation, the dog is ready for a good night of sleep.😁😊

Starting at $50. Per day.

Meet and Greet is required to start.

Flea free environment. All dogs must be on flea prevention; they should be current on vaccines and dewormed.

Contact Deborah [email protected]

02/03/2022

Fun exercise games for your dogs

19/02/2022

Proper exercise for your dog is physical and mental stimulation.
Walking is needed and it's best to try new areas, not just your neighborhood every day. Playing with other dogs is needed, not just your dog at home.
https://youtu.be/F691V83PWE4

Watch a private session with an athletic young dog

15/02/2022

Happy Valentines from some Lead Me clients here for boarding and training

13/02/2022

Jill and Enoch AKC Urban test