Medi-Dogs

07/19/2024

It’s Dex’s final day in training before heading to his forever home🥹🩵
A big huge thank you to Shelter from the storm for rescuing him, Charlotte and Kelly for fostering him, and Green Acres for giving him the best care! We enjoyed every bit of being apart of his journey in Wisconsin, and now to Boston! It's always bittersweet as we prep for placement but knowing he has a wonderful family waiting for him makes all the difference 🩵

07/19/2024

WOW!!
We are so proud of both Team Sheeba and Team Archie who passed their Public Access Tests today🥹

It’s an amazing to see our teams continuing to progress so well! 🩵

06/10/2024

05/30/2024

🩵Maggie and Aaden🩵
Maggie started in the service dog ready program and then upon passing her readiness test entered b&t. She was with us for board & train for January-mid April. The family is from Florida and so we flew her home to practice plane rides. We spent placement working at their home and also going to Disney since it is a place they frequently go! Aaden was a brilliant handler and since he’s still too young to be the primary handler Maggie learned to work for his parents too. She was calm and focused in Disney and handled everything in stride.

Since her drop off a month ago, she’s been getting great reviews!
🩵She accompanied Aaden to the special Olympics where he won 1st place in tennis!
🩵She’s been back to Disney!
🩵Settling back into her house like she never left!
🩵Rocking her behavior interruption task
🩵Offering deep pressure therapy without needing to be cued (thanks scent training!)

05/20/2024

It’s time for the goodest boy to find his placement 🥹 Dex was pulled from Shelter From The Storm in March and has been in training ever since. He’s brilliant, sweet and will make someone a great working dog. He’s a true rags to riches story! We are currently taking applications for him as a started service dog or facility therapy dog. Once his final placement is decided, he begins his task training.

Interested? Read more on his application here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd2c9K55yBOrJB3gmYVCFBalrN5_xYfW0yiLn-3GStUcu3Fig/viewform?usp=sf_link
Videos of his current training level in the comments.

03/28/2024

A lovely study from the Canine Olfaction Lab that is worth the read! We always encourage people to train Psychiatric Service Dogs with as little body language cues as possible. Scent training is vital for both the dog and humans success. Early alerts can help the handler notice the changes in their body, allow them to get to a space where they can do healthy coping mechanisms, and so much more. Psychiatric service dogs are just as legit as any other medical alert dog!

IntroductionPost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an impairing mental health condition with high prevalence among military and general populations alike. PTSD service dogs are a complementary and alternative intervention needing scientific validation. We investigated whether dogs can detect putat...

03/26/2024

Mac is learning all about the world around him! His handler is doing a great job balancing the need to set him up for success and letting him be a puppy. Can’t wait to see this team continue to grow!

Three-month old puppy report on Mac. We missed National Puppy Day...hope you had a good one! Our latest recruit, 'Mac' is still on track for his future job as a First Responder Therapy Dog. The City of Madison Fire Station No. 5 was kind enough to let Mac sniff the hoses, meet the crew, and drive the big rig.
Exposure is important as the young puppy brain develops: take them places & let them see the world as much as possible. And let them be a puppy too. 🐾💙

Madison Police Department First Responder Therapy Dogs City of Madison Fire Department Medi-Dogs

02/26/2024

Maggie is enjoying a morning snooze on her mat while we work on our Fear Free Trainer Recertification! Multitasking is at its finest when it prepares a B&T dog for real life situations.

02/14/2024

Welcome Mac! So excited for your journey to help our first responders. You’re going to do amazing things!

This Valentine's Day our hearts and minds are with our First Responders throughout the community. With that in mind, we've started a little side project (and he's very little right now!).
Meet 'Mac,' an 8-week old Golden Retriever who is just embarking on his education. His goal is to become a certified facility dog, working with First Responder Therapy Dogs.

FRTD says it best: "Being on the front lines is physically and mentally challenging for first responders. These everyday heroes often face mental health challenges.
Within this population, there is a stigma attached to asking for help. First Responder Therapy Dogs offer a new mental health tool – emotional support from a trained therapy dog—without the stigma.
The emotional support helps first responders deal with what they face everyday...and what they face is often extremely intense."

We at Capital K9s have long wanted to add a Therapy Dog to the pack and this is our beginning. Come meet Mac at Capital K9s events. He cannot be officially certified until he is 18 months old, so right now, he's just puppy therapy! 🐾❤️ We'll keep you updated on his progress. Thank a First Responder today! 💙

Madison Police Department First Responder Therapy Dogs Nicholberrygoldens Four Lakes Veterinary Clinic Keeping K-9s in Kevlar Friends of Madison Mounted Horse Patrol City of Monona Police Department Medi-Dogs

10/24/2023

Some helpful information about Mental Health Service Dogs! It’s always important to remember that these are not the same as Emotional Support Animals.

08/03/2023

And we’re back with more to learn about our diabetic alert service dogs!

06/14/2023

Service dogs for individuals with diabetes are often called “diabetic alert dogs,” and they are an excellent extra layer of safety. Diabetic alert dogs can alert to changes in blood sugar faster than a Continuous Glucose Monitor by up to 15 minutes, let you know if your blood sugar is high or low and offer support through the trials of chronic illness.

If you are interested in training your dog to be a diabetic alert dog, please message us and we will determine if you both are the right fit for our program! We currently have scholarships available to assist with the cost of training specifically for diabetic alert dogs.

06/01/2023

Thank you to Riverside and Great Northern Railway for a great ride today!

We had a special guest today at the railroad! Annie and Summit. Summit is training to be a diabetic alert dog. Thank you Annie for all you do!

04/29/2023

Thanks so much to everyone that joined us tonight! If you couldn’t make it, no worries 😊You’re still able to support us with the code below online through tomorrow!

04/27/2023

Don’t forget to join us tomorrow 5:30-7:30 at Kendra Scott in Hilldale Mall!

How can choosing a Mother's Day gift (or something for yourself!) make a difference in more than one life? Join Medi-Dogs for a special event at Kendra Scott (located at Hilldale Mall) on April 28th, 5:30-7:30!

Proceeds from the event will go straight to our scholarship fund, easing the financial burden of service dog training for those in need.

We love Kendra Scott's jewelry, and we really love the company's intention to "do good first and sell jewelry second." Whether you are buying for someone you love or looking for a little retail therapy, you are also contributing another person's health, safety, and freedom!

P.S. Some of our very cute working dogs will be there to meet their adoring fans!

04/20/2023

How can choosing a Mother's Day gift (or something for yourself!) make a difference in more than one life? Join Medi-Dogs for a special event at Kendra Scott (located at Hilldale Mall) on April 28th, 5:30-7:30!

Proceeds from the event will go straight to our scholarship fund, easing the financial burden of service dog training for those in need.

We love Kendra Scott's jewelry, and we really love the company's intention to "do good first and sell jewelry second." Whether you are buying for someone you love or looking for a little retail therapy, you are also contributing another person's health, safety, and freedom!

P.S. Some of our very cute working dogs will be there to meet their adoring fans!

01/19/2023

Having a service dog is more than having a well-behaved dog that you want to bring in public. Service dogs mitigate their handlers disability and therefore having a service dog with you is not typically fun. You’re dealing with a constant disability that impacts different areas of your life daily, and it sucks. Having a service dog is an accommodation to help you live closer to how people without a disability live.

Valid service dog and handler teams deserve accessibility without worrying about pet dogs distracting or even attacking their working dog. Please be compassionate and thankful that you don’t have to deal with a life altering disability on a daily basis. Instead of bringing your pet to a store, on an airplane (uncrated), or anywhere else pets are not allowed, think twice about how it could negatively impact others.

01/11/2023

In the service dog community, we say “mitigate” quite often. The ADA, state laws and ACAA use it to define a service dog, but I often wonder if people actually know what it means.

Oxford languages defines it as:
“To make less severe, serious or painful”

So according to the ADA to make a dog a service dog they must make their handlers disability less severe, serious or painful. Without that piece, they aren’t a service dog, even if they are super well-behaved.

Picking tasks that will truly help mitigate your disability can be difficult. What works for some may not work for you. It’s best to work with an experienced trainer who can help determine what tasks will be helpful for your life.

01/06/2023

Service Dog Ollie is ready for take off! ✈️

12/28/2022

Thank you to all of our teams for being amazing over the last year, and thank you to those for letting us share these moments!

- Poe finalizing her placement
- Louie learning to settle in a restaurant
- Sassa killing it in a store
- Frankie learning to detect gluten
- Summit learning to walk with a cart
- Kevin learning to settle
- Apollo learning to retrieve
- Binx learning to tug
- Ollie rocking alerts in public
- Summit’s diabetic response task
- Summit working on scent training
- Nalu and Poe doing dog/dog work
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmuSunhIH9h/?igshid=MDJmNzVkMjY=

12/28/2022

Wishing every person and pet, a happy and peaceful howliday season and new year!
From, Medi-Dogs and Roo

12/06/2022

Q: "I think I saw a fake service dog! What should I do?"
A: Nothing!*

Consider that a “fake” service dog may actually be:
- A small service dog being carried for safety or to perform a task easier.
- A service dog who doesn’t sit down every time the handler stops walking, may alert better or be a mobility tool by standing.
- A service dog who barks or jumps on their handler, may be alerting to a medical event.
- A service dog without a vest, is still legally allowed public access under the ADA.

*If a service dog is endangering or seriously disrupting the public, you may alert the business you are visiting. Please do not approach the dog and create space for yourself if necessary.

11/27/2022

The wash rate for professionally trained service dogs from organizations with a specialized breeding program is sometimes reported as high as 50%. The rate for owner-trained dogs can be even higher, although harder to obtain accurate statistics on.

The saddest factor of this high wash rate is that most dogs struggle with prerequisite skills and behaviors. With better learning foundations, these issues can be addressed much sooner and before they become an SDiT.

What if you knew if your service dog prospect was truly ready to start service dog training?

We are proud to announce S.D. Ready, our newest service and collaboration with Here We Go Dog Training. This program will support you in preparing your adult dog with all of the foundational skills needed. This also allows the opportunity to know as early as possibly whether or not you need to find a new prospect.

Learn more about S.D. ready below and contact us at [email protected] to get started!

11/26/2022

Meet Annie and her dog Roo!

Annie is the founder of Medi-Dogs LLC and our service dog trainer.

She earned a B.S. in Animal Behavior and Psychology, is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer and a Canine Good Citizen Evaluator. She also completed a 300-hour internship with Dawn Scheu of Willow Service Dogs in Gluten & Allergen Detection and Medical Alert.

Annie supports her service dog teams from start to finish. She knows the ins and outs of handling a service dog in public, at college, on a plane, and even in Disney World! Her experience will help you be prepared and confident every time you step out with your service dog.

11/03/2022

Did you know that service dogs are not required to wear identification or a vest to access public spaces?

There are many more reasons why a service dog may not be wearing a vest. There are also some restrictions too. To learn more check out ADA.gov FAQ about Service Dogs and the ADA.

09/20/2022

Jumping into National Assistance Dog Month a little late, but for good reason! Poetry’s placement is almost finished and has been keeping us busy. She is rocking heart rate alerts and responses, navigating public spaces to best keep her person safe, and is fitting in like a she was there all along in her new home. Go Team Poe!

07/23/2022

Yesterday, after their outstanding sessions at Hilldale some of our local teams had some decompression time at Lainey Lanes Dog Park. They had a great time sniffing, splashing in the pools and playing with each other. We also practiced focusing near each other, and emergency U-turns. So proud of these teams who value their dogs so much ❤️

07/10/2022

Positive Reinforcement doesn’t just work on dogs, it works great for people too! The most significant thing that I can reward my clients for is regular effort and practice. Daily practice helps the dogs maintain and learn new skills, and helps my clients see continual progress. Each month they are challenged to post their daily training sessions, and if they make it the whole month they get a custom sticker. Congratulations to the teams that posted daily in June: Sassa, Kevin, Apollo, Frankie and Summit!

05/11/2022

Disney is a tough place for a Service Dog to work in. So many kids, loud noises, moving floors and distractions of every kind. Sassa took everything in stride and had so many compliments. More to come on this trip later, but here is a sneak peak of some of our training adventures!

05/02/2022

Summit is learning how to calmly greet people as part of his training. We want him to be able to greet people without mouthing, jumping or pulling. Practicing this skill early and often helps prevent these issues from occurring later in his life. Great work Team Summit!