Service Dog Express

PLEASE NOTE: In the video shown below, the following applies: "Landon is already practicing with SDIT Winston so that Winston can "find Landon" if he should bolt ("tracking). Mom Buffy practices holding Winston, and as Landon disappears in public places, Winston will pull Buffy until he finds his boy!! They are so well-trained, that Buffy has been told that it's okay for her to drop the leash and let Winston just go find Landon - instead of pulling her." Having a Service Dog who is being newly trained for an autistic child requires that to perform the "go find (tracking)" command when the child "bolts" or "runs", one needs to ensure that the dog will immediately go to the child and not be distracted BEFORE the dog is allowed off-leash to find the child in a public place. The video is a demonstration of the mother holding the SDIT, then having her autistic son go off (in a controlled way - either with another parent or trainer, or if the child is able to understand the exercise) - and find Landon. We have been having a lot of requests recently for Service Dogs for the neurodiverse - especially children with Autism or on the Autism spectrum. One beautiful team that is making tremendous progress is a young man, 15 year-old Landon. He, with the tremendous help of his exceptional mother, Buffy Martin, is training gorgeous Winston to help assist him through his journey with high-functioning Autism, ADHD, and Seizures. And what is just extra amazing is that Buffy herself was born with Cystic Fibrosis. Even when it's difficult for her to breathe, she is out there, helping her son train Winston. It's a beauty to behold. A boy, his dog, and a mother that would go to the ends of the earth to help both of them succeed. They are succeeding! Landon is doing and EXCELLENT job with SDIT Winston!!! Landon is SO smart and can be incredibly focused when training occurs. He and Winston formed an immediate bond when the family first adopted Winston at a young age. They

Can never hear this enough, can we?

Jennifer and SDiT Kida

From our trainer, Pat, who had a session with client 11 year-old Tanner and the guidance of his mother, Jennifer, and SDIT, Doberman Pinscher "Kida". Tanner suffers from Prader-Willi Syndrome. PWS can occur in any family, and cannot be prevented. There is no known cause. PWS is a complex genetic disorder affecting appetite, growth, metabolism, cognitive function and behavior. It is typically characterized by low muscle tone, short stature (when not treated with growth hormone), incomplete sexual development, cognitive disabilities, behavioral problems, and the hallmark characteristics – chronic feelings of insatiable hunger and a slowed metabolism that can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity. Those who have PWS need intervention and strict external controls, sometimes including padlocking access to food, to maintain normal weight and to help save their lives. It is estimated that one in 12,000 to 15,000 people has PWS. Although considered a “rare” disorder, PWS is one of the most common conditions seen in genetic clinics and is the most common genetic cause of obesity that has been identified to date. Most cases of PWS are attributed to a spontaneous genetic error that occurs at or near the time of conception for unknown reasons. In a very small percentage of cases (2 percent or less), a genetic mutation that does not affect the parent is passed on to the child, and in these families, more than one child may be affected. A PWS-like disorder can also be acquired after birth if the hypothalamus portion of the brain becomes damaged through injury or surgery. Basically, the occurrence of PWS is due to lack of several genes on one of an individual’s two chromosome 15’s – the one normally contributed by the father. In the majority of cases, there is a deletion – the critical genes are somehow lost from the chromosome. In some of the remaining cases, the entire chromosome from the father is missing and there are instead two chromosome 15’s from

Karin and SD Molly

CONGRATULATIONS TO WOUNDED WARRIOR (AIR FORCE) KAREN AND HER NOW SERVICE DOG, BOSTON TERRIER, "MOLLY"!!! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST!!! Karin suffers from PTSD and severe anxiety. San Antonio trainer Pat writes: "Karin and SD Molly are a very special pair. Karin had been told that Boston Terriers can't be taught to be Service Dogs! But the strength of their bond, and Karin's patience and determination to help Molly learn were undeniable. We were making great progress over time, but then Molly got into some poisonous mushrooms and almost died! We took a three month break while a wonderful vet and Karin's love brought Molly back; and when we started back up, Molly did great! I am so happy for them both!" SCORING OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS CERTIFICATION TEST Always=All the time. Mostly=Most of the time (more than half of time). Sometimes=Some of the time (half or less of the time). Never=Never demonstrated the skill. The team must score all ‘Always’ or’ Mostly’ responses on the A-M-S-N parts of the test. The team must score at least 80% “YES” answers on the “YES” “NO” portion of the test. All questions marked by an asterisk (*) must be answered by a “YES” response. CONTROLLED UNLOAD OUT OF VEHICLE Molly did not try to leave vehicle until given release command. Molly waited in the vehicle until released.* Yes. Molly waited outside the vehicle under control. Yes. Molly remained under control while another dog was walked past. Yes. APPROACHING THE BUILDING Relative heel position, not straining or forging. Molly stayed in relative heel position. Mostly. Molly was calm around traffic.* Yes. Molly stopped when Karin came to a halt. Mostly. CONTROLLED ENTRY THROUGH A DOORWAY Molly waited quietly at the door until commanded to enter.* Yes. Molly waited on the inside until able to return to heel position.* Yes. HEELING THROUGH THE BUILDING Molly was within the prescribed distance of Karin. Mostly. Molly ignored the public, remaining focused on Karin. Mostly. Mol

Luis and SD Jesse

CONGRATULATIONS TO WOUNDED WARRIOR (ARMY) LUIS AND HIS NOW SERVICE DOG, RED AUSTRALIAN CATTLE DOG, "JESSIE"!!! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST!!! Luis suffers from PTSD and night terrors from combat experience, and crowd anxiety. San Antonio Trainer Pat writes: "Luis and SD Jessie did most of their training almost a year ago, and so they have had a lot of time to mature into a great team. Luis takes Jessie to work with him as a teaching professor at a local college, and Jessie is calm at the head of the class as well as in the office while Luis performs his responsibilities. Generally, Jessie's public skills are impeccable. She "heels on a loose leash", is completely focused on her handler, and is calm with surprises and noises in her vicinity. She "enters and exits" businesses and "loads and unloads" into and out of the car with calmness and respect. She has a spot-on "LEAVE IT", and can sit through dinner in a restaurant unnoticed with patience. She's just great! The challenge that took a little longer to address was some anxiety, sometimes in public or with strangers, but oftentimes when other dogs came into sight. Jessie would begin to whine and become unfocused when something worried her. So, recently, we spent about two months addressing this specifically. Luis learned how to ease Jesse's anxiety about other dogs by teaching Jessie how to calm down in the face of challenges. He also learned to communicate to Jessie that he will always 'take care of it' when Jessie sees another dog. As a result of learning and applying these techniques, Jessie has stopped her whining in public and with strangers!! Additionally, her response to seeing other dogs has improved dramatically because Luis has the tools to communicate to her that 'all is well'. A fun fact about Jessie and Luis is that at home, this dog is a 4-year-old PUPPY!! She can wind up and literally bounce off walls and people; but when the Service Dog vest and gear go on, she switches to

Don and SD Lucky

CONGRATULATIONS TO 80 YEAR-OLD VETERAN (AIR FORCE) DON AND HIS NOW SERVICE DOG, DOBERMAN PINSCHER, “LUCKY”!!! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST! Don is in extremely wonderful condition except for a rare condition that he has that affects his mobility, balance, and can cause him to fall. It is known as a “Loss of proprioception”. Proprioception is the sense that tells us where we are in space. It is based on sensory input from the joints and muscles. It is the awareness of our posture, weight, movement and position of limbs, both in relation to our environment and in relation to other parts of our bodies. During his work in the Air Force, Don’s lower legs were constantly subjected to extreme changes in temperature – ranging from extremely hot to extremely cold. He now has basically no feeling or “sensory perception” of his lower legs, and must compensate for this lack of feeling by using his other senses; especially his sight. If Don moves his head too quickly, or his sight becomes distracted, he easily loses balance and has suffered many falls. San Antonio trainer Laurie writes: “Don and SD "Lucky" are a wonderful example of a professionally working Service Dog/Handler team. They have an extremely strong bond, and Lucky is wonderful working with his Bold Leader Designs mobility brace to help when Don needs extra stability. Lucky is confident, calm, composed, and extremely intelligent. Don is a wonderful handler, who is very adept at handling Lucky and using him to adequately help his mobility issues. They have a tremendous amount of love and respect for each other, and have been an absolute joy to watch and work with!” SCORING OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS CERTIFICATION TEST Always=All the time Mostly=Most of the time (more than half of time) Sometimes=Some of the time (half or less of the time) Never=Never demonstrated the skill The team must score all ‘Always’ or’ Mostly’ ’ responses on the A-M-S-N parts of the test. The team must score at least 80% “YES” answers on

SDiT Capone

From our San Antonio trainer Duval, who had his 2nd session with Wounded Warrior (Air Force) and Korean War veteran Margarito and his SDIT, German Shepherd "Capone". Margarito suffers from PTSD and anxiety. Trainer Duval writes: "Today, I met Margarito and SDIT "Capone" at Walmart. At the last session, it took almost 45 minutes to get Capone to calm down enough to go in the store - he was just so excited. Today, we were able to almost "heel" right in! Much less time spent on calming him down before we went inside. We were able to walk through the entire store. I was able to get Margarito to keep control over Capone in a nice "heel", using "leave it" and "watch me" the entire session. While in Walmart, we also worked on getting Capone to "sit" and "stay" in the busy environment, which he did well. Getting in and out of the car in a controlled manner is something that needs some work. Making Capone "sit" and "wait" before getting into the car is Margarito and Capone's homework. But such an improvement since last time! Margarito has definitely been working with Capone!"

SDiT Molly

From our trainer Pat in San Antonio, who had a training session with Wounded Warrior (Air Force) Karin and her SDIT, Boston Terrier "Molly". Karin suffers from PTSD and severe anxiety. Trainer Pat writes: "I met with Karin and her SDIT "Molly" at the Ross Department Store. Molly is a 4 1/2 year-old Boston Terrier that has had no formal training. Learning to walk politely on a leash and going into public settings has been stressful for her. She tended to pull out ahead on the leash and whine frequently. So, today we focused on helping Molly feel more comfortable by showing Karin how to help Molly feel safe. Once we practiced that several times, walking calmly on leash came together for Molly. The attached video demonstrates this. Yesterday, Karin took Molly to a doctor's appointment with her. Molly was so well-behaved that the doctor commented on it! This was Molly's first visit to a medical office, and both Karin and the doctor were very impressed with her. For the first time, Molly was relaxed and walked politely on a loose leash for Karin. Homework given: Practicing "DOWN/STAY". Our next session will be held in a restaurant setting where Molly will have to lay under the table quietly. Continue practicing calming exercises for Molly."

SDiT Koda - First Outside Heel Training

From our trainer Pat in San Antonio, who had a training session with beloved Wounded Warrior (Air Force) Cecilia and her new SDIT, Silver Labrador Retriever "Koda". If you remember, Cecilia recently tragically lost her fully trained Service Dog "Carter" when his paw hit the electric window opener on her car and jumped out of the window. After a grieving period, Cecilia decided to start the process again with beautiful Koda. Cecilia suffers from PTSD, some vision loss after a retinal detachment, degenerative joint disease of the spine, hands and wrists, and mobility issues. Trainer Pat writes: "I met with Cecilia and SDIT "Koda" at Cecilia's home. We focused primarily on how to transport Koda in the car. Since the tragedy of the loss of Carter, Cecilia has been terribly worried about starting again with Koda. So, we set up her SUV for Koda to safely travel behind the back seat in the cargo area, reviewed how to lock the window safety locks, and demonstrated to Cecilia how the all the doors lock both manually and automatically with the car's speed. I also showed her how to safely "load and unload" Koda. We took a short drive to a shady area and worked Koda briefly on-leash, and then returned home." Homework given for the next session: Practice leash handling and take short drives with Koda to Lowe's for short practice sessions."

Casey and SD Ruger

CONGRATULATIONS TO CLIENT CASEY AND HER NOW SERVICE DOG, DACHSHUND MIX "RUGER"!!!!! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST!!!!! Casey's mother wrote that her daughter, 14 year-old Casey, suffers from anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. She wanted to train Ruger to help comfort Casey during the day so that she could handle staying at school all day, be social with her friends and go places. She wanted Ruger to comfort Casey during her anxiety or panic attacks so she can stay calm and not break down crying and shut down. They adopted 2 puppies back in May 2015 from a shelter in Irving, Texas, and were hoping to learn how to train one of those. Ruger worked out perfectly! Waxahachie Trainer Staley writes: "Casey did a lot of Ruger's training before she contacted Service Dog Express for help. Casey is very bright, and did a great job getting him started. After just a few sessions together, we were able to sharpen Ruger's skills and teach him some tasks to get him at full Service Dog level. This team worked hard and today it showed. Ruger is always eager to follow Casey and do whatever she needs him to do. His calm demeanor is absolutely perfect for the tasks she needs him for, as well. Today, we started the test inside the Corner Street Bakery where Ruger paid no attention to other people, and didn't even try to sniff the air for food. He went under the table and laid there while we sat and discussed where we would go from there. After we left the restaurant, we walked down the square. All the while, Ruger stayed in a great heel position and paid no attention to the humans, children, birds and other animals passing by. We ventured into a clothing store where we allowed people to meet and walk Ruger away from Casey. He was so polite and calm throughout all situations. Casey had to do minimal reminders for Ruger, as he was a perfect gentleman. I am so proud of how hard this team worked to get here today. Congratulations!!!! Location of where PAT to

Nyah and SD Sammy

CONGRATULATIONS TO CLIENT NYAH AND HER NOW SERVICE DOG, LABRADOR RETRIEVER/GERMAN SHEPHERD MIX “SAMMY”!!! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST!!!!!!!! Nyah’s mother, Dana, initially contacted us saying: “My 13 year-old daughter, Nyah, suffers from ADHD, anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. We have been looking for a Service Dog to help my daughter. She has been bullied, harassed and teased to the point of major depressive disorder and severe anxiety. We have been let down so many times by shelters and organizations that will say a dog with the correct temperament is adoptable, and then they were adopted by someone else or when they came for a home visit, the dog didn't like our pug.” Happily, Nyah found the perfect dog in Sammy!!!! Our trainer Staley in Waxahachie writes: “During the Public Access Test at North Richland Hills Shopping Center, it really showed how hard Nyah and Sammy have been working on his training. Sammy was focused on Nyah the entire time, and giving her the support she needed. He was completely calm and confident in all situations. Nyah had a hard time finding a dog when this process started, but I am sure things happen the way they do for a reason. Sammy is the perfect, most loving dog for Nyah, and I am glad they found one another. They are beautiful together and Sammy has really started making a difference in Nyah already. From our first session until now, there are major changes in Nyah's confidence. She is even excited to go back to school with Sammy in the fall! Their hard work has paid off. Nyah is clear, assertive, and kind with Sammy when they are together. She gives lots of love and praise too; the result is Sammy is willing to do anything his “girl” asks of him. I am so proud of both of them! Congratulations!! SCORING OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS CERTIFICATION TEST Always=All the time Mostly=Most of the time (more than half of time) Sometimes=Some of the time (half or less of the time) Never=Never demonstrated the skill The team

Kalie and SD Gracie

CONGRATULATIONS TO CLIENT KALIE AND HER NOW SERVICE DOG, LABRADOODLE, “GRACIE”! THEY PASSED THEIR PUBLIC ACCESS TEST!!!! San Antonio Trainer Pat writes: Gracie is about 14 months now, knows what the phrase "She's SOOOO CUTE" means, and has calmed down nicely over the time I have been working with her and Kalie. While she is still an energetic adolescent, she knows that her job is to watch over Kalie. She alerts to Kalie before she has a seizure and responds with intense focus when it happens. Kalie has a reliable companion as she moves forward into her college years. SCORING OF THE PUBLIC ACCESS CERTIFICATION TEST Always=All the time Mostly=Most of the time (more than half of time) Sometimes=Some of the time (half or less of the time) Never=Never demonstrated the skill The team must score all ‘Always’ or’ Mostly’ ’ responses on the A-M-S-N parts of the test. The team must score at least 80% “YES” answers on the “YES” “NO” portion of the test. All questions marked by an asterisk (*) must be answered by a “YES” response. CONTROLLED UNLOAD OUT OF VEHICLE: Gracie did not try to leave vehicle until given release command. Gracie waited in the vehicle until released.* Yes Gracie waited outside the vehicle under control. Yes Gracie remained under control while another dog was walked. Yes APPROACHING THE BUILDING: Relative heel position, not straining or forging. Gracie stayed in relative heel position. Always Gracie was calm around traffic.* Yes Gracie stopped when Kalie came to a halt. Always CONTROLLED ENTRY THROUGH A DOORWAY Gracie waited quietly at the door until commanded to enter.* Yes Gracie waited on the inside until able to return to heel position.* Yes HEELING THROUGH THE BUILDING Gracie was within the prescribed distance of Kalie. Always Gracie ignored the public, remaining focused on Kalie. Mostly Gracie readily adjusted to speed changes. Always Gracie readily turned corners–did not have to be tugged or jerked to change direction. Always Gracie read

10 yr old Jason and SDiT Rufus

Director and San Antonio trainer Laurie had a wonderful session with 10 year-old Jason and his gorgeous, flat-coated Shar pei, “Rufus”!!! Jason and his wonderful mother and father first met stunning Rufus when Kathie, the director of Just Add Love rescue, came to Laurie’s home with Rufus and we all spent a good amount of time together talking about Rufus and seeing if he and Jason were a good match. It was SUCH a beautiful process to watch. Jason suffers from ADHD, anxiety, broad spectrum autism, depression, and sleep issues. When Jason has a “fit”, he shuts down - or when he gets emotional, he will hit himself or bang his head. He is extremely intelligent, and gets frustrated with himself due to his disabilities, which adds to his depression. He has been known to lock himself in his room, and the anxiety causes him to be very uneasy. With the ADHD, he cannot focus and goes off task a lot both at home and school. He cannot stay seated for long, and constantly fidgets or moves. He also struggles with sensory overload. When Jason was at Laurie’s house, he instantly fell in love with Rufus, and Rufus fell in love with him. Jason was SO polite, well-spoken, well-mannered, and it was just delightful to watch as they spent time together getting to know one another. Despite Jason’s disabilities, he has a remarkable maturity level and intelligence that is striking for a young boy his age. They took Rufus home after Laurie worked with Jason showing him how to get Rufus to do commands with treats, how to walk with him on a leash, etc. Laurie was filled with such joy watching him. On the way home, Jason fell asleep in the back seat, and the family sent pictures of Rufus already resting his head on Jason. The family was not able to schedule a training session for several weeks, but they gave reports that Jason and Rufus were bonding and were inseparable! They slept together, snuggled, Jason was able to practice and focus on doing commands with Rufus, and Rufus was

From our San Antonio trainer Kayla, who had her 3rd session with client Eliza and her SDIT, Labrador Retriever mix, "Sage". Eliza suffers from struggle with severe generalized anxiety disorder, severe social anxiety, crippling PTSD, OCD, severe depression, panic disorder, anorexia, and hypervigilance. Kayla writes: "Today's session with Eliza and her SDIT, "Sage", took place walking the perimeter of the park and at the Walmart Super Center. We picked up from the last time we trained before I had to take some time off to take care of my mother. The last time I met with the team, Eliza was very soft-spoken and non-assertive with Sage, and Sage was very hyperactive and wanted to play with everyone and everything. Today, I got to see a new side of them both; as a team and individually! We worked on Sage's (use to be) biggest problems: "Sit/Stay", "Focusing" on the task at hand, and only watching/listening for Eliza - not being very aware of Eliza's surroundings. Today, Sage listened beautifully when commanded to "sit/stay" and "wait" for Eliza to call her to her, with Eliza able to hide around corners before Sage would break her sit/stay and come directly to Eliza's call. Sage and I even worked on something special with Eliza. One of Eliza's issues is that when she starts to have anxiety, she runs and hides, making it hard for Sage to find her. I told Eliza to go hide as I watched Sage - Eliza was completely gone out of sight and Sage was no longer able to hear her call. I then looked to Sage and forced some worry into my voice, and told Sage to "Find your girl!". Before I could hope to catch up, Sage had sprinted off and led me straight to Eliza's hiding spot and alerted me to her being there! This wasn't something she requested to be done at all--it's something I felt needed to be done. Another thing Sage worked on was her "Watch me" command, which was the most difficult command for Sage to do. Sage surprised me and nailed it instantly and every time after that!

Cecilia and SDiT Carter

From our trainer Pat in San Antonio, who had a session with Wounded Warrior (Air Force) Cecilia and her SDIT, Labradoodle "Carter". Cecilia suffers from PTSD , some vision loss after a retinal detachment, degenerative joint disease of the spine, hands, wrists, and more. Pat writes: "Today's session took place at Cecilia's home. We worked on desensitization and calming around preparing to "leash up" and leave the house, proper leash heeling, and sit. Homework given was to practice "sit" when stopping, along with loose-leash walking. Carter is a statuesque Labradoodle who is bright and well-suited to be a mobility and PTSD dog for Cecilia. Cecilia adopted 1 year old Carter from a family who loved him, but decided they were not giving him what he needed in terms of attention and exercise. His first family gave him obedience training and a lot of high energy playtime as a pup, so when he came to Cecilia, he had to learn that jumping, mouthing, and keep-away would not be acceptable behaviors as a Service Dog. But Carter is sharp as a tack, so our first objective with him was to start talking the same language. For the first several lessons, Carter has been learning that CALM is the expected attitude; and Cecilia has been learning how to communicate that expectation to him. One of the behaviors that was critical to get right before moving on to mobility and PTSD specific training was calm, loose leash walking with Cecilia, due to her pronounced balance issues. Carter is a big dog (necessary for Cecilia's balance needs), and can easily push Cecilia off-balance if he gets excited. So, the attached videos demonstrate the results of our concerted efforts. Carter learned to walk calmly and maneuver in the tight spaces of the house, and then transfer that experience outside and into public."

SD Bonnie at WHMC

SD Bonnie meeting new people at WHMC Lackland AFB TX. Listen close and you hear the Mom asking to say Hi/pet Bonnie