Re: [PyrNet-L] Re: Service Dog for a person with MS

["Tracy Bassett" <espinay@dynamite.com.au>]

I have the article in front of me now - it was in the April 1996 edition of
'The Mountaineer' the mag of the Pyrenean Mountain Dog Club of Victoria.

It was written by Evelyn Cruickshanks about her support dog 'Kodi'.  I will
paraphrase the article......

Evelyn qualified for a 'hearing ear' dog, but also had feet problems and
balance problems along with other things.  She had suffered some falls. She
also suffered a home invasion prior to getting the dog - she never heard the
intruder (she lived alone).  She had 10 small grandchildren and numerous
visitors so wanted something gentle but protective.

There was a long waiting list for hearing ear dogs and they would not be
able to specify a breed, so this would not meet her other needs.  with the
help of a community worker from the Woolongong City Council, they began
working with Kodi and working through the red tape.

She got Kodi as a puppy and took her to obedience classes (she was banned
from the puppy class when a tiny cocker spaniel decided to inspect her mouth
from the inside LOL!  Apparently Kodi was very gentle, but was banned
nonethe less).  Progress through the classes was slow but sure.

Kodi was taught to alert to sounds and was trained to get on and off buses,
travel in lifts etc and met lots of people.  They were assisted by a
registered trainer (Steve Austin - well known here for everything from
animal film work, dogs for disabled children, customs and quarantine
detection training etc) but there was no established training for 'support
dogs'.

Problems were experienced with 'accreditation' in that Guide dogs and
hearing ear dogs were accredited, but not "Support Dogs".  Kodi helped to
break new ground in getting that accreditation.

Kodi assists with things like:

assistance (sitting to standing positions) for those who struggle with
walking frames to get up or down, but can dispense with them once in
position.

asistance with fetching necesary household items (even crutches and dropped
articles)

Negotiating steps

Protection from intruders etc.

She mentions the only difficulty she has is turning her around in a crowded
bus - Kodi had to learn to back out!

From all reports in the article, Kodi did this with all the calm and dignity
only a Pyr can have :-).

I will finish with Evelyn's final words though:

"PS. I lost a mug off the coffee table when she was younger.  I found it -
the handle poked out of her mouth!" ;-)

Tracy Bassett
Canberra, Australia
espinay@dynamite.com.au
visit my webpage at http://members.dynamite.com.au/espinay/index.htm