tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post7778681290412958518..comments2023-08-29T05:44:41.984-07:00Comments on A Dog for Katherine: Why a service dog?Katherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-64826150320366034042013-02-20T11:26:04.223-08:002013-02-20T11:26:04.223-08:00It's nice to meet another person who has consi...It's nice to meet another person who has considered using a service dog for TS. I have TS- going on twelve years now! I started using a service dog last year and the difference has been incredible. I wish you all the best in your journey with your new SD :) Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01851387527151054722noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-1825605636180121442012-10-26T11:43:49.064-07:002012-10-26T11:43:49.064-07:00Rhonda, I've just realized I never responded t...Rhonda, I've just realized I never responded to you and I apologize for that. I try to reply to everybody really quickly, but the truth is that September and the first half of October really sucked. Tourette's wise.<br /><br />I think you may be a little confused with your terminology (and this is an important thing in the service dog world). A therapy dog is one that visits hospitals or retirement homes and is there to make other people feel better, but is not for a specific person with a disability.<br /><br />An Emotional Service Animal (which is sounds like your puppy is) is a pet for a person with a disability that reduces anxiety and makes them feel better. This does not mean the animal has any public access rights, but it does mean that were you ever to live in no pet housing or fly on an airplane, a doctor's note would allow the dog to go with you (this does not apply to no-pet hotels though).<br /><br />A service animal is a dog (the ADA now only applies to dogs, and in some cases miniature horses) that has been specifically trained to mitigate the symptoms of a person's disability. They must perform tasks or work; a task would be retrieving dropped objects or helping a person balance while walking, and work is something like a dog alerting to a person's seizures.<br /><br />I recently wrote about my thoughts for service dogs for children here (if you're interested in what I have to say): http://adogforkatherine.blogspot.com/2012/10/touchy-subjects.html<br /><br />I hope you check back in soon because Owen and I are set to be teamed up in a matter of weeks! I know it won't be all easy, and I'm not looking forward to going straight from team-training to my winter vacation (which will include multiple plane rides, family visits, and lots of places I am not comfortable being) but it will definitely push us to our limits. A trial-by-fire, so to speak. :)<br /><br />Best of luck to you and your family.Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-75901518446609878122012-09-26T19:33:13.150-07:002012-09-26T19:33:13.150-07:00Thank you for the information. My son will be 10 ...Thank you for the information. My son will be 10 in a week and was diagnosed 2 years ago. He has gotten progressively worse the older he gets, but mostly the anxiety and the behaviors that come with it. My husband and I got him a puppy in January and have noticed a HUGE change in his anxiety as long as the dog is around, unfortunately school won't let him have his dog unless it is a therapy dog. That being said I am not sure that Perry is able to be what we need and even if he was I am not willing to separate him from my son for the amount of time it will take to go through the training. That being said I am very very interested in trying to get a dog that can be what we need. The change I have seen in my son since the first of the year are remarkable at home but his problems unfortunately occur, as you said in public, at school, at the store, times when it is inappropriate for him to have a panic attack but also inappropriate for him to have his "pet" with him. Thank you so much for the info and I look forward to seeing how things turn out for you and your dog. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17343976620960297475noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-69331585603092218042012-08-22T19:47:39.142-07:002012-08-22T19:47:39.142-07:00That being said, I do not know what their policy i...That being said, I do not know what their policy is about placing dogs with children. It is something that people feel very strongly about one way or the other, and especially with Tourette Syndrome (which can improve after puberty), it may not be something they are willing to do. I do not know.<br /><br />For me, this is the last option; I have exhausted everything else and I am "officially" an adult-Touretter. I do believe I will never "get better" and I have gotten progressively worse over the last 7 years, as opposed to improved.Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-16003514725919277292012-08-22T19:35:02.707-07:002012-08-22T19:35:02.707-07:00Hi Kerry! I am getting my dog from an organizatio...Hi Kerry! I am getting my dog from an organization based in Seattle, WA called Heeling Allies (there is a link at the top of my page). I still do not have my service dog yet; I am going to be blogging about why soon, I am still trying to organize my thoughts about it. I will be hopefully receiving my dog in November or December of this year; so check in then to see how we are doing. :)Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-28182389994505252972012-08-22T16:46:40.011-07:002012-08-22T16:46:40.011-07:00Hi and thank you so much for this blog. I have a ...Hi and thank you so much for this blog. I have a daughter with TS. She is 13. I have also worked with other parents to for a support group for people with TS. I am interested in getting a dog for her. Can you let me know where you got yours? Kerryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14711343737497783713noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-71050115282984800382012-08-04T22:47:42.857-07:002012-08-04T22:47:42.857-07:00A service dog is specifically trained to mitigate ...A service dog is specifically trained to mitigate symptoms of a disability; like how Owen is being trained to help me balance when my tics make it difficult to walk or how he will give deep pressure to help me gain control of my body. A therapy dog is a dog that visits places and assists a variety of people; I think the term you are thinking of is an Emotional Support Animal. An ESA does not have to be trained, but it does not have public access. Its job is to be in the home for emotional support relating to a person's disability. Because your little girl is 3, that would probably be the choice you would have available to you now. A lot of organizations do not place dogs with children, some will place in a triad (dog-adult handler-disabled person). There is a lot of controversy in the service dog world about placing dogs with children; I'm a little on the fence.<br /><br />What it comes down to in my opinion though, is I'm getting Owen so that I can be 100% independent because I'm an adult and that's what I want and should be able to do. Children, especially before they are in school, do not need to be 100% independent. And when they are in school, you face issues with a service dog because you would have to have a one-on-one aide to take care of the dog during school hours, and from what I have heard schools do not like doing that. Especially considering, there really aren't reasons for a Touretter to have a one-on-one aide (check out my "For Teachers" post to learn about what a Touretter can and should have in school). Just some things to think about.<br /><br />Good luck at the clinic; I've had my share of doctors appointments (and disappointments) so I can empathize with what you must be going through. I, like many Touretters, have a generalized anxiety disorder. Owen isn't being specifically trained for this, though I will utilize some of his commands when I have panic attacks, and hopefully having him nearby when I start panicking will help to stop the thoughts. The way Owen will help with my anxiety is by overtime reducing the stress I feel regarding my tics, so that my overall anxiety is reduced.<br /><br />Good luck with your appointment and I hope you check in 6 weeks from now to hear how Owen and I are doing! :)Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-69149076836785256332012-08-03T10:44:21.712-07:002012-08-03T10:44:21.712-07:00I have tourettes. I am almost 30 years old; I was ...I have tourettes. I am almost 30 years old; I was diagnosed at 7. I now have a little girl who is 3, and has been showing signs of Tourettes for almost 10 months now. SHe is worse now than I have ever been even in my worse times. I have been wondering if a service dog, or therapy dog would help in getting her calm quicker. She seems to have high anxiety several times a day, and for many different causes. We are waiting for an appointment at the Tourette clinic at Toronto Western Hospital, to possibly get her diagnosed. WIth all the tics she's been doing, they seem to be increasing in number. RIght now she has about five different tics occurring during her day. I'm now doing lots of research to find out info on what type of dog would work best for her, as well as myself too. My T.S. is very mild, however, there are many bad days too. I have lots of anxiety issues, but those times seem to be invisible to others. My husband doesn't notice that much. Anyway, Thanks for putting this blog up. Looking forward to better days ahead!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-13996698843602621702012-07-12T15:36:01.224-07:002012-07-12T15:36:01.224-07:00Thank you for your comment. I am very sorry your ...Thank you for your comment. I am very sorry your family is having to go through this; I can attest that it is not an easy thing to live with. While I didn't go through elementary school with TS and I've only just begun applying for services at my university so I can bring Owen when I get him, I graduated with my teaching credentials in special education in May and I present about Tourette's in the classroom, so if you have any questions please, let me know! My parents were not ready to have a child with TS (who really ever is), and it was very tough for me in school both socially and academically. Now though, I know what I am legally allowed to ask for and what all of my rights are, and I can hold my head up in classes and out in public and tic away. :)<br /><br />I am really looking forward to what my life will be like with Owen; the ability to go out in public and not fear what my body will do, the ability to actually sit still in class *and* pay attention at the same time, and I can't wait for people to stare at my giant yellow Labrador instead of my tics.<br /><br />Service dogs aren't a common thing for people with TS, and Owen certainly doesn't come with a cheap price tag, but it will be worth it to have the freedom that comes from walking with a service dog and to alleviate some of the stress surrounding living with Tourette's.Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-60584610294657762382012-07-11T20:37:57.559-07:002012-07-11T20:37:57.559-07:00I am looking forward to reading about your experie...I am looking forward to reading about your experiences with your service dog. My son was formally diagnosed with TS 2 weeks ago. His tics began when he was 5, he is now 9 1/2. The diagnosis came as no shock, I "knew" probably 2 years ago that this was not a transient thing for him. Anyway, I was searching for info on service dogs for TS and came upon your blog. I think as my son gets older he would benefit from one. I can see how our family pets who are not even specially trained help with his severe tics. Best of luck to you!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-13827638418949343462012-07-05T14:38:53.690-07:002012-07-05T14:38:53.690-07:00Thanks for your reply! (I have to admit I was a li...Thanks for your reply! (I have to admit I was a little excited to see somebody else with TS commenting!)<br /><br />That is the same metaphor I use when I give presentations; either that one or the "staring contest" (where no matter how hard you try to keep your eyes open, eventually you are going to blink).<br /><br />I am getting my dog in 2 and a half months and I'm so excited for this next chapter of my life; I really think Owen is going to allow me to be more independent and less fearful of what my body will do (as well as give me the ability to pay better attention in class!). I hope you check back in to see how our progress is going. :)Katherinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17907540079822674904noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6336121774490456961.post-54913622151958737352012-07-04T22:15:58.898-07:002012-07-04T22:15:58.898-07:00I have Tourette's, and this was interesting to...I have Tourette's, and this was interesting to read - I'm 23 and have had it since I was 8, diagnosed at 10.<br /><br />I just want to add that I sometimes try to explain the feeling of needing to do a tic as being similar, or coming from the same brain base function, as having an itch that you need to scratch, sort of a concise but not-quite-perfect descriptor.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com