Service dog

[Iolanthe]

We have a family friend who was in a major car wreck that needed a service dog, she chose to get an Italian Greyhound. (And now has two, both trained service dogs.) From what I have seen of them, they are real cuddle bugs and extremely smart. She has little puzzles for them to figure out for treats to keep them busy. As for exercising them she lets them run each other around the yard a little each afternoon or plays fetch with them.

As for training, she has trained them to do almost anything you can think of. They are trained to turn on/off lights, open/close doors, help her put on clothes like socks that she has trouble bending to do. A bit of funny with them was that when she was training them for the lights she had touch lights and used treats to train them to turn them on, which was great until they decided they wanted treats at 2 in the morning and turned on all the lights for her.

They are a little cold intolerant, but she gets around that with sweaters and blankets, they like to burrow to sleep. I hope this helps with another possible breed to look at.

[ArcticChicken]

My cat does the opposite. I still have the physical and emotional scars from when she needed ear drops after I got her from the shelter.

Well, I'm sure it helps that he gets treats immediately after, so that he will take his pill. Easiest dog to pill I've ever met, all I need is something tasty in the same hand, no burying necessary.

[Gravekeeper]

Well, I'm sure it helps that he gets treats immediately after, so that he will take his pill. Easiest dog to pill I've ever met, all I need is something tasty in the same hand, no burying necessary.

I don't even want to talk about the pills. She would not accept any non-violent pill delivery solution and essentially had to have it crushed, mixed in a dropper and shoved in her mouth. -.-

[Kittish]

I'd suggest a teacup toy poodle. My ex MIL had one for, gosh, 15 or 20 years, and he was a sweetheart! Keep a poodle in a puppy cut and you minimize grooming needs (bit of a brush every few days, maintenance trim once a month or so). Pekoe was a smart fellow, and just loved to snuggle up with his human of choice. I remember Pekoe being fairly high energy, but he was quite happy to expend that energy playing fetch and other games.

For choosing a breeder, some good advice here already. Definitely visit the breeder's premises, see the conditions his animals live in, how the puppies are socialized, what certifications the animals have, the breeder's policies regarding purchasing from them. Your vet may have breeders as patients that he can refer to you to (or warn you away from).

[Seshat]

Italian greyhounds are on the 'perhaps' list.

Breeds which haven't been suggested yet but are on our list:

Papillon (and Phalene)
King Charles Spaniel (and Cavalier KCS)
Havanese
Chinese Crested (not many Aust. breeders, though)
Pomeranian (possibly)
Australian Silky Terrier (aka Silky Terrier), but probably too much grooming needed.

[fireheart]

Italian greyhounds are on the 'perhaps' list.

Breeds which haven't been suggested yet but are on our list:

Papillon (and Phalene)
King Charles Spaniel (and Cavalier KCS)
Havanese
Chinese Crested (not many Aust. breeders, though)
Pomeranian (possibly)
Australian Silky Terrier (aka Silky Terrier), but probably too much grooming needed.

Pomeranians are also longhaired. Papillon/Phalenes are OK from what I've seen.

You could always get a Chihuahua/Jack Russell cross. They look like dachsunds, but make great doorbells!

[wolfie]

Doxies have a lot of issues. I'd think long and hard before considering one.

Of course, being Doxies, everything about them is long. O/T, but with their nickname being "wiener dogs", I'm surprised someone here hasn't made a comment about "long and hard".

After I got my cat <visit from Mr. Snippy> The only upside is that if she woofs her cookies when I'm asleep or not home she has it cleaned up by the time I notice. -.-

Since she's a cat, wouldn't she meow her cookies?

[mathnerd]

You could always get a Chihuahua/Jack Russell cross. They look like dachsunds, but make great doorbells!

This is what Lucy's primary breeds appear to be, with a little rat terrier in the mix as well, based on her tail (or lack thereof). She's a little neurotic to work as a service dog, but she is very attuned to my moods, and knows when I'm getting sick before I do.

[Gravekeeper]

Since she's a cat, wouldn't she meow her cookies?

"Meow" is definitely not the sound she makes in the process, no. >.>

There's nothing worse then hearing that sound late at night, in the dark, when you're in bed. Knowing that your next trip to the bathroom is now fraught with land mine like peril.

[CoffeeMonkey]

Does she take her food to a different place in the room to eat?

My dog does that! She NEVER eats at her dish. She takes a mouthful of food, takes a few steps into the middle of the room, and either eats it there, or drops it and eats it a nugget at a time. EVERY time. Sometimes she plays with it. She'll drop or throw the nuggets and pounce on them, or roll on them. She's hilarious.

Once we moved her dish to the spot in the room she eats at. She just picked up her mouthful and moved a few steps further on.

[Seshat]

Okay. We have a ton of breed suggestions. And thank you!

Now for the other parts of the problem:

* Does anyone know a decent online (or otherwise correspondance) service dog trainer course? Ideally one targetted at the eventual handler/owner of the dog.
Inexpensive or free would be best, but 'good' is more important than 'cheap'.

* Does anyone have ideas for things he/she could learn to do for me?

[Sapphire Silk]

My cat does the opposite. I still have the physical and emotional scars from when she needed ear drops after I got her from the shelter. Its like trying to pin a sweater full of knives and live rats to the ground while giving yourself eye drops.

She didn't forgive me for months.

This. So this. This is exactly the reason why, if I have a choice, Taz gets a shot for antibiotics rather than pills.

Okay. We have a ton of breed suggestions. And thank you!

Now for the other parts of the problem:

* Does anyone know a decent online (or otherwise correspondance) service dog trainer course? Ideally one targetted at the eventual handler/owner of the dog.
Inexpensive or free would be best, but 'good' is more important than 'cheap'.

* Does anyone have ideas for things he/she could learn to do for me?

Seshat, PM Evil Empryss. I'm sure she'd have some great advice for you. She trained her dog Goldie to be a service dog, and did a very good job of it. Goldie does exactly what you are looking for in a service dog: is a foot warmer and calming when EE needs it. When she gets really pinging, Goldie will literally SIT on Evil Empryss and hold her down.

[Seshat]

Excellent. I'll do just that - thank you.

[AccountingDrone]

I am disappointed that I have an offer of a free dachshund - a friend has a friend who is moving and needs to rehome her dog - I was dreaming of a mobile heating pad I could take with me that is a bit more biddable than my cat. Unfortunately it is not good with cats, and I haz 2. The whole fetcher of small stuff and heating pad sounds great to me.

[klhanson]

Poodles would be a good option in that they are easily brushed out or maintained in a short clip and they were originally bred to be retrievers. They are also soft, cuddly and like to snuggle.

This.. my friend has MS and she has a mini poodle as a service dog and she speaks very very highly of the breed.