It suddenly occurred to me today how I can help Kali not be left at home alone. She has separation anxiety and will tear up the place if left alone. That was why her MamaLaura (my daughter) had to giver Kali to me. She had to go to work and leave the poor pup alone. We are retired so there is almost always someone here so she is never alone. But should I need to go to the city (an hour and a half away) on the senior bus it might be that she wouldn’t be happy. But there might be a time when I need to go to the doctors or something.
So I was looking at this page: United States Service Dog. Has anyone done this? It says I don’t need a doctor’s note though I could probably find my doctors who put me on disability ages ago. She does help me feel better just by being so cute! She’s been well trained as far as simple commands. I think she’d do well on the bus just sitting with me and giving me the pain distractions I need to get through the rough part of the trip.
It is very beautiful (scenic) to see but the road itself is so full of potholes and my tailbone usually hurts so bad by the time we get to town that I can barely walk. After a full day, coming home is even worse, especially if it is dark and I have nothing to distract me from the pain that is so unbearable that I have to sit straight up and not lean back. Then it starts hurting my whole back. Once I am home I feel crippled for a week. It sets off huge fibro flares that make me worthless to do anything but sleep.
Look, I know that having the dog with me won’t prevent a lot of that pain, but it may make it a little easier to deal with. Does that make sense?
Now I just need to figure out how to afford it. I’d love her to have the vest and all, but even the basic (just a certificate and ID card) is $69. Is this a good idea or am I on another wild goose chase that wouldn’t help either of us and money out for nothing????? Are there things I need to think about that maybe others have gone through? It seems like a win-win idea but maybe I am being naïve?
Darswords 
Be careful of companies offering these “quicky credentials”. Yes, I know you feel it will help you, but your should get your pooch registered the right way. It’s a disservice to the true, trained service dogs. Also, because your pup isn’t trained for service, she may give service dogs in general a bad name. Be sure that the credentials are even accepted as true in your community.
Thank you for your thoughts. I will look into this thoroughly to make sure it is legit and good for everyone. I don’t want to cheat a system that is helping so many people.
Assuming you’re in America this is basically a scam. All you need for your dog to be a service dog is for them to be trained in at least one task to mitigate your disability. Public places can legally ask for disruptive dogs to be removed and in case you come across another team you’re better off making sure she is not dog reactive.
Thank you for your thoughts. I’m still researching. Since my disability stems from emotional issues, that is what I am looking into.
a good task to look into is ‘deep pressure therapy’ or ‘point pressure therapy’, I’m afraid I don’t remember other psychological tasks at the moment apart from ‘block’
Thank you for your comment. I will look into those. I have to be really careful with massage as it doesn’t take much before I get triggered into a fibro-flare. That’s why having my cats or dog nearby for comfort and distraction as that seems to be my best ‘pain relief’.
Therapy animals are generally accepted as a concept now, like when they bring cats and dogs to senior centers and the like, but that’s a little different than a service animal. I’d definitely suggest researching carefully because a lot of places have started to question the license because so many purse dogs were “licensed” that proper service dogs are looked at sideways. And it’s more complicated because people want to treat service dogs as pets (other people) so offer them treats and pet them, which can undermine the training and make even a properly trained dog a disruption.
While it sounds like a great idea, one other thing you really need to consider is whether a dog that gets into trouble when you’re not at home has the temperament to handle the chaos of life among humans where dogs are not expected to be.
I don’t know any answers, and I hope you figure it out. Hugs on the crisis of town appointments. The consequences can be quite disheartening.
I guess it is going to be a trial and error type thing until we find the answers. Some of the dogs that go on the bus aren’t service but our driver makes sure they are up to date on their shots. So she will be okay that way and on a leash. Her problem isn’t people or crowds. Her problem is being left alone. Even so, short leash and Hubby even bought a muzzle just in case. I object to that as she only barks when someone knocks on the door. The rest is a whine on occasion, usually meaning, ‘Hey, I really need to pee!’ So we are going to try. My problem is still going to be how my body handles the trip. It’ll be good to have a bit of distraction. Then the week following I’ll be in bed. Taking her is the only thing I’m looking forward to. If we have to stay in the bus at stores and all and Chris has to go do the actually shopping, that would be fine, too. Just have to try and see what happens. Maybe it will be fine now that the weather is attempting Spring.
Sounds like a good approach. I agree on the muzzle. I usually only see those on dogs known to attempt biting people. I didn’t mean that she would be a problem out there, but that the discipline requirements for service dogs means that her not being okay home alone might be a problem getting her into a service dog program. However, a service dog with a problem being alone shouldn’t be a big deal since they’re not supposed to be alone after all :). Oh, and depending on the store, there are some that allow you to bring in pets even. I always see dogs at Home Depot for example.
I do appreciate your in put. I don’t think a dog for physical disabilities would help me. You know how debilitating the flares can be. But my doctors put me on disability for depression and anxiety. As an emotional support dog she is sensitive to those issues and, like how she was around the barking dogs on the corner, she comes close and seems to become stronger for me–that may be my imagination, but it did help me focus on her and not them. I wouldn’t have wilted or anything. But I’ve been here a year and a half and never walked that direction. Sooo.
And there have been walks that I think I could have been helped by a dog that knows where home is. No, she wouldn’t be able to drag me there but guide me when too tired or too much pain. Or she could run home if I needed her to get help. Not sure how she will help in town. Never had her there to know.
During the long rough ride (lots of pot-holes) through the mountains, she might just be a good distraction, especially when it is so dark there is nothing to take my mind off my tired body being beaten to a pulp by the lack of cushioning in the seats and less that good shock absorbers. I’ve even tried to use my Kindle on text-to-speech but I can’t concentrate on the book well enough to get away from the pain. The last trip I took to town I had to sit straight up and not let my back touch the back of the seat and try to keep my tail bone off the seat. It made me feel bad for the bus driver, who is super nice and kept trying to think of ways to help. This time I am taking my new coccyx protecting cushion. It helps when I play the piano. It’s all trial and error. I hate sitting at home an not visiting with folks or doing my part of the grocery shopping. I need to see something besides the same 4 walls, you know what I mean.
Yeah, I hear you. The cushion sounds like a great idea and having company on walks does, too. Know what you mean about having something else to focus on, and someone to tell (nonverbal or verbal) when it’s time to turn around and head home. You’re better than me focusing on audio books under normal conditions so no surprise they don’t help.
My cousin has gotten me into these brain entrainment things that actually seem to help a little. I just use the youtube videos, but that wouldn’t help when you’re on the road. I’ve linked some in my youtube channel thingie if you wanted to look. Mostly sleep, but pain ones too. If the cushion works, you might want to look at one of those stadium chairs (the ones that are just a seat and back cushion strung together? They’re not much padding, but they would help with the back too maybe.
Hang in there and good luck :).
Thanks for your good ideas, Margaret! I will go look at your YouTube and see. I’ve just read about how pain can be helped through training the brain. I would rather do that than take drugs that always have horrid side effects for me. Thanks, again! Hugs!
Yr welcome. If there’s any chance, it’s worth trying, right? I’m with you on the minimizing meds side of things :).
Absolutely!
You can register her as an emotional support dog, but since she’s not trained to do a specific task she isn’t considered a service dog. You can go to https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm for more info on the difference. To register as an emotional support dog go to https://www.officialservicedogregistry.com/osdr-look-up/?gclid=Cj0KCQjwwLHLBRDEARIsAN1A1Q5QT2i-MopIjBIQL818G7vQPrvap_djEwFU8qEynjrV4rt8dDEKFk8aApYxEALw_wcB