New Blog ~ Zeus's Journey

Excerpt.....

The Beginning.....

Woof-Woof Everyone!  My name is Zeus.  I am a great Pyrenees pup. I was born on March 20, 2014. I wanted to make this paw blog so I could bark about my journey as I get certified as a service dog to all my fellow canine pals, their human companions, and anyone else that can hear me bark! In the beginning, when my human took me home to her doghouse, we didn't realize the bond that would grow between us.  My human rescued me from a back yard breeder on May 17, 2014. Most of my brothers and sisters had already been claimed or taken away, everyone except me and special "Eddy."  The breeder kept me and Eddy in a separate area because we were different.  We both had "scratched eyes", and my tongue stuck out to the left of my mouth and Eddy's tail curled in a funny direction. People would come and play with my other brothers and sisters, but no one played with us. No one took us home. We were the last ones left. 

Little did I know that on this day, a special blond haired lady would come to visit. She would become my human and my partner. She saw me and Eddy in the separate area and asked to play with us. The blond haired lady sat on the ground and let us jump on her lap and lick her face. Eddy and I were really excited and happy to be playing with her.  The breeder told the blond haired lady that "Eddy" was going to be kept at the breeder's house as a family pet because of his curly tail, and that the breeder didn't think that she would be able to "sell" me because of my tongue and "scratched eye." The breeder tried to tell the blond haired lady about other puppies that would be born soon, but the blond haired lady kept holding me in her lap while she rubbed my belly.  If felt sooo good!  The blond haired lady persuaded the Breeder into giving me to her for the costs of my past vet bill. The breeder warned her about me being different, but the blond haired lady said, "well that's what I love about him." The blond haired lady wanted me with my "scratched eye" and sideways tongue.  The blond haired lady took me home to her dog house and I was off on a whole new adventure! 

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Florida Dog Guides FTD Inc. goes to Saint Leo College

Florida Dog Guides FTD Inc. goes to Saint Leo College

  After 2 years of training, " ELLIE the Corgi " has her backpack ready to attend her first year of college. "ELLIE" has been trained to be the "ears" of her owner Timothy and will be by his side during his busy class schedule.

  Why? You ask, because Timmy is Deaf.  "ELLIE" has been trained to assist him when the bell rings in class changes, "Ellie" notifies him when someone calls his name or needs his attention.

  Because Timmy lives off campus, "Ellie" alerts him to the alarm clock, door knock, text message phone,and security alarm system. Most important of all "Ellie" the Corgi alerts Timmy to the fire alarm signal both at home and college.

  Not only has Florida Dog Guides F.T.D. Inc given the "Gift of Sound" to this young college student, but has also the gift of independence. The Lions of Florida have help make this possible. Keep up the good Work!

Protect your service dog from these toxic plants.

Here are over poisonous plants that are super common and could hurt your service dog and that are sold in common stores.

By. Brandy Decker -Newman

Amaryllis

Pretty, common as a garden ornamental, and a very popular potted bulb for the holidays…and toxic to both cats and dogs. Be careful with the bulbs, they contain the most toxins.

• Symptoms: Vomiting, depression, diarrhea, abdominal pain, hyper salivation, anorexia, tremors.

Azalea/Rhodedendron

Not only toxic to cats and dogs, this popular garden staple is also dangerous for horses, goats and sheep–and ingestion of just a few leaves can cause serious problems.

• Symptoms:  Acute digestive upset, excessive drooling, loss of appetite, frequent bowel movements/diarrhea, colic, depression, weakness, loss of coordination, stupor, leg paralysis, weak heart rate and recumbency for 2 or more days; at this point, improvement may be seen or the animal may become comatose and die.

Baby’s Breath

This sweet filler of many a floral arrangement seems innocent enough, but not so innocuous when it comes to your pet’s digestion.

• Symptoms: Vomiting, diarrhea.

Begonia

This popular garden and container plant is toxic to both dogs and cats. The tubers are the most toxic part.

• Symptoms: Oral irritation, intense burning and irritation of mouth, tongue and lips, excessive drooling, vomiting, difficulty swallowing.

Carnations

The carnation isn’t the most poisonous of the bunch, but it’s ubiquity in floral arrangements makes it one to keep your eye out for.

• Symptoms:  Mild gastrointestinal signs, mild dermatitis.

Castor Bean

Not in everyone’s garden or bouquet, but castor bean plant is a popular landscaping plant used in many parks and public spaces. Watch out for it on those dog walks.

• Symptoms:  abdominal pain, drooling, vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst, weakness and loss of appetite. Severe cases of poisoning can result in dehydration, muscle twitching, tremors, seizures, coma and death.

Chrysanthemum

The smell of chrysanthemum is enough to keep me away, but dogs and cats may still be drawn to it. It’s not likely to cause death, but it is a popular plant and can cause quite a bit of discomfort. In certain cases, depression and loss of coordination may also develop if enough of any part of the plant is consumed.

• Symptoms:  Vomiting, diarrhea, hyper-salivation, dermatitis.

Cyclamen

These pretty flowers are popular in the garden and in pots–and they are toxic to both cats and dogs. The highest concentration of the toxic component is typically located in the root portion of the plant.

• Symptoms:  gastrointestinal irritation, including intense vomiting. Fatalities have also been reported in some cases.

Daffodil

Most people aren’t going to let their pet chow down on pretty daffodils, but who knows what may happen when you turn your back. These harbingers of spring are toxic to cats and dogs; the bulbs being the most toxic part.

• Symptoms:  Vomiting, salvation, diarrhea; large ingestions cause convulsions, low blood blood pressure.

Gladiola

Although gladiolus are great in the garden, they are more popularly used in floral arrangements–since it is the corm (bulb) that is most toxic to dogs and cats it may not present much of a problem, but still…

• Symptoms:  Salivation, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, diarrhea.

Hosta

If you have shade in your yard, I’m guessing you have a host of hostas. Am I right? I’ve seen many hostas unbothered by dogs and cats, but the plant is toxic to both–so make sure your pet doesn’t have a taste for them.

• Symptoms:  Vomiting, diarrhea, depression

Ivy (California Ivy, Branching Ivy, Glacier Ivy, Needlepoint Ivy, Sweetheart Ivy, English Ivy)

I really can’t see a dog or cat approaching a wall of ivy and begin munching away, but then again, some of the things I have heard about pets eating have really surprised me, so…be warned. Ivy foliage is more toxic than its berries.

• Symptoms:  Vomiting, abdominal pain, hypersalivation, diarrhea.

Milkweed

For the sake of the monarchs I really hope you will plant milkweed in your garden, but…dangit, it’s quite toxic to dogs and cats. (You can help monarchs in other ways, though: First Aid for Butterflies.)

• Symptoms:  Vomiting, profound depression, weakness, anorexia, and diarrhea are common; may be followed by seizures, difficulty breathing, rapid, weak pulse, dilated pupils, kidney or liver failure, coma, respiratory paralysis and death.

Morning Glory

It somehow doesn’t surprise me that morning glory can cause hallucinations–and although cats on catnip are cute, cats and dogs experiencing rubber reality? Not so much.

• Symptoms:  Gastrointestinal upset, agitation, tremors, disorientation, ataxia, anorexia, hallucinations.

Oleander

Being a native of southern California, I’ve known forever that oleander is pretty, and poisonous–but I never knew how severely it could affect cats, dogs, and even horses. All parts contain a highly toxic cardiac glycoside (much like digitoxin) and can cause a number of problems.

• Symptoms:  Colic, diarrhea (possibly bloody), sweating, incoordination, shallow/difficult breathing, muscle tremors, recumbency, and possibly death from cardiac failure

Sago Palm
If you live in a temperate region, chances are that you have sago palms around. They are a very popular landscaping plant, and also do double duty as a popular bonsai choice. They are apparently very tasty to animals, and unfortunately highly toxic–all parts are poisonous, but especially the seeds.
• Symptoms:  Vomiting, melena, icterus, increased thirst, hemorrhagic gastroenteritis, bruising, coagulopathy, liver damage, liver failure, death

Rescue Dogs for Service

After talking to our trainers I have learned that we prefer to rescue dogs for our service dogs for many reasons. Here at the Florida Dog Guides FTD, we train a service team. A team is a disabled person, and dog training together to generate a bond, to enhance loyalty, and to teach the disabled person to train their own dog, with a trainer one on one.

We are helping abandoned dogs find not just loving homes, but a purpose in life. A reason to live.
I personally have a breeder rejection, a breeder had a pups and when one was not "show" quality or marketable, he was thrown away. He was thrown into the gulf of mexico to drown. My pup was a strong enough swimmer to swim right to the Coast Guard Station. The same one that my recently deceased dad, met my mom. Teddy Roosevelt - our Chesapeake Bay Retriever is not only smart, but he is very loving. He is an AKC Certified Good Citizen, and will be training as a therapy dog soon.

Our Teams, are amazing to see around the state of Florida. They are connected in such a special way that I am always amazed. I watch them work and learn together, you should stop in and see the majic of love.

Fake Service Dogs are Making it Harder for Trained and Certified Dogs

How can you tell a REAL service dog if ID cards and certificates can be bought anywhere online?

The US Department of Justice permits businesses to ask two questions:
1. Is this a service dog required because of disability?
2. What is it trained to do to mitigate the disability?

Remember that "[a]nimals whose sole function is to provide emotional support, comfort, therapy, companionship, therapeutic benefits, or to promote emotional well-being are not service animals..." so a service animal must be specifically trained to assist someone with a disablity, ie: blind, deaf, or impaired person.

There are correct procedures laid out for trainers by Assistance Dogs International.

Dogs that are Legitimately Certified and trained as Service dogs Must have the following training:

"Standards for Dogs

•Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs assist blind and visually impaired people by avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs and steps, and negotiating traffic. The harness and U-shaped handle fosters communication between the dog and the blind partner. In this partnership, the human’s role is to provide directional commands, while the dog’s role is to insure the team’s safety even if this requires disobeying an unsafe command.

Training Standards for Guide Dogs

Hearing Dogs

Hearing Dogs assist deaf or hearing impaired individuals by alerting them to a variety of household sounds such as a door knock or doorbell, alarm clock, oven buzzer, telephone, baby cry, name call or smoke alarm. Dogs are trained to make physical contact and lead their deaf partners to the source of the sound.

Hearing Dogs are generally mixed breeds acquired from animal shelters and are small to medium in size. Prior to formal audio response training, the younger adoptees are raised and socialized by volunteer puppy raisers.

Training Standards for Hearing Dogs

Service Dogs

Service Dogs assist people with disabilities other than vision or hearing impairment. With special training these dogs can help mitigate many different types of disabilities. They can be trained to work with people who use power or manual wheelchairs, have balance issues, have various types of autism, need seizure alert or response, need to be alerted to other medical issues like low blood sugar, or have psychiatric disabilities. These specially trained dogs can help by retrieving objects that are out of their person’s reach, by pulling wheelchairs, opening and closing doors, turning light switches off and on, barking to indicate that help is needed, finding another person and leading the person to the handler, assisting ambulatory persons to walk by providing balance and counterbalance, providing deep pressure, and many other individual tasks as needed by a person with a disability.

Service Dogs are either rescued from animal shelters or bred in selective breeding programs and raised by volunteers prior to their formal training. Most Service Dogs are Golden Retrievers or Labrador Retrievers. Service Dogs can be identified by either a backpack, harness or jacket.

Training Standards for Service Dogs

Facility Dogs

A specially trained dog that is working with a professional who is trained by a program. The work of a facility dog can include visitations or professional therapy in one or more locations. Public access is permitted only when the dog and handler, who is a trained professional, is directly working with a client with a disability.

Training Standards for Facility Dogs

•Therapy Dogs

Standards are being developed" ( Sited from http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org  )

How our Program Model is Special

Each service dog team family. Each team is trained here at Florida Dog Guides FTD for obedience training, and then in home training with one of our AKC certified Dog Trainers.

Service dogs start with 4 Class Sessions  that include 6 weeks each session. After Basic Obedience, Advanced one & two, and Intermediate then in home training starts.

Customized training is achieved to each persons specific need. To hear a Crying baby, to help with laundry or even to pick things off the floor, each team has different needs, and this in why our Founder/ Director Arlene Dickinson created this model of training. This training Model has been revealed to the world and is now being used internationally.

Lions Club Supports Local Service Dog Program

Golden Paw Lions Club and many Lions Club Throughout the world are supporting our Programs that help us help the disable community. Thank you!!

Golden Paw Program

Gold patio stepping stones in the shape of a large canine paw print are now being laid at the Florida Dog Guides F.T.D training school located in Bradenton Florida. These Golden Paws form the Golden Paw Walk at the training center. The Golden Paw patio stone can be purchased for the sum of $25.00 each. The stone can be in memory of a loved one, a cherished pet, or for yourself.  Each pawprint has the name of the designated donor and the year the Golden Paw Print was purchased. Golden Paw Print Lapel pins will be awarded for each paw print ordered and may be picked up at the training school or will be mailed by request. If you would like to order a Golden-Paw print please send us an email message to the email address in our "Contact Us" web page.

Golden Paw Signers

As an extension of our sign language classes, the Golden Paw Signers present Songs in sign language. This group of hearing impaired / hearing individuals interpret songs in sign language and appear as a group to present their program to Service Organizations and entertain at community events. They also "sign to song" for children with special needs as well as other school related programs. The group can perform  such favorites as: "How much is that doggie in the window? to holiday favorites like "Rudolph the red nosed raindeer" A donation of $25.00 from Service Organizations is requested to help defray travel costs under 25 miles from Bradenton Florida. Long distance engagement requests can be made by calling or sending an e-mail to us our phone number and e-mail address is on the "Contact Us" page of our web site.

Pennies for Pooches Project

Florida Dog Guides F.T.D. Inc. Pennies For Pooches program was established in 1997 to encourage school childeren to save and then donate their pennies towards the training of a Hearing Dog Guide. Soon, other groups like the Lions clubs and Good Sams camping clubs began collecting pennies for Donation to Florida Dog Guides F.T.D. Inc.
The Pennies collected from the Pennies For Pooches Project canisters have totally funded the training program for several Hearing Dog Guides in the state of Florida. Pennies make the dollars and Florida Dog Guides F.T.D. Inc. plans to continue with the Pennies for Pooches program as more groups request collection canisters. We would like to thank each and everyone who collects pennies for this program.