Wow, that's great progress!! 1200 in a week,

I hope that you can get the rest as quickly! Cheers on your progress!

Whoa! Rock on and let's see that total go up!

If this fund raiser is still going next Friday I will try too donate. I'm broke till then but will gladly help once I get a little money. Not sure how much I will get to donate but I will find a way to donate what I can. But gratz on the wonderful progress I do pray you reach your goal soon. ^^

Aussies are great dogs and the pups look like they have really great lineage! I'm sure your pup will make a wonderful service animal. :D

Can't wait for the mass auction! I wasn't able to donate so I'm glad I'll be able to help in some way. :)

I have a note saying you were wanting to donate to the auction. Should I opt you out?

I meant I wasn't able to directly donate money, so I'm happy I'm able to donate my art services to your auction. ^^' Sorry if that wasn't clear. I'm just glad there's some way I can contribute.

Ooooo sorry for the confusion. It's a-ok either way, but I'm really happy you want to help! I'm excited for the turn out and to see how it goes. Thank you :)

I have similar diagnosis, but for much different reasons. So I very much understand what you are going through. For any of your watchers or others that might be unsure of just how much a service dog can help... I can assure you that they are little miracles!

This is Blaze. He has been my service dog for many years now. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5731814/

Before Blaze was trained to assist me, I didnt leave my house. I could not be around other people. Even people I had known prior to the trauma that caused the worst of my symptoms. I did not leave my house for almost 3 years. Even going to the Dr.s appointments was nearly too much.

After Blaze was trained and became able to accompany me places, my life completely changed. The panic is still there. The difficulty of going places and being around people is still there. But with Blaze's help I am able to face and cope with those challenges and most times succeed. It still amazes me how after all these years, he knows something is wrong before I do and either helps refocus me away from the situation or grounds me through it.

While I am unable to help financially at this time, I will help spread the word. I wish you all the best with your fundraising and with your future with your new companion.

I have to say that Blaze is phenomenally adorable. He reminds me of my Boston Terrier, Rocko. Rocko was trained to alert me to panic attacks, but washed out of service work due to allergies/skin issues and temperament. He's not stable enough to do it, so now he's more of a companion. I will be getting a dog that can accompany me places and do many tasks for me. I know it's going to be life changing. I'm excited I'll be able to go somewhere and not have to worry about anything happening. Just yesterday I was walking to my friend's house alone and dissociated. It wasn't until several blocks later I realized I didn't know where I was. I just turned around and walked a straight line back until I recognized my surroundings again. It's stuff like that that makes it difficult to function alone.

I'm glad you have Blaze and that you understand what it's like. Thank you so much for the moral support!

I have a new psychiatrist now. My previous one moved. The sad thing is that with my new one, he didnt understand the concept of what Blaze does or how significant the difference is between a service animal and a support animal. My father has stage 4 colon cancer and in preparation for possibly having to fly, I had asked him for an updated letter for Blaze. Airlines are one of the FEW places that can ask for something like that. So in discussing a letter for Blaze, and this just a couple days after finding out about the cancer, the Dr stated that he would write a letter for him as my companion/therapy dog. I told him that he needed to review the revised (as of March 2011) laws regarding service animals vs therapy/companion animals. The discussion stressed me so badly that I had a full blown panic attack there in the Dr office. I completely fell apart and even the Dr at that moment could not calm me. But Blaze... he had been laying curled between my feet, he stood, turned around, got up on his hind legs and places his front paws on my knee, and with one front paw tapped my knee 3 times. Without a second thought I reached down and scooped him up and immediately started to calm.

Once I could breath again and see clearly, I looked up at the Dr and he was just sitting there wide eyed and jaw dropped. After a few moments he told me he had never seen anything like that before and that he was going to be doing some research into service dogs. He also told me to meet with my psychologist and get the letter written out and he would sign it.

A week later I had a letter in my hand stating that Blaze qualifies as a service animal. Here is a clip of the letter (the part not showing my personal rl info) http://gyazo.com/6f54162636b88098d5a119898c0ad3f1

That's really amazing! I'm actually surprised how few mental health providers know about it. I just told my therapist about it last week and she never knew there could be service dogs for that! She fully supports me in my quest for one. Blaze sounds like an awesome little service dog. I love psych dogs because they are just as unique as their owners and tend to come in a wide variety of breeds and tasks.

The hard part about there being such a variety of breeds is that so many people do not recognize any but the large breeds like Sheppys, labs etc. SO I have spent a lot of time explaining he is a service dog. Even when his vest is on.

Yeah that is a down side I've noticed. Blaze is a little ambassador for service dogs of the smaller variety. For your unique disability he doesn't need to be 100 pounds, I think people just don't realize that there are so many different reasons someone needs a service dog.

We are raising money for our service dogs together. I know how hard these times are as I am going through them too. I wish you the best of luch and hope that we both succeed in our endevours. What doesn't go to my dog after the end of ac's donation raffle will go to yours!

It's nice to see someone getting a service dog that needs one. Hopefully I can some day afford to have one trained for me. :3

Why does this cost $6000? It's a little weird seeing all these goals but not what exactly they're funding...

http://pawsitivesolutions.org/2012/.....-so-expensive/

Service dog training is extremely expensive and time consuming. $6,000 is actually a conservative estimate, but they usually cost anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000. The majority of it is training which takes 18 months and over 200 hours. That also depends on how long it takes for the dog to learn. Service dog training requires a high level of dependability and because it's such a specialized thing the rates for training are quite high. About $200 a session. If you add that up over at least 18 months it adds up quick. Then there is vet bills, food, supplies, socialization classes. My estimate may have actually been lower than what it's going to cost me.

Your concern is exactly why I started a video blog to chronicle the whole journey from start to end so you can see every part of it and where the money is going to.

ServicePawsForEmmy.Tumblr.com

This might be helpful to you then. Califur just had Alpha K9 as their charity. They train PTSD service dogs for people and it's far less than 6k.

http://alphak9.biz/training-package.....tsdservicedog/

They provided service dogs for  beastcub so you may want to talk to her about it.

Thank you for the link, but I have already committed to the program I'm already in with my trainers and breeder. I would also have to get on a waiting list which is usually 2-4+ years. I have contacted programs before and because I'm not a veteran I am not a priority. There are so many people in need.

This is also in California and I'm not sure I'd be able to travel, especially if it's an owner-trainer program. Thank you for the suggestion though!

You are already committed to the program but do not have the funds? Sorry if that confuses me. I'm just curious. Alpha k9 doesn't put vets over others. They train the dogs based on need. It may be worth it to look into and travel to CA for this since it would be MUCH cheaper. They do train some dogs in advance for people that can not attend. You would need to speak with them.

I am committed to the program outlined for me by my trainers in my home state. Most people who start a service dog programs/training regimens do not have the funds and have to do fundraising to get there, especially since the majority of them rely on SSDI because they are disabled.

I have contacted beastcub's sister who is the one with the service dog and asked her about it. To be honest traveling is already extremely stressful for me without a dog, much more traveling alone somewhere I'm unfamiliar with would send me into multiple panic attacks and constant hypervigilance. The thought alone is making me sick to my stomach. I have a hard enough time leaving my house. I'm just not sure I could travel alone to Sacramento for that even if it might be cheaper.

I understand. I have PTSD myself.

Thank you for understanding. I really do appreciate you taking the time to research this and make a suggestion though. It was a really good one. I'm just sad I have so many issues with travel.

I researched it for myself for years. I wanted to be informed about it before I got one myself. There is no requirements for ADA in regards for service animals other than needing to respond to the person the animal is assisting and to be potty trained. This is why paying upwards of 7k is very confusing to me. I'm sure there are other training facilities in your state that are not this out of the ballpark expensive. In some cases you can even have a dog trained for free if you speak with the program or state about needing one.

While the ADA requirements may be limited in that a dog should respond to it's handler and be potty trained I don't like the idea of a minimally trained dog. A service dog that behaves inappropriately reflects poorly on other service dog handlers. If I were to go with those 2 standards from the ADA alone I could have a service dog that barks inappropriately, sniffs people, eats food off the floor and isn't always reliable. Since I'm working with 2 professionals I'm following the minimum training standards as stated in the IAADP.

http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-.....ic-access.html


I want my dog to be reliable, handler focused, professional and dependable. I don't want to skimp on any training. My estimate was actually quite conservative. If I were to go with a program dog from an organization I'd still have to fundraise and it would be upwards of 10k-20k. This way is less expensive for my personal situation and needs and is more accessible for me. This route guarantees the highest rate of success. Since I am not a professional dog trainer I do not want to do this entirely alone. I have trained many dogs to do many things, including service work, but I am still learning a lot from my trainers that I would have otherwise neglected out of ignorance.

I also contacted several organizations, but the wait lists were several years and they were way more expensive. They were also less likely to help me because I am not a veteran and veteran's with PTSD have higher priority than civilians with PTSD. This is through my own research though.

Public access testing takes 6 months to complete minimum and that is about $3,300 by itself.

Your research and mine just seems to differ is all. :) That's not a bad thing. Many of these companies that train dogs vale these variants in opinion.

So far, the dogs that I have interacted with that were trained for less than 2K have been stellar in their handling and service. I tend to come into contact with many of them at my University disability department. Again, we just differ in this. I just try to help people not over pay for something if they don't need to. Seems you are quite set on this, and that's fine.

I suppose it really depends on how well the dog ends up doing over time. Maybe it will be less expensive overall. Hopefully anyway!

Here is the over all cost for a PTSD dog:

PTSD Service Dog Training (Train your dog)
$1000 – $1500
Service Dogs are available for Veterans, First Responders, Victims of Domestic Violence, Children or any one with PTSD.
On Leash Obedience
Individualized Trained Task
Lifetime Refresher Training
CGC Certification
Service Dog Vest
Service Dog Id Cards
Service Dog Validation
Service Dogs exceed the Americans with Disability Act Standard for Service Animals

http://alphak9.biz/training-packages/

This might be a repeated question.. But you mention you are "going the independent owner/trainer route", what are the other choices? Are there any programs that would offer you a service dog for minimal/free? I only ask this because you mention that there are different routes. I just think that it would be important for people to know before donating/bidding on art.. If we are donating to getting you a service animal through the most economical route, or if there are other options. I know you probably have your heart set on the breed/breeders though. And after the private training, will the dog have the actual certification needed in your location to be officially recognized? (would the dog be able to board public transit.. ect)



Best of luck to you. I've considered a service animal for panic disorder in the past but was miraculously able to control anxiety with some behavior therapy and life changes.

This is honestly the most economical route. I have researched extensively other options and they were always more expensive. I am unable to travel out of state due to my disability though I have considered it. It's not possible for me to do. Going through an organization would be move expensive and the wait lists are a lot longer. It is incredibly difficult to get on a wait list for a program due to PTSD that is not veteran related. If you want to ask other PTSD SD handlers about it you can go here:

http://servicedogcentral.org/forum/index.php

I am however working with two very qualified professional dog trainers. I am following their guidelines and going to trust their experience with this as they are professionals. I've gotten a lot of suggestions from people online who are not professionals and I feel safer accepting the advice from someone who knows what they are doing. I am reserving attachment to any particular breeder or puppy until they pass the temperament testing. I am following very strict guidelines in order to do this correctly and will not take any short cuts in training and risk failure. This is something I have taken a lot of time to look into. If there was a shorter/cheaper route accessible to me then I would take it, but in all honesty this is the most economical way to go. I have gone to dog shows, talked to breeders, called organizations that trained service dogs, I've interviewed trainers and made financial estimates and compared them.

One of the main reasons I cannot go with a program dog is because of travel, I cannot travel alone. period. Most program dogs are also either Goldens or Labs. Goldens have a 60% cancer rate and that is a risk I don't want to take. I have terrible personal experience with labs having been attacked by them and my brother's face mauled by a lab. I am also very sensitive to the odor their oily coats produce and while that can be reduced through regular bathing that is not something I'm going to deal with. That makes going the professional trainer route a better option as well as being more economical.

When programs say they will place a dog for free they tend to require fundraising anyway so it's not exactly "free". Your cost may not be out of pocket, but you have to raise funds somehow.

Here are a few more resources you might like:
http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-.....ic-access.html

http://www.petpartners.org/ServiceAnimalFAQs

http://servicedogcentral.org/conten.....og-credentials

http://servicedogcentral.org/conten.....d-Service-Dogs

Also there is no such "certification". Programs will give you a sheet of paper that says the dog is "certified", but it just means the dog was trained through their program. There are registries for service dogs, but it's sort of the same situation. You pay a fee and your dog is registered. My dog will be completing the same standards to be a functioning, dependable service dog. I may register him just to have something to back it up, but he will get certificates of graduation for the phases of training he completes.

I am curious... did this goal of yours ever get reached? I also have PTSD and I have autism... My PTSD stems from years of sexual/physical/emotional abuse from a step parent, then going through the foster system, being abandoned by most everyone in my life and ending up homeless a number of times along with loosing jobs over and over due to my panic attacks striking up to much at work :c Wondering things I guess... I see this is older so hope that you are doing better at least. I was just diagnosed with these two things last year and am trying to figure out how to correctly deal with it.

It's a very long process, expensive and full of complicatione and complexities. First thing, you have to be disabled. A diagnosis is not the same thing as a disability. You'll have to get that in writing from a doctor and usually it requires a few years of medical evidence or be severe enough to meet the SSDI qualifications. That's usually a good indication of disability, and although not necessary, will help your case if you need an SD. It has to severely limit your daily life functions and be expected to last more than a year. To put that in perspective a service dog takes about 2 years to train. Mine is still in training. Most service dogs in training don't make the cut.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS ROUTE. I would adamently suggest you go through an organization for a service dog. I chose this route because I work in animal behavior with years of experience training dogs, selecting them as puppies from litters who have potential for certain work. I also have a network of skilled trainers that I hired and worked with to help me with all aspects of training, socialization, desensitization, etc. There is constant problem solving along the way. What happens if yout dog develops a fear or avoidance of a certain texture, such as storm drains or men with hats. Having a mental illness further complicates the process because if you have a sensitive dog it will pick up and react to your emotions, which is good when you want it to alert you to something, but not good when trying to train or get accustomed to environments you feel anxious in. It is a full time job raising a service dog, making sure they have the proper genetic background, health records, temperament and aptitude evaluations, etc. choosing the dog is only a small part of it, you have to investigate the breeder background as well. You don't want it developing hip dysplasia or cataracts just as it's graduating training.

All in all I raised about $7800 from this and that wasn't enough. It covered vet and training expenses for the first year. These dogs generally run anywhere from 10k-25k or more depending on what you need. The dog MUST be trained tasks that mitigate a disability for it to be an SD. While the presence of a dog can make us feel better it is not a task. You'd have to be able to train behaviors that help mitigate your illness and allow you to function better. For example, fetching medications, alerting to an episode of dissociation, deep pressure therapy, turning on lights, entering rooms before you, checking for the presence of people and alerting you, standing next to you facing the opposite direction as a "look out" for people that may approach you from behind. I had a home invasion where the man tried getting into my bedroom before cops arrived for example. My dog's tasks were trained around helping my specific set of PTSD symptoms. Yours would have to be as well.

A service dog, in my opinion, is a last resort after years of trying other methods of recovery and treatment. They are for people who are more or less permanently and severely disabled. I struggled with my disabilities for most of my life before getting a SD, lost several jobs, spent months unable to work, had to drop out of college a couple of times to recover from an episode, tried 27 different medications, and made several lifestyle changes. Having a mental illness or psychological disability also puts you under more scrutiny, stress and pressure because you don't "look" disabled. You can have periods of functioning wonderfully and then suddenly are unable to perform basic daily tasks for weeks or months as a time. Be prepared for people to judge you harshly and not take you seriously. You will have to be familiar with laws in your area regarding service dogs and maintain a level of training that meets standards for service work.

I don'y say all of that to discourage you or to sound invalidating. I don't know you or your specific personal situation. Just from what you told me I have a couple of recommendations.

1.) spend a lot of time researching service dogs specifically for your disability/disabilities. I will note you links to several message boards and websites for mental health assistance dogs, standards of training and organizations that provide service dogs.

2.) talk to your doctor and/or therapist abouy your interest in obtaining an SD.

3.) DO NOT TRY TO TRAIN A SERVICE DOG BY YOURSELF. This may seem hypocritical, but even though I've trained working dogs and have years of experience with them I still hired professionals to help me. They had answers to my questions and could solve problems that stumped me as well as kept me on track and trained my SDiT when I could not. It's been over a year and while my SDiT has done phenomenally well with everything, he will not be vested until he is 2 years old AND maintains his level of training AND passes his tests. The wait list for SDs from organizations is about 2 years or longer and in that time you may find your condition improves or changes. This is why I don't recommend them as the first plan of treatment for a mental illness. There are so many variables that can affect your condition. It is much better for you to get a dog that's fully trained and backed by an organization who will help you with adjustments or problems that may arise. They also provide maintainence training which is essential to make sure your dog is still workable. Doing this on your own, you dont get any guarantees. Another perk is organizations usually don't charge you for the dogs they place or you help them with fundraising in exchange for a dog.

4.) Are you able to take care of a dog? Exercise is? Feed it? Provide routine vet care? Training? Health testing? Do you have the time and patience for a dog? Service dogs are not infalliable. They will get into trouble sometimes like any dog. Are you prepared to set boundaries and work with your dog on a constant daily basis?

If I can think of anything else I'll add it later. I hope this was helpful. Again, not meant to be discouraging, but a SD is a huge, life changing commitment.

I'm currently working with a law firm to actually get disability. I've gone through testing for autism along with weekly therapy where I was given the label of PTSD as well as anxiety/depression. I've been seeing a therapist for the past 11 years of my life. I was abused in several different ways over the course of 7 years.

I've had my GSD for 4 1/2 years...(got her at 8 weeks old). When I was diagnosed with PTSD last year it was my therapist who recommended me having her trained to be a service dog for me since I fear going outside or just being in public places around strangers. For now she just holds the label of an ESA (Emotional support animal) for at home. I have easy triggers, pretty much anyone who reminds me of my abuser along with social awkwardness and a long list of many things really. She had started to do things to help me come out of my panic attacks without any proper training which was the reason for me wanting to try and train her specifically.

I've had her in professional training for 1 year at a local dog training facility from 12 weeks to a little over a year old, basic training and desensitization. Obedience, agility, therapy dog training, drill team, sassy dog (did this just to work her around other dogs with attitude problems) along with obedience up to level III. We went every day Monday through Saturday for a year haha.. I was looking into training her myself with the help of a few trainers on some face-book groups with people who work with you on training your own service dog. But... she has been diagnosed with Lymphoma (cancer) and I'm told she might not even live 'til Christmas this year. I'm devastated. She's been my whole life the past 4 1/2 years.

I have contacted a few places that train the dog for you, but all the ones I've talked to are telling me that I would have to ship my dog to them, then pay $8,000 for training, then travel to their training facility for them to teach me what she has learned... I am still working on getting my disability so I'm currently living off only $650/month as I clean houses for friends.

Anyway... if the inevitable does happen and this cancer takes her far to quickly... I've researched German shepherds the whole 4 1/2 years I've had her along with working with the GSD Club of St. Louis and I know several breeders who do health testing (Hips, elbows, DM, temperament, ect.). Definitely not cheap but the three breeders I'm looking at for a future pup have all had service dogs come from their litters and breed for even temperament. I'm just... still looking into everything. I'm not even sure now if I want a service dog if I'm going to loose my puppy :C