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Although I am keeping a blog on Atlas's progress I feel like I should update everyone here on FA periodically to let you guys know how he's doing. So many people here put so much effort into making a service dog possible for me and I want to let you know how that's going. We've been so dedicated to working together. I've never had a dog this smart, this versatile, this full of personality and spirit. Atlas is a phenomenal little dog (He's 3 months old now in this photo. It looks like he'll be keeping his one blue eye and the other one will likely remain green with a blue speckle).
So far we have accomplished several fundamentals for future training:
-shaping for multiple behaviors
-Sit
-Heeling with head up
-Spin in each direction
-Down
-Targeting
-Walk Backwards
-Shape All four paws in a bowl or box
-Sit pretty (to build abdominal strength)
-Chin rest (in hand)
-"Watch me"
-Engagement games
-Introductions to multiple places, people, things, sounds, working environments.
-Car and travel manners
Today Atlas and I completed our 4th week of training! He’s a very solid little puppy with a lot of enthusiasm to work. I had originally planned to have Atlas start the Canine Good Citizen classes at 12 weeks, but I’m going to wait until he’s older. Right now I’m focusing on obedience fundamentals, shaping and soon-to-be adolescence. I want to make sure he’s ready and that we go at a good pace so he doesn’t get overwhelmed or overworked. Because he demands a higher level of training than a pet we are doing our best to set the foundation needed to achieve our goals.This means allowing the appropriate amount of time for development and not pushing him too hard. We work every day, but we keep training fun. We are working hard to set the foundation we’ll need through adolescence and into adulthood.
This week Atlas overcame a fear of a metal grate on the sidewalk that made a loud thud when we stepped on it. We worked on it over and over again with a process called “splitting”. I’ve found this training method to be very useful for helping overcome big challenges or commands that are going to end up very complex. You start off slow and build positive associations with whatever phobia the dog has. I don’t think Atlas realized he was being trained. He’s so smart though and we’ve got such a good bond that we overcame that fear in only a couple of sessions. In the case of building up to a complex command you do the same thing. Starting off slow, building on it, connecting the dots and voila! I’m really happy he’s doing so well and we’ve been getting such good feedback.
We have a ton of homework to do. At first there was a lot of stuff where I thought “why does he need to learn that”, but as training continues I understand more and more how all the pieces fit together. My trainer’s skill and understanding of dogs is so profound. I am so happy to have found her to help me with Atlas. I’m learning so much every day about dogs, about Atlas, about behavior and problem solving. It’s coinciding wonderfully with the dog trainer program I’m in now. Atlas is going to be my service dog, but he’s teaching me so much more than that.
I’m also learning other activities are great for reinforcing our connection and communication. Atlas is an Aussie so naturally I have been thinking about practicing Agility. He’s too young to do the jumps and weaves, but now would be a good time to introduce him to it. A confidence building obstacle course would be a great outlet for his energy, intelligence and to build stronger communication between the two of us. As a future professional in this field I want to work with Atlas to the best of our abilities and to accomplish as much as we can. The sky is the limit and we can reach it together.
In addition to the regular training we’ve been taking more outings. Atlas goes to the store with me and our recalls are working great. He is curious about other people, very happy, but whenever I call his name he comes running to me. I’ve never had such a loyal, attentive dog. I also don’t think I’ve ever worked with a dog on such a level before. It’s very rewarding to see the behaviors I’ve taught him play out in real life scenarios. I’m so proud of him.
HERE'S A CUTE VIDEO OF ATLAS RUNNING AROUND IN A CREEK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9KUGOvNe5c&list=UUUIdhQ4hNj8Rf35NlNlop-A
So far we have accomplished several fundamentals for future training:
-shaping for multiple behaviors
-Sit
-Heeling with head up
-Spin in each direction
-Down
-Targeting
-Walk Backwards
-Shape All four paws in a bowl or box
-Sit pretty (to build abdominal strength)
-Chin rest (in hand)
-"Watch me"
-Engagement games
-Introductions to multiple places, people, things, sounds, working environments.
-Car and travel manners
Today Atlas and I completed our 4th week of training! He’s a very solid little puppy with a lot of enthusiasm to work. I had originally planned to have Atlas start the Canine Good Citizen classes at 12 weeks, but I’m going to wait until he’s older. Right now I’m focusing on obedience fundamentals, shaping and soon-to-be adolescence. I want to make sure he’s ready and that we go at a good pace so he doesn’t get overwhelmed or overworked. Because he demands a higher level of training than a pet we are doing our best to set the foundation needed to achieve our goals.This means allowing the appropriate amount of time for development and not pushing him too hard. We work every day, but we keep training fun. We are working hard to set the foundation we’ll need through adolescence and into adulthood.
This week Atlas overcame a fear of a metal grate on the sidewalk that made a loud thud when we stepped on it. We worked on it over and over again with a process called “splitting”. I’ve found this training method to be very useful for helping overcome big challenges or commands that are going to end up very complex. You start off slow and build positive associations with whatever phobia the dog has. I don’t think Atlas realized he was being trained. He’s so smart though and we’ve got such a good bond that we overcame that fear in only a couple of sessions. In the case of building up to a complex command you do the same thing. Starting off slow, building on it, connecting the dots and voila! I’m really happy he’s doing so well and we’ve been getting such good feedback.
We have a ton of homework to do. At first there was a lot of stuff where I thought “why does he need to learn that”, but as training continues I understand more and more how all the pieces fit together. My trainer’s skill and understanding of dogs is so profound. I am so happy to have found her to help me with Atlas. I’m learning so much every day about dogs, about Atlas, about behavior and problem solving. It’s coinciding wonderfully with the dog trainer program I’m in now. Atlas is going to be my service dog, but he’s teaching me so much more than that.
I’m also learning other activities are great for reinforcing our connection and communication. Atlas is an Aussie so naturally I have been thinking about practicing Agility. He’s too young to do the jumps and weaves, but now would be a good time to introduce him to it. A confidence building obstacle course would be a great outlet for his energy, intelligence and to build stronger communication between the two of us. As a future professional in this field I want to work with Atlas to the best of our abilities and to accomplish as much as we can. The sky is the limit and we can reach it together.
In addition to the regular training we’ve been taking more outings. Atlas goes to the store with me and our recalls are working great. He is curious about other people, very happy, but whenever I call his name he comes running to me. I’ve never had such a loyal, attentive dog. I also don’t think I’ve ever worked with a dog on such a level before. It’s very rewarding to see the behaviors I’ve taught him play out in real life scenarios. I’m so proud of him.
HERE'S A CUTE VIDEO OF ATLAS RUNNING AROUND IN A CREEK:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9KUGOvNe5c&list=UUUIdhQ4hNj8Rf35NlNlop-A
Category Photography / All
Species Unspecified / Any
Size 626 x 835px
File Size 59.1 kB
Thank you, he's a gorgeous boy. :)
I'm going to give you some information that might be helpful for you. You might already know some or all of it, but I want to share it just in case. You have all my support in regards to getting yourself a service dog and for choosing an Aussie. They are a wonderful breed and will melt your heart with their clownish antics. They will also drive you crazy, but you'll love them all the same.
It's probably wiser you start with your own dog as a pup in your own country. Be sure to work with a reputable trainer who has experience doing the things you need to have done. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding. Because of Atlas I've decided to pursue dog training as a career and am now enrolled in a trainer academy. Atlas will be so much more than my service dog now, I'm excited to do as much as I can with him. As an Aussie he has the versatility to accomplish a lot.
Here are a few helpful links to help with your service dog journey:
-Public Access Test: http://www.assistancedogsinternatio.....c-access-test/
-Service Dog Training Standards: http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-.....ic-access.html
-Volhard Puppy Temperament Test (you want a 3 or 4 for your puppy, but your Aussie will probably be a 2 or 3.)
http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php
-Training a Psychiatric Service Dog: http://www.power2u.org/alternatives.....esentation.pdf
-International Association of Canine Professionals- http://www.canineprofessionals.com/
-Assistance Dogs International (Sweden)- http://www.assistancedogsinternatio.....cation/sweden/
-Service Dog Tasks for Psychiatric Disabilities: http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A note about Aussies:
Have you ever had an Aussie? You seem to have a strong affinity for them so I assume that you do have some experience with them, but I'd like to share some tips about having an Aussie puppy. They are SMART. They need exercise and they need an outlet for their mental and physical energy. They will read your body language and be very in tune with you. This can be a gift with training and forming a bond with them, but when it comes to psychiatric disability and emotional instability you have to make sure you're not affecting your dog. They may become so aware of your emotional states that they can become just as anxious as you. You have to keep training fun and rewarding. If you're having a bad day and you can't make training rewarding then it's not going to be successful. You can't get frustrated at your puppy if he decides he'd rather bite your legs when you're trying to teach him a new skill. You have to work around it. Because of their natural herding instincts your Aussie puppy may be inclined to bite your feet and hands, be very mouthy, bark and herd you. These traits need to have a healthy outlet. Make sure you have lots of different toys with different textures. Whenever he bites your legs, hands, etc. redirect that behavior on to the appropriate toy. YOU WILL NEVER GO TO THE BATHROOM ALONE AGAIN. Aussies are "velcro" dogs and will follow you from room to room. They want nothing more than to be near you at all times. This means extra work to prevent separation anxiety from occurring. The reason Labs and Goldens are so often used as service dogs is because they were bred to be around people, to wait patiently around gunshots, other dogs and strangers until their master gave them a command. They are thick-skinned and more forgiving when it comes to training and mistakes. They aren't too demanding and they are naturally more eager to work with you. Aussie's fall short in a lot of these areas so you have to make up for it with training and constant socialization/exposure.
Aussies will find something to do if you don't give them something to do. This can include tearing up your floor, eating your walls or barking incessantly to entertain themselves. So be prepared for that. They are also typically a pushy breed. You have to earn their respect and continuously work with them, but once you earn their love they will go to the ends of the Earth for you. Aussie pups will test your boundaries, they will push you and they will throw temper tantrums when they don't get their way. You have to have a ton of patience and energy to maintain them. Aussies are kind of a "boss" dog. In a way you have to be just as stubborn as they are, or even more so. This work ethic though will be great for service work and once you work through all the puppy drama it will be well worth your while. Their requirements for exercise will also help your keep in shape and help with your depression. I get so much more exercise and human interaction now that I have Atlas.
My typical day with Atlas includes a 1 hour walk in the morning, several 5 minute training sessions throughout the day and a 30 minute to 1 hour walk in the evening. We have a private lesson once a week with a lot of homework. He's only a puppy and as he gets older his stamina will improve and he will require even more exercise. Because of my career choice I'm going to be channeling his energy into Agility and competitive Obedience. I highly recommend something like that because it gives them an outlet for their intelligence and mental energy, it gives them their exercise and also enhances the bond between the two of you. Your dog will become more in tune with you the more you work with him and it will be all the more rewarding.
GROOMING. You will need to teach your puppy to accept all manner of grooming. I brush Atlas with an undercoat rake and regular brush at least once every 2 days if not every day. One of the requirements of service dogs is that they are presentable and hygienic. You should teach your pup to accept having his teeth brushed, nails trimmed, being bathed, being touched all over especially around the ears and hindquarters. You might also want to look into how to trim an Aussie coat to keep him looking in tip-top shape.
About where you get your puppy:
Be sure your friend does all the necessary genetic testing and health testing prior to breeding her dogs. I'm certainly not dissing your friend or trying to discourage you, but the goal of training a service dog is a difficult one. You don't want your pup to flake out after thousands of dollars because of temperament or health issues. You already have so much to worry about with training alone. If you let your standards slip in favor of your friendship or to avoid a potentially more expensive puppy then you are setting yourself up for failure. Make sure both parents pass OFA on hips and elbows (additional testing on Patellas would be great). Make sure her dogs are not prone to or carry the genetic markers for cataracts. Aussies suffer from a number of eye defects and diseases. BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN NONE OF THE DOGS IN HER BLOODLINE HAVE A HISTORY OF EPILEPSY, THYROID ISSUES OR CANCER. There are no genetic tests for that and you may have to do some research on this one, but it's important. I chose not to go with a Golden because of the high incidence of cancer in that breed. Also be sure to ask about allergies and auto-immune disorders. If your friend is a good breeder she will not breed merle dogs to other merle dogs. You probably already know that, but I just want to cover it.
-Aussie health links:
http://australianshepherds.org/heal.....etics-program/
http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/australian-shepherd
http://www.australian-shepherd-love.....-shepherd.html
http://workingaussiesource.com/stoc.....edproblems.htm
-Australian Shepherd Health and Genetic Institute: http://www.ashgi.org/
I'm going to give you some information that might be helpful for you. You might already know some or all of it, but I want to share it just in case. You have all my support in regards to getting yourself a service dog and for choosing an Aussie. They are a wonderful breed and will melt your heart with their clownish antics. They will also drive you crazy, but you'll love them all the same.
It's probably wiser you start with your own dog as a pup in your own country. Be sure to work with a reputable trainer who has experience doing the things you need to have done. It's a lot of work, but very rewarding. Because of Atlas I've decided to pursue dog training as a career and am now enrolled in a trainer academy. Atlas will be so much more than my service dog now, I'm excited to do as much as I can with him. As an Aussie he has the versatility to accomplish a lot.
Here are a few helpful links to help with your service dog journey:
-Public Access Test: http://www.assistancedogsinternatio.....c-access-test/
-Service Dog Training Standards: http://www.iaadp.org/iaadp-minimum-.....ic-access.html
-Volhard Puppy Temperament Test (you want a 3 or 4 for your puppy, but your Aussie will probably be a 2 or 3.)
http://www.volhard.com/pages/pat.php
-Training a Psychiatric Service Dog: http://www.power2u.org/alternatives.....esentation.pdf
-International Association of Canine Professionals- http://www.canineprofessionals.com/
-Assistance Dogs International (Sweden)- http://www.assistancedogsinternatio.....cation/sweden/
-Service Dog Tasks for Psychiatric Disabilities: http://www.iaadp.org/psd_tasks.html
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A note about Aussies:
Have you ever had an Aussie? You seem to have a strong affinity for them so I assume that you do have some experience with them, but I'd like to share some tips about having an Aussie puppy. They are SMART. They need exercise and they need an outlet for their mental and physical energy. They will read your body language and be very in tune with you. This can be a gift with training and forming a bond with them, but when it comes to psychiatric disability and emotional instability you have to make sure you're not affecting your dog. They may become so aware of your emotional states that they can become just as anxious as you. You have to keep training fun and rewarding. If you're having a bad day and you can't make training rewarding then it's not going to be successful. You can't get frustrated at your puppy if he decides he'd rather bite your legs when you're trying to teach him a new skill. You have to work around it. Because of their natural herding instincts your Aussie puppy may be inclined to bite your feet and hands, be very mouthy, bark and herd you. These traits need to have a healthy outlet. Make sure you have lots of different toys with different textures. Whenever he bites your legs, hands, etc. redirect that behavior on to the appropriate toy. YOU WILL NEVER GO TO THE BATHROOM ALONE AGAIN. Aussies are "velcro" dogs and will follow you from room to room. They want nothing more than to be near you at all times. This means extra work to prevent separation anxiety from occurring. The reason Labs and Goldens are so often used as service dogs is because they were bred to be around people, to wait patiently around gunshots, other dogs and strangers until their master gave them a command. They are thick-skinned and more forgiving when it comes to training and mistakes. They aren't too demanding and they are naturally more eager to work with you. Aussie's fall short in a lot of these areas so you have to make up for it with training and constant socialization/exposure.
Aussies will find something to do if you don't give them something to do. This can include tearing up your floor, eating your walls or barking incessantly to entertain themselves. So be prepared for that. They are also typically a pushy breed. You have to earn their respect and continuously work with them, but once you earn their love they will go to the ends of the Earth for you. Aussie pups will test your boundaries, they will push you and they will throw temper tantrums when they don't get their way. You have to have a ton of patience and energy to maintain them. Aussies are kind of a "boss" dog. In a way you have to be just as stubborn as they are, or even more so. This work ethic though will be great for service work and once you work through all the puppy drama it will be well worth your while. Their requirements for exercise will also help your keep in shape and help with your depression. I get so much more exercise and human interaction now that I have Atlas.
My typical day with Atlas includes a 1 hour walk in the morning, several 5 minute training sessions throughout the day and a 30 minute to 1 hour walk in the evening. We have a private lesson once a week with a lot of homework. He's only a puppy and as he gets older his stamina will improve and he will require even more exercise. Because of my career choice I'm going to be channeling his energy into Agility and competitive Obedience. I highly recommend something like that because it gives them an outlet for their intelligence and mental energy, it gives them their exercise and also enhances the bond between the two of you. Your dog will become more in tune with you the more you work with him and it will be all the more rewarding.
GROOMING. You will need to teach your puppy to accept all manner of grooming. I brush Atlas with an undercoat rake and regular brush at least once every 2 days if not every day. One of the requirements of service dogs is that they are presentable and hygienic. You should teach your pup to accept having his teeth brushed, nails trimmed, being bathed, being touched all over especially around the ears and hindquarters. You might also want to look into how to trim an Aussie coat to keep him looking in tip-top shape.
About where you get your puppy:
Be sure your friend does all the necessary genetic testing and health testing prior to breeding her dogs. I'm certainly not dissing your friend or trying to discourage you, but the goal of training a service dog is a difficult one. You don't want your pup to flake out after thousands of dollars because of temperament or health issues. You already have so much to worry about with training alone. If you let your standards slip in favor of your friendship or to avoid a potentially more expensive puppy then you are setting yourself up for failure. Make sure both parents pass OFA on hips and elbows (additional testing on Patellas would be great). Make sure her dogs are not prone to or carry the genetic markers for cataracts. Aussies suffer from a number of eye defects and diseases. BE ABSOLUTELY CERTAIN NONE OF THE DOGS IN HER BLOODLINE HAVE A HISTORY OF EPILEPSY, THYROID ISSUES OR CANCER. There are no genetic tests for that and you may have to do some research on this one, but it's important. I chose not to go with a Golden because of the high incidence of cancer in that breed. Also be sure to ask about allergies and auto-immune disorders. If your friend is a good breeder she will not breed merle dogs to other merle dogs. You probably already know that, but I just want to cover it.
-Aussie health links:
http://australianshepherds.org/heal.....etics-program/
http://www.vetstreet.com/dogs/australian-shepherd
http://www.australian-shepherd-love.....-shepherd.html
http://workingaussiesource.com/stoc.....edproblems.htm
-Australian Shepherd Health and Genetic Institute: http://www.ashgi.org/
I hope I didn't come across as harsh or anything, just trying to be informative. For training and access stuff I have had success calling stores and telling them I'm training a service dog and if they wouldn't mind if I worked with him at their establishment. Everyone so far has been kind enough to allow me to do that even though he has no legal access right now. Being polite and communicating goes a long way. There have been 2 times Atlas decided he'd rather play and bark so I immediately left to be respectful of others. It's kind of cute now though that a lot of people already know him by name.
Someone cautioned me about Aussies and said they wouldn't be good service dogs, but that's just not true. It really depends on your needs, the individual dog and your personality. I chose an aussie for versatility, intelligence, natural guarding instincts (able to tell if someone has good or bad intentions), their soft dirt resistant coat, and energy level.
If you get an aussie though I will be excited to see your progress and am totally willing to talk Aussies with you. Haha
Someone cautioned me about Aussies and said they wouldn't be good service dogs, but that's just not true. It really depends on your needs, the individual dog and your personality. I chose an aussie for versatility, intelligence, natural guarding instincts (able to tell if someone has good or bad intentions), their soft dirt resistant coat, and energy level.
If you get an aussie though I will be excited to see your progress and am totally willing to talk Aussies with you. Haha
Nono info is great (:
and that's a great advice!
The only reason i'm thinking about another breed (beauceron) is because an aussie is a liiil bit too small for what I really need, we'll see which one i choose c:
was worried about the protection part of an aussie (they can become veery protective about their family and if THEY think you're in danger they won't hesitate to do what they think is protection) but beauceron got that too so that's just something I will have to work on with any of them!
and that's a great advice!
The only reason i'm thinking about another breed (beauceron) is because an aussie is a liiil bit too small for what I really need, we'll see which one i choose c:
was worried about the protection part of an aussie (they can become veery protective about their family and if THEY think you're in danger they won't hesitate to do what they think is protection) but beauceron got that too so that's just something I will have to work on with any of them!
I have never owned one or any dog before. I know exactly what these lil monsters are like though and love it and my methods of training (positive reinforcement only no corrections) will work great as with any dog!
Cannot thank you enough for the info, i know what they're like but it feels so great to know someone else does too. Training/rules etc is different here. For example it won't be a sdit until it's over 1 years old (when i can take him or her to places dogs aren't allowed, we have no access laws tho)
Cannot thank you enough for the info, i know what they're like but it feels so great to know someone else does too. Training/rules etc is different here. For example it won't be a sdit until it's over 1 years old (when i can take him or her to places dogs aren't allowed, we have no access laws tho)
I am so happy to have come across your profile and this endeavor you have begun. I too am working down a similar path, training a dog myself to be my service dog for PTSD, anxiety, panic, and depression. I just got my Cardigan after researching breeds and discovered these clever "big dog in a smaller body" babies! I'm sorry to hear some folks gave you a hard time on your breed choice; while certain breeds may be naturally more predisposed to certain behaviors, a breed shouldn't be discounted always. After all, no two puppies are alike. My girl, I wasn't originally expecting to get a girl based on the stereotypes wishing Cardis about gender, but as soon as I met this litter a couple weeks ago, I knew it was meant to be. Chessie didn't barge ahead like the leader of the litter, but she took to me right away, and she takes after her mother, who is slated to be an ESA after her show/breeding career. So far, we are doing pretty good. I look like a mother hen walking around the house; she barely has eyes for anyone but me, after only two days with me.
I had seen some of the links before that you provided above but I definitely will be bookmarking a couple for future reference! I just wish there were more awareness for this sort of thing so it'd be a bit easier to finance an endeavor like this.
I had seen some of the links before that you provided above but I definitely will be bookmarking a couple for future reference! I just wish there were more awareness for this sort of thing so it'd be a bit easier to finance an endeavor like this.
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