Seven Years Ago . . .

[Liebling:-)))]

Happy Anniversary, Snickers

 

[Kai Onca]

I started with a program, but didn't like their attitude toward me. As for "certification," there is no such thing under the ADA, which is a federal law. If these programs had their way, no one would have any sort of service animal without a certifying process, of which even I have proven, is not necessary.

Wow, I was under the impression that there has to be some type of proof that one has to be a service dog

I can imagine so many cases when a person would ask me for a proof when I am bringing my dog into the establishment/business or whatnot. This would be very nice when I am on a trip to an unknown place alone and am extra weary about hotels as they usually don't have strobe lights and I would never know if a person is knocking or not. The dog would alert me to that.



And I understand more clearly about the reason behind why there isn't any certification process.

 

[shel90]

I started with a program, but didn't like their attitude toward me. As for "certification," there is no such thing under the ADA, which is a federal law. If these programs had their way, no one would have any sort of service animal without a certifying process, of which even I have proven, is not necessary.

Face it, doctors have screwed up a good many of us, diagnosing us for something that we are not, then the audiologists got on board and showed their incompetence. Now, they'd be sued left and right if they did what was done in the past. I think you know what I mean, as many others probably do. As far as I'm concerned, hearies have no say in how I train my hearing dog and the same applies for you: Train your dog as you have the need for him and be consistent. Good luck!
As for awards, she doesn't have any, but she'd match if not beat any other dog out there that works as hard as she does.

I got Snickers in October 2000 and the paperwork said she was a year old. She started training to be my hearing dog in late winter/early spring 2002. She's been on duty for five-and-a-half years.

WTG!!!

 

[pek1]

Aw, I am glad she is there for ya. You are her master and know your voice. Hearin' people should know better than that when deaf people need their hearin' dogs to be with them.

I have somethin' to tell you, Pete - In Juneau, Alaska they allow the deaf people to bring their hearin' dogs with them to work. I had one friend of mine who has one med. size dog. She took her to work. I thought it was really cool. She even showed me her new puppy thru VP 2 weeks ago... aww, it melted my heart ! This is her 3rd dog.

Happy Anniversary, Snickers !! WTG, girl ! ( Hey, psst... Pete, I hope you don't mind me huggin' her. Lol )

Oh, not at all, Maria! Take your time!

 

[knitteresa]

Hi Pete, thanks for welcoming me a while back. I think Kaitin said it right. Some deaf people think that if other deaf people have hearing dogs, hearing people will think all deaf people "need help" or are "handicapped". Lots of people have fought for Deaf culture, for independence, for ASL, etc., and some see service dogs as a threat to that. My Mom and her dog have gotten the cold shoulder from some folks who felt that way. I think everyone is different, and everyone can choose what tools they want to use to navigate the world. I hope that as more hearing people become educated about deafness and Deaf culture, this won't be such an issue.

I hope you don't mind if I ask you a dumb hearie question. How do you train Snickers? My Mom and Dad (hearing) work together to train her dog (who is from CCI), because if my Mom tries to train him alone, she doesn't hear all the sounds, so she doesn't always know if he's alerting properly. Just wondering.

Congratulations on your anniversary...I hope you and Snickers are together for years to come.

 

[Kangaroo]

Pek1 I think it's great that you have an owner trained best friend aka Snickers. And happy anniversary!! I also had a german shepherd (1/4 labrador), semi self trained dog whom I relied on heavily for hearing things which I couldn't and also for security, as I lived alone. Admitedly she was my best friend, one in a million. She has been gone 5 years, succumbed to tumor of the liver that sadly was misdiagnosed for arthritis. GGGRRR!... that is a story in itself.

She was not ceritified as a companion or hearing dog so I didn't take her to places that such dogs were not allowed.

I am surprised of the reactions that you have experienced coming from others who are deaf. All my friends admired my companion, Inky and was very tolerant of her participating in most things I did (except for places where dogs are forbidden unless certified).

My perception of guide dogs for the blind / companion / and hearing dogs in Australia is that they are fairly well accepted in most places. I mostly see guide dogs which have been accepted for a long time, and know that companion and hearing dogs are just getting off the ground. They are beginning to use dogs as therapy for the aged and the ill as well since research appears to have shown that there are health benefits associated with contact with such animals and it is becoming more widely accepted, or perhaps tolerated.

I guess some people, deaf or hearing, are just not 'dog' people regardless of the purpose of the dog in question. Maybe its a hygiene thing for some? I guess we will never understand everyone, and why they think and react as they do.

Kangaroo

 

[Buffalo]

This is the first I have heard of Deaf people's problem toward the hearing dogs. I have no problem with the hearing dogs as I hope they all came from shelters. I know some raised purebred puppies for the guide dog organization. I simply love dogs. I plan on getting dachshunds once I get a place of my own.

Why don't you ask those Deaf people who objected to Snickers? Let us know as I am really curious. Those explanations posted in here sound plausible.

 

[pek1]

Hi Pete, thanks for welcoming me a while back. I think Kaitin said it right. Some deaf people think that if other deaf people have hearing dogs, hearing people will think all deaf people "need help" or are "handicapped". Lots of people have fought for Deaf culture, for independence, for ASL, etc., and some see service dogs as a threat to that. My Mom and her dog have gotten the cold shoulder from some folks who felt that way. I think everyone is different, and everyone can choose what tools they want to use to navigate the world. I hope that as more hearing people become educated about deafness and Deaf culture, this won't be such an issue.

I hope you don't mind if I ask you a dumb hearie question. How do you train Snickers? My Mom and Dad (hearing) work together to train her dog (who is from CCI), because if my Mom tries to train him alone, she doesn't hear all the sounds, so she doesn't always know if he's alerting properly. Just wondering.

Congratulations on your anniversary...I hope you and Snickers are together for years to come.

Please forgive me for my sloppiness for not replying.

I'd have a friend knock on the door or ring the doorbell for her to respond. Other things I had a remote for, such as the telephone. However, since I have carried a cell, I always had it on vibrate and there's no need for her to alert me to that, as it would be in my pocket. Otherwise, she would be trained by repetition.

As for other deafs thinking it would hinder their independence, I couldn't disagree more. Granted, not everyone wants a dog, but, as one audiologist said to me, "Every little bit helps." So true. I take that and run with it!

 

[pek1]

Pek1 I think it's great that you have an owner trained best friend aka Snickers. And happy anniversary!! I also had a german shepherd (1/4 labrador), semi self trained dog whom I relied on heavily for hearing things which I couldn't and also for security, as I lived alone. Admitedly she was my best friend, one in a million. She has been gone 5 years, succumbed to tumor of the liver that sadly was misdiagnosed for arthritis. GGGRRR!... that is a story in itself.

She was not ceritified as a companion or hearing dog so I didn't take her to places that such dogs were not allowed.

I am surprised of the reactions that you have experienced coming from others who are deaf. All my friends admired my companion, Inky and was very tolerant of her participating in most things I did (except for places where dogs are forbidden unless certified).

My perception of guide dogs for the blind / companion / and hearing dogs in Australia is that they are fairly well accepted in most places. I mostly see guide dogs which have been accepted for a long time, and know that companion and hearing dogs are just getting off the ground. They are beginning to use dogs as therapy for the aged and the ill as well since research appears to have shown that there are health benefits associated with contact with such animals and it is becoming more widely accepted, or perhaps tolerated.

I guess some people, deaf or hearing, are just not 'dog' people regardless of the purpose of the dog in question. Maybe its a hygiene thing for some? I guess we will never understand everyone, and why they think and react as they do.

Kangaroo

Kangaroo,

Here in the states, it is not required under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) for any service dog to be "certified." Programs do that, but service animals are not required to go through one. Fortunately, the ADA doesn't require a program-trained service dog and, even if it did, I would not comply with the law.

As for hygiene, I have mentioned to people who have stopped me in their business, when they get me exasperated with them, I do reply, "my dog is cleaner than your floors are!" That usually takes care of any problems. But, I don't always do that. I usually tell them Snickers is my hearing dog and is thus protected under the ADA, which I spell out for them. I hardly ever get snobby about it, unless they keep pressing the cleanliness issue. The business really has to be very dirty for me to say something like that back at them. I do not come across sarcastic at all, but do come across very firm but friendly. And yes, there is a correct way of doing that without coming across like an ass.

 

[pek1]

This is the first I have heard of Deaf people's problem toward the hearing dogs. I have no problem with the hearing dogs as I hope they all came from shelters. I know some raised purebred puppies for the guide dog organization. I simply love dogs. I plan on getting dachshunds once I get a place of my own.

Why don't you ask those Deaf people who objected to Snickers? Let us know as I am really curious. Those explanations posted in here sound plausible.

Some don't want to be tied down with a dog and don't want that extra burden of taking care of another being.

I found Snickers at the Humane Society of Ramsey County in Saint Paul, Minnesota and I used to be a volunteer dog walker there a few years before.

 

[Reba]

... The business really has to be very dirty for me to say something like that back at them....

If it's that dirty, maybe you and Snickers don't want to stay there!

 

[pek1]

A lot of times, I don't even take out my wallet to let them know how dirty it is. At a restaurant, I inspect the restrooms, so if they're clean, the food should be acceptable under most circumstances, but there are exceptions to the rule.