Some questions for /an/ as well.
I'll be getting a 8 1/2 week-old German shepherd puppy on St. Paddy's Day. It's a girl, and she'll be trained as a seizure reaction service dog (I have grand mal seizures every few months and can't tell when they're coming on).
Service-dog training advice? Been reading up on all the books I can, plus the rather limited literature re: epilepsy-related service training. I'm basically following every method of feeding, exercise, etc. that the breeder prefers since it's MY first dog. (inb4 shelterfags, I've had 3 shelter dogs before this one and they were all great.)
Name suggestions and puppy-raising tips also welcome. Don't know which of the litter she is right now, but here's one from the same litter.
>>2079420
Shadow dog trainers that specifically train seizure dogs. Shadow them from the moment they get the dog to the day the dog goes home. It takes a year or longer, and you may have to shadow again after that or multiple people during that time to get it down. Some service dog training and work is done with volunteers, so you could definitely hitch in on that once you've gotten the ropes down. Look for ones in your area and see if the need help. Medical trained service dogs requires a lot of situational settings and of course they would have to work with that ailment to be able to detect it, so you will need a network of people to help.
Yikes, walk away from this situation right now and go through a reputable service animal organization. Service dogs need to be bred for a very specific temperament, and have very dedicated socialization and training before they even leave their mother. Sounds like you are being scammed!
>>2079481
not a scam, bro. she breeds only imported German Shepherds (from Germany) that conform to the country's strict as fuck codes for breed standards, pretty much the healthiest dogs on the planet
http://www.vondenbrookfields.com/Sires.html
>>2079479
Thanks for that. I know the service part of her training is going be extremely intense since she'll do the more extensive basic service stuff plus learning what to when I have a seizure.
>>2079481
I work at a dog training facility and you are wrong. Ive seen hundreds of different dogs and breeds become service dogs for different reasons.
Servicedogcentral is a good online resource.
>>2079517
According to the OFA they haven't even gotten the Dam's hips and elbows certified. This is not a reputable breeder.
http://www.offa.org/display.html?appnum=1669916#animal
For comparison, here's a listing of all tests the breeding stock should have done before a decision is even made to breed:
http://www.caninehealthinfo.org/brdreqs.html?breed=GS
I agree with the Anons stating that rescues can become service dogs, but they need to be screened and trained by someone who specializes in service dogs. It's a few more hoops to jump through, but worth it to get a dog suited and trained for the job. What you're doing is a huge gamble.
>>2079517
those are bad looking dogs,
bred for confirmation NOT work.. do not buy
I think I'd like to eventually get a service dog for my bipolar disorder (I have psychotic symptoms). Aside from helping me calm down during bouts of rage and helping me find things, is there anything else it would likely be trained to do? Could a dog detect when I'm hallucinating, and if so, would it be able to help?
