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My New Service Dog – AMA
Let’s see how this works. I am lucky that I received a service dog, Zeego, a few weeks ago. If you have any questions you want to ask about my service dog.
Remember that our partnership is new, but if you have any questions for me, ask them here!
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10 Replies
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Does he seem sad or bewildered?
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He’s definitely got major sad eyes that look adorable and heart-breaking. And he’s not the most active or physically-affectionate, so you know me – I am always doubting that he is happy with me. Regardless of my inferiority complex, part of me thinks he is happy!
He seems to really be settling in to life down here fine. After three weeks, I don’t think he’s bewildered anymore.
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Ok…so after a few weeks how is it?
Is a service dog really helping?
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At this stage of the game, I am ot training him to do specific things to help me individually (like teaching him to tug me in my wheelchair up the ramp to my house). Maybe this is wrong, but I’ve ben allowing him to settle in and get used to his life down here. I will start training in tbe next week.
He’s already been able to pick up things that fell for me. Like one night IO was in bed and dropped the remote that controls my light. He got it for me so I didn’t have to get out of bed to get it – SUPER HELPFUL.
Overall, the companion aspect of him is really shining through. His presence is a huge comfort to me, plus the things he knows already is really helpful. In the coming months, I will teach him more specific commands.
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Is it difficult for you to buy his food? Does he have a special diet? I’m glad he’s been helpful to you!
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He does have a special diet- and the specific brand of dogfood is not unreasonable, but definitely isn’t the cheapest on the market. One thing that makes it easier though is that he is on a very restrictive diet- only 2 cups, twice a day. So that really makes a bag of dogfood go a long way. Great question!
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Hey Matt, glad to hear you have a service dog, what breed is this dog? My daughter-in-law is very involved with service dog training.
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Thanks a lot Mark! I was able to get Zeego from Canine Companions for Independence, a company that uses bred and trained golden retrievers, black labs, and yellow labs. Zeego is a yellow lab/golden retriever mix. Thank your daughter for me. Her work really benefits others!
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I am about a year and a half into my time with my sweet service dog Wendy, she does more each day and you are so right the companionship and unconditional love can’t be beat. Do people just smile when they see the two of you around town?
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I am really glad to hear that! And you bring up a good point- so many people who see us smile, and many talk to me who otherwise would not. Another way to say it is Zeego is definitely a chick magnet.
What are 5 helpful tasks that Wendy does for you, if I may ask?
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5 tasks…
pick up all kinds of things I drop
pull doors open or closed
push doors closed or open
I just got her to get the dirty laundry off the bathroom floor and put it in the laundry basket by saying “get the laundry” (The dirty clothes have to be in the bathroom though)
She can pull my wheelchair, but sometimes I feel out of control…they taught me to do it by holding the handle on her vest, so I only have one hand on my wc. How do you do it?
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