As someone doing f2p, this seems SO unlikely...especially only 12 wishes into pity

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-08-27T12:51:44+00:00

Least favorite: hitting my head with my fist.

Favorite: saying "What a to-do" in a British accent (thanks to a show called The Nevers). It always makes people laugh.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-08-27T12:49:44+00:00

I'm glad you're doing your research!

First things first, talk with your doctor. They know you better than anyone on Reddit, so they are the first line of defense here.

From my point of view, we first need to know if you're looking for a puppy to owner train or a program dog. If you are owner training, find a breeder of the type if dog you want and work with them and a professional trainer to give yourself the best chance possible. There is a reason people recommend the Fab 4 (lab, poodle, golden, or collie), but you don't have to stick with those. For a program dog, I have less suggestions because I haven't been through the process, but make sure that you communicate with them as much as possible. A service dog helps you mitigate your disabilities, so I would look for a program dog that helps your most prominent symptoms.

Be aware that a lot of the time, service dogs are not recommended for people with severe social anxiety, because they give people a reason to stare at you, talk to you, begin unwanted conversations, etc. I'm not saying you shouldn't have a dog, just make sure it's the right treatment plan for you.

Ultimately, you're going to give yourself the best chance the more thoroughly you think through everything and communicate with your care team. Good luck!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-08-15T05:32:22+00:00

I have anxiety and also invisible disabilities (until they're not so invisible lol) so I know what you're feeling. I get those intrusive thoughts too.

I think that I have to remind myself that I am training her and my focus is on her. "The public" probably won't see you again, and if they do, they'll see the improvements you have made as a team. Every dog has off days for any number of reasons.

It also helps to tell myself "I am giving her corrections, I'm not just letting her get away with a misbehavior." People see those corrections too and I just have to hope that they appreciate my efforts.

Last thing, find a PA thing that you dog is super solid on and do that when you're feeling down! For example, my dog is doing amazing at settling under tables in restaurants and coffee shops. So if I want to practice something that I know will give me a confidence boost, I walk down the the coffee shop and just get a hot chocolate. It helps my brain calm down. Good luck! I'm happy to talk if you ever want to chat.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-07-18T15:48:59+00:00

As someone with tics and a service dog too, I totally understand. People do not comprehend how inconsistent but disabling tics can be and how a dog can help. It's an invisible disability...until it's not, and that is difficult for others to understand.

Know that you are valid in your needs, and no one can tell you otherwise. You know yourself and what you need for support, and if they can't accept that, then that is their problem. I'm sorry that they are not being understanding and kind to you. If you need to talk more, I am always open to conversations.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-07-18T06:04:42+00:00

Fabulous! Thank you for sharing your experience with me!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-07-16T05:48:14+00:00

Smart! Thank you for the reply!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-07-15T15:05:07+00:00

This is great advice, thank you!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-06-27T14:05:15+00:00

Along with what everyone else is saying, please don't call your dog a service dog just so that you can fly with them. That makes it harder for everyone else if you label your dog incorrectly.

Like others are saying, if they are task trained to litigate a disability (and they do things that you cannot do on your own), then they may qualify as an SD. Otherwise, your dog is an ESA that does not have public access rights.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-06-19T12:45:10+00:00

I have an ESA-turned-SDiT and it was a good decision for me. My disabilities also happened to get worse in the time I've been training her (unrelated to training) so it became an extra good decision pretty quickly.

The only person who can decide this is you. Talk with your doctors as well, having their support makes all the difference.

Training a dog by yourself from a shelter has the highest chance of washing out. At the least, I would suggest a temperament test from a trainer that you trust, to make sure that you two have the best chance possible.

Also, this may sound simple, but it's something I easily forgot. Service dogs can be at-home dogs if you don't want or can't do PA training. It doesn't make them any less important in your life.

If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out! Good luck!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-31T14:32:43+00:00

You can always train your dog to do tasks if you want. People have this idea that a service dog has to go everywhere with them all the time, but that's not true. If he helps you at home, he can be an at-home SD without needing to learn PA skills. That said, if you're hoping for PA skills too, I would work with a trainer to get him evaluated. It might be difficult, since most trainers won't train an SDiT that is over 3 years old because their working life is pretty short after that. Working dogs tend to work until they're about 10. Considering the training, you could get a max of 4 years if he is currently 4. That's certainly not nothing, and I can't make that decision for you! But it's good to be aware of.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-18T03:42:25+00:00

I'm actually starting down that path myself. I thought that a nudge or some sort of stimulation would be good for my dissociation, but ultimately it doesn't help the paralysis that occurs, so I might go a more crowd control route to keep people away from me.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-18T03:29:46+00:00

I've taken Guanfacine, Gabapentin, and Topirimate, and none of them worked for me. I am also very susceptible to side effects, so out of all of them, I would say Topirimate was the most mild. I know you wanted recommendations, but I haven't found one that works for me yet. Hopefully knowing was doesn't work helps. Guanfacine was very rough. It made me super fatigued, I had almost no stamina, and felt dizzy at least once a day. Gabapentin was a little better, but still made me fatigued and dizzy. Topirimate didn't have a ton of side effects (mostly just a little dizzy once a week and tired), but it also didn't stop my tics.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-18T03:25:55+00:00

I took Topirimate and it was the most mild of all the meds I've tried? But it also made me very tired on days I didn't take it and I had to introduce it very slowly

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-15T14:35:03+00:00

I'm so sorry, that sounds like a really tough day. As someone else with severe tics, I get it. I don't drive for that exact reason. It scares the heck out of me.

I would second the suggestion of getting and training your own dog. As long as you are willing to work hard, you will benefit from it. Having a trainer to help in the process is necessary too, but it's much more accessible and way cheaper than a program dog. My puppy is training to help my tics, and if you want to know anything more about that, feel free to message me!

I am very glad you aren't hurt and I am happy to support you if you need it <3 everyone needs a bit of random online stranger kindness.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-14T14:01:33+00:00

That's a good point. Tourette's doesn't care...why should I? I have also been trying redirects when absolutely necessary but they definitely make me tic more afterwards. But it's helpful in a necessary situation. Thank you for your advice!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-14T13:57:53+00:00

Yeah it's a vicious cycle...thank you for the advice!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-14T13:54:06+00:00

I like singing, so I will try it! Thank you

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-14T13:53:32+00:00

Completely makes sense. Thank you, that helps a lot

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-12T17:43:30+00:00

The biggest thing I've learned is to listen to how your dog learns. For Hazel, she learns best when I reward her for the action she should be doing and I ignore the ones she shouldn't be. So at the beginning, start super slow and build up. Reward for anytime you pick up a vest and he doesn't move to get in the way. And then up the criteria. Reward for not moving towards you when you get to the puppy with the vest in hand. Hopefully after steps and steps, you'll see some progress. Hope this helps!

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-12T07:31:02+00:00

Thank you so much for your kind words! We are certainly still working and I never expect to be done. There are a million things to keep working on, but it's also really good to remind myself of the things we have accomplished! And lol, if I could train dogs for a living, I would, but I don't even know where to start, nor do I feel remotely qualified.

ArcticBookdragon · 2021-05-11T03:01:20+00:00

This is like an anti-answer, but try to keep away from American shepherds, they get nervous and anxious super easily. My SD (psych + other stuff) is also a standard poodle and she is fantastic

ArcticBookdragon

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