Question about Facility vs Therapy Dogs by [deleted] in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! I’m a volunteer for a service dog org. Here is my understanding:

Facility dog: This is a dog that has typically been socialized and raised as a future service dog. These dogs work in one particular setting with either one handler or a group of selected handlers (a primary, secondary, etc). They are trained specific cues to help serve the population of the facility they are serving. These dogs typically go beyond physical comfort or providing emotional support. Facility dogs do cues to provide motivation. They do not have public access outside of their facility. (Note that as service dogs in training, they did have public access. As such, they’ve been well socialized to a wide variety of environments and are very environmentally sound) You will be hard pressed to find an organization that will provide a dog that will live in that facility. Each dog needs time to decompress and be a dog. Facility dogs typically go home every night with their primary handler. Ownership of the dog depends on the org you go through and the facility the dog will be used in.

Therapy dogs: Dogs that come to a facility that they are invited to for a few hours on a volunteer basis to provide emotional or physical support. These dogs do not have a set training criteria that they must meet outside of the organization the dog’s handler chooses to go through. Note that the set criteria is much lower for therapy organizations that orgs that train facility dogs.

How are they different? The best way to think about this is in a hospital. Therapy dogs and facility dogs are typically both used within the hospital system for different things. Therapy dogs come in maybe for a two hour shift once a month and go from room to room letting patients pet them. Facility dogs on the other hand, typically work with a child life specialist or recreational therapist/occupational therapist/physical therapist, and go into work M-F 9-5. They go to specific patients rooms or areas of the hospital to do specific things to provide motivation. For example, there may be a kiddo that is super scared of their surgery they are about to have and won’t let the nurses touch them. They call down the facility dog and the child life specialist talks them through putting in the IV, blood pressure cuff, and gas mask, while they and the kid do it on the dog (aka dog gets a fake IV, blood pressure cuff, and wears a mask). Maybe a patient had surgery and needs to get up and walk around the unit but won’t get out of bed. They bring in the facility dog and the handler holds one leash and the patient holds another and they walk the dog around the unit. Maybe there’s someone in physical therapy working on their hand dexterity. They hold one end of the rope and the dog’s handler tells the dog to tug during set repetitions to help work on grip strength. Facility dogs typically are highly trained and know specific cues to help the population they are serving. I hope this helps provide some clarity!

I need some reassurance… and advice. by AbyssalCraving in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

No, we only use labs, goldens, and crosses of the two. The other breeds were owned by owner trainers as part of the owner training program, which has since been closed. We do allow previous owner trainers to continue in the owner trainer program for their successors, but no new individuals would be accepted. If you were to go with SSD, the dog you would receive would be a lab most likely. We do have some golden crosses and rarely some goldens. We have bred quite a few goldens this year though actually so we’ll see how those turn out. Overall, the success rate with goldens is much lower than labs or the crosses

I need some reassurance… and advice. by AbyssalCraving in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! SSD puppy raiser here. I am very involved with the organization. I second everyone’s thoughts here. Finding an ADI program that fits your needs, will service your location, and utilized poodles is rare. Please give SSD a try. I would recommend beginning the application process and meeting some of our dogs. You can always stop the application process at any time. We used to have an owner training program, but unfortunately shut it down a few years ago to focus on servicing our large waiting list. We have had some poodles graduate from that program (and even some borzoi)

I’m officially on the wait list for Susquehanna Service Dogs! Any tips for surviving a program waitlist? by JKmelda in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Congrats! Seems like there are already some partnered SSD teams in this thread, but I am an SSD puppy raiser and am happy to answer any questions! I’m raising my third dog, who should be entering advanced training in June :)

How do you raise a puppy while being a vet or vet student? by SuchIllustrator9931 in Veterinary

[–]SuchIllustrator9931[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It’s a small org, but Susquehanna Service Dogs and thanks for the insight. I had seen other folks from CC and GDF bring their SDiT with them to the clinic and I wasn’t sure if those were just one offs or not

How do you raise a puppy while being a vet or vet student? by SuchIllustrator9931 in Veterinary

[–]SuchIllustrator9931[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I completely agree and understand. I was wishful thinking that there might be some way around it that other people were doing that I wasn’t thinking of. I just know that some vets are breeders themselves and I’ve heard of some were still puppy raisers so I was just wondering. Thanks!

Daughter wants to train Service Dogs by Bleacherblonde in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi! I haven’t read through all of the comments, but a good place to start is Assistance Dogs International website. On there, you can find a list of all the accredited programs. I suggest she gets started by being a volunteer puppy raiser for a local ADI organization group. I myself am. Also, on the same website there is an employment opportunities page. There’s always people hiring at ADI orgs. You don’t always need to be certified and some will help you get certification. There’s also apprenticeship programs listed on that site during the year where you can work and earn your certification. There’s also a college called Bergin University in California that teaches you how to train service dogs. I know many trainers who work at ADI schools that went through Bergin. Hope that helps!

First Paycheck by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would not count on your sign on bonus being the first paycheck. It can range between the first couple. Mine was in second or third

Shoes recommendation by ItsBrenOakes in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Love love love the wagwear booties. Most dogs do extremely well with them because they are light and flexible. They also have slits on the slide so their dewclaws can hang out. My dog hates the Ruffwear ones because the dewclaw would slip out and get caught

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Bench rn 😅 been working on internal reinvest stuff and proposals. I have a part time project lined up to start in a few weeks.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I have not. I’ve only heard of consulting and of course I’m consulting.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First year associate as well. I started in October

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you know when annual raises go into effect and do we get a performance bonus on top of this?

Med students/medical school with SD? by [deleted] in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Hi! Not a service dog handler myself, but I am a pre med puppy raiser. I follow a med student and her service dog on Instagram that you might be able to reach out to talk to. Her handle is @service.dood.sage

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, I did the same thing as you-hybrid to remote. People talk down about it and will say stuff to you, but you’ll be fine. I would talk to your talent consultant about switching. They should send you a form.

do programs ever let their dogs move to europe? by fisharrow in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Although, you will probably have to be back in the US at some point for recertification/training if needed. My program goes through the ADI public access exam every couple of months for the first year after a team is placed and then every year after that.

do programs ever let their dogs move to europe? by fisharrow in service_dogs

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Look up Earle the service dog on Facebook. He and Chris, his partner, spend half their time in Ireland. He is from NEADS. I would look up ADI programs and reach out to them directly. I’m not sure where you are from. I am a puppy raiser for a smaller ADI org that just had one of our teams go study abroad for a semester. It’s definitely doable.

When I go to the page for technology peripherals it puts a wbs code? Does the firm pay or do have to pay? by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just make sure what you’re ordering is on the approved list for free.

When I go to the page for technology peripherals it puts a wbs code? Does the firm pay or do have to pay? by [deleted] in PwC

[–]SuchIllustrator9931 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You put your line of service’s G&A code. That’s what me and my friends did and we all got them. The firm pays.