ARTICLES / General /
Life With Dottie /
Other Articlesby
Suzanne Ponciroli
What’s a Training Camp?
Training camps are a time when the recipient
learns to work with their dog. The dog is
trained–now you need to be. Service dogs know
many commands before being paired with the
physically limited person. Camp teaches you
how to train your dog to perform tasks specific to
your needs.
After leaving camp, it did not take me long to
realize one of my specific needs. My dog left her
toys all over the floor and, being in a wheelchair,
this made it very difficult for me to get around.
Using the command “clean up,” I taught Dottie to
pick up her toys and put them in her toy basket. Her
little trick really impresses young visitors AND
their parents.
Is a Service Dog Right for Me?
An important question to ask yourself is if you
are prepared to be a responsible dog owner? These
animals are wonderful companions, but they are still
large dogs that need to be let out to toilet;
managed for fleas; brushed to control shedding; and
taken to the veterinarian for routine health
maintenance. Additionally, training reinforcement is
an ongoing responsibility.
A service dog can help a person become more
independent, feeling happier and better about
their life. There is a lot to consider before making
the leap in that direction but, if you decide this
path is right for you, it can be life changing.
"Suzanne
Ponciroli has lived with the challenges created by
MS for over 20 years. She has created a Web
site,
EmpoweredLivingToday.com
and blog,
EmpoweredLivingToday.blogspot.com.
Both contain ideas and aids to help people overcome
physical challenges.
