Dog with Jobs
Found in hospitals, nursing homes and schools-- Recently I have been coming to court rooms to allow young people to sit and talk to me while testifying to help them feel safe and less alone.
What are therapy dogs?
Primary tasks include helping a low or no-vision handler
What is a Guide dog?
3 interactions (of many) that are discouraged when interacting with service dog
Touching, Calling, Distracting, Staring, Feeding, Teasing
The age of Blu when adopted
What is 2?
This was signed in 1990 by President George H W Bush
The Americans with Disabilities Act
I help find people lost in the wilderness or extreme conditions. I have also been used to locate elderly folx or people who may become disoriented or lost.
What are search and rescue dogs?
Primary tasks include alerting handler to loud noises or alarms
What is an Auditory service dog?
True or False: Service dogs are certified
False -- Trainer can be certified but dogs cannot. (Service dogs can quit, retire, or "career-change")
The amount of hours Blu has dedicated to training since August 2023
900
The only two questions staff may ask if it is not obvious that dog is a service animal
1. Is this dog a service animal required because of a disability?
2. What work or task has the dog been trained to perform?
Focused on keeping public areas safe: I sniff stadiums, arenas, and festivals before the public arrives.
What are explosive detection dogs?
Primary tasks include helping handlers who have diabetes, allergies, or seizures
This is the ideal distance to keep from a service dog
What is 4 feet? Do no come up behind, startle, corwd, or get in front of -- they are often sniffing for medical alerts for looking for tripping hazards.
Three tasks Blu is trained on
Deep pressure (neuropathy), spasticity support, retrieval/drop item recovery/retrieval, disorientation support, others
Coined by Angela Glover Blackwell, this term refers to laws and programs that are put in place to support vulnerable populations and often result in benefiting many more
The "curb-cut effect"
Found in US airports; scent detection for plant and animal products
Agriculture Agents "Beagle Brigade at LAX"
Primary tasks include helping handlers with gait, balance or movement challenges
What is a mobility service dog?
True or False: You can identify a service dog by a vest or ID card
False -- There is no official registry, ID system, or vest (all of these can be "bought")
The age Blu was when she began training
What is 5?
This was the first breed of dog to be trained as a service/guide dog
German Shepherd -- there are no restrictions on breeds for service dogs though some are best suited for certain handlers, disabilities, and other variables
Often ending up in firehouses, this a common "career-change" for some service dog trainees
What are arson detection dogs?
Primary tasks can vary; turning lights on/off, pulling wheelchair, pressing medical call button, opening doors, retrieving medications
What is a task service dog?
Two (of 4) places service dogs are not allowed
What are Aquariums, Zoos, Burn Unit - Hospital, Surgical Suite - Hospital.
Three bonus or nick names for Blu
Nugget, Chicken Nugget, Best Friend, Bluber, Bubba, Bubba Gump
Bill (handler) and Orient (guide) became the first team to successfully complete this long distance trail in 1990
Appalachian Trail "Orient - Hero Dog Guide of the Appalachian Trail" chronicles their adventures in a children's book.