Annie (Sweetie)

I hate to be the bad person here but I will put some rules for comments only for this blog due to rudeness of others that these rules will be in place.

Hey everyone!! Long time no see/chat!! So I may do some game hypes here to certain games!! So now the hype for starters is the new EP (Expansion Pack) for the Sims 4 called Cottage Living!! That's right COTTAGE LIVING, It will be out on the 22nd of July!!

So I have see some gameplay via YouTube (subject to change due to very early access for them) and so fare I am excited due to FARMING!! What is coming to it? I will put a picture below!!

Sorry everyone it’s been a while since I last posted. This time of the year has been hectic due to yearly paperwork where I live n etc. I live in an apartment hence been pretty busy. No sign of a service dog replacement yet besides being informed that the trainers bought Golden Retriever puppies that are 3 weeks old, so it maybe a few months to a year (maybe longer, the process takes a long time). I will keep you all informed later down the line if one of them will be mine. I don’t wanna jinx myself again (for the 3rd time) if the dog will work for me, if not it won’t be posted. So stay tuned for a later update. God bless you all and stay safe, stay healthy!! ~Anna 

It is a sad day to have sad/bad news. Ally the GSD has been washed out for service dog training. I don’t really know the details but what I was told she was too hard to handle. I hope she finds a forever home as a pet. God bless you all.

These are 6 Tips for a Calmer dog during a Thunderstorm (other tips for lout noises see @ July 4th (Update/Advice).

Create a calm room / space!

Try to find the most soundproof room in your house, and create a safe space for your dog

You could move your dog's bed into this room, and bring clothing that smells like you (their best friend!!) to provide comfort

Bring in toys and treats, or anything else your dog loves into the room!

If you have a sound machine / white noise machine, turn it on to try and drown out some of the thunder claps - turning on the TV can help too!

Try to provide distractions!

Is a storm the perfect time for a game of tug of war, or a good belly rub? Maybe! If you can distract your dog from the storm through a game or some good old fashion quality time, it can help to put your dog at ease

Draw the blinds!

Most dogs are scared of the sudden loud noises of a storm, but others are scared of the lightening, rain, and wind, so close the blinds to try and eliminate as many elements of the storm as possible

Calming Shirt!

Like a comforting hug, a Calming Shirt provides gentle, calming pressure around your dog’s torso, helping to soothe their anxiety, and feel safe

Calming Chews!

If you know a storm is coming, give your dog a couple of chews ahead of time to help them relax before the storm

Consult you Vet!!

If none of the above completely calms your dog, and he or she still seems very distressed during storms, contact your veterinarian for additional assistance. In some cases a small amount of an anxiety relieving medication in addition to the Calming Shirt, pheromones, and calming chews, may be all that is necessary to help your dog eventually lose their fear of thunderstorms

These tips are to help new Handlers or want to be handlers (because they need it). List below.

Make Sure You Can Handle It (Like any pet, a service dog is a big responsibility. Be sure your family can handle the financial, emotional and physical responsibilities of having a service dog in your lives.)

Research the Agency Thoroughly ( Look into whether or not the agency you’re working with is a member of an organization such as Assistance Dogs International. In addition, look into the agency’s standing with the IRS and Better Business Bureau.)

Always Get Referrals ( Ask the agency if it can provide you with some of its existing customers for referrals. If it’s reluctant or unwilling to do so, it’s a sign that the agency isn’t all it claims to be.)

Ask About the Breed of Dog ( Dog breeds with calm, quiet personalities such as Labradors or retrievers {these are common breeds but GSD are service dogs too} tend to make the most successful service dogs. Ask the agency if it can provide you with information about the breed of dog.)

Remember That Dogs Will Attract Attention (Taking a service dog out in public almost certainly will draw a lot of attention from other people, so be prepared to answer questions about your service dog. Also, be aware that people will want to interact (this is a COMMON issue) with you and the dog)

Service Dogs Are Here to Work ( Having a service dog is NOT like having a regular pet. Service dogs are trained to help you with everyday tasks and provide support, so think carefully about whether or not a service dog would be right for your situation.)

These should be helpful and informative to those of you who have a disability and considering getting a service dog or training one yourself is optional instead of agency. 

Due to the holiday coming up soon it has already started here with the fireworks going off by the neighbors. So here is a few hints to help during this time of the year or to prepare for Next year’s July 4th celebration.

Training (To start with you can do small things that POP, like popcorn, bubble wrap, etc. Then move onto bigger popping sounds like fireworks on your TV through YouTube, it will help you in the long run so your dog won’t be too scared.)

Exercise (This will help also so your dog is tired and won’t be so stressed out.)

Comfort Toy (Your dog may have a specific toy like a chew toy or stuffed toy for comfort. This will help your dog too if you leave them home for the night to go to the firework show in your area.)

Calming Treats (You these in moderation with your dog but it will help them if the training is taking them time to get used to and your dog is still having anxiety due to the fireworks.)

Safe place (This can be their crate but covered  {due to the dog may get spooked when seeing the colored fireworks if not} or under your bed, etc)

Noise on (This can be the TV or radio if you choose to leave the house to enjoy the fireworks display in your area, the noise will drown out the POP sound so your dog won’t be spooked and tear up the place.) 

Stay at home (This maybe the last resort so you can comfort your dog by giving cuddles while you two have TV time)

I hope this helps and have a great holiday coming soon!!

Dressing your SD in Gear is entirely up to the SD handler. Most do it for various reasons that I can name below.

They have Access Issues a lot (i.e: Uneducated employees constantly harass Handler due to no indication of SD saying it’s a SD).

They have an invisible disability (i.e: Diabetes, Epilepsy, PTSD,  OCD,  Blindness, etc.)

Due to invisible disability handler gets constantly asked “Can I pet your dog?” or random people just pet the SD without asking the Handler.

The SD is trained by trainer to wear Gear (Meaning Harness/Vest on meaning “Working” and off meaning “Playtime/Normal dog”).

There could be other reasons but these 3 are the main common ones that I am aware of as of currently. 

The above are examples of Gear being used (even Custom made) but below is also Gear for SD’s, I may warn you that people like to buy these online to abuse the Law system since it is easy to get but remember the ADA laws and if confronted give them a Law card (you can buy these or make your own) and stand your ground if you’re just starting out with it.

https://youtu.be/zVxUAocQeqk

As a reminder a ESA is not the same as an SD & SDiT. ESA don't have the same access rights as SD/SDiT's.

You’re probably wondering why I give random strangers a FAKE name for my service dog right? 

Well here is the Answer, my SD is a multi purpose SD, meaning she is Mobility (I am in a wheelchair and my disability is paraplegic) and I have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes isn’t as bad as Type 1 IF under control BUT I do have spikes for my sugar that either drops down way LOW blood sugar level (this happens more than you think) or it will sky rocket (meaning HIGH blood sugar level) and either one of these happen it is very dangerous if my SD misses an alert and so she is also a Medical SD.

Q3. Are emotional support, therapy, comfort, or companion animals considered service animals under the ADA?

A. No.  These terms are used to describe animals that provide comfort just by being with a person.  Because they have not been trained to perform a specific job or task, they do not qualify as service animals under the ADA.  However, some State or local governments have laws that allow people to take emotional support animals into public places.  You may check with your State and local government agencies to find out about these laws.

Q4. If someone's dog calms them when having an anxiety attack, does this qualify it as a service animal?

A. It depends. The ADA makes a distinction between psychiatric service animals and emotional support animals. If the dog has been trained to sense that an anxiety attack is about to happen and take a specific action to help avoid the attack or lessen its impact, that would qualify as a service animal. However, if the dog's mere presence provides comfort, that would not be considered a service animal under the ADA.

Q5. Does the ADA require service animals to be professionally trained?

A. No. People with disabilities have the right to train the dog themselves and are not required to use a professional service dog training program.

GENERAL RULES (Public)

Q7. What questions can a covered entity's employees ask to determine if a dog is a service animal?

A. In situations where it is not obvious that the dog is a service animal, staff may ask only two specific questions: (1) is the dog a service animal required because of a disability? and (2) what work or task has the dog been trained to perform? Staff are not allowed to request any documentation for the dog, require that the dog demonstrate its task, or inquire about the nature of the person's disability.

Q8. Do service animals have to wear a vest or patch or special harness identifying them as service animals?

A. No. The ADA does not require service animals to wear a vest, ID tag, or specific harness.

Q9. Who is responsible for the care and supervision of a service animal?

A. The handler is responsible for caring for and supervising the service animal, which includes toileting, feeding, and grooming and veterinary care. Covered entities are not obligated to supervise or otherwise care for a service animal.

Q10. Can a person bring a service animal with them as they go through a salad bar or other self-service food lines?

A. Yes. Service animals must be allowed to accompany their handlers to and through self-service food lines. Similarly, service animals may not be prohibited from communal food preparation areas, such as are commonly found in shelters or dormitories.

So you’re new and don’t understand the laws of the ADA for Service Animals/Service dogs I will post below for just the general public. You may also need to look up the laws for the state you’re currently live in too. I will start with the easy questions before the Laws for Public use.