Dog aid, what do you think?

Vizslak

Vizslak

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http://www.dogaid.org.uk/HLC Final/contact/index cont.html
I was unaware of this scheme and think its fantastic.
Now to be honest, I already rely on Flora in particular quite alot. Some days she has to pick up anything I drop, I have to call her to help support me to get up out of chairs sometimes, I nearly always have her next to me when going up and down stairs unless I'm having a very good day. I could go on actually, the amount of small things she does for me everyday that I probably dont even think about. Probably partly because at home I have her helping quite alot I'm also far more confident out of the house when she is with me. At the moment, shes not an official assistance dog, she cant come loads of places with me. Tonight I was wanting to go to the pub for some communication with real people :p The pub I know she can come with me to no one I know is there tonight and where other friends will be she cant come, today for me, going without her isnt an option so I have stayed in again. I'm having a bad day today health wise and today have struggled to do things like getting the washing out the machine, getting to the phone when its ringing. Now I try to be very independant and get on with everything, I do pretty well I think but I do have to face the fact that this seems unlikely to do anything but get worse in time. And a few years down the line the things I simply struggle with now could be virtually impossible for me. A properly trained Flora could be a real asset to me in the future and even in the interim could help immensely.
What do you guys think? Or am I talking out me bum again?! :o :p :D
 
LOL thing is, I dont like to think of taking stuff from charities! :o I know 100% that there are people who could use this service and would need it more than me and there are very limited spaces! I wish you could pay your own money to a scheme instead and get a fully trained dog out the end of it (not that I have any money at the moment but you know what I mean!) :p :D
 
What do you have to lose, definitely go for it. Unless its someone from the same town with the same name (which it could be), the lady in charge of training used to train at the same training club as me many moons ago.
 
You should go for it! It looks like a long waiting time anyway? So if closer to the time you decide it's not for you then there is always the option to decline I assume? Contact them! :)
 
DO IT!!! and while your at it....could you get my 5 signed up? I think one of them should be taught to at least switch the kettle on for me after I do all their washing and cleaning?:D;)
 
CaveCanem said:
Too right! And make the dinner while they're at it.
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The collie in my sig- 10 year old McCoy was a P.A.T dog in uK.:o
Hes very sweet but although he brings back tennis balls for hours he has no concept of ever picking anything else up?:rolleyes:
Although Im sure if he could he would cook a mean spag bol or a be able to prepare a medium rare steak?:D;) Im sensing a thread here? "if your dog could cook....":)
 
Not sure it would be any use to you Vizzy but my brother bought me a '101 dog tricks' book when I first brought Loki home. Much of it seems a little pointless at first glance, and lets be realistic, the last thing I'm going to teach Loki is how to open the fridge, whether he gets me a beer at the same time or not :rolleyes: But there is some stuff in there such as opening and closing doors, hitting light switches, object discrimination etc. that could be pretty useful for Flora? There's some other stuff as well that I imagine you could adapt or chain together if you wanted to do some training at home. There's probably a lot of 'trick' books that might have ideas. Wouldn't replace a Dog Aid trainer but might be a start if you do decide to go for it and there's a waiting list.
 
Perhaps I should be thinking of using Tilly instead! :p She can already open the fridge and any door she wants, the oven, cages...anything! She also helps me out of bed in the mornings and helps me on the stairs...its a team effort in this house! I'm trying to think if Ellie does anything?!! Fetches me socks and slippers if I ask her, keeps vermin under control, lol...yea not alot!
I would not let Tilly be responsible for meals...nice still warm roe deer slapped on the table everynight?! Erm no ta! :p :D
Thats a good idea Pix. I am thinking actually that maybe I should just train her myself (or even if I trained all the girls some stuff...Milo has no use for anything, he can just be top cuddler or something so he still feels useful :rolleyes: :p :D) The only issue I have then is them not being quailfied and I can't take them places...but maybe if I stuck my name on the list and already had them doing a fair bit by the time I actually get a trainer I can sail Flora through the stages dead quick and get her qualification, therefore not using too much of their resources either?!
 
Millyard Rejects said:
DO IT!!! and while your at it....could you get my 5 signed up? I think one of them should be taught to at least switch the kettle on for me after I do all their washing and cleaning?:D;)
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I taught Flora 'kettle' about a year ago...trouble is yea she can flick the switch to turn the fecker on, thats well easy, I can do that even on my worst days! But I never leave enough water in the bloody thing! If she could get it down, fill it up, put it back and THEN switch it on, I'd be impressed!! Lol I havnt asked her to do it for yonks, it was one of those pointless tasks (that was possibly gonna burn the house down if in a fit of laziness I asked her to do it without first checking the water level! :eek: :p :D)
I just thought of something Milo can do!!!! Check the ferrets! Thats the only command he knows other than heel and sit (and they are hit and miss!!) Oh and fetch his 'babbit'. Love him! :D :D
 
Vizslak said:
I taught Flora 'kettle' about a year ago...trouble is yea she can flick the switch to turn the fecker on, thats well easy, I can do that even on my worst days! But I never leave enough water in the bloody thing! If she could get it down, fill it up, put it back and THEN switch it on, I'd be impressed!! Lol I havnt asked her to do it for yonks, it was one of those pointless tasks (that was possibly gonna burn the house down if in a fit of laziness I asked her to do it without first checking the water level! :eek: :p :D)
I just thought of something Milo can do!!!! Check the ferrets! Thats the only command he knows other than heel and sit (and they are hit and miss!!) Oh and fetch his 'babbit'. Love him! :D :D
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Lol Milo sounds fab! My 6 month old collie Riley knows "eggs" at which point he runs around and locates all the eggs that the hens have hidden! although this has to be done with him by his self as the lurcher uses the find as her own special treat!:rolleyes:
 
Haha, I'm not sure I would trust any of mine to collect or locate eggs!
Milo is fab, thick as poo but the sweetest little dog you could ever wish to meet! :rolleyes: :D
 
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