My dog - KaladinKaladin is a Service Dog. He's a 90 lb German Shepherd born in 2015. He can sense when I am about to crash and he's been trained to warn me before it happens. See, when I push my energy too far I have what my doctors call a "crash." First I become disoriented, sometimes not knowing who or where I am, struggling to talk clearly and unable to think rationally. If I don't lay down right away, I become extremely weak and will eventually collapse. These crashes cause damage to my body and my brain. They take days, or even weeks, months or years, to recover from.
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Kaladin can sense these crashes coming on. He warns me 5-10 minutes before one hits. If I'm able to lay flat for 10-30 minutes before it hits, I can prevent it from happening and my strength returns. Kaladin is trained to watch over me during these times and to go for help if I collapse in a remote place and need assistance.
We've trained Kal so that he goes into working mode any time we put on his Service Dog vest. When he's not wearing it, he gets to just be a dog. His favorite games are Stick and Ball and he plays them unceasingly, fetching and bringing his stick or ball back to anyone who can be cajoled into throwing them. He loves being outside and he loves camping with me. When I ride horses he follows close behind. When we go horse packing, he carries his own backpack and gear.
We've trained Kal so that he goes into working mode any time we put on his Service Dog vest. When he's not wearing it, he gets to just be a dog. His favorite games are Stick and Ball and he plays them unceasingly, fetching and bringing his stick or ball back to anyone who can be cajoled into throwing them. He loves being outside and he loves camping with me. When I ride horses he follows close behind. When we go horse packing, he carries his own backpack and gear.
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Kal's a real love. He adores people and is use to other dogs. The only problem we have ever had with him is that he sometimes gets alarmed when meeting another dog for the first time and barks, his hackles going up, until he gets right up to the dog and makes friends. That can be a problem on the trail and I am working on how to deal with that. The fur on Kal's ruff stands up whenever he's excited about anything - not just when he is angry or frightened. Happiness causes the same response as anxiety. That can be alarming to other people. 90 lb German Shepherds are not in everyone's comfort zone. So these are things we will have to figure out. But they are the only things. Kal is extremely well trained (as any true Service Dog is). He'll love every minute of our time on the trail.
The only question is, do I bring him his own sleeping pad or put up with him crowding up to me every night, vying for the comfiest spot? |