The Puffer Forum

My friend Julee is training a psychiatric service dog candidate. Her name is Copper, and she was adopted from an animal rescue. She has never had any training, even basic obedience, but she shows promise as a psychiatric service dog - her personality will probably be a good fit. You can follow her progress on Facebook if you'd like! You'll learn lots about service dogs in the process. Her page is here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Copper-Se ... 2206036217

Additionally, Julee's own psychiatric service dog has a page. Embyr will be helping to train Copper, teaching by example. Her page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Embyr-Psy ... 8468109036

One last link: Please Don't Pet Me, a service dog/service dog handler organization. Another great way to learn about service animals! http://www.facebook.com/pleasedontpetme

I've not heard of a psychiatric service dog before, very interesting!

Embyr is trained to help her handler with post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. She stops Julee from self-injuring, makes her feel relaxed in public and other anxiety-inducing situations, and has specific responses to bouts of depression, like snuggling and kissing. Plus, Julee's realized that Em can detect Julee's low blood sugar, so now Em gives her a heads-up in advance and Julee knows to eat something before she feels the effects.

Wow. That's nothing short of magical.
Animals' nuturing ability and empathy is amazing, it's human beings I worry about sometimes :/

Yup. I've known Julee since before she started training Em, and the changes in her life are amazing. She's also become such a good dog trainer that she's branched out into training service dogs for other people - and she's only 16!

Her parents must be super proud of her. I know I'd be ridiculously overwhelmed with how proud I would be to have a daughter with that compassion, ability, and with such a desire to help others, people and animal alike.

Not really. I don't have a very high opinion of them.

Well ain't that some walrus. It always amazes me how some awesome kids can have "certain" parents.

Copper just had her first public outing as a service dog in training. She did great!

Awesome!

thats great to hear. Ive always thought it would be so awesome to train a dog like that, then I look at my dogs and realize i just dont have that talent LOL