#belgian malinois trained

[rockythebullterrier]

A dog trained in Wales saves rhino from poachers in South Africa

A dog trained in Wales helped to save an 18-month-old rhino and from poachers in South Africa, reports BBC News. The one-year-old Belgian malinois named Dan was bred and trained at Dogs 4 Wildlife in Carmarthenshire, Wales. Dan found Viola, a rhino calf that had been caught in a snare in KwaZulu-Natal province with her mother nearby. The pair were both saved. Dogs 4 Wildlife director Jacqui Law…

[heu-ris-tic]

mondioring weekend 🏆🥇🏆🥇🏆🥇

[thenoodlesadventures]

So @albusthefakepitbull and I were talking and she mentioned that Juniper (her ADORABLE new pupper) needs a bath which obviously prompted me to tell her how nutty The Noodle™️ is about hoses (I actually have to send him across the yard and put him in a stay if I want to rinse something without "help" 😂) and obviously that requires video evidence lol

So please enjoy a video of me rinsing conditioner out of thenoodle (who was also stinky) earlier with our new and improved top-of-snout hand target while mouth is stuffed with ball so we can bite something that isn't the water

[mandana-the-service-pup]

A Complex Mobility Task: 📫🦮

Since moving into a house, Mandana has started to develop a habit of barking loudly when mail or packages are dropped off. Rather than punish her for this natural behavior I’m giving her the tools to deal with it in a more productive manner.

1. She rings the bell to let me know the mail was delivered.

2. She sits and waits for me to open the door and give her commands instead of bolting outside.

3. She brings the packages inside and stacks them in a pile.

4. She opens the packages for me only when I ask and only until I ask her to stop so as not to damage anything.

5. She helps me pick up items and throw trash away.

It’s a bit of extra work for me right now but she really enjoys it and it’s going to be very helpful when the training is complete.

[xiaq]

He said yes! (And we had a magnificent time on the train—Deacon too. The car attendants were so sweet to him and he looked out the window the whole time 😊).

[doglover987]

"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole"

[uchuujin-sama]

my little nugget’s first con, and he absolutely mcfreaking nailed it. highlights include heeling past a guy on 10ft stilts, calmly watching wall-e and eve robots bump around, greeting ganondorf, posing with whistling & whirring droids, and not responding to a “professional security canine” (also a malinois) who growled at him, lmao.

my boy my boy my boy ❤️

much thanks to @dickchef for being our human barrier and supporter i love you

[zebrafiz]

my face after looking at all the dog breeds in cas and seeing 5758493748593 doodles but no belgian malinois

[ahollowdruid]

hello again Tumblr

this spoiled bitch needed a blog so i have reasons to take photos of her

[theautisticdoctor]

Entry #016

Autism Service Dog Journey – Week 1

This burnout hit me hard, like smacked me right in the face and stomach and I feel like recovering is going so slow, too slow. I have been trying to get my energy and confidence back to where it was, but it’s just not happening. I have been researching ways to get myself back on my feet and one of the things I came across was the Autism Service Dog. In my country there’s a huge waiting list for these type of dogs, it’s not covered by health insurance yet and it costs about €25K to train one (and a €400 extra every two years to renew the license). There are other ways to get funding but there are massive waiting list, I’m not applicable due to age, or so much paperwork, so I would’ve had to rely on crowdfunding. Which sucks because I don’t like being in the spotlight unanonymously. Also getting a dog through one of those organisations will mean that I would lend a dog, but I also suffer massively from fear of abandonment. Like my cat is three years old, but thinking about the day she’ll be gone gives me already massive anxiety although I know it won’t happen for another 17 years – and nobody dare tell me otherwise because she’s going to be at least 20 years old. I talked to some friends of mine who have a lot of experience with training dogs, and I made the decision to train an autism service dog for myself. To help me manage the challenges I face daily, because I know a (service) dog could make a significant difference in my life. She will offer me support that I wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere. I will deal with how to get the appropriate official certifications later.

So after months, if not years of extensive research (thank you recurrent hyperfixation) I decided to finally give it a go and I bought a puppy last week. I created a more than extensive training plan / program for us and talked a lot with the breeder about the health and characteristics of her parents. I’m not sure how I am going to combine it with my work yet, but up until now they are very supportive.

Breed

Generally I found that the best breeds are the Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, Poodles, Bernese Mountain Dogs, Border Collies, German Shepherds, Belgian Shepherds, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Great Danes, and the Australian Shepherds. But most importantly, when selecting a breed you should consider the temperament and trainability. If you are suffering from dog allergies I’d suggest to go with a hypoallergenic breed, although it is not a certainty you won’t have a reaction. The temperament should be calm and stable and the dog should be responsive to training, intelligent, and eager to learn and work. Also you should be able to match the energy level of the dog, for example the working dogs, like shepherds require a lot of activity throughout the day. Furthermore, depending on the tasks or goals you have for your service dog the size of the dog might be an important factor. For example, I really want my service dog to be able to apply deep pressure, so I need a larger breed in order to achieve this goal. However, while breed traits are important and overall true and applicable, each dog is an individual. You should assess the temperament and compatibility of each specific dog with your goals and needs. Talk to the breeder, ask them how their parents are like, how previous nests grew up to be, observe the puppies or dog and talk to professional trainers. Also nurture and therefore training is a big complement part to nature. After a ton of research, talking to breeders, talking to a befriended trainer and the making of a dozen pros-cons lists, I finally decided that the Belgian Shepherd was the perfect fit for me. So, I am now a proud owner of a Belgian Malinois Shepherd puppy, named Pallas.

Belgian Malinois Shepherds are known for their intelligence, trainability, and loyalty. While they are often seen in roles like police or military work, they can also make exceptional service dogs with the right training. Their high energy and strong work ethic make them well-suited for tasks that require a lot of focus and precision. They are very sensitive and reactive which makes them a good fit with me, because I need her to sense my emotions, my hunger and thirst, but also my flashbacks. They are very big so she will be able to give me deep pressure but also needs a lot of leadership, which is a quality I want to train and develop. I spent quite some time observing her parents, who are for malinois very gentle, calm and soft. So I expect to see those qualities back in her, and I already do. Although she is a puppy she is not hyperactive, listens very well, behaves very well and is already really socialised to people, other animals small and big, and just the outdoor buzzing life.

Goals

My goals for a service dog are to provide deep pressure therapy in certain situations, to assist me with sensory overload, to notice and notify me of certain emotions, bodily feelings, negative / distressing stimming and flashbacks, and to help me in social interactions. She’s not really there to give me practical support or assistance, but rather to give me emotional support and to be a trusted companionship.

Training

Training a service dog is no piece of cake. It requires patience, consistency, and a deep understanding of both the dog's needs and my specific needs. Together with a dog trainer I created a training program that fits my needs and also covers the challenges of training a puppy into a service dog. The first phase I called the “Puppy Preschool Program”, which covers building a strong relationship with my dog, socialisation and basic obedience. Since she’s really just a baby, it’s about learning to trust me and follow my commands. She’ll learn how a clicker works and how she is eligible for treats. She’s going to learn commands like sit, follow, stay, lay down and leave. She also needs to be socialised, that means plenty of exposure to other dogs, cats, livestock, people and motorised vehicles. When she’s graduated from this she’ll enrol into “Puppy High School”, which covers advanced obedience and public access training. Exposing her to different environments will help build her confidence and adaptability. Because, I need her to stay calm in public access places and I need her to behave and listen to me. This means no barking, no tugging, no begging, and not reacting to distractions. She’ll also learn more commands, like fetch, apport, catch, hug, kiss, nudge, guide and paw. It’s going to lay down the foundation for the third phase where she’ll have to do tasks without any commands but by her own notice of signs and signals. Because, after this she’ll do “Puppy College” which are the advanced specific tasks like notifying me of emotions, negative / distressing stimming, flashbacks and bodily feelings, providing assistance with sensory overload and during social interactions and applying deep pressure. After this I am able to call her my autism service dog. Although even after this initial training is complete, it is important to keep continuity in reinforcing commands and keep adapting her to any new needs that arise.

Progress

I have my pup of 10 weeks for a small week now and the transformation I’ve already witnessed is nothing short of miraculous. She’s already such a source of emotional support, for example I fell down in the dark after 4 days because I tripped over something and she came running towards me and started licking my dislocated wrist and hugging me. In the first days she did a lot of puppy nipping, but I managed to get her to almost completely stop doing that in just a week. She walks with me on a leash without tugging and she already listens to the commands sit and follow. She is very gentle in meeting other people, other dogs and she is so amazingly sweet with my cat, it’s like I’m living a dream. Our bond is really building strong and it’s amazing to see the progress in such a short time already. It’s also amazing to see the effect on me, I have been outside walking, I’ve been talking to people on the street and if I don’t want to talk I simply tell her “no, you’re not getting cuddles from this person” loud enough for the others to hear so they don’t interact with us.

If you're considering training an autism service dog for yourself, I think patience is essential because training takes time and each dog learns at their own pace. Also, consistency matters with all animals and dogs in particular. They need consequent, regular, consistent training sessions to have success in progressing. I can definitely recommend working with (experienced) trainers who can provide valuable insights and support, although I am aware that they are very pricey. But most and foremost building a strong, trusting relationship with your dog is essential and could already benefit you in your symptoms.

If you have the ability to get an autism service dog through an organisation I think you will save yourself a lot of time and have more reassurance the process will work out okay, which I can therefore definitely recommend. But maybe we should advocate as a community to make the autism service dogs more accessible for everyone with a diagnosis. Instead of making them only available to people who have the means to get their dogs training for such ridiculous prices. Because according to the Assistance Dogs International all programs must be nonprofit, but then also, how can they ask for €260 per 45 minutes of training excluding driving reimbursement and if you write or app the trainer it will cost another €100. I really fail to see how that is a nonprofit organisation and not just a lucrative business model. It is something that should be able to be done for way cheaper.

Feel free to reach out if you have any tips, thoughts, suggestions, or advice for me, I’d really appreciate them all. I’d absolutely love to hear your stories. And if you have any questions or need advice on training your own autism service dog from me just ask, nevertheless I will definitely share more of my journey with Pallas in the near future.

[anxeious]

melondoggy... ʕ ﾟ ● ﾟʔ tell me what types of dogs you are into and maybe why or whatever u want tbh

omg dogs are my special interest!! i love all well-bred purebreds from ethical preservation breeders! some of my favorite dogs are beagles, giant breeds, "scary" dogs, and livestock guardians. specifically (dogs that i would own) saint bernards, newfoundlands, leonbergers, great pyrenees, dobermans, cane corsos, beaucerons, and beagles !! quite the mix i know. i would also own a border collie and more intense livestock guardians if i had farm animals that needed herded/protected (i don't currently)

[norsepaganwitch24]

These are my fur babies.

First picture: Is my Belgian Malinois named Genesis (Gin for short) I had gotten her from a lady who was in need of rehoming her and I took her in and started training her to be my service dog. Now she’s a medical and psychiatric service dog for my disabilities and I’ve had her for 6 months now.

Second picture: Is my deaf Dalmatian named Hope, I also gotten her from a family who was in need of rehoming her. I’ve only had her for a month and we’re slowly working on commands in hand signals, she was very skinny like nobody was feeding her and she had real bad hotspots on her body where fur wasn’t growing back. Now she’s a healthy happy puppy with fur growing on her hotspots and gaining weight

Third picture: Is my exs pit that he left with me, named Apollo, he’s also a rescue. We took him in from being at my old job where his original owners have abandoned him and his brother Popeye. He was nothing but skin and bones until I took him home and started working on gaining weight on him. I’ve had him for 4 months now and we’re slowly working on commands.

[heu-ris-tic]

défonce of handler 🤌

Working on heeling past the decoy and then spinning to check for him when we stop. Little bit of guidance on the pinch collar to help. We went to the suit right after this! She’s too strong for the sleeves now.

[thenoodlesadventures]

So @albusthefakepitbull and I were talking and she mentioned that Juniper (her ADORABLE new pupper) needs a bath which obviously prompted me to tell her how nutty The Noodle™️ is about hoses (I actually have to send him across the yard and put him in a stay if I want to rinse something without "help" 😂) and obviously that requires video evidence lol

So please enjoy a video of me rinsing conditioner out of thenoodle (who was also stinky) earlier with our new and improved top-of-snout hand target while mouth is stuffed with ball so we can bite something that isn't the water

[mandana-the-service-pup]

How we take medicine multiple times a day (with a picky eater / suspicious of food dog)

⚠️ Disclaimer // I’m not a dog trainer 🙃

Teach them to open their mouth on command.

Teach them to accept treats (that you know they enjoy and are easy to swallow) when placed in their mouth after “open”

Teach them what “now” and “later” means in everyday conversations with them

Teach them how to choose “now” or “later” and practice giving them this choice whenever possible (you can ask this for things like potty, play, nap, kibble, etc)

Once you have all the pieces you can put it together. Start with a medicine that’s easy to swallow and least aversive smell/taste. Ask them to “open” and WAIT until they actually open their mouth. If they don’t open then end the exercise and try again later. If they open and then change their mind LET THEM. This is about empowering them with choice.

When they are ready, put the pill in the back of their mouth past their molars if possible. I support her chin to encourage her to swallow or else she might gag it up. I DON’T HOLD HER MOUTH SHUT. If she spits the pills up I LET HER and offer to try again. If she’s not feeling it then we end the session and try later.

There are a lot of contributing factors that can make this easier or harder. I’ve tried various methods and even tried teaching her to take the pills herself like a treat but this is the least aversive method we’ve found for her in particular. She doesn’t mind it and will “ask” for medicine regularly without being prompted when she needs help with various things. We use words like “belly medicine” for stomach ache. “itchy medicine” for allergies. Besides pills we also have “eye medicine” for allergy drops and “ear medicine” for cleaning out her ears when they bother her.

Another great thing about this method is that I’m not trying to sneak pills past her so it makes introducing new medications super easy. I’ll often let her sniff the pills between each round so she knows exactly what she’s getting and because I’m putting it at the back of her mouth all she has to do is swallow so the taste, texture and size doesn’t make that much of a difference. Just be sure to ask your vet if a pill is supposed to be chewed VS swallowed. In that case I’ll grind the medicine in a pill grinder and mix it in with peanut butter or cream cheese and feed it to her on a spoon (teaching your dog to swallow liquids from a spoon like a person is also a useful trick!)

[clickandtreat]

she has the starflesh vibes