#belgians as service dogs

[fayeandknight]

Hi! First of all i hope you're having a good day/night, and if you don't mind the question (no pressure to answer, no worries! especially if this is something that was asked before) my partner is disabled and we've had the tought of getting a SD in the future for physical and also likely psychiatric aid, and since we're also interested in belgians, i've been wondering what it's like to have one as SD. Energy and exercise needs aside, because that's a given, what are the pros and cons to them in the context of them being a service dog? I'd love to hear about Forte, but if there are other people you know of that could give some insight on this topic, i'll also be grateful for that.

Sorry that i don't have more specific questions than this atm, i'm mainly wondering what the likelihood of getting a dog of that breed or similar as a SD is, and what some challenges (or maybe advantages?) might be. (i know other breeds are often the go-to for this for a reason, but still curious as i have seen them being used as SDs). Thanks and take care!

Hey, thanks for reaching out to me, I'm happy to answer questions! Hopefully I adequately answer everything but if not please feel free to ask follow up questions.

What are the pros and cons of having a Belgian as an SD?

First, my standard heads up that SDs bring attention. It's unavoidable even if you have the most generic looking dog in the world. So I advise people to really consider how they will deal with attention/the public being weird.

That's not meant to discourage pursing an SD, just something to keep in mind. On my good days I'm educational about SDs for the curious. On okay days, I'm monotone and boring in my answers or just ignore people. And on less than okay days I carefully evaluate my tolerance for nonsense and have a plan for leaving immediately if I need to.

As far as having a Belgian SD in particular, he's incredibly perceptive and can pick up subtle mood shifts or small behaviors quite quickly. And he's good at putting the pieces together even if I'm not able to show him the whole picture. This is super helpful for disassociation interruption where simulating it is difficult. He's not easily discouraged when he's sure about a response. Meaning he'll keep trying to help even if I ignore him or try to send him away. He also loves to work and in addition to food and play/toy rewards works well for praise and affection.

He also just jives really well with my lifestyle. So even if service work didn't end up being his path, there's still a place for him in my life.

The cons really boil down that he's sensitive, environmentally alert, and keenly attuned to me. I shielded him a lot as a puppy/younger dog from my big moods. There were a lot of days when I had to quickly stop what I was doing, put puppy Forte in his pen, and run upstairs to fall apart in private. Because continually bearing witness to that can stress any dog out, but the risk is greater for sensitive breeds like Belgians. I also do a lot of work using people he knows and likes to keep him from becoming suspicious of people. Because he is naturally clocking everything happening and I get easily uncomfortable with people in my space. So I have to keep on top of not letting him put those two together in a way that makes him feel the need to keep people away from me in an unfriendly manner.

This is where I strongly advocate for finding a top notch breeder, Belgian or otherwise, and being honest with them about what you'll be asking of the dog. While I didn't disclose my disability, I did write out the main tasks I'd be needing and what they looked like exactly. Be prepared for breeders to say no. Better to know up front they aren't going to be a good match. Forte's breeder told me that if I'd asked a few years previous, she'd have said no. But that she had a current bitch (Forte's mom) she thought could produce the right puppy for me. Forte's litter is considered very social/friendly for the breed.

Hopefully this gives some insight. I tried to keep it on the shorter (ha) side but could easily ramble on about the subject. If there's specifics that come to mind or you're interested in a typical day or the like let me know.

Thanks!

[lucky-lucky-dog]

i never posted this, did i? delta and their service dog, malyshka <3

[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.

[quite-right-too]

Gallifrey One prep is going well for the Dogtor

[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 😊).

[d33-alex]

I got you! 🐶

[virtie333]

My Sadiekins. I've been taking care of her at the kennel for almost all of her career. One of the smartest dogs I've ever known. I knew she was retiring this year, so I'm glad to see it's finally official. I know she'll be staying with Mike, but I hope he continues to board her with us when he's out of town.

[irreverent-dobermans]

Hanging in South Carolina like... (Sinatra, May 2023)

[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

[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.

[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.

[fayeandknight]

Was at the grocery store and I'm pretty used to kids pointing out my service dog. So it didn't phase me when a kid in a grocery cart starting loudly going on about the dog in the store and pointing.

Their adult calmly explained the dog was working hard and needed to be ignored. Kid asked how they knew the dog was working hard. And this lady, without missing a beat, replied "Well baby, he's working on ignoring you."

And I just started laughing.

I hope that lady has a great week.

[clickandtreat]

she has the starflesh vibes

[mandana-the-service-pup]

I wasn’t expecting her to use it to request grooming but here we are 😂

[smol-snoot-big-job]

Major Life Updates

Hello, everyone. I'm not sure how many people still follow this account but I think you all need the closure you deserve.

Mya passed away on July 14th, 2021 after deteriorating from a condition known as degenerative myelopathy. She was surrounded by family and it was heartbreaking for everyone.

I eventually was able to get a new service dog and our adventures can be found here: linktr.ee/socalservicemal

If you are still interested in following us, I would urge you to seek us out there. I still have a hard time without Mya because she was my heart dog, but Dante is wonderful.

[buddha23fett]

A bit of fun while on a break.