Susannah Charleson, author of Scent of the Missing, has done it again: Given us a page turner that is exquisitely written, and rich with both emotion and information related to working dogs. However, this time the dogs aren’t search and rescue dogs; although in some ways you could suggest that’s exactly what they do. The Possibility Dogs, just released a few days ago, directly relates to last week’s post about Psychiatric Service Dogs, because that’s what it is about: dogs who help people function, and in some cases, heal. Some of these dogs seem able to search out people in need as if following a scent trail, and “rescue” them by their insightful awareness of what a damaged person needs.
As in Scent of the Missing, The Possibility Dogs entwines incidents from her own life, insights into the struggles and triumphs of others suffering from a range of traumatic experiences, and stories about her own dogs. Starring roles go to a deaf, blind dog named Ollie that Susannah flew across the country to rescue, and a charming, young looker named Jake Piper, a dog who showed up on her doorstep when she was still raw from the loss of two of her beloved dogs. She was in no condition to take on a half-dead, needy pup, but of course, you know the rest of the story. Here is what she writes while at the vet clinic, leaving him there with only a small chance of making it:
“Almost literally fading before my eyes, the puppy is now too weak to sit up. I kneel down beside the metal table, and he lays his head on my open hand. He is ugly from neglect, patchy fur stretched taut over visible bones, but he is beautiful, nonetheless, all dark eyes and wonky crashed-kite ears.”
“Wonky crashed-kite ears?” This woman can turn a phrase.
Susannah, after years in Search and Rescue, knows as well as any that many wonderful dogs are not suited for work as a service animal. However, her book is a testament that the right genetics and the right environment and training can create a dog who does wonders with the right match. The genetics might be planned, as dogs bred for CCI work, or they might be a random set of chromosomes nestled inside a furry package abandoned in a shelter. What’s important is a dog who truly and deeply cares about people, and a handler who truly and deeply understands the responsibility they have for caring for an individual of another species.
Susannah and I talked recently during a short break in her busy book tour schedule; I thought you would enjoy hearing some of our conversation.
Trisha: I’ve done some book interviews myself, and sometimes I never get to talk about what I think is most important about the book. What would you like to tell us about your new book?
Susannah: Perhaps that the book addresses two sets of needs: dogs who need rescuing, and people who need a dog to help them function and, in some cases, heal. The book emphasizes that there are rescued dogs who can do this work and can do it brilliantly, but that choosing them has to be thoughtful, meticulous and just. In addition, the humans who take on these partnerships have the challenge of addressing their own conditions honestly and specifically, while training and working with a dog while respecting the dog’s needs at the same time. They need to be asking “What am I doing for the dog today?” When successful, I’d argue that part of the healing comes from the person taking that wider point of view, looking at the two of them as a team, always thinking ‘This is what we do to address me, and this is what I will give back to the dog in return.”
Trisha: Applied animal behaviorist and primatologist James Ha, wrote recently suggesting that shelter dogs aren’t good prospects for service dogs. However, your organization, Possibility Dogs, has many examples of rescued dogs being good therapy or service dogs. Any thoughts on that issue?
Susannah: Because Possiblity Dogs (the organization, not the book) works with a variety of dogs, from Assisted Animal Activities to Emotional Support Dogs to Service Dogs, our net is a wide one. I find a lot of hope in shelters, perhaps for one thing because the social network is now so good at getting the word out about dogs quickly. Of course, not all dogs are cut out for the work. One hears that 1/30 dogs might make it as a good service dog, although I’ve also heard 1/1,000. At Possibility Dogs, we have a strong focus on creating partnerships between rescue dogs and people in need, but the needs vary greatly. One dog might be a fabulous therapy dog, but not a service dog because she is party animal who loves everyone and isn’t able to narrow her focus. Some dogs with disabilities themselves can become calm, serene companions to someone with anxieties, although they don’t have to have physical capability to be a service dog. [Note from T: One of Susannah’s dogs, and a star in the book, is Ollie, a deaf and blind cartoon of a dog with ridiculous ears, who makes miracles happen around anxious children.]
Trisha: What exactly does Possibility Dogs do?
Susannah: It is a 501.c3 “niche” organization that supports service partnerships of all kinds, particularly those requiring mobility and psychiatric service dogs. They support these partnership at any stage of the game, which is relatively unique in the field. For example, perhaps someone has had a service dog for 4 years and are now recovered enough to try flying for the first time since their illness. Possibility Dogs will help them understand TSA regulations, negotiate the airport, and use best practices at the gate area. They support the partnership for life, which other organizations that raise and place dogs often can’t. Not long ago a veteran with both psychiatric and physical conditions contacted us. His physical problems were serious, and he was most frightened about what would happen to his service dog when he died. Possibility Dogs is working with him to assure a good home for his dog, so that he can enjoy the remaining time they have together.
Trisha: You begin the book talking about your own experience with trauma, and being diagnosed with PTSD and what is called “critical incident stress.” I’m writing a memoir right now that includes some of my own difficult life experiences and their effect on my life. I find it both painful and liberating to write about them. How was it for you to write about your own trauma and recovery?
Susannah: It was excruciating–writing it down was like reliving it, and I had nightmares while doing it. BUT it was probably beneficial and hugely necessary for my work now with people in need of PSDs. One of the things critical to working with one’s own service dog is taking ownership of your condition. You can’t hide from yourself. I was one of those emergency responders who was ruled by (and in some respects probably still am), “it hurt, get over it, move on.” However, facing the truth of one’s condition is paramount to being a good partner in a service dog team, and so, to a degree, having to write about it made me a better collaborator.
Trisha: I’ve done my share of book tours, and they can be exhausting. I can’t imagine doing it with a dog. What is the hardest part of being on book tour with Jake Piper?
Susannah: No grass in New York City! My dogs are trained not to go on concrete but you can walk for miles in some cities and never find grass! I learned this the hard way on book tour with Scent of the Missing when I took Puzzle on tour. I had an early morning talk show, and had to get up at 3 AM to have time to walk her a million miles to grass, then walk back to the hotel, bathe and blow dry her! I learned my lesson, and on this tour I asked to be in hotel no more than 4-5 blocks from grass. So now I’m close to Central Park, but when we got there after 8 hours of travel, the heavens opened and it rained buckets. Just what you want right before making a public appearance! Traveling with a dog has made me appreciate how carefully people with service dogs have to pre-plan their trips, and constantly be an advocate for their dog.
Thanks to Susannah for taking the time to talk. I hope you enjoy the book. Here’s a schedule of her tour, just in case you are in the right city at the right time.
MEANWHILE, back on the farm: The good news: I get to eat the Lobster Pasta In Cream Sauce tonight at my favorite, local restaurant. That is because of the bad news: Willie injured his Iliopsoas muscle and is back on leash. That’s a hard place to return to after 14 months of that a few years ago. I am relieved it’s not his cruciate, but don’t know if recovery is weeks or months. I’ll know a lot more next week once we get into UW PT. I also have a DVM, Chinese Medicine/Acupuncturist coming out, so cross your paws. He is already on some adjunctive, “alternate” supplements, perhaps those will help too. Because of his injury, I’ve been herding the sheep myself the last two mornings–thus the justification for pasta with cream sauce. Yesterday they were easy to move, I suspect they assumed Willie was somewhere in the wings. Today they had figured it out, and I regret only the slightest bit that you can’t watch a video of me working my tail off while herding them into their designated grazing area this morning. Let’s just say the Lady Godiva, bless her gorgeous little lambs, turns out to be the smartest of the bunch, and is faster than I am. But not smarter.
Nellie the barn cat has taken to walking up the hill with us everyday to pasture the flock. Perhaps I can teach her to herd? However she has avoided being in with the sheep around the barn ever since she arrived, but lately that seems to be changing. The cats love being in the barn when I am there, and always run over if they see me walking toward it. Polly sleeps on the hay bales often during the day, so it’s common for Nellie, Willie and I to enter the barn and wake up a sleepy Polly, who does everything but rub her eyes with her paws.
Recently Nellie has begun spending time in the pen with the sheep. The lambs are very curious, and follow her around, sniffing her whenever possible. Katie and I just happened to be taking photos of the bottle lambs feeding when Katie got these shots of two of the lambs investigating Nellie.
And here’s Poor Ralphie (that’s practically become his official name, “Poor Ralphie,”) who was rejected at birth by his mother, and is 100% imprinted onto me. The flock has just left the barn and gone up the hill to graze. Ralphie often ignores all the rest of the sheep, stands by me as if to say “And what are WE going to do today?” In this photo I am taking Ralphie up the hill, where he will eventually leave me and begin to graze beside his brother and sister. Once he’s busy grazing, I can slip down the hill and move on to other things. As bucolic as all this looks, you never know when things will get dramatic. I almost lost Ralphie on Wednesday; the sheep were let loose to graze areas where they usually don’t go (because of Willie’s injury), and Ralphie must have eaten something that none of the others did. Lambs pay careful attention to what their mother’s eat, and Ralphie has no role model, so who knows what he ate or how much of it. I walked to the barn to give the bottle lambs their second feeding, and Ralphie was bloated up like a Mylar balloon and frothing at the mouth. Those are the symptoms of bloat, and it doesn’t take long for them to die of it. (One website says the “symptoms of bloat are dead sheep.”) I literally ran to the house to get bloat medicine (which breaks up the bubbles of gas that can suffocate the victim) and poured it down Ralphie’s mouth. Whew. In 20 minutes he was ready to drink his milk. Whew again. Poor Ralphie.
Robin Jackson says
I very much enjoyed Susannah Charleson’s novel, SCENT OF THE MISSING, and look forward to this new book, although I haven’t read it yet. Thanks, Trisha, for the interview!
Two quick service dog related comments on the blog article.
First, service dogs from good programs are specifically trained to eliminate on any surface on cue: grass, concrete, gravel, newspaper, snow, sand, etc. As service dog handlers, we can’t always plan our trips to that detail. We have to plan our training instead. Many a traveling service dog has had no place to go except an airport Tarmac or bus station parking lot and only 5 minutes to get it done in. It’s part of standard SD training.
Second, it is an ADI (assistance dogs international) standard that member programs must take the dogs back if the owner dies or can no longer care for the dog. And provide ongoing counseling, training, and support while the dog is working.
http://www.assistancedogsinternational.org/standards/assistance-dogs/ethics-for-dogs/
Of course private trainers may not do this, and it’s wonderful that Possibility Dogs is able to help individuals. But I would have to respectfully disagree that most programs don’t provide after placement support as all ADI programs must, and so do most of the large independents like Canine Assistants. It’s owner trainers and those working with individual private trainers who most often face this issue.
Milissa Rowell says
So hard keeping sheep without our right hand, eh? I stumbled on a funny characteristic of my little herd one day when I went out thinking, “I’ll just move these sheep right quick,” and they practically ignored me or even came to me! I quickly shouted for Mac who I thought was hanging around, but turned out to be in the house. My sheep all seemed to look around for the dog, so I tried calling the same commands I would to get Mac to move the sheep where I wanted them, and lo and behold the sheep started moving as though the dog was there! It wasn’t as neat and controlled as with the dog, but it was the right directions. Of course they were at a disadvantage since they hadn’t been to the shearer yet, they had quite a lot of wool around their faces making it hard for them to see that the dog wasn’t there! I’m pretty sure they would figure this out quickly if I tried it very often, but I’m glad to have two dogs now, and I hope Willie has a very speedy recovery!
LisaW says
I,too, really enjoyed “Scent of the Missing.” And I loved reading Suzannah’s answer when talking about matching dog and person: “They need to be asking ‘What am I doing for the dog today?’ ”
It echoes something I heard in a Suzanne Clothier presentation on shy, fearful, anxious dogs. She said to always remember to ask your dog, “How is this for you? You good?” I try to do that everyday with my anxious dog (who also has envious ears).
I am sorry, sorry, sorry to hear about Willie. We’ve had a few set backs, also, after 13 months of rehab from a cruciate injury. It’s amazing to me how our dogs push through and are so ready to let go of our frustration and sadness 😉 I wish you both a thorough and lasting recovery.
Enjoy the lobster pasta and cream sauce. It’s one of my favorite food combos.
Beth with the Corgis says
So sorry to hear about Willie. 🙁 It must be tough to have just the one working dog after having several for so long. I hope he makes a speedy recovery.
The lambs examining the cat is very funny. My own cat would have smacked them on the nose for the intrusion. 🙂 She is sweet and cuddly, but has a very low threshold for being pestered.
I hope Poor Ralphie gets all the sheepy lessons he needs to be successful.
Pam Vogt says
Thanks for the review and interview notes. I have read Scent of the Missing and just downloaded Possibility Dogs on my phone today! Leashing up the pups to walk them and listen to Susannah’s new release!
em says
Lovely interview. I’m sorry, too to hear about Willie-keeping paws crossed for a speedy recovery.
I do love to hear (and see pictures, what a treat!) about tag-along cats, though. Nellie and the lambs are adorable. There was a lady who used to live at the end of my block who went for walks several times a day accompanied by her tiny black toy poodle and elegant, oh-so-nonchalant black cat. The dog was leashed, the cat was free, but faithfully trailing close behind. Tickled me pink every time I saw it.
Kat says
Poor Willie, Poor Ralphie, and Poor Trisha. I’m discovering how hard it is to have a dog that isn’t sound. Crazy Finna gets to the point where she’s putting even weight on all four then does something like trying to jump over the recycling bin rather than wait two seconds while I move it, lands badly and is back to 3.5 legs again. Vet is convinced it’s a partial tear to her cruiciate but admits that doesn’t quite fit with the periods of apparent soundness. Since she’s not working or competing and because she’s still the psycho bitch from hell when it comes to allowing strangers to handle her we just take it slow and hope for the best. Here’s hoping Willie recovers quickly and is sound again in next to no time. Meanwhile enjoy your new calling as sheep dog. Just think of all the calories you’re burning! I remember as a kid moving our small flock from pasture to pasture and how even with five of us and a flock of only a dozen it was often a real challenge.
I love the photos of the lambs investigating the cat. I always get a kick out of the relationships that animals develop. My parents had one half grown barn cat that discovered sleeping in the chicken nests under a chicken was a delightfully warm bed, scared my mother half to death when she went out to gather eggs and reached under the chicken and got a handful of fur!!
Off to Amazon now to order the book. What a fun review and interview. I can hardly wait!
Robin Jackson says
I also wanted to say I think the whole idea of “possibility dogs,” of evaluating dogs one time to see whether they might be a potential therapy dog, service dog, search and rescue dog, companion dog, etc is really interesting. Most programs, like Freedom Dogs that we were discussing last week, or the National Disaster Search Dog Foundation, go in looking for just one kind of temperament. I thought Susannah’s comments with Trisha above about a dog who might make a great therapy dog but was too much of a “party animal” to have service dog focus were spot on.
On the other hand, I’m sure it must be very challenging to try to address all the various people interests as well, without coming off as a Jack of All Trades, Master of None. I noticed on the FB page that they’ve been careful to avoid mention of any of the specific service dog regulations regarding air travel, for example, which I personally think is probably a good thing. It can be really confusing to people. For example, the fact that, as of 2009, a service team can ask the airline for an escort to the relief area reserved for service teams, and even specify that they want one that doesn’t require crossing a street, is very important for SD teams to know. But could be frustrating to someone who doesn’t qualify for that escort.
SD teams from good programs know how to work with the CRO and get immediate decisions about open questions, but that’s not something you’d want to pass out as general information. Most of the SD teams from good programs also learn that if you accept the escort, it’s usually way easier to deal with TSA the second time around under the newest TSA regs. But again, only applies to service dog teams.
Unless they set up separate subgroups, I’m not sure how they’re going to avoid appearing like they don’t know the SD regulations, or else provide SD information to teams it doesn’t apply to. Very tricky! But obviously a worthwhile challenge.
liz says
The title Possibility Dogs is so thought-provoking. (There’s an extra “s” in Possibility in the post’s title- if there are concerns over synchronicity for internet searches.) Possibility- I just left out the third “i” again and had to fix, tough word to type- is the fulcrum of so much of life. This would be obvious if taking things for granted wasn’t so easy. When wonder is as enticing as probability, I slow down enough to absorb events differently. Even though I “know” my dog will come to a recall said so many times before, when I consider the chance that he may not, I watch him and think instead of being automatic in our process. And more to the point of the book’s possibilities, when I meet unowned dogs, their potential is what’s it all about. We engage in a sort of conversation to hash out the best place for them in this world. I can only imagine the excitement of having service dog organization stationed in this area. For now, the result is people meeting some extraordinary pets/companions/friends, and to consider what the dogs new life may hold is just amazing just the same. I’m sure the book itself will be equally amazing and I can’t wait to read it.
I also look forward- with super excitement- to Trisha’s memoir. I found that perhaps the biggest challenge about describing personal traumatic events (in a written thesis about autobiographical artwork) was to keep from getting lost. To keep the larger picture in mind, along with all of the gains and points accumulated throughout the journey, was tough because of all of the surprising benefits of the writing process. It was like taking a myth or an oral story and giving it a space to exist. It was more organized, cleaner even, than it was when it only lived in my mind. And it became simultaneously more “mine” through the craft of writing while it became free and everyone’s. It was a special process, one that suddenly made everything else I had to write about seem less relevant…
I love pictures of people walking on paths- the mystery and the story it tells.
Best wishes…
Mary K. says
Although I haven’t yet read Possibility Dogs (I will put it on my summer reading list) I love both the premise and the promise of it. It is a wonderful reminder that not all dogs rescued from a shelter will have a lifetime ahead of them full of behavioral problems which I think is what so many people believe. I have met many, many dogs in the shelter where I volunteer that would have made wonderful service dogs if only given the opportunity and proper training.
I believe that someone posted awhile back about how a service dog would need to be “bomb-proof” in terms of temperament and reactivity and I would concur with that belief. Some of the dogs I have met are as about as “bomb-proof” as you can get and believe me if a dog can remain absolutely chill and zen like in a crazy, loud, chaotic, ever changing shelter environment and still take it in stride, then there is no reason to believe that they couldn’t do the same in the great, big, wide, world. Some dogs just seem to have the right temperament no matter what their pedigree. Given the proper training and guidance they really would be full of possibility! 🙂
Trisha says
Thanks liz for the note about the mis-spelling and the encouragement on the memoir. Much appreciated!
Susan Mann says
Iliopsoas injuries stink 🙁 My rehab vet pretty much wanted 4+ months for healing, even with laser and u/s treatments and supplements, for a small to moderate tear. I’m cautious, have a friend whose BC got an iliopsoas injury that went undiagnosed (before it became more commonly known) for a couple of years, despite multiple vet visits to rehab and regular vets, dog ended up retired very early. With both dogs, there were minimal signs of injury- Arie had one day of limping, followed by acting fine, my friend’s dog was similar though got reinjured and limped or was off at those times.
I saw a FB ad for a “go anywhere with your dog, fly your dog for free as a Service Dog” organization and was totally disgusted, reported them to FBI for internet fraud but never heard anything. Makes me pretty mad, since I paid for cargo transport of my dog to attend a Service Dog seminar I organized!
Susannah Charleson says
Hi again, Trisha — Thanks so much for the conversation and the discussion of THE POSSIBILITY DOGS here. And I appreciate the thoughtful responses here, as well!
Robin Jackson is, of course absolutely correct on some points she made. First, the necessity of a service dog being able to eliminate just about anywhere directed, on command. It can be a washout item for candidate dogs in many programs, because it is so consistent a need and space may not be readily available. For some dogs, this is an often amusing training experience, preferably upwind– particularly with Jake Piper, who was a long-legged, awkward, Bambi-fawn-sliding- on-ice-puppy in his early life, it was interesting to see him try to figure out how to be “on mark.” I also think I misspoke to some degree when I said “concrete” — “sidewalk” is maybe the better word. Because he is my partner, Jake maintains our local city standard (curb your dog), so he’ll go on curbs, and he’s trained successfully on gravel, asphalt streets and parking lots, which I think he actually prefers to grass, but it was amusing how sometimes we didn’t have even ready access to curbs in NYC–especially on busy days when limo drivers, street vendors, and crowds of tourists were always poised on the lips of streets. People, people, people everywhere! Jake will go on paper in the hotel room, and he did, but his ears always droop when he does so, like yes, he did go on command, but some housebroken part of him remains … dubious. He is a happy, happy dog when he can do his business outside. Robin’s note reminds me how consistently we need to train to a wider world, that the cue is the thing, to be celebrated when successfully done, no matter what the …uh … receiving surface.
We do have one client whose dog will go directly into a poop bag. It’s like some strange tandem yoga pose between them. I can only gawp and admire. Conversely, we have just started working with a small poodle mix who will, if she trains well, assist her partner with panic attacks and night terrors. This former Chicago condo dog blissfully goes on paper in the house, loves a sidewalk, baby, but outside on some surfaces — like grass– she’ll go, but she glares balefully upward at you the whole time,then lifts her feet high as she prisses away, like ugh.this.is.so.gross. 😀
And certainly with regard to the lifetime support of service dog partnerships, yes, absolutely many organizations do have support procedures and re-home avenues for their retired program dogs, as well as for those whose partners die. Robin is right on point when she writes of that lack of safety net from private trainers, owner-trainers, or smaller organizations–and there are many of them. It’s not that the goodwill isn’t there; sometimes the support infrastructure or response readiness is just not in place. Such was the case with the veteran, whose inner sense of hurry is very real.
I need to, in future, make sure I am clearer about this: we are an organization that focuses on supporting the owner co-trained team, typically, providing resources they might not otherwise have. Though lately, a number of our queries have come from clients of smaller organizations that have folded, who have become owner-trainers late in the process. That really is what the book explores: how hard is it to owner-train a dog to specific tasks, from scratch — identifying an appropriate dog, training to public access standards, and task training to given conditions? What are the pitfalls in the process? What kinds of training, information, resource support do owner-trainers need? Taking that taught me a lot. I find that in the sea change of policy discourse and Notice(s) of Proposed Rulemaking, the answers to those questions change quickly.
Finally, I think Robin in the second post identified something that is of greatest concern to me, perhaps worthy of a tattoo somewhere on my person.
There is always a risk that service (and search) dog organizations try to take on far too much, particularly early on. In an effort to establish, populate, and serve, it’s easy for a group to make offers based on “meaning well” that they cannot fulfill. We have a saying in search and rescue that I think applies here: This is not a job for the simply well-intentioned. No matter the “job” Possibility Dogs assists (SD, ESA, comfort/therapy) the work needs to be informed, the training resources must meet real-time needs as they evolve, and every dog-and-handler team deserves individual attention.
We will purposely stay “small” by organization standards, our SD focus exclusively on mobility and psych service and the owner-co-trained partnership–SD, ESA, comfort/therapy. And yes, subgroups are the watchword. While I think every dog should have good public stewardship, and the obedience standards/testing for all those jobs should be equally rigorous, clearly policies, regulations, and legal protections vary across those jobs, with the SD team rightfully having the greatest level of protection and accommodation. Possibility Dogs, the organization, needs to thoroughly address not only the individual job, but the public and private implications of that job for dog and handler. Having just left Boston Copley Square yesterday, I’ve just this morning been working on a unit specific to the comfort/therapy dog teams about compassion fatigue in the crisis environment, how to recognize when it’s time to step away.
The FB page is purposely generic, an introductory dialogue with the organization across the working platforms we serve, a discussion of current events, rather than –heaven forbid –something a drive-by reader could assume was an all-you-need-to-know training or policy module on a scrolling timeline. We hope it will lead people to a focused, one-to-one interaction with us either through FB messaging or, preferably, our email, so that we can direct them to specific FAQs and training information relevant to their interests. So far, fingers crossed, that has been true.
Trisha — I am so sorry to read about Willie’s injury, and hope he rebounds quickly, bless him. I look forward to reading your coming book.
Thanks so much to those who’ve commented here. (Loved the comment about giving experiences “a space to exist.”) I wish you all well beside every loved creature.
JJ says
Fun post. I like that you did an interview.
My biggest reaction was to the pictures of the cat and sheep. With that tail so high in the air, I kept thinking the cat was wishing she was a skunk. I sort of expected the next slide to be the sheep running away with a look of horror on their faces. 😉
Those sheep are seriously adorable.
So sorry to hear about Willie. That’s got to be depressing. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
Jen says
Poor Willie! And poor Ralphie 🙁
I loved Scent of the Missing, and am looking forward to reading Possibility Dogs. Charleson does have a way with words, that’s a fact!
Kat says
I’m about half way through the book now. It’s a deeply moving read that has me in tears often (I should note that sometimes it’s because I’m laughing so hard I’m crying.) Something that is surprising me is how many of the PSD behaviors Ranger does, most of them not because he was specifically trained but because he’s very smart and very observant.
He’s figured out I don’t have a great sense of direction and will take me back to where we left the car when asked. He’s also amazingly good at generalizing so on our last therapy dog visit to a local nursing home we all needed his help. Typically an activity director accompanies our group because he or she will know which residents most need time with a dog and we rely on that person as a guide. The hallways all look alike and when we’re going in and out of rooms on both sides of the corridor it’s hard to stay oriented (in my case I frankly admit, impossible). This particular day the activity director had been double booked and left us on our own for the last half of the visit. We were all getting tired and it was time to head out when the humans looked at each other and realized not a one of us was certain which direction that was. I volunteered that Ranger probably knew and told him we were finished, it was time to go home and could he take me back. He started down the hall all confidence so we all followed him and he unerringly led us back to the reception desk and the door out. I’m certain the fact that the receptionist always has a dog biscuit waiting for him was an added incentive but since even when he’s tired he’ll keep trying to visit people I’m convinced he was complying with the request to get me back to the starting point. Just one more bit of evidence that when it comes to therapy work he’s the brains of the operation, I’m just along to hold the leash and make the mouth noises. 😉
Christine says
After having read “Scent of the Missing” I was eager to find out what my dog (Bruno du Jura) would be able to do with his nose and I joined the Swissmantrailing group. We both like the training in finding people and I can see that my dog is so relaxed after the trainings. So I am eager to get the new book from Susannah Charleson. I thin I will stick to the Mantrailing, though!
Robin Jackson says
@Susannah,
Thank you so much for the response! I suspected those would be the explanations, but am glad to have that verified.
For those who don’t know, perhaps there are three other facts we should mention.
First, while there are many great assistance dog training organisations, probably less than 5% of ADI member programs train dogs for those with mental health disabilities, including PTSD.
Second, the United States is unusual in that owner trained service dogs are treated legally the same as professionally trained dogs in all civilian circumstances. Military policy does, as of 2012, limit the definition of “service dogs” to those from ADI or IGDF member programs.
Third, because of the wide range of mobility challenges, many people choose not to apply for a program dog unless they’re in a wheelchair, but may legitimately benefit from a service dog if they “only” use a cane or walker.
Put those three facts together and there has been a huge increase in the last 15 years of people with psychiatric or mobility impairments with service dogs who were not trained by ADI member programs. As Susannah says, often individual trainers or small programs with good intentions but no resources to provide lifelong support. Or owner trainers without a wider safety net.
There are places to provide these people with up to date information on legal policy changes, but not much else.
An Organisation that can help offer resources of a broader scope for those with mental health disabilities would be filling a very real hole.
Robin Jackson says
Oops! I should say “treated the same at the federal level in all civilian circumstances.” There are state laws that do make a distinction depending on the credentials of the trainer. My apologies for any confusion.
Trisha says
Thanks Susannah for adding to the conversation. Good luck with the book tour (and congratulations on being featured on Yahoo yesterday, how great is that?) and with Possibility Dogs. And I hope there will be another book in your future too, I already can’t wait to read it.
Margaret McLaughlin says
I loved Scent of the Missing, & can’t wait to read Possibility Dogs. My next Amazon order.
Have a funny to share with you all–Susannah’s mention of the dog who could poop straight into the bag made me remember it. I was at Barnes & Noble with my first guide dog puppy, Klara, sitting way at the back in one of the comfortable chairs, when Klara began to make that unmistakable I’m-going-to-barf-any-second sound. I looked towards the door & realized we couldn’t make it even if I picked her up & ran, so I pulled a poop bag from my pocket, & held it under her mouth. She upchucked neatly into the bag. I heard a gasp, & looked up to see the manager staring at us in wondering amazement. I’m sure he still thinks service dogs are taught to vomit into bags:)
Laura says
Hi all,
Well, I ordered Possibility Dogs last night because I wanted to give my Kindle app, touted to be accessible by my blind friends, a try and see what it could do, and I really really wanted to read this book. Scent Of The Missing made me laugh out loud at points and cry and hug Seamus at others. So I downloaded Possibility Dogs last night and finished it this afternoon. I just have to say, Susanna, if you’re still reading the comment thread here, your descriptions of dogs behavior, especially the funny stuff is so spot on. I know now, that my Seamus has the definite personality of a golden retriever. Everything Puzzle did or does in the book is a reflection of my silly, dramatic boy. I just wanted to say, that those parts in the book made me laugh today and I needed it. I’ve been dealing with eye problems in the only good, sighted eye I have left and today was a bad eye day. Reading relaxes me, so I was able to help the pain that way and I thank you for that as well. Thanks for making me laugh, and cry and want to reread the book again.
I had one other service dog related comment to add as well. No spoilers, I promise guys. One of the Psd handlers you interviewed maintained that the PSD has to like the handler in order to work for them. when I first read this, I thought, well that’s not true. Torpedo, my second guide didn’t give two hoots about me when we first started out and we worked just fine, but the more I thought about it, for a psd, the more it made sense. From reading your book, these dogs must be much more sensetative to their handler’s emotional well-being than my dog ever needs to be. Sometimes he’s quite clewless in fact. I fell down the stairs once and he did come running over, to see if I wanted to play, not to see if I was all right…. traitor. 😀
Anyway, I agree with your interviewee, the dog must like you right away for the working relationship to well, work. This holds true in the mobility assistance sdog world as well. Perhaps not to the same critical and immediate necessity, but if I didn’t like my dog and he didn’t love me, it wouldn’t work as well as it does.
There was always something strained about Torpedo’s and my relationship. I couldn’t put my finger on it until he retired and now, looking back on it, I realize now that he didn’t enjoy the job the way Seamus does. I was a wonderful human to him, by that I mean he loved me as his person, but he still saw me as the boss in a high stress job he hated, even though he was excellent at it. That’s the difference between some dogs I think, and I identified with you when you spoke of Puzzle’s work ethic, but in reverse of Torpedo. It seemed in how you wrote about her, and please correct me if I’m wrong, but she works because she loves it and she loves working with you, but man she’d work until she dropped. Torpedo worked because I asked him to do it and he would’ve rather stayed at home with his crate and his toys. I can’t believe he did it for 6 years.
seamus loves to work, but he’s just as happy hanging out with me and playing with his toys as he is at work. I think he is happy where ever he is and is happy in what ever he is doing. Good dog. All of this is to say, that I’ve heard instructors at GDB talk of situations where dogs got a taste of home life with their handler and quickly preferred that over working and sure they liked their handler, but didn’t feel a real compulsion to serve them. In reading your book, you showed me how absolutely necessary this drive to serve their person is for PSDs.
liz says
What a treat to have two extraordinary writers followup here on top of an intriguing interview!
It strikes me that part of what I loved so much about Scent of the Missing was that Susannah looks for the … “pulse of dogness”, finds it in her relationships and activities with dogs, then describes it exactly. (In the case of Search and Rescue, it was the perfect way to highlight that part of a dog’s “pulse” beats in the nose.) No doubt that Possibility Dogs will be another book that offers information as well as cherished universal insight.
(When my female pees on concrete- roads, sidewalks, where ever duty calls- she either hikes a leg up like a male or does a dog version of the splits. I don’t think she’s aiming for anything in particular as much as she’s trying to avoid splashing?? Funny topic regardless- great stories and imagery.)
Laura says
Hi again,
I just wanted to add two things, one, Susanna, I know too, the odd situation of having to relieve my dog between two parked cars. There is hardly any grass in Down town Minneapolis and so he has to go where ever he can. Also, how could I forget to give my best wishes for Willie’s recovery? Poor Willie-boy. I hope he’s feeling better soon and I hope he can work again soon. Please, give him lots of hugs and cuddles from us… I’d love to stroke that gorgeous fluffy fur of his, and let us know how he’s progressing. Looking forward to reading more comments, and again, what a great interview and book. I hope you both have another book coming soon. 🙂
Alexandra says
Poor Ralphie, indeed. What will happen to him? Will he grow out of his fixation on you naturally when it is time for him to be weaned? Will he go to market like your other male lambs? If he continues to be particularly attached to you would he stay as a pet at your farm or another? I think I remember an earlier post where you explained your farm is small and doesn’t have room for a non-producing sheep.
Frances says
Poor Willy – and poor you. But, from a very, very selfish point of view, I have gained from your experiences. My Papillon, Sophy, has just been diagnosed with a trapped nerve (AKA slipped disc) and prescribed pain killers and several weeks crate rest. At the moment she is in too much pain to want to do more than sleep at my feet, but thanks to all the posts on here I not only have lots of ideas to keep her happily entertained when the pain relief kicks in and she begins to feel better, but also understand the importance of following the directive for complete rest. I also have the huge advantage of being retired, and able to organise my day around my dogs, and can therefore think of the benefits to both of them of some one-on-one time.
I don’t want to speculate upon Ralphie’s eventual fate. There is a reason why I decided I lacked the temperament to be a farmer…
Trisha says
Re Ralphie. And me. Can’t do it. I can’t take Ralphie to market, I just can’t. (Who’s attached to who here?) Going to find him a pet home or keep him in the flock for Willie to work. That might be tricky, since I’ve trained Willie to ignore him (those of you with working BCs can imagine that a certain amount of effort and patience, went into that). We did wean him this weekend, along with Goat girl, so only Spot’s triplets to bottle feed for one more week. After 8 weeks of it, I won’t pretend I’ll miss it!
kate says
oh, the psoas injury. my BC mix sara is recovering from a moderate strain. it’s been a month and she’s still showing some signs of it being troublesome.
she had a TPLO for a partially torn cruciate and was doing amazing. almost no limp. about two weeks after surgery, she was in the kitchen drinking water, and the silly human called her to go outside. being just a little full of energy, she tore around the corner … and splayed and pulled the muscle. she was putting almost no weight on it for the first week or two. meantime, i’m following her around with stress up to my eyeballs, “don’t blow the other knee! be careful!” it’s getting better slowly. she had her first underwater treadmill appointment yesterday and did really well.
i hope willie heals up quickly, i couldn’t imagine if i needed sara to work. i’m glad you have such good resources at UW.
Wilfred says
I would like to stress my comments into two: I shall say that the best thing we can do to fully understand the story is to put our soul on it. ” Scent of the missing” is something that should be viewed subjectively. If you are a true dog lover then you can admittedly relate to its story. — The next note is to give emphasize on one universal truth, people as we are should learn how to respect life whether it’s small or not. Life comes in different forms and shape, life is precious and should be value genuinely , especially animals ( dogs ) who have nothing bad against us.
Eustice The Sheep says
Upon seeing h that last picture of Nellie and the lambs my immediate thought was “oh my gawd! The sheep can heard cats!” (Nevermind Nellie is but one cat). I told Eustice made me tell you about it. (That’s my story and I’m sticking to it)
ABandMM says
I saw this video link on CNN, and it gives some background on the matching aspect of guide dogs for the blind. The service organization is FIDELCO, based in CT. I grew up in CT and FIDELCO had a sterling reputation as an organization that raised seeing eye dogs for the blind.
I thought I would share.
http://www.wfsb.com/story/22522578/military-hero-matched-wit-fidelco-guide-dog?hpt=us_bn7
Nic1 says
Trisha. – so sorry to hear about Willie. Poor boy has had some bad luck with injuries. I know it probably doesn’t help much at the time but ‘this too will pass’. Here’s hoping he makes a speedy recovery and can get back to work soon.
Alexandra says
I’m glad to hear Ralphie gets a reprieve!
address says
Because Possiblity Dogs (the organization, not the book) works with a variety of dogs, from Assisted Animal Activities to Emotional Support Dogs to Service Dogs, our net is a wide one. I find a lot of hope in shelters, perhaps for one thing because the social network is now so good at getting the word out about dogs quickly. Of course, not all dogs are cut out for the work. One hears that.