This is SSD Thunder, he is a wonderful dog and was my second choice. It's very difficult to choose a service dog, they are all special animals. He was more affectionate than Misty and a little taller. It was a close call between the two, but I thought Misty was the slightly better choice based on the way she looked at me.. she was more attentive, at least in my opinion.
The final candidate was SSD Journey. A beautiful little female Labrador Retriever in her own right. I felt she was a little intimidated by my wheelchair, especially walking next to it. She kept her distance from the wheelchair while the other two walked very close beside me. If you're interested in making a donation to Susquehanna Service Dogs please click HERE
4 comments:
I am utterly fascinated by service dogs and love watching them work.
It seems to me from your comments and insight that selecting a service dog is a very personal experience. By that I mean that even though Journey may not have been a good fit for you, she will be for someone else!
Interesting video's Greg, thanks!
How much of the decision regarding choice of dog is down to you, and how much is down to the dog's trainer? As I've mentioned before, I train guide dogs in the UK. Tomorrow my colleague and I are taking two dogs out to meet their prospective clients. Of course the potential clients have a say in whether they feel the dog suits them or not, but ultimately the decision to go ahead with the match or not rests with myself and my colleague.
Thanks for the comments, I just had to give my input. The decision will be made by them within two weeks as to which dog they think will best meet my needs.
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